Black Jack's Journey

We had promised to post Black Jack's story before Christmas. Then we decided to delay posting so that you did not end up crying on Christmas day. I hope you have a handkerchief handy before you read Black Jack's story. The names of the individuals have been changed to keep us from looking for them.

A foreign couple had brought Jack in for treatment several times to a Vet clinic. They had multiple complaints including saying that he was incontinent. Mostly they did not understand dogs and a large one was especially a challenge to them. Let the dog go out more than twice a day, duh! Male dogs always pee more than once when they are outside.

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When they moved back to their home land, they left Jack behind and had someone else bring Jack in to have him euthanized. The Vet staff did not want to put down such a nice boy, they asked if the owners would surrender Jack instead. An overseas telephone call was necessary to obtain the permission necessary to surrender Jack. That day was the beginning of a new journey for Black Jack. That night he went home with his new best friend, a Vet Tech who was also a rescue volunteer. Jack was sent on to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) as he was a Golden in everything but color.

The owners had voiced many complaints in attempting to justify putting Black Jack down. At first the rescue did not know what was fact and what was fiction. It was necessary to spend some time evaluating him, after which the true dog emerged. It turned out that Jack did not wet in the house, he did not do inappropriate things, he did not chew cushions or chase cats, he did not bark unnecessarily. What emerged was a very mellow, gentle and well housebroken canine. He spent two weeks with a temporary foster home, not a single wet spot in the house. He just needed to be let outside more than once a day. He was a male dog and when he did go out it was normal for him to wet in several places, that did not make him incontinent. It's being a dog, that is what they do!

Since Jack has been with us, he has regularly asked to be let out, he loves the back yard and if there is no excitement in the house he will go outside looking for it, then ask to be let back in after five minutes. He has learned how to use the dog doors, but he likes the attention of asking for someone to open the door for him. He sleeps all night in the bedroom, right beside Bella and I. He eats his food politely, not wolfing it down. He is quiet, not barking all night. He is very polite, never jumps up on people to welcome them. He even co-exists with the cats.

We were told he was 10 years old, we think that was another attempt to justify euthanasia. He is not a puppy anymore, but he is closer to 7-8 than to 10 years old. He is pretty slender, under all of that thick beautiful coat, he gets extra food at dinner time. When he was in the kennels, they groomed him several times because he was such a delight to work with. When he trots across the lawn with his shiny coat bouncing in the sun, he is a thing of beauty.

Black Jack is a dangerous dog, you could kill yourself tripping over him, he is always either under your feet, by your feet, or nuzzling your hand or knee. He is a real lover dog. We think his breed is most likely "Attention Hound". He has a very mellow disposition, knows his basic commands and is sociable with others, even tolerating the cats. Perhaps the best of Jack is his attention to commands. If you tell him "no", he freezes in his tracks, he wants to please and he trys so hard to obey whatever you ask of him.

We are delighted that a Veterinarian's Staff would help this wonderful boy walk out to begin a new journey, to live his life out with a loving family and a warm home. Now it is our task to find Black Jack a new Forever Home, one that will understand him, care for him, and see him for the wonderful dog he is.

We posted a wonderful write up on Black Jack on our web site. Jack is on his way to finding his new Forever Home. We think the rescue had better hurry and find his new home, Jack is settling in a little too much, he could be difficult to give up.

Mogley G. Retriever

Jed & A very Merry Christmas!

Update: Jed just left for his new Forever Home. Read below.
So much has happened that we don't even know where to start. On Saturday we had to pick up Jed and take him over to Golden to meet with a possible new home. Who is Jed, you ask?

Jed is the foster 16 month old boy that our cousins are fostering over the holidays. You see Jed was staying with a nice foster family, but they had to travel over the holidays. In addition, there was some tension between one of the permanent members of the foster family and Jed. So Jed moved in with our cousins, Emma, Molly and Piper. He brought a new level of energy to their house, we did not know that Molly could wear out from running and playing, but Jed managed to wear her out.

When a meeting with a possible forever home was set up for Saturday, our family made the trip to take Jed over. The problem is that Jedd did not like his days at the rescue kennels. When they drove up to the kennels, Jedd became very upset. When Jedd met his new possible Forever Brother, he growled at him. Jed did not want any part of the kennels or anyone there. So Jed came back. Jed decided to just stay at our house.

So now we are four. Bella and I as permanent residents, Black Jack our honorary Golden foster brother, and Jed, our temporary foster. We had a wonderful time last evening. We ran and romped in the snow, we had a good dinner, then we all slept together on the floor of the bedroom.

Early this morning, Sunday, we had a call from GRRR, they have another meeting for Jed. This time the meeting is here since the adopter's live close, and Jedd does not like meeting at the rescue kennels. The Forever Home has a 4 year old boy, Hurley, that he has to get along with. There is a 14 year old boy to take them for runs, and a big back yard to play in.

Here is hoping that Jed gets his Forever Home today. He is a very deserving boy, he has had a rough life till now, and he needs a home where he can feel secure. He came to the rescue after he was a Christmas present last year. The problem with puppies as Christmas presents is that they take a lot of time and work. His family did not have the time, money or ability to handle a very active young Golden Retriever. He shows some signs of having been miss-handled, he has some hand fear and he jumps at any loud or new noise. He badly needs a permanent and loving home so that he can learn to trust people.

