A New home for Maggie

Photo below, six Golden's rest after playing in the wet snow. Maggie is at the far right, rear. All six Goldens are rescue allumni. Long live rescue.

Below, Maggie shows her perfect form.

Sunday morning we all went to the pet store. Maggie weighed in at 94 pounds, somewhat less then we expected. Her heavy fluffy coat makes her look heavier than she is. She says she is going to try a different hair color next time, stripes may make her look slender.

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Shortly before noon on Sunday Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies called and asked if we could bring Maggie over to meet a possible Forever Home family. We sprang into action, into the truck and headed for Golden, Co. 30 miles later we were at the rescue. The meeting went great. It was love at first sight for Maggie. Bella and I met her new family and we approve as well. The family was looking for a jogging and walking partner that could double as a love dispenser. They offered a lot of experience with Golden's, they had lost their senior Golden and after a proper period they were in need of more Golden Love.

Maggie took them for a long walk and worked her charm on them. When they returned they took another young Golden for a walk, when they returned they thought about adopting two, then settled on Maggie. She charmed them with her beautiful coat and stature as well as her wonderful behaviour on a leash. She was on a roll. The humans told them that Maggie had an Olympic Gold Medal in Table Surfing, that did not even phase them. Maggie had done her magic. They had lots of toys at home but they promised to stop on the way home and buy an extra large dog bed just for her. Maggie has a home!

While we were there Sassy (see last weeks blogs) came in with her new family. They were there to get a micro chip and finish paper work on the adoption. Sassy's growling and talking made some of the other dogs nervous at the dog park, but her family is getting used to it. She is happy with her new home and did not want to go back with us. She said she was being spoiled rotten and she enjoyed every minute of it.

Just before we left home we took some new pictures of Maggie for when we put her profile up on the Internet. She found her home and did not even put her profile on the Internet. Here is one last look at Maggie.

Maggie, you were a wonderful friend, a polite guest, a fun play mate, and we enjoyed your stay with us. You left us with some Golden memories. We wish you a long and happy life.

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We want to send a special thanks to everyone in the rescue organization that made it all possible. We are happy for Maggie, but we also feel very bad for several other Golden's that we had to leave in the kennels. We have a busy week and we could not take in another foster for a few days.

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Rescues all over the country have too many abandoned dogs and too few foster homes. If you can help your local rescue, a homeless dog will really appreciate having a warm and loving place to live while waiting for that Forever Home. Chain link walls and concrete floors do not make a home.

Mogley G. Retriever

Maggie, our new foster friend

Today has been an exciting day. First, the day started with a heavy rain storm that turned into snow in the afternoon. Lots of snow. Road closing snow. Run and play in it snow. My cousins, Emma, Molly, and Piper came by early in the morning for a play date. We were in and out the dog door, soaking wet. Finally they locked the dog door to stop us from going out in the rain and getting wet, then coming in the house and shaking dry.

Photo above, Five of us play in the new snow. Photo below, Piper and Molly take a breather from wrestling.

Above, I play with my cousins in the fresh snow.

Emma and I had a veterinarian appointment, we drove all across town to get to our appointment. It was raining ad snowing so hard that we could not stick our noses and ears out of the window. A wasted ride by dog standards. I usually don't mind the veterinarian appointment because I get to ride with my head out the window and enjoy the wind in my ears. But no, not today. After the Vet visit we went to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies offices to pick up a new foster friend.

World, meet Maggie.

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Maggie used to live on a huge property, she had hundreds of acres to run in. Then she was moved into a very small place. She did not get enough exercise, she had no place to run so her pent up energy became a problem. She was given lots of food so the combination of no exercise and too much to eat made her gain weight. Our assignment is to get her toned up a little, learn what she knows and evaluate her knowledge and temprement for placement in a future home.

