DC

After having four foster dogs back to back for the last seven months, we were thinking that we would probably wait a few weeks after finding a home for Jack before getting another foster. In fact, at the time Jack got adopted, we had exactly one dog for adoption on sclrr.org. There just weren't any dogs to take in at the time.

So when our foster coordinator sent out an email a couple of weeks ago asking who wanted to foster a 3-year-old black male, I didn't respond, thinking someone else would grab him. But two days later, the coordinator called to say that no one had volunteered to take him. He was scheduled for his neuter on a Monday, and if no one agreed to foster him he would have to go back to the boarding facility.

Um...no.

The coordinator warned me that DC was a very large dog. When I first met him at the vet's office, he wasn't as tall as I expected a 106-pound Lab to be. He was just huge -- a big frame encased in big, hard muscles.

It's funny how different two male Labs can be. Jack was playful and high-energy. DC is mellow and laid-back and loves to hang out. He has never been in a crate because he doesn't need one; he's 100% trustworthy in terms of destructiveness and getting along with the other dogs.

He was an owner turn-in, but we don't know much about his background except that his previous owner became mentally ill. We do know that in less than two weeks, he has become very attached to us -- particularly to Chris. In fact, his fondness for my husband is beginning to concern both of us. Wherever Chris is in the house, DC is right there. When Chris leaves, DC looks out the window until he returns. When Chris goes to the bathroom, DC waits right outside the door. When Chris watches TV, DC puts his gigantic head into his lap and falls into a deep sleep. On one such occasion I took their picture, which I included in his adoption bio.

If our circumstances were different, DC might be my first "foster failure" -- that's what rescuers call adopting your own foster. He's a big huggable teddy bear and he loves us. I am going to be extremely picky about who he goes to. I want someone who will let him on the furniture and let him sleep with them, because that's what makes him happy. He won't need long walks or daily sessions chasing a ball. He just wants human companionship. In return, he will give boundless love and loyalty.