Santa and his ReinDogs!

Seven Reindogs train for our Christmas Journey!  Today our cousins, Emma, Molly and Piper came by to train with us.   We are seven of the eight original Reindogs.   In the photo above, we are getting our high energy treats before we run and train for our night of pulling Santa's sleigh!   I am the leader, they call me Rudolph when I am at the head of the team.    Before Christmas we will do a night practice and post a photo of my red nose.

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 again 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 we posted yesterday 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!

We put a lot of the blame on the error on National Geographic Magazine.   Years ago a photographer was roaming near the North Pole taking photos.   All he could find were reindeer, us Reindogs were sound asleep on Santa's hearth, basking in the heat from the fire, taking a well deserved rest from our labors of pulling Santa's sleigh.  So photos of reindeer ended up in the national press at Christmas time and the big lie began. 

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 and snow 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 reindeer 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 are playing fetch and 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?   That way Santa and his Reindogs will all be happy!

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, tracking good little boys and girls with his nose,  thus saving Christmas that year and establishing a wonderful family tradition, that is until the reindeer lobby stepped in to take credit for it all.  As further proof, when police need to track a missing child, do they call in the reindeer to do the tracking?    No, they ask dogs to follow the trail and find the child.   Don't you just hate it when you work hard and someone else takes credit for all of your hard work?

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,

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night."
Fear not, children, Santa and his team of Reindogs will be there for you on Christmas Eve!

Mogley the Golden Reindog!

Christmas on Warren Air Force Base

The official Mogley G. Retriever blogging computer arrived back home last night, along with the chauffeur.   He brought back a photo of what he calls "being hard at work" at Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, WY.   He spent three days at the base with a photographer, being an official "Santa's Helper", listening to what all the boys and girls want for Christmas and getting photos taken with "Santa".      He said he had a good time, and saw quite a few families and children.   He has a couple days to help us, then he will be at Buckley AFB for ten days, getting photos with military families.    Bella and I have helped him improve his "act", see below how he looked several years ago when he first started helping Santa. 

He says he is going to have a pet night or two and maybe we can go in and have our photos taken with him again.   He said that Bella and I would have to pass a real strict background check before we could accompany him on base.    I wonder if they will find out that I stole a toy from Stella? 

Mogley G. Retriever

Happy Thanksgiving

Above, I offer the official Thanksgiving Duck which I have "fetched" for dinner.

We are in trouble.   It seems that the humans have an old saying "Too many dogs spoil the broth".  Apparently that means the same as saying "Stay out of the kitchen."   So we are now supposed to stay out of the kitchen, in spite of all the wonderful smells and the greatly improved chances of something falling on the floor.   We still have not been invited to have any samples.   It looks like enough for everyone, even if everyone includes Bella, Nala, Stella and I.    Then tomorrow we get to go have Thanksgiving dinner with our cousins and many friends and neighbors.   We plan on a big dinner, followed by long naps. 

We won't be blogging for a few days.   It seems our chauffeur is going on a trip to Cheyenne Wyoming to be the official representative of Santa Claus at Warren Air Force Base.  Then he is coming back to Denver where he will be spending two weeks at Buckley Air Force Base representing Santa Claus for  the military families.  He may then go down to Fort Carson as well.  This is the first year that a Santa Claus representative will be on the military bases for Christmas so that the military families won't have to go to a mall for photos.   The bad part is that he is taking the official Mogley Blogging  lap top with him to process photos.    We understand and will not complain, too much.  He is doing it for the families in uniform. 

Have a happy Thanksgiving and get ready for a Merry Christmas.

Mogley G. Retriever   

Duh !

Above, Bella and Min Cat keep warm. 

Duh!  As a service to dogkind, I am including several studies, proving that dogs are smarter than cats, and dogs are even smarter than many children.  We have always know that, but there are non-believers out there that don't always give dogs the credit they are due.   Link to source here.

Dogs Are More Clever Than Cats, Study Says

"In an experiment, scientists gave cats string with a treat on the end. The cats would pull the string and get the treat. Faced with two strings — one bearing a treat, the other not — the cats were befuddled.

Dogs figured the two-string experiment out, however. "Cats do not understand cause-and-effect connections between objects," the researcher says. Perhaps that explains how they can sneak up and scratch you, again and again, even though you make it clear you do not like it. Dogs, well, they learn to please, don't they?

