Yogi Labrador Retriever Mix Warrington, PA

Yogi is a young, enegetic, and playful Lab. Yogi was found as a stray and taken to a shelter before coming into Brookline foster care. The shelter staff estimated Yogi to be about 5 years old. In some ways, he seems younger than 5, but we can't say for sure.

We don't know how long Yogi was on his own, but when he first came into foster care, he was very stressed and didn't immediately connect with his foster family. He spent the first week or so pacing and panting. Since then, he has figured out that he really likes attention from people! He's grown to love cuddling and affection. He comes happily when we call his name and is always happy to meet new people.

Yogi loves to run and looks so graceful doing so. He likes to chase balls, but hasn't yet learned to give them back. He prefers to prance around with the ball in his mouth. He loves big balls like Jolly balls and basketballs. But he won't turn down a tennis ball either. In true Lab fashion, Yogi likes to have something in his mouth. Before heading out to the yard, he (sometimes frantically) looks for something to carry outside - a ball, a bone, or even a shoe. Yes, his forever family will have to keep a close eye on their shoes!

Yogi had no training when he arrived in his foster home. The first thing he needed to learn was impulse control. Having no impulse control meant that he would see something exciting, such as a dog walking down the street, and go from "interested" straight to "crazy excited" in a few seconds. We spent lots of time working on things like the "wait" command to help him learn to calm himself down. He "waits" when we open the crate door and doesn't come out until we tell him "okay!" No more barreling out and almost knocking us over. Yogi is crate trained and enjoys hanging out in his crate. Good things happen there - treats, dental chews, meals - and he knows it! Yogi has made tremendous progress but will need a family who will continue to reinforce these positive behaviors. Yogi is smart and very food-motivated. He enjoys training and will make you proud.

Yogi currently lives with 2 dogs and is great with them. He plays with our younger dog and gives our senior dog space. Yogi can get over-excited when playing which can lead to him playing rough. He'll need supervision and a dog who will be okay with that. His introductions to new dogs should be slow and controlled to prevent Yogi from getting too amped-up and annoying his new friend.

Yogi has no known health issues and is up-to-date on vaccinations. He was well behaved at his vet visit and enjoyed making friends with the vet staff.

Yogi needs daily exercise - which can be physical exercise (walks, chasing balls, etc.) and/or mental exercise (playing games like "find it", doing training. He does well with about 20-30 minutes per day. But he would love to do more if you have the time!

Yogi loves to look out the window to watch the world. This sometimes leads to barking when he sees something exciting outside (a dog walking by, a delivery person, etc.). We are working on being able to call him away from the window when that happens. He's still a work-in-progress.

We think Yogi enjoyed the freedom that came with being a stray dog. If he has the chance to get out and run the neighborhood, he will happily take it. His new family will need to be very careful about this and reinforce the "wait" command anytime someone is going in/out the door. He's very good about waiting and no longer tries to bolt out the door on us. But when we have company, he'll take advantage of anyone not paying close attention.

Yogi has met and done well with people of all ages. We'd prefer that his new family not have young children. When children run and yell, Yogi wants to join in and may get a little too "crazy" with excitement. Also, Yogi may take advantage of little ones to sneak out the door and go for a run. Yogi would be fine with children visiting as long as he was supervised.

Yogi has not been exposed to cats since being in foster care. But we think Yogi would likely chase a cat and get a bit carried away trying to catch him. So a cat-free home would be best.

Yogi is very sweet and allows us to do anything - touch him anywhere, hug him, He enjoys getting attention and is happy to be with us. He's also independent and will go out in yard or into another room by himself to explore or chill out.

Yogi has come a long way from that stressed-out dog, fresh out of the shelter. He's looking for a forever family who will love him and continue to work with him to help him be the best dog he can be. You won't be disappointed by this sweet boy!

If you want to know more about Yogi, check out his blog:

https://brooklinelabrescue.org/blog/yogo-black-labrador-retriever-mix-5-years-old-id-3027/


PLEASE NOTE: While this Lab may not be available for adoption by the time you complete the adoption process, other great Labs are always finding their way into our Rescue.

For more information on this Lab, please contact INFO@BROOKLINELABRESCUE.ORG.

If you are interested in adopting this Lab or any other Lab from our Rescue, please visit our Web site, www.brooklinelabrescue.org, for more information on our adoption process. If you need additional information about the adoption process or whether you are in our coverage area, please send an e-mail to our Rescue at info@brooklinelabrescue.org

Even if you are not ready to adopt, you can still help us help our Labs!

Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit volunteer organization funded entirely by donations. Donations are always needed to help with veterinary costs, transportation, and supplies for our dogs. For information on donating to BLRR please click here. Donations are accepted via PayPal or you can mail a check to: Brookline Labrador Retriever Rescue, P.O. Box 638, Warrington, PA 18976-0638