What my foster mom says about me....

I have been with my foster family for almost 3 weeks now. I think my family likes me a lot. Every morning when my family members come downstairs my tail goes into wind up toy mode. My mom and I have a ritual in the morning. She sits on the couch and I put my paws up on it and she gives me lots of hugs. In turn, I give millions of kisses. My favorite is the ear rubs I get. I get really excited for my love time. I grunt and make whining noises the whole time. My family thinks it is very cute when I do this. My foster mom loves when I nuzzle my snout into her and how I have a spot on my neck that makes my leg kick.
At first, I'd follow the humans EVERYWHERE. If a human was moving about, I'd get up and follow. Now I'm settling in more, so I don't feel the need to do this as often. I'm very obedient and come when called(I'm finally learning my name) and stay when I'm told to.
I ride really well in the car and have perfected the art of jumping into and out of the SUV. My foster sisters complain that I sit right behind their ears and breathe in them.  It isn't my fault they roll their windows down! I'm just trying to sniff the fresh air!
I really enjoy my walks. One of my foster sisters likes to run with me a little bit, and I seem to enjoy that, though I cannot keep up the pace.  I think of myself as a "sprinter". I also like playing with my humans-chasing them when they are running in the back yard.
My foster mom tells me I'm a "simple dog." I guess that means that  am easy to care for.  I really just need love and attention from my humans, walks, food and water. She thinks there are a lot of families who would love me. I'm an easy going guy who likes to hang out. I'm a dog that can be taken places and you don't have to worry about if I'll embarrass you.  I'll be a good boy. If you are interested in adopting me, please check out www.labradorsandfriends.org

My Weekend- by Trevor

So I told you all about the event on Saturday happening at Petsmart in Fullerton. My foster mom and sisters packed me up in the car and we drove there. I do really well in the car, though one of my foster sisters says I sniff in her ear and sometimes get my nose in her ear and sniff her. There were lots of dogs there, including puppies.  I can't believe I was once that small! One dog got adopted and went to a forever home, so I was happy for her.  2 people came to meet me who had older dogs. I liked their dogs, but I never tried to play with them. There was just so much going on! And one lady who walked by had a rotisserie chicken in her bag.  I mean, how is THAT not distracting?
We were there several hours. I met lots of people and got lots of love from strangers. I like the random love. If someone wants to give it to me, I'll take it!
Sunday morning I went on a meet and greet, which is basically a doggie play date.  My foster mom is new to this whole thing and didn't know about this process.  I went to one of the other dogs' houses and got to spend time there to see how I'd do. My new friend liked to play and tried to get me to play. I wasn't really interested. I don't mind other dogs, but I'm just not the playing type, I guess. I'm sure people will find him a great friend and my foster mom will continue to look for my forever family.
I then got back in the car with my foster family and we went to meet my foster grandma. It was raining, so I had to go on little walks to go potty. Even in a strange place, I never had an accident all day. My foster grandma said I may just be the perfect dog.  I'm well behaved, not in people's faces and love love on the human's terms. If you want a dog who is loyal, super loving, enjoys walks and is a great companion, visit www.labradorsandfriends.org.

Trevor-Adoption event tomorrow!

Yesterday I had a late walk with my foster mom. The day was spent relaxing at home. This morning was ranch day, but my people had errands to run afterward, so I didn't get to go. I did get my walk with the beagle early this morning, so I was happy. She spent the night Wednesday night. I enjoy having other dogs around, but I'm fine on my own too. More love for ME!
My humans gave me a bath again today. They said they wanted me to smell pretty for the adoption event tomorrow at Petsmart in Fullerton, CA. Maybe my forever home will find me! Seeing as I am my foster family's first foster dog, they are cautiously optimistic that I will find a forever home. They know older dogs typically aren't adopted out as fast as younger dogs. See my post on why older dogs are fantastic! If you want more information on where to come meet me or you think I may be your forever dog, please visit www.labradorsandfriends.org.