A study in 2007 found dogs could use touch-screen computers to accurately classify color photographs by recognizing the concept of a dog vs. a photo with no dog."

Then to follow up on that 2007 study that proves that dogs can use computers, I have included the following for your reference:   Link to source here.

They sport bejeweled chokers, lavish in spa bubble baths and have their own leather-bag chauffeurs. And now our almost-human dogs might also try their paws at computers.

Four dogs strutted their stuff recently by using touch-screen computers to classify color photographs for a study of animal cognition.

"Using touch-screen computers with dogs opens up a whole world of possibilities on how to test the cognitive abilities of dogs by basically completely controlling any influence from the owner or experimenter," the University of Vienna, Austria, researchers write in the most recent online issue of the journal Animal Cognition.

Getting inside the brains of our canine pets has been frustrating for researchers, because a foolproof method for testing dog smarts has remained elusive. Until now, methods relied on the dog's owner or an experimenter to cue the animal, a variable that could influence the results.

Friederike Range and colleagues turned to computers. In order to test whether dogs can visually categorize pictures and transfer their knowledge to new situations, four dogs were shown landscape and dog photographs, and expected to make a selection on a computer touch-screen.

In the training phase the dogs were shown a landscape photo and dog photo simultaneously on a computer screen. When they nose-selected the dog, they received a treat.

To test whether the canines could transfer the learned info to a new situation, the researchers flashed onto the screens a different set of dog-landscape photographs. Sure enough, the four-legged subjects chose the dog photographs.

Then, the researchers added a twist: The dog pictures were pasted onto the landscape pictures used in the training phase. In this test, the dogs had to choose between a dog-on-landscape image and a landscape-only photo. Good doggies ... they aced the test, selecting the images that included dogs.

The results indicate, according to the authors, the dogs were able to form a concept of a "dog." Whether the dogs recognized the pup pictures as actual dogs, however, is unknown.

Here is the article that proves that the average dog is smarter than the average toddler:

Dogs are cuddly, playful, loyal -- and smart. But you totally already knew that. Now science tells us just how smart they really are.    Link to source here.

The average dog has mental abilities akin to those of a two-year-old child, according to Stanley Coren, a dog expert and professor emeritus at the University of British Columbia. Coren presented an overview of dog-intelligence studies at the American Psychological Association's annual meeting this week.

In tests of language development, Coren said, the average dog can learn 165 words, including signals and gestures. That's comparable to the performance of a two-year-old toddler. The brainiest breeds can do even better, with some smarty-pants mastering a whopping 250 words (we're guessing half of these are synonyms for dinner).

Dogs are also impressive when it comes to crunching numbers. Pups can count to four or five -- a skill on par with a three- or four-year old child, reports Livescience.com.

Other studies have found that dogs have good spatial problem-solving skills, and can show basic emotions such as happiness, disgust and anger. One emotion man's best friend doesn't suffer from? Guilt. What may seem like a guilty look is actually a dog's fear, according to Coren.

Not all canines are created equal, and Coren weighed in on which breeds are smartest -- and which aren't exactly the sharpest knives in the drawer. He surveyed more than 200 dog-obedience judges to rank 110 breeds by intelligence. The top five smartest dogs, in order of their scores, were border collies, poodles, German shepherds, golden retrievers and doberman pinschers. The five breeds that aren't the sharpest spikes on the collar? Borzois, chow chows, bulldogs, basenjis and, in dead last, Afghan hounds (ouch!).

Coren noted that the dog varieties which scored lower on intelligence tests were often older breeds developed for skills like hunting. They might do better on tests of instinctive intelligence, such as in locating something by sight or smell. The craftier canines, meanwhile, are more recent breeds that were likely bred to be more human-friendly.

Today, people often go for the smartest breeds when adopting a new pooch. "We like dogs that understand us," Coren told Livescience.com. But having Einstein for a pet has a downside. Super-smart dogs will easily learn precisely what they can get away with, Coren warned. And on the flip side, Coren said, some dimwitted dogs like beagles make popular pets, thanks to their sweet and sociable natures. "Sometimes people love the dumb blonde."

The above article has been included in my blog as a public service. Not to mention that it is going to irritate our cat readers immensely. Humans are the ones that need to be evaluated for intelligence! Hey, Mr. Scientist person, who do you think writes all of the dog blogs? Do Scientists think that humans are smart enough to do it?  How silly.