Then we had some more excitement. We received a gift in the mail. It was a day-timer for the Larimer County Humane Society. Abby and Sandy were the back cover photos and were in several other photos. Abby and Sandy were foster sisters this summer until they found a wonderful new Forever Home. Their new humans are so pleased with how wonderful Abby and Sandy are that they volunteer at the local shelter helping other homeless dogs. The present of their day timer is very special. Abby and Sandy have the life, they are in photos showing them sleeping on the human bed with the cat, curled up and snuggled up with a comforter. Boy did they get a wonderful home. Thanks for making their life so wonderful!

Thanks for the Merry Christmas.

Mogley G. Retriever

A ReinDog Christmas

Below, Black Jack, one of the worlds best toy shredders, is practicing his skills.

This will be my last post before Christmas. Then I may have to rest for a day or two afterwards.

We have been busy getting fitted with our harnesses so we can pull Santa's Sleigh. I have gained a little weight so it had to be let out a little. Bella's had to be let out two sizes.

Black Jack is getting fitted for his harness for the first time. When Santa saw his photo above, he said that a black dog would show up very clearly against the white snow. That will help him find the sleigh in the dark and will help all of the other ReinDogs stay in line and on course.

Black Jack gets to be right behind Rudolph, who is me of course. I don't have a red nose but I do have a 1,000,000 candle power red flashlight, the quick recharge one of course. I recharge it on the way by plugging it into lights on the roofs while I wait for Santa to make his trip down the chimney and back up. We use red because it protects your night vision, that is how that whole "Rudolph" thing started. It was realy "Rudolph, the red nosed ReinDog". But you know that already.

Tomorrow we will be tired and we will rest all day. Speaking of rest, I have to go take a nap now.

And I heard him bark as he rose out of sight,

Merry Christmas to all and to all a Good Night!

Mogley, Bella and Black Jack

The Half Life of a "Stuffie"

Seaborgium (pronounced /siːˈbɔrɡiəm/ ( listen), see-BOR-gee-əm) is a chemical element with the symbol Sg and atomic number 106. This element has a "half-life" of 1.9 minutes.

Black Jack can beat that, he got a good hold of one of my "stuffies" last night, it had a "half-life" of about 48 seconds. He managed to shred that toy so fast that if this had been a TV game show, he would have walked away with first place.

"I can shred that toy in 50 seconds", said Black Jack.

"Then Shred that toy", replied the game show host.

I guess it is all right, Santa will be giving us a lot of new toys after we
Reindogs finish pulling his sleigh tomorrow night.

Mogley G. Retriever

The Swearing In Ceremony

This afternoon we held a very somber swearing in ceremony in the back yard for our newest foster from Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies. Black Jack placed his paw on a copy of "The Complete Golden Retriever", by The American Kennel Club. He swore to always be happy, to wag an enthusiastic welcome to visitors, to fetch ducks or tennis balls on command, to lick faces whenever possible, to be gentle to cats and kids, always keep his tail in "Happy Motion", and to conduct himself in all ways as a Golden Retriever. It was so moving that there was not a dry nose in the place. Jack is now a full fledged member of the Golden Retriever family and is entitled to all the rights and benefits (and treats) that go with such a membership.

After the ceremony, treats were enjoyed by all and a good romp in the back yard allowed everyone to let off steam. Black Jack was then free to snoop in the backyard, investgate the Koi pond and to move in as our newest foster friend. He met the cat and managed to give the squirrel a short chase. He did not carry much baggage, he had only his collar and a leash. He says that gives him the opportunity to start fresh with a new family in his new Forever Home.

We don't even know his history, and it seemed impolite to ask him so soon after he arrived. We will let you know more tomorrow. Tonight we will just enjoy one more "Honorary Golden Retriever" who will move on to a new life as soon as we can find the perfect home for him.

Mogley G. Retriever

p.s. We will give his history tomorrow, but before you read tomorrows blog, keep two hankies handy.

When Good Dogs are in Bad Places

Rescues all across the U.S. are full and good dogs are ending up in bad places. Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) is a breed specific rescue, but sometimes we are very "bad" about guessing the lineage of a dog. We have had some very strange looking Golden Retrievers in the past, and we are getting more of them as the shelters step up their kill rate due to crowding over the holidays. By expanding the definition of "Golden Retriever" a little bit, we can rescue some wonderful "Goldens" that would otherwise not live to see the new year.

Tune in later today when we will have a swearing in ceremony for a very rare "Black Golden Retriever". You see we can't say no to a wonderful dog, so we simply make them swear to be "Golden Retrievers". That way we can help many of the non-Golden's that we find in danger. GRRR has long been the un-official Aussie rescue, since there was no specific Aussie group in the area. Several local breed rescues are full and turning away good dogs because of lack of volunteers and funds. GRRR seems to always find people that will come through, so a trip to pick up a Golden at a local shelter may find several very strange looking "Golden's" making the return trip. With the popularity of Golden-Doodles and other mixes, more great dogs are left in the cold because there is no specific rescue for them. Besides, who is to say what blood lines may flow in that puppy's veins?

