My name is Helen!

HELEN is a 7-year-old spayed female yellow lab. Helen Yeller weighs 70 pounds and is up to date on shots. This dog is approved for homes with children ages 10 and up.

Helen is a blind girl. She responds very well to voices and is very food motivated. She is very social and loves to be around people. (Once she knows that someone is near her, she will follow the person around and flop over for a belly rub.) Since Helen is blind, she always needs to be secure when outside. Helen was tested on lead with other dogs at the shelter. At first she was a little unsure, but then she ignored the other dogs as long as they weren't intrusive and followed her signals. Slow intros with new dogs will be good for Helen, so the new dogs don't startle her since she can't see them. From transporter: Helen is super sweet and gorgeous! She rode very quietly in the car and rolled over immediately for belly scratches.

Update: Helen arrived last night and settled herself in right away. She is sweet and happy and takes life by storm! She seems to be house trained, is excellent in the crate (slept quietly all night) and picks up the routine and pattern quickly. See, Helen is blind, but she does not at all let that slow her down. This girl has zero fear, and wants to do everything the other dogs do. She got to play in the yard this morning with resident dog Harper and kept listening for where he was, and then heading in that direction. She's already figured out the main level of the house, and will stop or change directions when I say stop or wait, and has zero issues with the stairs out back to the yard. She's sweet, smart, and full of love!Helen really thinks belly rubs are about the best thing ever. Watch the video of her navigating the stairs, and immediately flopping over for her favorite thing. This sweet 8 year old may be blind, but she knows how to enjoy the best things in life. Don't let Helen's blindness scare you - it certainly doesn't scare her.

Update: Helen has settled in easily to her foster home. She is quiet in the crate and perfect in the house. She's figured out the lay of the land and has gained a bit of caution so she doesn't run into the walls quite as often. She loves following the oldest resident around the house and tends to "overlove" him when she catches up to him. Today we tried the stairs inside the house and though she was a bit confused when the stairs turned mid-way, she made it all the way up, explored a bit, and then carefully made her way back down. She's very smart, and knows when she hits concrete outside how to aim for the steps, and tends to follow her nose. She loves food, and has the most adorable head tilt when you talk to her. She is strong on leash and should be walked with an Easy Walk harness. Helen doesn't realize she's blind, and just lives her life happily. She will make the perfect family member for someone who is ready, willing, and able to shower her in love (uh, and belly rubs!)!

Update: Helen visited our ophthalmologist today and unfortunately she isn't a candidate for surgery to correct her blindness. It doesn't bother her at all though - she charges through life and lives her life happily. She charmed everyone she met, got oodles of belly rubs, and even tried to nap in the elevator. Helen is great in the car, and mostly just naps. Helen has quickly become a creature of habit. She has mapped out the house and knows where her favorite dog bed is, where foster mom sits on the floor as her belly rub slave, where her crate with the cushy bed is, and she will happily go in there when she is ready for a nap or bedtime. She loves food, and cookies especially. Helen is good with other dogs, but not all other dogs love her, as she tends to be a bit overly affectionate and dominant with them, so she may do best in a home without other dogs. She enjoys trying to find the resident dogs in the yard or house, using her nose and ears. Helen met a cat at the vet when she got her booster and sniffed and wagged her tail so she may be ok with cats.

Update: Helen continues to enjoy exploring the world around her. She loves comfy beds and couches, meal time, and early morning walks. She clearly prefers a schedule- one that includes snuggle time and belly rubs! She is smart and uses her head quite literally to get around. She's a friendly girl and would benefit from plenty of opportunities to socialize with people and other dogs. While she loves walking early in the morning, she is not a huge fan of busier times with many cars passing. She likes games with treats- we played find the treat with overturned cups. She'll likes the crate but she has been left in the foster bedroom, with a dog bed and a chair she likes to nap in. The room is secure and blind dog proofed and she does fine for 4 hour stretches.

Adopters must meet these requirements:
Setting: Rural, Suburban
Dwelling: Single Family Home
Fencing: No Fence Required But Must Be Secure When Outside Since She Is Blind!

Helen Yeller 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. For now, to avoid this, we are limiting placement to standalone, single family homes in a suburban neighborhood or rural area. After Helen Yeller has been in a foster home for at least a week or two, we will evaluate if placement can be expanded to include a more urban environment and will 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.