Golden Retriever Rescue Club of Charlotte

Baxter

grrcc — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 00:15:32 +0000

Baxter

Male, 6 Years
Red ~ 102 lbs

<	next available golden>>

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Baxter was surrendered to us by his owners. He had spent his entire life outside in a dog lot and this past spring began getting out of the dog lot during storms to seek cover in neighbor’s garages. His owners were not willing to bring Baxter into the house during bad weather so felt it best that he be surrendered to us.

As you can see from his pictures, Baxter is a gorgeous, shiny deep red color with natural highlights that women spend a whole lot of time and money to achieve! He is admittedly rather portly right now but, after losing 20 lbs or so, will be a good weight at right around 80 lbs. After spending his entire life in a very limited environment, Baxter is truly enjoying his new and expanded world, especially including inside living! Amazingly, he has not had a potty accident inside, although his foster parents are keeping him on a good schedule and rewarding ‘good behavior’ lavishly! He is still coming to grips with some confusing things like loud TV noises and the like…just typical household noises that inside dogs take for granted. As you can tell from the foster updates below, he is coming along nicely and morphing into the Golden we should be. He is learning what toys are for, and how to play ball (and actually how to bring the ball back and drop it). Since he never had toys before, this is a whole new (and delightful) part of his new and improved world. He gets along great with his canine foster siblings. He would like to play with them but they are senior girls and ‘above’ those sort of shenanigans. However, he is respectful of their wishes and sort of gives a ‘doggie sigh’ and goes and lies down after his play bows are ignored by The Girls. He has not been raised with a cat or exposed to them but did tree a neighbor cat that walked into his yard so he might be better off in a feline free home. However, hard to expect a dog not to chase an outside cat the runs from them…simply too much to ask! They are dogs, after all J.

He is perfectly fine in a car although his leash manners need work. Again, this is because he was never on a leash except to go to the vet and has never seen the ‘sights’ one sees on a leash. Just as with learning about inside living/noises, Baxter is making good progress with forgetting about his experientially isolated past life.

Baxter is very good with kids…the young niece and nephew of his original owners would come to visit and he seemed particularly ‘taken’ with them. That said, I think initially Baxter will be happier in a home that has a bit more of a ‘routine’ and maybe not a wild and chaotic environment. He will also need a home where someone is home during the day as he is much more comfortable in storms when he has a person around to calmly reassure him.

Baxter’s New Home will need to have:

-A structural fence

-A person that is home during the day (or only gone a couple of hours total during any given day)

-Other kind natured dogs (large or small) would be fine but he would also be fine as an only dog. Cats are problematic!

Look into his beautiful and soft eyes and you can just see the love and gratitude he will heap on his new family. Baxter is simply a beautiful, sweet, kind soul, looking for his Forever Family and his wonderful new life.

Check back for updates from his foster home

Foster Update December 27th:

FYI, Baxter has become a full fledged family member and he is loving the good life. He has figured out that people are great for delivering head rubs, treats and throwing balls. He is very good with all types of toys and when I say ALL OF THE TOYS I mean it (our floor looks like an obstacle course). We have 6 people and 5 dogs at our house this Christmas. Dog sizes range from Baxter (100lbs) to Levi the puppy dachshund (too small to register on the scale). To quote my brother-in-law — Baxter is “living large”! Foster Update December 18^th:

Just checking in to let you know Baxter is doing great. He stays with us almost all of the time now (instead of leaving a room when he perceives something to be scary). His golden qualities are shining through. He plays with toys; lies by your feet; bumps your elbow for a pet; sits by the door when you leave; cries and brings you babies when you return. I think that the nervous behaviors we discussed early on were simply his way of adjusting. We just didn’t give him enough time to adapt to this new life. He is a very happy boy and very much likes both dogs and people. We’ve nicknamed him Dozer since he has no concept of personal space and just barrels his way into any gathering of people or pets. Definitely loves being the center of any situation. I’m thinking “no go” on the cat front. He treed a neighbor cat in our back yard the other day. Of course you never know if he is only curious; he doesn’t seem to have the mean gene or bone in his body.

We’ll try to get some festive picture that might entice a family who has been wishing for a big, red, Golden this year.

Foster Update Dec. 11^th:

Baxter is getting more comfortable with us. He seems to trust us more and it has been fun to see his personality develop. He is a bit of a clown and would like very much to have our dogs play with him; unfortunately, our girls won’t give in to his attempts. He loves playing with the toy box full of babies, toys and bones. He nearly empties it every day. He likes to fetch the tennis ball and is learning how to “drop it”. He can be a glove or sock thief but, not a very good one, as he tends to bring his stash directly to you. He has blessed us with his presence a bit more during nighttime TV time. But those big people on the big TV screen can still get the best of him at times.

We started walking him in the neighborhood. I realize now that my first not so great leash experience with Baxter days ago, was because he was unsure of his surroundings. He walks in a zig-zag pattern making sure the scary things (bushes, road signs, moving cars) are not gonna get him. We are convinced that after many walks on the same path he will begin to trust his surroundings and actually become a pretty good leash walker. I’ll try to get a weight on him this week and report back with the 2 week results of his weight loss plan.

