Squirrels in trees amd Fleas in Keyboards

If you are wondering what is so interesting in the tree, scroll down the page and see. This is how we spend our days. Chasing squirrels and fetching Frisbees.

The resident human told me that the computer keyboard has fleas again. That is the excuse he uses whenever the computer does not work right. Then he blames me for the fleas. I did not think it was fleas at all, I think it was because Bella and I had a tug-o-war with that thingy with the wires that comes out of the back of the computer.

He took the computer to the shop and the service man pointed to teeth marks in something called the power supply, apparently it was that warm square thing with the wires. Now they are going to blame me for tearing up the power supply. It is not fair, they just don't make computers like they used to when I was a pup.

Please forgive my typing. The computer that is normally on the fireplace hearth where I can reach it is dead, he is out shopping for a new one. Meanwhile I have to use the big desk top machine and the keyboard is too high in the air for me to use very well. It is hard to type and read the screen at the same time when I have to stand on my hind legs to get to it. I will be back as soon as the new computer arrives. He is threatening to keep the new one our of my reach. He would not do that, would he?

Mogley G. Retriever

Perfect Dog?

I knew I would win. My human thought the visiting foster dog, Daisy Duke, was the perfect dog. I used to be the perfect dog, then she came. I knew she was on her best behaviour for the first few days, then the real Daisy would appear. He wrote a flowery letter to tell perspective forever home's how wonderful she was. The truth is now out. She is not the perfect dog.

Daisy mastered the dog door today, she spent most of her time just going in and out. She liked the freedom that the door gave her to do as she wished. Daisy has made friends with the cats, including Buddy, "Buddah" Cat. The picture below is why we call him Buddah Cat.

Daisy is a fetch-a-holic. She does a good job of catching balls in the air, she would probably make a good Frisbee dog. She brings balls to him all day long. At first it is fun, but after a few hours the human was tired. If he ignores one ball, she brings another, then another. Soon his chair is full and she is shoving the balls towards him, insisting he play. Us perfect dogs know when enough is enough!

I ran outside to have a drink from the Koi pond, Daisy followed me and was a little too curious. I tried to tell her it was too cold to go swimming, but Daisy had to test the water. The human looked out the window just in time to see Daisy walk down the steam and swim across the pool, climbing out dripping wet on the other side. With snow on the ground the human was worried about Daisy freezing. He grabbed a bunch of towels and started drying her off. All he did is make a wet dog that smells like fish into a damp dog that smells like fish. So now we have to sleep with fish smells all night. At least it is better than sleeping with the sissy smell of the new shampoo.

Earlier we went down to the big dog park. At first Daisy was on a leash while the human tested if she would come back when called. After a few tests, Daisy was allowed to run free. We did not run very far, it was still very cold out, snow was still covering the ground and the wind was blowing. It was fun for us all to run and sniff. Daisy needs some more work on the leash, she likes to pull a little.

We do have some people that are intersted in giving Daisy a Forever Home. The GRRR people are checking them out to make sure they are good people. Then we will take Daisy to meet them to see if she approves. Wish us luck on our quest and click on a link to the left to visit the GRRR web site to see how you can help.

Barks and wiggles to all,

Mogley G. Retriever

Adopting Miss Daisy:

A Letter from Daisy’s foster family to her future Forever Family: Photos below.

Daisy Duke is too good to be true. She is absolutely beautiful in appearance and behavior. Seldom do you have a young dog (16 months) that is so well behaved that you think she is much older. She does not have the puppy tendencies to mouth everything, to jump on people to welcome them or to tear things up, although her own toys are fair game. She has passed her level one obedience; she remembers it and even has her diploma. Tell her to sit or lie down and she does. She has the official "House Cat Seal of Approval" issued by all three resident cats. She is housebroken and asks at the door to be let out, she has mastered dog doors and really likes her freedom of movement. She is a lover and would gladly be a lap dog, but only if you first extend an invitation. She is a beautiful lady with impeccable manners, her coat is very nice, and her face is very expressive. She can ask questions with her eyes and ears.

When the door bell rings she will bark twice at the door, once she has performed her official guard dog duties she will run and hide. When she meets you and sniffs you, she will be your buddy. She is cautious about new things, so take it slow with her in a new environment. Let her get acquainted at her own pace.

She is a very big dog, she is 75 pounds now and she has not filled out fully. She lived with two small children and she would knock them over from exuberance. She has a huge amount of energy and keeping the cork in the bottle will require a family that is very active, but you needed exercise anyway didn’t you? She will need a good assortment of toys, she is a play girl. Fetch is one of her best games, so have a strong throwing arm. She keeps bringing balls to my chair to throw, if you ignore her she will fill up your chair. Remember she has a very high energy level and she will not allow you to ignore her.

