Happy Gotcha Day Charlie!
MEET CHARLIE!! This handsome young man is an 8.5 month old yellow lab mix. Charlie was adopted from us as a puppy, but sadly unforeseen circumstances have led to him looking for another home. Let us explain: you see, as he got older, Charlie developed severe environmental allergies to dust, storage, and other mites. This causes him to be really itchy and uncomfortable all the time, to the point where he was scratching himself raw and causing open wounds. To manage this and keep Charlie from hurting himself, he needs to be on allergy medication, and his environment needs to be managed to reduce potential mite exposure as much as possible (frequent vacuuming/dusting, hypoallergenic bedding and air filters if possible, storing dry dog food in the freezer, etc).The medication that can keep him from itching all the time is around $100/month. Though Charlie’s family loved him dearly and were heartbroken to have to give him up, they just couldn’t afford to keep him on the medication long term. With Charlie’s best interest and quality of life in mind, his family did the best they could for him, and that was to allow him the chance to find a family that can handle his needs.
We know that taking on a dog with allergies can be no easy feat, but we also know that the right family for Charlie is out there, and he’s definitely worth it! Here’s what we know about Charlie:
Charlie is an energetic, happy-go-lucky puppy who seems to love life. He is potty trained, crate trained, and knows several commands. He was trained to ring jingle bells on the door to let you know when he needs to go outside to potty, and he knows how to continue ringing it if you didn’t hear him the first time (so convenient!). He LOVES to play with other dogs and does great in doggy daycare. Charlie is your typical lab mix who loves food and treats. He takes treats from your hand gently too. Sometimes his love of food can get him into a bit of trouble, as like any mischievous young pup, he will get into the trash if you’re not careful.
Charlie loves to go for walks and play fetch in the yard. He’ll go after balls, toys, and frisbees. He does pull on the leash when he gets a little bit too excited, but he responds well to correction. Charlie has been raised around a toddler and does well with children, but he did accidentally knock the toddler over sometimes when excited. His previous owners were working with him on not jumping up. Charlie loves to be around people and will follow you around the house. He is not a fan of the vacuum cleaner and baths are still a work in progress, but he’s getting better.
Overall Charlie is a wonderful dog who just got dealt a bit of bad luck. He is such a friendly boy and just wants to give love!
If you’d be interested in adopting Charlie and have questions about his allergies and what that might entail, please email labfriendrachel@gmail.com.
If you’re interested in adopting Charlie and haven’t yet filled out an adoption application, please go to labradorfriends.com/how-to-adopt to do so. Thanks!
Foster Update 03/12/2019: Charlie has made himself right at home and has become best buds with his foster sister Dixie. Charlie is a high energy big puppy that wants nothing more then to be loved. He loves to climb up in your lap and sit there with you while you are doing what ever you are doing. Charlie LOVES to play fetch and he will even bring the ball back to you. Charlie really loves playing with other dogs and becomes best friends with every dog he meets. Charlie is still a puppy and has those puppy traits of jumping chewing but we are working with him to break those habits. Charlie does have a skin allergy where he is allergic to dust and things of that nature and other than vacuuming, and keeping his food in an air tight container we have not had to do anything special. Charlie does need a shot each month to keep his allergy under control.