The humans threatened to not let me put a picture of Maggie up. They said that Maggie is so beautiful that she will be adopted in days, then we will be left without a foster again. I fooled him, I put the pictures up below as you can see. Bella said that if they don't call her beautiful before they go to bed she is going to hide one of their shoes, outside, in the snow.

Maggie is a very large Golden lady. Maggie has a beautiful fluffy coat, she spent a lot of time outdoors. We need to find out if she is a good indoor dog as well. She is very friendly, she is big and she follows humans around looking for attention. She is very loving, she would be a lap dog if a 90 pound dog can fit on any lap. She was playing with the five of us within minutes of her arrival, running and romping in the snow. She is the kind of dog that makes people turn and look when she goes by. She is very curious about the cats, but she has not chased one, yet. In a few days we will see if she is cat friendly or just cat tolerant.

We will be posting more later as we learn about her and she learns about us. We will keep you informed as we seek her new home. Wish Maggie luck in finding her perfect home.

Mogley G. Retriever

Someone Cared! Sassy's Story.

Above, Bella is sulking because Sassy stole her cushion.

Sassy is home, at her new forever home. Sassy has a Forever Family. We all went with her to help her move into her new home. She is going to enjoy her home. They bought her two new dog beds, they bought her new dog dishes and several toys, she is going to be spoiled badly. She is really looking forward to it. All this happened because someone volunteered to help.

Someone cared!

Before she left she went out to have one last try at catching a Koi in the pond.

Sassy has a new home because someone cared!

Sassy has a new forever home because of a lot of effort by a lot of people. Sassy's old family called and they wanted to surrender Sassy and her step sister, Marlo. Someone answered the phone and set up a meeting. Someone met the family and transported the dogs to the rescue. Someone processed the paperwork to track them and check them into the system. Someone took them to the vet to be given a physical and to be brought current on their shots. Someone gave them both a bath, they were terribly dirty and had matted coats, they had been badly neglected. Someone called foster family's to find a home for these two lady's so they would not have to stay in some lonely kennel. Someone picked them up and brought them across town to their foster homes. Someone took pictures, wrote a profile and posted their profile on the Internet. Someone took in applications from families seeking to adopt them. Someone matched the applicants to the dog, looking for the best fit. Someone inspected the applicants home and determined that it would be an acceptable home. Someone arranged a meeting to see if there was a match. Someone processed the adoption papers. Someone welcomed a new friend into their life and offered a homeless dog a forever home.

Someone cared.

Being a foster parent is very rewarding. Somewhere near you a wonderful dog is spending the night in a chain link run with a concrete floor, counting down the days to when his stay at the pound is ended, forever. Help your local rescue to rescue needy dogs, transport them, provide them with foster homes and help them find a forever home. A rescue near you needs someone to answer telephones, someone to file papers, someone to pick up dogs at shelters and transport them to foster homes. You can make a difference in a dogs life. A dog that was once a loved member of a family is now facing his end behind chain link, lonely and forgotten. You can make a difference.

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Be Someone. Volunteer at a rescue near you.

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We have had about 30 fosters at our home since we started being foster parents for the rescue. GRRR is at about 400 dogs per year. Think of how many "someone's" have had to help with each of these dogs. Thanks to all of you for making this possible.

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You are Someone!

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Mogley G. Retriever

Sassy's New Home

The home visit went wonderful. We went to a nice home, it has a nice back yard. The human and I became instant friends. I snuggled up to her and she started petting me, I was ready to spend the night.

The rescue has some paper work to do on me and on the new human's home. So we arranged to move over on Saturday. That gives them time to buy a bigger bed, more toys and treats. Their older, smaller dog had passed away, and they need to resupply for an active younger dog.

Mogley said we will have a going away party for me. I am excited to have a place that I don't have to share humans, it means more attention for me.

Sassy G. Retriever

Sassy packs her bags

Sassy here again. I want to thank Mogley for letting me use his blog while I am staying at his house. This home has been a wonderful foster home, but I keep looking forward to having a home (and a human) of my own. The rescue has several prospective new homes for me, they are just deciding which one is the best one.

