Abigal (Formerly Rosie)

She is doing GREAT. She knows sit, give paw, stay and walks great on a leash... She will be taking training soon, which I think she will be great at. Her and Chloe get along great

Alphonse (Formely Thunder)

My name is Reina and we adopted Thunder last month. Since Thunder never responded to his name, we renamed him Alphonse and call him Al for short. He is getting used to it and started to respond. He is doing excellent and about to start his training on this Thursday. The injury of his face has healed and he has gained weight nicely. I just want to say thank you to all of you at MLRR for your hard work to help them and help us find such wonderful dogs like Al. We are so in love with Al. He is wonderful especially with our Little Bob, the Chihuahua mix. You should see how they play… Bob’s head is all the way in Al’s mouth sometimes! JAnyway, I’m sending you the same pictures I sent to Ms. Gage. I hope you’ll like it.

Tank

In December, 2003 I began fostering a 140 pound, 5-year-old yellow Lab for you, aptly named Tank. Although I initially thought of him as just another foster, Tank had other plans. I quickly fell under his charming spell and on January 7, 2004, Tank became a permanent member of my family. While still thinking of him as a foster, I had shown him to a few families who felt he wasn't the right Lab for them because of his age or his size. I know I'm biased, but I think he was one of the greatest, most well-behaved, gentlest Labs on the face of the earth. I had over 7 wonderful years with Tank. I lost him on April 11th due to complications from degenerative myelopathy. I would not have traded one moment with him. No one that met him didn't love him. In fact, I had a few friends offer to "take him off my hands" so I didn't have 3 dogs to take care of. NOT A CHANCE. I told them they had a chance while he was still a foster. No way was I ever going to give him up. He was my gentle giant; my big, lovable teddy bear. He has left a huge, Tank-sized hole in my heart. As sad as I am without him, I feel there's one thing I can do for him - I want to encourage all the potential adopters out there to give dogs that are considered "older" a chance. Tank was only 5 when I adopted him. He became part of my family immediately. He lived longer with me than he had with his original family. He had no bad habits. In fact, he came to me very well trained. He never chewed anything that wasn't a toy or food. He never made a mess in the house. The only thing he ever scratched was my arm (and that was to ask me to keep petting him). He was easy to figure out - all he wanted was to be by my side and for me to pet him. If Tank could tell you all one thing it would be that he always knew he had more love to give to whoever would give him the chance. I was blessed that I was given the opportunity to be loved by him. So maybe there's a Lab on the website that isn't a puppy. Yes, maybe he has a few years under his belt. Maybe she isn't quite the young pup you thought you wanted. And maybe, by saying yes to that Lab, you'll get the greatest treasure you could ever imagine.
Thank you, MLRR, for giving Tank to me. He will forever be my boy. And my life has been the better for having him.

Ella (Formerly Wilma)

Hey everybody! This is Ella, formerly Wilma. I am doing so great in my new home! I get so much love and attention here it is so awesome! I had a rough transition at first - I was pretty nutty until I heard my mom get on the phone with the dog trainer and then I knew that I had better shape up and stop acting so crazy! I just love my three kids and my new doggie sister, Emma, a yellow lab. I can get on Emma's nerves every now and then but I can tell I'm growing on her. My family cracks up when I sit on Emma - I can't help it, she's so comfortable! My mom tries to take me jogging every day and I just love that! I LOVE to run, especially if there is a squirrel in the park. I'm taking private dog training lessons, too. I'm a quick learner and sometimes my mom says that I listen better than Emma, who is 5. Well, there is so much to do here and so many people to pet me and scratch my belly!
Thanks MLRR for finding me a great forever home!

