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MARLEY

15 months old, blonde, 69 lbs, male, AKC

Medical Update - Click Here

Marley's Photos

Marley was surrendered to us by his owner when he and his male littermate decided they could no longer get along…this is actually very common with same sex littermates once they reach maturity…clearly sibling rivalry is not reserved just for human ‘littermates’.

Marley, as you can see is pretty much ‘over the top’ gorgeous! He loves to cuddle and fetch and is a very smart boy. He rides great in the car and was very good with the 4 year old boy he lived with in his original home. He was crate-trained as a puppy and is getting a refresher course now at his foster home. He is ‘all about’ people, devotedly following his foster mom from room to room to, willingly providing her with a head to pet or a belly to rub! He is unknown with cats and, although he is fine with his Golden foster sister, he has a very rough play style and doesn’t ‘get it’ that he is very intimidating. Due to this, we think Marley would be better as an Only Child’ where he can get all the attention and be the apple of his new family’s eye. Marley is a bit scared of thunderstorms but is not destructive; he just wants to be close to his people so you can make those Scary Bad Noises go away.

We had been told that Marley was housebroken but could not be left for long periods of time or he would have an accident. We looked at the vet work from his original owners and noticed he had had blood work and urinalysis done several times which is unusual for a dog so young. Obviously something was not quite right because poor Marley just kept having accidents even after short periods of time. This was hard for Marley, since he was mortified when this happened, and of course for his foster family. Knowing this was not normal behavior for a dog his age, we had numerous additional tests done including an ultra-sound and x-rays and now we know what is wrong with Marley…this poor guy has one completely non-functioning kidney. This is probably a congenital situation that has just gotten worse as he has matured. The good news is that he will have this kidney removed and his prognosis for a completely normal (and long) life is excellent. Just as is true with people, dogs can live just fine with one kidney…thank goodness for redundant organs!! Soon, possibly for the first time in his life, Marley will be feeling good, be completely healthy and ready start his search for his Forever Home in earnest!

We are committed not only to finding perfect homes for these wonderful dogs who come into our care, but also to doing everything within our power to heal their broken or sick bodies. We have never said ‘no’ to any tests or surgeries due to their cost, even for older dogs, as long as we are assured that the dog will have a good quality of life after it is performed. In Marley’s situation, the bad news is that between all the tests and the surgery this is going to be one very pricey undertaking at somewhere between $2,500 and $3,000. Although we are completely committed to seeing it through (surgery is already scheduled for February 12th) this will put a (un)healthy dent in our not exactly robust coffers at a very early point in the year. Maybe reading this, perhaps while reaching down to stroke your own dog’s head, has struck your heart. If so and you feel you would be able to donate anything (no matter how small the amount) toward Marley’s surgery and more importantly to his new and happy future, all of us, (and especially, Marley) would be forever grateful.

MEDICAL UPDATE - 2/14/08

Remember that game we all played as kids…you know, the one where you stood in a long line and the first person whispered something into the next person’s ear, who whispered what they thought they heard into the next person’s ear and so on. By the time it got to the end of the line it bore no resemblance to what the first person had actually said. That’s kind of what happened with the medical condition information in Marley’s bio. The information passed through so many hands that by the time it got to the person who wrote the bio, it was about a million miles away from correct!

Anyway, the REAL situation was that Marley had a defective ureter…in layman’s terms, the ureters are the tubes that carry the urine from each kidney to the bladder. This was repaired during surgery and Marley now has two perfectly functioning kidneys and is back at his foster home enjoying a little R & R. The veterinary surgeon who did the procedure said there is a chance that a stricture could form from the scar tissue that will naturally develop from the surgery. If this would occur additional surgery could be needed. He needs to have an ultra-sound performed in 1-2 months which will show if this has occurred and the extent of it. GRRCC will, of course, pay for both the ultra-sound and also any additional surgery that might be needed.