Border collies, poodles and shepherds have esteem problems, which is why they listed them first in the intelligence rankings.   Golden Retrievers and Labs are really the smartest, but we don't have self esteem problems, so they listed us as fourth to help the others feel better about themselves.    I guess it is a small sacrifice to make to help our friends. 



So there!  Take that you "smarty cats".  Dogs Rule!

Mogley G. Retriever

A tugging, mouth wrestling kind of a day

Today a storm was moving in, it suddenly turned cold and windy outdoors.   So what are we to do when the weather won't let us romp outside?    Romp inside!

Before you get the idea that it is nothing but fun around here, I had better admit to some bad times as well.    First thing in the morning I go out front and fetch the morning paper from the end of the driveway.   I carry it all the way into the family room where I lay it down, then I get head scratches, chin rubs and chest rubs as a reward for bringing in the paper.   This has been our tradition for several years without interruption.    Until yesterday, Saturday morning.    The chauffeur was in the shower when his daughter stopped by.  On the way in she let me out to get my paper, when I brought it in she took it from me at the door.   I am waiting for my attention, head rubs, ear scratches and praise, but Stella grabbed the paper out of her hand.   When I tried to take it back, a fight broke out.  Neither one of us got hurt, but it was noisy and fast.  Now the humans are mad at me for starting a fight.   Stella is at our home because she got into bad fights, damaging fights, ending in a trip to the vet, at her foster home.   So people are very sensitive about Stella showing any signs of aggression.   So when I reminded her that fetching papers is my job, everyone got upset.   There was no damage, no blood, no sore feet or ears, just a lot of noise and very concerned people.    This morning, Sunday, I brought in the paper, got my reward, no problem.   I just had to remind Stella that she is number four dog in the house and that fetching newspapers is my job.  Now, as you can see below, peace and Harmony is restored to the house.   To show there is no hard feelings, we had a great morning of play in the house.

Stella and I engaged in a series of mouth wrestling and tug-o-war challenges to determine the world championship of mouth wrestling and tugging.  Naturally, as you can see, I won.   Once again I am the world champion mouth wrestler and Tug-o-War player. 

First we had the Mouth Wrestling championships.   As you can see, I won best in class and best overall.  I not only defeated Bella, I defeated Stella as well.  Below are several scenes from The semi-finals between Stella and I. 

Then we moved on to the Tug-O-War championships.  Stella and I began with a sock tug, it was an easy victory for me.   

Then came the Tog-O-Ball, with me taking the ball away and keeping it, another win for me.

Then came the Tog-O-Broken Toy, where I again won with out even breaking into a sweat.

This is a great way to spend a day and do a little bonding.   We also proved that we are still friends, and I am the undisputed, designated newspaper fetcher.

Mogley G. Retriever

Friday update, again

Above, Nala may be a foster, but she has taken over the senior position. 

Our resident chauffeur is very concerned, it seems that he has several friends that he has not heard from for a while and he just heard that squirrels are storing away nuts for the winter.   Naturally he hurried to make sure his friends are OK.   It turns out that they are OK, but they were even more concerned for him.    They were worried he would spend the winter in a big nest in a tree.

About a month ago we had a major construction project going on, at the same time we had foster friends coming and going so we did not include anything in the blogs about the construction.   The Koi pond had a rubber liner and after 25 years of dogs climbing out of it, it somehow developed a leak. 

First we had to find a large livestock water tank to put the Koi and Lilly's in, then the digging began.  Now the Koi pond is back in use, but twice the size it was before.     I guess that means we have more room to swim in it, but we keep getting told "NO".   Above, the Lilly's and Koi in their temporary home, I am busy watching them.  Below, the new and expanded pond under construction.   This is where the work had to stop while sprinkler pipes were moved, then digging continued. 

Below, the last Lilly's of summer:

Mogley G. Retriever

Buddy, aka, Timber

Last week when we found new homes for Shelby and Lexi, we met Buddy who was also getting a new Forever Home.  We were asked for more information on Buddy so we asked Buddy to write a guest blog.  Buddy has been given a new name so that he can get an all new start, now he is known as  "Timber!"    Here is Timber's, or Buddy's, story.

Hi Mogley, my foster Mom told me you wanted to know more about me for your blog – so I got her help to write this story about me.


