Willy Training to be a SAR dog

 
While we were fostering Jake, Willy was deep in training to become an SAR dog. Unfortunately, it was not to be. Because he was cooped up in a crate 23 hours a day for the first year of his life, the back muscles around his hips did not develop properly. His handlers spent a lot of money on him identifying the problem and hoping it could be fixed. 

Jake & Hoover

 
 

Jake, Foster #2

 
In October 2004 we fostered Jake. Jake was a "goldador" cross between yellow lab and golden retriever. He was a very nice boy and got along great with Hoover. We nicknamed the two of them "dumber and dumberer" because Jake really brought out the stoopid in Hoover. 

David & the Dogs Napping

 
More than once Willy and David wound up napping on their backs together. 

Hoover & Willy

 
They were quite the team and looked like brothers. They used to run around the house until Willy would collapse from exhaustion and Hoover would then bark at him to keep playing. Hoover got along great with Willy, but was also very happy once he was adopted to the SAR program. 

Willy, Foster #1

 

Willy came to us in October 2004. After spending the first year of his life locked in a crate 23 hours a day his original family finally gave him to Lab Rescue. Apparently Willy simply had too much energy when he was let out of the crate and ran around. So his family kept him locked up.

Willy ran around for hours when he first arrived. Eventually he settled down nicely. He was adopted into the Orlando Search and Rescue program in the hopes of learning to help find people after natural or man-made disasters. 

Hoover in Key West

 
In June 2004 we took Hoover with us on a short family vacation to Key West. Key West opens their doors to dogs. We stayed in a great bed n breakfast, took Hoover to visit the aquarium, and out to dinner. Here he is waiting patiently under the table for us to finish a meal. Note that the waitress was very nice and kept his water bowl full so he didn't get too hot. 

Hoover Loves the Water!

 
Here is Hoover caught swimming June, 2004. 

Hoover's first Christmas 2003

 
 

Hoover at Sea

 

We are avid sailors, but that is a whole 'nuther blog (http://oi41.blogspot.com)

Here is Hoover with David & Eric in the Gulf of Mexico taken in 2003. 

Hoover turns 1

 

Since we thought Hoover was about 9 months old when we got him, we declared his birthday celebration would be on June 3rd. This picture was snapped June 3, 2003. 

Hoover Comes Home

 

Another early shot of Hoover. When he came home to us he suffered from "red mange" and was missing large chunks of fur all over his body. Red mange is usually caused by stress. In Hoovers case the stress was caused by mistreatment and just plain mean people. After about 6 weeks his mange had subsided and he now has the most beautiful soft coat. 

Hoover March 2003

 

Hoover is our dog. We adopted him at the end of February 2003 at the age of about 9 months. 

Why We Foster

Our beloved dog Bo died November 2002.  We had Bo for more than a decade after finding him starving to death on the streets of St. Petersburg, FL during Christmas week of 1989.  Bo was our own personal rescue project and there was never a more loyal companion.

In February 2003 we adopted Hoover through a Lab Rescue organization.  After deciding that it would be o.k. to get another dog Betsy researched the web and discovered the Lab Rescue organizations.  

Hoover is a purebred lab who had been purchased by a family in Jacksonville, FL.  The family decided they didn’t like him, so they kept him tied to a tree in the backyard.  During a hard freeze in January 2003 a neighbor asked them to take Hoover inside for safety and was told “No, we don’t like him.”  The kindly neighbor took Hoover into his garage for the night and turned him over to Lab Rescue.  Hoover has been a complete joy to our family.  We think his original owners didn’t like him simply because he acted like a puppy.

Last year Florida was hit by a succession of hurricanes.  After Charley roared through Central Florida we thought it was time to do our small part by opening our home to the lab foster programs in the area.  We have helped place 7 dogs into loving new homes so far and are currently working on our 8th.  Admittedly, some we have liked much more than others, but all of them were worthy and deserving of nice homes.