Ender (Formerly Gunner)

We adopted Gunner (now Ender) in early February and Sergio and I wanted to update you on how he's doing! He is free of worms and is finally starting to gain a little weight back (he loves to eat...typical Lab!). He has been such a fun addition to the house and our current dog, Shiloh, is beginning to welcome him as well (as you can see from the picture I attached haha). He is doing very well in his obedience class and loves meeting all of the different dogs. We just wanted to thank you again for all that you do and for giving us this opportunity to bring such happiness to our lives. Keep it up!
-Katie and Sergio

Sadie (Formerly Sandy)

It's me again, Sadie (formerly Sandy). I'm the white one in front. Here's a picture of me with my sister Haley. We get along great. It's been two years since you brought us together so I thought I'd give you an update. I'm now 3 years old and am thriving! I absolutely love my forever home, parents, human siblings and Haley. We're all getting a little restless about now and look forward to being back out in the yard where there's a pool for us all to enjoy. I think our parents put the pool in just for us dogs as we often take it over when it's swim time. I had surgery on my shoulder while I was in foster care waiting for my forever family to find me and still limp a bit. The vet says I always will. Oh well, doesn't slow me down any. In fact, when Haley and I are running around the yard I often leave her in the dust and have to slow down so that she can catch up. She is a bit older than me so I give her a break. I'm so fortunate to have found this loving home and am thankful for everything you do. Keep up the good work!!
-Sadie

Pebbles

One week before Christmas I received a call from a MLRR informing me they had a match for me. After meeting Peebles, I new she and I were a match made in heaven. What a wonderful Christmas gift. Pebbles has come a long way, I love her! We are in training now and the instructor calls her a "Big show off". She is a very fast learner and aims to please in everything she does. I'm beyond words to express the joy this girl has given me! I'm honored to have been given the opportunity to give her the life she deserves.

Cocoa

Were celebrating Cocoa’s four-month anniversary as a family member. We kept her name since she knew it very well. She’s settled in nicely and we’ve gotten past a couple of health issues – She had surgery for bloat and came through like a trooper. She adores her canine brother and sister, and looks to them for guidance when things get a little scary for her. She’s made great strides in dealing with strangers and she graduated from basic obedience class. Here is her graduation photo. She wags her tail so fiercely she can hardly walk. We often call her Cocoa-nut since she’s just a little nutty. We’re so grateful to Midwest Labs for saving Cocoa for us. We are very fortunate to have her in our family.
Thank you, thank you!
Carol & Ted O. (and Thor and Freya)

Brody

Wanted to check in and give you an update on Brody...He is really becoming a big part of our family - adjusting really beautifully. The kids adore him and he rewards all their attention with kisses and following them all around the house. We started obedience class last week and he was the best behaved dog in the class! We went to the vet a week ago for a booster shot and he weighed 86 pounds! He's really coming along- his food combined with the enormous amount of treats the kids give him is making a difference. He has boundless energy and really enjoyed the piles of snow in our front yard and in the neighborhood. All our friends (and our kid's friends too) have met Brody and love him. He's such a great people dog and makes everyone feel so welcome and adored. He's mellow when he needs to be too and has been such good company. So all in all, things are really good- thanks for matching us with Brody- we do feel really lucky! Here are some pictures- Brody just licked me and tried to knock my hand off the keyboard as I type this...attention hog!

Riley (Formerly Big Boy)

Riley has been a great addition to our home. We had a rough start with him, but once we took him to see a trainer he turned out to be a wonderful loving family dog. He has so many different personalities which makes him very unique. Thanks Midwest Lab for helping us find the perfect dog.

Spike (Formerly Finn)

Finn who is now Spike~ has been receiveing LOTs of LOVE. He loves going rollerblading, long walks with Gracie, laying out in the sun, and playing ball in the back yard. We are keeping him busy. Today, he had a bath and I brushed his teeth for the first time.

Daisy

One year ago on July 15, my husband and I adopted Daisy from MLRR, and it was one of the best decisions we have made. She is a sweet, loving pet, and has settled in so well to her forever home. She loves sleeping on her doggie beds, chewing on her bones, and playing with her doggie brother. She’s very well behaved, and has learned all the family routines, including knowing when we’re getting ready to cook some broccoli. It’s one of her favorite foods, along with carrots, bananas and strawberries. Her only mishap was getting sprayed by a skunk a couple of weeks ago – but she cleaned up well, and we don’t have to call her “Stinky” anymore. A couple of weeks ago, we took her to the vet for her shots, and he said that she was in great shape.
We just wanted to thank you so much for all the great work that you do, and for finding our sweet Daisy for us. Life is better for us because of Daisy…
-Betsy and Jeff H.