We will be taking in Black Jack as our newest foster later today. Black Jack is officially a 10 year old Golden/Lab, but we will swear him in as a full blooded Golden Retriever in an official ceremony on the lawn. We have a copy of "The Golden Retriever" by the American Kennel Club for him to place his paw on and he will promise to wag furiously when greeting visitors at the door, to bark at squirrels with Bella and I, and to retriever tennis balls and ducks as requested. That should do it, he will then be a full blooded Golden Retriever.

Thanks to the staff for their willingness to let the word "rescue" in Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, be the defining word.


Mogley G. Retriever

Jake G. Retriever, U. S. Air Force, Retired

Below, our Hero, Jake the Air Force Brat, takes a well deserved nap last night after coming to live with us. He makes napping look effortless. What a talent!

Jake has a special bed, It is one of the biggest and thickest beds we have seen. Jake is very attached to it, it is one of the few constants in his rapidly changing life.

Jake had a very restful first night with us. He has earned his rest, he has earned a good retirement. He is looking forward to being addressed as "Jake G. Retriever, U.S. Air Force, Retired". He is still anxious about his family, he still misses them. At night when we see him running in his sleep, we will all wonder if he is not remembering them in his dreams.

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This morning we drove Jake across town to the Vet office. He has some issues with his paws, we suspect a fungus infection. His ears need cleansing and he needs a new prescription for his hips. We just received a report back from the Vet's office. His hips are good, he has a little arthritis but the joints are strong, he will get some medications for it to help him move around better. His paw had a small growth between the toes, that will cure his licking all the time. His ears were cleaned and he is ready to come back home to us. There is just one problem.

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One of our long time rescue volunteer families had read about Jake and wanted to consider him for a permanent addition to their family. They are picking him up at the Vet's office. We were afraid that might happen, lots of families that are looking for a new addition to their home are patient, they will foster while they wait for the right Golden to come along. In this case there were several foster families that wanted to meet him, Jake is as close to perfect as you will ever find. We had taken his bed, his leash, bowls, etc., with us to the Vet's office just in case, we did not want him to lose his bed and the things he is familiar with.

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We hate to lose him, but re-homing him quickly will help him settle in better. If he stays with us, he will settle in and then be uprooted again to move to a forever home. This way he has to settle in just once. Since we know the family through rescue activities, we will post more information on Jake's Journey soon.
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Below, Jake and I get aquainted last night in the back yard just as the sun sets.

We hope to follow Jake and post updates on this blog.

Mogley G. Retriever

World, meet Jake, our Hero.

Below, Jake, our "Hero" explores his new back yard.

Below, Jake and I try to make snow angels in the back yard. The snow was too crusty to make good angels.
Below, Jake, Bella and I sit for treats. We all were given treats because we played together and did not growl.

Jake is now here with us, we will provide him with a foster home until the perfect forever home is available. His family will miss him a lot and we will have to work with him a lot to try and make him feel loved in his new home.

Jake is a true "Air Force Brat". He is well traveled, most of us have not been to Japan, but he has. He has learned to get along with everyone and to love wherever he is. He has served his country well, now it is his turn to find a quiet home to retire too. Not too quiet, he does like to be in the middle of whatever is going on. But he does not want to have to work too hard at his age. With ten years of experience, he knows how to live life to the fullest.

We will tell you more about Jake as he settles in. From our first, short acquaintance we think he will be the perfect companion for someone. But they have to be the perfect companion for him.

Mogley G. Retriever

How do you "rescue" a Hero?

This afternoon we are scheduled to pick up a hero and help him find his way to a new home and a new life. These are the difficult rescues. Taking an abused dog from his owners or bailing out an abandoned dog from doggie jail is easy in comparison.

Jake's family is in the military and they are being transferred overseas. Jake is ten years old and beginning to show some arthritis in his hips. His family is facing a number of choices, all of them bad. If they take their friend with them he will spend several months in apartments and temporary quarters while they are in transit. Then he will spend days in a crate on his way to Germany. Once there he will face quarantine, then life in a small transient apartment while permanent quarters are found. For a ten year old Golden, that is a very bad choice. If he were younger he might be able to stand the long periods of confinement and isolation on his way overseas. Even if he made the trip, overseas assignments themselves are fleeting and they may find themselves facing the same question again soon, only without access to a rescue organization that cares.

The alternative is to re-home him now, save him the pain of travel and separation. For a beloved ten year member of the family, that is a painful choice as well, for this is the path of broken hearts. The compromise they seek is to find him the best home they can. We hope they can follow him through my blog and perhaps watch him find his way to a new life.

We will be asking our readers to start looking for a very special home for a ten year old male Golden. Lets find him a home worthy of a hero who sacrificed his home and family in the service of his country. Help us prove that we support our troops.

Our rescue serves five active military bases over seven states. When units ship out, all rescues are called on to keep the pets from having to sleep on concrete floors and live behind chain link walls. Sometimes we forget the pain of the people that are leaving their canine friends behind, sacrificing their cherished companions in the service of us all.

"How do you "rescue" a Hero?" Help us answer, "by giving him the best home possible."

