Friday evening Piper and Emma came to visit. They will be here for about 10 days; their humans are going on a trip to something called Egypt. I understand the place has lots of cats, so we don’t feel too bad that we can’t go along. It would be fun to run up the long steep steps on that big pyramid thingy. Barking at a camel would be fun also.

With four Goldens in one place I expect to have lots of fun for the next week. The picture above shows Emma helping me beat up on Bella. Saturday morning breakfast was exciting; feeding four hungry dogs takes some skill. Piper has a metabolism that makes her think she is starving at all times, so she always wolfs her food down and then tries to help others finish theirs. Sometimes I like to eat slowly and savor every bite, which makes Piper impatient. The human has to watch to make sure no disagreements occur.

Piper and I have fun wrestling; she is learning how to play tug-o-war even though she is much smaller than I am she still puts up a good fight. Piper and I have three way battles with Bella.
After breakfast we went to the big park for a run. He said something about wanting us to be tired before we went to a special meeting later. We had a good morning run in the early morning sun. We chased some mice and ground squirrels in the tall grass.

Once back home we loaded up again and headed across town. It was training day for volunteers at the Golden Retriever Rescue. When we came in the room the human told everyone that although the invitation stated "well mannered dogs were welcome", he did not have any so he brought us instead. Funny! The meeting was fun, there were many people there, and when Bella and I got restless lying in the floor someone would pet us or scratch our ears to help us relax. We learned how lucky we were to be rescued by GRRR. GRRR takes a lot of care in selecting new homes for us. They want the best for us and they do a lot of checking on people before they will let us move in with them. They don't want us to go into a home where we might be mistreated or where there are no large fenced yards or special places for us to play. Many former rescue dogs were there; I renewed some old acquaintances and met some new friends. Rosie was there, she is a special rescue dog, her story will appear here soon. Now we are trained, we can go to malls and parades and talk to people about GRRR. I can see a busy summer coming up.

Wags and licks,
Mogley G. Retriever

A bottle of fun!

Life is fast when you are a busy dog like I am. As you can see by the picture, my human thinks it is cute to make me carry my own water bottle with me when we walk. Remember the old story that goes "be careful what you wish for....?" When Cindy came to visit, she pulled in the driveway, left her car door open so I ran to welcome her. I jumped in the car and like a good dog, I carried her water bottle for her. Everyone got all upset, it turns out they only want me to carry certain bottles. It was not a good water bottle anyway, when they tried to take it away I naturally assumed we were having a tug-o-war on the driveway. The bottle only lasted a few tugs and then it started leaking. Then the humans decided they did not want it anymore. It is so hard to predict what they want.

On a walk in the park we went by a person resting on a bench, a water bottle by their side. Suddenly they tell me that brand of water is not what they want me to carry, they did not want me carrying the brand he had, or something like that. They did not like it, but it was water, it was a bottle, and I was carrying it. On down the path a a mother was pushing a stroller while a toddler tried to keep up. Being the friendly dog that I am, I went to lick the toddler hanging on the baby stroller. They really got angry when I grabbed a bottle out of the stroller. That was the best bottle of all and they took it away so fast it made my head shake. They turned their attention to the toddler when Bella knocked her down, and I had a second chance to grab the bottle out of the stroller. This time I ran with it, I only got a few paces away before they started yelling again. All right humans, do you want me to carry a bottle or not? Make up your minds!

Stella has been with us a week and already someone is going to adopt her and give her a forever home. Stella was just getting settled in, we were starting to play well and she was becoming a family member. A very nice couple visited on Wednesday afternoon. They went home to think about it, and came back Thursday to take her home. In the rush of saying good by there was so much I wanted to tell Stella and tell her new owners.

I forgot to tell them that Stella likes her rear end scratched, she likes tummy rubs and she likes her ears scratched now that her ears no longer hurt. She will need a good brush in the evening, she likes to look and feel her best. She likes a forehead rub, it helps relax her before her evening beauty treatment. We all get a little peanut butter treat, licked off of a finger, when we have been real good dogs. Stella likes to sleep on the soft cushion, and she does snore a little. She talks a lot when she wrestles, she livens up the back yard when she chases the squirrels. She does very well off leash, she stays close and comes when called. I hope they bring her back to our Golden Retriever Reunion events so we can see each other again. I hope they will call and set up play dates, maybe we can all go run in the park together again. Good luck Stella, I hope this forever home is forever!

We miss her and she felt bad about leaving us, but she also looked forward to a new adventure. She understands that there are many more homeless dogs in the world, today there is room for another homeless dog at our house because Stella found a new home of her very own.

Wags, wiggles and licks,
Mogley G. Retriever

And Then There Were Three!

Easter Sunday we went to Jenny's to play with Emma and Piper. The humans put all kinds of good smelling things on the table. I was ready to give the blessing and then dig in, but no! They don't share well, they locked us outside. We had a good time playing with our friends. With the warm weather we are having we can enjoy the ride home by hanging our heads out of the window. Stella is on the left, I am in the center and Bella is on the right. In the picture below we are giving Stella lessons in "How to hang your head out of a window." Stella is on the left, I am on the far right, Bella is in the center. Bella can be a window hog at times.


I am leaning out the car window so that I can read my own blog, I wanted to check the spelling before I posted it. Just kidding, I am watching the ground, a squirrel may run by at any moment. It is important to know where you are going. Shortly after this picture we pulled into the dog park for a run. The park was filled with people and dogs on Easter Sunday afternoon. We are trying to give Stella lots of exercise to help her get down to a good weight so she can keep up with the summer adventures. The picture of Stella below is why she needs so much exercise.
Stella is feeling much better now, thank you. She had a terrible ear infection when she arrived and it was hurting her. With exercise and regular ear treatments, she is getting her energy back and she can play much harder now. Every day she becomes more energetic. We thought she was a very quiet and mellow lady, she is starting to bubble and gain energy. She is not an old lady, she is a very energetic Golden Retriever. We still miss our friend Ally, we hope she is doing well in her new home.

Happy Easter all!
Mogley G. Retriever

So Much Has Happened!

I don’t know where to begin, so much has happened. What is the sound of four dogs wrestling? Bella, Stella, Ally and I have been playing a bit harder than the humans expect, they came running thinking there was a herd of elephants in the house. Nope, just us dogs! Bella and I are enjoying having Stella and Ally living with us. Jenny brought Emma and Piper to play with us early on Saturday, if you have been keeping count there are now six (6) Golden Retrievers to run and romp. We lined up for a family picture and to beg for a treat. We were all loaded in the truck to go to the big dog park. When we arrived at the park the two humans let us go towards the water. Usually when we head to the river they yell at us, today they decided that it was a good day to give six baths to six dirty dogs. We ran, we splashed, we chased one another, and we played in the river and in the swamp. After over an hour of full speed running and splashing we came out tired, wet, muddy and happy. People on the path along the side of the river stopped to watch us romp in the water and laughed at us.