I came to GRRR from the Black Hills of South Dakota where I was a “stray.” I am only a year old but I knew I really wanted to be a Colorado dog so convinced the shelter up there to let me move down to Denver. When I came, I needed a little time to get over a tummy ailment, a few worms and cold, but it didn’t take me long to feel lots better.

Gosh, life as a GRRR dog is such fun, when I was a foster I had a foster Golden brother and foster Golden sister who showed me how much fun it is to be part of a family. And my foster mom told me that even though I am a youngster I am pretty smart and learn quickly. When I lived with my foster family I learned to sit and wait for dinner (so I don’t knock F-Mom over jumping for food), I learned to walk politely on a leash (well some of the time) and she told me I have a great search and rescue nose cause I can find a treat hidden just by sniffing it out! I am very treat oriented and my Foster Mom sent a bag of my favorite treats with me when I found my forever home.

My new forever home is with an active Mom and Dad and a Golden Brother who is twice as old as me (he’s two) and a big yard where I can safely chase squirrels, birds, and even the leaves that blow around this time of year (gosh they are hard to catch – and not much fun once I do, but that doesn’t stop me from chasing them!). I have perfected the art of flopping down in front of someone and rolling over on my back for a tummy rub. My new family is great – they take me for walks and hiking and now I am even going for some one-on-one training! I love to learn.   

Here are some pictures from my foster home – you can see how handsome I am and how much of a silly boy I can be.

Above, you can't be too careful when you need a nap but you have a new bone to protect.   Below, I am sharing a special time with my new former foster sister Charm, Charm is also a GRRR alumni and a foster failure.    

Thank you Timber, for your contribution to my blog.    Timber, and Lexi, are both examples of the very active nature of Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies, and the huge area it serves.   If there is a homeless Golden anywhere in the West, GRRR is willing to pluck them out of their shelter and bring them to GRRR where they are safe, warm and loved.    We regularly have dogs from Texas, New Mexico, Utah, North and South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho, Kansas and Nebraska.  Thank you to a wonderful bunch of volunteers that make it all possible.   Out here, if you volunteer for a "rescue run", you may have a 200-800 mile round trip ahead of you. 

If you can donate to the rescue program, there is a link on the left "Donate to Rescue Here" that will take you to a handy donation place to support the GRRR rescue program.    For the holidays, we have asked people wishing to give us gifts to donate to GRRR.   We have all the socks, ties and fruit cakes that we need, a donation to rescue is a lot more useful, plus we don't have to dust it or wash it. 

We love to point out that the family, The Conifer Crew", that fostered Buddy are serial foster failures.   They have a home full of "used dogs".    The family that adopted Timber are also serial adopters from GRRR.    Thanks to them for all they do.

Mogley G. Retriever

A Happy post from Butter

Above, a new Butter, at play at her new forever home.   Saturdays should be for happy things, so here is a post to help you have a happy weekend.  We received the nicest e-mail from Butter's new family:   Below is what they have to say about her and about the changes that a new home can make for a homeless lady.   All it takes to turn a homeless dog into a wonderful companion is care and love.  What a sleek new coat you have, Butter, and you look thin and great!  If you want to read about Butter when she was with us as a foster, go to this link,  Butter, and the posts following it.    Here is her update.   Below, Butter before her new home. 

Butter is officially off her weight loss diet and is now in maintenance. She has lost over 20 lbs since we adopted her on 22 August (87lbs to 65 lbs) and she's a different dog now. She runs, she plays, she barks (thanks, Robb, for the 'Speak' lessons), she chases the interloper cats but not our Emmett, she's perfect and really, really smart. The white fur on her legs, tail and face is the new, soft regrowth. The thyroid meds plus added omega-3 and -6 fish oils have remade her coat into a soft, delightful pelt. She's stopped licking her paws and legs and seems to be enjoying life. We certainly enjoy watching her fetch tennis balls, soft toys, frisbees, anything you throw. She's not much of a cuddler, but she will roll on the floor with us a bit if we have a toy she can play with also. The funniest thing to watch is Butter chasing light. The glint off a knife will have her chasing the light, but the most fun is making her run around (on the carpet only) chasing a laser pointer light. She will run and pounce and try to bite it and never stops. It might be her indoor exercise this winter as she doesn't seem to like hanging around outside for no good reason. She has gotten very strong and will almost pull me off my feet when my direction and hers diverge on the leash. She now insists on jumping into Robb's pickup truck by herself, rather than letting Robb lift her in, as he had to do when she was heavy and weak. And she has the biggest feet on any dog we've ever seen.