Mogley G. Retriever

A Merry Christmas and a Golden New Year

We received an urgent e-mail today from Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, aka Rescue Central. They are currently seeking foster homes for the holidays. Many of the foster families will be traveling over the coming days and will need homes for their charges. In additon, there is a flood of new surrenders and shelter additions for us to pick up. If you can take someone for a few days or weeks, raise your paw.

Since this is what is happening at your local shelter, you don't have to be near us to volunteer, there is a shelter near you that needs your help. While you are at it, most of the animal rescue groups, including our own Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) have a convenient way to enter your credit card and make a donation on line. Click here to donate to GRRR.

Don't forget our friends at the (click to donate) Almost Heaven Golden Retriever Rescue and Sanctuary
They could use some help as well. They provide rescue and long term permanent homes for dogs that because of medical or behavioral problems can not be placed. That costs a lot of money, so don't forget them either. Take a moment to browse their site, they have some good links and good products. We made our resident bi-ped click on their donation link and leave some milk and cookies ($) for their Reindogs.

GRRR in Golden is working on fund raising for a long term site that they can use for rescue and as a permanent sanctuary as well. If you want to make a larger donation to the fund to establish a permanent care facility, please visit their site.

We need to mention that our respect and love for the Veterinarians and staff at the Arvada West Veterinary Hospital has gone up immensely. They are the official Golden Retriever Vet's for GRRR. We don't want teary eyes again, but these are the folks that dug out dog snacks, candies and cookies (even forbidden chocolate bars) for Agnes when they learned she had to be put down. They spoiled her rotten for her last hours, they showered her with love and snacks. Thanks so much! That is why our chauffeur drives us 40 miles across town to see them, they are the Vet's that give extra special care.

Mogley G. Retriever

A Blogging Dog

Some people still do not believe that I can blog by myself. Just because we can't pronounce many of the words you bi-peds use does not mean we don't understand them. Just tell your dog to "sit" or "come" and notice that he understands. If you had a bi-ped visitor who was deaf and dumb, would you make them "sit" or "speak" in order to get a cup of tea or a toasted cheese sandwich? You understand the fundamentals of sign language, but you don't understand the fundamentals of using technology to better communicate with your canine friends. We don't make fun of you because you can only walk on two legs, why do you make fun of us because we don't enunciate clearly? You don't even have a tail to help you balance yourself, but we don't criticise your ability to run or your lack of agility when you jump.

Next time you are tempted to hold a treat in the air and ask your best friend to "speak", save yourself some embarrassment, just give them the treat and your keyboard. You will get a much better reply and you will show the world you do not discriminate against your all-legged friends.

We had several new photos taken of me proof reading my blog. Notice that no humans were injured in the making of these photos. I may update my photo on the blog, the current photo was taken over two years ago when I was still a puppy and I have matured since then.

Bella and I went to the beauty salon yesterday, we came back with a "new do" on our hair. The bi-ped thought we needed something to lift our spirits. We will take new photos later today to show you how we look as we prepare for our Christmas Eve work as Santa's Reindogs.

Mogley G. Retriever

Agnes, reflections on what might have been!

Thank you to all who left comments and messages of support following the passing of Agnes. Your best wishes are well received and were needed by us. In reflecting on Agnes and her brief stay here, we wanted to share some thoughts with our readers. We realize that most of the readers are already rescue workers and volunteers, but just in case you are not a rescue volunteer, please read on.

Agnes was picked up in Pueblo, Colorado, wandering free, dirty and matted, with no tags or collar. No tags or collar usually means an "on purpose stray", one who was set lose on the edge of town because it was sick and there was no room in the owners lives for an old, sick dog, even after 10 years together.

Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies was notified that an older, ill Golden Retriever was available at the pound in Pueblo. A volunteer driving team made a trip of 200 miles to bring her to the rescue in Golden Colorado. They said they had never seen a more matted, dirty dog in their lives. Once at the rescue she saw the groomer and the vet. She tested heart worm positive and she had to be treated for heart worm which is no easy battle for an older dog (10+), especially where she had gone untreated for some time. Agnes also had issues with her rear hips and legs, she was not walking well and tried not to get up and down more than she had to. She was put on several med's to help her hip pain and to help her weather the heart worm treatment. The rest of the story you have already read in the blog.

The real hero's in her life are the volunteers that rescued her from the pound in Pueblo, groomed her, took her to the vet and helped her along the way. They gave us the chance to foster her and to provide some comfort to her in her final weeks. We are grateful to all the team that helped her on her journey. It may not have been as long of a journey as we had hoped for, but it was a journey that made her life better in her last days.

We continue to have nightmares of might have happened if the rescue and its volunteers had not intervened. She could have died alone on a concrete floor in a chain link run. What keeps the rescue workers going is the knowledge that there are hundreds more lost dogs that we still need to reach, we need to transport and groom, give them medical care and a warm home while they seek new homes. Hundreds more sleeping on concrete floors with chain link for walls, but even worse for a Golden, no human hand to give head pats, no human voice to give comfort.

We only fostered Agnes for weeks, someone else had her for over 10 years, and let her down. We hope we let her know that humans do care, a dogs love and loyalty is not wasted.

