Meet Paddington, our big ol' teddy bear! He is as sweet and as cuddly as a teddy bear can be. He just loves to give kisses and snuggle. He is great with other dogs, kids of all ages, and even kitties. he loves car rides as well. Paddington (PaddyBear) just loves everyone and everyone loves him. He is the perfect example of what we love about Labrador Retrievers. He was rescued from the shelter on his last day just before St Patrick's Day. We are so lucky to have him with us. He is about 8 years old and is a big boy. He needs to lose a few pounds but he moves well and seems very happy.

He had a couple of lumps that we had removed, and he's been a new dog ever since! He feels better, gets around better and looks fabulous. The lumps were tumors, but they were removed with clean margins, so he's tumor-free and his prognosis is excellent. We all LOVE this dog! He is really very special and deserves a wonderful home where he will be spoiled with lots of love. We can assure you he will return the love.

He is currently being fostered in Santa Barbara in a home with a 4 yr old little girl and another lab buddy. you can contact his foster mom at csg97@cox.net.

To see Rob Roy's slide show, click here.

Robby is an active six-year-old boy who loves to romp with adults, kids and dogs. In appearance he's very Labbie, but has a small white blaze on his chest, so he could be a mix, but purebreds have such spots now and again. He has a really lustrous black coat and a nicely-formed tail.

Being active, he'd make a boon companion for a jogger or hiker. He knows "sit" and "down," so we know his previous owner gave him some training. He's housetrained, neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations, so he's about ready to go. He has a dominant personality, so his new owner should be at least somewhat experienced or committed to having a trainer show him/her how to moderate that. His leash training needs some work, but he's not terrible on-leash.

If you think you'd like to take this lovable guy into your home, please submit an online application and contact info@fetchingcompanions.org.

Rob is currently boarded in the Sylmar area owing to lack of foster space.

To see Brady's slide show, click here.

Brady is a gentle boy who loves to chase a ball but is polite enough to let our resident dog be the one to pick it up, even if he gets to it first. He is on the cusp of his puppy stage and a bit gangly. He has not learned to give kisses but will stand quietly next to you to be petted and scratched. When he’s ready for bed, he will place his head in your lap for some serious stroking then fall asleep on you. It seems he wasn’t taken out much in his former life because he does not walk well on a leash or like car rides yet, but with much love, patience and nurturing, he can be taught the joys of a good walk and the feel of the wind on his face. Sudden moves make him a little skittish. He doesn’t come readily when offered a treat but when he does, will take it very gently from your hand. It doesn’t appear that he was enrolled in Socialization with Other Dogs 101 but he is a quick learner once he gets over his initial shyness. He did not even know how to use the stairs, but now goes up and down like he owns the place!

Like all young labs, Brady enjoys a good chew - a ball of yarn, a house slipper, a stray sock so he will need lots of toys and activity to keep him occupied. He practices the fine art of garbology when no one’s looking or he’s left on his own. Just like a toddler, when it gets quiet, start looking!

Brady has a submissive personality and would do very well with another dog. He loves to run and play and has energy to burn but not quite as much as a young puppy. If left alone, make sure your shoes are out of reach. The perfect home for him would be a big yard where he could stretch his long legs, another young dog to play with and lots of loving hands to pet him. Add LOTS OF CHEW TOYS and you will have one happy dog! Brady is a handsome lab mix with some shepherd thrown in. He is about 2 years old, weighs approximately 60 lbs, is neutered, up to date on all his shots and is microchipped.

If Brady seems like your sort of guy, please submit an online application, then send an email to mmotico@hotmail.com.

Brody is a gorgeous, eager-to-please, yellow male Labrador Retriever, 5 years old. (We previously listed him as 2 years old, based on his behavior, but our vet thinks 5.) His eyes are almost green and his fur is strawberry blond. He's a handsome boy with a nice personality-- sweet, loving, and intelligent. And he always wants to please his person. He wasn't an indoor dog, yet he was completely housebroken in no time at all. Brody is crate trained and sleeps through the night without a peep. He knows basic commands, and is reasonably good on leash with a pinch collar. He's microchipped, neutered, on flea preventative and up to date on all vaccines.

