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

Tails Up, Molly, Tails Up!

The humans thought we were playing a practical joke on them. They wanted to know "What did you do with that sweet, quiet Molly that we had as a foster dog?" Overnight Molly went from a timid, shy little lady, to being a wild dog from Borneo. The humans thought we had switched dogs on them as a trick. They checked her tags, they looked at the pictures of her, it looked like the same dog to them, but she sure did not act like the same dog.

When a rescue dog has been through a lot, it takes some time for them to regain trust and come out of their shell. It takes time for them to learn the rules of the new house, and to learn that when Bella and I play, we play loud, lots of growling when we fight, wrestle and play tug-o-war. It takes time to settle in and become members of the family.

It is wonderful when a new foster dog goes from "Tails Down to Tails Up." Suddenly they are home. This morning was a turning point. Usually we all go out early in the morning, then Bella and I run back in through the dog door, leaving Molly standing at the back door looking forlorn. This time she followed us through the dog door and back upstairs where the humans were trying to go back to sleep. Molly does dog doors!

Later we went out again, Molly chased with us through the snow, tumbling and wrestling at full speed. We went back inside and continued the romp inside, making sure no one slept late. The humans checked her tags, sure enough it was the same Molly, but not the same dog. No longer the shy, quiet girl, no longer quietly walking with her tail down.

..

The humans told me that it was a good thing GRRR does not charge people to be foster parents. They would pay a large amount to be part of the program. It would max out their credit cards to have this much fun, this much joy, anywhere else. Are you envious? Sign up to adopt a dog or be a foster parent. Thousands of dogs are still in shelters, they have their bags packed and are ready to go home with you. You too can be part of the joy, you too can share the love. You can make a difference in a life!

Tails up, Molly, tails up!

Mogley G. Retriever

Running with Molly:

We took our new foster friend, Molly, to the big dog park today, she had her first taste of running without a leash, without fences, without limits. From an 8' dog run to the 12 mile park is a big step. The park was crowded, there were so many new dogs to meet and things to be sniffed. Below is a picture of Molly playing "Crouching Golden, Hidden Golden" behind a clump of grass.

Molly did very well on her first freedom run. She came when called, unless someone was petting her, then she ignored us until the petting stopped. She did not run in the park, she simply went from one person walking to the next one, being as cute as she could, begging for pets and attention.

She is very much into attention. She says that in her chain link run at the breeders place, she did not get attention. With all of these people who love dogs, simply wandering in the park, she was giving them the opportunity to pet a dog. It was her good deed for the day. She was simply trying to bring some love to the prairie.

I got bored, usually we move along and cover a lot of ground when we are on an expedition. This time we just wandered along the path and went from person to person. Molly was having fun, I was bored. I took off when no one was looking and ran all the way to the river, I jumped in and splashed around, then ran back. I almost made it back before the human even noticed that I was gone. The water dripping gave me away.

We left the park and stopped at a pet store to check Molly's weight. She weighs 50.3 pounds. She sure enjoyed the smells and the excitement of the pet store, more people to pet a dog. When she goes up to a person with her whole body wagging, no one can resist leaning over and petting her.

Back home, Molly suddenly went out the dog door. No one had shown her the door, she just went out after watching me go out. She is a fast learner. She will make someone an extraordinary friend. Help us find her the best home we can, she deserves a loving household and a happy life.

Mogley G. Retriever

Marvelous Molly

We have more information on Molly. She came to the rescue from South Dakota. She was rescued along with a male named Marty. Someone had decided he would get rich selling Molly's puppies. The volunteer who picked Molly and Marty up described their living conditions as "a small tin hut with a run that was about 8 feet square." The GRRR freedom squad arrived in response to an advertisement the breeder had run to sell the two Goldens.

Molly said she was dirty, tired and very discouraged. Her puppies had just been taken away and sold. She was facing a very dismal future. The male Golden, Marty, was in equal squalor. His collar was so tight they had to cut it off. Both of them were lacking contact with humans and were confined without exercise.

The volunteer made a stop at a groomer to bathe them before continuing on their way to Denver and Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies. He said they smelled so bad that no cars would even follow them closely. Marty found a home up North, only Molly came on to Denver.