Miss Daisy does not do crates, cages, runs or chain tie-outs. She needs to be a full fledged member of the family. If that is not what you want, go to the local dog pound for your adoption, that is not the way to treat a Golden Lady.

She needs regular spa treatments, she likes to look her best. Tummy rubs and ear scratches help her relax after a hard day. We will miss her a lot when she goes to her forever home. We hope her new family appreciates the gem that they will have. Take care of her and give her extra love, she is a very special Golden Retriever!

Thank you,
Foster Parents

We have posted a few pictures of Daisy below for all to enjoy:

Snow Dogs

This morning we woke up to snow on the ground and more falling. With Daisy visiting us as a foster dog, I had hoped for a nice warm day to run and play. Instead we get new white snow to romp in. The top picture shows Daisy attacking Bella. We ran and played in the fresh snow until we got too cold and wet, then we went in the house and dried ourselves on the humans’ trouser legs. I have posted a few pictures of the three of us rough housing in the snow and in the house. The two pictures of Daisy Duke alone are for her scrapbook.

In the photo above, Daisy is showing me her Kujo imitation. She is on top of me, Bella is in the rear and I am on the floor. Daisy is doing well, she continues to show her nice manners, at dinner time she eats slowly and daintily, no food aggression. We all eat out of our own bowls, no grabbing or pushing for food. Daisy is very shy, when strangers come to the door she barks once and then runs to hide. It takes her a while to accept new people.

Mini black cat likes to run in front of us and get a chase going when she is bored. Daisy is more than willing to play that game. We enjoy having Daisy; I am going to ask my human to stall putting Daisy on the adoption web site so we can have more time together. We want to find her the perfect forever home, but not right away, we are having too much fun! Whoever adopts Daisy Duke needs to have a super lot of energy because she is a bundle of play. He says if he stalls then he may not give her up, she is so sweet, so he does not want to stall. If you know someone that needs the perfect dog, go to the GRRR web site and visit us.

Happy tails to you,

Mogley G. Retriever

Four dogs, two dogs, then three dogs

It was getting lonely around here. Piper and Emma went home on Tuesday. That leaves just Bella and me, alone. The picture below shows Piper and me with the best tug-o-war toy there is, a piece of large rope with knots tied in it. It has lasted for a long time and it gives room enough for all four of us to tug at once.
While Bella and I run and play together, it was so much more fun when there were four of us. I complained to my human, he told me that he would arrange for some company. Wednesday we took a ride in the car to meet Daisy Duke. Daisy was a surrender dog that we are going to foster to learn about her and help match her to her perfect new home. Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) had made arrangements. The family surrendering Daisy was very sad to see her go, but Daisy had proven to be more dog than they could handle. “More dog” means she is 75 pounds now and still not filled out. With two small children in the home, an active 75 pound, 16 month old dog was more than they could handle. No one was home most of the day and the Daisy had too much energy built up by the time they got home. The picture below is our first portrait together. I (Mogley) am on the left with Daisy in the center and Bella laying down.
Daisy was very shy at first, even scared of the two of us. We wrestle and fight constantly, at first she just watched us from the distance. Then she tentatively joined in. In less than an hour she was in the middle of a three way wrestle match. Bella is on the left, I am in the center, Daisy is on the right, with her new pink collar.
I am a little jealous, my human described Daisy as “The perfect dog.” I thought I was the perfect dog! He told the rescue people that Daisy was very healthy, very beautiful, and very active; she has had her basic obedience training and has the certificate to prove it. She does not jump up on people, she is very well mannered. Well mannered, but very energetic! Daisy gets along with children and she is cat friendly, the three resident cats have already approved her.

I will let you know what happens. Tune in for more exciting stories from the home of Daisy, the foster dog. If it is anything like the last foster visitors, Daisy will not be here long. Allie was here less than two days and she was adopted, Stella was here four days and she was adopted. I will probably just get to play well with Daisy and she will go to her forever home also. Go to the GRRR web site, there is a link on the left of the web site, help Daisy find her forever home!

Licks, wags and wiggles.

Mogley G. Retriever

Muddy again!

We all got into trouble on Saturday. He took us down to the big park to get some exercise. He carefully took us to the opposite end of the park from the stream and the water. He said he did not have time to give all four of us baths. Some readers may not know that Emma can really run when she wants to, here she is trying to catch up with us after we headed for the far end of the park and she was afraid she was being left behind.

