Dog profile for Houdini the Great!, a male Labrador Retriever/Golden Retriever

Labrador Retriever/Golden Retriever

Photo Comments

Home:Arlington, TX

[I have a diary!]

Age: 14 Years Sex: Male Weight: 100+ lbs

Dogster stats for Houdini the Great!


Stars:

Leave a bone for Houdini the Great!

Nicknames:
Big Boy, Houdini Weinie-what can I say...it rhymes!

Doggie Dynamics:

Energy

sleepy		energetic

Intelligence

silly		genius

Friendliness

aggressive		affectionate

Playfulness

not playful		very playful

Disposition

anxious		calm

Sun Sign:

Quick Bio:

-pound dog

-dog rescue

Birthday:
May 18th 1998

Likes:
He loves to walk around the neighborhood at night

Pet-Peeves:
He refuses to share any type of goody he has found. He will fight for it.

Favorite Toy:
He loves the bones from the butcher!

Favorite Food:
If possible, he will try to steal Paddington's empty can of moist dog food out of the recycle bin.

Favorite Walk:
around the neighborhood

Best Tricks:
escaping (hence the name Houdini), shaking and sitting

Arrival Story:
ABOUT HOUDINI THE GREAT: Houdini is a very calm, quiet, gentle ole giant (100lbs). He gets along great with all 4 of my shelter dogs, 2 foster dogs and ignores cats & parrots. Houdini & my youngest shelter dog hang out and play. So, Houdini would enjoy the company of other dogs in his adoptive household. He never begs or jumps up. He will let you know if he needs to go outside at night by gently putting his enormous paw on the bed a few times in a row dragging it off so it makes a sound. He loves people, adults and kids. He knows how to use a doggie door and is 100% housetrained in case you don't have a doggie door. He knows how to walk on a leash, sit, shake and stay. Houdini is in his 4th week of AKC Canine Good Citizen training and doing great just like I expected. He was found with a training collar on, but was never claimed at the shelter & was schedule to be PTS. I couldn't let that happen, so I sponsored his adoption fee, agreed to foster him & have sponsored all the cost of his care because Houdini is a dream dog. He is an excelent canadate for hospital/nursing home visits. He is a gentle giant.

Bio:
HOW HOUDINI CAME INTO MY LIFE: On April 15, I spotted him at night walking along a busy street. He would not come to me, so I wasn't able to get him and instead posted a bulletin on craigslist that I had spotted him. Then a month later, I saw him again on the same street around the same time. This time I was able to get him. He has a training collar on and a canvas collar on, but no tags. On examination, this sweet old gentlemen had not had an owner who took care of him. His nails were too long, one of his canine teeth is broken and needs to be sealed, he was infested with fleas and flea poo, he had infections in both ears and he had never been neutered. It was obvious this guy has been neglected for quite some time. Since the locaL shelter was closed, he stayed at my best friend's house till I could come back and retreive him the next morning. The next day I took him to Arlington Animal Shelter to see if he was microchipped. NOPE! I had to go out of town, so I left him there and made plans to check on him at the shelter the following week. I posted his picture and info about him on craigslist. His owner never came to claim him, so on May 11th, he was up for adoption. On May 15, someone filled out an application to adopt him. At that time, the shelter does a heartworm test on the dog. Poor Houdini, then named Sunny by the shelter, tested positive and the adopters opted out to not adopt Sunny. I was notified he would be put down 2 days later on 5/18/09. I had been contacted in the meantime by Pound Pals who offered to help find him a home if I could find a dependable foster home. So, on 5/18/09, I adopted Sunny, now Houdini. After being neutered and vaccinated, I took him home to my pack of dogs on 5/19/09 crossing my fingers that they would all get along. Houdini is so laid back, he doesn't care who is in his face and who is sniffing him where. So far it's working out beautifully. The only downside of this dog is the fact he has an intense urge to walk the neighborhood at night. None of my 4 dogs have ever gotten out of our fence, but Houdini, which is the largest at my house, squeezes his big, but skinny body out between the fence and the gate. My only option, walk old Houdini at night! Apparently he must have gotten into a routine of being let out at night to walk by his previous owner. The only time he got out where I did not locate him on his walk, he actually came back to our house and stood at the screen door and waiting until the dogs barking got my son to look out the door and see Houdini waiting to get back in. So, within a week, he already knows where is he staying and how to get back. UPDATE: Houdini starts his year long heartworm treatment 10/1/2009. Since he is a senior this is the only safe method to get rid of the heartworms. So until Houdini will be with me for another year. I wish we would have started in May, but that didn't happen.

Forums Motto:
Night Walks Rock!

The Groups I'm In:
♥ Paws with a Purpose ♥, ~~~*♥Dog Park USA♥*~~~

I've Been On Dogster Since:

May 29th 2009