We returned home to be bathed and dried off, yes, all six of us. Emma and Piper went home, Ally, Stella, Bella and I went for a ride across town. Stella had an ear infection; we had to go to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) to pick up some ear medicine for her. We met the nice people that run the rescue, helping out all of the homeless Golden Retrievers, what great people. We met some of the other dogs that were at the rescue, some of them don’t have nice homes to go to at night, and they are lonesome for a human friend. We met two dogs that had just been rescued from very bad conditions; one had spent his entire life outside tied to a chain. He was a beautiful Golden, but so afraid of everything, even people. Volunteers come in and take the lonely dogs for walks, sometimes they take them to the mountains for a run. They do anything they can to give a dog a few hours of happiness while it is waiting for a forever home.

A nice lady came in; she had lost her best friend, a wonderful Golden, and was ready to take someone home with her. She lives outside of Denver on a few acres that were fenced for horses and dogs; it had a stream and pond for swimming. She met several dogs. When she saw Stella, she thought Stella was wonderful, beautiful and very mellow. Then she met Ally! Ally is such a wonderful dog, she has no bad habits, she obeys her commands, she is very energetic and very good looking. For the two of them it was love at first sight.

Ally left, riding in the front of a pick-up truck, heading for a life in the country. Now that is living for a Golden Retriever! If anyone deserves such a life, it was Ally. After only a day and ½, the foster parents were threatening to not let her go. Foster failures are what happen when the foster parents will not give up a dog they took in to foster. Ally was a very special little dog, we loved her, and we miss her. She deserves the wonderful new home she has been given. The nice lady promised to give her lots of tummy rubs, ear scratches, extra love, and to bring Ally back to the Golden Retriever Reunion events so we can see her again. Ally received a wonderful Easter present.

Mary tried to fill the emptiness with Ruby, an 8 month old puppy. Ruby and I did not get along; I guess I was jealous of a younger, better looking puppy. They gave up on sending Ruby home with us that night. We will have another dog to pick up and bring home later in the week. It was a quiet ride home, we were tired so all three of us rested.

We wish Ally the best of happiness, and we wish for Stella to find a wonderful home as well. Ally and Stella lived together for over a year, Stella is feeling pretty lonely right now, even if Bella and I are there for her. If you want some Gold in your home, call a rescue and volunteer some time, donate, or adopt a needy dog. Stella and 34 others are waiting. A link to GRRR is on the left, click on it to read Stella's profile. GRRR is a 501(c)3 organization, there is a link to click on to donate to help save abandoned Golden Retrievers.

Thanks and Happy Easter!
Mogley G. Retriever

Foster Dogs Arrive.

Usually when we get in the truck we go to the big dog park. Today we went past the dog park, arriving at a home where we met 10 other Golden Retrievers. We were there to be introduced to Ally and Stella, two homeless dogs that had been turned over to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR). We were going to provide them with a foster home until they can be placed in forever homes. In the picture, I am on the left, then Stella, Bella and Ally is on the far right. It was hard to get a good picture, everyone was so excited, we all wanted to go run and play.

Ally and Stella are beautiful girls, with mellow dispositions. Ally and Stella are 6 and 7 years old, they were given up because of a divorce, the wife tried to keep them along with her three young children (ages 2-9), but it became too much for her. She surrendered the two Golden Girls to GRRR.

We will evaluate them and help find a new home that will fit them. They have been here less than four hours and already we know a lot about them. They are both very calm and well mannered. They sit on command and walk well on a leash. Stella (aka Ojoe) is a little overweight, she needs to lose about 30 pounds to be in better health and be more active. Ally is a lover, she leans on every human that comes along and she wanted to crawl into the humans lap as he was watching TV. She is very lonesome for attention, upset about being abandoned, in a strange home, away from her family.

The first lesson was called “Dog doors, 101”. Ally passed with flying colors, going in and out several times. Stella got stuck at first, Stella is too fat to fit through the dog door without a little effort. She finally mastered the task of wiggling and squirming to get through the door. A few days of good exercise and a careful diet will make her into a new dog.

Next was dinner, we fed everyone and no one got grumpy, no one tired to eat more than their share, Stella was given a little less than she was used to eating, but she was happy with it. Ally did not want to eat at first, finally she was coaxed into trying a bite and she cleaned up her bowl. Stella and Ally proved to be very polite while eating. They eat slowly and they take their time, savoring each bite.

The next test was the cat test, Stella and Ally passed with flying colors. Shortly after dinner all four dogs were taking a short nap on the floor when the white cat walked through the room. He tip-toed his way around the dogs, stopped nose to nose with Stella and Ally to get acquainted and jumped up into the human’s lap. Ally and Stella did not try to chase the cat, or even get up to investigate. We can add “cat friendly” to the list of good traits that Ally and Stella will have on their profile on the adoption page. Since the former owner had three children under 10, we can assume they are child friendly as well, but we can call the former owner and find out for sure.

After they have had a day or two to relax and settle into their new foster home, they will be ready to begin meeting with prospective new homes. If my readers know someone that would like a very nice, very mellow Golden, please visit the GRRR web page. Stella and Ally do not have their profiles up on the adoption site yet, at any given time about 30 dogs are in transit, being evaluated, getting a health check up and being trained before they are offered out for adoption. Check in with us regularly to see how Stella and Ally do as they move into a new life. You can also leave a donation to help these and many other dogs that are seeking new homes and starting new lives.

Visit GRRR at http://www.goldenrescue.com/index.html and meet some of the other dogs that are lonely and in need of homes. I bet you have room in your home for more Gold!

Thank you,
Mogley G. Retriever

A Very Exiting Day!

I am so excited I am still panting. Just before lunch time my human heard a commotion in the back yard and opened the back door. The commotion was caused by a flock of crows that were flying around a fox, swooping down on him, trying to drive him off. I looked outside and took off running; there was a fox in my yard! I ran towards him and he jumped over the fence back into the park. When I got to the fence I found a dead squirrel, that was why the fox was in my yard, he was poaching my squirrels. The fox must be fast, I have never come close to catching a squirrel. How the fox managed to catch a squirrel while the crows were swooping down on him is hard to guess. The squirrels like to eat the dried apples that lay on the ground under the apple trees; the winter has been so dry that the apples have dried up instead of rotting away. The squirrel must have been busy watching the crows or maybe the crows were attacking him as well, squirrels do like to raid crows nests to eat the eggs and crows attack squirrels when they get the chance. It was a slow squirrel if the fox managed to jump the fence and still grab him. The human did not know what happened to the squirrel until I came into the living room with a dead squirrel hanging out of the sides of my mouth. I did not think they would be upset, it was just a squirrel, I had not even killed it myself, I was just showing off the toy I had made the fox drop as he jumped the fence. They took the squirrel away and would not let me play with it. If you ask me, it was a waste of a perfectly good squirrel. There were many hours of play left in that dead squirrel. It is not every day I get to chase a fox and play with a squirrel.