Several important and exciting things have happened. Since I learned to use the dog doors I can now explore the back yard closely without fear of being locked out. Spending more time in the back yard has led to an exciting discovery. I had seen the pond in the back yard, but with the sun on the water, I could see the Koi in the pond. I did not know what they were except that the humans called them "No, No's!". The humans call a lot of things "No, No's! If you are like me, you learn that since a "No, No's" can be anything, we can take it under advisement and move on. In this case moving on meant "Jumping In". I could not catch them, but I did take a swim in some very cold water.

The even better news is that now I am slated for a bath. I smell like a fish pond and humans do not approve. Getting a bath is as good as chasing Koi in the pond. How can I lose? I get to play in the water, then get a massage with shampoo, a towel dry and lots of attention.

I have even more exciting news. I get to go with Kris this evening to make a home inspection for a home that had applied to adopt a Golden. One of the Golden's that they had expressed interest in was me! Since I am nearby, they are going to take me along with the home visitation team and let me get acquainted. They won't leave me there, even if we both like each other, they still have some paperwork to fill out. If they let me get my nose in the door once, I will take care of the rest, I can sell myself. The really good news is that I get to see my prospective new home before I have to commit. Wish me luck and I will let you know how the visit goes.

Sassy G. Retriever

Sassy Does Dog Doors

Sassy here, I am so excited, I just found freedom. Last night there was a raccoon in a tree in the next yard over, Bella and Mogley were in and out all night long, barking and guarding our yard against raccoon intrusions. In my excitement I found out that I can go through the dog door as well. Now I can come and go as I please. The dog door is more complicated than it sounds. First we have to run to the hallway, then through a door into the garage, then across the garage, out a second dog door into a corner of the back yard, then around the house to the big yard. So it takes a while to get the hang of it.

The good news is that I now have total freedom. If I want out, I can go out. If I want in, I can go in. The bad news is that now when I stand on the back steps and demand to be let in, they ignore me. Now they expect me to come in on my own. I have lost that "Queen" factor that I have used so effectively.

When they got up this morning to put me outside, I was already out. If I had made it back in in time, they might never have noticed and I might still get door service. I guess they are right, freedom does have a price.

Sassy G. Retriever

An E-mail from Snickers

We received the following update from the couple that adopted Snickers. Snickers was one of our fosters that went on to a wonderful Forever Home. We are so happy to hear from our old friends. We love it when we have a happy ending!

Dear Mogley;


Just thought I would send a quick update on Snickers. He is doing great. I was reading your recent blog about Sassy and her growls & groans, and thought I would tell you that Snickers is pretty much that way too. At first Rosy & Bailey were a little intimidated by it, but soon they learned it meant he wants to play, and they all get along great. Anyway, he is a wonderful dog and we all love him very much. Here are a couple of pics we took after one of the recent snows. I will keep in touch.

Sassy's Turn to Blog.

Sassy here. Mogley is helping me type and thank Dog for spell check. We have received so many comments on my last post (you need to read them) about dogs talking. I am not the only vocal dog in the world. The growls, groans and grunts do not mean we are vicious and about to attack.

The growls, groans and grunts are combined with tail wags and butt wiggles to tell you a story like "welcome stranger". So we are looking for a home where two way human/dog communication is appreciated. We may look for a home where there is no timid dog, growls and grunts can be intimidating to many dogs.

Thanks for the support from all of you. I will find my perfect Forever Home, in the meantime I can chase squirrels and play with my toys here with Bella and Mogley.

Sassy G. Retriever

Sassy Comes Home

This evening we drove over to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) and picked up Sassy to bring her home. Her adoption did not work out, they chose to adopt another golden lady instead.

