Fern Black Labrador Retriever & Golden Retriever Mix Athens, GA

Welcome Fern! Fern is a beautiful Black Lab/Golden Retriever mix and weighs a whopping 80lbs. Yep, she’s a big one! But that’s all the more dog to love! Don’t worry, she’s about where she should be seeing as how she is almost 2 years old.
Playing with other dogs is Fern’s idea of a fabulous time. Regular dog park trips are a great way to let out her energy and she doesn’t require structured introductions. While she doesn’t realize how much of a tank she is, she sprints around and tends to knock some of the smaller inhabitants over... She doesn’t squish them on purpose, or have a tendency to flatten them or anything, she just runs around like a jack rabbit and, well, she’s 80 lbs! With dogs her size, she’s great! Have you seen Dixie? That’s one of Fern’s housemates and the two of them are like peanut butter and jelly. So if you want to go all out and adopt two adorably goofy gals… just sayin’… Fern has met some kids at the dog park and she did just fine with them. Her interests lie more with her furry friends, so if one of those is around, attention to the children will come sparingly.
Fern is a good, even-keeled pup who isn’t bossy with other 4-legged friends, but also not a completely submissive roll-over-on-the-floor or lick-your-face-all-the-time dog. She’s definitely confident at the dog park, but if a dog puts up a stink, she’d rather take no part in that. So she’d basically do fine in any home, pup or not, old or young, though, for your sanity, younger and more playful is a better match :) Rain doesn’t stop Fern from having a fabulous time – she’ll dance around in it like nobody’s business and she does her business in it without complaint. The only thing that seems to scare her so far is the vacuum. But no one in her household is a fan of that!
Housebroken? You betch-ya! Crate trained? Ding, ding, ding! Fern hasn’t had any accidents in the house or in her crate and she sleeps through the night. At first, she had NO intention of entering her crate – locked legs, splayed in all directions, pulling out of her collar… but, in typical lab/retriever fashion, she learned very quickly that that’s where her meals and peaceful rest take place, so now she walks in on command with no fuss! This is basically Fern’s reaction to anything new; if she’s never seen it or done it before, there is absolute refusal. Once she is forced to crossover, no problem! So, expect a little resistance, but you can overcome that with basically anything, including baths.
As of now, Fern seems to be a pretty active pup and would need regular outlets for that. It’s possible that she is only as active as she is because she has all that opportunity (several doggy roommates who are playful, dog park trips, etc) and she seems to settle down when it’s time. You can bet that she is large and in charge and just the cutest thing to watch! While she enjoys affection, she isn’t needy and is pretty much a dog dog. Dog toys are her absolute favorite and she tends to hoard them outside, so just understand that if you’re missing something, it’s likely in the yard ;)
With a little more help with her leash walking skills, Fern will be up to speed in her manners in no time! Come adopt this gentle giant and share in all of the love she has to offer!

To ensure our dogs are placed in a safe environment, we require a home visit for all adoptions. Because of this, we typically only adopt to homes within 30 minutes of Athens, GA. If you are further away than that and are interested in one of our pups, please still fill out an application and we can discuss your options. Please understand that you would be responsible for all transportation - meeting the dog, picking the dog up to start a trial, returning the dog should he/she not be a good fit, etc. Please visit our website for more info. (www.athenscaninerescue.com)