We want to thank you again for bringing Butter into our lives. She's the perfect addition to our family.

Below, more of Butter as a rescue, before her new coat and new spirit. 

Thank you for bringing us the update on Butter.  We love keeping track of our alumni.

Mogley G. Retriever

A Holiday wish

Stella and Bella asked me to help them with Those Who Are Paw Challenged (TWAPW).   Now that there is snow on the ground, the back yard is wet and a little muddy near the dog door, we keep getting yelled at when we run in and out to chase the squirrels.   Apparently a little mud on the paws is considered a bad thing in some circles.  

The solution is so simple we should have done it a long time ago.    Mini Cat caught a mouse last night and brought it in the house to play with.   She had a good time with the mouse in the living room, chasing it under the couch and around the table.   If the cat can bring in a mouse to play with, whey can't we have a squirrel in the house?    That would solve the problem of us having to run out the door to chase the squirrel when we see him come down the apple trees, then we get yelled at when we come back in the house with our muddy feet.    We can just have a house squirrel, then we can chase it inside.  That is our Holiday wish, all we want for Christmas is an indoor squirrel, a very fast indoor squirrel I might add. 

We seem to be having some difficulty selling the idea to the ones who are paw challenged.  They don't have any imagination.   Do they want us to have clean paws or don't they?  Besides, a squirrel inside would make us the most envied dogs in the neighborhood. 

Meanwhile, we have had to make some adjustment in our living arrangements to help Nala.   Nala is  deaf, and has bad cataracts, she has difficulty seeing in bright light, she has extreme difficulty seeing in low light.    Nala likes to sleep in the entry, where she can keep watch all night in case burglars should come in the door.   If the outdoor light ,which is on a motion sensor goes dark, then she gets upset, she can't see out anymore and she barks.   If she wakes up in the middle of the night and it is dark inside the house, she can't find anyone so she barks until she can find us.  After having to get up several times a night for a long time just to show Nala where we were all sleeping, we finally found the answer.  Now we sleep with a light on in the hall way so she can find us in the night, and we have to keep the outdoor light on all night so she can see the driveway.   We also have a night light in the garage so she can go out the dog door, through the garage and then out to the back yard.   Street lights keep the side yard pretty well lite, so she does fine outside in the dark.

Nala does not like to sleep on a dog bed, she likes to sleep just inside the entry door on a hard carpet, with no padding under it.  We have put down another layer of pad and carpet to give her some padding to sleep on.    It has helped everyone, Bella, Stella and I can sleep in the entry way in comfort now as well.  We are enticing Nala to sleep in the bedroom with the rest of us, she is getting used to being an inside dog after a life of sleeping in the snow.  When you get as old as Nala is, she has earned a little comfort. 

We were asked about Buddy Boy who was adopted on Saturday.   We did not spend any time with him, so we would like his fosters and adopters to write us and we will post his information as a guest blog.    They are Serial Adopters, by the way, having adopted from Golden Retriever Rescue several times.

Mogley G. Retriever

Forever Homes for Three!

Above,  Stella (on the bed) with Lexi and Shelby, relaxing after a hard day of playing, getting ready for a busy Saturday and new homes for Lexi and Shelby. 


Saturday morning we took Shelby and Lexi over for appointments with prospective new homes.    We were very successful But we did not doubt it from the start.   Shelby and Lexi did not even make it on the web page before they were gone.  They both were meant for the homes they found.   But first we met a couple that was there to meet with Buddy.    They took Shelby for a walk while they waited for Buddy to arrive, we were afraid that they would fall for Shelby.  Just then Buddy arrived, they took Buddy for a walk and came back and announced that they would take Buddy home.  

The first family arrived to meet with Lexi.  First Lexi had to show them how well she could walk on a leash, she passed that test.  Then she had to prove that she could play nicely with the resident Shitzu.   Lexi passed that test as well.   Meanwhile, she was demonstrating her charm and her ability to love unconditionally.  Lexi won, she got to go home with a new family where she would get lots of love and attention.    They promised her frequent walks, lost of attention and a happy life.    She even gets to sleep on the furniture.  Yeah, Lexi!

