Description:
Joy is a real joy. She is a pretty, gentle brindle lab mix. She loves having her belly rubbed. It seems that every picture I have of her she is just about to roll over for a loving scratch. Joy is very submissive and needs a gentle and reassuring hand.
Here is a wonderful update from her new foster: "I picked Joy up last night to foster. Before I meet her I was warned that she was really shy and submissive. My first contact with her she fell to the ground and peed. I lifter her into the car and hoping she wouldn't pee in my seats. During the long ride home she just opened up! She was so sweet, licking my face playing with some toys in the back seat. I was a little nervous to bring her into the house being that I have a cat and we didn't know how she would do with cats. When I opened the door she was a little shy at first laying on the ground submitting. Once she was in, the submission act was over. She started playing with my dogs the minute she meet them. Then she saw my cat...the moment of truth. She went running up to her and started to play. Of course my cat played back and thats about how the night started. Playing with the dogs, then playing with the cat, then a pet from me and starting it all over again! She seems housbroken, very well mannered (not alot of jumping and calms down when asked), knows sit and come commands. She is a Joy! "

Update 11/11: "Now that Joy has been at my house for almost a week i have learned much more about her personality! Joy is a GREAT dog! I think she is better behavied than my dogs! She is very petite. She isn't much taller than my beagle mix. I would estimate her weight at 35 lbs. She is not 100% house trained. She almost got it but has an accident about once every couple of days! She is crate trained and does well with being in the crate while i am gone at work all day! We go to the dog park everyday. She does excellent with every dog she has meet at the dog park. Loves the people who pet her and fawn over her at the park too! She has had minimal contact with children but when she meet some kids at the dog park recently she went right up to get some pets and love! Joy is s big coudler who LOVES to sit on the couch and be pet! She sleeps at night right next to me all curled up in a ball and wakes me up with gentle kisses! She is very patient and only barks when excited or alerted by something! She would make a great pet for just about anyone! She LOVES my cat who tolerates her ok! Overall, she is a JOY!"

UPDATE 11/16: Joy is still doing excellent. I though we were having trouble with housetraining untill i found out yesterday that it was my cat who was going to the bathroom on the floor (she was mad at me for changing the kind of litter). Poor Joy getting blamed for what the cat was doing! So joy is housetrained. She doesn't know how to tell you she has to go outside to do her business but i am working with her on showing me some signs.

*** How familiar are you with the Labrador Retriever? According to www.dogbreedinfo.com, the Labrador Retriever is a loving, affectionate, lovable, patient dog. Once known as the "St John's Dogs," the Labrador Retriever is one of the most popular breeds in the United States. Originally from Newfoundland, Canada the Labrador was trained to jump overboard into the icy waters to haul fisherman's nets to shore. Specimens were brought to England in the 1800's by English ships coming from Labrador, where the dog's fine retrieving instincts were honed and developed. One of the best family dogs and canine companions because of their gentle, loving disposition, the highly trainable Labrador also excels in drug detection, as a guide for the blind, and service dog for the disabled. The breed is also an outstanding obedience and field trial competitor. Highly intelligent, loyal, willing, and high-spirited. Lively and good-natured, they love to play, especially in water - for they love to swim. They have an excellent, reliable, temperament and are friendly, superb with children and equable with other dogs. They crave human attention and need to feel as though they are part of the family. Labs are easily trained. These dogs are watchdogs, not guard dogs, although some have been known to guard. They have a life expectancy of 10-12 years.