Dawson (Formerly JC)

Hi MLRR! We just thought we would send an update on how things are going with our new member of the family! Dawson (formerly JC) has settled in quite well with us. He's VERY active with other dogs and when new visitors come to the house, but when we are just hanging out at home, he is lazy boy! As you can see in the picture, he loves to lay around on our furniture, whether it be the couches or the bed, but his favorite spot is probably the chair right by the window where he loves to watch everyone walk by. He loves to go running with mom, sometimes up to 5 miles, and it doesn't even tire him out! He doesn't like the heat too much though with his thick, black coat. When it's too hot, he likes running around in the lake at the dog park splashing and chasing all of his buddies. He doesn't like to swim though-he prefers to stay in the shallow water. This might partly be because our lab isn't a labrador after all! Everyone was always so curious what he was with his unique features, so we decided to do a doggie DNA test. As it turns out, he is mostly Siberian Husky and Shar-Pei, which was not at all what we expected!! Either way, we love our Dawson more than anything, and cannot imagine our life without him. He does everything with us, including running daily errands since hanging his head out the window of the car with that big tongue flapping in the wind is one of his very favorite things to do! We couldn't be happier, and neither could Dawson. He is living the good life over here, that's for sure! Thank you so much MLRR-even if he isn't actually a lab, he turned out to be the perfect dog for us anyway.
We love him to pieces! Love,
-Chris and Katie C.

Riley (Formerly Sugar)

Things have been wonderful with our adopted Lab, Riley (formally Sugar) which we adopted on October 30, 2009. It took only a couple nights for Riley to get comfortable with her crate and her new surroundings. Riley had her first play date with the neighbor dog Ginger her first weekend and the two dogs became great friends. Since we didn’t know exactly when we would be adopting a dog, we had a vacation already planned to go to Florida over the Thanksgiving holiday. My parents live in Florida during the winter months so we were able to take Riley with us. She did great in the car and had lots of fun during our vacation. Riley got to experience the beach, the ocean, as well as several dog friendly restaurants and it had seemed as though she had been with us all her life. As soon as we returned from Florida , obedience training began immediately. During the graduation, Riley was the star of her class by completing the obstacle course, not only in the best time for her class, but reportedly in near record time. The fact that she will do anything for a treat didn’t hurt. It is amazing how fast Riley has adapted to us and us to her. She is so energetic and happy all the time. Every morning when we wake up and every night when we come home from work, she greets us with an energetic little tap dance and wiggle. We keep busy playing in the back yard and going for walks, two of her favorite things. Thank you MLRR for taking the time to find us our perfect lab and bringing Riley into our lives! We can’t imagine our lives without her!
-Jake & Laura W.

Valerie

Hi, Valerie here! and I am one LUCKY DOG. First, I would like to thank Meredith and MLRR! MLRR took me in when I was a stray and soon found out I was not a healthy girl. But, thanks to the vet and MLRR, I am now completely healthy. When they thought maybe I was sick, you couldn't have told me that. I was a ball of energy! I was adopted by a nice family. I learned to sit in about three minutes. I have a 10 year old doggy brother, Gershwin, who watches over me AND keeps me in line. My owners are nice people who think that I am spoiled. They are correct. I have them "wrapped around my little paws." I have heard them say they don't remember Gershwin having as much energy as I do when he was a puppy. I have a large deck to run around on and a nice fenced in back yard to play to my heart's content. Sometimes I tease Gershwin and he tries to catch me, but I am too fast! I am pretty fearless; there is not a dog, human, toy, place, or environment that scares me. My favorite past time is nibbling on other dog's ears and carrying my toys around the house. I like to flying leap from one place to the next! Also, when my parents are showering, I try my very hardest to get in! I do succeed in getting my head wet! In fact, my family is going to take me swimming this summer because they think I will do very well. I am currently halfway through my obedience class and I am behaving better everyday. My parents think that I am SPECIAL and I think that they are excellent judges of canines. Thanks again MLRR.

