My name is Sarge!

SARGE: 8.5 Year Old Male Neutered Yellow Lab 120 lbs (needs to lose ~ 15-20 lbs)

Special Needs Dog - Reduced adoption fee

Sarge is a wonderfully sweet loving boy who was adopted out by GGLRR in 2012 to a good family. He has been a great dog for them and they are very saddened about needing to surrender him. Their living situation has changed as they are moving into a condo and they realize that, being the big boy that he is, he would be better living in a house with his own backyard. he He was not being exercised and thus has put on some weight but that will come off with daily exercise. When we adopted him to this family he did not have any issues with his sight but in the last year and a half he developed cataracts and has subsequently lost most or all of his vision. However, he is still the easiest most loving special needs boy that you will ever have. He has not been taken to an eye veterinarian and Lab Rescue is in the process of thoroughly checking him out, so that he can be referred to a specialist after a thorough medical history and a clean bill of health. We are hoping that at the very least some of his sight can be restored with cataract surgery. In his previous home, he had another Lab for a buddy and although Sarge managed the house and the yard and got along extremely well on his own, he learned to put his head on the hip of the other dog and the other dog would guide him around. It was wonderful to see the bond they developed between them. Sadly, the family lost their other dog which left Sarge to manage on his own and he misses his companion.

What Sarge's Foster Mom says:

Sarge is a wonderful dog who is having a great time hanging out and playing with our own Lab. We have 5 fenced in acres for them to roam. Sarge is very good about stopping when we call his name and he has learned to turn around and come back to us. He walks like a Clydesdale horse at times as that is his way of compensating due to his loss of vision to keep him from walking into something. Blind dogs have an innate sense of their surroundings and like Sarge, they do extremely well. He is housebroken and sleeping through the night.

What Sarge's Rescue Rep is looking for:

From the moment I met Sarge, I knew he was a great dog who has so much love to give. He is a "leaner" and will lean in for those belly rubs! He gives gentle kisses and has a soft mouth. Though he is fine left alone and not destructive he loves to be in the companion of humans, so we do not want him alone all day while his mom or dad go to work. A mature dog buddy is a must but it must be a buddy who is mellow enough to hang out with Sarge and teach him the ropes! He is very loving with kids, both young and old but because of his size, any children should be six or older. He already knows how to use a dog door. He currently sleeps anywhere in the house he chooses and he does sleep through the night. His Rescue Rep drove him from Redwood City to San Ramon and he settled down nicely in the back of the car never trying to be a co-pilot! He will need to learn leash manners as his previous owners had not walked him. He is good with all other dogs. A cat free home would be best. Sarge is not possessive of his food or toys.

Comments from two GGLRR volunteers with first-hand experience:

Tom and I fostered Kane, who was blind and deaf, for 7 months before he got adopted by an amazing woman. Kane taught me more than I can ever say, was the most courageous dog I've ever encountered. Within a month, he had mapped the 9 acre off leash dog park we took him to, was everyone's favorite there, and nothing stopped him from enjoying life. All the homeless people in the park and around my house loved him, said he gave them hope. He is gone now, passed away last year, and I will forever miss him.

Dale

This is near and dear to our hearts. Our Jake went blind from Diabetes and we actually ‘taught’ him how to get through the transition … and he ended up living a very normal life retrieving, finding his way around the house, etc…

Blind dogs lead a very normal life. They can walk, play and retrieve just like any other dog. There are special toys for retrieving that make a noise when they are thrown and hit the ground so that the dogs can find them and bring them back. Once they are adapted to their environment, they lead a life just like any other dog.

Barb

(Note from Sarge's Rescue Rep - Barb has graciously written a thorough detailed explanation of what it means to have a safe and stable environment on a day to day basis from their own experience with their Lab Jake. It is a wealth of information, too long for this bio, but I will gladly pass it along to whoever is lucky enough to adopt Sarge.)

Sarge is neutered, has had a well check, blood panel, all of his vaccinations, is Heartworm negative and on prevention and is microchipped. We are in the process of coordinating an appointment with a specialist to check his sight and see if anything can be done to improve. He is located in Livermore.

If you are someone with a big heart for a special needs dog, have a lifetime full of love to give and feel that your environment would be the right one for Sarge, please call Rescue Rep Sandy @ 650-303-2436.

(Please keep in mind we are all volunteers, most of us work full time and we all have personal lives. I do call everyone back within 2-3 days so please be patient and I will be back in touch with you. When the dogs are in foster homes then it may take longer as we need to touch base with the fosters for updates on the dogs. We work very hard to make the right matches for the dogs and for the new owners. We get 3-5 dogs per week and we do not have a facility that we keep the dogs housed in. They are scattered all over the Bay Area.)