| Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue Helping Labs Find Their Fur-Ever Homes |
| Lexie |
Hey there…I want to tell you a really cool story. My name is
Beamish, but it used to be Lexie. As Lexie, I got to spend my
days with other dogs, enjoy the sunshine, experience the
change of seasons, was well fed and cared for. But I was not a
pet. I was a breeder….kind of like a farm animal. The owner of
me and my mates kept us so we could produce more of
more…and then more again. It wasn’t a cruel life…it just wasn’t
life at all for someone who has such a big heart as I do. I knew
I was born to be a member of a family. Last summer, my owner
decided to close the breeding business and asked for help.
They called Brookline Lab Rescue and life slowly changed. As
a 4 year old, I didn’t have the cuteness that a puppy has so I
wasn’t the first of the dogs to be adopted. After some time I was
taken from my mates and placed in a foster home. It was
different….tough but in a good way. There were visits to a vet,
trips to a couple of houses with other dogs and then to a
journey to the place that would eventually be my new fur-ever
home. Even though it took only a few hours from my kennel to
this new neighborhood, the change from Lexie to Beamish took
time, patience, love and routine.
Beamish, but it used to be Lexie. As Lexie, I got to spend my
days with other dogs, enjoy the sunshine, experience the
change of seasons, was well fed and cared for. But I was not a
pet. I was a breeder….kind of like a farm animal. The owner of
me and my mates kept us so we could produce more of
more…and then more again. It wasn’t a cruel life…it just wasn’t
life at all for someone who has such a big heart as I do. I knew
I was born to be a member of a family. Last summer, my owner
decided to close the breeding business and asked for help.
They called Brookline Lab Rescue and life slowly changed. As
a 4 year old, I didn’t have the cuteness that a puppy has so I
wasn’t the first of the dogs to be adopted. After some time I was
taken from my mates and placed in a foster home. It was
different….tough but in a good way. There were visits to a vet,
trips to a couple of houses with other dogs and then to a
journey to the place that would eventually be my new fur-ever
home. Even though it took only a few hours from my kennel to
this new neighborhood, the change from Lexie to Beamish took
time, patience, love and routine.
See, kennel dogs are beautiful, gorgeous and usually pretty nice. That is why people want to
make more of us. As Lexie, I was a momma far too many times…and that is all I had time to
do. I never got to ride in a car, run after a ball, roll in the snow or sleep on a bed. Fun things,
right? Fun but really scary. As Lexie, I was really shy and timid around people but I loved
other dogs, so people with dogs weren’t as scary. The nice people at Brookline knew that
and ended up taking me to a house with some lady who has a really cool dog and cat. That first night I was really nervous. I was so
scared; I kept my tail between my hind legs and kept those legs pointed out. Weird, right? Yeah, that’s how I act when I am not sure
of someone or something. At one point, my new human thought there was really something wrong with my legs. She didn’t know
that I was just learning how to be with people. But she was really patient with me. Oh, her name is Mary….and that dog of hers, he
is Duke. Duke is a handsome 10 year old lab who is HUGE but so very gentle. And that cat, her name is Guinness, well she is only
2...is really small and acts like a dog…so she is cool. Mary decided to rename me Beamish. She likes names of Irish beers…that
is why the cat’s name is Guinness. Beamish is better than being called Harp. She called me Lexie Beamish for awhile until I
started paying attention when she just said Beamish.
Mary took Duke and me all around the neighborhood and introduced her neighbors and all the other dogs. The coolest dog friends
I met were Jake and Lizzie. They live a house down from me, and are labs too. Their parents have kids, who I learned are nice too.
In fact, most kids are…but I had to learn that. I had to learn a lot of stuff…how not to gulp down my food (because no one was going
to take it), not jump up on counters to find something to eat (because I get all the treats my mom thinks are enough), how to walk on
a leash without pulling my mom or a kid over (who knew that I wasn’t supposed to grab the leash and play tug-of-war), not jump at
every noise (because most times I am the one who is making it!), not to shake whenever I meet a human who isn’t my mom or
someone else I know (because my mom knows a bunch of people), how to ride in a car (and boy….do I love that), living indoors
(rugs, couches and beds are so much more softer) and finally….what living indoors means. And that was the hardest part. Living
in doors means that I can’t pee anytime or anywhere I want. I had to learn that rugs, wooden and tile floors are not like the kennel
floor. I tried explaining to my mom that I am a creature of habit and routines are allow a white background. And I just couldn’t expect
me to stop doing everything I did off the bat and this was the toughest thing. But she was good about the mistakes I made, so much
so that she never got mad. She kept trying to me make it easier for me to learn how to be house trained…..taking up the throw
rugs, going for longer walks, putting up gates so I can’t just wander anywhere in the house and trying to have me go in the yards of
other dogs. After I gave her some hints…she finally got it. She figured out that I have to be comfortable to learn anything, including
peeing outside….and that I need some consistency. Understanding and kindness isn’t always enough.
