Update 12/20/10

No Small Kids (under 8 yrs) and no cats in Moby's forever home please!

Moby insists on saying "GHJKPUIO" which is "HI" in nose-typing.  His nose is the smallest part of him, but is about four keys wide on my keyboard.  Moby has some ideas about what his forever home should offer, so I will translate here:

1. Cookies!!!!

2. Many Many Many FOODs!!!

3. Toys!!!

4. Huu-mans, lots of them, so they can pet me a LOT.  And they can throw my ball for me.  And take me for walks. It is okay if the huu-mans is untrained, I fix that!

Moby is all about having fun. He is a very large framed dog now, about 19 months old, but is still a lot of puppy, around 85 lbs. of PLAYPLAYPLAY.  He knows basic obedience, walks well on a leash (we use a gentle leader), and is very well behaved at events and in crowds.  He also crates well, and rides in a harness in the car.  He will try his best to do whatever you ask of him, and has a heart of gold.

So, Moby has few "wants" in his forever home, but there are several things that that he "needs". Please keep these in mind if you are interested in him:

1.  A secure fenced in yard, not electronic, no tethering for this guy.  The fencing needs to be at least 52" high if non-climb or privacy fence.  Six feet high is recommended for chain link fencing.  Moby can jump 48" from a stand still.  He has very muscular hind legs, and he is a big dog: Over 28" at the shoulder and over 33"long.  Anatolians are bred to guard perimeters, and Moby likes to patrol his fencelines, especially in the evening. For this reason, those who live in urban and suburban areas need to understand and work with this behavior. There are simple things an owner can do to work with this, but reading up on Livestock Guardian Dogs would be a good first step.

2. Moby also needs an owner who is confident and knowledgeable. Experience with working or herding breeds is best, Sporting dog experience may also be considered, especially if the experience is with higher energy "field" lines. Hunt training, tracking, agility, obedience or related experience is strongly desired.

3. Moby is a lover, but also, in a word, a "handful".  If Moby does not have something to do, he will find something to entertain himself with.  If his handler does not give him clear directions, he will quickly decide the direction they are going in.  He has a fantastic retrieve, coupled with outstanding athleticism, and a tremendous intelligence and drive. He is best suited to an owner who loves this type of dog, and welcomes shaping him to do something "interesting": pulling a sled, skijoring, carrying a backpack on hikes, running agility patterns or tracking a lost person through the woods. 

4. Despite what Moby thinks onknoknoknjl (he is frantically trying to type with his nose here) he needs to be matched carefully with his future doggie playmates.  He is not aggressive, but a doggie dork bmniopmbn (Moby insists he is just overly handsome and perfect in every way, all other dogs should recognize this!!!) since he missed some socialization with other dogs when he was younger.  He is fine on a lead, good with tolerant/laid back dogs or those that love to play constantly, but can really be annoying to some dogs used to the finer points of social protocol (or do not agree that they should kiss the ground that Moby walks upon).

So, we are looking for an outstanding home for Moby, the Great White Puppy.  If you are a consistent runner and are looking for a partner as you train for your next marathon, Moby would be it. If you are looking to compete in Agility, Flyball, or Dock Diving with your dog, Moby is an excellent choice.  If you do SAR (search and rescue), Moby would love it.

Update 8/10/2010:

Moby is a very big puppy with a heart of gold.  He is willing to do whatever it takes to
please his humans, and loves to play play play.  Moby was raised with a toy dog,
children, and cats. If there was one word to describe this dog it is HAPPY. He is always
wagging his entire behind and wriggling with joy. 

Moby is mostly Yellow Labrador Retriever, with a smidgen of German Shepherd mixed in. He
is a very large and muscular dog, full of puppy love power. He does not know his own
strength, however, so must be placed in a home with children no younger than 8 years old.
Most of his time is spent being a huge goof, inventing new ways to have fun.  He loves to
climb onto snowbanks, flip over onto his back and surf upside down on his back to the
bottom and the RUN up to the top to do it all over again.  He likes his crate, will try
his best to do whatever you want for the teeniest bit of food, and is confident in new
situations.

Moby is currently fostered with other large dogs and cats.  He has been exposed to horses
and other livestock.  He is respectful of gates, and is usually a quiet dog. He does have
a very robust bark if he does think he needs to voice his opinion.

Prospective adopters for Moby MUST have a securely fenced yard. Prior large dog
experience with the working/herding/sporting groups is required.  Moby's new family
should plan to attend obedience classes with him and it would be best if he had another
dog to romp with at his new home. He is extremely smart, and would excel at agility,
tracking, or other doggy sports.  He could also be an excellent therapy dog. 

Moby is a bit on the pudgy side at the moment, but that is changing rapidly as he is
getting much more exercise.  He is UTD on all his shots, and is HW negative. Moby is
still growing, but should mature under 100lbs.

Updated 3/28/10

Moby is now eleven months old,fast becoming sleek and even more beautiful, exercise and play with all of the dogs here have replaced his puppy fat with muscle.  Last night we took in a few little pups, and Moby was right there to tell me when they were squeaking, coming out of the laundry room, as if to tell me, "Ma, you need to check on the pups, they are squeaking!"  This morning, he was out in the puppy enclosure, gently jumping in and out, carefully breaking up the puppy squabbles if anyone squealed, letting them jump and paw all over him. He was so gentle, even though he is nearly 100#s, he carefully placed each paw to make sure he never stepped on them.  He wanted to be in the pen, making sure the pups were safe, not out anywhere else. He has a heart of pure gold.

Moby enjoyed going to events with us, he LOVES all other dogs, LOVES everyone he sees.  (Many people think he may have a little bit of Great Pyrenees in his mix, he has very large feet.) He still gets excited, yes, but he is learning to control his puppy energy (he is truly horrified if he gets a "yipe!" for accidentally bumping me) and is now offering a "sit" and sometimes a "down" to get praise or a little taste of whatever I am working on in the kitchen. He especially enjoys tummy rubs in front of the TV.

He is doing well on the leash, knows the "lay down" command, and is very good in the house (not one accident, ever!).  He has done very well with small children, but since he can get excited and forget he is not a small puppy himself, we still recommend a home with children over 8 years old.  Moby is a GREAT dog, looking for a good family to call his own.

If you are interested in giving this fabulous young pup a home, please fill out an
application.