Raccoons are a different story, they regularly come into the yard at night, and I run out to chase them, barking and waking up the neighborhood. There are even coyotes that come through the park occasionally, one bark from me and they take off, they are very afraid of being near the homes.
I helped clean up some old popcorn. There was a little popcorn left in a bucket from the theater. I finished off the popcorn, one piece at a time as it was thrown to Bella and me to catch. When the bucket was empty I was allowed to lick the butter out of the bucket. Yummy, the butter was good. When I was done licking I tried to eat the cardboard bucket and they took the bucket away from me. There was lots of good taste left in the bucket and it went into the trash. Talk about wasting toys, first the squirrel, then the popcorn bucket They took a picture of me with my head in the bucket licking the butter, a very unflattering picture if you ask me.

It was just another exciting day in the life of a puppy.
Mogley G. Retriever

Dog days, fun days

Emma and Piper came to visit today. The humans left us alone to play while they went shopping. We had fun running in the back yard, even the squirrels came out to play up and down the fence. The squirrels have been eating dried apples on the ground under the apple tree in the back yard all winter long, they are always available to chase. When we got tired we went to sleep in the sun in the front entryway. It is fun having four Goldens to run and play with. After the humans came home we had a tug-o-war contest to show off, then we had a four way wrestle match.

We posed for a family portrait, four beautiful Goldens in the entryway. On the front left is Piper, to the right of her is Emma, a 6 year old Golden girl, behind her is Bella and I am off to the far right. We had a hard time posing, each time we sat down a person would walk by in the park and we would all rush forward to bark at the glass entry doors. We all had a peanut butter treat, Emma licked and licked and licked and licked, then begged for more. We have to sit politely in a line before we can get our peanut butter, its hard to sit still and wait politely when the dog on your left is licking the peanut butter off her whiskers. Peanut butter is the best treat for good dogs because it lasts for a long time.

More dogs, more fun!
Mogley G. Retriever

Lonely Dogs

Two lonely dogs sitting in the entry way, missing our friend, Piper. Piper went home to Emma and Jenny, her sister and human. That makes room at our home for a third dog. A new foster Golden will soon be arriving from the rescue kennels to visit us and be our new playmate while they search for a forever home.

Before we took Piper to her home we went for one last run in the big park together. Piper came to stay because Molly was picking on her. Molly moved to her new home and Piper returned to her real home, it’s all very confusing. Bella and I sure did have fun with her, she was lively and loved to run and wrestle. She will be back again in a couple of weeks, her humans are going on a long trip and both Piper and Emma will be staying with us while they are gone.

Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies in Denver (http://www.goldenrescue.com/) accepts all Golden’s (and other breeds as well from time to time); there are always more needy dogs than homes. Golden’s come to our rescue from far away because the volunteers work hard to find homes for everyone and provide great medical care, even to very sick dogs. We recently received 10 Golden’s from Oklahoma City, read the newsletter at the web site http://www.goldenrescue.com/f/FEBRUARY_2007_FINAL.pdf and learn how our group rescued puppy mill dogs and found them new homes. Some of the puppy mill dogs did not know what grass was, they had never known anything but concrete and cages. Their transformation is a wonderful story with a very happy ending. Make a donation to help with the costs of helping these wonderful dogs.

I am excited that we can help another lonely dog at our home. I remember when I was homeless, scared, lonely, cold and I did not know where my next cold meal was coming from. I did not have a bed, toy, leash or collar to call my own. Bella and I are happy to be able to share our warm home and many toys with a homeless dog. We don’t know who is coming, but Bella and I will make them welcome. They will find a warm home, a soft bed, toys, regular meals and all the balls they can chase plus regular trips to the big park to run and play.

If GRRR had a Golden sign over its gates it would say “Over 378 dogs placed in 2007”.
One more home, one less forgotten dog.
Mogley G. Retriever

Games Humans Play

My human has been teaching me what he calls a new game. I think it is work and he is afraid of getting into trouble with the authorities if he admitted that he is using me as slave labor. His new “game” is called “fetch the paper”. I don’t think it is a game because it is saving him from having to walk down the driveway, lean over and pick up his own paper.

If it is a game then he is game challenged because the rules of the game are very similar to the rules for the game of fetch the tennis ball. The difference is that he does not have to go through the trouble of throwing the paper. Someone else does the throwing of the paper, I bring it in, all the human does is sit and read it, sipping his coffee. I even have to bring it all the way in to the sofa. How lazy can he get? I found out how to get even with him; this morning I picked up the plastic bag by the closed end and scattered paper all over the front lawn. I delivered the orange bag to him, empty.

We need a wider variety of games. The game of “fetch the paper” is very similar to “fetch the tennis ball”, and that is almost exactly like the game he calls “fetch the Frisbee”. He has some other variations on it such as “fetch the stick”, and “fetch the duck”. If your human has a better variation on the game, please let me know. There has to be a better way to get exercise or a new game I could teach him.

My human has been teaching me to carry a water bottle in my mouth; he thinks it’s cute that I have to carry my own drinking water when we take a walk. When we were walking in the big park yesterday, I saw a water bottle sitting beside this nice man who was walking his three Black Labradors, so I picked up the bottle and brought it along. A few minutes later I heard the nice man yelling “your dog stole my water”. My human had to take the water bottle back and apologize for my theft. I got to play with the Black Labs for another five minutes before we moved on.

That’s all for now,
Mogley G. Retriever

Mogley to the rescue!

I am enjoying having Piper stay with me. When Bella gets tired of running and wrestling I can turn to Piper, she is rested and ready to romp. We went to the park together and had a fun run in the sun. There is still snow in the deep grass, but spring is coming, there are tiny bits of green at the ground level. Piper was well behaved, she came when called and stayed close, most of the time. Piper was the first one back to the car; she was tired. The picture shows Bella, Myself and Piper "On Golden Fields".
I want to direct my readers to a blog with some excellent pictures. http://herbiegr.blogspot.com/ This lucky Golden Retriever lives in Singapore. I enjoyed reading all about his adventures and seeing some very good pictures. Thank You, to all who have sent me e-mails and comments. Thanks for telling me about your life. So many happy stories, so many happy dogs!

Now I need your help. The dog rescues are flooded with dogs. Call your local rescue and offer to take in a foster dog so he does not need to spend another night in a chain link run. Visit the kennels and take a dog out for a walk or a run in the park. They need human contact and love as much as they need exercise.

Dogs in doggy jail are not there because they did something wrong, they are in jail because their humans did something wrong; the dogs are victims. Someone was evicted for their home and a family pet finds itself on the street, hungry, lonely, scared and bewildered. We have several military bases nearby and when a unit is sent overseas the local rescue kennels are flooded with tearful soldiers that suddenly have to give up their best friends. Matilda is still seeking a home, she was out for a walk when her master had a heart attack on the street, leaving her, a bewildered Golden Retriever, standing alone on the end of a leash on the sidewalk. These dogs are pets, trained and loving, with a family and a home one day, the next day they are orphans. If you don’t have room for another set of paws in your home, you can click on a link to donate. To help you understand the size of the crisis we are facing, there are five retriever rescues in the Denver area. They placed over 1,500 retrievers (over 300 per rescue) last year alone. The Poodle, St Bernard and German Shepard rescues all tell the same story. The rescues of all breeds are flooded with even more dogs this year. They need a huge amount of dog food every day, they face huge veterinarian bills, and a lot of volunteer love is needed. Donate money, your home and your love!