Molly is still pretty shy. She has gone through a lot of stress in the last few days. She needs a day or two to relax. She is showing her true nature, she is a tennis ball hound. She fetches tennis balls and even drops them (sometimes) when she brings them back. She is a cuddle hound, she also thinks she is a lap dog. Any excuse she can find to snuggle. She is trying to make up for her lack of attention, she is making a good effort to be a "Velcro girl". She still has a hard time understanding "treats". She did not know what treats were, she had never received something for good behaviour. At first she just let the treats drop on the ground so I could have them. Finally she tried one, she liked them. Molly has so much to learn, and she is doing so well. No messes in the house, she asks to go out. She loves tennis balls, but does not know what a rawhide chew toy is.

She is going to make someone a wonderful companion. At only two years old, she has many years of happiness ahead of her. Won't you help her find a warm and loving forever home?

Mogley g. Retriever

Molly 2

World, meet Molly. Molly, say hello to the world! Molly is our rescue visitor for the Holiday's. We will foster Molly until we can find her a forever home.

He said he was going to an early business meeting. He came back home with Molly 2, (Molly is staying here, so we have to differentiate them). He also smelled of yet another dog. When I asked him about it he explained that he had given a ride across town to Oakley so that Oakley could spend the Holiday with a real family. I told him I would have liked taking a ride too. He just ignored me. I bet he even let them smell out of my favorite car window.

Molly is a beautiful lady. She is only two years old, but she has already had two litters of puppies. She is still recovering from the last litter. Her former owner thought he could make money selling puppies, they ate more than he thought. Profits were more important to him that this sweet lady, so he turned her over to GRRR. She is nothing but skin, bones and hair now. She needs to rest and eat for herself instead of for her puppies. She does not know what kind of homes the puppies went to, she hopes they found good homes. She still misses them and is a little sad right now.

When she arrived she was overwhelmed by the three of us, we are pretty rowdy. We went out into the back yard and got acquainted in the open space, Molly 2 felt a lot better, she wanted to explore on her own terms. She is used to puppies and to a cage, not people, open space and other dogs. It will take her a while to learn about life in a real home.
She likes tennis balls, she is not attracted to other toys. In the first 1/2 hour in the back yard she climbed into the swimming pool and discovered why it is a "no-no". The pool cover is very shaky underfoot when you walk on it, and there is water with ice on it so you get cold and wet. When she climbed out of the pool she ran around for a few minutes and then she jumped into the Koi pond. When she came out of the Koi pond she was dripping. She found out why we don't swim this time of the year. there was a little ice still floating on the water. It was time to get the towels out and dry her off. She is not used to open spaces yet. We all played in the backyard for a while, then we came inside. We had our pictures taken while she learned how to sit for treats.
She is a lovely lady with a wonderful dark red coat and very dark muzzel. She is small, so she would make a great friend for someone that has a smaller place. She is going through a lot of change right now. We think she will be great when she settles in. She tried to lick the first cat she met, she thought it was a strange looking puppy. If you are curious, cats don't like to be licked. She wants to play with us, but is still shy. We will take it slow.

We will update you when we get to know her better. She will be here until she is a little stronger, then she will visit the Vet to get spayed. After that, she can be put up for adoption for her forever home. Now is the time to reserve this lady, you can be her forever home if you are willing to wait a few days for her to be ready.

Mogley G. Retriever

Fosters for Thanksgiving

We had an e-mail from Summer's family. They don't let her use the computer yet so the human has to write. They say that Summer is doing good, she sleeps on the bedroom floor beside the bed, which is the correct place for a Golden to sleep providing a good cushion is provided. They did not say if she gets to eat at the table or if she gets to have her own TV controller. When I get the TV flipper we watch Animal Planet all day long. No football at our house when I have the controller.

We received an e-mail from the rescue, they are asking all foster families to pick up a Golden so that all Golden's can have a warm home over the holidays. We will be making the drive across town to pick up one or two Goldens to share Thanksgiving dinner. Give a Golden a home for the holidays! We do rescue other dogs, not just Goldens, our organization won't say no to anydog.