Foster Update Dec. 7^th:

He was only mildly concerned during the bad storm last night — until the power went off then on then off then on. I went into the living room and picked up the TV remote off the coffee table so that I could check to see if the Cable had gone out. Next thing I knew, Baxter had his front feet ON the coffee table (I am assuming, in an attempt to get closer to me). I made him get “off” and he became my shadow for the next little bit. So he is obviously “aware” and has some “concerns” but no freaking out.

We’ll walk him this weekend to re- evaluate his leash-walking skills. So far, my only experience with him on a leash was taking him from Mel’s store to my car, which was NOT easy. We really want to be able to tell you some stories and give you his characteristics, but so far he is still out of his comfort zone. He DOES like to play ball. He DOES like both bones and babies, but we sometimes have to remind him to leave the babies eyes in their heads. He WILL nag for attention but will go away easily. He is very quiet and calm and easy to have around. He hangs with me in my office all day, but not so much in the evenings. We think that is because the TV or Stereo is usually on?? I am sure someday soon we can report that he is a very happy typical Golden but, so far, he’s not quite there yet.

Hailey

grrcc — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:27:57 +0000

Hailey

Female, 7 Years
Golden ~65 lbs
AKC

<	next available golden>>

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Adoption Pending

Hailey was surrendered to us by her owner who was moving out of state and could not take her along. Hailey has always been a well cared for inside dog and is now looking for the next chapter and adventure in her life with a new family.

At 65 lbs, she is at a pretty good weight but could actually stand to lose 3-4 lbs to have her ideal girlish figure. As you would expect given her age and background, Hailey is an ideal companion. She is totally house trained. Although she was crated for long hours in her original home while her owners were at work but doesn’t need to be and has proven herself totally trustworthy at her foster home (although a tendency toward counter surfing should be noted and ‘guarded against’ by proper placement of yummy groceries). She loves car rides, swimming, long walks and retrieving…she reportedly can even catch a Frisbee in mid-air. She has perfected these critical Golden skills! Her leash manners are also pretty good…she pulls initially and then settles down for the rest of the jaunt. Although she has spent her entire life with another dog, she has shown us that she really is best as an only dog. Cats are an unknown since she has never been around them. I think she would be good with kids although she does jump up on people a bit initially in excitement (easily modified with some training). She has had basic obedience and knows the ‘important’ commands. She is a very smart girl and learns very quickly…anything you want to teach her, she’ll happily and quickly learn.

Hailey’s perfect home would be one where, where she is the only dog and where her family would love to spend time and throw balls and maybe take an occasional beach or lake trip so she can perfect her swimming skills. Although she does like her walks, a structural fence will be needed for Haily’s forever home. Hailey is at a great age…calm and more than willing to chill out when required but also ready and rearin’ to go if that’s what you want. In short, a great dog that didn’t asked to be displaced from the only home she had ever known and is now looking for a place and family to call her own again, this time forever: really!

Check back for updates from the foster family

Moxy

grrcc — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:36:24 +0000

Moxy

Female, 4¾ Years
Golden ~ 66 lbs

<	next available golden>>

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Moxy was surrendered to us by her owner that no longer had the time or resources to keep her. A volunteer for other small independent rescue groups, she had originally gotten Moxy from a person that was keeping her crated in the laundry room, virtually 24/7 and knew she needed to be in a
better situation. However, life changes caused her to realize that Moxy needed to move on to GRRCC, and to find her final Forever Home.

Moxy passed her vet check with flying colors except being 5-6 lbs overweight and having some seasonal and flea allergies. She was also shaved in April so, although her coat is growing back, it is nothing like it
will/should be in a few months. She is MUCH cuter than her pictures since she is a smidge camera shy. However, that’s easy to understand since really, who among us wants our picture taken when we’re carrying a few extra unsightly pounds and are having a significantly bad hair day?

Moxy stepped into her foster home basically like she had lived there forever. She gets along famously with her Golden foster brother (and LOVES to play with him). She is also fine with the resident cat and, in
her original home, co-existed in perfect harmony with numerous chickens and a rotating crew of both small and large breed rescue dogs! She has not had accidents in the house and has clearly been a house dog her entire life (although she can be a bit of a counter-surfer). She knows some basic commands…sit, down, shake and speak. She is also been around kids of all ages (from toddlers on up) and
is great with them. She is good in a car but not great on a leash since she has hardly ever been on one. Her foster mom is working on this with her using a pinch collar and is reporting great improvement.
Moxy LOVES her walks so she is trying valiantly to co-operate! She isn’t wild about thunder storms but is not destructive…just wants to be close to Her People.

Moxy is at that great age that savvy Golden lovers appreciate …still with plenty of energy but past the ‘puppy- crazies’. She is a totally known commodity…great in the house, good with kids, dogs, cats and even the occasional barnyard fowl! If she was a house, a realtor would describe her as being in ‘move-in condition’.