My humans are going to take in one more Golden to foster and evaluate so it can be placed with a forever home. One less Golden, scared and cold in a chain link jail; one more friend for Bella, Piper and I to play with. Piper will be going home soon, so there will be an extra bed available.

Click some of the links below to go to a rescue near you! Leave a donation and visit a dog!

My favorite is: http://www.goldenrescue.com/index.html
Your favorite breed is here: http://www.allbreedrescuenetwork.com/Rescue-List.php
You can Google your town name, your favorite breed and find a rescue next door to you.

Only you can provide a home to a needy dog.
Love, licks, and wiggles!

Mogley G. Retriever

A day at the Doctor's

Tuesday I went to the doctor for my annual check up. I did not go to the corner vet like my step sister; I went to the Veterinary Specialty & Emergency Hospital (www.vrcc.com). My human told me that I had to have a heart check up to see if I was still a perfect dog. I know I am, still taking me to the Doctor was kind of fun. I rode over with my two step sisters but they did not stay. Don’t tell them that I was given lots of treats after they left, they will be jealous.
In the picture above I am being weighed in. I weigh 75 pounds, Bella weighs 86 pounds, and Piper is only 44 pounds. Then I went back to the examination area. They gave me all kinds of tests, naturally I passed them all, and I am that kind of a dog. I had to wait till the emergency ward was done treating the needy and injured dogs, so I had time to make friends. The emergency ward was busy all day long; I did not realize how many hurt and injured dogs there are in the city every day. There was a constant stream of dogs arriving with emergency needs. The staff was very kind to me, everyone was interested in me. I have some business cards with my picture and my web address; these make a big hit when I hand them out. I have a hard time carrying them with me. I allow a human to accompany me, they have pockets and they can carry business cards.

My human took the medical report and later called the doctor back to find out more. He does not look happy, but he will not let me see it. Someday I am going to find out what they are hiding from me. Still, the trip was fun, it was a new place to go, new dogs to sniff and new people to pet me.

Thanks to the Vets for caring for me, and the treats were wonderful. Who does your dog bones? Could I get them to cater my next party?

Mogley G. Retriever

Piper comes to visit.

Saturday morning was spent picking up and putting away old toys and anything that was down low in the house. I heard them talking about my cousins, Emma, Molly and Piper. Emma was the first golden retriever at my human’s son-in-law and daughter’s house; she is a very nice laid back golden. Then they adopted Molly, a small light colored, curly coated golden, very busy and very smart. Next they added a foster rescue dog, Piper. Piper was called Pepsi when she arrived but they did not like Pepsi so she became Piper. Piper did not mind. Piper suffers from Addison’s disease and that makes her hyper and she eats anything she can.

Life was wonderful for a few months, Bella and I had sleep over’s and frequent play dates. Molly kept getting grumpy with Piper; Molly was biting Piper hard several times in one day. Piper is still young and quite hyper, she never sits still. She probably irritated Molly when Molly wanted to nap or just relax.
Piper came to stay for a while to see if Bella and I would be nice to the little girl. Bella (on the left)and I are each about 80 pounds and we play hard! Piper (at the rear) is only about 40 pounds but her energy level makes her fun to run with. So now we are three wild, ferocious golden retrievers. It has only been a few days and already we have learned to wrestle together and chase toys in the back yards. Piper is still a little hesitant to get in the middle when Bella and I start fighting hard, we knock chairs and tables over. Piper is slowly learning to join in but not when we get wild. I can't wait till I can show her the woods and the river.

More dogs, more fun.

Mogley G. Retriever

Wet and Wild!

Today we had another trip to 12 mile park, another run in the fields and streams. It was a wonderful, warm spring day, just the right kind of day to go exploring. The human did something he called “playing hooky” from work, and took us to the park to run. The stream was running high with spring run off; the water was over the banks and up in the trees. It is so much fun to run in the trees, through the water, and then jump into the big pools where it is deep enough to swim. What a way to spend a day.

Bella and I had a wonderful time running, splashing and playing. The human sat on a fallen log and let us play as long as we wanted to play. When it was finally time to go home we were so tired we slept in the back of the SUV. Fun does have a price, when we got home we were so wet and muddy that we had to have a bath. We had the good “wild” smell for a while, but all good things must pass. Now, after a wonderful day, we smell like sissy flowers instead of wild woods and muddy streams.

I hope you get to run in the wet woods, it makes wonderful dreams.

Mogley G. Retriever

Five Minute Toys!

The store was having a sale on close-out Christmas toys in the dog department. When the bag with the toys came in the door I grabbed one toy out of the bag before the human could even set it down. Thinking it would keep me busy while he brought the rest of the purchases in, he left me alone with it. First Bella and I had a couple of quick sets of tug-o-war. The tug-o-war opened up several seams, it took me less than one minute to pull the stuffing out and find the squeaker to remove. I met my human at the door, he had the last bag of groceries in his hand, and I had the remains of the toy in my mouth.

My human called the store; they said there was no extended warranty available on the dog toys. The store manager said the store guarantee was only a five minute warranty on the toys, my human explained that the toy had not lasted five minutes from the time he got it home, the store replied that the five minutes covered by the warranty began from the time the toy was rung up on the register. Apparently the store manager has seen golden retrievers at work.

They just don’t make toys like they used to.

Mogley G. Retriever

Spa Day

Mud baths are good for your health. Don’t take my word for it; look at what one health spa advertisement claims: "Have you ever wondered why some people enjoy taking a mud bath? The reason is simple; it is an incredibly relaxing experience. It’s a warm soothing experience that allows a person to let the tension out by doing nothing more than enjoying the warmth melt away the stress. "

A health spa will charge thousands of dollars to do what a golden retriever can do with just a little water and some dirt. Take a look at the pictures showing how we golden’s like to spend our day at the spa. First (top photo) Bella and I went in for a good mud pack. Then three new friends joined us, Hogan, Holly and Bobbi Woodworth. We had to go find a bigger mud hole (middle photo) to accommodate a pack of five wild and ferocious retrievers. We found another mud bath nearby and applied a second layer of soothing mud. Notice the picture of Bobbi shaking herself (last photo). You can tell it's Bobbi because she has no tail to shake. It may be hard to believe, but there is a golden retriever under all of that mud!

Mud is good for your coats, it makes them nice and black, cools us off, and gives us that special scent that tells others “these dogs are special; they have been to the spa!” My human should be happy; we do not smell like dogs anymore. Humans always complain when we smell like dogs, what do they expect us to smell like? Skunks? We don’t even smell like wet dogs. We smell like mud. Gooey, messy, black, sticky, mud!

Then our dream of beautful mud baths is ruined, we are toweled off before we are allowed into the car. When we get home we have to go straight to the shower room where we are hosed down, soaped up and we end up smelling like lilacs and lavender. We smell like sissy dogs again.

