Meet Theo! He is a 7 year old chocolate lab that was surrendered by his owners after they could no longer care for him.
Personality
Theodore, better known as Theo, is a happy-go-lucky chocolate Lab with a big heart and an even bigger zest for life. He loves everyone he meets and never passes up an opportunity to make a new friend. Whether it’s adults, kids, dogs, or even cats, Theo is ready to greet them with a wagging tail and his signature friendly personality.
Theo is an active, adventurous boy who is always up for fun. He loves exploring, playing, swimming, and spending time outdoors. Water is one of his favorite things, and if there’s a lake, creek, or pool nearby, Theo will be first in line to jump in. He would thrive with a family that enjoys hiking, running, camping, or simply spending time outside together.
Despite his energetic side, Theo is gentle and patient with children. He loves playing with kids and has a sweet, easygoing nature that makes him a wonderful family companion.
Training
Theo is a smart dog who loves learning, especially when treats are involved. He is eager to please and enjoys working with his people. He is house-trained and walks well on a leash, making him an easy companion both at home and on adventures.
He gets along well with other dogs and cats and has shown great social skills. Like many Labs, Theo does enjoy chasing rabbits when given the opportunity, so a secure yard or leash supervision is recommended when wildlife is nearby.
With his intelligence, loving personality, and enthusiasm for life, Theo is the kind of dog who is ready to jump right into family life and become everyone’s best friend.
Updates
Theo is very good on the leash. I’ve been using a gentle leader on our walks and he is doing great with it. Oh, he LOVES car rides!
Theo doesn’t know a stranger, whether that be two legged or four. In addition to a gentle leader (L), I would suggest that his adopter get an easy walk harness (L or XL) for him; he will pull the leash out of your hands with his enthusiasm to greet whomever he has deemed his new BFF if he’s wearing a “regular” harness.
Theo is well mannered when it comes to food. He will sit and wait a moment or two before eating. I have been reinforcing this by making him hold for about 10 seconds before I give him the “okay” command. He has not shown any food aggression. He takes treats fairly well, but can be a little “nippy” when overexcited.
Theo can be an earlier riser. So whomever adopts him should be prepared to be woken up around 6:30 am; this “alarm” has become a bit later as he’s settled into the household routine.
Theo is full on “Lab Danger Tail;” it doesn’t stop. If you’ve every seen the video of the lab with the belly-dance skirt, know that Theo would be a great candidate for that; his whole body doesn’t stop wiggling.
Theo knows sit, down, shake, speak, and leave it (when he has a toy in his mouth and wants to go out). We’ve working on the command gentle when giving him treats.
He will bark when he needs to go out and will bark to come back in. Sometimes he wants to wander the yard for a few extra minutes after the rest of my pack hascome inside, so I will let him do that while I’m putting their food together in the morning and evening.
Overall, Theo is very well mannered. He doesn’t get into things he shouldn’t while I’m out of the house. He is not a counter surfer, though he will lick the edge of the counter once in a while when I’m preparing their food. He hasn’t gotten into the trash but I suspect he might if there wasn’t a lid. It appears that Theo was crate trained; however, he doesn’t like to be crated and honestly doesn’t need to be.
Theo likes just about any of the Super Chewer Bark Box toys that I have. He also loves ropes, Nyla-bone, and the formerly stuffed bones that are still in the dog toy box. Theo likes balls and likes you to throw them, he’s just not great at returning them to you. Theo will joyfully and quickly eviscerate any stuffy he gets in his mouth.
Theo does not appear to stressed by thunderstorms or fireworks. Theo is not a big fan of the vacuum, but he’s also not overly stressed out by it either.
Theo is an absolute joy and sweetheart of a dog. Whomever adopts him will not be disappointed with him; he is just lovely.
I pick Theo yesterday. He is everything in his bio and then some! He’s quickly become part of my pack.
Theo is pretty chill in the house, though he is quick to let you know when he perceives a “threat”. His bark is a bit entertaining; it sounds like he’s recovering from laryngitis.
He is definitely cat friendly. He was non-responsive when my reactive cat hissed at him. He ignored it and went on about his business. She’s already friends with one of my cats.
Theo definitely has the labrador FOMO. He follows me everywhere I go.
He did discover the toy boxes fairly quickly yesterday. He does enjoy a good hard chew toys. His favorite toy so far seems to be Outward Hound’s Orbee-Tuff treat dispenser.
As stated in his bio, he is house trained and walks well on the leash. He does respond quickly to his name, both in my house and in my yard. He also knows sit, down, shake, and speak. I’m trying to determine what other commands he may know. He is definitely food motivated, so any additional training should be fairly easy.
He’s not much for sleeping on a dog bed. For whatever reason he seems to prefer a the hard floor over a comfy dog bed.
He does appear to be crate trained. He goes in the crate willingly, but makes his dissatisfaction known quickly once he’s been secured. Rather than wait it out, I let Theo sleep with me in my bed. The crate I used is 36″. I’d recommend one size up from that as he likes to stretch out a bit while he sleeps.
Don’t let his gray muzzle fool you; he still has lots of labrador energy. He is “Theodorable” and will be a wonderful addition to any home.
