Meet Samuel! Sam came to us via the Mahoning County Dog Pound where he arrived as a stray. We can't say for certain that Sam is all Labrador Retriever - it occasionally crosses our mind that he may indeed be part pony - but aside from the size of him, he exhibits all the looks and temperament of a typical lab! Sam is a 10-month-old, 73-pound (and growing) male who, while perhaps a bit doofy, is pretty much just a good natured adolescent labby boy. If he has anything else in him, its hard to see other than in the size of him! Sam is young and ready to join a family that will be dedicated to helping him along his journey to adulthood. Everyone knows that labs are perpetual puppies, at least until age 3, but that is all part of the fun! Sam loves attention, loves everyone he meets, has a positive outlook on life that some of us should probably take a lesson from. Yes he needs training, but our boy already knows how to sit so he's sort of partway there! Sam rides well in the car, could use some work on his leash manners (which we absolutely are working on), and would definitely benefit from a fenced in yard where he can romp to his heart's content, though with plenty of long walks, it wouldn't necessarily be a requirement, just a big huge bonus. Sam is going to be one of those that benefits greatly from some training classes. He is not out of control nor is he too much to handle - he's just a young healthy happy bouncy joyful dog. With some structure and boundaries, he is going to be an amazing pet. While we feel that Sam would be fine with kids, older kids would be best, simply due to his size and goofy nature. He would never mean to tip a kid over, but it could definitely happen. Currently we believe that Sam is pretty dog friendly - he has always been relatively neutral around other dogs, but if he did have a housemate, a dog who is also NOT a couch potato would be best. He's not going to be the ideal companion for a senior who just wants to take a nap most all of the day! A housemate who can show him the ropes and how to be a 'good dog', yet still wants to run and play, that might just be the ticket. All in all, Sam is already a good boy - he's just still a baby dog! Just like a rowdy 8 year old kid, this young man needs guidance to keep him on the track of being a canine good citizen. He has a temperament to die for, a way to make you smile even when you don't want to, and the most interesting way of just making you want to give him all the treats and belly scratches. Sam is nearly finished with his medical work up and should be available to go home in approximately 7-10 days or so. In the meantime, we are taking applications. Please fill out the application at the link provided below. If you have any questions, please direct them towards rbailey@afa.vet
