| Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue Helping Labs Find Their Fur-Ever Homes |
| Whiskey (now Misty) |
Too Much
Ten years ago, when I finally convinced my husband, Dean,
that we should have a dog our first stop was the local the
SPCA. I had done my research and my preference was to
bring home a Labrador Retriever. The cages at the SPCA
all had cards on them giving a brief reason why the dog
had been given up. There were lots of pit bulls, and one
was a chocolate lab with a card that said 'Too Much'.
Since this was the first time I was going to have to be
responsible for caring for a dog, I was scared off by that
sign, his size and by his barking. We left that day and soon
ended up with two wonderful lab puppies from a breeder -
Maggie and Tess. They still look like puppies to me even
though they’re over 70 pounds each.
Ten years ago, when I finally convinced my husband, Dean,
that we should have a dog our first stop was the local the
SPCA. I had done my research and my preference was to
bring home a Labrador Retriever. The cages at the SPCA
all had cards on them giving a brief reason why the dog
had been given up. There were lots of pit bulls, and one
was a chocolate lab with a card that said 'Too Much'.
Since this was the first time I was going to have to be
responsible for caring for a dog, I was scared off by that
sign, his size and by his barking. We left that day and soon
ended up with two wonderful lab puppies from a breeder -
Maggie and Tess. They still look like puppies to me even
though they’re over 70 pounds each.
But that's not the story I want to tell (although it's a good one!). I want to tell the story about Misty, our 3rd beautiful lab.
After 5 great years with Maggie and Tess we decided to become a foster home for a Labrador Retriever rescue and try to make
amends for the lab we passed up at the SPCA. Our first foster was Misty (Whiskey, really, but we gave her a new name). She
weighed 40 pounds when she should have weighed 80. She was 4 years old, they said, and had been turned out of her house as
the result of a divorce. After having been picked up by animal control 3 times, she was slated to be put down, so it was an emergency
that someone take her in. After Maggie, Tess and Dean all had a good introduction to Misty, we had no doubts and brought her home.
She came to us the day after being neutered. Smelling of betadyne and surgery, Misty at first frightened Maggie and Tess, but she
came to me and curled up in my lap when I sat on the floor. I fell in love. We decided to be a foster failure and become an adoption
success story.
Misty started to feel better. We got her a bath and watched her regain her weight. Then we found out why rescue societies require a
fostering period before allowing pets to be adopted out to families. What we found was that Misty's behavior was very much like the
behavior of the foster child we had living with us at the time. I kept a diary during this period of time and the parallels between her
behavior and our foster son were remarkable - destructive behavior like wiping everything off of table tops - and much more. The
major difference was that Misty only rampaged when both Dean and I were out. The vet called it separation anxiety.
Our foster son eventually returned to his mother, and, happily, that was a successful reunion. Misty was still with us, and we had to
figure out how to help her.
It took some time, and some embarrassing-sounding tactics – our version of shock therapy: pretending to both leave the house, but
one of us hiding to surprise Misty in the middle of a rampage; hugging her and hugging her until she had to wiggle hard to get away;
private walks and car rides. Luckily Tess turned out to be a big help in Misty's reform as they shared guard duty at the front door and
in the backyard. Maggie was a little more wary, always suspicious of threats to her territory, but now they cuddle up together in my
home office while I work. They’re here as I write this.
I wanted to write this story because so often, those of us with the best intentions bring a dog into our homes only to find it won't work.
Often the rescues in our areas are the best way to find a 'best friend' because they give the pet a chance to go through the inevitable
transitions they will face before going to a family and their new home.
Misty presented us with challenges – but she’s now a happy, confident part of our family, always interested in walks and getting her
belly rubbed.
This is a success story, for us and for Misty, and for Brookline Lab Rescue. Brookline has many successful rescue stories. I hope
this story makes everyone want to understand the love - and the responsibility - you bring into your home when you save one of these
wonderful pets!
After 5 great years with Maggie and Tess we decided to become a foster home for a Labrador Retriever rescue and try to make
amends for the lab we passed up at the SPCA. Our first foster was Misty (Whiskey, really, but we gave her a new name). She
weighed 40 pounds when she should have weighed 80. She was 4 years old, they said, and had been turned out of her house as
the result of a divorce. After having been picked up by animal control 3 times, she was slated to be put down, so it was an emergency
that someone take her in. After Maggie, Tess and Dean all had a good introduction to Misty, we had no doubts and brought her home.
She came to us the day after being neutered. Smelling of betadyne and surgery, Misty at first frightened Maggie and Tess, but she
came to me and curled up in my lap when I sat on the floor. I fell in love. We decided to be a foster failure and become an adoption
success story.
Misty started to feel better. We got her a bath and watched her regain her weight. Then we found out why rescue societies require a
fostering period before allowing pets to be adopted out to families. What we found was that Misty's behavior was very much like the
behavior of the foster child we had living with us at the time. I kept a diary during this period of time and the parallels between her
behavior and our foster son were remarkable - destructive behavior like wiping everything off of table tops - and much more. The
major difference was that Misty only rampaged when both Dean and I were out. The vet called it separation anxiety.
Our foster son eventually returned to his mother, and, happily, that was a successful reunion. Misty was still with us, and we had to
figure out how to help her.
It took some time, and some embarrassing-sounding tactics – our version of shock therapy: pretending to both leave the house, but
one of us hiding to surprise Misty in the middle of a rampage; hugging her and hugging her until she had to wiggle hard to get away;
private walks and car rides. Luckily Tess turned out to be a big help in Misty's reform as they shared guard duty at the front door and
in the backyard. Maggie was a little more wary, always suspicious of threats to her territory, but now they cuddle up together in my
home office while I work. They’re here as I write this.
I wanted to write this story because so often, those of us with the best intentions bring a dog into our homes only to find it won't work.
Often the rescues in our areas are the best way to find a 'best friend' because they give the pet a chance to go through the inevitable
transitions they will face before going to a family and their new home.
Misty presented us with challenges – but she’s now a happy, confident part of our family, always interested in walks and getting her
belly rubbed.
This is a success story, for us and for Misty, and for Brookline Lab Rescue. Brookline has many successful rescue stories. I hope
this story makes everyone want to understand the love - and the responsibility - you bring into your home when you save one of these
wonderful pets!