Piper's guest Blog

I asked my cousin Mogley if I could write a guest blog about what happened to me this weekend so that other dogs and owners are aware of bloat. Loyal readers are aware, this past Friday I got into my food bag and ate until I couldn’t eat any more. When my parents came home, I did not feel good and my tummy was the size of two basketballs. Thankfully my parents knew that was not a good sign and rushed me off to the emergency vet in Parker. After some Xrays, they said I had bloat due to eating too much… my tummy was the biggest they’d seen! My spine was bent due to the pressure from the stomach. Surgery wasn’t necessary, but I had to spend the next 24 hours in the ICU hooked up to IVs trying to start my GI tract moving again and keep me from going into shock (or even an Addisonian crisis). My parents were told that the next few days I would be at risk of bloat and gastric torsion (where the stomach flips), both of which can be fatal. Below, Piper before her troubles.

Since my mom is into researching, she learned a lot about bloat and torsion and tips to prevent this from happening (aside from keeping food away from us dogs):

• Slow the chow down (fast eaters are more at risk). My parents bought an anti-bloat bowl with protrusions in it and also put a ball in the food bowl to give me something to eat around.


• Elevated bowls have shown an increased risk of bloat. This is counter to many suggestions but appears to be confirmed by research.
  
• Drinking water around meal times may increase the risk. My parents are taking the water away an hour before and after dinner. It makes sense that more water makes the kibble swell up bigger in the tummy.


• Don’t feed one large meal with dry food only. We always had two meals a day (three would be better, but mom’s at work), now we get 1/3 can of wet food added in our kibble.


• Don’t feed a food with an oil or fat as one of the first four ingredients.


• Avoid stress or exercise within an hour or two before and after eating.


• Simethicone (which is like GasX; ask your vet about how much to give and when) can decrease gas and may help for gassy dogs like me. My dad is happy when the simethicone is used and he can breathe clean air!

Some things can’t be prevented (my mom calls these non-modifiable risk factors), but if your dog has these qualities he’s more at risk:

• Large breed dogs with deep narrow chests


• Male dogs


• Older dogs


• Dogs with fearful or aggressive personalities or under stress (one reason they think I fared so well is my laid-back, happy personality – I smiled through the whole thing).

If you want more info, my mom says her favorite article on bloat was on pet place.com, here is the link:
http://www.petplace.com/dogs/rish-factors-and-prevention-of-bloat-in-dogs/page1.aspx

Below, Piper at ease.

We are all very glad that I came through this and that my parents were able to recognize the signs and get me help and now they know what to do to prevent this tragic problem. If your dog gets abdominal bloating, tries to vomit and can’t, drools more and becomes restless and uncomfortable, please take them to the vet ASAP. I will live to swim in the pool another summer and enjoy my sisters and cousins thanks to my parents and the Animal Emergency and Specialty Clinic in Parker!

Thanks for reading!

Piper Friend

Post Christmas

We are suffering a post Christmas let-down. All of our toys have been shredded. The white fluffy stuffing has been thrown away. Our squeaky balls have all lost their squeak. We only have old used toy carcases to play with and balls that don't squeak or bounce. Snickers is a shredding machine, once he gets a toy, it is all over.

We had some very bad news yesterday. Our cousin, Piper, had to make a late night run to the emergency room. Someone left the closet door open and Piper, Emma and Molly all got into the big bag of dog food. Molly and Emma just ate enough to make them throw up, then they stopped. Piper has Addison's, which gives her a raging appetite. She ate, ate, ate, then ate some more. When the humans came home they found Piper lying on the floor unable to move, her stomach swelled up like a watermelon. Piper had to spend the night in the emergency ward. She is still not feeling up to par, but she did survive. Once again this should be a warning, do not leave your food unsecured.
The resident human finally gave up and took us to the big 12 mile dog park this morning. A tip to our friends, if you wrestle enough, make enough noise in the house, they will eventually take you out to run. We went with a new friend, Ozzie, a wheaten terrier. Ozzie did not get to go off leash, it was his first time at the park, he had just been adopted and he had only been out of the shelter for 4 days. His human did not know what he would do. Snickers had to walk on a leash for a while also, but then when we were far away from the parking lot Snickers was allowed to drag his leash. After he proved that he would come when called, they took his leash off. Boy did we have fun. I ran and ran, Snickers ran with me, we ran with each other, we ran with every dog that came by. The human is very happy with the way Snickers responded when called. Snickers, you earned us all another trip to the dog park. Below is Snickers without his leash, below are some of the friends we were able to run with. A nice lady from Safe Harbour Lab Rescue was there with several of her foster friends. It sure is fun to run in the big park.

