Hi! My name is Billy and I am an outdoors and people-lovin’ Lab!
Quick Facts:
- Breed: Labrador Retriever
- Gender: Male, neutered
- Age: 3 year old
- Size: 90 pounds
- Good with…
- Dogs? Yes!
- Cats? Yes!
- Kids? No, sorry!
History
I am 100% PureBred Labrador Retriever! I was adopted from a breeder near Rochester, NY by a great human family, I grew up with a mom, a dad, two kids, and a couple of cats! I also had a very good Weimaraner friend who lived next door. Even though it made them very sad, my family decided it was best for me to be re-homed (you can read more about that below) so for the past month I’ve been living with my foster mom and two feline foster brothers while I wait for my forever family to find me!
Personality
Never mind my size, I’m the sweetest, cuddliest, goofiest, snuggliest, loveable guy there is! I love people – absolutely love them! When my foster mom is home, I stick right next to her – I love going wherever she goes and if she has to go to a part of the house that I’m not allowed in (her landlord’s rules, not hers) I try my best to wait patiently. But sometimes I whine just a little to let her know I miss her! I’m no pest though, if she’s busy, I go entertain myself with my favorite toys until she comes back.
I’m a truly wonderful and rare combination of active/athletic and mellow/easygoing. I love going for walks! It’s one of the happiest parts of my day. I have had a great time exploring all the parks and gorges around Ithaca. I can go for a long walk and still want to keep going when we get back to the house – walks are just so much fun–there are so many things to see and smell! Even though I wasn’t on a leash much growing up, I have very nice leash manners. I really only pull if I get excited about something (like a deer!) – but if the leash gets pulled tight I just sit down to show that I’m being a good boy and let you know I really want to check out this very important thing I’m trying to check out! It’s awesome when I’m a good boy because then I get treats. I love treats…love them! They are the best!
I really love meeting other dogs on my walks, and I even met a cat who was out for a walk the other day! I’m great with other dogs and am always ready to play. If a dog seems aggressive or won’t stop barking at me I just ignore him/her as we pass by. Sometimes if I’m feeling a little extra concerned, I stand behind my foster mom until the dog passes.
Speaking of dogs – the dog park is so great! It is one of my favorite outings! I can tell when we’re getting close and get soooo excited! I’m definitely a dog who needs to spend at least a little time with other dogs, it seems very essential for my happiness.
Fetch is one of my favorite pastimes too – though I’m not always great about bringing the ball back, but if I know there are treats waiting when I bring it back I’m much better about it, because…treats!
I love water! It’s so much fun to jump right in! Be prepared if you take me for a walk near water I will want to get in, even if just for a quick dip and romp. Don’t worry though, if you don’t want me to I’m very good about listening to you (but please let me as much as possible!).
I’m a champ in the car. I hop right in and if you tell me to “Wait”, then I’ll wait until you’re ready for me to get out when we get where we’re going.
As for my more mellow activities…I am a serious cuddler. It is one of my favorite things to do at home. On weekends I love grabbing one of my toys and cuddling up with my foster mom on the couch after we both get out of bed. So if you enjoy a lazy morning from time to time, I do too! And really I’m up for a good cuddle any time of day, especially if there are belly rubs involved. I think belly rubs are my most favorite thing in the entire world, even more than treats!
I’m happy to just hang out in whatever room you’re in while you do whatever you are doing. My foster mom keeps beds for me in different parts of the house and I just settle in and relax knowing she is close by – even when she is cooking – even when she is cooking bacon! I’m proud to say I am much more restrained around bacon than my feline brothers. I’m also really good about not getting into things. My foster mom tries to be sure nothing is left out to tempt me, but a time or two she has forgotten and I haven’t gobbled it up while she wasn’t looking.
I also enjoy having some indoor activities to keep me busy. I love my Kong chew toy – I can spend a long time trying to get to all the treats that are hidden in the peanut butter, but even when it’s empty I like to carry it around with me – it’s such a great toy! I also love getting part of my meals in a puzzle toy that I have to knock around to get my kibble – food and fun! What’s not to love?