But for a few minutes it was heavenly. Don’t tell the human, but we remember where that mud was and we will find it again! We could hold a Golden Retriever Club reunion at the mud hole, call it a Golden Spa Day!

Mogley G. Retriever

Remember the good things in life?

As I get older, I find myself looking back and remembering the good things in life. After all, I am a year old now, that is 8 or 9 in human years, time really flies when you are a dog! Humans don’t appreciate the simple joys of life. Here are some of the things I appreciate.

Riding with your head out the window, ears flapping in the breeze is one of the joys that humans seldom appreciate. Thankfully, they would probably run into something if they drove that way. Fresh scents to smell, air to ruffle the fur. Now that is living! But the close up picture makes my nose look big!

Stopping to sniff a fire hydrant used to be one of life’s great pleasures. Remember the good old days when they had fire plugs on most corners? They were a wonderful way to help us keep in touch with one another and reconnect with old friends. The internet works fine, and I am proud that dogs invented it, but it will never replace a neighborhood fire plug or even a large elm tree. You did know that dogs invented the internet, didn’t you? Surely you don’t believe that Al Gore invented it? How silly was that, anyway?

Old squirrels. All we have in our yard are young squirrels. They are so hard to catch, they run fast and although we chase them constantly, we never can catch them. Old squirrels are the best squirrels.

Thanks for stopping by to read my blog.
Mogley G. Retriever

If I ran the Dog Show!

A beagle won the 132nd Westminster championship, beating out 2,500 other dogs to be declared best in show. I don’t want to minimize the achievement of someone that can look good under a bright spot light and perform under pressure, but did they forget that there were Golden Retrievers entered?

If I ran the dog show, points would be awarded differently. Dogs need to do something besides just look good, which we do of course, but we need to demonstrate our ability to do our jobs while looking good as well. Do they judge Miss America only on the swim suit contest? NO! They have talent contests, they have judges that observe them under pressure to see how they respond, and they look for a well rounded individual.

Let’s add some talent and skills tests to the dog show judging. The first round of judging would have a tennis ball machine launching tennis balls across the auditorium and into the crowd, dogs will be judged on the number of balls they bring back in the ten minute judging window. This is where we will separate the beagles from the terriers. Goldens' would be at a disadvantage, we would stop to get head pats or lick all the hands along the way, we need points for "congeniality". Another round of judging could be squirrel chasing. Release squirrels in the hall, release 2,500 dogs and let the games begin. This would provide active competition among the dogs; it would provide entertainment for the spectators and would increase television ratings by 20 points. The televised dog show would out draw the Super Bowl for viewers. For the final round of judging we would uncover a large swimming pool and release three live ducks in the exhibit hall. The first dog that brings a duck to the judge would be the winner of that round. Let’s see how many points the poodle in the bushy hairdo could win now.

Now that is how I would run a dog show!

Mogley G. Retriever

It's my Job!

Some people do not understand the role of a dog in the typical household. We appreciate the warm home, good food, exercise, attention and praise that we receive. In return we more than pay for our keep by providing valuable services.

• It is my job to guard the back fence. Don’t yell at me to stop barking when someone is walking down the trail in the park. They are walking quietly with their dog, plotting how to jump over the fence and invade our back yard if I appear to be asleep.


• It is my job to fetch balls. If there are no balls being thrown, then I can not perform my job. So hurry up, get out of that chair, turn off the TV, get outside and work that arm. No tennis balls? Sticks and Frisbees work as well. Throw a duck from time to time just to break the pattern.


• It is my job to take you for walks and to keep you physically fit. Excercise is good for the man and his dog, just ask your Doctor!.


• It is my job to chase the cats. So don’t yell at me to stop. The cats are getting fat and lazy, exercise is good for them. If they are running, then they are not shedding on the couch, or even worse, lying on your lap, digging their claws into you as they purr. If you spoke cat, you would be horrified at the nasty comments they make about humans. I only chase them when they have been insulting you.


• It is my job to clean up stray food on the floor. If there is no stray food on the floor then I can’t do my job. That is why I sprawl across the kitchen floor where you can trip over me, spilling your plate. It’s my job.


• It is my job to greet guests at the front door. You should encourage me to bark at everyone entering the front yard until it has been determined whether they are visitors and guests or intruders. Jumping on guests as they enter the house is only good courtesy; you would not want people to think we were not excited to see them? Sniffing is how we separate wanted guests from intruders bent on harm.


• It is my job to hang out of the car window, ears flapping in the breeze, keeping watch for threatening cars and approaching fire trucks. I stand watch over the car when it is parked in a lot, challenging any potential intruder who comes close. Forget buying the “club” or “lo-jack” for your car, just leave the window down while you shop and don’t forget to return with a treat.


• It is my job to be a companion and best friend. Jumping up on you is my way of helping you relax after a hard day. Licking you is my way of offering my sympathy and showing my understanding of your troubles. Offering you my head, ears and tummy to scratch is therapy; it saves you a trip to the psychiatrist’s office, not to mention saving you the bill. You could spend some small part of the savings on dog treats and dog toys.


• It is my job to protect the house, the family, and yes, even the cats, from possible intruders. That is why we are frequently awake in the middle of the night, keeping watch, guarding the home.

That is why we have been with you for the last 8,000 years, man and dog, what a team! Thanks for the home and love, your best friend;

Mogley G. Retriever

If dogs were in charge:

Sniffing would replace hand shaking when dogs and people greet one another. Handshaking is so unsanitary, you never know where that hand has been!

Dog food would be delivered in big trucks instead of little bags. Trucks would just back up and deliver a huge supply, and it would be good stuff, the dog food would all be marked “USDA Choice” and would all have a fresh bone in them.

Balls would throw themselves so we don’t have to wait till the human gets around to throwing the ball after we fetch it.

The refrigerator’s ice dispenser would dispense bones and treats instead of ice.

The collar on the leash would go around the human’s neck and we hold the loop end in our mouth so that when we want to follow that rabbit trail the human comes alone with us. Squirrels can be chased and the human has to keep up or we give them a good yank on the leash.

Toys would put themselves back together every night so we can tear them apart again during the day.

Squirrels would all have a limp to slow them down.

No one would be allowed to come near my back fence unless he has a pocket full of treats.

Cats would be required to stay off of furniture, dogs would be allowed on the furniture. Humans would be allowed on the furniture if they have been "good humans" all day.

Cats would be treated for their drug habit; catnip addiction would be recognized as a threat to household harmony.

All cars would be required to have one window that opens to dog nose height so that we can ride comfortably with our nose out the door, ears in the wind.

All humans would be required to adopt a dog so no dog has to be in the doggy jail.

Dog catchers would catch humans who are caught walking the streets without their dog, they would be locked up until their dog bails them out and they agree to walk their dog every day.

Daily tummy rubs and ear scratches would be required or else the human would have to sleep on the floor beside the bed instead of being allowed to share the bed with the dog.

A Man is Dogs best friend!

