Sophie (formerly Dusty)

Sophie (formerly Dusty) has a new name to start off her new life with Rita. Sophie is a pretty 60 pound yellow lab who never meets a stranger. Rita says everyone who meets Sophie loves her.

With her previous owner, Sophie suffered a broken ankle that did not heal properly. SHLR arranged for Sophie to have surgery to rebuild her ankle and put in a plate.  Rita picked her up from the hospital after the surgery and took Sophie to her new home to begin the healing process. At her last visit to the vet, Sophie was declared completely healed. Sophie will always have a slight limp, but it will not stop her from doing all the things labs love…swimming, fetching balls and going on walks.  And, the cast did not slow down Sophie one bit when it was time to go for a ride in the car.

Rita says Sophie has no bad traits and knows her commands.  Sophie doesn’t get on the furniture and prefers to sleep in her own doggie bed. She is very well behaved and very patient.  Rita says the only time she has to say something twice to Sophie is when they are in a crowd of people and Sophie gets so excited.

Sophie loves her toys and has a special squeaky pink pig that is a favorite. She also loves to chew on bones and is quite fond of veggies. Rita says she gets a big laugh watching Sophie sit and stare at a tree intently looking for squirrels.

Rita feels so lucky to have found such a special girl like Sophie to give love and care and a wonderful forever home.

Cooper (formerly Scooby)

Cooper (formerly Scooby) is shown in the photo with Linda and Pat along with his new sister, Jasmine, an 8 year old yellow lab.  Cooper was starved for attention upon arriving at his new home, but after attending Ted Terroux’ training course, Cooper is showing a huge difference in his behavior.  He and Jasmine get along pretty well and lay out in the yard sunning together.  Being a rambunctious boy, Cooper is crated when Linda and Pat are away working so that he won’t be roughhousing with Jasmine who is recovering from knee surgery.  The two of them sleep together on the grownups’ bed at night and they go for walks together daily.  Jasmine loves to swim and Cooper is getting more interested in the water and will follow Jasmine in the creek.

Linda says that Cooper is very loving and still likes to be the center of attention.  He was very tense and unsure about things in the beginning but now seems happier, more trusting and relaxed…his tail wags more!  And, Cooper is getting acquainted with toys, although his favorite at the moment is an old tennis shoe he found in the garage.  

One of Cooper’s favorite times is when Pat gets home from work and the two of them go out in the yard to spend time together.  Cooper runs like a greyhound and does figure 8’s around the ball.  Cooper is a very athletic lab mix and has put on a little weight that fits him well.

Linda says she knows that life with Cooper will only get better and better and they love him dearly.  Cooper has definitely found his forever place in this wonderful home.

Special thanks go to the folks at City Bark Too who lovingly cared for Scooby while he awaited adoption, and to Ted Terroux, who worked with Scooby to help him get settled into Linda and Pat's home before the adoption was finalized!

Joey

He is the perfect dog!  That is how this handsome chocolate lab named Joey is described by his new owner, Jay, shown in the photo with his partner, Mike, and Joey.  One of Joey’s favorite pastimes is basking in the sun at his new home overlooking the ocean.  Joey is a trim 70 pounds and stays in shape at the beach fetching balls, but he isn’t interested in going into the ocean.

Joey is around 18 months old and was fostered by Jay’s mother, Susie, a SHLR volunteer. Jay’s 12 year old chocolate lab, Willy (also a rescue), had recently died, and Jay was not sure he was quite ready to have another dog.  However, Susie kept telling Jay all the wonderful things about this lovable lab, and 10 days later Jay was on his way to Colorado to adopt Joey.   Jay says labs are absolutely the best dogs to rescue since they adapt so quickly and easily.

Joey has a great personality and is very friendly with other people and dogs.  Jay says Joey is the perfect gentleman and will patiently wait his turn to fetch the ball when playing with other dogs.  He has been to obedience school since arriving in California and was quite a good student who now knows all his commands.  Joey has many, many toys. His favorite is a hard plastic ball that he likes to take to bed with him.  If he forgets it, all he needs is a reminder and he runs to get the ball.  