Cody (Formerly Reno)

I thought I would let you know how I was doing since I havent written in a while. My family and I moved again into a new house with a yard just for me. I love it but I still love my walks. My favorite part of my walks is when my Elizabeth takes me for a walk. Sometimes I walk her but I am pretty gentle and make sure I dont go to fast. Plus, my mom is always there helping out. Here I am with her and our newest addition to the family, Emily. She is a little young to take me for walks yet but she is great fun and sometimes when my mom's not looking she sneaks me a cracker or cookie from the high chair. I still have lots of energy and cannot wait for spring so I can go running more and maybe even head to the dog beach.
That's all thats new for now. Thanks.
Cody (formerly Reno)

Esther (Formerly Blossom)

She sure has come a long way since MLRR rescued her. Her foster parents told us the details - when she arrived from the shelter to their home, she was emaciated, filthy. It was early February, some of the coldest days in Illinois. They gave her a nice long bath and began her road to a healthy recovery. Since coming to our house, she's absolutely thrived. We've had her for about six weeks now and have put about 6 to 8 lbs on her, she appears to us to be the perfect weight for a lab her age. She loves playing with her housemates: Ellie, our black Lab and Emma, our chocolate. She's obsessed with the chipmunk hiding under our deck. Esther is very much a daddy's girl. I cannot be out of the room longer than 10 seconds or she comes looking for me. My wife has a theory that rescued dogs are so much more behaved out of nothing but gratitude. Esther loves her new home, listens and responds to her name, doesn't jump, rarely barks. She's been an angel. I often tell her that we love her, and remind her that she'll never been alone again.

Duke (Formerly Clay aka Cubby)

Well here I am at the Guardian Angles nursing home in Joliet ,doing my thing. I am going to be 2 years old on the 15 th of next month,and I figured it was time to Pay a little back to the human race. If it were not for some very wonderful people who took me in ,I may not have been around . I am enjoying my work as a registered therapy dog and will be going to other nursing homes and Hospitals in the future. Some of the places I want to go require a lot of paperwork before I start. Bye for now and I will keep you up to date on how this is going. I think I have changed a lot since that little puppy known back then as clay.
-Duke ( the duke of shorewood )

Kodi (Formerly King)

This nice lady picked me up from a shelter to transport me for MLRR. It was love at first site for me and I decided that it was ok if she adopted me. I knew I had to win her over. On the way to the vet I pulled out all my labby charm. I could tell by the time we reached the vet, I had her hook, line and sinker. After all, who could resist my ruggedly handsome good looks. Luckily, MLRR agreed that she and her hubby would make a great forever home for me. Boy, was MLRR right! Mom says I still have a lot of work ahead. I wasn't socialized properly when I was younger and I don't like furry creatures. I keep telling Mom that its ok that I don't get along, but she tells me I still have to go to school. Thats ok, because I love learning and I love the time I get to bond with my new forever family. In fact Mom says she sees a big difference in me just from our daily walks! Gotta go, I need to go find my toys before someone takes them!

Kody

Kody is fine... growing... maturing... meeting other dogs... getting smarter. A pic is attached from early DEC. He has changed so much but you can still see his traits from his earlier MLRR pic. I wrote someone else at MLRR that I really like the adoption process by MLRR. You really do your best matching the Pet with the Family. The interview process totally benefits both parties. So what can I tell you. He is full of "puppy". An attention span of a fraction of a second. We probably started Puppy Training to early... too young to focus. He loves to play, chase, retrieve... and eat. Loves other dogs and wants to meet all of them. He will spend a minute watching a squirrel and has started to notice birds. Loves to run through the snow... deeper the better. We trained him to not bark in the house... constantly saying " Kody, no bark". So now he makes a sound through his closed mouth... closer to "dog talking" to get our attention. Very funny.
Finally, I'd recommend adopting from MLRR for anyone wanting a great pet Lab Retriever.
Regards, Donna & Al