Our thanks go out to all the volunteers that work in rescues all across the country. If you don't volunteer at a rescue, take time today to use your Internet connection to search and find a rescue near you.

Donate time and money to help another Agnes find a warm home, help another Agnes die with dignity.

Thanks for all you do.
Mogley G. Retriever

Agnes, her last journey

Above photo is one of Agnes demolishing one of her toys.

This is a very hard blog to write. This evening Agnes was put to sleep. We are all devastated, we thought she was improving and showing more energy and life with every day that passed. But she was also finding it harder to walk.

This noon Bella, Agnes and I were let out in the back yard for our noon time potty break. When we were called in, we were all at the back fence, we had all three been barking at someone that was walking their dog in the park. We were called back in and Bella and I ran fast. Agnes wandered back in what we had come to call the "Agnes Stroll". In the middle of a patch of icy snow, she sat down. From the door way they thought she was stopping to take a potty break. Then the potty break stretched on, when they called again, they could see her struggling to pull herself with her front feet.

They ran out and found that her left rear leg did not work, she could not use it and it was just dangling. They called the rescue and the vet to tell then Agnes was on the way. They called a neighbor to help carry her to the car and left with her. A few hours later they returned with the bad news.

Xrays showed that her leg had broken where bone cancer had already weakened the bone. That explained her weak hips and her trouble walking. It was not bad hips, it was bone cancer that was weakening her bones and taking her energy. On a younger dog they might have amputated the leg to give her another chance on three legs, but with her advanced age, and the trouble in her hips, the cancer had already spread and amputating could not isolate it or do anything to lessen the pain in her hips. With the pain in her hips, she would not be able to adapt to walking on three legs, all of her weight on one rear leg would be impossible for her to handle. She was still fighting the heart worms, and one more fight was not in her.

Agnes, we hope we did all we could to make your last days happy. We will remember how loud you snored beside the bed at night, and how happy you were every night when everyone went up the stairs to the bed room. We will remember how you howled when you were left alone in the house or yard, keeping it up until someone came to get you. We will remember how great you snuggled in the evening, and how much you loved to sort through the toy bin, carefully select the perfect toy, then take them into a corner and shred them. We remember you lined up for your morning and evening pills, taken with peanut butter, you did love a treat.

People ask how we can foster rescued Goldens. They ask us how we can we take them in only to turn them loose? They ask us, "Don't you fall in love with them?" Of course we do, and as they say "If you love something, turn it loose......". We foster orphan dogs to help them find a life that is better than what they had and to give them a second chance. We do it to give them the best that we can as they wait for their Forever Home. Agnes came from the streets of a city where she had been abandoned after her owner found out what was wrong with her and abandoned her at a senior age to fend for herself. All she asked was some love and some understanding. All she asked was a second chance.

We gave Agnes the Forever Home that she wanted so badly. We hope we gave her some wonderful memories, we hope we made her journey a little easier. We hope she knows she was loved.

Below, two more photos of Agnes as she was dried off Saturday.

Mogley G. Retriever

p.s. We should not admit this, but Agnes came out from under her sedative while waiting for the tests to come back at the vets office. There were some snacks left in the lunch room, chocolate candy bars, cookies, doggy treats, etc. Agnes got snacks that most people would never let her have. She loved a snack, any treat was a welcome addition to her day. She went happy.

Agnes, a cold day

Hi, Gang! It is Agnes here, Mogley is letting me tell you about my great adventure today. Mogley said if he told you, you would not believe it all. So here goes.

It has been warm in Denver for the last few days, even the ice on the Koi pond and pool thawed enough to let the water splash. During the 1/2 time of the football game they let Mogley, Bella and I out to stretch our legs and enjoy the sun in the back yard.

A few minutes later they heard Mogley barking at the back door. They looked and could not find me. Then my head popped up, it was visible above the edge of the Koi pond. I had climbed in to check out the ice, but the ice was too thin. I fell in and once I was in the Koi pond, my weak hind legs could not push me up and out of the pond, I could only get 1/2 of me out of the water. They came running out and grabbed me and pulled me out.

That was one of the most frightening adventures I have had, it was very scarey when I was in the pond, I could not push myself out with my weak hips, all I could do is stand on my hind legs with my front legs over the edge with my head up, the water was very cold and I was shivering badly. The Koi pond is about 30 inches deep where I fell in and the ice kept me from walking up to the shallow end and getting out on my own.

The good part is when I was dried off. I got lots of towels and even a brief visit with the hair dryer. I stopped shivering pretty quickly and began enjoying it. Then they wrapped me in several blankets, to help me dry and to keep me warm. They stretched out on the floor with me to make sure I was warm. I was given high energy treats to help me get back my energy. I had more attention that i can ever remember getting in one day.

The top photo shows me all wrapped all toasty warm in a blanket. Below, I am getting dried with towlels.

That is my big adventure. I warned Mogley about the soft ice, he has been running on the ice that is on top of the swimming pool cover. He says the water is shallow on the pool cover. It may be shallow, but it sure is cold. ; I want to thank Mogley for barking and calling help for me, otherwise I could have been in the cold water for the whole 1/2 time of the football game before they would call us in again.