Trevor-Making myself at home

I've been at my foster home a little over a week now. I was supposed to go on an adventure at a new park on Monday, but it rained and my foster mom didn't want to deal with muddy paws and coat since they had to go somewhere from the park. Instead she took me and the beagle on a walk in the drizzle. I didn't mind the light rain at all. I do well staying in my bathroom and dog run. I'm usually outside when my family comes home. I get super excited and wag my tail when they come home. I'm eating well and REALLY like treats.
My foster family allows me on the couch and, my favorite place, an overstuffed chair I've adopted as my own. The first few days I was weary of going up, so my foster family thinks where ever I lived before didn't allow me on the couch. The good news is, I learn really quickly, so even if you want to adopt me, but don't want me on the furniture, I'll learn quickly and obey you.
I have attached myself to my foster mom.  My foster dad says she is my "favorite thing". She calls me her shadow. I follow her just about everywhere, including the restroom, to her dismay. She told me it was like having a toddler again, only I don't ask her for things when she is in the bathroom.
Just as she was thinking I may be the world's most well behaved dog, I blew it yesterday.  You see, I have 2 foster sisters. They had lunch and the oldest one is apparently not the best at putting things away where they belong, so instead of walking the extra 3 feet into the kitchen to put her chicken noodle soup she didn't finish onto the kitchen counter, she left it on the dining room table.  And instead of foster sister #2 pushing her chair in, she had left it out...a perfect storm I say! So foster mom was reading on the couch and heard a "SLURP SLURP" coming from the dining room. She came in and caught me helping myself, paws on the table, standing on my hind legs, to the leftover chicken noodle soup. She was NOT happy. She told me "Trevor, NO! DOWN!" I got down immediately, hung my head low because I knew I was in trouble, but my tail kept wagging.  That soup was DELICIOUS I tell you!
If you or someone you know wants to adopt a chicken soup-loving dog, please contact the pawsome people at www.labradorsandfriends.org.

Trevor's weekend

Yesterday, Saturday, I didn't do much. I hung around the house with my foster family most of the day and got a walk in the morning and a walk in the evening.
Today I got my morning walk and mom said something about a Howl-a-ween event down the street. One of my foster sisters wanted to enter me in the costume contest. They kept calling me upstairs to measure me for my costume. I think my foster sister was just happy she finally had a dog that would LET HER dress him up without attempting to rip off whatever was put on him.  I didn't win, but I think my foster mom and sister still think my costume was the best. I'm SUSHI! My foster mom told me we have another event to go to next weekend in Fullerton. If you'd like to come meet me or, better yet, come adopt me into your home forever, I'd love to see you. To submit an adoption application, just visit www.labradorsandfriends.org.

A word about adopting an older dog-by Trevor

I am hearing from a lot of people I meet that I am "old" or "geriatric". I guess people view this as a bad thing? But I want to tell you humans why adopting an older dog like me is actually a pretty awesome thing! Maybe even MORE awesome than adopting a puppy.
1. OK. A puppy is cute. I get it. Small, you can scoop it up and snuggle it. But guess what? It gets big. And you won't even know how big for a year or so! We older dogs are full grown, so you know how big I AM and will STAY.
2. I'm housebroken. ANY human who has had to housebreak a puppy knows that this takes time, attention and the human is picking up a LOT of messes.  My foster mom had a puppy many years ago and stepped in poop in the middle of the night.  That is GROSS, NOT cute! Most of us older dogs are already housebroken. All I had to learn was how to use a doggy door. You save time, energy, and having to wipe off your poopie feet at 3am.
3. Personality- Puppies are playful, but you cannot always tell their true personality until much later on. With me, you know what you are getting. No surprises. You won't want a dog that loves to play fetch and get one that would rather sit on the couch. You won't get a puppy thinking it will outgrow its desire to steal everything off the counter you have out for dinner and find that 5 years later you still spend a fortune calling the pizza guy because the dog ate dinner...again.  Me-I'm a guy who loves people, likes dogs, enjoys walks and getting treats. I am not a dog that like to play ball, fetch frisbees or run around the house at high speed for no reason. I'm a companion, not a playmate. And that is FINE! Because not every human has the time or energy to devote to running a dog an hour a day or tossing a ball 50 times.
4. Training. I can already sit, stay, lay down, get down, and walk on a leash without dislocating my foster mom's shoulder. This cannot be said of ALL dogs, but I'm writing this, and I, Trevor, can do all of these things.
5. "But we want a younger dog so we have more time before they die." Fair enough, but the truth is that all dogs(and people!) get older. You WILL have an older dog at some point in time if you get a puppy. Here are my reasons for why adopting an older dog makes good sense as far as "time" is concerned: A. You have a shorter period of time that you want a dog. My foster family just lost their dog, Zeus a few weeks ago. He was 16 1/2 years old! To them, I'm not old, I still have a lifetime ahead of me! They have kids who will go off to college in less than 10 years and don't want to be tied to a dog for YEARS after the kids are gone. So, for families with older kids, an older dog may make sense. It isn't as long a period of time the parents will have to take care of a dog they "got for their kids".  B. For those with younger kids, let's face it, raising kids takes a lot of energy. Why add a puppy(which is like a kid in a way)? If you add an older, trained dog,the kids will still enjoy the dog, but you will have less training to do. You don't have to worry about teething, your young child getting into a doggie accident, etc. Many say "But the dog will die, and my kids will be sad." I hate to break it to you, but all of us dogs die sometime, and the kids will be sad. You will NEVER be able to control when the dog dies, even a puppy.
6. "But when dogs get older, they need more medical care which is expensive." This isn't always If you think an older dog's anti-inflammatory medicine is expensive, have you ever had to take a puppy to the emergency vet because it ate "fill in the blank stuff a dog shouldn't eat"? Dogs are a financial investment no matter what age they are. Consider getting pet insurance. Also, it is CHEAPER to adopt an older dog! PLEASE remember this when choosing to adopt a dog of any age.
I hope these reasons have helped you think of how adopting an older dog is a good thing and not a bad thing. Finally, I want to say that by adopting an older dog, you are giving us the gift of love and a family at the end of our lives. We are with Labradors and Friends because people know our value and know that we can provide happiness and companionship for people, even though we are older, and even though other people may view us as disposable. If you'd like to love an older dog and welcome them into your home, please visit www.labradorsandfriends.org.