So now….here it is almost 9 months later and I am a really cool pet. Some of you might think….what…it took 9 months for me to get
really adjusted to a new house….for me to forget what it meant living in a kennel. Well, it isn’t long at all, especially since I was
already 4 when I started learning this stuff. Nine months….that is how long it takes for those humans to be born….so just
remember it might take 9 months for a kennel dog to become a pet.
OK…so now you know my story….Here is a word from my mom: Beamish is a dream. She is so gentle and full of wonder.
Potential owners may be reluctant to adopt a kennel dog because they really haven’t be exposed to people. Yes, you might get
frustrated training this dog but the result is more than you even imagined. Many owners also want a puppy. I know when I surfed the
Brookline website…younger pups always caught my attention. I didn’t want an older dog who would be more difficult to train and not
as much fun. But I took the chance. Was it hard. Sure. But I just kept remembereing that this adult dog never got to be a
pet…never experienced swimming in a lake or chasing a frishbee…and never got to play like a puppy. And it has been a great 9
months with Beamish. It was such a delight watching her experience the wonder of life. She still is anxious in new settings but
knows to trust me. She can relax enough to stay in a different room if I leave for a minute. She has become a huge part of our family.
But Beamish is a bit sad. She still sees that there are a few of her kennel mates for adoption….in particular, Ginger. If you are
someone who wants to experience incredible joy watching a breeder dog became a pet.. check out Ginger. Or check out another
adult dog. Patience, understanding and routine is all you need!
scared; I kept my tail between my hind legs and kept those legs pointed out. Weird, right? Yeah, that’s how I act when I am not sure
of someone or something. At one point, my new human thought there was really something wrong with my legs. She didn’t know
that I was just learning how to be with people. But she was really patient with me. Oh, her name is Mary….and that dog of hers, he
is Duke. Duke is a handsome 10 year old lab who is HUGE but so very gentle. And that cat, her name is Guinness, well she is only
2...is really small and acts like a dog…so she is cool. Mary decided to rename me Beamish. She likes names of Irish beers…that
is why the cat’s name is Guinness. Beamish is better than being called Harp. She called me Lexie Beamish for awhile until I
started paying attention when she just said Beamish.
Mary took Duke and me all around the neighborhood and introduced her neighbors and all the other dogs. The coolest dog friends
I met were Jake and Lizzie. They live a house down from me, and are labs too. Their parents have kids, who I learned are nice too.
In fact, most kids are…but I had to learn that. I had to learn a lot of stuff…how not to gulp down my food (because no one was going
to take it), not jump up on counters to find something to eat (because I get all the treats my mom thinks are enough), how to walk on
a leash without pulling my mom or a kid over (who knew that I wasn’t supposed to grab the leash and play tug-of-war), not jump at
every noise (because most times I am the one who is making it!), not to shake whenever I meet a human who isn’t my mom or
someone else I know (because my mom knows a bunch of people), how to ride in a car (and boy….do I love that), living indoors
(rugs, couches and beds are so much more softer) and finally….what living indoors means. And that was the hardest part. Living
in doors means that I can’t pee anytime or anywhere I want. I had to learn that rugs, wooden and tile floors are not like the kennel
floor. I tried explaining to my mom that I am a creature of habit and routines are allow a white background. And I just couldn’t expect
me to stop doing everything I did off the bat and this was the toughest thing. But she was good about the mistakes I made, so much
so that she never got mad. She kept trying to me make it easier for me to learn how to be house trained…..taking up the throw
rugs, going for longer walks, putting up gates so I can’t just wander anywhere in the house and trying to have me go in the yards of
other dogs. After I gave her some hints…she finally got it. She figured out that I have to be comfortable to learn anything, including
peeing outside….and that I need some consistency. Understanding and kindness isn’t always enough.
So now….here it is almost 9 months later and I am a really cool pet. Some of you might think….what…it took 9 months for me to get
really adjusted to a new house….for me to forget what it meant living in a kennel. Well, it isn’t long at all, especially since I was
already 4 when I started learning this stuff. Nine months….that is how long it takes for those humans to be born….so just
remember it might take 9 months for a kennel dog to become a pet.
OK…so now you know my story….Here is a word from my mom: Beamish is a dream. She is so gentle and full of wonder.
Potential owners may be reluctant to adopt a kennel dog because they really haven’t be exposed to people. Yes, you might get
frustrated training this dog but the result is more than you even imagined. Many owners also want a puppy. I know when I surfed the
Brookline website…younger pups always caught my attention. I didn’t want an older dog who would be more difficult to train and not
as much fun. But I took the chance. Was it hard. Sure. But I just kept remembereing that this adult dog never got to be a
pet…never experienced swimming in a lake or chasing a frishbee…and never got to play like a puppy. And it has been a great 9
months with Beamish. It was such a delight watching her experience the wonder of life. She still is anxious in new settings but
knows to trust me. She can relax enough to stay in a different room if I leave for a minute. She has become a huge part of our family.
But Beamish is a bit sad. She still sees that there are a few of her kennel mates for adoption….in particular, Ginger. If you are
someone who wants to experience incredible joy watching a breeder dog became a pet.. check out Ginger. Or check out another
adult dog. Patience, understanding and routine is all you need!