I’m a quick learner and I’m very treat motivated so you can probably teach me to do all kinds of fun tricks. I am a pro at sitting. When I want anything…I sit. It’s my doggy way of saying please.
I do a great job of announcing visitors. I bark loud to make sure everyone knows someone is here. As long as my person is comfortable with the visitor and they are nice and say hi to me, I get very happy and make friends with them right away! I love new friends! You just have to tell your visitor not to mind my momentary barking, it’s nothing! I’m quite the charmer on my walks – my foster mom can’t believe no one has adopted me yet because everyone I meet really loves me.
I will tell you there is one thing I do not like and that is surprises. They are the worst! If something looks different than I’m expecting, like someone is walking down the street with an umbrella (what is that thing anyway???) I might bark at them. My first trash day in my new neighborhood was a little rough because there were all these big trash bins in the walking paths…I was very suspicious of them! And those metal panels that are sometimes in sidewalks instead of the normal pavement – ugh! Why do they put them there? They feel weird to walk on and make funny sounds, they’re a little scary! Sometimes I get really focused on what I am doing, especially if what I am doing is investigating the spot where another dog peed and if something surprises me like a car door slamming, or even if a branch brushes me from a nearby plant I hadn’t noticed, I can jump with surprise and then I give whatever surprised me a bit of a glare! It’s easy to forget this about me because in general I’m so laid back, but it’s important for my owners to remember that even though I’m a big happy guy, sometimes I get scared too. The good news is that some things that you might think I would find scary, like thunderstorms, fireworks (off in the distance), and vacuum cleaners are no big deal. I’m cool as a cucumber with those things. The other good news is the more secure I feel with the person I’m with the better I am about handling surprising things, especially if my person just reminds me in a jolly voice that it’s no big deal.
Favorite Activities
- Walks! Especially hikes in the woods!
- I LOVE playing fetch!
- Swimming!
- Playing with best dog friends, old and new, as long as they are nice.
- Cuddling!
- Belly Rubs!
Cohabitation
I love adults and feel safe with them (as long as they are nice people, of course)!
I love friendly dogs! I used to have an old Weimaraner friend and another dog I would play with every morning when I lived at my old house. I love, love, LOVE the dog park (I may have mentioned this already but it’s an important point). Any dogs that want to play and are friendly I am happy to meet and play with, but please don’t have me around scary, dominant, or aggressive dogs!
I should not share my home with any kids under 15 or so. Here’s the story…about a year ago, when I was living with my other family, I had played hard all afternoon with the 2 kids in the house along with a little boy (a toddler) my Mom used to babysit. I was so tired from playing all day I fell into a deep sleep in front of the wood burning stove. Unfortunately, while in this deep sleep, the little boy who was visiting jumped off the ground and jumped straight onto my head! I woke up in a panic/terror, and bit his face before I knew what had happened. It was pure instinct, and I wasn’t even conscious/awake when I did it I’m sure. Thankfully, the boy was not too hurt, but wow did it scare all of us. My mom was so scared and upset that she hired a trainer to come to our house and work with me, but ever since then, I am wary and uncomfortable around kids and the commotion that they make (other than the 2 little girls in that family…I was always fine with them). There was a second incident (which prompted my family to give me to Cayuga Dog Rescue) when a family came to visit us and the tall 11 year-old daughter was wearing a big snowman hoodie that was confusing and scary, and when she bent down towards me/over me, I got very scared and snapped at her face. That also scared everyone, including me.
Medical
I’m really healthy! Almost everyone I meet comments on how shiny, handsome and healthy I look.
Summary
I am a big, snuggly, playful boy who is super affectionate, snuggly, cuddly, and tries SOOO hard to be the bestest good boy all the time! I need a home with a great dog lover who has no kids, love to laugh and play, and will exercise regularly with me. I will be your best friend and follow you anywhere!
If you are interested in adopting me, please fill out an online adoption application and live close to Ithaca , Syracuse, Binghamton, Rochester, or Elmira. We do home visits on every applicant, and can’t do home visits where we don’t have local volunteers.