Part of the reason is that the humans that wrote part of the blog did not mention one key item about Sassy. Sassy does not bark much, she growls instead. She talks to everyone. She is not being mean or trying to start a fight, it is just her way of communicating, she has not learned to type like I have. When Sassy greets someone at the door she says Grrrr, she growls and she grunts, meanwhile her tail is going like an airplane propeller. She is talking to the people, but her enunciation is bad. Sassy says she probably would be understood if she lived in Germany.

The humans did not explain this before Sassy went to meet this nice quiet couple. Sassy dashed over to the prospective couple, leaned up against them and growled a greeting. They had brought their Husky with them to see if everyone got along. When they met, Sassy growled her greeting and scared the Husky. A Golden Retriever went home with them, only not one that talks, they chose one that barks instead. Any day we find a good home for a Golden is a good day.

Now we have to find a new prospective family and explain to them ahead of time that Sassy is a talker. She talks in grunts, growls, lots of grrrrs, she talks a lot. She seldom barks, but she has long conversations with her tail working overtime.

Until we find a family that understands a dog that communicates vocally, Sassy will be staying with us. We get along great and we enjoy the discussions that we have. Somewhere there is a family that will enjoy having a dog they can talk to. We will just keep looking.

While Sassy was at the rescue, she received a bath and grooming. She is back with us clean and looking great. She did not get picked this time, but a day at the spa helped her feel better. She is ready to meet her next prospect.

Welcome back Sassy. .

Mogley G. Retriever

UP DATE on Sassy

Today (Saturday) we received a message that Sassy has someone interested in adopting her and giving her a Forever Home. Sassy is excited, she is packing her bags and will be to excited to sleep tonight. They found her on the GRRR rescue web site and read her profile. They want to meet her and see if they like her and if she likes them. They have submitted their application, their home has been visited by the inspection team to be sure they have a good home with a yard, proper fencing and lots of extra love to give. They have passed all the tests and all that is left is to meet Sassy and get her approval. Stay tuned and keep your paws crossed.

Mogley G. Retriever

Looking for love?

If you are looking for love, you have come to the right place. The following is the post that we have put up on http://www.goldenrescue.com/ to help Sassy find her new Forever Home. Please send your friends to look at our rescue site and help us find homes for all of our homeless friends. We have over 30 homeless dogs and we sure could use your help.

Hello world: My name is Sassy.

I am a medium sized 4 year old Golden Lady. I came to rescue with my step sister Marlo. I am living with foster brother Mogley, you can read about me on his blog. I am looking for a very special house. Because I am doing well in my foster home I can afford to be picky. I want lots of attention, I am a love sponge. I would be happy as an only dog or with others. I want a soft dog bed for my daytime nap and another bed beside your bed at night. A few chew toys and a tennis ball will keep me very happy. My demands are few. I am pretty high energy for a four year old, and I like to romp and run so a large yard or frequent walks will be necessary, but remember that I am an inside dog at heart. My foster parents said that I should tell you the following: "Sassy is well house broken, she behaves very well, plays well with other dogs, does not bother cats (very much), she lives with three cats at her foster home. She knows basic commands and is very attentive to what you tell her. If something is off limits, just tell her and she will leave it alone. Sassy is well named, she does not walk, she bounces along. She growls instead of barking which tones down the noise a lot. My foster parents said that I am a "Typical, wonderful, loving, lovable, beautiful, fun, obedient, well mannered, mellow, fantastic, Golden Retriever. We have enjoyed sharing our home with such a wonderful lady as a foster friend."

So there! Take that all of you other dogs that are looking for homes. Thank you for reading my posting. I look forward to meeting you one on one.

Sassy G. Retriever

Marlo finds her Forever Home.

Mogley received the followiing e-mail from Marlo. Marlo (7 mos) was surrendered along with Sassy (4 yrs). Marlo is staying at Evelyn's house (she is an old and very wise Golden) and Sassy is staying with us. It looks like Marlo found her forever home, can Sassy's perfect forever home be far behind?

