apollo

Meet: Apollo
Available as Foster-to-Adopt
DOG'S INFORMATION
Name, Age, Gender: Apollo, 2 years old (DOB: 5/11/2024), Male, neutered
Color, Weight: Yellow, 95 lbs (overweight, down and floppy ears, normal Labrador coat)
Reason for Surrender: Legal owner had an abrupt move to housing that strictly prohibits animals. Apollo is temporarily staying with a friend, but her landlord also forbids pets, making rescue placement necessary.
Location: Spencer, WV (Caregiver is willing to drive 3–4 hours into Virginia to meet an approved foster or adopter)
MEDICAL INFORMATION
Spay/Neuter Status: Neutered
UTD On Vaccines: Rabies is current. Distemper/Parvo/Lepto and Bordetella boosters need updating. Last veterinary visit was in March 2026 at Rock Lake Veterinary Care.
Health Concerns: Overweight (95 lbs). Uses Douxo S3 PYO antiseptic/antifungal wipes for skin maintenance.
Heartworm Status: Not tested recently; needs an updated heartworm test.
When was Heartworm and Flea and tick meds given?: Not currently on heartworm or flea/tick preventatives.
DOG'S SOCIAL EXPERIENCE
Dog Friendly: Dog tolerant/friendly; good as an only dog or with another companion. During the evaluation, he was introduced to a neutered male Lab mix and ignored the other dog because he remained completely focused on his person.
Play Style: Easygoing, indifferent to slightly playful with other dogs.
How does your dog approach other dogs?: Calm/indifferent approach. He does not lunge or display stiff posture; during testing, he showed no reactivity and simply ignored unfamiliar dogs.
Is the dog pushy/bossy or easy going?: Easygoing. He does not demand dominance over other pets.
Is your dog confident/nervous/uneasy/anxious/shy?: Can be a little shy or nervous initially and need time to warm up to brand new surroundings or unfamiliar people, but warms up quickly, wags loosely, and leans in for affection.
Cat Friendly: Good with cats. Currently lives with an indoor cat. He views the cat as a potential play buddy and may engage in playful chase inside the home, but shows no aggression or intent to harm. They sleep near each other and will lay together on the bed.
Exposure to Children: Outstanding. Great with children of all ages, toddler and up. Lived with and actively exposed to kids ages 9, 11, 12, and 14, as well as a disabled toddler (18 mo). Indeed, he will seek to be near the 18 month old, and sleep by her side. If she was in the swing, he would sleep near her.
How does the dog respond to kids?: Loose posture, extremely affectionate, playful, and very gentle. He loves kiddos of all ages, plays chase and peekaboo, and is a big, gentle teddy bear around them.
People Preferences—Men, Women, Children: Loves everyone. Comfortable with men, women, and especially loves children of all ages.
Friendly/Social or Needs time to warm up: Friendly and social. May let out an initial bark or act slightly shy for a moment when meeting someone new, but warms up very fast and leans in for petting.
BEHAVIOR, TRAINING AND EXERCISE
Leash Skills: Pulls on leash. Needs continued loose-leash training, especially given his 95-lb size.
Tools used for walking: Flat collar or standard harness with treats.
Commands that the dog knows and/or working on: Knows Sit, Stay, and Come.
Food Motivated or Toy Motivated: Very toy motivated (loves tennis balls and retrieving) and responds well to treats in the home. Evaluator noted he is not overly food-driven in new environments.
Energy Level: Active but can be calm. High energy during active playtime with kids or fetch, but settles quietly inside the home and in his crate.
Exercise Requirements: Needs regular daily exercise (neighborhood walks and yard games of fetch/chase) to burn off energy and help him slim down from 95 lbs. In his temporary foster home without a fence, exercise has been primarily indoor play and fetch.
Behavior Issues: Jumps up when excited to greet people. Can bark initially when someone arrives. Has stress signals of heavy panting, pacing, and shedding when overwhelmed or during loud events like fireworks. No bite history, no separation anxiety, and no destructive habits inside the home.
Reactivity/Aggressive behaviors: None. No food aggression, no resource guarding with toys, food, beds, or humans, and zero aggression toward dogs or people.
Personality Quirks: Loves playing peekaboo with kids. Leans his full 95 lbs right into you for affection and full-body scratches.
Things that make them special or unique: Exceptionally sweet, patient, and gentle with children of all ages, toddler and up, including special-needs children.
Overall temperament/Personality: Affectionate, gentle, playful, people-pleasing, loyal, and loving.
How does your dog do at the vet?: Nervous during veterinary exams. Enjoys being petted and handled all over, but needs a gentle, patient touch during clinical visits.

HOME AND YARD
House Trained?: Solidly house-trained. Communicates his need to go out by barking, pacing, or scratching gently at the door.
How long is the dog currently home alone?: Crates quietly for 8–9 hours during a normal workday without issue.
Crate Trained: Fully crate-trained. Goes right in on the "bedtime" command, settles quietly, and does not whine, bark, or try to break out.
Yard Requirements: No specific fence requirements per evaluation, but a physical fence is ideal for safe fetch and romping. Has no history of bolting or escaping.
Would the dog be a good fit for an apartment, condo or townhouse? Best suited for a single-family home with a yard or an active family who will commit to daily structured walks. His large size (95 lbs) and tendency to bark when excited might challenge tight apartment living.
Fears: Loud noises like fireworks. Requires calming meds for July 4.
How well does your dog travel in the car?: Loves car rides. Jumps right into the back seat, sits or lies down comfortably, and watches out the window without getting carsick or anxious.
Prey Drive: Low to moderate. Will chase a cat playfully if the cat runs, but does not harm and sleeps peacefully alongside resident cats.
Sleep Habits: Sleeps quietly in his crate overnight.
Exposed to other animals: Exposed to cats and male/female dogs.
Special or favorite toys or activities: Loves balls, toys, and retrieving games.
Bathing and Grooming: Comfortable with grooming, wearing collars/harnesses, and having his paws, mouth, and tail handled. Loves being touched all over.
Counter Surfer/Gets in trash?: No issues reported.
What Brand of dog food are you feeding?: Pedigree.
Quick Review!
Dog friendly: Yes (Tolerant and indifferent; fine with other dogs)
Cat friendly: Yes (Lives with an indoor cat)
Dog Reactive: No
Exposure to kids: Yes (Great with children of all ages, toddler and up; gentle with special-needs kids)
Separation anxiety: No
Loves Attention: Yes (Big leaner and cuddler)
Enjoys walks: Yes (Pulls on leash; needs loose-leash consistency)
Loves to retrieve: Yes (Loves balls and fetch)
Enjoys Swimming: Unknown / Not formally tested
Couch potato: Active outdoors/with kids, but settles calmly indoors and in his crate