After the dog park, we stopped by the pet store. Snickers went in to get weighed. He weighs 69 pounds. He looks heavier because of his heavy winter coat. His long months of living outdoors was not fun, but it sure made his coat pretty.

We are wondering why Snickers has not been adopted yet. He is so nice that he should be taken in a hurry. Snickers thinks it is because people don't want a dog that sounds like a candy bar, he wants to change his name to "Spike" or "Buster", then people will think he is a tough, vicious, watch dog. No one wants a well trained, cuddly lovable friend, they want tough watch dogs.

Mogley G. Retriever

Snickers Needs a Forever Home

Snickers said that it is time to begin looking for a forever home. He enjoyed Christmas with us, but it is time to get serious about finding his forever home. After discussions with the resident humans, here is what we want for Snickers and what Snickers offers to a new home:

• Snickers has enjoyed living with children, other dogs, children or cats are all fine with him. Being an only dog would also be fine, that way he does not have to share attention.
• Snickers lived outdoors which makes him reluctant to go outside, he is afraid he will not be allowed back in the house. So he runs out to go potty, but he runs back in as soon as he can. He asks to go out very politely. But he does not like going out more than necessary unless someone is with him. Playing outside with you is wonderful, but being locked outside alone is no fun.
• He was not allowed to sleep with people before, so now that he has found out about sleeping beside the bed, he wants to continue. He will be very anxious if you try to make him sleep alone.
• He did not like to ride in the car until we all went to the pet store and to the dog park, now car rides are one of his favorite things.
• He likes walks on his leash, he will be a gentleman on the leash. Because he likes to go outside with company, he would love a home where he gets regular walks.
• He likes to sleep on a soft dog bed, he likes toys and balls. Something good to chew on will keep him from chewing inappropriately.
• Most of all he likes people. After years outside, alone, he just wants to be with people. If you need your feet warmed, he will be there. If you like to pet a dog while you watch your favorite TV show, he will be there for you. If you need someone to keep you company on those lonely nights, Snickers is the one for you.
• If you need someone to protect you when the door bell rings, then you need Snickers. He will stay with you night and day to protect you from anything that may come your way.
• Snickers promises to stay nearby all day long. If you need some dog comfort, if you need a warm head to scratch, if you need a chin to rub, he will be available 24/7.
• Treats are fine, but petting and praise goes a lot further with Snickers. If you want to train him, gentle praise and head pets will do the trick. Add an ear rub or a chest rub and you have his complete attention.
• Snickers is only 4 years old, he has a lot of energy. Jogging, hiking, or just chasing balls in the park, he is ready to be your companion and your friend.
• Snickers promises not to chew on toys that are not his, he will keep off the furniture, he promises that he has already learned to be a honoured house guest and a lifelong friend. There will be no surprises with Snickers, he is a Golden and a Gentlemen.

If you know someone that is ready to add some quiet love to their life, then here is the answer. Go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/ and fill out an application to adopt snickers. He will be an ideal companion to bring in the New Year with.

Mogely G. Retriever

Chrismas Toys

The reason for all of the economic troubles in the country is that dog toys are built too cheaply. As you can see from the pictures below, the lack of durable dog toys is the real reason for the economic collapse. Dog toys just do not hold up to use. The picture below shows Bella opening one of her Christmas gifts.


The picture below is only fifteen minutes later. As you can see, all of the toys are now shredded.

What this country needs is a good, strong, durable dog toy.


Snickers said this is the first time he has ever had a Christmas present, he played with his soccer ball until it developed several leaks.