As soon as we could get away we headed as fast as we could run for a swampy wet place that he did not even know about. There was an old drainage ditch that did not have any water in it, but there was still a thick layer of gooey, smelly, thick, black mud. Mud that got between our toes, mud that worked into our fur, mud that took two shampoo washes to get out. Mud that we tracked into the SUV when we climbed in to go home. My paw prints are on the front seat. Boy mud is fun!
After our baths, we had to spend the day inside to dry, it was getting chilly outside. I don't understand, we run and play in the snow and freezing water, but after they wash us with warm water they don't think we can go outside until we are totally dry. Strange.

Licks, wags and wiggles.

Mogley G. Retriever

A Clean House?

My humans are always apologizing to guests for having a messy house. They point to the four Goldens (Bella and I, along with our visiting cousins, Emma and Piper) in the house and ask the guests “what do you expect with these four in the home”?

Let me set the record straight. A clean house is the sign of a house without enough Golden Retrievers in it! If the house is clean, then there is room for one or two more. So call your local rescues and give a dog a home! What would you rather have, a clean house or licks, wags and wiggles greeting you at the door? In the words of Bill Cosby, "Come On People," get your priorities straight. This is your Golden Opportunity to adopt another dog.
The picture above shows how Piper fights unfairly. She is half the size of Bella and me, so she climbs up on the furniture and jumps down on us, or just sits up there and bits us as we go by. Because she is a guest she gets special privileges. If I get on the furniture I get yelled at. Below is Piper looking pretty pleased with herself for being on the furniture and getting away with it.
The human visited Molly yesterday and brought back a report. Molly is doing well in her new home, she says “hi” to all of her friends. Molly has two teenage boys that play with her and take her for long walks. She has a teenage girl that spoils her beyond belief. She has a big back yard and she is only a city block away from a large lake and a big park. Her favorite trick is when humans ask her “Molly, what would you rather be, a dead dog or a Democrat?” She rolls over and plays dead. She says that trick is always good for a tummy rub or a treat bone. She is a happy dog, thank you very much!

I got into a pack of trouble on my last walk in the big no-leash park. All four of us were running down the path when we passed a baby stroller. My human was a long way back, so I reached into the stroller and stole a mouthful of toys and blankets. Boy did they yell at me. The lady pushing the stroller yelled, my human yelled; talk about a lot of noise. They went into that whole “bad dog!” thing again, you know the one, shaking fingers, grabbing my loot out of my mouth. What is it about baby strollers anyway? If you ask me, humans are too protective of their puppies. They don’t even teach them how to sniff each other properly, no wonder they grow up and only know how to shake hands when they meet.

Licks, Wags and Sniffs,
Mogley G. Retriever

Visit to the Vet

Having three friends to wrestle with is great. I can get a fight going any time of the day or night. This photo shows Piper biting my leg while Bella bites me on the elbow. Emma is just standing there, she is probably afraid she will mess up her hairdo.

With spring coming on we spend more time outside running and wrestling. The human even locks us outside sometimes so we will get more fresh air. Here is a picture of Bella trying to push me around. I fought back and gave her a big shove, then I opened my mouth and showed her what big teeth I have. I am doing my Kujo impersonation.

I am spending a huge amount of time visiting veterinarians. Tuesday morning Piper and I went to the Arvada West Veterinary Hospital. Dr. Carpenter takes special care of me, he is the first vet I saw after I was rescued from the veterinarian that was going to put me to sleep. He is also the one that gave Piper some little pills that make her feel better when he diagnosed her with Addison's disease. So we dogs all like going to see him.

My human tired to be funny, it was April Fools day, he tried to convince the nurse that we were two Golden St. Bernard's, here for our growth hormone shots. No one believed him, his lips were moving.

Piper had her medicine reduced, she gets smaller pills now, they are almost as small as mine. Piper still has to have a monthly shot, but that makes her feel better so it is worth it. Piper was given a new medicine to cure something called Demodex. It is a tiny mite that grows on her skin because the medications she takes for her Addisons suppresses her immune system. She had several bare spots on her skin and she was itching. Apparently it is not contagious, but it is able to grow when the immune system is not working well. They explain all of this so well that even my human could understand.

My visit to the vet did not change anything for me. They still won't tell me why I have to go to so many different vets so often. They gave me a heart worm medicine so I won't catch any thing nasty this summer if a mosquito bites me. I can't complain, they give me good treats and head pats. Why do the veterinarian offices all have better tasting treats than I get at home? The nurses even took me out for a walk when I was getting fidgety and tired of waiting for my human chauffeur to show up in the car. This picture shows me, Piper and Bella with our heads out the window leaving the Vet's office, heading home.

Dogs should get their own cars, we spend too much time waiting for a human to take us to the dog park. They always want to leave before I am tired of running and playing. If dogs had cars, there would be more windows in them, and the windows would open wider. Convertibles would be ideal, then we could get some wind in our ears.

Licks, Wiggles and wags;

Mogley G. Retriever

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