One of his favorite activities is to charge through the surf to swim out and retrieve his tennis ball. He is definitely a water dog and a good sailor-- he settles down nicely for a boat ride. He loves all people and dogs. He is gentle and respectful of todders and enjoys little children. He likes nothing more than to parade around with his ball in his mouth wiggling with delight with so much love and happiness to share.

Brody, like any Lab, needs a good amount of low-impact exercise, like a couple of good walks per day or a good swim. He had a ruptured knee tendon, which has been repaired surgically and is fully healed, but he shouldn't be asked to do high-impact activities like Frisbee-catching or sustained running for long distances. He would be fine with or without another friendly dog, but does not do well with cats, ducks, or other small animals.

He has allergies which are controlled with an inexpensive medication, prednisone. A side effect of this medication is heightened appetite, and that appetite runs to swallowing soft stuffed dog toys, so these must be kept strictly away from him. Rubber toys and hard chew toys, like Nylabones, are fine.

If you'd like to meet this boy, please send an email to info@fetchingcompanions.org.

Quick! Close the doggie door! I hear the blimp coming!

There are few things Dutchess hates, but count the Goodyear blimp and small aircraft among them. Should she ever manage to bark one out of the sky and get to it, the result would not be pretty.

By contrast, this 8 year old girl carries on good relations with humans and dogs, though she likes to keep both under close supervision. (One just can't find adequate help these days, you know; one has to keep reminding all of what they're supposed to do. A Dutchess is royalty, after all, and deference to her position is expected.)

She's a wiry and healthy-looking dog. Her appearance and her behavior belie her years. She's a purebred with papers, but she'd never win in the show ring, lacking the wide-sprung ribcage and otter tail of a bench-bred champion. Having said that, she has a very appealing appearance, with an open, friendly, smiling face, an erect stance, and a carriage that is, well, regal.

She loves attention, her food, her walks, and fetching, but not necessarily in that order. As mentioned before, she gets along well with other dogs. She does tend to correct any behavior she feels is out of line. It's entertaining to watch this petite, 50 pound sylph bossing a hulking 95 pound male around.

Dutchess also likes children, but we haven't tested tested her with cats or other small animals. She's wonderful company and would do well as an only dog or as an addition to a family with dogs having no pretensions to royalty.

This girl has been a long-term project dog for us, having been delivered to us in rather poor condition. Restoration of her good health is a point of pride for us. She had the following problems:

• Total blindness due to cataracts, corrected by surgical implantation of artificial lenses. She needs eyedrops twice daily to prevent glaucoma.
  
  
• Badly torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in one knee, complicated by the meniscus being folded into the joint. This was corrected surgically.
  
  
• Diabetes, controlled by twice-daily insulin injections. This requires absolutely no medical or veterinary skills: anyone can do it quite easily.
  

If this sounds like a lot of trouble, it isn't. Dutchess cooperates nicely, because she knows she'll be rewarded with a cookie. If it sounds expensive, it's about $45 a month-- less than most people pay for cable TV-- and she's lots more entertaining than HBO.

If you want to make a big difference for a dog who's had some very tough breaks in life, and gain a wonderful companion in the bargain, Dutchess is your girl. If you'd like to meet her, please submit an online adoption application, then contact us at info@fetchingcompanions.org.

"Roo, roo, roo, roo!" Don't mind him-- that's just Clifford, gently rooing in his singularly identifiable voice because he's temporarily separated from me by a kiddie gate. Cliffie is a very large-framed boy of about 8 years of age. As you've no doubt already guessed, he wants to be with his humans. He's fine with dogs, too, being a gentle soul to the core, and allows our personal Labs, who are dwarfed by his height, to boss him around.

Size isn't his only unusual characteristic. He's one of those very rare yellows whose color verges on red-- "fox red," in Lab Club parlance.

Cliff has hip dysplasia, which our orthopedic vet, having examined and x-rayed the dog, believes can be managed without surgery, by keeping him on the lean side and giving him inexpensive joint supplements daily. His hips have some arthritis, so he's never going to be a Frisbee dog or a jogging companion, but he tolerates half-mile walks well, and he'll probably soon be okay with a mile at a time, perhaps more.

A word about hip dysplasia-- our ortho vet used to do about 2 hip operations per month, but with the advent of joint supplements, now does about 2 per year. A regime of trim weight, combined with regular low-impact exercise and a twice-daily Move Free tablet has made astonishing inroads on this once-dreaded condition.