The toys were fun, and the humans tried so they get an "A" for effort. Still, a stronger toy or two would be appreciated.

They left us alone later Christmas afternoon. They went to see Marley and Me, the movie about a normal dog. When the humans came home they gave us hugs and treats. They also complimented us on our good behaviour. We were shocked, most of the time we are being yelled at for doing something bad, but Marley set the standard a lot higher. Encourage your people to see the movie, they will come home and hug you a lot. We even got a round of treats, for doing nothing.

Mogley G. Retriever

A Very Merry Christmas

It is a very Merry Christmas indeed!

Ayden was taken to his new Forever Home last night. He met his new family at the rescue offices. They asked Ayden to play with his new sister in the big play pen at the rescue. The two of them hit it off wonderfully. Ayden knows how to thrill an audience. What a wonderful gift, a new, warm home for Christmas.

Snickers is settling in with us. He is becoming the house clown. First he started taking all of our toys into his "safe place". He, and most fosters, use the corner table where the toys are stored as their hiding place. Snickers comes out and plays with us until we drop a toy, then he grabs it and runs back under the table with his prize. We don't think that is fair. We expect to get some fine new toys for Christmas.

Snickers discovered a package under the tree that contained peanut butter fudge. Guess what we all had for lunch?

Today when they were standing by the organ in the living room, Snickers discovered that by running between the organ bench and the organ, you can stand on the pedals and make a fine noise. Snickers ran back and forth across the pedals several times. He did not play any song yet, but he thinks that given some practice, he could do a fine rendition of Jingle Dogs.

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mogley, Bella and Snickers

Snickers the Wonder dog

Snickers, our 4 year old foster friend, told us his story today. He had a very cold life the last few weeks. His human made him sleep outside except for the very coldest nights. On the nights when the temperature dropped below zero, he would be allowed to sleep inside, locked in the bathroom. He came into the rescue with a very thick and heavy coat but it was caked with mud. He went straight to the groomer, then he came to us. He said he was locked out of the house most of the time, only being allowed in for an hour or two a day. His human was a single mom with two children, there was no time to take care of a loving lonely dog.

Snickers is overweight because instead of attention, he only got food. People would come out to see him, but instead of love and attention, he got water in his water bowl. Instead of a ball thrown or an ear scratched, he just got food. Instead of a warm home, he had a cold yard with no shelter.

His first night here he had more attention than he had in years. Both humans made over him a lot. Bella and I get tummy rubs every night after dinner. Last night we had to share with Snickers. Bella always lays on the big pillow beside the rocking chair, Snickers took it over the whole evening. The human was amazed, Bella and I did not even complain. He kept waiting for the growling as he was petting Snickers. Bella and I let him have all the attention, it was his night. Snickers slept soundly all night, at the foot of the bed.

We did warn him today when he was getting brushed with my brush. That brought the brushing to a halt while the humans talked it over with Bella and I. We compromised, Bella and I got treats, Snickers got brushed with my brush.

Snickers is so good looking that one of our neighbors came by today to borrow Snickers to take on his morning walk. Snickers walked very well, it was good to get him out in the public. We all three played in the back yard for a while. Snickers is learning the dog door. He comes in like a champ, he has not gotten the hang of going out yet, but that will come.

Help us find Snickers a new home. He said he does not mind what kind of home he has, just as long as he sleeps inside. He would like a soft dog bed. He does not ask much in the way of toys or balls. He is not into playing with toys, he is into giving love and being loved. All he wants for Christmas is a human family that will give him attention and a warm house. He promises to be the best and most lovable companion you have ever had. He will be available to give you attention 24 hours a day.

Mogley G. Retriever

Good Morning Snickers

World, this is Snickers. Snickers, say hello to the world. Snickers will be staying with us as a foster for the holidays while he looks for his forever home.

Snickers arrived last evening after HE finished his visit to the groomer. He was pretty dirty, it sure felt good to be clean and warm. The human picked Snickers up, literally. Snickers was not used to riding in cars, they were bad things, cars took you to the vets or to the rescue to be dumped. Snickers did not want to go for another ride. The human finally picked him up for the ride to our home.