We did hear good news, Brodie has a forever home. Brodie is the golden that was given sleeping pills and dumped for dead in a field outside of a small town. The human went home and told his family that Brodie had died. When Brodie woke up, he wandered into town. Animal control picked him up, someone recognized Brodie and the officer paid a visit to Brodie's home. Now charges are pending against his former owner and Brodie has a new forever home. Way to go, Brodie! Don't you just love it when a story has a happy ending?

We will let you know when our new foster friends arrive. It will be a wonderful Thanksgiving at our home! You can call your local rescue and have a new friend over to your home, another reason to give thanks in this season of sharing.

Mogley G. Retriever

Five Friends Again

After Summer left for her forever home last afternoon, Bella and I were upset. We always miss someone that is as nice as Summer. Our cousins came by to make us feel better. They thought that a couple of hours of hard rough housing would make us feel better. It worked, we tired ourselves out and slept very well last night. We were worn out and ready to relax. Molly enjoyed socializing with her sisters. She is looking forward to the completion of the fence at her new home so that she can go home again. Below is a picture of all five of us waiting for a treat. I am on the left, then Bella, little Piper, Emma and Molly.

Piper is growing hair. She had a bad case of mange, now that she is in good health, she is growing long hair. She looks like a new dog. Instead of having a very thin, flat coat, she is turning into a longer haired Golden girl, she will look like Emma. Her new coat is growing in unevenly, and she has long hair over most of her body but some parts have not grown out yet, she still looks like she has a flat coat. Give her another month and she will be a beautiful girl.

There are several changes in our routine. We don't get as many good treats now,since the humans learned that we love bread, they give us small pieces of bread for treats. We like the bread, it tastes good and it is not very filling. We even get our pills in a piece of bread. Peanut butter is now a special treat, as are other treats. It is alright with us, the humans have more bread around the house than they have treats anyway. The closet is full of treats, we have to figure out a way to make them hand more out. Do we need to tell them to hurry up and hand out the dog biscuits before they go out of date?


Mogley g. Retriever

Summer's Forever Home

We have all been very excited. Thursday night someone e-mailed us that they wanted to meet Summer. Today (Saturday) they came by to get acquainted with her. After the pack was locked outside, the people were allowed to get acquainted with Summer, one on one. Then they took Summer for a long walk in the park behind the house.

When they came back it was love at first sight. Summer said they dropped her leash and let her walk along with them, that did it for Summer, they trusted her. The people like to hike in the mountains, that was just more frosting on the dog biscuit for Summer.

In just a few minutes Summer was in the back of the car and she was gone to her new forever home. The human said that they had a large backyard, a nice warm home, and plenty of dog toys.

It was fun sharing our lives and our home with Summer. We are happy for her and her new home. It does leave more room around the bed, Summer always claimed the spot right by the side of the bed where I used to sleep. We also found out that Summer plays fetch pretty good, she is a tennis ball hound after all. For some reason the cats don't seem to be as broken up about her going as we are, that is why we never trust a cat.

Being a foster brother is fun, it is so good to be able to help a dog in need find her way to a new and better life. Some fosters are hard to part with though, Summer was one. We enjoyed her and if no one had taken her, we would have been happy having her stay.

Summer, we send you on in your life with these wishes: May you never see a chain link run again. May you never have to sleep out in the rain or snow again. May you never spend a day without a pat on the head, a scratch under the chin and a tummy rub. May you never have to sleep alone again. May you have all the love and attention that you deserve. You are a very special lady, we will miss you a lot.

Mogley G. Retriever
p.s. We hope they bring her to the Golden Retriever Rescue Reunion parties. It is so much fun to see old friends again.

Golden Match.com

Summer and I have been working on her Match.com posting for some time. Here is what we have.

• Single, mature, Golden Retriever seeks long term relationship with a loving, mature family. What could be better than to spend your golden years with a real Golden?
  
• Statistics: Hair, Golden; Eyes, Dark Brown; Age, 8 years. Lady's don't mention their weight and measurements, but I am on a diet. I have been issued a "Good Cat Companion" certificate by a unanimous vote of three cats at my foster home. The vet gave me a clean bill of health. I am up to date on my shots.
  