Moxy’s Forever Home will need to have:

An adult that is home much of the day, so that
she is not left alone more than 5-6 hours total in a given day
A fenced yard
Another dog of her approximate age would be a
‘nice to have’
Kids, cats, etc…bring ‘em on!

Mostly, and this is true of all our wonderful dogs…Moxy needs a home where she will be loved for her sweet and wonderful ‘being’ and where they will appreciate the saved up unconditional love she has to share.

Check back for updates from her foster home.

Comet

grrcc — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 11:10:10 +0000

Comet

Male, 7 Years
Golden ~ 63 lbs
AKC

<	next available golden>>

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Adoption Pending

Comet was surrendered to us with his long time female Golden roommate when his owners had to relocate and couldn’t take them along. This lovely boy, well loved and cared for all his life, was initially a bit disconcerted but, true to his breed, has settled in perfectly in his foster home. Truly, if Goldens had a motto it would either be “When life hands you lemons, just make lemonade”, or “love the one you’re with”.

At 63 lbs, Comet is at a ideal weight and is a bit on the small side for a male Golden..perfect for a family wanting a male but not one of the ‘behemoths’ we occasionally get. As you would expect given his age and background, Comet is just darn close to perfect. He is totally house trained. He was crated for long hours in his original home while his owners are at work but doesn’t need to be and has proven himself totally trustworthy at his foster home where he happily enjoys free run of the house when his foster mom is out. He loves car rides, other dogs and, just life in general. He was initially a little non-committal about balls but then his retriever genes kicked in and he is rarely without one in his mouth. Another part of the retriever gene that is certainly present is that he LOVES, LOVES, LOVES water. A Forever Home with a pool or lake/beach house would be his idea of heaven on earth. He is great with kids although unknown with cats. His leash skills are also quite good…he is a perfect Southern Gentleman! He was initially a little concerned about the new dog in his life, since he has spent his entire life with only one other dog. However that quickly straightened itself out and, as you can see from the pictures, he thoroughly enjoys his Golden Foster sibling’s company!

Comet’s perfect home would be one where, if the family is gone much of the day, he has another kind hearted dog to hang out with. Comet is a submissive dog by nature and could easily be ‘picked on’ by a dog that wanted to be a strong boss. If someone is home all but a couple of hours a day, Comet would be fine as an only child (er, dog!). I think he would thrive in a house with children to cuddle with him and thrown balls for him. Comet is at a perfect age…calm and more than willing to chill out when required but also ready and rearin’ to go if that’s what you want. In short, a simply awesome dog that deserves a home where he will get all the love and attention that he will he deserves, and that he will return tenfold to his Forever Family.

Check back for Updates from his foster home

Foster Update: Oct 26^th:

Noticed Comet hadn’t been posted yet which gives me chance to change something in his bio….he LOVES to fetch. He will chase after a ball as many times as you can throw it. We took him on a walk up by our tennis courts and he immediately picked up a stray ball and carried it in his mouth for the entire walk. Afterwards we threw it for him and he kept bringing it back to have it thrown again and again and again. He does great on the leash…doesn’t pull or walk crazy. Also as soon as he saw the leash and we mentioned the word “walk” he went nuts with excitement. He is such a sweetie…with a lot of energy.

Foster Update Oct 22^nd:

This dog is AWESOME….he is so sweet. He’s the Webster’s definition of a golden retriever. He adjusted very easily to us, gets along well with our dog Bailey, is just a pinch of a Velcro dog, sleeps when you want him to and is up and moving when you want to play. He came with a travel crate but hasn’t seemed interested in it. I’ve only had to leave him for an hour or two and I put him in the crate just because I don’t know him well enough yet to have my complete trust….I really don’t think he needs it thou. He sleeps thru the night next to our bed and has shown minimal interest in getting on the furniture. He is gentle with kids and instead of jumping he stands on his hind legs…to cute. I have to say of all the dogs I’ve fostered he has a way of looking at you that just melts your heart and makes you stop what you’re doing to pet him or give him a big hug. He’s a cutie……

Sydney

grrcc — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:35:16 +0000

Sydney

Female, 15 Months
Blonde ~71 lbs

<	next available golden>>

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Sydney was surrendered to us by her owners who had bought her as a puppy. As so often happens with first time Golden owners, they didn’t realize that that cute little 8 week old ball of golden fluff was going to quickly grow into a 70 lb dog that needs a ton of time, attention and exercise. Given their busy work schedules and family obligations they realized they would not be able to give Sydney what she needed and they contacted us to find a more suitable environment for an energetic adolescent Golden.

Sydney has found the perfect foster home….her foster mom is a dog trainer and also owns a Doggie Daycare facility where Sydney runs and romps throughout the day. She then goes on hikes with her foster mom and, thoroughly worn out and happy, sleeps contentedly beside her bed at night. Having only lived with one very senior small dog in her original, initially Sydney was a little confused about all the dogs in her new life (and their energy). Soon though she realized that playing and romping with other dogs was BIG Fun and now she is as happy as can be. She is so good she was even used to interview a new dog customer to help determine if its temperament and behavior was appropriate for a play group.

