Meet Fred.

Princeton, MN · 1 year 3 months · Labrador Retriever / Shepherd / Mixed (short coat)

Listed since Dec 23, 2025. Listing dates do not establish shelter intake or continuous availability.

First seen by Goodmorph Oct 30, 2026.

Rescue last updated: Feb 17, 2026

In the shelter’s words

Fred- He absolutely loves people of all ages—kids included—and is happiest when he’s near his humans, soaking up attention and affection. Fred is very people-focused and motivated by praise rather than food; he truly wants to please and seeks human approval above all else. Here’s a sweet video of Fred. He’s been raised around other animals and does wonderfully with them. Fred currently lives with four cats and adores them all, eagerly trying to play and befriend them. Because he’s still a puppy and unaware of his size and strength, his enthusiasm can sometimes be a bit much—but his intentions are purely playful, never aggressive. With guidance and structure, he’ll continue learning appropriate boundaries. Fred is a smart boy with a natural protective instinct. He’ll patrol the yard and bark if someone approaches, but once they get closer, he tends to back away with a little hesitation, showing more uncertainty than guarding behavior. He listens well and is already picking up basic commands, especially when encouraged with affection and positive attention. This handsome pup loves toys—especially stuffed toys and small squeaky ones. One of his cutest traits is howling while he chews on squeakers, clearly enjoying every second. He has a nice balance of energy: playful and energetic at times, then calm and relaxed at others. During his higher-energy moments, he really shines with interaction, training, or a “job” to do. He enjoys learning and thrives with consistent engagement. Without an outlet, he can get extra playful with the cats, so enrichment and routine will be key for his continued success. Fred does great in a fenced yard and shows no interest in digging or escaping. He’s been around chickens, barn cats, and baby goats and doesn’t show much of a prey drive, making him a promising candidate for homes with other animals or even a farm-style environment. He rides well in the car, doesn’t get carsick, and loves classic puppy activities like kisses, gentle wrestling, and exploring with his people close by. Found abandoned at the end of a long dirt road in rural Texas, Fred has proven to be resilient, trusting, and deeply loyal. Because he’s been raised in outdoor kennels, he’ll need an adopter ready to help him learn indoor living basics, routines, and continued training. With patience, structure, and love, Fred has all the tools to grow into an incredible companion. Overall, Fred is intelligent, loyal, playful, calm, and incredibly sweet—a really good dog with so much potential. He’d be a wonderful match for an active home, adopters who enjoy training and interaction, or anyone ready to guide a young puppy into a confident, loving family member. If you are interested in getting to know this animal better, please fill out an adoption application. An adoption application is the best way to show your interest in an animal and is not a binding contract. To learn more about Ruff Start’s adoption process and the care our foster animals receive, please visit our How to Adopt page. *Rescue puppies are notorious for losing their birth certificates before entering our rescue. We cannot guarantee the breed or size they will be full grown.* If you are unable to adopt but want to help this animal and others in our care, you can donate to support the medical and veterinary needs of all Ruff Start Rescue animals.

RescueGroups record ID: 22147789

What this home needs

• Other dogs

  Mentioned by the shelter

  “Feed checkbox: Yes”

  Not a verified observation — ask staff about the context. A positive shelter report may support search results; it remains unverified and needs confirmation.

  Shelter statement ↗
• Cats

  Mentioned by the shelter

  “Feed checkbox: Yes”

  Not a verified observation — ask staff about the context. A positive shelter report may support search results; it remains unverified and needs confirmation.

  Shelter statement ↗
• Children

  Mentioned by the shelter

  “Feed checkbox: Yes”

  Not a verified observation — ask staff about the context. A positive shelter report may support search results; it remains unverified and needs confirmation.

  Shelter statement ↗
• Still to ask the shelter

  housing and stairs · medical and care. These details are not documented here; unknown does not mean no.

Roster last seen: Nov 1, 2026, 6:13 AM UTC
Goodmorph last synced: Nov 1, 2026, 6:13 AM UTC
Availability confirmed by a person: Not confirmed

Shelter staff and authorized volunteers: add a dated observation

This shared profile remains available for up to 90 days after it leaves the source roster, unless removal is requested sooner. Adoptions and applications are handled by the shelter.