A forever home for Jude

Jude is in the car, ready to travel.   This afternoon a couple from Fraser Colorado came to see Jude.   Frazer is way up in the high country, up where summer is just a rumor that they hear about on the news.  Up where it frequently is named the coldest spot in the nation on the national news.   Up where the moose and the bear wander through the yards and where the sky is blue instead of hazy.  Up where snow is white and they don't remember what color grass is, they only see it a few weeks a year.   They had recently lost their Golden Retriever Rescue dog named Pepper.   When they read about Jude in the blog and on the rescue web site, they thought that Jude reminded them of Pepper and maybe they needed to investigate.    They called and put in a hold on Jude, then they drove down, almost 4 hours, had lunch with a father in a rest home, and then came to meet Jude.  

Jude had set high standards for his new home, he was holding out for a special place.  They told Jude that they would offer him 10 acres to run on, lots of rabbits, foxes, deer and an occasional moose or bear, for him to sniff the tracks and trails, but he can't chase them.   They offered him several golden friends that do sleep overs from time to time, and golden friends that lived just down the road that he could play with.    They offered him some water to play in and mud to romp in and a special "doggie mud room" where he can get clean as he comes back inside.  They told him they take long walks in the forest and down the country roads where there were no leash laws.  They said they would throw balls and toys for him to chase and fetch.   They even told him they had plenty of things to chew on, all the sticks he could ever want.  They told him that on long cold winter evenings they often sat and petted goldens while the fire burned. 

They could have saved their breath, he did not hear anything after the 10 acres to run on.    He sold out immediately and asked for the paper work so he could paw print it on the line.  He did not even try to negotiate a better deal.  He did not even ask about the thickness of the doggie beds, or the brand of treats they handed out.    He just wanted to sign the papers and go. 

Jude got an extra drink of water, and was ready to travel.  Once Jude jumped into the back of the Subaru Wagon, he was ready to go.  He was planning on riding all the way to the top of the mountains with his head between the seats, getting his ears scratched and head rubbed.    He took along a bag of food, just in case the trip lasted a long time.

In the morning Jude will probably wake up to fresh snow on the ground, snow is forecast, in a wonderful new home.   It may take a day or two to get used to being over 8,000 feet up, it will be hard to catch your breath at first.  Then he will meet the mountains and the forests, then he will explore his new forever home, forever.     When Jude breathes air tomorrow, it will be air that smells of pine forests and snowy peaks, not of auto exhaust.   When he see sky, it will be blue, clear and sparkling, not clouded grey by the dust of a city.  When he smells scents, they will be of wild animals and of natures creations, not the scent of city streets.   When he hears a screech in the distance, it will be an eagle hunting high in the sky, not a siren from a fire engine or a police chase. 

Good luck Jude, you lucky dog, you!   We did ask for visiting privileges, and Jude promised to send us an update on his adventures. 

There is no place like home, especially if your home is on a mountain top in the high Colorado Rockies!

And a special thanks for all the volunteers in Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, who work hard to find special homes for special goldens.   Jude was special, and he has a very special home.    You did a good job of finding him a home, and homes for the other 360+ goldens that will come through Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies this year.   Thanks everyone!  You all did a great job. 

Mogley G. Retriever

PS.   Next we will post photos of Jude's last adventrue with us, he went our to try our cousins new water fall and pond.    We have not even posted photos of the great sleep over and pool party yet.