Trevor's 6th day

Apparently on Friday mornings one of my foster sisters(of the human kind) goes to this place called the stables and rides horses.  My foster mom thought it would be a fun experience for me to go see chickens, goats, horses and a cat.
I rode in the car very well as usual.  We got there, and I sniffed everything when we got there. I saw a couple horses in their stalls, but thought nothing of them. When we got to the arena where my foster sister rides, there was a horse loose that was running. This made me the most excited my foster family had ever seen me! I even BARKED for the first time as the horse ran past me. Foster mom could tell I wanted to run free off leash and chase that horse!
Foster mom took me around the rest of the stables. I saw chickens and thought nothing of them. I also met a sheep.  We smelled each other and neither of us were interested in the other. I met a couple more dogs. A pitbull mix and a little pomeranian puppy. I was friendly with both of them, as usual.
We got back to the arena where my foster sister was now riding.  Funny enough, when she was on the horse, I no longer felt the need to bark at it.
My mom took me into the office where the "mean cat" was hanging out. It was on a bookshelf and was all puffed up and arching its back. I have NO idea why the cat was so scared. All I did was wag my tail. It started making a funny growl noise, so I just turned around and left it alone. The owner said I was good with cats since I didn't try to chase it or approach it when I could tell it was upset. My foster family doesn't have cats, so it is hard to tell if I'd like to LIVE with one, but they say it was a good sign that I could read the cat's actions and know to leave it alone.
We came back home, and I got my morning walk with my beagle friend. She is over here again. My foster mom thinks it is funny that I pay more attention to people around than I do to dogs. I don't mind other dogs, but other dogs don't have treats or hands to pet me with.
If you have hands to pet me with and treats and would like me to come be your forever friend, please visit www.labradorsandfriends.org.

Trevor's 4th and 5th days

Yesterday, Wednesday, I started the day with a walk with my beagle friend. She went home, and my foster family went shopping. I was a good boy again with no accidents.
They got home and had lunch. I like to sit in the dining room and see what they are eating. They bought me some treats and toys. I have no interest in toys. Treats on the other hand....YUM!
I'm getting more comfortable. This morning, Thursday, I jumped on the couch with my front paws and kept putting my paw on my foster mom so she'd pet me. I wag my tail all the time. I either do the normal "side to side" or, my foster family's favorite, "the wind up toy".
Today I got a bath. I wouldn't jump into the bathtub, but I didn't struggle when foster mom picked me up to put me in. I now smell like coconuts. The humans seem to like it.

Trevor's 3rd Day

Yesterday was Tuesday. I once again greeted all the humans when they came downstairs. I like it downstairs better. My foster mom isn't sure if I don't like the stairs or if I just like it downstairs because it is much cooler.
I ate my breakfast and waited for my walk, but I heard the family say that instead of taking me on a walk this morning we'll be going to a park. There will be other kids there and lots of people. I'm great with adults and older kids(my foster sisters are 9 and 11).
I went to the park. There were adults and kids that were little(around age 3), teenagers, and ages in between. I sat and stood wagging my tail no matter who wanted to pet me. People had food that smelled really good, but my foster mom wouldn't let me have any. She kept saying there was chocolate in the banana bread, and it wasn't good for dogs.
Foster mom took me on a walk at the park and said "Go potty, Trevor", and I did so right away. She isn't sure if it was a fluke or if I'm trained to potty on command.
We stayed at the park all afternoon. The girls and foster mom left me again for about 3 hours until foster dad got home. All evening I was my usual happy self. I lay down, a human walks by and I am curious what they are up to, so I follow them around.
That night, a nice lady from Labradors and Friends called asking for more information about me. My foster mom had such nice things to say about me-how mild mannered I am, I'm housebroken and I'm really just a dog that needs food, a walk and love. If you can provide these things, please contact Labradors and friends at www.labradorsandfriends.org.

