George
Silver labrador mix | male | 3 Years Old | 72 Lbs
QUICK FACTS: ✔️ Good with other dogs! ✔️ Good with cats! ✔️ Good with kids! ✔️ Crate trained! ✔️ Potty trained! ✔️ Good in car! ❌ No apartments! ❌ Separation anxiety!
George unfortunately needs to have right CCL surgery now and will be unavailable for adoption until he recovers. He looks forward to meeting his forever family soon!
Updates
Check out a video of George here!
PUPDATE #2
We have had George about 7 months now. He has really transformed into such a good boy. His anxiety is definitely decreased since he has been with us longer. For whoever decides they would like to adopt him will just need to give him some time to adjust to his environment. He has been doing well in his kennel during the work day as well as going into it. Our dogs are kennel trained and as long as they go into their kennels, George has no problem going into his kennel when his name is called. He is still in a gunner kennel, which I know can be expensive but I believe he would do fine in an appropriate sized plastic crate. We just don't have one in his size. He is just an escape artist in the wire kennels.
As most dogs he loves his routine. When I get home he knows we will be taking a walk soon. If I'm not fast enough for his liking he makes sure he lets me know he is ready by sitting by the door and ringing the bells!
He does still grab things he shouldn't and if we don't catch him, he will chew things up (overall this isn't a huge issue I just feel like I need to mention it) His only other fault is he likes to wake me up in the middle of the night to go potty! This is likely because I go to bed fairly early. He can make it through the night on occasion so I think with a change in his potty schedule this likely wouldn't be an issue.
Some positives about him, he doesn't seem to care about much. My husband put new floors in our house and well our dogs were anxious messes, George slept through the whole thing. He also has no issue with the vacuum. He just lays there and lets me vacuum around him. He mostly sleeps and LOVES the couch!
He has recovered great from his surgery in November. He has put on some weight and his muscles in his legs look good. His right cruciate is partially torn but it does not slow him down. He still loves to play with our dogs but I believe his hips are the main issue. He can't play for long before he needs to sit. If he plays rough and appears uncomfortable I'll give him an NSAID and that seems to be enough to keep him comfy. George would do better in a home with minimal stairs. After our walks he seems to struggle up the 4 stairs into our house. He also needs help on the bed and into the car specifically to get his back end up and in. All he gets for meds/supplements regularly is a joint supplement and fish oil.
Overall I love this big goofy dog! I'm hopeful he will find the right person to adopt and care for him for the rest of his life!
PUPDATE #1
During the work week George gets up around 4:30AM. He goes outside potty and once back inside he eats breakfast around 5AM. He usually naps on the couch while I do my morning routine. Once I'm done and depending on time and weather, we go for a 10–20-minute walk. Then he goes into his crate for the workday. Once we get home, he goes outside to potty and then eats his dinner around 5PM. Again, depending on weather, we go on another walk. Around 7PM he gets a lick mat for some nighttime enrichment before bed. Prior to bed he goes out one more time to potty. He then goes to sleep on our couch.
George does great with people. He is a little shy at first but warms up quickly.
We do not have kids but the kids he has met during the holidays he has done well with.
I would say George is medium energy. He loves to play with other dogs, but he has some limitations with his ortho issues. Usually, a long walk tires him out for a while. He pulls a little on a leash but overall, he does well on a leash. I would recommend a harness.
George loves our dogs and would definitely benefit from another dog in the home. I would recommend a similar energy type dog. We have a high energy dog that he tries to keep up with and with his orthopedic issues we worry he is going to hurt himself playing with him. He can be a little dog reactive on a leash or when another dog barks and growls at him. I do think he just wants to meet the other dog, but I have never introduced him to other dogs in that situation.
George does well with cats. He likes to smell then and give them a little bath.
George has some separation/kennel anxiety. He did not do well in a kennel, but he has been improving since we got him in August. He now goes in on his own by just calling his name. We do give him a kong with peanut butter and treats and also other enrichment while we are gone which I think has helped. Right now, he is in an indestructible gunner crate because he can and will escape a wire crate. He may do fine in a plastic airline crate, we just didn't have one big enough for him in supply. He does better when my dogs are kenneled by him. When left alone outside of his kennel we have come home to the occasional thing chewed up.
George has severe hip dysplasia and a partially torn right cranial cruciate ligament. He fully tore his left cruciate ligament about a week into us having him. He recently had surgery in November to fix that knee. He will have finished up his recovery from surgery and can go home after 1/20. As for the severe hip dysplasia, the surgeon believes he can live a pretty good life and he may never need surgery on his hips. With that being said he may at some point need a total hip replacement if his arthritis and pain become too much to handle. I talked to the surgeon at his recheck about his partial tear in his right cruciate ligament and he said as of right now surgery is not recommended since he shows no signs of it causing any issue to him. Eventually he may need surgery on that knee if he fully tears it/becomes lame on it. He will also need to be a joint supplement for life and NSAIDs as needed.
The orthopedic surgeon gave me this website: caninearthritis.org, to give to his future owner so they can better understand his needs.