When they arrived we went out to get acquainted on the front driveway. Snickers promptly pulled out of her collar and headed into the big park behind the house. It was very cold, very dark and the human went frantic. he was sure Snickers was gone. But Snickers was staying close, just out of reach, sniffing and tracking, then taking off when the human got too close. The female human came out, called to Snickers and Snickers came running. Now we know, Snickers is a ladies man.

Snickers is warm and safe inside now. We have much more to tell about his old life and his new one to come. Right now we have errands to run, dog food to buy, shopping to do. Read later this evening for a great story about Snickers.

The kennels are crowded, the rescue is swamped with dogs. Please make a donation to your rescue for Christmas. Put a card under the tree that says "We made a donation to our local rescue in your name for Christmas". You can donate on line by clicking http://www.goldenrescue.com/index.html.

Call your local rescue and volunteer to be a foster home. We have many wonderful dogs that need temporary homes for the Holidays. You don't need to make a long term commitment, just provide a warm place and lots of love for a week or two for a homeless dog. The need is real, the weather is cold, the time is now. And, yes, if you do fall in love with a foster, you can refuse to let them go (we call it a foster failure). If the foster does not fit your life style, does not get along, you can trade with another foster family. It is no risk, all fun. Be a foster to a homeless dog!

Mogley G. Retriever

Ayden update

Ayden had a family that was interested in meeting him so the humans took him over to meet them at the Golden Retriever Rescue offices Saturday afternoon. Our human was scheduled to appear in his red and white suit at an event on Saturday and again Sunday, so he could not wait to see the outcome of the meeting with Ayden and his possible adopters.

Ayden's meeting did not go as well as we had hoped for. The prospective family had a small dog that was terrified by the energetic, bouncy Adyden. Ayden had to spend the night in the kennels, alone, rejected by his first family. We feel very bad for him and we hope we can bring him back if someone does not adopt him soon.

The kennels are getting crowded as we near the holidays. We will receive a new foster in just a little while. Snickers is a voluntary surrender by a human that just did not have time for a sweet Golden. We will post more information as soon as we know it. We have not met her, she is at the groomers getting cleaned up and ready to meet her Forever Home. She needed grooming badly, the human that surrendered Snickers not only did not have time for her, they did not have time to even keep her clean or brushed. Snickers was locked out of the house all day when they were gone, and locked in the bathroom at night. She had only a few hours a day of human contact, she was getting very lonely and almost no exercise. It is best that we find her a new home and we hope we can find her one by Christmas day.

Keep reading, I will tell you all about our new Foster Friend and her search for a Forever Home.

Mogley G. Retriever

"No Name" no more!

"No Name" arrived at our foster home without anything, even a name. Thanks to a wonderful donation, he has been given the name Ayden. Ayden is a naming tribute so it is a special name in memory of a very special dog. At first Ayden was unsure about his new name. I explained to him that if they give out treats or tummy rubs alphabetically he will be at the head of the line. When the humans called him "Ayden" to come to breakfast, he decided it was a good fit.

Two visitors have seen Ayden, they both declare him the best looking golden retriever they have seen in a very long time. At first glimpse he looks small, but when he is standing beside Bella and I, he is as tall as we are, and still growing. Bella and I are 80 pounds, so Ayden is going to be a big boy.

He is trying to learn to read and type like I do so he can write a blog also. He started to digest a Popular Science magazine, he got through about three pages before he decided that was not his taste in reading material. He tried to read the morning newspaper but the human did not like a wet newspaper and took it away from him. If they won't let him devour the news, how is he supposed to learn? He says he will chew on the problem, if he gets a chance, and finds a magazine left down low.

We are having a good time playing already. Most foster dogs are so shy and scared that it takes them three or four days before they will play at full speed. Ayden is up to speed already, as you can see below. We are playing tug-o-war outside while Bella watches for squirrels.

He still does not have any toys of his own, he has to play with my old worn out ones. I asked Santa to bring me new ones, I will add to my request for a couple more very tough toys for Ayden. If they are not really tough, they won't last through the day with him.

