Lars

Updated 2/15/12

Lars, age 1

AVAILABLE 

It was another one of those “owner unknown” surrenders: Lars and a doggie friend just turned up at a nice lady’s door on a Monday afternoon. “I gave them a snack and a drink and figured they’d just head on home,” she said. However, they stuck around, and “their safety became an issue, because they kept running into the street. Around here if they stay out stray they are going to be hit by a car or shot. There are a lot of unbuilt lots and I think they may have been dumped.” After securing the pair in a friend’s backyard, she started the usual drill: Craigslist postings, scan for microchips, newspaper ads, inquiries at vet clinics and around the neighborhood. Nothing turned up an owner. Lars’s girlfriend was placed privately; he did a 5-day shelter hold and then arrived in GRR care.

Going here, there, and everywhere in just a few days; losing his dog friend; meeting so many new faces—no wonder a young dog was feeling anxious! When our volunteer arrived to spring him from the pound, he did a very impressive “boat anchor” imitation & had to be lugged into the getaway car—“I’ve had it with all this moving around,” you could see him thinking. He had to be pulled and cajoled out of the car at his foster home, too: “it took some wild encouragement at the cost of the mature driver’s personal dignity,” commented our volunteer wryly.  However, once in the backyard of his new home, the curious dog perked up and began to explore. A boat anchor no more, he instead turned into a high-powered speedboat. “He marked everything in sight and then raced around the fenced back yard, dodging kids’ toys and a swing set—and unfortunately, he then zoomed out the back gate just as the family’s 5-year-old girl was closing it. He wasn’t running away so much as running AROUND the neighborhood—over to couple of houses on one side, couple of houses on the other side.  Lots of kids were outside in front yards, so Lars has already made himself known in the immediate area.   He still had his leash on so it was easy to catch him when he was ready to be caught.  Dad fixed the gate latch & announced “That won’t happen again!”

Once in the house, the lively dog TRIED to mark a few pieces of furniture, but “luckily he was out of ammo from marking so much in the backyard and during the impromptu neighborhood jaunt. Buster the cat disappeared under a bed before Lars even knew there’s a cat in the home so cat friendly status is unknown.”

That was about two weeks ago, and Lars is doing great in his foster home. He’s reliable left loose in the house when nobody is home, though it’s key to control the environment, as he’s a pro at stealing stuffed animals, socks, shoes, and other items from the wastebasket (this is more of an issue when he hasn’t had enough exercise). He’ll counter surf if he can, and recently snagged five pieces of pizza (burp).

This dog is WONDERFUL with kids. He loves children & gravitates towards them. “He loves my 5- and 8-year-old.  He sleeps with my 8-year-old.”  He plays well with other dogs and is fast friends with his 6-year-old Golden foster sister. He has now met Buster the cat and isn’t fazed by him—but isn’t aggressive to him, either.

Lars is still frightened to get into the car, though he’s getting a bit better about hopping out. And he’s definitely a bolter and will run out the door if he has the chance. “He needs to monitored very closely when a door opens.” (In fact, his new family might consider baby-gating off access to the front door if the home’s layout permits.)

“Lars is outgoing, high-energy, healthy, and really sweet,” says his foster mom. “He loves children. He loves attention and loves to cuddle! He needs an active family who will play with him; another playful dog as a friend would be great.”

Adoption Procedures