ADOPTED!

Meet Kobe! He is a handsome five-or-six-year-old male black Labrador Retriever with a beautiful glossy coat and a lean build. Kobe was surrendered to WCLRR when his owner became ill and could no longer care for him.

Kobe is a happy, medium-energy pup. His favorite games are fetching (with a tennis ball or frisbee) and “find-it” (hiding a small rope toy somewhere in the house for him to sniff out). In addition to fetching and find-it, he likes to chew Nylabones. He loves munching on a frozen, peanut butter-filled Kong. Kobe is very affectionate and loves to play, but he also enjoys his alone time, often going into another room or his crate to rest. He may bring a toy to someone to get them to play when he’s in the mood for entertainment!

Kobe has done very well when meeting new people. He sees many people during walks and is curious about them but isn’t afraid. Kobe has been fine with the gardener and meeting the foster’s neighbors. He may initially give a few barks when someone comes to the house but quickly settles down. During walks, Kobe goes by the elementary school with many children and parents. He has been OK with the activity and all the people. Kobe is very gentle and doesn’t mind being touched and petted.

Kobe lives with an 18-year-old dog-savvy cat. She comes out regularly to see Kobe, and he is gentle with her. He has been exposed to birds, rabbits, squirrels, lizards, and other dogs and has not reacted to any of these creatures.

Kobe knows “sit,” “down,” “stay,” and “heel.” Kobe walks reasonably well on a leash. He understands heel, and when off heel, he generally doesn’t pull except when he smells something. He is easily corrected with a gentle tug on the leash. His foster family has been working with him on recall (“come”), and his new family should continue to help him master this command.

Kobe sleeps quietly through the night in his crate, waiting for his people to get up in the morning. During the day, he has been in his crate for up to two hours while his fosters are away. Kobe occasionally goes into the crate to nap during the day. He is not destructive, so there is no need to use the crate if his new family prefers not to have one.

Kobe has a hard time ending play and wants to pursue the toy that has been put out of his reach. But this only lasts a minute, and then he realizes that playtime is over and settles down. His new family could help him with this by teaching him a command such as “done” so that Kobe understands that there is an endpoint to the play. For example, he can be a bit obsessed with balls and pull towards a ball if he sees one during a walk.

Kobe’s ideal home would be with an individual, couple, or family with the time for daily walks and frequent play sessions with him. Kobe loves being with his people but is OK being on his own for short periods. He would be fine in a home with a dog-savvy cat or small pets. He would also be OK with another dog after proper introductions.

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