Paws up for Dog Power:
Mogley G. Retriever

Ferocious Golden Retrievers

Brian came by with Emma, Molly and Piper, my three Golden cousins, all five of us went down to the park for a run in the big open area. Boy is that a lot of fun, we ran and ran and ran. Emma, Molly and Piper have not been in the big park very often so they had to drag their leashes just in case. Everyone was on their good behavior. We sniffed in the bushes and in the long grass. The wind was blowing hard and it was only 38 degrees, just right for some serious running by a pack of ferocious Golden Retrievers, loose in the park. Bella is in front, hoping the photographer has a treat.

My human says there are no grizzly bears or moose in the park, he told us to watch out for coyotes and deer. There are some ducks and geese in the marshes, a few doves, rabbits, and pheasants in the tall grass. It was great sniffing.

When my human was looking the other way for a moment, I took Piper down and showed her where the marsh was, we went for a wade in the muddy water. We had fun, but the humans spoiled it by yelling at us to get out of the mud. They don’t let us have any fun.

Before they took us home they wiped us down with a towel to get some of the mud off. When I got home I ended up with a bath again. This is getting monotonous. I work hard to make myself smell good, they give me a bath with that smelly stuff and make me smell like a sissy again. I tried to tell my human that it will be hard for me to scare off a coyote when I smell like chocolate candy or a lilac bush. I will growl at the coyote, go into my “threat posture”, he will take one sniff and roll on his back in laughter. How embarrassing!

Mogley G. Retriever

More Dog/Human dictionary:

Dogs and humans seem to have different meanings for many words. Here are a few of the frequently misunderstood words and their proper usage for dogs.

Treatable: Human definition, something that can be treated or cured.
Dog definition; Something worthy of reward. Example of usage; I just brought you the ball, that is a treatable trick. Where is my treat you cheapskate?

Doggedly: Human definition; Something you done stubbornly or tenaciously.
Dog definition; Something that is best done by a dog. Example, I did an extraordinary good job of fetching that duck, it was a doggedly good job.

Minute: Human definition; A unit of time equal to one sixtieth of an hour, or 60 seconds
Dog definition: One to two hours, maybe a day if we are waiting in the car, remember guys, one human year is seven to ten dog years. Why do you think we get impatient when you make us wait? Get a move on there fellow, we don’t have forever!

Food: Human definition; Edible material that has been properly prepared and seasoned to provide nourishment to the body. Eaten slowly and with pleasure.
Dog definition; Something chewable that can also be swallowed in large bits so as to minimise the time wasted in chewing.

Cat: Human definition; a small animal of the feline family that is kept in the house as a pet. Something to be pampered and cared for with love and affection.
Dog definition; A small but usable exercise machine, suitable for low to moderate exercise only.

That is all for today, it is time to go to the park!
Mogley G. Retriever

Evie's E-mail

My friend Evie has sent me another e-mail, keeping us up to date on her life after having been abandoned, then finding a wonderful new home. Thanks to wonderful people that take us in when we need a home.

Dear Mogley,

I finally was able to get into the computer room today. Around here there are two computers and they have a special room for them. My people always shut the door when they leave the room so I don't get much opportunity to keep up on my email. My people say they have to keep the door closed because of cats on the keyboards. They don't have a clue that we dogs are on those keyboards every chance we get. We must be smarter because we dogs never get caught at it and the cats do. You can teach an old dog new tricks! I didn't know a thing about computers when I came here but I am a fast learner.

We have those pesky cats here too. There must be some sort of kitty conspiracy going on. They have found their way into the best homes. Maybe it is the people. The people that will take us in when we need a good meal and a warm bed must have very soft hearts and those cats take advantage. We have 2 cats here in this house. There is one kitty that is really old. Don't tell her I said so but she is 19. She sleeps a lot and doesn't bother us dogs but she will be the first to tell you she is the Queen of the house and don’t mess with her. Something about seniority, whatever that is. Then there is this other black and white kitty . She is something else. After I was here for about a month I found out she is studying to be a masseuse! I have never heard of such a thing. If I lay down real quiet she will come over and massage my muscles. My mom thinks it is so cute and says she is making biscuits. I never see any biscuits when she is done but my muscles do feel better.

Your Friend Evie

I write this blog!

I overheard someone ask my human if he wrote my blog for me, apparently they doubted my writing skills which made me very angry and insulted, until he replied.

“No, Mogley writes his own blog, every day, in every way, and in everything he does” he replied.

My name is Mogley, and I write this blog when I fetch my leash to beg for a walk in the park or when I ride in the car, my head out of the window, ears flapping in the breeze. I write this blog when my human is engrossed in a TV program and I have to fill up his chair with toys and balls before he notices me and agrees to play. I write this blog when I run around the house with my favorite squeaky toy, squeaking like a banshee, telling the world what a joy it is to be a dog, filled with life and energy. I write this blog when I come running into the house covered with snow and rub up against my human so he will pet me, his hand recoils when he reaches out and finds I am covered in cold. I write this blog when I help trim trees by bringing a large branch into the house, having pulled it from the orchard, across the lawn and through two dog doors. I write this blog when I get a new toy, Bella and I each want it so a game of tug-o-war breaks out, we each end up with ½ the toy and the floor is littered with stuffing. I write this blog when Bella and I fight and wrestle, knocking each other to the floor, making more noise than a pack of grizzly bears attacking a moose, and when we greet friends at the door, with wiggles, wags, licks and yaps of happiness, showing our unbridled joy at being the first to welcome a guest. I write this blog when I pick up Mini Cat and carry her around in my mouth, humans are shocked and tell me to put her down but Mini Cat does not even mind. I write this blog when I burst through the dog door at full speed to catch a squirrel in the back yard just as the cat is trying to come in the dog door and the cat goes flying. I write this blog when we both lay on our backs beside the chair waiting patiently for the human to notice that Bella and I need a tummy rub. I write this blog when the delivery person visits, I jump up into the UPS truck and refuse to come out. I write this blog when my happy tail knocks everything off the coffee table onto the floor, my tail keeping time to the happy music on the radio. I write this blog in the middle of the night when I am sitting beside the bed, my head stretched out across the bed to assure the humans that I am keeping watch while they sleep, and all is well!

There are humans that keep their dog in a run in the back yard, never making it a part of the family, they will still doubt that dogs can blog; to them a dog is something to feed and clean up after. For those of you that share your homes, hearts and lives with a dog, you know the intelligence of a dog and you will know the truth. You will know that a Golden Retriever can provide more than just the material for a blog, they can write the blog itself;

My name is Mogley, and I write this blog!
Mogley G. Retriever

Forever Home!