Dear Mogley and Sassy:
My foster sister Evelyn is helping me with this email tonight. My foster parents took me to an appointment earlier this evening. Guess what? I have a new forever home! I was introduced to these very nice people. They have a nice house with a fenced back yard and a little pond just for me! Well, I think the pond is for fish but it is still going to be mine. Their golden went to the rainbow bridge some time ago and they have been storing up a lot of pets, scritches and kisses. I can't wait to move in with them. They have a cat and thanks to Evelyn's advice I know to ignore it. They even have some tennis balls already! They are going to come pick me up as soon as they can get some necessities for me. I requested a soft bed and lots of toys. I am sure they are going to get them for me. They also said they need food and a leash and a few other things. Please tell my friend Sassy that I will miss her and I am sure she will find a good forever home here real soon. Evelyn says that there is someone out there for everyone of us and that GRRR is dedicated to making sure that the right dog goes to the right forever home. Thank you GRRR for helping me and Sassy.

Hugs and kisses
Marlo

Dogs to the Rescue!

Our friends at the Bumpasshounds, (see them at http://bumpasshounds.blogspot.com/) reminded us that in these tough times, man's best friend may have to pitch in and help the humans make a living and earn money for the food in the bowls or to make the payments on the house. On April 1st, they posted a blog about running out of kibbles, but the reality is that many humans and their dogs are losing their homes in these trying times.

Bella, Sassy and I put our minds to work to determine what we could do to help out. The following are our suggestions. If you have more, let us know.

1. We will open the Golden Pest Control Service, charging by the month to keep squirrels, rabbits and stray cats out of neighborhood yards.
2. We will start a paper delivery service, bringing in papers from the front yard. I run out each morning to pick up the paper and bring it inside. Its an easy way to get a treat. We should be able to get five or six customers on our block.
3. The Fat Cat Diet and Exercise Service: Have a fat cat? Want him to lose weight? We can exercise your cat for you and keep him healthy at the same time. If we call it a "Cat Spa" we can double our prices.
4. The Golden Guard service: We will keep a watch on your lawn and garden for a few bones a day. Would you like to rest well, knowing you will not be burglarized in the night? Call the Golden Guard Service.
5. The Golden Chauffeur Service: I have been practicing driving when we wait in the parking lot at the store. It can't be all that hard, you see humans doing it without paying any attention at all. Plus I already have a license, it just does not have my picture on it.
6. Dishes Cleaned While You Wait! I can clean a plate so that it shines. Plus I am environmentally friendly. No wasted detergent to pollute our streams, no wasted hot water and a huge savings in electricity.
7. The Golden Disposal Service. Are you tired of hauling all that trash out to the curb? I can clean out a trash can in just a few minutes.
8. The Golden Spa Service. Instead of spending money on those silly lotions and creams that you put on your face at night, we will lick your face clean in an environmentally sound manner. Want to have your pores cleaned? Golden's give your face a real glow!
9. The Golden Doctor is in! Don't waste money paying that counseling service or psychologist to help you cope with these bad times, tell all of your troubles to a Golden. We listen well, we don't pass judgement or make accusations. We don't tell you to change your bad habits. Best of all, we don't send you a bill.
10. Pet a Golden, 10 cents. Instead of a lemonade stand at the busy corner, I think we should just station Bella and I at the corner and let the frantic passerby give us a pet and a dime to help them calm down.
11. The Golden Gym. Add a leash and we will help you stay in shape. Stop paying membership fees to a club you don't attend anyway, pick up a leash and you can be losing weight and feeling better in a mile or two.
12. Golden Garden and Landscape Service: We are experts at cleaning up sticks and limbs in the yard. We are very good at digging holes to plant trees and shrubs in. We can rearrange your landscape in no time flat.

If your family tells you they can't buy you as many treats and toys as they used to, just pitch in and help out. Having trouble balancing your budget? Your best friend can help!

