Lala is a 2.5 year old female lab shepherd mix who was picked up as a puppy in Sept. 05 running the streets of Atlanta, sad and alone. Deemed unmarketable, she literally SAT at the shelter, day in and day out, incarcerated for well over 9 months. Having done nothing whatsoever to promote her, the shelter essentially washed their hands of her and in May of 06, promptly parked her at a local boarding facility. Lala responded well to the move. She desperately wanted to play & interact and began exercising daily with other dogs in her play group. Had the shelter ever bothered to look, they would have seen the promise of this diamond in the rough - the rarest of gems. Sadly for Lala, the shelter continued to ignore her and it appeared she was destined to be crated in perpetuity. Concern for her well-being became our paramount concern, realizing this young girl spent her days having been shuttled from one concrete building to the next - never having known anything else. It was killing us. She wasn't our dog, we were up against a formidable opponent - our hands tied. Each night, we bid her goodbye and promised our return. Every day we looked for a viable solution. The answer came in Jan. 07 when we were able to finalize her adoption from the shelter and bring her home to her very special foster! Up to that point she had never experienced running and playing in a yard. Rarely felt the grass underfoot. You could tell when you walked her that she was unfamiliar with EVERYTHING and it was funny to watch her discover squirrels, cool breezes and pee mail from other dogs. She loooves to play with people and other dogs and found a best friend for life in the form of a lovable lab, 'Cachou'. After more than half her life spent confined, you can only imagine her penchant to run. To our utter amazement, when free released at the park, she did not try to escape and came when called - she continues to enjoy these same freedoms today, with an ever watchful eye to her foster. Lala loves anything furry (inanimate of course!) and mouths them lovingly, she even places them gently aside when finished. She has never shown an inclination to chew or destroy anything in the house - in fact, when offered a bone, she chews it contentedly on a blue blankie designated for such activities - smart as a whip - innate in her is the ability and instinct to hone in on what she is to do and where she is to do it. House trained within days. She is inquisitive, learns commands easily and responds eagerly to attention. Sweet and tender, a perfect home for Lala would include kids, young adults - able to rumble and play with her- and another dog, even two! A yard would be a plus but not a must. Lala has never known more love and kindness than her foster has provided her, many dogs never will. She would be happiest in a home that continued to sing her praises - what dog wouldn't!
