Dobbler

Dobbler has found her forever home with Cindy and Jack, and will always have plenty of playmates in her new large extended family. Now called Dobby, this distinguished looking five-year-old Lab girl with a beautiful black coat and a sweet Labbie grin has been charming her new parents with her playful, puppylike antics.

After Dobby had a little time to settle in, Cindy sent this update: "We are delighted to have Dobby in our family. We have grown children and five grandchildren, so our house has a lot of activity already, but Dobby has really rounded out our family. She has such a fun sense of humor. She absolutely loves the snow. Her favorite game is to toss a ball into the air, let it fall into the snow, and then when she digs it out, she acts surprised to have found the lost treasure! What a character! Thank you for everything you all are doing for these wonderful dogs."

Thank you, Cindy and Jack, for giving the wonderful Ms. Dobby such a fun-filled and loving forever home!

Niko

Patrick and Julie have added one-year-old Niko to their family, and this vivacious young Lab has been letting his new parents know how much he loves them, and how happy he is to be home, by giving them lots of nibbles and cuddles, and making sure they don't sleep in too late in the mornings.

Patrick reports that "Niko, or how he's known around our house right now, "No Bites", is doing great. He has such a great personality and is a very sweet boy! His favorite activity seems to be when we let him up on the bed in the morning is to flip onto his back with his legs straight in the air and try to nibble on our ears or hands until we get up to take him for his morning walk. He's also a big fan of cuddling on the couch. He has a ton of energy as young Labs do and loves playing with the other dogs in the neighborhood.

We've only had Niko twelve days but he's already a big part of our family."

Zuni

When Robin and Bryan brought their daughter and their little chocolate Lab, Maci, to meet our seven-month-old black Lab pup, Zuni, on a recent frigid Colorado afternoon, it was love at first sight between Maci and Zuni, and the match was made in ten seconds flat. A short time later Zuni was on his way to his forever home, contentedly falling asleep on top of his new human sister during the ride. When they arrived home, Zuni was introduced to Tink the cat, who was unimpressed but unconcerned, at least until Zuni later decided that a game of chase the cat would be rather fun. Following a stern lecture from his new parents on the subject of cat chasing, Zuni has crossed it off his to-do list, and the two now peacefully co-exist, even when sharing their parent's bed. In search of new amusements, Zuni has been honing his hurdling skills, and putting them to good use whenever he and Maci are left home alone with a baby gate separating them from the house. He can easily clear the gates, which are on top of a two step elevation, earning him the new title of "Super Zuni".

After a first few timid days, Zuni is learning to play with his canine sister, and she is learning about sharing her toys; and both now enjoy frequent games of tug-o-war and doggy wrestling matches.

While there are always bumps in the road and tests of patience that go along with the fun of bringing a new, energetic Lab pup into the family, Robin reports that overall things are going well: "Zuni is still learning his manners, and playing with his new best buddy Maci. He is a very lovable and affectionate child, and loves his belly rubs and kisses."

Copper (formerly Trooper)

Bob, Perihan, and their two daughters, along with their dog, Caspa, were all greatly missing their previous Labrador, who they lost last fall. When the family decided it was time to put some Lab back into their lives, our beautiful, two-year-old chocolate boy,Trooper, happily applied for the position of new forever family Lab, and was thrilled when he was chosen. Now renamed Copper, this handsome young guy is settling right in and loving life as a real family member, and is particularly proud of the fact that one of his new human sisters has posted pictures of him all over her Facebook page.

When he's not too busy posing for the camera, playing with his sisters, or running around at the nearby dog park, Copper is hard at work on his manners and commands, and is happy to show off his newly learned "sit" and "down" for any admirers. With all the homework he's doing now, Copper will definitely have a paw up on the competition when he attends formal obedience classes in the future.

Copper's dad filled us in on his new pup's progress: "Copper is doing very well in our household. He is learning his basic commands, how to get along with his new sister, Caspa, and how to behave on walks. He is putting on some needed weight. Copper has discovered he loves playing "retrieve the ball" and is always ready for a game. He had a trip to a dog park and absolutely loved being able to run free and meet new friends. I think Copper is starting to figure out that he has hit the jackpot with us and is eager to learn and play. We are looking forward to the spring/summer when we can take him out and teach him to be a fishing buddy, camping companion and hiking amigo!"

Windsor and Riley

Windsor and Riley came to SHLR when their family was unable to keep them, and although they no longer had a permanent home, they still had each other. Safe Harbor was committed to trying to find a forever place where these two life-long friends could go home together. Twelve-year-old Windsor and ten-year-old Riley spent many months in loving foster care while they waited for their special forever people to find them.

Diane saw their adorable, hopeful, faces on our website and knew that she wanted to be the one to make their dreams of being beloved family dogs again come true. She had really wanted to add two dogs to her family, so adopting both at once was perfect for her. When our volunteer arrived at Diane's home with Windsor and Riley, Diane, and her son, Eric, who had come by to greet his new "siblings", had been waiting for this moment for days, and the whole adoption was like a big celebration!

