My name is Black Bart!

BLACK BART is a 6 month-old neutered male black lab. Black Bart weighs 33 pounds and is up to date on shots. This dog is approved for homes with children ages 10 and up.

DESCRIPTION The Black Bart is from a rural shelter we work with. He was an owner give up to the shelter, his mom had a litter of 8 and he could not find homes for the last 3 and turned them in to Animal Control. The Animal Control Officer asked us if we could find them new homes. They were outside dogs but very happy to be inside. When you first meet him he hangs back to see what you are going to do but if you have treats or a ball he will gather around to get attention. He is looking for a family that will give him plenty of attention, love and training. Must have a fenced yard or he might wander off. Good with other dogs. Knows sit, will have a Training Addendum as he is a young dog. He hasn't been on lead much but is learning. Crate trained.

Update: Black Bart is the shyest of the brothers but he is learning to relax. Although he is scared with all the changes in his life he does accept affection and will eat out of your hand. He is well-behaved and very quiet. He only barks when he has something to say! Like "I need to go out" or "I'm hungry" or "there are cats here!" He seems afraid of the foster's cats, not aggressive towards them. Bart is house and crate trained and good on leash. He loves his food and loves other dogs. He might be happier with another dog. He adores the foster's young dog and follows her everywhere. He enjoys sitting under his foster's desk while she works. He is a super cuddly and very sweet boy. Every day he gets more comfortable and happy. He is becoming more comfortable in the crate, loves to play, is initiating cuddles with foster mom, and sleeping through the night. Black Bart learned a lot over the last few months and he's ready to find his forever. This boy is she at first, and takes longer to warm to men than women. Once he trusts you, he will be your little shadow, and his fun and playful side will shine. He LOVES other dogs!

Update: Black Bart, now known as Rudy for his resemblance to a reindeer, has made great progress. Today for the first time when his family were getting them ready to go to the gym (the pack loves to go for a ride and wait in the car) he was at the door, ready to go. They used to have to get a leash on him and then lead him out, but not today! He has also become more playful. They place chase and run together in the back yard and he is fully engaged. His tail is up more and more, both in play and on walks. Rudy/Bart now has the run of a thoroughly puppy-proofed area while his people are gone and this has been a terrific help for his energy and confidence. He has done nothing untoward when the humans are out, but he's not quite ready for access to rooms are not "hardened" to an energetic puppy. Rudy will do best in a home with at least another dog. He loves pack life. He will need folks who understand that he is not going to run up to them for scratches for the foreseeable future; he still does not do that for his foster family. But has progressed to the point where he stays close by when everyone settles in for TV and if you let him cuddle on the bed, he'll be right there, full of affection. He's even confident enough now to lecture his people when he doesn't feel that he and the pack are getting their meals quickly enough! It's great to see his confidence growing. Rudy's still sensitive to sudden noises; he'll dash away but once you speak to him he'll come right back. He'll do best with folks who will carefully take him more and more places so he continues to see that the world has lots of good in it. So ... my recommendation is a home with patient, experienced owners. Kids need to be very savvy and/or older than the usual 10 and up. I do not recommend invisible fence. I think the collar will freak him out. He's still very sensitive to sudden noises. Whenever we have a noise in the house we just say "Sorry Rudy" and move on. He'll dash away but come right back.

Adopters must meet these requirements:
Setting: Rural, Suburban
Dwelling: Single Family Home
Fencing: Needs fence either physical or underground.

Black Bart is from a rural area and has not been exposed to traffic, noise, or groups of people. If dogs are overwhelmed by their environment, they can exhibit behaviors like excessive barking. To avoid this, for now we are limiting placement to stand alone single family homes in a suburban neighborhood or rural area. As we learn more from the dog's time spent in foster, we will evaluate if placement can be expanded to include a more urban environment and send out an update.

This dog is available for adoption from Lab Rescue LRCP. Lab Rescue LRCP rescues and places dogs in Maryland, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware and northeast North Carolina (30 miles east of I-95 and north of the Pamlico Sound.) Adopters must travel to Maryland, or Virginia with their family - human and canine - to meet the dog they want to adopt.

Lab Rescue LRCP has between 40 - 80 dogs available for adoption from foster homes across Maryland and Virginia, and at monthly adoption events. The adoption event dates and locations are listed at www.lab-rescue.org.

If you are interested in adopting, please visit www.lab-rescue.org and complete an adoption application. After you submit an application, you will hear from an Adoption Coordinator who will guide you through the adoption process.

An adoption fee is charged to cover the cost of veterinary care and a home visit is required.