So...I have a dog.

[*blackrose]

All I can say is, I'm an idiot.

My sister's friend of a friend was moving tonight and had been trying to find a home for this dog for a few months, with no takers. She couldn't have two dogs and was just going to leave this one behind. The mutual friend told my sister, who went and picked up the dog...without my parent's permission. She had no idea what she was going to do with this dog, so she got in contact with me...and I said I'd take it.

I reiterate, I am an idiot. LOL

So I am now the "owner" of a roughly year old, unspayed, "vaccinated" (but no records), about 50lb chocolate Lab mix. (She's 90% Lab, with either Pit Bull or GSP in the mix - she looks just like a typical byb field bred Lab with white toes and gold eyes. I've seen purebred Labs look less Labby than she does.) So far, she's doing great. A little anxious and whiney, but who wouldn't be - she's been uprooted from her home and toted around with me all evening.
What I do know about her: she is very friendly, has no manners, raids trash cans, is crate trained, "housebroken" (but hasn't peed outside for me yet), gets along fairly well with the rats and Dameon, ignored the kitties in at work, sleeps while she's in the car, pulls like she's a sled dog, likes to cuddle and give kisses, LOVES rawhide and chasing balls, thinks the bed is her bed, great about being handled, very food motivated, and likes to chew on shoes. She also smells like a dog. She was housed with another dog and a puppy and was also around their two year old kid without any issues.

Not really my black Lab male puppy...but we'll see. If she does well at my apartment, gets along well with Mike's three dogs (and Mike LOL), and is okay with my crazy schedule...she just might be staying. If not, at least I can get her into a good home.

I don't have a way to upload pictures currently, but I'll try to get a few up Tuesday night. And she needs a name. She came with the name Lucy, but she doesn't respond to it at all (and that was my Guinea Pigs name). So...any bright ideas for a girlie chocolate Lab?

I know, I know...pictures would be helpful. Wait until Tuesday. LOL

[chaospony]

Rose
Parker
Addie
Petra
Tali
Or maybe just spend the next 10 hours on one of those 20,000 baby names sites!

[Emily]

If she stays with you, great! If not, also great, because I know you'll find her a great home. And either way, I know you're more than capable of training her to be a productive member of society. She's a lucky girl. Can't wait for pictures!

ETA: Do you know if she's come into heat before? She'll more than likely be coming into heat within the next few months if she hasn't had a season before, just to give you a heads up. For dogs that size, that so often seems to be the time frame. If you're wanting to spay, you'll probably want to wait until after all that goes down so there isn't a bunch of blood in that area.

[Romy]

I'd call her Lady, short for Lady Godiva.

[Renee750il]

Just don't call her Virgo

[Barb04]

I have a Lady chocolate lab that's a nut! She's crazy all the time but so loving. I hope all goes well.

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Cocoa, duh.

Seriously though, I'm so excited for you! (Whether you keep her or not!) I can't wait for pictures! I'll think of some names. Any type of theme or specific type of name?

Eta: out of the names suggested already I love Addie and Lady

[Kilter]

Call her 'Maybe'. Maybe she'll stay, maybe she won't.

[Emily]

LOL I actually really like the name Maybe!

[*blackrose]

Last night went really well. She's a very good girl, if still a puppy. Icing on the cake was when she took her toy over to the rat cage to see if they'd play. I also found out that even though she sleeps in bed, she sleeps like a rock at the foot of the bed and also isn't an early riser - that's good for me. Lol I didn't realize how much I missed having a derpy Lab play ball until we started playing last night - she does that cute little derpy lab puppy hop/pounce when she's chasing balls.

And I love Maybe. Lol I think that will have to be it. I did go ahead and contact the lab rescue I short term fostered for and told them my situation...if she doesn't end up staying, I'm hoping they'll take her in. She meets Mike's crew tomorrow night and if that isn't a stressful event...we'll see. I'd have to talk with Mike about it, because he needs to be on board, too. But really, she's just what I want (minus her whiney-ness, which I don't blame her for currently). I weighed her today and she's just over 45lbs, so she's even the perfect size.

I do have a problem, though. She cries in her crate. Loudly. I have her with me at work today due to not having a crate at home (have one, now) and me wanting her to get checked over and vaccinated, and she is non stop crying. I cannot have her do that if I crate her at home and leave. I can let my neighbor's know and ask them to tell me if she's annoying, but besides that I am at a loss. Advice? Would throwing a blanket or something over the crate help muffle noise? I can keep bringing her to work with me if needed, but I'd rather not.

Oh, and regarding heat - I have no idea if she's gone already or not. I'm going to wait to spay her until I know if I'm keeping her or not, and if she goes into heat in that time, oh well. I've had a bitch in heat before and survived. Lol I'm thinking she's due, because her nipples aren't developed at all, although her vulva is.