And you thought we were just good for fetching tennis balls?

Mogley G. Retriever

Play date with Sassy

What a fun day we are having. My three cousins came by for a play date. Everyone was introduced to Sassy and all six of us ran out to the back yard to run and wrestle. It is a dull, overcast day, a snow storm is coming in, so the pictures of all of us running are all blurry.

Below, Sassy and Bella take a pause while playing in the snow. Bella is much taller than Sassy.

Sassy and Bella again, catching their breath while playing in the back yard.

Above, Sassy investigating the garden area yesterday while the sun was shining.

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Sassy is ready to post her profile on the GRRR web site (see http://www.goldenrescue.com/) to begin the search for her forever home. Tomorrow we will post what she decides she wants in a new forever home. She says she is going to be picky and hold out for the perfect home. Rescue says they will help her find her perfect match as soon as she tells them what she expects. So tune in tomorrow for Sassy's wish list.

Above, Sassy shows her form as she runs to catch up with her buddies.

We wanted to show a picture of Piper because she has changed so much. Last summer and fall, Piper looked like she was almost nude, she had a thin coat and looked like she was freezing even in the summer heat. Now they have her problems under control with daily pills and an occasional shot (brrrr). Her coat has grown, especially around her legs and now she looks like a ballerina wearing a tu-tu. Below, Piper, showing her long hair on her thighs, giving her the look of a ballerina.

Mogley G. Retriever

A message from Marlo

I received a message this morning from Marlo, Sassy's step sister. Above is a photo of Marlo.

Hi, I am Marlo. I am a 7 month old female golden retriever. I came to GRRR with my friend Sassy. Sassy went to stay with Mogley the Blog dog and I got to come over to their friends house. I arrived here last night. I had already eaten my dinner before I arrived but they gave me a good snack when the others ate so I wouldn't feel left out. I am just 7 months old so the extra calories sure won't hurt me at this point. There are 3 goldens here and they have all been very nice to me. We went outside in the back yard and my foster dad threw tennis balls for all of us. We each had our own to retrieve! I ran with the big dogs. Don't tell them but I am faster than they are. Evelyn the golden senior here, she came from GRRR too, has been showing me the ropes. I have to admit I was scared last night and she let me snuggle up to her on the carpet during TV time. That sure made me feel better. I am right as rain today. Nothing like a good night's sleep, great breakfast and a photo shoot to make a girl feel better. Below are a couple of pictures from this mornings shoot.

Evelyn told me that I shouldn't unpack my bag completely as she is sure I will be adopted very quickly. She also said that the resident cats are off limits and that is one of the most important rules here. I was wondering what those furry things were. I was sure interested but I haven't so much as touched one of them. I was a little worried about my friend Sassy last night but my foster mom told me that she is in very good hands. That made me feel better for sure. My foster mom said to let everyone know that I am ok on a leash, I know to sit when told, I seem to be housebroken (so far). I don't understand that dog door thing but I have only tried it once with help. I am not a wild child but am still a puppy so I need someone that will take the time to give me a guiding hand and teach me all the things that will make me a great dog. Well, I am tired now and like all little ones I need a nap. I will write more when I can.

Thanks,
Marlo G. Retriever

PS. I wrote with some help from my foster brothers and sister.

World, Meet Sassy!

We have a new foster friend. Sassy arrived from the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) today. Her room mate Marlo was transported with her, but Marlo was dropped by another foster family where she could get more attention. As you can see from the pictures Sassy is tired from her journey so she had to have a nap. Like all good Retrievers, a duck helps her to sleep.

We don't know much about her yet, but we do know that she is a wonderful girl already. She was hardly in the door when she grabbed a toy and offered to play with me. Most foster dogs take a week or more before they are ready to play. The first few days they are still lost and looking for a friend. They Velcro themselves to the nearest human's leg and stay there till they feel more comfortable in the home. Not Sassy! At 4 years of age, she is still a playgirl. She is underfoot as much as she can be. She needs the comfort of a kind word and a lot of petting. Treats help too. Bella and I get to share in the extra attention since we are all working together to make her feel at home.