As anyone who has ever experienced the joy of loving a Lab through the golden years knows, there is no sweeter, more deserving or loving soul than a wise and seasoned Lab, except possibly for the people like Diane who see the real beauty in these older pups and are truly happy to have the opportunity to give them a place where they know they are finally home forever.

Thank you Diane, for bringing Windsor and Riley into your heart and home!

Zedd (formerly Rugger)

Andrea and Mark were looking for another black Lab to join their family after having lost one of their beloved Labs to cancer last summer. Our handsome two-year-old boy, Rugger, caught their eye, and they brought him home to make sure he fit in well with their other four-legged family members. After a short trial run, Rugger received two thumbs up and two paws up, and he was home to stay. His new black Lab sister, Shadow, has been teaching him the rules of the house while trying to convince him that she rules the house, although apparently the cat has other ideas. Now known as Zeddicus, or Zedd, the new kid in the family is trying hard to catch up on his training and commands, while learning the lay of the land — including that he needs to pause in front of the automatic doggie door to give it time to open for him.

Zedd's new family reports: "He is a sweet boy, very loving and tries to please us but seems to be used to not having many rules or consistent training. Learning the new rules in the house is not nearly as much fun as retrieving, but like every “teenager”, rebellion is part of the deal. His sister Shadow is adjusting to having another dog around the house again as she wants to be the boss, but that is really the cats position. Zedd knew sit and was partially potty trained and is getting closer to having it all figured out, but is catching onto stop, heal, stay, free, down, go to your bed, kennel up, come, no begging while the non-furry household members eat, and non-furry members go through the door first. It is all still new to him, but once he is completely settled in, these will all be a breeze."

With the help of his wonderful new forever parents and his furry siblings, young Zedd will be at the top of his class in no time!

Nikki

Royce and Laura are the happy new forever parents of a beautiful 18-month-old Lab girl named Nikki. This lucky yellow girl struck gold when she became a part of this loving, active, young family.

We received this wonderful update from Royce and Laura on Nikki's latest adventures: "Nikki is settling in wonderfully to her forever home. She is a sweet and loving dog who wants only to be near us. (And to get lots of tummy rubs!) She is eager to learn, and is doing well with basic commands. She attends obedience class once per week and is getting more and more comfortable around other dogs. She enjoys walks every morning and evening. We crated her the first 2 1/2 weeks and she did fine, but she has proved herself trustworthy and has had free reign of the house since then.

She must have been laughing at us our first weekend together. We were sure she was deaf, since she was not responding to her name at all. Turns out she just needed to learn it a little better and everything was fine...(Plus we think she missed her very nice Foster Mom a lot, too...)

Nikki sleeps soundly through the night on a comfy dog bed in our room. We have determined her last name must be "Van Winkle" because she likes to sleep-in just about every day...her wake-up routine has to include tummy rubs and lots of kisses, then she's ready for the day!

Thanks for letting us brag about our Nikki. We think we're quite lucky to have her - forever."

We're sure that Nikki is bragging to all her dog friends about her new parents, and how lucky she is to have them forever!

Georgia (formerly Java)

Who doesn't love a little Java in their day, especially when it comes in the form of an absolutely adorable six-month-old chocolate Lab baby! This beautiful puppy girl has found her forever home with Michele, and both girls are thrilled with this new arrangement.

She is settling perfectly into her forever home where she is now known as Georgia,

and her new mom reports: She loves playing catch in her back yard and has already learned so many commands - including drop it which makes for a long game of catch! She's met a ton of friends in the neighborhood and Wash Park and everyone comments on how well behaved she is. She's still learning how to get her treats out of her Kong but she loves her Nyla bones to death! She also likes her tushy massaged and will sit on your lap just to get her shoulders rubbed too! We couldn't be more in love! It's 100% success story!"

Bailey (formerly Brutus)

Dean and Jana fell in love with Brady, (aka Brutus), and chose him to be their forever dog. After all, who could resist this laid-back lover of everything human, canine, and ball. They are committed to providing their new boy, who now known as Bailey, with the best possible Lab life. Handsome and happy, one-year-old Bailey is impressing his new family and all his newfound friends with his good-natured, mellow demeanor, and is busy soaking up all the love, attention, knowledge, and treats, that he can get his paws on.

Bailey's new parents report that he is doing "great" and filled us in on his new life: "Bailey quickly adjusted to our family and everyone who has met him has taken an immediate liking towards him. He has been invited over to many of our friends and family residence becasue of his kindness and manerly ways. He is quite the gentleman but enjoys a good rabbit chase when given the opportunity. Currently, Bailey is learning many new tricks and commands which are easy for him becasue of his intelegence and love for treats.