There are cats in the neighborhood as well as a fox that Joey loves to keep an eye on.  Jay and Joey recently were sprayed by the neighborhood skunk, and needless to say, they no longer take that route on their evening walk.

Sounds like Joey is definitely enjoying life in California and is indeed the perfect dog to be at his wonderful forever home with Jay and Mike.

Meg

Meg, a delightful 60 pound yellow lab, is shown in the photo with her new owner, James.  They have really bonded, and James says Meg is so much fun to be around.  

Meg grabs her leash when she’s ready to go for a walk, and she has become quite good on a leash.  Meg is very sociable and loves to visit with the people and other dogs they meet while out walking.  She loves to go riding with James in his four wheeler jeep, and they go to a lot of interesting places to explore with his friends and their dogs.  James is a member of the Colorado Mountain Club and occasionally they have a hike to take their dogs along.  Meg loves this outing and gets plenty of exercise on these 5 or 6 mile hikes plus she gets to socialize with the other dogs.  James says she is never more than 10 feet away from him and knows the heel command well.

Meg has run of the house and doesn’t get on any furniture except James’ bed where she is allowed to sleep.  James says Meg is quite vocal and will let you know when she wants to be petted or play with a squeaky toy.  Right now her favorite stuffed toy is a brown hedgehog.  Meg definitely has the lab gene for water, and will swim in the lake fetching a tennis ball as long as you’ll let her.

James lost his 5 year-old chocolate lab, Molly, to cancer last December.  He wanted another lab and was so pleased to adopt Meg.  James says he is so happy to have her with him.  We are so thrilled that Meg has found her forever home with James who is providing her with such love and a fun filled life!

Update 3-20-08: Meg is doing awesome. She is thriving here with regular (at least one a day) trips to the park, play dates with a couple of different lab friends. Vacations once a year and camping. A buddy of mine has a yellow lab that is Meg's best friend. We will go camping in the summer and the two of them will run and play and swim and have the time of their life. One tradition that the group that I go camping has is a steak dinner. Each of the labs always manages to get a little taste of steak from each person, poor “neglected” dogs. I am so lucky to have Meg. Thanks for rescuing her.

Ollie

Sweet, 1-1/2 year-old Ollie has made amazing progress in his new home with Barbara and Elizabeth. He has a wonderful sister, named Taz, a 4 year-old Lab, who they adopted from Safe Harbor in 2004. Ollie and Taz liked each other right away and enjoy being together all the time. Taz has helped Ollie learn about the joys of being a Lab.

Ollie was originally considered to be unadoptable by the animal shelter since he was extremely fearful of everyone and didn’t want anyone to get near him. Safe Harbor knew that Ollie had a good heart and spirit and just needed a lot of patience and nurturing. Thanks to an abundance of love and understanding from Barbara and Elizabeth, Ollie has learned to trust again. He doesn’t hide in his crate like he used to and is gradually building his confidence. Although he still doesn’t like to be touched very much, Ollie will take food from his owners’ hands. Every Friday night Taz and Ollie enjoy a special treat—their own bone filled with peanut butter.

Since Elizabeth and Barbara live on the edge of a golf course, Ollie enjoys spending time outdoors running around the trees and playing with fun-loving Taz. In the winter Ollie especially enjoyed romping in the snow. He also has a great time fetching the ball in the yard. If the game ends too soon, Ollie will often give Barbara or Elizabeth a head butt on the back of their leg to let them know that he’d like to play more. For indoor fun there are two big baskets filled with all kinds of toys to the delight of Ollie and Taz.

Safe Harbor would like to send a special thank you to Anna Gonzales for fostering Ollie for quite a long time. All of your patience and loving care made a big difference in Ollie’s progress. Ollie is blossoming into the wonderful Lab he was always meant to be, thanks to the love, understanding, and kindness of Barbara, Elizabeth, and you too, Taz.

When Ollie gets over being camera shy, we hope to have a family photo.