• Special interests: I love long walks in the park, snuggling in front of the TV, I don't care if you watch football games, just so we do it together. I enjoy head scratches, ear rubs and tummy tickles. I still like play toys, nice fluffy ones that I can carry with me, chew on and play with.
  
• About me: I am a very loving, gentle, mild mannered lady. I am well house trained, you have no reason to worry about your new carpets or chair cushions. I will not harm your home, I will be a loving addition to it. I don't bark, I don't chase cats, I don't chew on shoes or furniture. I am a fluffy, silk coated Golden girl, my hair is so soft that you can not resist petting me.
  
• I am not one of those super athletic dogs that requires tennis balls thrown or other wild sports. I can jog, but not for long distances. A long walk for me these days is one or two miles at a time. I walk very well on a leash, no pulling and jumping. You will be the envy of the neighborhood when you are seen walking with me.
  
• I am a people dog. I want to lay at your feet and worship you with my eyes. I want you to pet my head when you have had a stressful day. For less than two cups of dog food a day, you can buy love.
  
• When Tom T. Hall sang, "There ain't but three things in life, worth a solitary dime, old dogs and children and watermelon wine." I am the dog he was singing about.

Mogley is watching Summer roll and play.

Visit http://www.goldenrescue.com/ to read my profile and to apply to be my forever home. If you want a well behaved, calm and loving companion, I am the dog for the job.

Thank you,

Summer G. Retriever

A broken Squirrel

Molly does not understand the rules of the game. We call it "chasing squirrels", not catching squirrels. She ran after a squirrel and caught it. Then she broke it. By the time the humans had reached her, the squirrel was beyond repair. They thought they could take it to the vets office, but it was too late. They yelled a lot at her, they even called her "Bad Dog". They had to chase Molly to catch her, she was not going to give up her treasure willingly. They did take a picture before they took it away from her.
How do you repair a squirrel? Molly does not understand the seriousness of what she did. We have one less squirrel to chase. Luckily there are dozens of them, but we have to be more careful. winter is coming and squirrels have a rough life during the snow and cold season. The humans even put squirrel food out where we can not get to it. Someone will complain that I put a picture of a dead squirrel up on my blog. I look on it as a display of nature's law of "Survival of the Fittest".

Molly said, " When I came face to face with the squirrel I knew it was him or me. It was a fight to the death!"

We are genuinely sorry that we hurt one of our play mates. Still, catching one should qualify us for a spot in the Golden Retriever Hall of Fame. Millions of dogs chase squirrels every day, how many actually catch one? If Molly does win a spot in the Hall of Fame for catching a squirrel, she has promised to nominate me for an "assist". I am the one that kept the squirrel from going to the closest tree, forcing it to run to the further tree where Molly was waiting.

Summer is still waiting for her Forever Home. No one has asked to meet her to give her a forever home. She wants to look her best, so she wants to be brushed regularly. She wants to go for walks so she can lose weight. She is feeling badly, she says it may have something to do with her age. She thinks people do not understand how wonderful older Golden's are.


If you want to help Summer find her home, go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/ and see many wonderful Golden's, and other breeds, that need homes.


Mogley G. Retirever

Running with Summer

Thursday we went to the big open park, Bella, Molly, Summer and I had a good time. Summer is showing us how well she can run and play. The big park is full of other dogs so we made a lot of new friends. Summer was allowed to run without her leash. She stayed close and ran with Bella and I. Molly does not come when called as well so she ended up having to drag her leash so we could catch her.

Summer is learning how to relate to other dogs and people. The first couple of days she was here she would hide when the door bell rang, she would hide when the rest of us began wrestling hard. Now she is playing with toys, running to help us answer the door bell, and joining in our wrestling, at least a little bit. Summer is rapidly moving from visitor to be a member of the pack and a full fledged resident of the house.

She has to take an antibiotic for a few more days. She took her pill with peanut butter for a while, then she bit into the pill, it was very bitter. She stopped taking peanut butter. They switched to wrapping her pill in cheese. When she gets cheese, we all get cheese. Cheese is a much better treat than the peanut butter was. Thank you, Summer, you raised the bar in treats we get.

