ADOPTED!

Meet William! He is a calm, sensitive six-year-old male chocolate Labrador Retriever with warm, expressive eyes. William came to WCLRR when his owner became ill and could no longer care for him. We think William had spent most of his life alone in a yard, as he was not socialized with people and other animals when he came to WCLRR. William is being fostered with a WCLRR trainer. The trainer is helping him learn to meet new people and adapt to new situations such as parks and places where there is a lot of activity.

Despite William’s lonely upbringing, he gets along well with people and other dogs. He is a sensitive dog and is super aware of his surroundings. He takes time to build relationships, but he gets very attached once he does. He lives with a six-year-old child, and they get along very well. He enjoys being petted but might pull away a bit if the attention becomes too overwhelming. William’s new family should remember that he is not used to much attention, and it will take him time to get used to it.

William enjoys playing with other dogs but is still learning to interact with them. He can be awkward sometimes, but he’s learning how to fit in! William is not into playing fetch, although he has a rope toy that he likes to keep in his bed.

William knows “sit,” “stay,” “come,” and “down.” He is learning to walk on a leash. The world is very new to William. He can be timid and afraid of sounds and sudden movement one moment, and in the next, he might pull because he’s so excited to explore something new that he’s found! The foster/trainer will talk with William’s new family about training practices to reinforce what William has learned.

William is house-trained and crate trained. William sleeps quietly in a crate in a separate bedroom and waits for his people to get up. He considers his crate his “safe space” and will go there if he feels unsure about anything happening around him. His new family should have a crate set up for him in a quiet spot to give him a place where he can retreat if he feels anxious.

William prefers eating his food directly from the floor rather than in a bowl. This is not uncommon for dogs that have been left alone outdoors. People will often toss food rather than feed them from a bowl. His new family could find a quiet corner in a kitchen or another room to lay his food out for him.

William would do best in a quiet home with an individual, couple, or family that will show him affection and respect for his space. William would do fine in a house with children. William is sensitive to aggression, including yelling and barking, and gets very apprehensive in those situations. He would be fine as an only dog or with another dog as long as it does not have a strong, dominant personality. William needs someone who will be very patient and give him time to build a bond. Once William bonds with someone, he becomes extremely attached to them.

William is up to date on his vaccinations, neutered, and microchipped.