Pretty Bobbi is a wonderful 12-year-old female chocolate Labrador Retriever who came into rescue due to a relationship breakup. She is in an Oldies Club foster home in Telford, Shropshire, waiting for someone to offer her a permanent home.
Summary: Bobbi is a lovely girl who is fine with dogs and has previously lived with cats and children. She’d like a home with someone around a lot of the time but she can be left for 2 or 3 hours with no problems. Bobbi is doing well on her diet and gradually losing weight. She enjoys steady walks where she can have a good old sniff. Bobbi’s foster carer has never heard her bark!
Quickly settled: It only took Bobbi a few days to settle at her foster home. She enjoys routines, food and being with someone.
Can be left for 2-3 hours: Bobbi would love a home with someone around for most of the day as she likes to be with people, but she has been fine when left, with the resident terrier, for up to 3 hours. When left, she lies on a dog bed in her fosterer’s bedroom, or on the cool lino near the front door. Her fosterer observed this on camera.
Fine with dogs: Bobbi gets along fine with the resident terrier and could live with another dog in her new home. Bobbi is interested if she sees a dog when out, and if she’s off the lead will go up to sniff; her hackles raise but there is no growling.
Has lived with cats: We were told that Bobbi has lived with cats previously. She has seen cats while in foster, and been in the same room as a cat. She didn’t react.
Used to children: We were told that Bobbi used to live with children and loved them. In foster, the only interaction she’s had with children was when she met a 7-year-old while out on walk. The child stroked her and Bobbi was relaxed. We think that Bobbi should be fine to live with children who are used to being around big dogs and are old enough to respect an older dog’s need for peace and quiet.
Enjoys a walk and a sniff: Lovely Bobbi walks without pulling on the lead. She enjoys sniffing, not just walking. Off the lead she follows her fosterer and their dog (which is on the lead). Bobbi’s recall is non-existent. She doesn’t react to her name but does seem to notice when you get too far away and tries to run to catch up – she is just delayed by a good sniff! She has attempted to scavenge food that has been thrown down when off lead, so that is something to watch out for. Bobbi has built up to 30 minutes (1 mile) of walking a day, which has been a mixture of walking on lead, some time off lead, then back on lead. She likes to stop for quite a while to sniff, and she also enjoys lying down in puddles!
Very good in the car: Bobbi loves the car and tries to get in before you suggest it! She quite happily jumps into her foster carer’s vehicle, but it isn’t particularly high. She might need a bit of assistance for getting into a taller car, or into the boot, by lifting her bottom. She lies down in the car and travels in a relaxed manner, quietly.
Bobbi’s favourite pastimes: Bobbi likes being with her human and going everywhere with her human if possible – and eating! She also enjoys her 2 walks a day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon between her lunchtime meal and early evening meal. She occasionally carries a toy and parades around the human if they are telling her how clever she is! At home she will follow the human wherever they go. If the human sits down, Bobbi will lie next to them, and if she can, will put her head on their foot.
No dislikes: Bobbi’s fosterer has not noticed anything that Bobbi is frightened of, nor dislikes. The fosterer has not heard Bobbi bark!
Bobbi’s ideal home: She would love to live with you if you are retired, or at home most of the day, and need motivation to get out for a short walk a couple of times a day. Bobbi is sociable with other dogs, so you can chat with others who are out with their dogs. Bobbi may be able to walk further than currently as she loses weight. Her exercise has been built up slowly, due to her weight and some very hot weather. She has lost 2.8 kg so far but does still slow down towards the end of the walk, although her increase in energy generally is evident. She is an ideal dog for someone who enjoys a nice steady walk, no need to rush and with no time constraints – someone who doesn’t mind stopping while she has a good sniff!
Sleeping arrangements: At night, Bobbi sleeps on the floor on a duvet covered with a blanket, next to the fosterer’s bed. During the day she will sleep near wherever the human is, but also has a bed/duvet in the living room.
Health notes: Bobbi is neutered, vaccinated (next due July 2025), microchipped, wormed and flea treated. She is overweight (currently 36 kg) but has already lost almost 3 kg. Her diet consists of 3 small meals of dry food of 2 ounces each meal topped up with a lot of mixed vegetables or chopped raw carrots. She has a dog chew after each walk – this is included in the diet! – and has a broken-up chew on her bed, for her to sniff out, at bedtime or when left at home. She has her ears cleaned twice a week and as it is thought that allergies are affecting her ears she has 2 Piriton tablets every 8 hours. She has arthritis which is being treated with an anti-inflammatory daily and a Librela injection every 28 days. Bobbi has a few fatty lumps that just need an eye kept on them going forward.
More from Bobbi’s foster carer: Bobbi is friendly, responsive, devoted and gentle. A sweet-natured girl, Bobbi’s life revolves around her human and food! She will pace around or stare at her human when mealtimes are near and was obese when she arrived in Oldies Club care, so has been on a diet to reduce weight slowly. She paces around in the evenings as she gets a chew at bedtime (and wants to hurry it along!) – a chopped-up carrot often satisfies her. She is becoming livelier as she loses weight, weighing 36.1 kg now. Her optimum weight would be 32 kg. She just wants to be with you. She travels happily in the car. She would be a great pub dog! She is also happy to snooze during the day if you want/need to. She welcomes physical praise and wags her tail. The perfect pet!
If you would like to offer Bobbi a permanent home, please read our Adoption Procedures for information about the adoption process. You can then contact an Oldies Club Rehoming Coordinator as follows:
Email: rehome@oldies.org.uk
Telephone: 0844 586 8656
She can be rehomed anywhere on the UK mainland – the closer to her foster home the better – subject to a satisfactory home visit. Note that you will be required to travel to the foster home to collect her.
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If you would love to offer a home to an oldie but your circumstances aren’t suitable, perhaps you would be kind enough to sponsor one of the special oldies we are caring for that, due to health problems, are unlikely to be offered a permanent home.