So…the prognosis on Marley is even better than we had hoped for. He needs to recover from surgery for a week or two and get his sutures out and then he is ‘Good To Go’.

YEA for Marley…it is with great joy and satisfaction that we know we made a world of difference in the quality of this fine, young dog’s life. Now, what lucky family wants to adopt our Million Dollar (or that’s what it feels like to our credit card ) Dog???

Foster update 3/3/08

(cute new pictures too!)

Marley made it through surgery with ‘flying colors’ and is speeding down the road to recovery!

It appears that the surgery was a ‘success’ since he has not had any accidents in quite some time. He has an ultrasound scheduled in early April to make sure that strictures have not developed but he can go to his new home anytime now and GRRCC will pay for his follow-up care.

Marley is a beautiful dog as you can see from his pictures and is VERY devoted to his foster mom…following her around with a significant and advanced case of hero worship! He will be a wonderful and devoted companion for his Forever Home since he now clearly understands how much fun being a beloved family member can be. Marley loves being with people, and will do best in a home with a stay at home person, one who works from home, or one who only works part time.

Marley will be best as the only dog in the household. He SO loves his people that he is much more settled and calmer when he doesn’t feel he has to vie for their attention. Also, he has a very rough play style (ala: WWF). This can be intimidating or threatening to other, more gentle dogs and can cause some ill will with more dominant dogs that don’t appreciate his antics. He has also got a pretty advanced prey drive so kitties would probably not be a good combination with him. Marley is a very smart dog, which in Golden Retrievers can also mean the tendency to be a bit stubborn. Although he is not an ideal dog for someone who has not had a young large breed dog before as an adult, I am very sure that he will absolutely flourish in a home with a person who is experienced in dog training and can help Marley understand what is expected of him. He would greatly benefit from some obedience classes, as would most young dogs.

As you can see from his new pictures, Marley LOVES the water and would be delighted if his new home had access to a lake or beach that he could make into his own personal swimming pool. He also knows how to ‘chill out’ and have a long nosh on an available bone during down time.

Marley is ready for his Forever Home and is gladly accepting invitations for interviews! With some time, patience and consistent training this is going to one AWESOME dog!

FOSTER UPDATE - March 29, 2008

I just have to tell you both what a marvelous dog Marley is! He has adjusted so nicely. He is a confident and loving dog beyond belief. He will sit, shake, lie down, and will get in his crate on command". I am amazed at how quickly he has learned these things. This boy is a pro at fetch if I have ever seen one. He has stopped mouthing people’s hands almost completely. He will still do it occasionally when being let out of his crate but it is very gentle and he knows it is a ‘no-no’; you can see it in his eyes when he looks at you when he does it. Although he is improving constantly, due to his occasional tendency to still be ‘mouthy’ when excited, he will be better placed in a home with older children (10+). He is so funny… he will bring me items that he knows he cannot have and drop them in my lap as if to say…." Hey Mom, this needs to be put away"! He loves to bring me my teenager’s shoes (which of course are never put where they should be) and he NEVER chews them up - just brings them to me and drops them in my lap, it’s really a hoot! I could go on and on about Marley and he is a super smart boy. I think now that he has rules and consistency, he is better adjusted and knows what we want from him. Honestly, you can see his eyes just beaming with pride when you tell him ‘good boy’ or ‘good job’. He cuddles and snuggles and is appropriate with his indoor behavior and he gets along better with the other dogs now. He understands better how to interact appropriately with them now and he doesn’t just plow into them anymore to engage play but rather he "asks" them to play with him. I still think however, that he might be better as an Only Dog but with access to doggie play dates and the like with a dog of his same size and one that won’t take offense if he occasionally relapses into his WWF play style. This lovely boy really just wants to please His Person and be loved on. He will positively flourish and blossom in a home where his family understands he needs (and craves) consistency and where he recognizes His Human as the Pack Leader. Marley’s ‘rough edges’ are smoothing out and he is rapidly becoming a gem of a dog!

Marley's Photo Album

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