Roscoe

Roscoe is doing so well. He is a very healthy 72lbs now, very happy, and we have bonded very well. He has been a quick learner and is great on the leash, sits, shakes, and lays down. I have attached a photo as well. We took a 2800 mile round trip to relatives in Fl. for Christmas and he loved the trip in the car. I am so grateful to Midwest Labs for binging Roscoe and I together. His Vet is Blum Animal Hospital on Clark Street in Chicago. He is in perfect health and weight, gets lots of daily exercise, and has made many friends in the neighborhood (especially all the girls at Krisers Pet Store downstairs).

Charlie

We adopted Charlie in November 2009 and he is such a great dog! We love him and he brightens our days with his goofy, energetic, fun-loving attitude. He keeps us busy with lots of walks and adventures! His friends at daycare love him too and agree that he is super gentle, affectionate, and perfectly well-behaved. He plays well with everyone and loves all people especially. Fetch is his favorite activity and he’ll play for hours if we’re up for it! Every night he falls asleep on the couch while we relax from the day. He always figures out how to sneak onto our laps like he is 10 pounds – he’s actually 80 pounds! Thank you so much for all MLRR does and for bringing Charlie to our lives! I can’t even remember what our home was like without him!
-Susi and Adam R.

Buck (Formerly Diesel)

I picked up Buck (formerly Diesel) from his foster home on October 1st. He completed obedience school by mid-November and has settled into my home as if he'd been with me all along. It's difficult to imagine life before Buck.

Maizey (Formerly Juliet)

We adopted Maizey (formerly known as Juliet) from Midwest Lab in January 2006. We met Maizey's foster mom, Shirley, on a snowy January morning at a dog park to see if there was a connection. My husband, Rod, instantly fell in love with her. Maizey had recently had puppies and was found chained to a fence with her boyfriend, Romeo. There she was running around the dog park with her 'puppy fat' swaying back and forth. We walked home from the dog park and Rod said, "I want that dog." Thanks to her wonderful foster mom, we had an easy transition and Maizey fit right into our little family. Now, 4 years later, I would have never guessed how much joy she brings to us. We have yet to have any children, so Maizey is our only child and she is truly spoiled. She is such a loyal companion and a joy to come home to every day. She has a lot of energy and the sweetest puppy dog eyes. We are so happy that we were given the opportunity to adopt Maizey through Midwest Lab Rescue. She has been a gift to us and cannot imagine our lives without her sweet personality and constant energy.
Thank you for providing the service you do, placing dogs with loving homes! We truly appreciate it!
-Emily C.

Koti (Formerly Lucky)

When we first got Koti we were not sure we had made the right choice especially since it has been such a short period of time since we had to put my other dog down. Custer fka Tyson who is also a rescue from MLRR was not super receptive, however, over time they have become good friends and Koti has become a valued and welcomed member of he household. He has made great strides to try to please us and fit in. He has graduated basic obedience class and is also allowed to roam free when we leave to go somewhere. We took him snow shoeing in the Volo Bog over Christmas and he had a blast running and playing in the snow and chasing Custer around. I am happy to say we have had only one accident in the house and he has only chewed on one item other then his toys so no major damage done. For a lab that is remarkable. He is also a very good car passenger as he does not whine, or cry but sits quietly and looks out the window. He loves the snow and in fact it is not hard to get him to go out at all in fact it is a challenge to get him to come in. He also loves Custer as you will see and mind you the pictures are not set up but caught in the moment if you will. MLRR you have done it once again you have managed to make another family happy and saved another lab by giving them a second chance. As you can see both MLRR pups are happy and content and doing very very well. I will have to take him into our vet soon as the vet who did the surgeries on him left a surgery suture in him and I am sure it is uncomfortable. I thought it would dissolve but it has not.
Thanks for a job well done.
Barak & Michelle Z.