Sara (formerly Raven)

Sara (formerly Raven) is Linda’s 2 ½ year old black lab. Linda says Sara rules the house but is such a good little girl. Sara loves everybody, especially Linda’s son, Scott…Sara rolls over to get a tummy rub from Scott every time he comes over to visit.  Sara is quite fond of kids of all sizes and is very gentle with the little ones.  Sara’s tail starts to wag every time a child is seen. She also loves other dogs and has a special friend, Max, a 5 year old chocolate lab who lives in the neighborhood.  

Linda has always had dogs named with an “S” and that is how Raven became Sara.  Linda lost her 14 year old lab, Sally, to cancer about a week before she adopted Sara. Linda says she is so happy to have Sara and loves that Sara jumps up on her bed to sleep at night.  

Sara and Linda went to obedience school and Sara has learned many commands.  Sara is good on a leash, especially now that she has a gentle leader. They go for a lot of walks and Linda says the walks have been great exercise for both of them. Sara loves to go for rides in the car.  

Linda says what Sara does best is give lots of love! We thank Linda for the love and forever home she is giving Sara!

Maddie

Very petite and having that puppy look, 6 year old Maddie has found her forever home with Sharon and Kurt. Weighing 43 pounds when she arrived at her new home, Maddie has put on some weight and is feeling right at home. Kurt says her favorite things to do are look out the 2nd floor window or be on the 2nd floor patio and twirl and bark to get the attention of people walking by on the green belt.  That is pretty much the only time they hear Maddie bark.  

Maddie does not have that lab gene for fetching tennis balls and would much prefer to play with her toys.  She has a rope tug to play with outdoors as well as a stuffed dinosaur and stuffed beaver to play with indoors.  Kurt says she is quite content to play with the toys by herself and will sometimes look at you with wonder in her eyes if you toss it for her to fetch.  Maddie also loves to play with Chief, an Australian Shepherd who lives a few doors down.  They get together often for play dates.

Maddie knows many commands and is very well behaved. She would never think of jumping up on people, especially Sharon’s mother, who lives in the basement apartment. Maddie just gently raises her arm to touch you when she wants your attention.  She took off running after a rabbit one day but Sharon called “stop” and Maddie returned to her immediately.  Although Maddie loves to snooze on her special blanket on the grownups’ bed while Sharon and Kurt are away, she does not get up on any other furniture. Maddie is sure a special girl, and Kurt says they are so happy to have her in their family!

BillyJean (formerly Noel)

Meet BillieJean who is pictured here with her new family, Joann and Roger!  Joann tells us that BillieJean (formerly named Noel by Safe Harbor - as she joined us on Christmas Eve) is a great addition to their household after the loss of their previous dogs, Chip and Hershey.  While taking care of a friend's energetic young Lab for a few days, Joann and Roger decided that an older, less active dog would be a better fit for them.  BillieJean heard that and said, "Hey, I'm your gal!"  

While BillieJean is an older dog with some of the usual senior joint problems, she is still ball-obsessed and would play fetch with you non-stop if allowed!  Joann tells us that she loves retrieve the ball, but she isn't too keen on giving it back to you unless you have one to exchange; however, if you happen to miss her persistent pleas to play ball - well, she will get your attention by just dropping the ball in your lap.

All of us at Safe Harbor would like to thank Joann and Roger for recognizing the wonderful qualities a senior dog like BillieJean can bring to a home.  We would also like for you to watch for our next newsletter where we hope to publish a story by their granddaughter Takako about everything that went into BillieJean joining their family.  It is a great story!

Roxy

Anne and Russ are the new owners of Roxy, shown in the picture with their sons, Jackson and Harrison.  Roxy is a pretty and petite 55 pound two-year old yellow lab.  She loves to go on walks and play with the boys.  Roxy also runs with Russ, and she can’t resist taking a dip in the creek they pass by.  What a true lab!  

Anne says that Roxy is quite social and loves to have play dates with the dogs in the neighborhood.   Roxy stays in the house while the family is way.  However, one day the housekeeper let her outside and she jumped their low fence and went to play with the dog next door.  After playtime was over, Roxy jumped back over into her own yard.  Anne says Roxy would never try jumping the fence if the family is at home. Roxy has very good manners. She does not beg for food and prefers to sleep on her own bed.  Roxy’s favorite toy is a stuffed pink pig.  Although Roxy knew most commands when she arrived at her new home, the boys are teaching her some tricks and she can now shake hands.