Then the second appointment arrived.   Four children and two adults came out of the SUV.   Shelby took notice, here was a family made in heaven for her.   Lots of active people to throw balls and go on walks and jogs with.  She was going to be an only dog, with 12 hands to pet her, six people to heap attention on her, and it was all hers.   Way to go, Shelby. 

One day with three new lives starting over.    Below, Stella is rolling on her back by the toy box, with Shelby and Lexi forced to sleep on the floor. 

Back home, we had a talk with Stella about her problems.  We reminded her that she too could be in a loving home like that.    She would have to quit fighting and quarreling, she would have to learn to be a nice, gentle lady.   Stella replied that she was quite happy the way she was, she has squirrels to chase, a dog door that gives her some freedom, and a family that treats her well, plus regular treats and trips to the dog park.  Yes, there is a shortage of humans, the hand to dog ratio is not as high as it is in Shelby's new home.  They will probably wear the hair off of her head from petting her.   Meanwhile, Stella and I have had no fights, she gets along just fine with Nala, Bella and I.   Bella is the Alpha Female, the ruling queen of the house, and no one has ever argued with her or challenged her.   I am second in charge, and no one argues with me very often, once in a while I have to remind new comers that I am second in command in the house, but nothing serious.    Bella and I are both very large Goldens, and we are very experienced in having fosters in our home.   Stella seems to respect the established hierarchy in the house and is content to not challenge it. 

We are watching Stella and may let her have some play dates with our cousins to see how she does with a less structured house, to see how she responds.  In the meantime, we will enjoy the good life, we seem to have a good relationship going.   W will try and place her in a home again once we have worked with her for a while, but very carefully. 

Mogley G. Retriever

Stella, again

We have very sad news for our readers.   Last night Stella came back home.  If you remember, Stella found her new forever home on October 1, it was a perfect home for her, but alas, it did not last.    Stella wanted to be the alpha lady and she repeatedly attacked her new sister, Holly, instead of making friends.  After several visits to the vet resulting in stitches and large plastic collars, as well as some cleaning up of blood after a battle, the rescue decided it would be better for all if Stella came back to start all over again.    We had a very sad meeting with her family, they had tried everything we could suggest, they had even gone to a dog behaviourist, trying to find an answer to Stella's on and off aggression towards Holly.  Holly and Stella would play like good friends, then Stella would turn on her.    Finally after several very bad incidents, for Holly's protection and Stella's long term peace, we took her back.   Her family was devastated, they had fallen in love with her and they had made such an effort to keep her, not to mention vet bills.  Keeping her in her crate for extended periods was not a solution to the problem.  We thank them for the effort they made and the extra lengths they went to in trying to keep Stella.  Below is a photo of Stella and Holly in a more peaceful time. 

We don't have an answer to why Stella did not want to share her new home with Holly.  When Stella was here we had noticed that when Stella played too hard for too long, she would get cranky and there would be a tussle, but no blood was drawn.  We decided that she was playing until she hurt, then she would lash out.   It always was minor and always during a wild play time.  Also, there was never a time that Stella was with only one or two other dogs.   During the time Stella was with us we always had from 4 to 8 Goldens.   We watched her and when her play started to escalate, we would give Stella a time out.   Stella's hips are very weak and her dysplasia is extreme, but her pain is not slowing her up, unless she overdoes her activity, which is how she plays, overdoing it.  Stella is easy to spot in most photos, she is the blurr.  Below, Stella, middle rear, with 7 other Goldens, waiting for their treat.  

Whoever said "You can't go home again", was not thinking of Stella.   She arrived last night, took one look around and headed out the dog door to look for squirrels.  She acted like she had never left.  This morning she is in full squirrel patrol mode.  She is playing with me as well as Lexi and Shelby.  Currently we are six Goldens, a well structured pack.   Bella is definitely in charge, with me as second in command.   Perhaps the strong leadership of our pack will help Stella find her place.   Before Stella came to rescue, she was an only dog.  We will be watching her closely and looking for answers to a very urgent problem.   To find Stella a forever home, she has to be willing to share, and not just in a large pack.    Below, Stella on squirrel patrol.

Any one have some thoughts to share?

Mogley G. Retriever

Dead ducks and Cat lessons

What can be more fun than a "Duck-o-War"?   Here we see Lexi and I having a good time with a dead duck.   We are showing how vicious and feared Golden Retrievers are when we are hunting in a pack.   That duck never had a chance, we ripped it good.