As you can see, Sydney was shaved by her original owners. You can see her immediately after her Bad Hair Day in a couple of her pictures (provided by her owners). However, you can also see in more recent pictures how quickly her coat is growing back in and what a beautiful blonde girl she will be in just a few more months. Sydney is also a little ‘chunky’ right now, from too much food and too little exercise. However, her foster mom is addressing both those issues and says she thinks Sydney has already lost a bit of her excess poundage. I suspect losing 8-10 lbs will put her at a perfect weight. Sydney is completely housebroken and can be trusted loose in the house (when dog proofed). She would be better in a crate when someone is gone or in a confined area (e.g. large laundry room). She does not love her crate, no doubt because, out of necessity and schedules, she spent too much time in one her original home. Although she certainly tolerates it, Sydney seems to view her crate as a prison and not a happy den and safe haven. This ‘view’ can be changed quite easily! Sydney was raised with a cat and with three children (ages 3, 7, &10). She is very good with kids but will jump on them so should go to a home with kids over 6 years old or so and those used to an exuberant young Golden.

As is true of all our youngsters, we are very specific about what their new family will be like and the environment in which they will live. Please understand we do this only for the good of our dogs and to make sure they are in a more suitable environment than that from which they came. We are not able to grant exemptions for any of these requirements.

Sydney’s perfect family will need to have:

- A structurally fenced yard large enough to exercise a young Golden Retriever

- An adult that is home most of the day so Patrick is not left alone more than 2-3 hours total in a given day.

- An active family…and one committed to giving her the exercise and training she needs and deserves

- children over age 6 and where no human family member is unsteady on their feet

- If there is another dog in the household if must be one of her energy level and approximate size

Sydney is everything wonderful in a young Golden. She has ‘found her stride’ and is reveling in her new life. She will be (actually already is!) a truly wonderful dog that just needs a family to shower her with love, attention, exercise and consistency. Like all Goldens, she lives to please and is happily showing her foster mom what a good girl she is and soaking up her training and ‘etiquette lessons’ like a sponge. Sydney is ready to interview her soon-to-be VERY lucky Forever Home.

Check back for updates from her foster home

Foster update 12/12/11:

Sydney is really coming along wonderfully. She’s looking really good, fur coming back in and she has a waist! I will say that in my opinion if she goes to a home with another dog it will need to be an active, playful one and one roughly her same size and age. She LOVES to play and she is a physical (WWF style) player and sometimes just doesn’t want to quit. She isn’t aggressive at all, but she tends to go deaf. . She is a wonderful girl.

Foster Update Nov 8^th:

She loves the water but has not gone in over her head. Has an awesome recall. She is fine in the car but you have to pick her up to get her in. I think her weight keeps her from that because she would like to get on the bed but cannot jump up. She is not fond of the crate. She does well out of the crate. Does not chew. She knows sit which you must use a lot so she does not jump up. She will go after a ball , pick it up but not bring it back. She loves other dogs and people of course…. she is a golden.

Foster Update: Nov 3^th:

Sydney is doing great. Everyone is falling in love with her. I have been taking her hiking with me everyday and she is awesome. She loves to play in the pond as well. She was a little shy the first day but has opened up so much since then. She is playing nicely with the other dogs as well. She is not crazy about the car ride but is getting better every day. She lies by the side of my bed at night. She is not eating much since she has been here. I had to put some canned food in her dry food this morning to get her to eat. She is a little overweight so I am not too concerned she has not eaten much. She does eat treats so I know she will eat. She is so sweet, that it is tempting to keep her myself. I have some video on my phone of her playing at the farm where I take my dogs hiking. I will have to try to upload it for you. It is totally amazing that anyone could give up a dog this wonderful.

Patrick

grrcc — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 11:26:47 +0000

Patrick

Male, 2 Years
Golden ~ 81 lbs

<	next available golden>>

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Patrick came to us from his owners whose growing and busy family didn’t have time for a growing and busy Patrick! He has settled into his foster family like he has been there forever and, now that he has recovered from his neuter, he is ready to interview prospective Forever Families!

Patrick is a big guy and at 81 lbs, is actually a slight bit thin. I suspect his ideal mature weight will be around 85 lbs or so. He sure doesn’t look like a big dog…he is in perfect proportion and is a very athletic and graceful dog…to watch him run is to see poetry in motion! He LOVES to play with his toys and will fetch and return a ball to you until you need rotator cuff surgery. A ‘Chuck-It’ will be an important accessory for Patrick’s lucky new family J. He is completely housebroken and crate trained. He learned how to use the doggie door in his foster home in less than a day…did I mention he is a very smart boy as well ?! Since he is used to a dog door, his new family will need to get/keep him on a routine until they learn his signals but, given how quickly he learns and how much he wants to please, he’ll have things figured out in no time.