Is Cliff a purebred? Could be. Is he a mix? Again, could be. He's extremely long and tall for a Lab, and has a pretty long face, but he looks 90%+ Lab to us. His weight, at about 90 pounds, isn't really huge, given his size XL frame (though he ought to slim down to 85 pounds). Is he a boon companion? You bet! He unleashes that big old tongue to give kisses as often as you'll let him, and receives hugs gladly. He loves to hang out at the feet of the nearest human and quietly play with a stuffed toy, chew a Nylabone, or just have a nice snooze.

He's a little unusual for a Lab in that he seems to have no impulse to chase other animals. He's fine with one fosterer's bunnies and pygmy goats, and we suspect he'd be fine with cats, though we haven't tested him with them.

If you'd like to brighten your life by bringing this tender-hearted boy into it, please submit an online adoption application, then send an email to carolyn@fetchingcompanions.org to express your interest in Cliffie.

Shaughnessy apparently lost an argument with a car, so he's on the mend with a foreleg fracture. The cast will probably be taken off around the end of March or the beginning of April and if all is well, he'll be made available shortly afterwards.

He's a beautiful young boy, about 12 to 14 months old, and looks every bit the purebred. He's an active, playful guy and would love to roughhouse and run. More's the pity, since he must be kept quiet until his leg is healed. Fortunately, he tolerates being pent up in a 4x4 exercise pen well, though he somehow managed to break his first cast even so.

Shaughnessy is a diamond in the rough and needs training, just as any Lab his age would. He has a sweet, but unruly, personality and seems well-socialized to humans and dogs alike. This boy would make a wonderful, cheerful addition to any family with the will and time to devote to training him.

Send an email to info@fetchingcompanions.org or leave a message at 888-412-3382 if you'd like to know more about this dog.

Panther is a lively 5 month yellow male. Although he is purebred, he doesn’t come with papers, but you won’t care once you meet this affectionate fellow! He came to us underweight but he’s been filling out quite nicely. Still, we think he’ll be on the small side when fully grown, judging from the size of his paws. Panther had a minor case of parvovirus, but he has recovered completely, and you would never know he was sick for a few days. His foster brother and sisters are very happy he has become a normal lab puppy.

Panther loves to be with people, so we think he’d be best with someone who is home most the time. He loves to be noticed and tends to get underfoot from following you so closely. He gets along with big dogs but being a pup, he could stand to learn some manners. If you let him, he will snuggle on top of you and before you know it, you won’t be able to move lest you disturb his sleep.

Oscar is a stunning purebred labrador who is 2-1/2 years old with a tail that never stops wagging. Oscar has all of the qualities we love in labs; he is: happy, funny, playful, goofy, loyal, affectionate, and totally adorable. His foster daddy describes him as a diamond in the rough seeking the right family to love and train him to become the ultimate lab. Oscar was turned into a shelter along with his sister when his family moved, an all too common story these days. His sister was adopted and we took Oscar into rescue. Initially, he was scared to come into the house, and he suffered from a long-standing flea infestation resulting in a flea allergy and very itchy skin. With the help of some medicated baths, good food and some skin supplements, his coat is now shiny and soft.

Oscar loves other dogs of all sizes and would probably do well in a home with another dog to play with. At first, he was very interested in the kitty at his foster home but they quickly became great friends and now play together all of the time. Oscar is potty trained but is still perfecting his house manners. Since arriving at his foster home, he has learned "come", "sit" and "down" and is working on "stay". He has a moderate energy level for a dog his size and is not hyper, but like all labs, requires daily exercise. He is still working on his leash skills and he pulls when he sees other dogs. Oscar needs a lab savvy family that can commit to his training and help him become a fabulous companion for years to come. No softies please!