He still stays so close to the resident human that he trips constantly. Shadows don't follow anyone that closely. We think he is a very special foster friend. he deserves a very special home. If you know someone that can give Ayden a special Forever Home, go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/ and help our foster friend find a forever home for Christmas.

Mogley G. Retriever

A dog with no name

Today we welcomed "No Name" to our home as our new foster brother. He will stay with us while we seek a forever home for him. No Name was found running free in Rocky Ford, Colorado. If you are running free in Rocky Ford, Colorado, you have a lot of room to run. Rocky Ford is on the open plains, it is one of the towns that comedians joke about where the entering town sign and the leaving town sign are both on the same post. The future of "No Name" in the local doggy jail was pretty bleak, so Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies arranged transportation for him to our foster home.

Most of our foster brothers and sisters come with some history or background. No Name came with nothing. No bed, no food bowls, no tags, no microchip, no collar, no name, no history, nothing. He is a little over one year old, a beautiful red coat. The humans say that if you look up the definition of "Cute", there is a picture of No Name.

He is full of energy and he will be fun to play with. I still have to teach him which toys are mine and which ones he can play with. I will let him play with the toys I have already pulled the stuffing out of it.

When he came in the house, the humans took him straight to the shower. he smelled like he had been running free for a long time. The humans left the windows open in the car so it would air out. He surprised everyone by standing still for his shampoo. He stood still to be dried and then to be combed. It is not the first time he has been to a groomer.

We found an old collar for him, and an old name tag so he would have some identification if he ran off. Then it was play time. No Name and I went outside where he ran and ran and ran in big circles. After over 30 days in kennels when he was picked up, then in a crate while he was transported, then overnight in the vets office, he was in need of space and a chance to work off energy. Below, he and I play tug-o-war with a rubber duck.

No Name sits well, he walks on a leash, so someone has loved him. He must have a name, the humans tried calling him by different names to see if they could find out who he was. It went something like this:

"Henry, come here Henry". To which No Name would come running and wag, wag, wag.

"Bill, Come Bill". To which No Name would come running and wag, wag, wag.

"Rex, come here Rex". To which No Name would come running and wag, wag, wag.

No Name comes running and wagging no matter what you call him. So now we have to find a way to name him and start teaching him his name.

Keep reading, follow the story of "No Name". Help us find him a new home and a new identity for Christmas.

Mogley G. Retriever

Our Christmas Wishes

Bella and I made our Christmas wish list today. As you can see below, we both need new toys. Ours wear out to easily. Top photo, I rip up my new duck. Bottom, Bella tears up her new goose. Total lapsed time till we had them in shreds on the floor, five minutes. Bella and I have made our own list of what we wish for Christmas. Since Top 10 lists are the vogue, here is our Christmas wish list.

We wish for:

1. Toys with a 90 day warranty. Why do they give one year warranties on TV sets or automobiles, but not dog toys? They won't even give us the option of buying an extended warranty. They make toys weak on purpose to cut our fun short. If we get five minutes from a toy it has lasted longer than normal.


2. Cats without claws. If cats have to have claws, at least give them a better disposition. It would help if they shed less, their hair keeps getting in my food. No matter what brand dog food they give me, it still tastes like cat hair.


3. Squirrels with a limp. Is it too much to ask for a slow squirrel or two? Maybe a fat one would be slightly slower. Molly caught a squirrel, but so far Bella and I have not even come close.


4. A car of our own, with open windows. Even if it only sits in the back yard, we can sit with our heads out the window and feel the wind in our hair and let our ears flap in the breeze. That collie down the road will be really jealous.


5. Our own drivers license to go with our own car. We could go for a ride to the dog park any time we wanted. The humans don't believe we can drive, they say we would never be able to keep our heads inside long enough to drive straight ahead.


6. Handles down low on the cabinet where the dog treats are kept. We can not open the door and they are very stingy with the treats. Begging for treats is so demeaning don't you think?


7. A heated year- around swimming pool. Having the pool closed for 6 months is really hard to take. What is a swimming dog to do without his daily swim fix? No, baths are a very poor substitute!