He is good with his Golden foster sibling and all the other dogs he has met that have come by for play dates. He will be fine in a home with another dog or as an Only Child. He is more about people and toys so he really doesn’t ‘need’ another dog for companionship or confidence, like some dogs we see. He is appropriately submissive to other dogs even to the point that when one takes away one of his beloved toys and doesn’t want to give it back, Patrick just waits patiently until he can re-claim his prize. He has not been exposed to cats but he is mighty curious about ones he sees on walks and in the neighborhood so my inclination is that he will do best in a kitty-free home. He can be trusted loose in the house for a little while when you’re gone but it would be wise to crate him when you are gone for an hour or so. He is a typical young Golden and sometimes their curiosity makes them lose control over their brain!

He has had basic obedience training and even knows some pretty neat tricks, although a refresher course in obedience is always a good idea as it helps the dog even more quickly to their forever family. For a dog his size and age, he walks remarkably well on a leash…always a plus! Patrick has a lot of energy (age appropriate) and will do best with an active family. He loves to swim and is reportedly a rather accomplished ‘dock diver’. A family with a beach or lake house would be a dream come true for him! He loves car rides so that trek to the beach or lake will be absolutely no problem. Due only to his size, Patrick will need to go to a home where all the children are age 8 or above. He’s a big guy and also a youngster so doesn’t yet know how much space he takes up on Planet Earth. Although it would be totally inadvertent, he could knock down a younger or smaller child or an older adult that was not steady on their feet.

Patrick’s perfect family will need to have:

- A structurally fenced yard large enough to exercise a young Golden Retriever

- An adult that is home most of the day so is not left alone more than 2-3 hours total in a given day.

- An active family…an extra + would be one with committed ball throwers and that enjoys long walks

- children over age 8

Patrick has always had a good life and been a well loved and cared for dog. With the equanimity of his breed, he has just looked at these last few weeks since he came to us as a trip to summer camp (well, except that trip to the vet to be neutered wasn’t exactly a highlight!). Now however, he just wants to meet his new loving family and know he’ll never be homeless again!

Check back for updates from is foster family

Tommy

grrcc — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 11:00:58 +0000

Tommy

Male, 9-10 Months
Blonde ~ 41 lbs

<	next available golden>>

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Tommy wandered up to a woman’s home in a rural area of North Carolina, where sadly, animals are dumped regularly to fend on their town, and most often die. She could tell he was a very sweet purebred Golden Retriever but very, very skinny. She tried feeding him anything and everything, knowing how hungry he must be, but he would not eat and then, stopped drinking as well. She suspected that something was very wrong but was unable to care for Tommy herself or get him the vet care she thought he probably needed. She called us for help with him and he was soon en-route to our vet’s office.

We initially expected a blockage or something sinister resulting from his vagabond days which probably include a lot of ‘dumpster diving’. We were however, surprised and greatly relieved when the vet said all he had were 2 serious ear infections, an eye infection and a major load of every type of intestinal parasite known to man and vet. All of these conspired to make him feel so badly, he didn’t even want to eat and resulted in him only weighing 37 lbs when we got him (at least 20+ lbs underweight). Fortunately, due to a combination of luck and his young age, Tommy was heartworm negative (and really, those are the worms that matter the most!). He was soon headed to his foster home with seemingly a pharmacy’s worth of medications and some very healthy but easy on the tummy, dog food. In just days, Tommy responded and was on his way to becoming a whole new dog. Although he will not be a particularly large male at full maturity (maybe 60-65 lbs) he still needs to gain a lot of weight and he is happy to eat all the good ‘groceries’ ( 6 cups a day) that he is being given. Most of these pictures of Tommy were taken in the early days of when we had him so he looks even more emaciated than he is now (although he is still very thin). He will, I promise, ‘grow into’ that nose and those legs and feet. Even at a good weight, a 9 month old male Golden is very much like a gawky teenage boy whose feet and hands are WAY too big for their body, and whose knobby knees and elbows and a outsized nose are their most distinguishing body parts! Heck, even Brad Pitt was a gawky teenager at some point (well, maybe not but you get where I’m going with this.)

Tommy had clearly never stepped foot in a house before so everything was a new surprise for him. He was a clean slate upon which his foster mom is writing a wonder story. Under her tutelage he now knows crates are good and happy things (GOOD BOY TOMMY) , that “four on the floor” is not related to an vehicle transmission (GOOD BOY TOMMY), and people food or other interesting things on a counter are not for his enjoyment (GOOD BOY TOMMY)! He has learned how to use a dog door and has only had two accidents in his foster home since his foster mom escorts him outside and praises him ‘to the moon’ when what needs to happen outside, does happen outside! Although unknown around cats, he is getting along great with the dogs (large and small) in his foster home. Initially he was possessive (only with other dogs, never people) of treats and toys while he was in his crate. If he was outside the crate he
was perfectly fine. It may have been that, since he had never had treats or toys before, he was not inclined to share his new found ‘bounty’. However, that has subsided, probably because he knows that unlimited toys and treats are now a part of his new world and don’t have to be guarded. He is also good with the 15 month old toddler and is actually quite gentle with her. However, he still does jump when excited so if he goes to a home with younger children, they will have to be prepared for an occasional unanticipated ‘seat plant’. He loves his plush toys and, as you can see from the pictures, he likes swimming and boating! A pretty decent (to say the least) change in lifestyle from being close to death only weeks ago! Tommy is thriving in his foster home and is a very quick study in his etiquette lessons.
Tommy, like all dogs of his age and background, will need a person who can devote A LOT of time to him. He needs consistency, interaction, exercise, patience and most of all, love. Like all Goldens, he LIVES to please. That, combined with the fact he is very smart, will make him very trainable and frankly, a great candidate for basic obedience where he can continue his training and also bond even more closely with his new People.

