Stanley is a piece of work. A fantastic, giant, wiggly, boyish piece of work! A stray (or dumped?) purebred Black Lab, he was found in the driveway of one of our volunteers on a recent Friday morning. Wagging his tail... well, more like... wagging his whole body, he seemed perfectly happy to be there, and ready to come in the house for breakfast.

Stanley is a very large Lab, probably in the 90 lb + range, and he is very puppyish. His pea-sized brain can engage when he really tries (haha) but for the most part, he is just a big goofus kind of kid. All "heart" for sure though, and he is eager and happy to share his affection. With some gentle guidance and training, he will surely be a wonderful lifelong companion for a very lucky family. Stanley seems to know how to play "fetch" and will even bring a ball back and drop it for you... did someone teach him this? Or does he just naturally retrieve? We'll never know, and he isn't talking.

Why dogs like Stanley wind up being dumped out in the country is a frustrating and annoying mystery to rescue people like us. What we do know for sure is that someone didn't care much for him, as he isn't neutered (but will be, soon!) and no one is apparently looking for him as a "lost dog." It is fairly likely that someone got him as a cute fuzzy black puppy and didn't take into account how active and wild most young "adolescent" Labs usually are, and how big he would get. It's likely that no one ever taught him some basic manners or took him to "puppy classes." And once grown into a big clumsy "teenager" dog of more than 90 lbs, he may have lost some of his "charm" with the previous owners.

Stanley needs a lot of exercise and a lot of human attention. Labs are actually very smart and very loyal dogs; they just need some help and "direction" from their human families, especially in their younger years. They crave attention and need adequate exercise or else they will probably use that energy for projects that will not be appreciated by their humans. Left to his own devices, or stuck out in a backyard all alone for hours on end, Stanley will definitely get into trouble and/or escape the yard and run off in search of some fun. He simply wants to be with people and he seems to enjoy the company of other large dogs as well.

Stanley would fair well with a basic obedience class (or two... he is eager to learn!) But what he needs most is a chance. A family who will really commit to him for the rest of his life, and honor that commitment. Dogs are not disposable creatures. They should not be left out at the curb like yesterday's trash or "recycled" in the newspaper with a "FREE TO GOOD HOME" advertisement. Stanley may have been dropped off out in the country or he may have escaped or run away from a negligent home... no matter what... he deserves much better.