Willis (Formerly Beckwith)

Beckwith (know known as Willis) is doing very well. He's adjusted to life in the city and loves going for walks or car rides to the dog park. He has become very adept at retrieving and seeking out his toys when they are hidden. He's also a big old lover boy and wants to be a lap dog eventhough he weighs 95 lbs! Overall he's very happy and his tail is constantly wagging.
Thanks!
-Jason

Danny (Formerly Magnum)

Heyo! My name is Danny (previously known as Magnum). My foster mom said that after being with me for ten minutes, she knew that I was a keeper. I've been getting along really well with my new sister, Tess, but I'm still pretty confused as to what cats are and what purpose they serve. My new family very quickly observed my ability to leap and soar through the air, so they're signing me up for agility in the very near future. I'm a total cuddle bug and love snuggling up to my family, but I can switch gears very quickly and be seen racing around the yard with Tess in pursuit. She'll never catch me! I'm so happy to be in my forever home!!!

Lily (Formerly Adrian)

We have so much to be thankful for this time of year, and we are so grateful to your organization for the gift of our lab Lily (formerly Adrian). We adopted Lily 4 1/2 years ago in the summertime. As newlyweds we wanted to adopt our first dog and addition to our family and Lily has been such a precious gift. In this time she has been swimming for the first time in Lake Geneva, been to the dog park numerous times, made friends with all of our dog neighbors and family dogs, became a cancer survivor of a mast cell tumor over a year ago now, and most importantly our cherished companion and best friend. She loves going for car rides and walks and playing fetch with tennis balls in our back yard. She greets us at the door with a bone and a friendly hello and she will be a big sister to our first baby this March. We can't thank you enough for what you do in rescuing dogs like Lily and giving them a second chance to find a forever home. You gave us the chance to adopt Lily. To us she is not just a dog, but a family member and we love her so much. I've included a picture of Lily waiting for my husband to arrive home. This is her favorite spot by the window and whenever one of us is gone, she patiently waits and watches out the window for us to return home.
Merry Christmas,
Sara, Eric, Lily and baby Muller
PS-Keep up all the great work you do!

Jefferson

We are enjoying him immensely and he has become an important part of our family. It's hard to believe it's only been four months since he came to us from MLRR!! He has a wonderful gentle and calm personality and loves to cuddle. But he also is very helpful in keeping Maya (our too-aggressive Lab mix) in line; he is just what she needed! He also keeps to a very strict schedule (we call him the "canine alarm clock") and is up at 6 every morning, wanting his breakfast. Fortunately, he has learned what "back to bed" means, and lets us sleep in when we want to! Here is a photo so you can see Jefferson in his "forever home"!
-Diane J.

Daisy

Daisy is doing really well. Every week we see changes in her behavior that say that she is adjusting to her new home. This past week we have noticed that she and Cuyler (our other Lab) have started sleeping closer together than in the past. They still don't touch, but are becoming more used to living together. They play together sometimes.. There is still some competition between them for our attention, but I expect that's normal. Daisy finished obedience school. She wasn't the best student in the class, and we continue to work with her at home. But going to class has calmed her down quite a bit. She loves her walks and "campaigns" for a walk every morning after she has had her breakfast. And she has taken on the doggie-job of protecting our yard from squirrels and deer. Once she almost climbed a tree to get to a squirrel. She is a very affectionate girl, and loves to get her belly and head scratched. And she has really bonded with Jeff and I. We feel very fortunate that we adopted her and made her part of our family.
-Betsy

Roscoe

I have to say that having Roscoe join our family has been one of life's greatest blessings. We really could not have written a description of a dog and gotten a better one. He's loving, obedient, 'talkative', great with our kids, a great exercise partner, just an overall joy to have around. We went camping this summer in Wisconsin on our friends 20 acre property. Roscoe LOVES it there, to say the least! Thanks for checking in with us, I hope the picture shows you how happy he is and how happy we are with him. Take care,
-Tina B.