I still need a Forever Home, so if you can find me one for Christmas, I would love it.

Thank you,

Agnes G. Retriever

One more step in a journey, Agnes

There is a song that goes something like this. "It's a new dawn, its a new day, its a new dog!" Well, maybe not exactly like that. But Agnes is really bouncing back.

They had a Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies Christmas Party Sunday, but they would not let Bella and I attend. Something about "too many Golden's spoil a party". How can that be true when 300 Golden's in the lake this summer made the party better? We think there is something wrong with how we were left home while they eat treats and opened gifts. If it was not so cold outside we would organise a protest march and burn our leashes in protest.

The chauffeur came back from the party with some more information on Agnes and her past. It turns out that when Agnes first arrived at rescue, she was weak, her coat was dirty and matted. She was very ill with heart worm, and she was going downhill. She had been left untreated for too long. There was a brief discussion of the risks of treatment vs putting her down as it was not clear if she could survive the drug that she would need to kill the heart worms. The vet wanted us to understand that many younger and stronger dogs have lost the battle waged inside them between the drugs and the heart worms. The decision was made to treat her and take special care of her until she won her battle. Of course that decision was made, if you have any doubt, then you don't know the rescue staff and their determination, they never give up on a dog. Rescuing a dog only to put them down is not in their plan.

When we picked her up to foster her, she was still under the influence of the drugs, they are very strong and will linger in her system for some time. When she arrived at our home last week, she was "Zombie Dog". We did not realise how drugged out and spaced out she was, we did not understand how long the drugs would linger and how strongly they would affect her. With only her present actions to judge by we thought she was just old, crippled. slow and that she slept all day. She got in a lot of trouble the first night because of a couple of stains that appeared on the carpet where there had not been stains before. She did not even remember her house training. She was supposed to spent time in a crate to keep her quiet as she was not supposed to run or exert herself. We did not think the crate was necessary, we did not think she was likely to exert herself, she barely moved.

Then she began slowly coming out from under the drugs. We did not realise how powerful the heart worm treatment drugs were and how much of an impact they had on her. The last several days there has been a major change in her. She now remembers her house training and goes outside regularly, even asking to go out when needed. She has started playing with toys. We took a picture of her with her new toy, but all she did was hold it and carry it around. Suddenly she started throwing toys in the air and catching hem. She found the toy box and has emptied it several times. She started getting up and down better, climbing stairs like a pro. We did not pick up the vest with the handle on the back to use in helping her up and down stairs, no need now with the new and improved Agnes. She goes outside and explores the yard, showing interest in other dogs and birds, even trying to chase a squirrel. She is even stealing toys from Bella and I, right under our noses.

She is still taking some very strong drugs, but as the heart worm drugs wear off, she is improving by the hour in her energy level and her attitude. No longer "Zombie Dog", she is now Agnes Dog, she has joined the pack as a full fledged and functioning member instead of just watching us go by from her place on the floor.

Join us in welcoming a new Agnes who is ready for a new home, and we will all wish a farewell to Agnes, the Zombie Dog. If you want to help write the final chapter in her rescue and her wonderful turn around in health, visit our site at http://www.goldenrescue.com/ and help us find Agnes a forever home. She deserves a wonderful home after what she has been through, that home could be yours.

Mogley G. Retriever

Reindogs, the true heros of Christmas

For our new readers, this blog has long been the leader in exposing lies and distortions in the media. Several years ago we first exposed how Reindeer have gotten all the credit for pulling Santa's sleigh, but Reindogs do all the work. This year we are asking for your help to spread the word and expose this cover up of the truth. As proof that Santa uses Reindogs, we have listed below the facts and truths that prove Reindogs are the real hero's of Christmas. Just because the Reindeer could claim endangered status and could afford better lobbyists and public relations firms does not make it right that they should continue getting the credit and all the good parts in the movies.

See the above photo of Bella and I with Santa, how many pictures do you see of Santa posing in malls with his reindeer? How many family photos show a smiling family gathered under the family tree with their faithful reindeer? Its always Reindogs, isn't it!

The reference in the poem “Twas the night before Christmas” to Santa and his eight tiny reindeer was an error; reindeer was easier for the writer to rhyme with than Reindogs. He knew that the eight members of Santa’s team were Reindogs, he just used poetic license. Talk about an inconvenient truth!

Who is it that pulls sleds and sleighs at Santa's home at the North Pole? It’s Dogs, not deer. Go look at the annual Iditarod race results and see how many teams of reindeer finished last year? There were over 50 teams with over 1,000 dogs and not a reindeer among them. If those reindeer are so good at pulling sleds, why don't they win the Iditarod race? How many Eskimos use reindeer to hunt walrus and seals? Just open your National Geographic magazine and see for yourself. They don’t show pictures of Eskimos hunting polar bears with reindeer. They use dogs!

Still not convinced? Santa’s last name is “Claus”, not Hoofs or Horns. They just misspelled Claws. It’s that poetic license thing again. So who has Claws? Not reindeer, but Reindogs do! Reindeer with their sharp, hard hooves could never keep their footing on the steep and slippery roofs that they have to land the sleigh on, but a dog’s paws with claws and pads grip the ice to keep their footing on the roof. At the end of the poem “He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,” finally the writer got it right. You don’t whistle at deer, you whistle at dogs!

