Rancho Bernardo Pet Oasis

I have owned, trained, and taken care of over 25 dogs in my lifetime. I can honestly say he is the best dog I have ever had! Sorry, Digger.

I had a great black Lab named Boomer. My kids kept hassling me that Boomer needed a playmate. Finally, in 2020 (during COVID), I caved. I decided to contact Lab Rescuers and let them know I was ready for another black Lab (white ones shed too much!). I wanted a dog around two years old.

When I met Shadow, I loved his puppy energy! Boomer was much more mellow. So, we got him.

At first, Shadow was one of the worst dogs I had ever had! He chewed everything — shoes, socks, couches, reading glasses, sunglasses, remote controls, etc. I was paranoid about leaving anything on the coffee table. I think I went through 10 TV remotes! It was a nightmare. Then, with time, he mellowed out. Now, he’s by far the best.

He doesn’t chew, lick people, jump on people, drool, or run away. He follows me everywhere I go and is totally friendly with everyone — but that’s just how Labs are!

However, Shadow has a special talent — he’s literally a dog whisperer. He knows how to “handle” every type of dog. He’s almost 8 now, but he still plays like a puppy… then tires out! If a dog is aggressive with him, or if he senses that the dog is aggressive, he’ll avoid them. If a dog gives him negative energy, he won’t give it back. He mellows them out.

I have yet to have a meet-and-greet where someone thought their dog wouldn’t get along with Shadow. Quite the opposite! He has a way of changing the attitude of aggressive dogs. He’s a protector at the dog park — if two dogs start fighting, he tries to get between them and break it up. It’s amazing to watch. He’s a rock star at the local dog park! I’ve even had people request playdates with Shadow. One lady I help care for said Shadow is the only dog her dog gets along with. He avoids conflict. Even I’ve learned from him.

I’ve been fostering for a few years now for Lab Rescuers. The dogs we get are usually broken. They’ve been abused, neglected, overbred, or have severe separation anxiety. Shadow ends up “showing them the ropes.” Whether it’s how to go on a walk or learning that most people are friendly, Shadow has his way. I’ve found that a lot of dogs just follow him — they copy what he does. He’s a great role model for all dogs.

And while he’s mellow, he has no problem sticking up for himself. If a puppy gets too rambunctious with him, that puppy quickly learns that Shadow won’t put up with that!

If you have a dog that needs help socializing with other dogs — Shadow can help!