Roxy also likes to get together with Anne’s sister’s yellow lab, a big guy named Bob. In fact, Jackson and Harrison loved Bob so much they wanted a lovable lab in their household and Roxy was just the answer.  Anne says Roxy has been a great addition to their family.  A big thanks to Anne, Russ, Jackson and Harrison for providing Roxy with such a loving forever home.

Chris

Energetic is an understatement when it comes to describing Chris - pictured here with his new dad, Matt.  Chris seems to never tire, even after going for 5 mile runs with Matt, who is a marathon runner!  Chris is also a jumper and a climber (but Chris promises us that he is trying to quit!).

In addition to his athletic qualities, Chris is very social and loves to be with people and plays well with other dogs.  He enjoys outings to the dog park and has recently been exposed to a new sport - swimming!  Although he is just getting the hang of the water sports, we are sure he will be a pro in no time.  Seems like Chris is quite the natural athlete!

Matt tells us that Chris is just a great dog and we have to agree!  Thanks to Beds N' Biscuits and Sage Valley Animal Center for helping with Chris' care and special thanks to Matt for giving him the wonderful, active home that he deserves!

Jake (formerly Gage)

We love letters!  Here’s a great one from Jake’s (formerly Gage) wonderful new family, Linda, Jim and their 10-year old cocker spaniel, Buffy:

“Jake is an amazing addition to our family!  Both of our daughters met Jake and loved him as well as he loved them.  But then I have yet to meet a person or dog that Jake doesn't love.  He is really fitting into the family well.  He adores all my piano students and they adore him.  Everyone that comes in the door becomes his best friend.  He is the most affectionate dog we've ever owned, and we've had dogs for over 30 years.  He truly believes he is a lap dog, but at 80 lbs. now that can be quite uncomfortable for the owner of the lap.

We are in basic obedience with Ted Terroux now, and Jake is really a smart guy.  As you mentioned, however, he is an energetic guy and he keeps us on our toes to get all that energy burnt out of him.  He's still somewhat needy in the attention getting department, but I fear he really lacked that before, so I mostly give in to him.  It's hard not to since he is so lovable.  Jim and I both want to say bless you Safe Harbor for what you do and for bringing Jake into our lives.  Please always continue on in the good work you do.”

Yoshi (formerly Rowdy)

Handsome Yoshi is pictured here with his new family Steve, Sarah and yellow Lab brother Tasker (also a Safe Harbor alumni).  Steve tells us that Yoshi is a very energetic, yet affectionate dog.  He is calm and sweet in the mornings, but when afternoon comes - he is ready to play!  Yoshi loves to chase and retrieve tennis balls and has only recently let Steve and Sarah in on the secret that he is a Frisbee Catcher Extraordinaire!  After an initial settling-in period, Tasker and Yoshi get along great and love to play together to burn off all of that notorious young-Lab energy!  Steve and Sarah are very active outdoors and plan on taking the boys for some nice long hikes this summer (that should wear them out!).  Yoshi has already gotten to accompany his family on a snowshoeing trip earlier in the year.  He will also get to experience perfecting his swimming skills and Steve says that as Yoshi seems to be a quick learner, it shouldn't be a problem!

We would like to express our thanks to Steve and Sarah for bringing Yoshi into their home and making him a part of their family.  Labrador Love is always better times two and Yoshi and Tasker are the proof!  

Bud

Handsome, 1-1/2 year-old Bud is enjoying a wonderful life with his new mom, Pam, who described him as “a great dog!” Lucky Bud gets to go with Pam to work every day at her studio, where he thoroughly enjoys a lot of attention from Pam and her customers. This tall, lanky boy is naturally mellow and well mannered. Pam took Bud to basic obedience classes and he quickly learned many new skills. Bud does really well off leash, except on occasion when he runs to visit a nearby business owner’s store. It seems that Bud has a hard time resisting the tasty dog treat that’s always waiting for him there.