8. Trees with bones on them instead of apples. Sure, apples are good, but a bone tree in the back yard would be wonderful. Instead of having to beg for a bone we could just go out the dog door to the back yard and pick one.


9. Leashes made from paper-mache. When we smell something along the path that needs further attention, the human can go on without us. When a tree needs smelling or a friend goes by and needs sniffing, we can do what dogs need to do without that pesky pulling and yanking on our collar.


10. Homes for all of the homeless and unloved dogs in the rescues and kennels everywhere. Santa, empty chain link pens in shelters and empty crates in puppy mills everywhere would be a great Christmas gift.

Bella and Mogley G. Retriever

Update on Forever Homes

We have heard back on Molly's and Roaree's new home. Roaree says she is very happy. It is a nice home and her foster sister is nice to her. Roaree thinks it will be a wonderful place to spend her Golden years. Because of the rush to get everything done, Roaree has not gotten her new dog tags yet, so on Saturday she will go to the rescue office to get them and she will also get to meet some of the other Golden's at the rescue.

Molly's new parents say she is doing just fine. They think she is the best dog ever. Molly says she is very happy with the humans she is living with. There are several other Golden Retrievers in neighboring homes. She says it is a Golden neighborhood. She looks forward to attending lots of Golden Retriever Rescue Reunion events.

Christmas is coming and our human has given his Christmas wish list to the family. Since the house is full of stuff, to bring any more "stuff" into the house he has to take some "stuff" out. For Christmas he asked all of his friends and relatives to give donations to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, or to a rescue near their home. If you can't give a dog a home, you can help an abandoned pet find a new home by helping a rescue. Christmas gifts will help a homeless dog or cat find a new home. That is the best Christmas present anyone can give. You don't even have to wrap it! Most web sites accept donations on line.

Mogley G. Retriever

Roaree has a new home!

Above, Roaree has her favorite toy and is waiting by the door.

Roaree, my foster sister, has her bags packed, she has a date to interview a prospective new home. A human home visit has already been made to determine that they do offer adequate facilities for a queen, but what do humans know? They filled out the rescue questionnaire about their past. At noon Roaree will go to see if she likes it there and if she will accept them as her new family.

The family that she will be meeting just lost an older Golden and their 10 year old Golden is lost without a friend. They have a 14 year old boy to take them for walks and play with them. It sounds like a very good place for a Golden lady's forever home.

Roaree asked me to remind the new home that the quality of dog bed will be an important consideration to her. She likes a big thick bed that she can sprawl across at night. It has to be beside the human bed, not in another room. She has several balls and toys that she will take with her. Other than that, her demands are few, just constant attention and being spoiled. She asked us not to tell them about her being too short for her weight, she says that dieting is not something she enjoys. We want to point out that Roaree does not do tie out chains, dog runs, crates or cages. She is an indoor queen only, and will expect people to treat her as such.

There are three families waiting to meet Roaree, we think the first family is the best match. If that does not work, she will go on to meet the second or third home. Because of the huge influx of orphan dogs, it is rare that there are so many choices available. Roaree is such a wonderful lady that she deserves the best.

The cats will miss her even though Roaree and Buddy cat did scare one another. Roaree was asleep on the floor when Buddy cat decided to get better acquainted. Roaree woke up when Buddy reached out a paw to test her to see if she really was asleep. Roaree woke up with a start, Buddy jumped five feet straight in the air and both of them took off in opposite directions.

Roaree, you have been a wonderful foster sister and we wish you wonderful times in your new home.

Mogley G. Retriever

p.s. Roaree met her new home and decided to stay. She says they have a nice quiet home, she likes her new step-sister, Heidi. We hope to see both of them at the next Golden Retriever Reunion. Another wonderful Forever Home for a wonderful dog!

p.p.s. I wonder who the rescue will send us to foster next?

Roaree, Continued

Roaree has now been with us for a little longer, we are learning more about her. She is every bit as sweet, nice, well behaved as she appeared when she first arrived. She is settling in well as a foster dog. Her search for a forever home is going well.