Tommy is ready for the next stage of his new life which will be with his lucky Forever Family. . That home will need to have (we will not be able to grant exemptions to these requirements):

A structurally fenced yard large enough for a young Golden to run and play
A family where an adult is home to the extent that Tommy will not be home alone more then 2-3 hours total in a normal given day
If there is another dog in the house, it needs to be one of his energy level and age. He wants and needs to play and would not be a good fit for a small or senior dog.

This lovely boy has been granted a new life and boy, does he know it. He looks at his foster mom with what can only be described as unconditional love and gratitude for this, his wonderful second chance at life.
He is one of those dogs that clearly knows he was rescued and will spend the rest of his life saying Thank You. The kindness and love you give to him with be returned a hundred-fold and he will still not feel he has done enough. He is what rescue is all about…

Check back
for updates from his foster family

Foster update- Oct 12^th:

Tommy has come a long way since he arrived at his new foster home on 9-20-11.

He is still a puppy and acts like a puppy should. When he arrived he was jumping up on everything, counter surfing and just all around acting hyper. He has calmed down considerably, he only jumps up now when you come home and he has been missing you. Of course that is expected of most Goldens. He will still counter surf if you leave out something that he wants to eat to close to the edge. We lost some sausage and a piece of cake to him grabbing them. He sleeps in his crate at night and goes to bed at 9:00 PM without a whimper, and he gets out in the morning somewhere between 6am and 7am.

He has not had an accident in 3 weeks in the house, but we do have a doggie door so that does make it convenient for him. He loves stuffed animals and they are all over the house. He is very gentle with the 15 month old child. He is good with other dogs, they was a small adjustment time when the other 3 dogs were getting to know him but now all is good. They all take their naps on the same bed. Yes I let him on the bed, but that’s because at our house all dogs are welcome on the furniture. But not the counters and kitchen table lol. He doesn’t take food off the baby’s high chair top anymore he waits until she is finished. Then she always accommodates him with her leftovers. If she is walking around he will take a cookie out of her hand if she is not paying attention but he does it gently. He has been neutered and that went well. He is a great dog, that wants to be where you are as most Goldens do. He is only 49.5lbs so he has some more weight to gain. He has gained 5lbs this last month he was only 44lbs when he came. . He is beautiful and loving and if we needed a Golden you wouldn’t be reading this because he would be ours. I am going to miss the heck out of him when he goes to his forever home. But we want to foster here so if you are looking for a wonderful companion Tommy is the one.

Foster Home Update – Sept 30^th:

He is gaining weight….which would be best to impossible NOT to do, given how much I am feeding him!

Tommy is doing great, he is staying out of trouble. He is so smart and sweet. He has learned no counter surfing, no jumping on people, no jumping on the dinner table, sit and wait for your treat, no jumping on the bed when I am in it and putting your whole body on me.( that was the worst I couldn’t get up.)Of course he has been my full time job and I laugh A LOT at his antics and what a wonderful boy he is.

My daughter and I said last night if we did not already have a golden we would be a foster failure with Tommy. I was looking at him sleeping so sweetly in his crate and I said to myself, okay no falling in love with the dog, you want to foster not adopt. (of course you still can’t help but love them)

He still chews things he shouldn’t, and he will jump up when you come home from excitement. He has only had two accidents since he has been here. I am taking him to be neutered on Tues. What a great, great dog!

Foster Home update – Sept. 25^th:

He is doing great, a totally different dog from his Tues arrival. He will be ready for adoption sooner than I thought, he is a super quick learner.

I know we have to get him neutered and healed but by then he will be ready to go to his forever home. He is a lovable dog and is going to make someone very happy, not mention he is beautiful.

Jasmine

grrcc — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 10:58:55 +0000

Bailey

grrcc — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 13:26:52 +0000

Bailey

Female, 7 Months
Red ~ 41 lbs

<	next available golden>>

[[Show as slideshow]]

Bailey was surrendered to us by her owners who no longer had time for her. She had been kept exclusively on a sun porch/deck and was getting to the active Golden age where that was no longer a viable option for her family (or a good option for Bailey, obviously).

Bailey is an adorable red-head that has quickly put her past of isolation behind her and is showing her Golden spirit and charm. She is learning the housebreaking thing, thanks to the diligence and consistency of her foster mom. She does not however, like to potty on a leash (c’mon, allow a girl her modesty!) so will need a structurally fenced yard. She was initially a little ‘suspect’ on new dogs, having never been exposed to them. However, she quickly learned canine BFFs are BIG fun and is really enjoying her Golden foster sibling and all the other dogs she has met. She is also good with her ‘foster kitty’ . However, said Foster Kitty is sort of a mean, curmudgeonly feline and has absolutely no sense of humor about Bailey’s overtures of friendship. She is a retrieving ‘fool’….her foster mom said she would retriever her own shadow if that was possible. She is also a smart girl..having learned to play fetch by herself, by dropping the tennis ball on the tile floor so it will bounce and she can fetch it. She is also a BIG fan of sticks, the bigger, the better! She doesn’t eat them, just sort of demolishes them…think of her as a little Golden wood-chipper!

