ADOPTED!

Meet Gunner! He’s a 7 to 8-year-old chocolate Labrador Retriever! Gunner is very sweet and loves being with his people. He came to WCLRR after his owner abandoned Gunner and another lab (Stella) in a vacation home. Gunner had a large mass on his neck, and he tested positive for heartworm. The mass was benign and was removed. He completed the heartworm treatment and has tested negative. He is now looking forward to finding his furever home!

Gunner is a medium energy dog and on the small side for a lab. Heartworm treatment requires dogs to have limited activity for several months. Gunner had to spend most of his time in his crate during his heartworm treatment. He was okay with that. However, he loves to be outdoors, running to fetch balls and sticks. Gunner gets very excited when he sees the leash; he loves his walks! His new family will want to work with him on leash manners.

Gunner stays close to his people in the house, especially when they’re in the kitchen. He enjoys playing with hard chew toys but often destroys soft toys. His new family will want to make sure he has plenty of kongs, Nylabones, and other hard toys to play with.

Gunner knows the “sit,” “wait,” and “crate” commands. He is house-trained and hasn’t had any accidents in his foster home. He does well in his crate, and sleeps in one through the night. Like many dogs, he has a fantastic sense of time and pops up at 6 a.m. each morning, ready to start the day with his family. He will also let you know when it’s dinner time to ensure that you don’t forget to feed him!

Gunner has shown a tendency to counter surf, so his new family will want to make sure that counters are clear of any items that might harm him, such as medicines.

Gunner loves being with people and is calm around them. He has been around children and teens and was a little mouthy at first, but he is learning to be gentle and give licks and kisses. He adores getting petted and even enjoys his baths – any attention is good attention!

Gunner is submissive and shy when off-leash around other dogs and shares his toys. However, he prefers being with his people rather than playing with other dogs.

Gunner’s ideal home would be with a family that is home most of the time to give him the attention he deserves. He would be fine with other dogs his size or as an only dog. He has not lived with small animals but has shown a strong prey drive when he sees squirrels, so he may not be a good fit for a home with cats or other small pets.

Gunner loves walks and would be a great hiking partner, but he is also happy to hang out and watch television! His home should have a secure yard, and his new family should make sure there is nothing near the fencing that could be used as a launchpad for an escape. Heartworm can cause severe health problems. Gunner’s family should keep him on preventative heartworm medication and ensure that he is vaccinated annually to keep him healthy in the future.

Gunner is neutered, is current on his vaccines, and is microchipped.