I have even been very nice to her. I normally sleep beside the bed, right where a hand may fall off the bed in the middle of the night and pet my head. I allowed Roaree to sleep there and I did not even discipline her. I have allowed her to play with my toys and even to fetch the ball when I could have grabbed it away. She does have a bad habit of grabbing all of our toys, taking them into her corner, then protecting them. Even worse, she just lies there, squeaking our own squeaky toys at us, daring us to try and take them back. She is mean. Taunting us with our own toys.

I do want to complain about the humans nominating Roaree for the annual "Worlds Best Dog" award. I thought I had a lock on it, and I was getting a place ready in my personal trophy cabinet for the large cup. Besides, the humans admit she is not perfect, they said she was too short for her weight, she weighs 70 pounds. She also snores when sleeping.

We have several people that have expressed an interest in adopting Roaree. They all seem to agree on one thing, she may get a new name in the process. Her old name came from the names of her mother and father on her pedigree. But it is a hard name to pronounce.

Roaree says it will be OK to have a new name, but there has to be a payment of a large box of treats, six tennis balls, eight stuffed squeaky toys, and maybe an extra large, overstuffed dog bed. It would help if the new name were similar so that she will not have a hard time remembering it.

Roaree still checks the front door regularly to see if someone is waiting to take her home. She has started playing with us and running with us in the yard. Things are getting better in her life now, she has found a comfortable place to lie at the feet of the humans. She gets lots of attention and petting to help her get over her loss. She hopes to move before she gets too attached, she does not want to go through the heart break more than is necessary.

For Roaree, by Mogley G. Retriever

The tale of two dogs

Molly left us early this morning, on her way to a wonderful rest of her life. Before darkness fell, we were on our way to meet the Golden Retriever Rescue Transport Team. Thanks so much Marti. Marti was heading North with a truck full of dogs. We met them along the interstate to pick up Roaree.

Being a foster brother is a wonderful thing, we meet so many wonderful dogs. When a dog comes to us from bad conditions, like Molly did, she will be fearful and timid, not comfortable with other dogs or with humans, a life in a chain link kennel is a lonely life. It is such a joy to help someone like Molly, you know that you are going to show her a path to a much better life.

Roaree will bring tears. She is a 7 year old surrender who came to us under heart breaking conditions. She was not caged, chained or abandoned. she was not abused or ignored. She was surrendered because her owners had to move into a smaller place, without room for their much loved and very pampered Golden Lady. (below, Roaree)
Molly came to us with only a dirty collar to her name, smelling very badly, in need of a bath and some very basic grooming. Molly needed a visit to the vet to see what else was going on in her life and body. From an 8 foot square pen, to a warm home, rescuing and fostering Molly was a joyous occasion.

Roaree came with a huge box of dog food, boxes of snacks, toys, special food bowls, two leashes, and two sets of brushes. She came with her papers, her history in black and while. Her coat shines, she is clean and well groomed. Her coat is a very dark red. She was a very loved and pampered member of the family. Now she is homeless. Now she is lonely. Now she is seeking to start a new life at an age that most Golden's are enjoying the stability of a quiet life with their family of many years. There were tears when it came time to leave, tears for losing an old friend. The promise of spending your golden years with your lifetime family is now gone. A broken promise, a broken heart.

When Molly came to us to foster, she was excited. She wagged her tail from her shoulders back for any attention she could get. The lonely, cold, muddy dog run was history, she craved attention in every way. She appreciated every pat on the head, every brush stroke to her coat. Just being in a home was a joy to Molly. Roaree came in quietly, she was shy, but from separation anxiety. She missed her family. She was introduced to us then she received a tour of the house. She went back to the front door, she sat patiently waiting. She wanted to go home. She wanted to see her family again. She wanted her old life again.

She will be very sad for a few days, she will never understand why she is here. She did not climb on the furniture, she did not chase the cat. She always brought back the tennis ball, she never pulled on the leash, she did not forget and mess in the house, she always slept at the feet of those she loved. She is very active, she runs and plays like a much younger lady. So why was she here? She is confused and lonely. Why don't they love her anymore?