She is a typical Golden puppy (and even a little ‘behind the curve’ for her age, since she was never before in a house)…she will get into things if not watched, and all the other age appropriate behaviors that young Goldens do. She is very, very sweet and simply adores having human attention and love. She is actually pretty good on a leash, although distracted by things on a walk (bugs, noises, etc….all the wonderful things she is discovering live in the world with her, now that her world is larger!). For her age, she isn’t as mouthy as we often see, nor does she jump on people incessantly in excitement like many youngsters do.

As is true of all dogs’ Bailey’s age, her Forever Home will need to have a structurally fenced yard and be one where there is an adult home the majority of the day, so Bailey is not left alone more than 2-3 hours total, in an average day. She is crate trained but it is unfair to expect her to be in crate more than 2-3 hours…she is a youngster and needs to run and play and interact with Her People. I can easily see her in a home with some kids that would throw balls for her until she wears out (or their arms do!). She would also be a good jogging partner as she is a very athletic girl. I suspect she will be a slightly smaller than average female Golden when she matures…probably weighing in around 60 lbs +/-.

After a start in life that no dog deserves, she is quickly making up for lost time and evolving into a playful and loving Golden, now just looking for her playful and loving Forever Home.

Check back for updates from her foster home

Foster Update: Oct 9th

Bailey is doing wonderfully and just waiting for her Forever Home to find her. She is a sweet and smart dog that will thrive with exercise, interaction with people and other dogs and LOTS and LOTS of tennis
balls!

Foster Update: October 7th

We’ve progressed to letting Bailey roam the downstairs when we are gone for 30-45 minutes and she does fine – found a shredded paper towel once but that’s about it. When I come back, she’s perched on the chest looking at me through the front window, so cute! Still loves retrieving, we are working on “drop” which she does quite readily when I have a treat for her. She responds quickly to treats
so training for her will be a cinch. Very alert and responsive – not always doing what you want – but she
knows when you are talking to her.

I’ve been stretching the “potty breaks” to longer than 2 hrs up to 3 or 4 and she’s doing fine. She makes it a point to go to the door – sometimes it’s just to play – but usually for a potty break. She is now pooping on the walks where I can pick it up – which helps to keep the backyard a bit cleaner which is always appreciated! She really has come a long way and she’s going to be a great family pet.

Foster Update: Sep 26th

Bailey continues to become a better family pet everyday. Although she still exhibits her active puppy behavior most of the time, there are more “chill out” times than when we first got her, more relaxing for everyone. She and our resident golden Sam get along great, playing tug of war and roughhousing with each other but keeping the play within limits (most of the time.) Bailey is a great watchdog, perching herself on our toy chest to see out the front window, softly woofing at whatever moves within her line of sight and she does alert us to any strange noises she may hear. She still shows a lot of curiosity with our miserable house cat, chasing her when the opportunity arises, but I think it is more in play rather than
intent to harm. She probably would get along okay with a cat that has claws and is secure in their own protection, but Bailey does enjoy the chase and the play.

She certainly lives up to the “retriever” name, she loves chasing tennis balls (or really anything thrown) and will swim and retrieve sticks as far as you want to throw them into the lake. Her retrieving behavior continues in the house with her dropping a wet tennis ball in your lap most all of the time. She runs with
me on a leash but is still a little skittish to new sights and sounds, hanging back on the leash a little, not out front straining to go. She seems to enjoy the sprint of retrieving more than the slog of slow distance running so far.

Have not had an “accident” in the house for a few weeks now, but we are very diligent getting her outside on a good schedule and encouraging her bathroom breaks every few hours. Sleeping thru the night in her wire crate is still no problem, she is quiet all night long (unless she alerts to a strange noise, which is good). We still crate her when out of the house for a few hours, she barks for a few minutes then settles down. She would probably be okay out of the crate but we have not done that yet.

August 24th: Here’s some more pics of Bailey – as you can see she’s quite the lover of tennis balls – even goes couch diving to retrieve them!

She would thrive in a home with someone who can take the time to work with her – she craves the attention and responds well to positive feedback but requires pretty constant attention as she not only retrieves tennis balls and stuffed toys but socks and underwear. So closet doors are closed as are most doors in the house since we aren’t really set up as a ‘puppy-proof’ home.

Still loves going for walks – has yet to pee when walking – I’m not sure she’s getting the whole “house training” thing down, only because I take her out all the time – praise she when she goes and she gives me that “what’s the big deal” look and back to retrieving we go. She is making progress though!