One "Santa" pointed out that Santa's rounds might go faster if his Reindogs did not have to stop and smell each fire hydrant on their rounds, but we don't think he was a "real" Santa. That argument does not hold water, we have to stop with Santa on every street anyway. Those sniffs are how we update the long "Naughty and Nice List" that has to be kept up to date, even on Christmas Eve. Long before E-mail was invented, Reindogs used Scent-Mail (or P-mail as some would say) to find little boys and girls homes. Lets see a reideer do that!

“Dogs are man’s best friend”, but somehow you believe that reindeer bring your presents? That is the kind of logic that made Mr. Spock glad he was not human. Dogs are recognized as man’s best friend because we are responsible for bringing everyone their Christmas gifts, for protecting them and for bringing joy to children. Beginning at the manger, 2,000 years ago in Bethlehem, when the very first Christmas presents were delivered, a dog guided the Wise Men to the stable, A dog stood watch over the gifts and the Christ child all night long. History suggests that the bright star that guided the Wise Men was Sirius, the Dog Star (check Wickipedia to verify this). Hence the origins of Christmas and Reindogs!

If you were Santa and it was your job to ‘Fetch” toys to children all over the world in one night, who would you turn to, reindeer or Reindogs? Not only are Reindogs the real heroes of Christmas, but Santa’s Reindogs are Golden Retrievers. Look at the pictures, are they golden colored? Are they long legged? Are they intelligent? Do they fetch toys to millions of boys and girls in one night? Go to any dog park and see how many reindeer bring tennis balls to little boys and girls. Golden Retrievers make children’s faces light up by fetching them toys and balls, doing every day what they do for millions of children on Christmas Eve. Just try throwing a ball for a reindeer and see how good they are at "fetching". Proof the Reindogs are Golden Retrievers!

You all have heard that according to long standing tradition, you are asked to leave milk and cookies out for Santa and his team. Who do you suppose drinks all of that milk and eats all those cookies? Reindogs, that's who. Reindeer eat hay dummy, if you don't believe me go search Wikipedia. This year we are trying to start a new tradition, instead of milk and cookies, could you leave a good scotch and some chew toys?

The story of Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindog has long been a family tradition in our family. According to our family history that has been handed down from mouth to ear for many generations, Rudloph is an ancestor of mine. It all started with Great,great,great, great, great grandpaw. He had an extraordinary nose and had long used his special talent to track lost explorers and packages at the North Pole. He had a red nose from following scent trails in deep snow, his nose used to get cold and red from the exposure to snow and cold. One foggy Christmas eve Santa needed help in finding the route to take for his scheduled Christmas Eve run. Rudolph stepped forward and offered to guide the team by scent, thus saving Christmas that year and establishing a wonderful tradition, that is until the reindeer lobby stepped in to take credit for it all.

Most of the crowded dog shelters and homeless dogs are directly caused by this travesty. Millions of unemployed Reindogs have been thrown out of work by the upstart reindeer. The reindeer take all the good parts in the Christmas plays, manger scenes and movies, leaving Reindogs truly out in the cold.

The Golden Retrievers of the world will be waiting for our apology from the press. We will expect the artists and movie producers to book Golden Retrievers for the publicity shots and movie roles so that at long last Reindogs will get the credit due them. We need you to help us spread the word and reverse this great lie. Help us keep this great dream alive and tell others about the great heritage that has been stolen from us.

But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."

Mogley the Golden Reindog!

To help a homeless Reindog, go to http://www.goldenrescue.com/index.html or use the search function to find a rescue near you. Be a foster to a friend, put a homeless and unemployed Reindog under your tree!

Agnes, another step in a journey

Hi, it is Agnes here again. Mogley is typing while I tell him what I need to say. The pictures above are of me with my new toy. The old toys around the house are pretty shredded, Bella and Mogley play hard and they play tug-o-war with all their toys so they end up making one toy into two, then three, then four until the pieces have to go to the trash. Someone took pity on me and I was given a brand new toy this morning. I did not even let them take the tags off, I can handle that job all by myself.
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I am ready for a new home, my profile will be posted on http://www.goldenrescue.com/ today. I hope someone reads my story and comes to get me soon. I would love to unwrap some more toys under your tree this Christmas.

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Agnes G. Retriever

(by Mogley G. Retriever)

Agnes, her story

Hi, my name is Agnes. I am dictating this to Mogley since I did not learn to type in doggy day care. I had to drop the tennis ball while we write. This may take a long time, Mogley types using what they call "The Columbus Typing System". The Columbus Typing System is where you sail forth and land. I notice that Mogley seems to type the most on the key labeled "delete". He uses something called "spell check" and "grammar check" a lot as well. Bella and Mogley have made me welcome and are helping me settle in, they even offered to share their toys with me.