We are very fortunate that Bailey found us for parents. We appreciate all the efforts of Safe Harbor to connect us with Bailey. The adoption has been a wonderful experience."

We are thrilled that Bailey has found such a perfect home where he will be loved and appreciated forever!

Bailey (formerly Brutus)

Dean and Jana fell in love with Brady, (aka Brutus), and chose him to be their forever dog. After all, who could resist this laid-back lover of everything human, canine, and ball. They are committed to providing their new boy, who now known as Bailey, with the best possible Lab life. Handsome and happy, one-year-old Bailey is impressing his new family and all his newfound friends with his good-natured, mellow demeanor, and is busy soaking up all the love, attention, knowledge, and treats, that he can get his paws on.

Bailey's new parents report that he is doing "great" and filled us in on his new life: "Bailey quickly adjusted to our family and everyone who has met him has taken an immediate liking towards him. He has been invited over to many of our friends and family residence becasue of his kindness and manerly ways. He is quite the gentleman but enjoys a good rabbit chase when given the opportunity. Currently, Bailey is learning many new tricks and commands which are easy for him becasue of his intelegence and love for treats.

We are very fortunate that Bailey found us for parents. We appreciate all the efforts of Safe Harbor to connect us with Bailey. The adoption has been a wonderful experience."

We are thrilled that Bailey has found such a perfect home where he will be loved and appreciated forever!

Bodhi

Tall, leggy, and elegant, seven-year-old Bohdi was a little worried about what life ahead held for him when he arrived from a Wyoming shelter after having been abandoned by his owners. Along came Lisa and her two sons, who were looking for an affectionate easygoing pal to keep them company. They visited a couple of other Safe Harbor dogs, but when the saw Bohdi they knew right away something special might be in the making. They took him home for a few days and he settled in so well that Lisa called to say “we love him, he is a keeper!". Bohdi, being a bit shy with other dogs, is delighted to have a bunch of humans to pal around with, chase the ball with, and chill out at their feet during homework time. He definitely agrees that this was a perfect match, and just what he was hoping for when he came to Colorado looking for a new home!

Pictured are Bohdi and his two new best forever pals!

Lelani

Lelani is the sweetest little cuddler around, and she has found her forever dream home with Margaret, who will make sure she gets plenty of belly rubs, daily walks, and lots of play time with the neighborhood pups and their people. Five-year-old Lelani is still full of puppyish charm, and has been busy making new friends whenever she and her mom step out for a stroll. Being a reasonable girl, Lelani appears to have reached an agreement with her new feline sibling that they will just ignore each whenever possible.

Margaret tells us: "Lelani is a sweet heart. She loves everyone - people and dogs, and especially children. She's well behaved in the house and loves belly rubs. She can be snoring, but the minute I stop rubbing her belly, she looks at me and wonders why I've stopped! She behaves like a puppy when we walk, and loves to run and play with the other dogs."

Kody (formerly Lakota)

Lakota is very proud and excited to announce that he has found his forever home with Lori! This happy, handsome, and energetic one-year-old yellow Lab youngster found the perfect place to hang his leash, set down his bowl, and set up his dog bed, and is quickly making himself right at home.

Lakota's new mom tell us: "He is doing great. He goes by Kody now and he's a sweet little boy. His personality is emerging more each day and he is getting more confident. We are working on some things and are enrolled in Canine Academy starting next week. I'm sure he will love this...except the part where he has to walk on a leash. He protests heavily to being on a leash and is trying to convince me that he should be allowed to run at his own free will and be off leash at all times!, Overall, he's a giant love bug who has stolen my heart. He does know this by the way and tries to use it to his advantage to convince me that he should be allowed on the couch :)."

Allie

Connie and Chris have adopted from Safe Harbor before, and lost their most recent Lab about a year ago. It took them some time before they could think about adding to their family again, but when they saw Allie's profile they thought she might just be the one to open their hearts. They had never adopted a dog as young as three-year-old Allie, and were a little anxious about her energy level. Once they met her they realized what a sweet and easy girl Allie is as long as she gets a good run around every day. She is totally reliable in the house and did so well coming to them off the leash that they knew she was just what they needed, and they were quickly sold on this pretty little black Lab girl. It was clear that Allie had found her people when all she wanted do during the adoption was lie on her back and wait for belly rubs until it was time to head home. Allie truly struck gold with her wonderful new forever family, and can boast to all her dog friends about having two homes now, as she splits her time between her new city pad and her mountain cabin.

Connie reports: "Allie is doing really great. She and I walk twice a day. Some of her favorite things - she loves to bask in the morning sun, she never turns down a belly rub, and she loves her squeaky toys. If I'm busy and not throwing them for her, she throws them and plays by herself. Her most favorite place to be is our cabin which we go to every weekend. She has 40 acres to run and play. I have never seen a dog run as fast and as graceful as she does. She truly has won over our hearts and has found her forever home."