She might be from hunting dog lines as I saw her eying mourning doves on our walk this morning and it wasn’t exactly with benevolent curiosity …more like ‘high alert’:). She is very alert and sees/hears everything. Due to this, I often have to work hard to make her focus on the task at hand (normally going potty!) She only barks when someone is knocking on the door or someone comes in unannounced.

Aug 20th: Bailey continues her high energy romp in and out of our house. She discovered our very unpleasant cat and after a few raps on the nose seems to understand to leave her alone. We had one bathroom incident where she tinkled in the house but other than that no real problems, but like any puppy they require constant surveillance to understand their signals for potty breaks. She loves to retrieve, and will drop a very wet tennis ball in your lap most all night long. She enjoys her walks with our Golden, Sam , and is actually pretty good on a leash, especially given she was rarely on one in her previous life. She and Sam play well together in the backyard, lots of tug of war with sticks, etc. She is very affectionate, and when I tried to do some exercises in our workout room she was right there to rub her neck on mine or lick my face when she could reach me. She eats well but is a little messy with her water dish, we have learned to use one type of bowl she can’t really turn over. For a dog that had very little socializing, indoor experience, or contact with other dogs, she is adapting very well to our home

Aug 16th: Met Bailey for the first time and transferred her to our car for the ride home. She is a sweet, 7 months old, fairly small female with a dark red, smooth coat and she rode fine in the car with just typical anxiety. She took to our back yard with no problems and then we introduced her to Sam, our resident golden. Sam gets a little too excited when first introduced and Bailey reacted accordingly, a little nervous but calmed down nicely as the night went on. Bailey’s intake information said she is not socialized with other dogs or inside the house but she started learning how to play with Sam before we brought her inside. She did not want to come in at first but finally did, and was a little overwhelmed with all the noises and smells. After a little adjustment period we brought her back outside to do her business, which took a while, and then crated her for the night in our bedroom.She slept thru the night without a peep and was raring to go in the morning with normal puppy energy when we let her out.

Tripp

grrcc — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 22:29:58 +0000

Tripp

Male, 12-14 Months
Blonde~ 51 lbs

<	next available golden>>

[[Show as slideshow]]

Tripp was dumped into an overnight ‘drop box’ at a small rural shelter. Imagine the surprise of the shelter staff when they came on the morning to see a happy purebred Golden Retriever, rather than the rather motley crew they normally see as drop box inhabitants. However, as they were processing him they noticed he had an open and obviously painful wound in his groin area. He was also close to 20 lbs underweight at just over 40 lbs. Since the shelter was both very small and overcrowded, and low on funds to handle medical needs, there was a very good chance Tripp would have been euthanized. Fortunately, a local Humane Society volunteer saw him and pulled him, hoping we could take him. Thanks to this wonderful woman and a tireless GRRCC volunteer in the area, Tripp was soon an official GRRCC dog.

Obviously his first ‘Tripp’ was to the vet for a check-up and to see what his open wound was all about. You can only imagine our disgust and anger when we were told the wound was the result of his owner attempting to neuter him using a rubber band. No further details needed…you can use your imagination (OUCH!). However, other than that and being very underweight, Tripp was pronounced to be a healthy happy young Golden and, after a correct and professional neuter surgery, went straight to his foster home.

Although Tripp was initially ‘all puppy’, he soon charmed his foster family with his sweet personality and wonderful temperament. He has settled down now, and although still a Golden youngster, he is actually rather laid back and calm for his age . He only had one accident in the house and that was the first day. He loves playing with his Golden foster sisters and has discovered that swimming in their pool is a fine way to spend the ‘Dog Days’ of summer. He is more than fine being the low man on the canine totem pole when one of this foster sibs insists that she is ‘Da Boss’. He rides wonderfully in the car and seems quite used to the general goings-on of a normal household. It seems that perhaps, at some point, Tripp had a better life than the one that was almost ended too early in a shelter drop box. He LOVES his people! He recently attended a GRRCC event where there were 30-40 people and their Goldens and he charmed the two and four legged attendees equally. He is just a happy dog! He is ‘sort of’ crate trained as his loving foster parents admit to being a little lax about crating him since someone is home all the time. He sleeps loose with them during the night with no problems. He has been in a crate and tolerates it but I wouldn’t go so far as to say it is his favorite thing! He has not been around young children as his foster home has teenagers. I have no doubt his would be good with kids but since he is a high energy (age appropriate) young Golden, kids over 5-6 years old would probably be a better fit. He is also unknown around cats. Tripp has one and only one, desire…he just wants to be around people and his foster parents describe him as an adorable and loving ‘snuggle bug’. Belly rubs are also a personal favorite!!

Tripp has his bones and balls packed and is looking for his new home. That home will need to have (we will not be able to grant exemptions to these requirements):

A structurally fenced yard large enough for a young Golden to run and play
A family where an adult is home to the extent that Tripp will not be home alone more then 2-3 hours total in a normal given day
If there is another dog in the house, it needs to be one of his energy level and age. He wants and needs to play and would not be a good fit for a small or senior dog.

After a rocky start, the rest of this lovely dog’s ‘Tripp’ through life will be filled with all the love, happiness and joy that every dog deserve!

Check back for updates from his foster home