Here Lexi relaxes with her dead duck, celebrating her graduation from Duck Hunting school.    She is now a Duck Hunter, First Class.    Below, she takes her kill to her den where she devours it.

In a prior blog we said that Shelby was somewhat quiet and reserved, preferring to take a nap instead of running in the back yard.   Shelby finally came clean, she said she was still upset over losing her home and her family.   Tuesday she came out of her funk, she started running and playing with us.   When Lexi runs her big circles in the yard, Shelby is right with her now.  Her energy is back and her positive outlook is back.   She is even joining in our wrestling matches and tug-o-war games.    Below is a happy Shelby with new energy.

Mini cat has completed teaching her classes on "How to Respect a Cat". As you can see, Mini holds lessons in the family room, she parades around the dogs until they learn to ignore her. Here she is teaching Lexi and Shelby how to respect a cat.  Both Lexi and Shelby now have their "Good Cat Companion" certificate, they both have let Mini cat walk around them without chasing or even getting too curious.   Having a certificate from a cat helps them get adopted.   Many homes have cats, why we don't know, but being cat friendly helps orphans find new homes.    We get many new homes because we can tell families that their cats will be safe with our graduates. 

This morning Shelby and Lexi took a ride to the vet.   Our cousin had to to drive to Craig, Colorado on business, so they gave Shelby and Lexi a lift over to the west side of Denver to see the vet for their check up.   They already have an appointment to meet a prospective new home on Saturday, but they need their health release first.   We will pick them up from the vet later today when they are done.  

This morning we thought about hiding Lexi and Shelby so that we could keep them longer.   But they do need to move on to their forever lives.    They will make some families very happy, they are great companions and friends. 

Mogley G. Retriever

Friends and Family Dogs

Above, Lexi, Nala and Shelby, our three perfect fosters.

Every so often a very special dog arrives at our foster home.   A dog that is so wonderful that they immediately start calling friends and family to see if anyone needs a dog.   These "Friends and Family dogs" are dogs so nice that you want to keep them in the family, dogs so nice that they delay putting them up on the web site as "available for adoption".   Below, Shelby checking out the toy supply.

Meet Shelby,  Lexi, and of course, Nala.   Different dogs, but absolute darlings to have in the home.  If anyone needs the perfect dog for their home, they need to get on the web site and fill out an application to adopt.   Don't go to the web site to find them yet, they are not up yet,  they will probably get adopted before they even get on the web site.  It is always "first come, first served" when it comes to adopting, so if you want one of these ladies, you will need to hurry.   Below, Lexi shows her perfect form.

The first evening she was here, Shelby tried to chase Mini cat, but this morning they have become friends.   Mini cat and Shelby were nose to nose this morning and Mini cat won the stare down.   Last night Buddy cat and Shelby slept within a few feet of each other, Shelby on the floor and Buddy on the corner of the bed.   Meanwhile, Lexi just ignores both cats.   Mini and Buddy are ready to award Shelby a "Good Cat Companion" certificate.    Lexi already has hers, signed by Mini and Buddy cats.   Shelby has proved that she is cat friendly, not just when someone is watching.   Buddy cat just sits and lets dogs make fools of themselves, Buddy never runs and never gets involved in dog play, but he will swat pretty hard when someone comes too close.   Mini Cat, on the other hand, likes to run and tease dogs, so she is the ultimate tester of a dogs behaviour.  

Shelby has lived around dog doors before, she took to the dog door immediately.   Lexi has not seen dog doors before, but she is learning fast.   Shelby still likes balls best, Lexi likes stuffed toys and squeaky toys.   Shelby likes to rest, she prefers to call it "conserving energy".  Lexi just likes to play.  She takes pull toys and tries to get us into a tug-o-war or a game of chase.    Shelby is an indoor dog, Lexi likes to run and loves the back yard.  If you open the back door, Lexi dashes out to run and play, Shelby looks at you and asks "What, you want me to go outside?"   "Didn't we do this just a few hours ago?"  Then she goes back to finish her nap. 

Wish Shelby and Lexi good luck as they are about to begin their search for a new Forever Home.  These ladies will make some families very happy.   They are so well mannered and so pretty.   They will not last long once people know they are available.   Meanwhile we have to assess their behaviour and manners, then do a write up on them and their characteristics for the web site.  Stay tuned for developments.   

Mogley G. Retriever