I am so happy to be inside and warm today, I was a stray in a distant town for a long time, I was eventually caught and sent to doggy jail. I was an "on purpose" stray, I did not have my collar or tags so I could not be reunited with my family. My life outdoors had made my coat very long and thick, as well as matted and dirty. The shelter did not know what to do with me, I was dirty and my coat was very matted, they did not know where to even begin. So they began by calling Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies. The transport team tried to help me, but it was too bad for them to do anything until I arrived at the GRRR grooming place. I spent most of a day being worked on before I could go out in public. My coat looks funny now, some places had to be clipped to get ride of mats, so I am long some places and short some places, but my skin feels much better now, thank you. I also smell better in a warm house.

My trip to the vet was very bad news indeed. I was diagnosed with heart worm. Very seldom do they find heart worm in the cold climate of Colorado, but I somehow got it while living outside. Since it was already winter, it meant that heart worms had been there since fall and was quite advanced. My bad coat, my weak hips and my overall run down condition made the heart worm treatment very dangerous. They were very worried about me and how I would respond to the treatment. I came through the heart worm treatment just fine.

Now I am on a lot of pills, and supplements. They have me on a diet of special food, it is supposed to give me energy and help me lose weight. I get my pills along with peanut butter, I don't know why that song says "A spoon full of sugar makes the medicine go down". They should have used peanut butter and the medicine would be licked up in a hurry.

I had a hard time getting into the SUV for my trip to my foster home, my front feet made it in all right, but my rear legs could not find a place to climb in. It took a little lift from the chauffeur to help me in, but once in I was ready to go. I had a bad time getting up the stairs to bed last night. They were patient with me and helped me, but it was a long set of stairs. Luckily I had taken my pills earlier. that did help. I picked out the choice spot beside the bed to sleep, just where I would be right under foot if someone tried to move in the middle of the night. I did not want to get left behind on my first night in a new home. Coming down the stairs this morning was harder, I had not had my pills yet and my legs were not working well. After breakfast and my pills, they heard some thumping and went to investigate. It was just me, I was trying to get up the stairs on my own, the cook had gone upstairs and I needed to be with her. They tell me that as my supplements and medications settle in, I will be able to do stairs better and my hips will get better.

GRRR is sending over a special vest with a handle on the back. The vest will let people give me a helping hand getting up and down stairs. I bet it gets me more attention as well. It should help me get in the SUV so that I can go everywhere.

I have had several exploratory trips into the back yard last night and today. It is pretty level so it is easy for me to get around and I have been allowed to wander and poke around as much as I please. It is very cold outside, even in the bright sun, so I like going out for a while to explore, then come back in and get warm.

I will work with Mogley to write a posting for the web site, I hope you will all help me find a forever home that will allow me to share my golden years with some golden people. My name, Agnes, was given to me so I could be put in the records, I would love to start out the new year with a new forever home and a new name.

Thank you,

Agnes G. Retriever
(by Mogley G. Retriever)

Welcome Agnes

Above, Agnes checks out the back yard soon after arriving to stay with us. She is standing on the edge of the Koi pond debating whether it is too cold for a swim. The human convinced her it was too cold to swim and the ice was too thin to walk on.

Today Agnes came to stay with us as our foster sister while the rescue looks for a new home for her. It has been cold and we are forced to stay inside most of the day, or freeze our tails off. A new friend will help us enjoy the indoors and keep us from boredom.

Agnes is a 10 year old lady, just exactly who you would expect from someone named Agnes. She is freshly groomed looking good. She says her coat was so matted that her skin hurt and it even hurt when someone tried to pet her. She wanted attention, but when someone gave her some petting, her skin hurt. Now she is feeling much better. She is attention deprived, she follows hands around looking for one to stop over her head, even if only for a moment.

She has some pain in her hips, she is getting a pain pill for it, this gives her better mobility. She does have trouble getting up in the big SUV, but I have to run and jump to get in, so her trouble getting that high up is understandable. She gets the front end all the way up into the SUV, but she needs help getting traction with her hips. Just a little boost is all she needs.

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She has lived in a home for a long time, she knows all about humans, other dogs and cats. She ignores the cats as they walk in front of her. She also goes potty every time she goes outside, even if it is the fourth time in an hour that we have gone out. its a good sign according to the humans, it means she is well house broken.

She received treatment for Heart Worm. She says it will take a few days before she is feeling her perky self after that, but she says she is regaining her energy quickly. She is on a weight management diet, she wants to lose some weight so that she can look good as she looks for her new home.

She came to GRRR from a shelter, she had been picked up as a stray. Probably an "on purpose" stray since she had no collar or tags. In spite of that she speaks well of her former owners. But all of our foster friends speak well of their former humans, no matter how they were treated. Loyalty, forgiveness and unconditional love are our hallmarks, we forgive and move on, our lives are too short to carry anything but love with us as we go.

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When we heard about her untreated heart worm and her terrible coat, we knew she had not been groomed or bathed for a very long time. We were disappointed that they did not take better care of her, so we will be picky about her next home.

Her goal is to find a her new home before Christmas. She says she can just picture herself under some one's tree, helping to unwrap packages and lending a calm and reassuring head for petting during this stressful time. She reminds us that most humans are stressed during this time of the year and petting a dog is a very good way to relax. She is a lot cheaper than a psychologist and not as damaging to your health as pills are. So if you need a calming influence in your life, think Agnes.

We will be asking for your help to find her a new home as soon as we can get her posted on the Internet.

Mogley G. Retriever