Meet Stabler, a goofy young pup that will make you laugh. A happy boy with a smile to match, he is comfortable with everyone he meets. He adores attention and loves to wiggle into your arms for hugs, lie in your lap while enjoying a bone, or play tug-of-war with you!

Stabler loves to play with other dogs and can happily wear out another playful dog. He will do well with a playful dog and/or a dog that sets clear boundaries verbally, which he respects. He is still learning to read passive dog body language and can be too persistent for some dogs. Similarly, while Stabler does not hurt cats, he gets very excited around them. We will arrange meet-and-greets with any pets in the home to ensure a good fit.

Stabler already knows commands including Sit, Down (with duration), Leave it, and Touch, all of which he picked up within 30 minutes! He loves doing basic commands with his foster mom every day. He has a lot of energy and does best with some activity (letting out in a yard, some basic obedience, playing with toys, going for a walk) every 2-4 hours during the day. He loves toys so much he spreads little pieces of them all over! It is so enjoyable to watch him play with his toys in silly ways (such as holding the toys above him while he lays belly-up). That said, there is nothing he loves more than being right next to a person and getting a rub down, playing tug-of-war, or getting any sort of attention from them!

Stabler is crate-trained and house-trained. He is very smart and has picked up on house-rules quickly, but it is still recommended that he be crated or kept in a small area when unsupervised since he gets bored easy. Although he does pull frequently, he is walkable with his double-clip harness and goes for walks with his foster mom most days. He is getting ongoing training to pull less on the leash, and he has made some decent progress in a few months. A fenced yard is recommended given his higher energy, it is really easy to let him run around outside with a fenced yard, but a fence yard is not required if the potential adopter's lifestyle can meet his activity needs. If you are looking for a companion who will make you laugh and burn off some energy, Stabler is the perfect handsome guy to do so!

HISTORY
Stabler was found in Durham by a Good Samaritan.

HEALTH
Stabler is neutered, microchipped, current on vaccinations, and heartworm negative.

PHYSICAL
Stabler has a striking white coat and an adorable black patch over one eye.

IAR subsidizes post-adoption professional training with Eliana Cellucci at Project Paws (https://projectpawsdogtraining.com/) to encourage a life-long and successful bond between the dog and the adopter. Group classes for puppies and adult dogs as well as private training sessions are provided at a substantial discount to IAR adopters.