Update: Oakley is loving his foster home with a pool and enjoying daily swims. He is housebroken and very sweet and well behaved in the house. He is trustworthy home alone as long as there are no counter surfing opportunities. He has been going on daily runs with his foster mom and is sometimes reactive to other dogs on leash but is manageable. Update: Oakley spent about 10 days in a temporary foster home. He was reportedly super affectionate and good with visitors. A bit energetic but calms down after the initial excitement. Walked well on leash with no reactivity and generally responsive to training. The foster had eight chickens who were allowed to free roam in the yard and they were able to teach Oakley to ignore the chickens. He seems to really enjoy being outside and would do well with a big yard to explore. Update: Oakley has made remarkable progress since he first arrived. It's truly unbelievable. We have been dedicating more time to training and building trust with him, and he has shown great improvement. Here are the positives we have observed: -Oakley is much better on a leash now, with minimal pulling and is easy to correct. He also sits automatically most of the time when we stop. He is mostly non-reactive to other dogs. He exchanges friendly sniffs when close enough to other dogs and then that's it. -When instructed, he patiently waits in front of his food until he's released to eat, demonstrating self-control. -Lately, he has settled down significantly and has been following commands more consistently. -He seems to have little to no separation anxiety and is fine when home alone loose in the back yard either alone or with our Lab when we're away. We've left him alone about 6-8 hours multiple times and he's very happy to see us when we return. -He feels secure and enjoys his crate at night. He willingly goes inside when a broken-up dog treat is thrown in and sleeps through the night without a sound. -Although he can be a bit socially awkward initially, he shows a desire to play well with other dogs after the introductory period. Additionally, he has had no issues with humans. -He actively seeks attention from humans and is improving in respecting personal boundaries. -Oakley thrives on routine and is eager to please his people. -He has made significant progress with counter surfing and may have overcome that behavior entirely. -Overall he is not much of a barker, does not react to the doorbell. We are currently working on the following areas for further improvement: -Oakley tends to dash out opportunistically through doors and has difficulty with recall. However, his adventures outside the neighborhood are becoming shorter and shorter. -He doesn't seem to be motivated by treats when he's excited or distracted, but can be easily caught as he pauses to sniff or pee. -Oakley is getting better at releasing balls, toys, and other items, but he can be stubborn, and his strong jaw makes it difficult to pry things open. -On occasions, he has gotten into and consumed bathroom and garage trash when given the opportunity. -There have been very rare instances (2-3 times) of marking/urinating indoors, but we closely monitor him to prevent any accidents. A note from Oakley: Hey there. My name is Oakley. I just had my birthday this month and I am now three years old. People say I have a gorgeous chocolate coat and beautiful smile. I am a super happy dog considering my current circumstances. My family was no longer able to keep me where they were living so I went to the shelter. Then last week a doctor stole my prize jewels however, I am feeling much calmer so that’s a plus. I am now living with a wonderful foster family that is giving me a loving home where I get to play with another chocolate like myself but she is a girl. I like girls. We are getting along really well. I’ve been showing my new foster family all the great things I can do and they seem impressed because they tell me often what a good boy I am. I’ve shown them how I take treat softly and don’t inhale my food. I am a pro at using the doggie door, riding in the car and can sleep in the crate at night. I also sit perfectly and shake. I’ve also showing them how I can protect them in their house by barking loudly when I hear strangers but I stop once they tell me it’s OK. I love to be outside and fetch a ball. I also toss my stuffy up in the air to play and entertain myself. I’ve heard I’m quite adorable. So if you ask me, I am the perfect addition to a family. However, I’ve overheard my foster parents discussing a few things about me. I guess my original family didn’t train me very well. I guess I need to work on personal space a bit. I didn’t realize I can’t be 1 inch from your face or climb all over you. I didn’t realize I was so heavy. They also said I need some work on leash training. I’m very strong and excited and want to zig-zag when I walk. But I’m getting better at learning how to please my owners. My foster parents did see me get very excited when I saw some male dogs and cats. Luckily for me they realize quickly that I don’t like them very much so we went the other way. While I eat my food at a normal pace, I do like to surf the counters and find any extra treats available to me. So we’re working on that as well. The good news is because they’re working with me on the items above they give me lots of treats when I do the right thing and that’s motivating to me. I still have a little puppy left of me, so sometimes if a toy is left out, I may chew on it. And while I do have some puppy energy in me, some good time at the park or a good run each day will allow me to relax and snuggle in for the rest of the day. So if you’re looking for a hunk of dark chocolate to love, and are dedicated to putting in the time to exercise and work with me, look no further. I’m your boy! Intro: Who is this stunning, hunk of a dog?!?! Say hello to Oakley!! Oakley was found as a stray and was turned into the area shelter. He was not chipped and surprisingly no one came to claim him. He is a big strong guy and is absolutely gorgeous. Shelter volunteers describe him as "friendly, playful, energetic, very smart, and he knows sit and shake commands". We can attest to the fact that he is very friendly. He responds well to affection and lets you get right up to his face to pet him and tell him how handsome he is. Check out my YouTube video https://youtu.be/sQcH-StZzxo?si=MshqGDuRmK2LP51e