Saturday was a very special day. The humans’ daughter and son in law came by with Piper, their foster golden. They loaded me up and we went for a ride, leaving Bella at home which is highly unusual. First we stopped by a veterinarian’s office to pick up a prescription for Piper, she has something called Addisons disease. Then we drove on to the Sage Valley Pet Center, the home of Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, GRRR. I said hello to Mary, then I met many new rescue friends. Several people were visiting GRRR to meet some homeless goldens that need a new home. Mary said there are currently 13 homeless goldens at her home and 5 more in the kennels plus a large number in foster homes where they are evaluated and in some cases taught their manners or recover from health problems. Piper and I got to meet several people that were there to meet available dogs and see if they bond. One lucky dog went home with a very nice human; it took a long time for her to select which lucky golden got to go to a forever home. Mary says that it takes time to make sure the human/dog match is a good match and that a new home will be a forever home. Mary has many years of experience in evaluating humans and finding the ideal dog for them. My humans wanted to take all of the needy dogs home; they all are so friendly, so beautiful and so lonely.

We went into the building where Mary showed my humans how to treat my ear infection, my humans were treating it but they were too careful and were not cleaning my ear out well enough. I got some water in my ear when they gave me my bath last week; they need to be more careful and dry my ear.

Then came the very best part, we filled out paper work making me an official “forever dog”. I am no longer a foster dog living at a foster home; I am a part of the family, forever. Piper filled out her forever papers, it was very exciting for both of us. We are officially adopted, forever.

They made four donations to GRRR, two in the name of a relative that was getting married. The relative had asked that instead of gifts, donations be made to a pet shelter or charity. A gift was made in their name to the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, my alma mater, and a gift was made to recognise Piper and me as adopted, forever dogs.

It was heartbreaking to leave behind six beautiful golden retrievers standing by the door waiting for the next human to come meet them in hopes they can coax their way into a forever home. They try to behave, they act as nice as they can, they play, wag, wiggle and lick the humans, but only one can go home each time. There are always more dogs coming in after being abandoned than there are humans coming in to adopt. Visit your local rescue to meet the best dogs in the world.

So many dogs, so few homes!
Mogley

Rules

I waited a full two minutes. That is what the rule is; the human has two minutes to retrieve his lost food, then it is finders-keepers! I have seen the rule repeated on TV time after time. He says the rule does not count when the food is left on the counter. I think he should have established the rules more clearly to begin with, and then I would not have gotten in trouble. I hate it when he does that whole “bad dog” routine. This time he did it loudly, shaking his finger and he carried on and on. Boring! It was just a hamburger bun, no hamburger, no mustard, no catsup, just a plain bun. He left it on the edge of the counter and then wandered out to do something to the backyard barbeque. He banished me to the backyard until lunch time was over. He gets three meals a day, I only get two. A little snack in between would not have been too much to ask. Humans are so food aggressive. They always get mad when you threaten their food.

As a well trained, obedient house dog, I try and live by the rules. The rules don’t make any sense most of the time. Dogs are only allowed on the couch in the plant room where the sun is so nice and warm in the morning, all the rest of the furniture is off limits to dogs. The cats get on all of the furniture but when I chase them off, I get yelled at. Cat toys litter the floor but when I play with one it gets taken away. The cats play with my dog toys and the human thinks it is cute. I am not supposed to eat food in the garden in the summer, but they leave the tomato vines at dog nose height. I am not supposed to pull on the leash but squirrels dart across the path and threaten us when we walk. I am supposed to be a guard dog but I can’t chase a squirrel when I am on a leash? I am not supposed to run away when we are in the open fields. He takes us out there to get exercise and gets upset when we run too far. I am not supposed to sample treats on the low shelves at the dog food store, but he takes us there to pick out our toys, how can I tell what I want if I can’t sample? I am not supposed to jump up on visitors, but I am supposed to make them feel welcome, how do you do one without the other?

Humans are sure hard to understand.

Mogley G. Retriever

Goldens on Patrol!

The picture was taken as I make my regular rounds patrolling the back yard. I would have posted a better picture but my human won’t let me use the camera. They did not want me using the computer until they learned how carefully I type. They don’t want me to use the camera at all, I did try to use it when no one was looking, it is hard to hold the camera and push the button at the same time.

Humans must be very insecure because they expect me to patrol regularly. What can they be afraid of? I don’t know why humans expect me to run around the back yard and look for intruders, there is never anything worth chasing. Bella takes care of the squirrels, she tries to climb trees to catch them, but I have news for her, she can’t climb high enough to even worry them. Squirrels pose a very low risk to humans anyway, but they are fun to torment. The back yard opens onto a park with several paths, so I have lots of people to bark at, barking lets the human know I am on duty. I sleep beside the bed at night to keep them secure, even though their snoring keeps me awake. What can they be afraid of? It must be cats. They must be afraid that a cat will attack them in the middle of the night. Cats are sneaky and devious. I would not put it past them. Humans think cats purr, it is really a very low growl. The cats are quietly threatening people while sitting on peoples laps, they are evil. That is why I chase them when ever I get the chance, and no humans are watching!

Sleep tight tonight, your Golden Retriever is on guard!

Mogley G. Retriever

Water Dogs are Muddy Dogs!

Humans can be so dumb at times. We are water dogs. Hello! That means we like the water. Today our human took Bella and I down to the dog area at Cherry Creek Park. Several square miles with swamps, prairie, woods, and lots of other dogs, all running off leash. He said he wanted to work with us on our hand signs and voice commands. We had fun running back and forth, smelling the deer tracks, the raccoon tracks and lots of dog trails. We ran and ran; we were good and hot even though it was a chilly winter day. Then we went to work, following commands just like the good dogs we are. Another Golden Retriever came out of the brush and the swamp, soaking wet and covered in mud. While our humans talked, Bella and I found the swamp. The human told us to stay dry, he called us back, but water calls more loudly than a human does. Bella and I just wanted to cool off, so we jumped into the swamp and had a swim. When he called us back we had to ignore him for several minutes or else we would have had no fun at all. What good is it to get in the water, get wet and muddy, then not be allowed to splash, play and enjoy it? He gave us the “bad dog” routine, lecturing us about running instead of responding when he called us back from the edge of the swamp. I would have grabbed a duck while I was in the swamp, that would have earned me a treat instead of a bath but his yelling scared all the ducks away.

This was our third trip to the park in two days. Yesterday when we went into the swamp our human got all upset, he called us back, then when we came running he told us to stay away from him. He is difficult to understand. We only wanted to share the nice mud with him; we had lots of it on us to share. He looks good with doggy paw prints all over him. He took us home and gave us a bath.

Two baths in two days is probably a new record. We smelled wonderful when we came out of the swamp. He gave us a bath with scented shampoo and we ended up smelling like sissy dogs. The perfume alone would have been enough reason for us to jump into the mud. I hope we wants to work on voice commands again, the park is sure fun!

Mogley

A Golden Story!

Today I am re-posting a wonderful e-mail I received from Evie. Evie’s story is proof that “You can teach an old dog new tricks, you can even teach them to blog”. The perfect dog is not one you buy from a breeder or a pet store, the perfect dog is one that has already been trained by his owners, and now is homeless. A homeless dog that finds the love of a new family offers greater love than you will ever know, they appreciate you and all that you do for them. Read Evie’s story, then call your local rescue and find room in your heart and in your home for the best friend you will ever have!

Dear Mogley,

Hi, I am Evie and would like to share my story with you.