Fun activities have been a big part of Bud’s new life, such as fetching tennis balls, playing Frisbee, and going on mountain hikes. Retrieving a soft Frisbee in the snow is one of Bud’s favorite things to do. He has a Lab friend, named Riley, who often goes along on hikes with his owner, Bud and Pam. Riley taught Bud the pure joy of finding and retrieving the perfect branch on the trail and bringing it back to your owner as a special gift.

Pam told us that Bud is very smart and understands the idea of “cause and effect.” He learned that his Kong toy works much better if he drops it from the top of the stairs and lets the yummy treats fall out as the Kong bounces down the stairs. Pam has a three-story house, so Bud starts at the top of the third floor landing and drops the Kong from each landing. Now that’s a clever boy!

Thanks to Pam, Bud is thriving in his new home. He knows there will always be plenty of attention, wonderful activities, and love to fill his life, forever more.

Sally (formerly Sheila)

Meet Sheila (now Sally) with her new family – Amanda, Jason and 4-legged sister, Roxy.  Sally and Roxy are only a few months apart in age and they got along right from the beginning.  They enjoy hours of playing together and don’t show any sisterly sibling rivalry.

Sally gets to enjoy many walks, playing Frisbee and playing with Amanda’s Dad’s golden retriever.  Occasionally she has gone to Amanda’s work with her, taking in all the activities going on in a hair salon.  Once summer comes she will be going on family camping trips as well.

On walks, Sally always takes the lead, but makes sure to turn around every few minutes to make sure her family is still there and to give them a great big smile.  Not only do Sally and Roxy enjoy sleeping on the bed, but Sally jumps up, rolls over onto her back and demands a belly rub by “talking”.  Now that’s the good life!

Our thanks to Amanda, Jason and Roxy for adding Sally to their family and giving her a wonderful forever home.

Annie (formerly Kiya)

Annie, who is now 1-1/2 years old, is pictured here with her loving new parents, Diann and Jerry and her canine brother, Tucker, who was 8 months old at the time. Annie has made tremendous progress since being adopted last fall.

She was found as a stray, so very little is known about her earlier life. Diann told us that it took some time before Annie would react to any conversation or praise from them. She simply wouldn’t respond. Annie was also a bit anxious around Tucker at first, until she learned that Diann and Jerry had an abundance of love for both of them. With months of patience and understanding from her new parents, Annie has become much calmer, playful, and even smiles now. She also eats her food at a more relaxed pace since she knows that tasty meals will be given to her every day.

Diann’s sister owns a border collie and Australian shepherd mix, so Annie and Tucker have a fantastic time playing with their cousins when they go to visit. Annie’s fun-loving personality has finally emerged and she has found daily joy in her new life. One evening Annie discovered how fascinating snowflakes can be when softly falling from a winter sky. She didn’t try to catch them, but simply enjoyed watching them tumble down.

Annie has completed basic obedience training and did very well in class and has applied her new skills in her daily life. On a recent hiking trip to Mt. Falcon, Annie stayed calm on her leash around other dogs and didn’t bark at all. She and Tucker had a delightful time walking on the beautiful mountain trails with Jerry and Diann.

Safe Harbor would like to thank Pat and Kevin Whiteley for fostering Annie until she found her wonderful, forever home. Because of Diann and Jerry’s patience, dedication, and love, Annie has become the sweet and happy Lab she was always meant to be.

Sam

Mike and Jane could not be happier with Sam, this laid back, go with the flow, handsome yellow lab. After a few days of getting acquainted with his new owners and surroundings, Sam felt right at home with his new family and has pretty much taken over their hearts with his gentle, 112 pound being.

Jane says Sam is so adaptable and just senses when it’s time to be gentle with her 82 year old mom (who has become one of Sam’s greatest fans) or time to wrestle with them or time to become a lap dog with Mike.  Sam also loves to play chase with their granddaughter, Madeline, and he enjoys a good game of keep away with Mike and Madeline. Sam gets in the middle and often catches the nerf ball when they toss it back and forth.