Don't be confused by the name, Oscar is not a grouch, he is the happiest dog around who loves people and is very affectionate and attentive. Due to his size and adolescent temperament, he is probably not suited for a home with small children that he could accidentally knock over. Like many rescued labs, Oscar is somewhat concerned that his people will leave him again and prefers to be with his foster family at all times so that he can keep an eye on them, and he would prefer not to be home alone all day without a companion. Oscar is up to date on his vaccinations and is micro-chipped and neutered. If you are interested in learning more about Oscar or would like to meet him, please fill out an online application and contact his foster family at: Heidi@thefloppy.com

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Dallas is a 4 month old male Chocolate Lab. He is a very loving, affectionate little man and loves attention! From what we can tell he is partially crate trained. We tell him to go to bed, and goes into his crate. He sleeps all night and never whines or cries. He has learned to use the doggie door and knows that he needs to go outside for his “business.” He is great around other dogs, but would recommend a female He is also great with children. He can be a bit rambunctious at times, but it’s because he craves the attention! Dallas would do well with a family where someone can be with him all the time. We are starting to teach him to obey while on the leash, and teach him normal commands like “sit” and “no.” He has a lot of potential. Dallas is a sweet little man and any family that adopts him will be very lucky.

If you'd like to know more about this wonderful pup, please submit an online adoption application, then contact Lisa at tiptonizers@earthlink.net

Please meet Blue! He is an amazing 5 month old yellow pup. He is super sweet and eager to please. He had pneumonia but is now fully recovered. He is full of energy and the epitome of happy guy waiting patiently for his new family.

Blue is living with a 3 year old foster brother of about 100 lbs. They play great together and Blue never gives up playing. He is learning leash manners but gets so excited he likes to run, than walk then skip then lope. He is very funny to watch as prances and runs in glee when played with! He is very sweet with children but needs to learn manners. He thinks all toys are his! Blue will need to be in a house where someone is home most of the day. He is still very young and has lots of energy.

Please contact me if you would like to meet Blue; susie.rivera@gmail.com

Shadow is a pretty black female lab, about 5 years old. When we first rescued her from the Carson shelter and Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue rescued her "sister" Chelsea, both dogs turned out to be on the verge of coming down with kennel cough, the doggy version of a human cold. Now Shadow is much better, with just a slight cough remaining. She has turned out to be a sweet dog who loves people and wants to play with other dogs but still needs to learn to learn how. She is a good fetcher and has some training. She misses her "sister", so the two rescue groups had a get together for the two dogs - you can see the results on a video that can be accessed from Chelsea's entry on the Golden rescue site. Just click on the link below to see Chelsea (she's the top right dog on the page), then click on the link to the video at the bottom of her entry.

http://scgrrescue.org/RP_Adoptable.asp?cid=9
(note underscore preceding "Adoptable.")

For now, both groups want to try to place the two dogs together, so open your hearts to two sweet girls and submit an application with either group to start the ball rolling. For more information about Shadow, send an email to info@fetchingcompanions.org. Shadow is currently being fostered in Torrance, CA.

Hi, I’m Bart! I am so happy to be out of the shelter – I was there over a month! My old family put me in the night box without so much as a “by your leave.” I don’t know what I did that was so bad; I’m still just a silly puppy. I’m only about 1-½ years old.

The people at the shelter were nice and they were careful not to let me get adopted by people who might not understand what a 1-½ year old lab puppy is all about. Someone referred to me as a “wild man” and that’s when they called the rescue lady.

She came out and played with me and saw that with the right handling, I’m really a pretty amazing boy. I have a lot of energy, but after I run around for 15-20 minutes, I’m ready for a break. I *love* to play with plush toys and I will amuse myself for quite a long time with those. I like to retrieve things too.

The lady figured out that I knew “sit” and when I figured out she had a pocket full of treats, I would run over to her and sit without being asked, and voilà! She’d give me a little tidbit. I’m also learning that “off” means I can’t sit on the pretty furniture, and “leave it” means she will throw the toy for me if I let go of it. I know where to go potty too.

Today I got a bath and it felt really good. I liked everything from getting a massage to getting toweled off. I was really good and stood very still and I remembered to give the lady little kisses – it’s always good to let your humans know they are appreciated. She got a lot of dead hair out of me and now I’m soft and smell like flowers.

She has a couple other labs and we all really like each other. They are boys too and like to play pretty hard. There are some cats and I like them. They are less sure of me, but one of them has already made it clear that she thinks I’m A-O-K!

I’m being fostered in Northern Santa Barbara County, in a town called Los Olivos. If you want to meet me, you can contact the rescue lady at heidi@fetchingcompanions.org. You have to have an application in and an approved home visit in order to take me home.

Bart has been adopted.