Flat-Coated Retriever puppies and dogs in Vienna, Virginia

Meet Riley. This sweet pup was rescued from life as an outside dog living on a property with 16 other dogs running free. The owner would feed them but did not provide medical care, preventive protection, or spay or neuter his pets, so puppies were inevitable. He became overwhelmed when another litter of puppies arrived and reached out to rescue for help. Thirteen dogs were taken in by multiple rescues and the 4 adults that remained with the owner have been spayed and neutered to prevent more litters. Riley came into our care heartworm positive, which is not unexpected for an outside dog who has been living without protection. She’s already been treated and was fortunate to be a young, healthy dog when rescued. She’s been living in a foster home for the past few months learning what home life is all about. She was fostered in South Carolina during her heartworm treatment, living with large dogs and having regular exposure to the visiting grandkids. Riley is currently being fostered with two small Terriers who accepted her from day one and a foster mom and dad who truly adore her. Riley is a submissive pup who is excellent with other dogs and needs a dog buddy in her new home. She is shy and more of a follower who would do best with a pup role model in her life. Overall, she is a pretty laidback dog who enjoys her walks...She comes alive when it's walk time and has good leash skills. When Riley first came into the rescue she was shut down and you could tell she had not had much exposure to the world outside her previous yard. She has come a LONG way since then, but is a dog who needs time to build trust...she will find a safe spot in the house, like a couch, bed, etc., and hang out there until she feels comfortable. It took her a few days to want to leave her safe space, but now she is fully engaged and likes to hang out with her foster family. She's still a little weary of visitors and may choose to remove herself, but her foster parents will block off the steps and keep her close, so she learns to engage. She does warm up to take treats and enjoys pets from visitors...she just needs a little encouragement.  We checked in with her foster mom, Christie, for an update: FOSTER MOM UPDATE - 8/9/24 “Riley is demonstrating such resilience now.  She is the sweetest dog we have ever fostered.  She makes no demands but is thrilled when her favorite things come her way (breakfast, dinner, walks, treats, and belly rubs).   Riley is the cutest little low-rider lab mix.   As a former Labrador Retriever family - I can attest to her Lab traits.  She wants to be with you, she is perceptive, she is SOOO food motivated, loves her routine and family life, has learned quickly and did I say food motivated? You will always find her in the kitchen when one of us is in there and she will remind you subtly that it is breakfast or dinner time.  Riley has slimmed and has the most spectacularly black shiny coat and cute little freckles/speckles of white on her face – reminds me of a constellation of stars.  She is always impeccably dressed in her natural tuxedo wear (when she is on her back to get her belly rubbed – she shows off her white and black markings which match formal wear.  Her ears are so expressive (which I love).   She doesn’t get into pack politics and minds her business with our two little 12 lb busy scruffy terriers.  She likes having them and will gladly follow them.  We have a very particular female scruffy- Stella - who does NOT care for dogs bigger than her, but Riley is the exception to this rule…She liked her right away.  Our other dog is a senior around 10-11 years old and Riley is VERY respectful of him, and they enjoy each other’s company.  All three get along great.  Riley has settled into suburban life.  We live in a neighborhood that is quiet but has the usual on-goings like kids playing, landscapers, house construction, and neighbors coming and going.  She quickly adjusted to a walk two times a day.  She doesn’t require long walks but would be willing to go as long as you want.  We kept her route consistent at first and then started to add on or switch it up once she was comfortable.  She has absolute joy on walks.  When she sees us getting out harnesses – she does cute little joyful doggie circus circles then calmly starts her famous wigglebutt excitement.  We have a few trusted dog friends in our neighborhood that we greet, and she does well.  She has never barked and the only time she is ever vocal is when she does a little low whine to let you know she is excited to see her friends.   She never overwhelms the dogs but enjoys sniffing and watching them while we catch up with their families.  Though her socialization is happening a bit later in her life – she does well when NEW folks come over.  She will take the safe route if allowed (and go quietly to the safe space of her crate, master bedroom, and our home office.  As part of our commitment to her growth – when we introduce her to friends and family, we block off access to her retreat areas and she approaches people on her terms once everyone settles and gets a lot of treats – which is very agreeable to her. Riley is not a fan of hanging out in the backyard – as she was settling into her new neighborhood fireworks caught all of us - especially her - off guard in the backyard (even though we were outside with her).  That created a bit of an association of the scary unfamiliar loud noise with her new backyard surroundings.  We have been working with her and a WDR trainer – and she has made great progress which we celebrate and reward, but she still only goes into the backyard for quick potty breaks. We still use a lead with her to redirect her reaction to fear.  It works.  I know that as she gets repeated exposure and learns the backyard is safe – this will improve.  But to be crystal clear – the front yard and walking in the neighborhood is Riley’s joy and to her, they are two totally separate worlds.    Riley needs a calm family.  She has had a few transitions in her life – and is demonstrating such resilience and acclimating well – she just needs a family who will love her and give her a little time to adjust and build trust.  A confident pup companion would be preferred.  She has looked up to our dogs to help her settle into suburbia. Overall, Riley is a JOY to be around.! She is 100% potty trained.  She would sleep on your bed if allowed or in her crate with the door open.  She has one toy she loves – it dispenses treats (dog kibs) when she rolls it or grabs it to take with her.   I find it in all of her favorite places.   She keeps us company and quietly lays in her bed in our home office as we work throughout the week, she snugs up on the couch and also loves to lay in the dog donut bed on the couch when we watch TV, and settles in on the bed to sleep at our feet.  She’s the sweetest soul you will ever meet and some lucky family who gives her a chance is going to be so lucky to have her in their life." ***** Apply today! BREED ESTIMATE: Lab Mix GENDER: Female APPROXIMATE WEIGHT: 32-33 lbs  APPROXIMATE AGE: ~ 3 years old COAT TYPE:  Medium flowy coat ADOPTION FEE: $425 OTHER INFO: utd on shots/spayed/microchipped, treated for heartworm. LOCATION:  Fairfax, VA   FOR MORE INFO OR TO ADOPT: Please go to https://adopt.worthydog.org and complete the application. You can also help save dogs like this one by becoming a foster, providing a rescue dog with a temporary home and giving them the love and care they need until they are permanently adopted. Every person who fosters is directly responsible for saving the life of a dog, because we can only save as many dogs as we have foster families available to welcome them into their homes. If you think you might be interested in becoming a foster and want to learn more, please go to https://foster.worthydog.org and fill out an application. Worthy Dog Rescue is an all-volunteer, foster-based rescue that primarily adopts to families in the DC Metro area. October 29, 2024, 5:08 pm