She is an attention hog, she wants constant petting from the humans. I usually lie beside the chair, just in reach of a hand that hangs down from the chair where I can get petting all evening. Summer has taken over that spot, since she is a visitor and a special friend I have allowed her to take over my spot.

No one has asked to visit her to invite her to move into their home. She needs a forever home, if you can help her find one she would give you a big sloppy Golden kiss. Help us find Summer a new home for Thanksgiving.

Mogley G. Retriever

Wanted; A Forever Home!

Above, Summer is looking for her forever home. Help her look by reading her story and sending it to friends.

Wanted, a Forever Home. An 8 year old Golden Retriever with impeccable manners seeks a permanent relationship. Wonderful soft, silky, long hair, dark eyes and an outgoing personality. Seeking a quiet home, Summer promises not to bite the mail man, in fact she promises she will not even bark at him. Summer is proud to have been selected by the resident cats, to receive the "Good HouseCat Seal of Approval". Summer is available to qualified humans only. No dog runs, crates or tie out chains need reply.

After Summers trip to the vet for a check up and then to the beauty salon, she is ready for her public appearance. She has such a wonderful silky coat that your hand wants to linger on her head to enjoy the softness. Summer is currently working hard on losing a few excess pounds, she wants to be back to her squirrel chasing weight by spring. She would welcome someone that will take her for quiet walks on the leash or an occasionally run in the dog park. Summer is mellow, she does not jump up or try to lick. She is housebroken and knows better than to make a mess in the house. Your carpets are safe with her in the house. If you want quiet love and devotion, she is the girl for the job.

The joys of an older golden retriever are that you get all the love, all of the affection, all of the beauty, and all of the loyalty, without having to worry about someone chewing up the shoes, wrecking the living room, or barking at the neighbors. You can't buy love, but you can adopt it. This dignified, loving lady will make a wonderful addition to your home and to your life.

Sign up at http://www.goldenrescue.com/ to adopt Summer and give her as much love as she will give you.

Mogley G. Retriever

Summer Again

Summer came to our house again today. She is the second rescue dog that we have had this year named Summer. This Summer is a lot more of a rescue than the last Summer. She is 8 years old, and very well behaved. We picked her up from another GRRR volunteer that had brought her in from a rural area up North in Colorado. She had been a product of a broken home. After a divorce, she stayed with the husband who quickly lost interest in her. She spent more than a year in an outdoor run, alone.

Summer arrived so knotted and dirty that we had to give her a quick trim to get rid of some of the bigger balls and knots of hair. Tomorrow she has an early morning appointment with a groomer.

Instead of daily walks and tennis ball chases, she was confined to a lonely run, given food but no attention. She says she feels very dirty and does not want us to put her pictures up on the web until she can get her hair done. We explained that we were hoping to find her a new home, she is still reluctant to be seen in her present condition. I promised that tomorrow we would put up more flattering pictures. When she arrived here she had only a very old collar and a leash that looked like it had never been used. She did not get walks, she did not get brushed. She just got left.

After the stop at the beauty shop tomorrow, she will go to the vet and get a check up. She has a thyroid condition but they stopped buying her medicine over a year ago. Once she is back on her medications and starts walking with the others, she will work on her weight. (Note: The check up revealed that there was no thyroid problem, just too much food, too little excercise.) She says she thinks she is over 100 pounds. After her grooming, she will get to pick out a brand new collar so she can look her best when she meets you.

If you have ever wondered what a gem in the rough looks like, look at Summer. After all she has been through, she still is totally devoted to humans. She is napping on their feet right now. She says she will promise not to run around barking, she will not chew on shoes. She says she will be the best behaved companion you will ever have. She will follow you where ever you go. She will be at your side through thick and thin. She will promise to be a quiet loving companion. She will walk gently on her leash, she will obey you and love you. Go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/ to fill out an application to adopt Summer and give here the best life you can from now on. She deserves a forever home, filled with love. Won't you give it to her?

Below, Summer in the back watches Bella on the left, me in the middle and Molly on the right, look for crumbs from the afternoon treat.

Mogley G. Retriever