She returns to the door, she waits patiently for her family to come get her. She comes in to get a reassuring pet, then she returns to the door, she says her family will come get her soon.

She will make it, there are people that care and will help her in her time of trial. She will make it, she is a Golden Retriever, she is a Golden lady.

Go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/, click on the link to visit available dogs. Fill out the form to adopt a Golden. Put Roaree down as the Golden you want to take home. Help a very beautiful and wonderful Golden Retriever find a home and learn to love again, this time, forever!

Mogley G. Retriever
ps. You can also donate on line to help us rescue these wonderful Goldens.

Farewell Molly;

Photo: Molly looks for a way to jump in as Bella and I fight.

The resident humans left the house early this morning, taking only Molly with them. I should have known something was going on, he would not let me see several emails he had received from the Rescue group. I suspected they had found a match with a forever home for Molly.

When they reappeared several hours later, my fears were confirmed, they arrived back home but Molly was not in the car. They told Bella and I that Molly was now at a new home. The humans there had just lost a loved older Golden Retriever named Molly. The Molly they had lost was the twin of our Molly, it was love at first sight. Molly's new home offers a young Min-Pincer as a playmate, a home with a large yard, a dog door, lots of toys, many tennis balls, several soft dog beds, and two humans that love to hike and walk on the paths of a nearby open space park.

I am happy for Molly, she certainly deserves a wonderful rest of her life. I am also sad. When a foster leaves, Bella and I mope for a while. We look for her everywhere. We checked all of her favorite spots. We smelled her favorite toys and her special tennis ball. We follow her tracks across the yard. Being a foster brother is very hard, we meet wonderful Golden's, we help them through their hard times, then when they are ready, we lose our friends when they move on.

Farewell Molly, we hope to see you at the next Golden Retriever Reunion Picnic.

Mogley G. Retriever

Dear Forever Home:

Photo above: Molly shows why she needs a forever home with some toys of her own, she is underprivileged in her foster home. She has to play with Mogley's old worn out toys.

It is time for Molly to begin planning the type of forever home she wants. Molly and I have the following guidelines for Molly's new forever home.

• Molly promises to love, honor and obey her new parents.
• She promises to bring them tennis balls.
• She will promise to destroy any defective tennis balls she finds, its her hobby.
• She promises not to chase the cats, if there are any in the house.
• She promises to greet you at the door whenever you come in, no matter how long you have been gone.
• She promises to forgive you when you go places without her, although it would have been better if you take her along.
• She promises not to chew up anything in the house when left alone.
• She promises not to make a mess in the house, although this promise is easier to keep if she has a dog door.
• She promises to greet your guests at the door, to make them feel welcome and to tell them they are honoured visitors.
• Molly promises not to gulp her food, she will eat slowly and carefully, like a lady should.
• Molly promises not to pull on her leash and to walk gently with her owners.
• Molly promises not to bark unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Molly promises to give unconditional love.
• Molly will make your house become a home and make your life become a joy.

In return Molly only requests a few things from her new home:

• A home that understands that love comes gently on four paws.
• A loving house with hands that can reach over and pet a lady all evening long. TV is such a nice time to pet dogs, don't you think?
• A nice soft dog bed beside your bed, a place that she can comfortably lie while protecting you at night.
• A person who understands a lady's need to get out once in a while. A ride in the car should not be too much to ask. Even if it is just to the store and back.
• Someone that will take the time to walk or run with a young energetic dog, help keep the tension from building after a long day waiting for you to return.
• A good quality dog food, if you can buy it in the supermarket, it probably is not the nutrition she needs.
• Tennis balls, lots of tennis balls.
• Fluffy toys to play with and carry around. A squeaky toy or two would be nice as well.
• A dog door would be nice, it gives her a degree of Independence.
• No tie out chains, chain link runs or kennels. Been there, done that!
• If there is a tree in the backyard with a squirrel, that would be a plus.

Thank you for reading, if you think you can be Molly's forever home, go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/ and read about her and all the other wonderful Golden's seeking homes for the Holidays.

For Molly by: Mogley G. Retriever