Trevor's Second Day

Early this morning at 4am I awakened my foster mom and dad to some noise. I was given a rawhide chewy yesterday, and I hid it in a bookshelf. My family thought this was quite hilarious, but I was just saving it for a 4am snack.
I decided I liked it downstairs better, so I slept there most of the night. When each family member came downstairs, I greeted them with a wagging tail. I ate my breakfast. I continued following people in the morning to see what they were up to. My foster mom had some turkey she was eating on the couch. It smelled SOOOO good, so I jumped on the couch next to her. She told me to lay down, and I was a good boy and did.  When she was done, she let me lick her fingers.
My foster dad went off to work and the girls and my foster mom took me to go on a walk with the beagle friend down the street.  She's smaller than me, but I didn't mind. We had a nice walk and they brought her over to play. She is crazier than I am. She took off running around the house, and I chased her for a lap or 2. It was quite fun.
My big accomplishment today was I followed her out the doggie door by myself! I also came in by myself too.  This made my foster mom happy because the family had to leave me for a bit to go do human things later in the day.
I stayed alone for a few hours. I have access to a bathroom and the dog run outside. I didn't make any accidents in the bathroom. When the family came home, I was outside and came through the doggie door to greet them. I was very happy they were home. My tail went crazy and I gave kisses to all.
Foster mom made dinner.  They had these things called tacos that smelled delightful. I sat by the dinner table to smell them. Foster dad told me to lay down, so I did like a good boy.
After dinner, I got out for another walk. Foster mom and the girls think it is cute how I don't really "walk", I TROT.
My foster mom and dad were talking about me last night and I overheard them saying I'm the perfect "companion dog", whatever that means. I think it means that I love being with my people and am great company to have. I don't require great attention and I don't get into mischief. I just need someone to love on me and keep me company, and I'll keep you company in return.
If you think we'd be great company for each other, please visit www.labradorsandfriends.org

Trevor's First Foster Day

My name is Trevor. I was taken to a shelter in Carson, CA by someone. I'm an older dog at 8 years old, so odds are no one was going to take me. I was still a happy dog, and someone from a rescue called Labradors and Friends saw me and decided to rescue me. I spent most of my time in a boarding facility in Orange County, CA. The people at LAF posted about me on Facebook and on their website asking for a foster or forever home for me. Little did I know that a family who had just lost their 16 1/2 year old dog was reading about me and some of my friends. They were considering being a foster family.
On Saturday, October 8, 2016, I went to Petco with a volunteer so I could meet people and try to find my forever home. The foster family lived nearby so dropped by to ask questions about the fostering process.  I met the nice lady and her two daughters who are 11 and 9 years old.  I met other people too, and loved every person I met. In fact, I don't think there is a person I don't immediately love.
The dad of my foster home wasn't there, so they waited to ask him if I could go live with them. He said YES!
Yesterday was a wonderful day. I ate my breakfast at the kennel and a volunteer took me on a walk. My foster family drove up and saw her taking me, but they figured they'd let me get some energy out while they went inside to talk to people. When I got back from my walk, the 2 girls and lady were there again. The volunteer gave my foster mom some stuff, including my leash with me attached to it, and my foster mom and the girls took me out to their car. I got in the back of the SUV and settled in. One of the girls opened the window and I tried to stick my nose out, but I was too far in back. I managed to drool a bit on the seat, but they said that was ok. It was only about a 15 minute car ride.
I jumped out of the back of the car and was lead up these things they called stairs. I was a bit hesitant at first because, if I have seen them, it has been a while since I climbed them.  I got inside the house and was led around to check things out.  They let me off the leash. I like being around people, so I would just follow one of my foster family around to see what they were doing and where they were going.  I followed them up a LOT of stairs and I got to another level of the house. They have a lizard in a terrarium, but I paid no attention to it at all.  Then they led me back downstairs and showed me this thing called a "doggie door." They had to push it out for me and have one person on the other side of it calling me to go through it.  It helped that they had treats. I went out to what they call the dog run and did my business.  They all were happy and called me a good boy.  I did that a couple more times that day, where they helped me in and out of the doggie door.
I spent most of the morning following them around various rooms of the house. I was calm, never barked, even when someone new entered the house and am very "sweet". My foster mom made lunch for the family. I laid down in the kitchen, but never got underfoot and I minded my manners and never begged. The family kept telling me "Up" and patting their couch, but I didn't go up. Finally, that night, I accepted their invitation to go on the couch while they watched a movie, and I took a nap on the couch. My family now knows I'm a very obedient dog and so if a forever home doesn't want me on their furniture, I will be a good boy and not go. But if I am allowed up, couches are a rather comfy place to nap.
That evening after dinner, I went on a walk. I met a pitbull. He was friendly and we said hello. I was more interested in saying hi to his owners. Next, we came across a really yippy chihuahua. I acted like the dog wasn't even there.  I walk great on a leash, never pulling. I go at a nice pace. I would be a wonderful walking companion for an active older person who just likes taking a walk each day or for a family who wants a dog who isn't high maintenance. If you are interested in having me join your family, please check out www.Labradorsandfriends.org.