I am an 8 year old Golden Retriever and through no fault of my own I found myself homeless at the end of last summer. Something about my people moving and they couldn't take me with them. I have to tell you I was scared out of my mind. I am not a cute little puppy or even a young dog in my prime. I am a senior, a little heavy and I had this big tumor on my side. Who would ever want me? Well, I have to tell you I lucked out. My owner did a good thing and turned me over to Mary at GRRR.

Mary took me to Dr. Carpenter and I had surgery to remove the lump. Then the next day Mary took me to this lady and said she and her husband would be my foster parents. I didn't know what foster parents were at the time and since I hurt after the surgery and my whole life had been upset, I was even more scared if that was possible. Well, this lady took me to her house and told me not to be scared that I was going to be cared for and watched over while I healed. I just laid on the living room floor for several days. My foster mom and dad talked to me, changed my dressing, gave me pills, fed me and helped me go outside when I needed to. Most of all they petted me and loved on me.

When I felt better after a few days I decided that this foster home thing wasn't so bad. I had a Golden foster brother, Sergeant and 2 Golden foster sisters Sorsha and Sally Sue. They were very kind to me and gave me my space while I wasn't feeling well. One of my foster sisters Sally Sue was even older than me so I felt there was hope. She told me she had been adopted from GRRR when she was my age and that lots of people really appreciate an older Golden that has most of the wiggles out. I was feeling better and better. The stitches came out of my side and my hair started to grow back and I was feeling like myself again. I couldn't believe my good fortune. My coat was getting shiny from the good food. I had a Spa day when my side was healed and was feeling like a million dollars. Sally Sue was showing me the ropes. She showed me how everything worked around here. I learned the dog door and she taught me to ignore the cats. I found out that Mom and Dad have had about 12 foster dogs before me. They share their home with Goldens from GRRR who are waiting for forever homes. Some stayed for a few days and some for a few weeks. I was their longest foster since I needed lots of recuperating time.

Then after about 2 1/2 months mom and dad started to say that I was their first foster failure. What had I done wrong? I always went outside when needed and even learned the doggie door. I didn't bother the cats. I never destroyed a toy, at that point I really didn't even know what toys were or what they were for. Then mom explained to me that being a foster failure wasn't a bad thing, it meant that I would never leave. I was going to be adopted and could stay with them forever. They had fallen love with me and couldn't let me go. I have a home and I am so happy. They said that people may think they are nuts having 4 dogs but that you can never have enough Gold. The other day we went to see Mary again and did some paperwork, whatever that is, but it meant that I am not a foster dog any more. The only sad point is that Sally Sue has passed away. We all miss her a lot. Mom says that here soon we will be getting another foster dog and it will be my responsibility to show them the ropes like Sally showed me.

Mogley feel free to share my story with your readers. It is so important for GRRR to have lots of foster homes so that those of us goldens that are homeless have a place to stay until we find forever homes. A place where we are warm, fed well, have our hurts healed and most importantly of all be loved until we find our forever homes and yes even occasionally a few of us become foster failures. What could be better?

Your friend in Dogdom and a big fan
Evie

To contact GRRR rescue, try this link: http://www.goldenrescue.com/index.html

Dog Olympics

Several of you have asked me if there is any chance of getting car chasing, tennis ball retrieving or Frisbee catching recognized as an Olympic sport in time for the upcoming Olympic Games in China? One of you pointed out that you had read on the internet that the Chinese really love dogs. I am not sure you understood that quite right. They love dogs, but with sweet and sour sauce.

At first I thought you were being silly. Then Bella pointed out to me that humans have horses in the Olympics. They just sit on top of the horse and let the horse do all of the work and somehow they think that is an athletic event. That is much a sport as the Frisbee toss or the game of fetch with a tennis ball. Humans sit in one place and throw the object to be returned and then wait while the dog does all the work.

There is a chance we can get an Olympic berth since humans seem to enjoy watching others work. They could replace the Discus toss with a Frisbee throw and replace the Javelin throw with a good game of tennis ball fetch. It would be a lot safer, if a Frisbee hit someone it would not hurt as much as a Discus, a tennis ball is much safer than a javelin. They already have lots of used tennis balls at the event. We could combine some of the swimming events with the Frisbee throw and have a whole new series of Retriever Games. There would be a 100 yard freestyle duck retrieve. A 50 yard cat chase. It would be a win- win for dogs and humans. It would make the Olympic Games a lot safer and it would cut down on the stress humans incur in doing physical activity themselves. Based on my observations, cutting back on the activity level demanded of a human is something they welcome. My human has tried to teach me to operate the TV remote so he does not have to set down his beer when he wants to change channels.

I will do more checking and see how we get our sports recognized for the Olympics. Would my Greyhound readers want to replace the 100 yard dash contestants? Our Border Collie readers could dispense with the human rider and make herding horses an Olympic event. Olympic medals will go to the dogs!

Mogley

Dog to dog etiquette

I want to thank all of you for the fan mail. Some dogs are kept isolated by their owners and are never socialized properly which is the reason for this posting. I want to respond to the dog, or more likely a human disguising himself as a dog, that wrote me the nice e-mail. Dogs know that they don't use dog language to communicate where humans can read it, humans must never learn how to "talk dog". I don’t like to criticize, but there was a significant error in the message. You began by saying; “Bow-wow, bow grr, gr, bow.gr.” I have to assume that you are a small dog, and that your owner has not clipped your nails recently which makes it difficult to type, or you really were saying “Hello, how are you, can I sniff your pant leg?”

Only a very small dog will ask to sniff a pant leg, hence the use of “can” rather than “may”, larger dogs sniff another part of the anatomy, and they “can” so no permission is necessary. It is not polite to ask before sniffing. Humans don’t greet each other by saying “Hello, may I shake your hand?” They just walk right up and extend their arm and hand. So should dogs, they have their way of greeting and they should show their enthusiasm to see another dog by sniffing excitedly, just run right up, turn around, stick out your nose and get acquainted.

You went on to say “bowbowwow gr arf, garf, arff.” No, I don’t know how to persuade your owner not to dress you up in those ridiculous costumes at Christmas. But I suggest that you not complain too much, there are a lot of homeless dogs at the shelter and when you have a good home, take care to keep it. Go along with the silliness, as long as there are treats at the end of the day.

I will suggest that your owner take you to the dog park daily, you need to socialize more often with other dogs. You should know that you never put two “gr or grr” in the first sentence when addressing a new dog, only one gr or grr is allowed until the sniffing is complete. If you are friends and this is the second or third time that you have sniffed, then two gr or grr’s would be allowed, but not loud ones. You can only get loud with the gr or grr’s after three meetings.

I also recommend that you work on your human language when you are at the keyboard, but always speak in dog when in the presence of a human, we can’t let humans know how much we understand or they will be assigning us chores. Look what they do to their own children as soon as they learn to speak, they make them clean their rooms, wash their hands and go to the toilet in the white water bowl in that little room. Dogs need to be as good at inter-human communication as they can to understand humans and their many moods. But never let humans know how much you understand his language, or you may find yourself sweeping up the patio.

Mogley