Sam also loves a rawhide and will immediately go bury it in the yard. Once someone asks him “where’s the bone,” Sam races out into the yard to retrieve the rawhide.  Sam knows commands and is very good on a leash.  No wonder Jane says that their “Sammers” is one smart guy who all the family and friends just adore. Sam turned 4 in February, and the family threw him a birthday party filled with gourmet doggie treats and a party hat for Sam.  Jane and Mike are looking forward to summer when they’ll be taking Sam on their RV trips to do some camping.

Jane says having Sam around is so fulfilling and they will likely add another lovable lab to their family.  What a wonderful forever home Sam has found. A big thanks to Mike, Jane and their family and friends for providing Sam with such love and care.

Much appreciation goes out to City Bark Lodo where Sam was fostered.

Terra (formerly Lily)

Here we see Terra (formerly Lily) with her new parents Dorothy and Dick.  Little 10-month old Terra was considered a “very hyper dog” according to the shelter papers, when Safe Harbor came to rescue her.  After staying in a wonderful foster home and learning some basic manners from foster mom Jody, she has come around to be quite a well behaved little lady.

Dorothy and Dick have continued working with her as they described her as being a little rascal, chewing everything in sight and a little too mouthy when she played.  She has attended obedience class and is doing very well and has become a champion retriever already.  Her favorite game is to play ball - she loves to fetch and has mastered the “drop it” command already.

She also enjoys playing with her Kong, but balls are still the top choice.  In the summer she will be enjoying trips to her family’s cabin in the mountains and walks with Dick.

Dorothy mentioned how much she appreciated the help and support they received from Safe Harbor and we certainly appreciate Dorothy and Dick giving Terra a wonderful, loving new home.

J.J.

This lucky Lab has a new family that just adores him. Shown here are Diane (on the far right), her daughter, Laura, who is 8 years old, and son, Riley, who is 14 years old. Diane’s husband, Rohit and their other son, Colin, who is 16, couldn’t be there for the adoption day photo. Jay’s new name is now J.J., which seems perfect for this very spirited, 1-1/2 year old bundle of Lab energy.

J.J. recently completed basic obedience training and is doing quite well with basic commands and walking on a leash. J.J.’s family takes him on daily walks around the neighborhood as well as visits to the nearby dog park so he can romp with other canine friends. Diane told us that J.J. is a very sociable, friendly Lab and gets along great with everyone (dogs and people alike).

He really likes active games such as playing a game of fetch with Laura in their nice backyard. The ball on a rope flies quite far and requires a lot of running, which J.J. always enjoys. This exuberant Lab also loves to play tug-of-war with Rohit to see who will win each time. Fun-loving J.J. gets many opportunities to enjoy a variety of activities, daily exercise, and learning new things.

Safe Harbor would like to thank Beds ‘n Biscuits, Sage Valley Pet Center, and Camp Bow Wow for fostering J.J. until he was adopted. Thanks to Diane, Rohit, Laura, Riley and Colin, sweet J.J. will always have a caring, wonderful family to share his life. Laura recently told us, “J.J. is the most cutest dog in the world.” And we’re sure he’s also one of the most loved.

Miles

Here is Miles (the handsome yellow lab on the right) with his new family – parents Wes and Carol, and new chocolate lab sister, 9-year-old Amy.

Miles had somewhat of a rough start when he first came to Safe Harbor, having had ACL repair knee surgery, not just once, but twice! Wes and Carol had to keep him quiet and confined in order to allow it to heal, which is quite a task, considering Miles is a young, active lab AND had a brand new sister ready, willing and able to play with him!  

Speaking of sisters, Carol tells us Miles and Amy got along from day one, playing together at every opportunity. Miles is the snuggler while Amy is the independent one.  Miles is curious about everything, wrinkles his forehead and “smiles”. Both dogs enjoy being an equal member of the family and getting spoiled - just the way it should be.

Many thanks to Wes, Carol and Amy for giving Miles a wonderful forever home and for nursing him through his knee surgeries. Also, thank you to his foster dad Tim, who not only gave him a loving home while he awaited his adoption, but also provided extra transportation so he could meet his new family sooner.