Her room mate, Marlo is only 7 months old. We dropped Marlo by for Kris to foster, Marlo will be in her forever home very shortly, Kris has a list of people looking for a beautiful younger lady. When we delivered Marlo Kris was on the phone talking to a potential home already.

We will give you more of their story later, now it is time to let Sassy have a nap. We will find out how well trained she is, work with her a little so that we can tell potential homes what she is like. We will watch to see is she is in good health, she has already been to the vet and received her health check. She has a clean bill of health except that we need to clean her ears and she has some coat medications. When she came in to the rescue she had some hot spots on her coat, since both of them had it we suspect it was caused by some of the cheap super market dog foods. Cheap foods often do not have balanced nutrition and can cause coat problems as well as gas problems. Sassy sits very well and she is pretty quiet.

Tomorrow we will begin the search for her forever home. Stay tuned to follow our search and help Sassy find her perfect forever home.

Mogley G. Retriever

Follow Up

Sandy and Abby are in their new homes. We have received daily e-mails reporting on their activities. We expect that once Sandy has settled in she might even be writing her own blog.

Their new parents say that they love them very much. Since both of the humans work, a neighbor comes by several times a day to let the lady's outside. The neighbor has fallen for them too.

They have lots of toys, lots of treats, soft beds to sleep on and a big yard to run in. They get lots of attention and lots of love. We are so happy that they are loved enough that the humans will take the time to update us.

The goal was to take in a pair of homeless lady's and find them new homes.

Mission Accomplished.

Mogley G. Retriever

"Well Done"

Thanks to the Bumpass Hounds, they designed a new award for special bloggers and were kind enough to award it to us. Thanks so much, it is a special award because it comes from fellow rescue workers.

You can read all about the award and about their rescue activities at their web site http://bumpasshounds.blogspot.com/ or click on their link listed to the left.

Thanks Guys.

Mogley and Bella Retriever

Dogs have feelings too!

Now that Sandy and Abby are in their new Forever Home, we can tell a little more about them. They were the product of a broken home. A family went through a divorce, they all hurt and they all had to start a new life. When the husband brought in Sandy and Abby to voluntarily surrender them, tears flowed. Losing Sandy and Abby was bad, the feeling that they were being abandoned was devastating. Both to the family and to the two dogs. Sandy was 11 and one family was all she had ever known. They asked that Sandy and Abby remain together and be adopted as a pair, at least they would still have each other.

It is so much better if the family says goodbye at home and the dogs are surrendered in a friendly atmosphere. Mary recounts surrenders where the crying became so bad that the dogs were frightened of these new people that took them away.

Dogs have feelings too! Our feelings are very real, we sense emotions better than humans do, we understand what is unspoken, we feel what is hidden. Many people forget, their thoughts are on their own loss, they focus on their own feelings. The dogs are torn from their family and go to a new place filled with fear and apprehension, frightened of these new people that tore them away from their happy home. Frightened because of the emotions they feel, frightened from the tears and sorrow they see in their family.

Today when we arrived at the rescue to turn over Sandy and Abby we let them lose to run and greet these new people, two Golden's making friends with two humans, on their own terms, joyfully greeting new people and looking for a new future. Sandy and Abby went as friends going on to a new adventure in life, with no fear and no apprehension. Willingly and joyfully entering a new world and a new life.

Giving up a dog that has been a loved member of your family is never easy, but you can make the best of it, for both yourselves and for your dogs.

Remember this before you drive me down to the city pound and drop me. Remember this before you push me out along some country road. Remember this before you take me to the vet to be put to sleep.

Remember this, Dogs have feelings too!

Mogley G. Retriever

My Rewards!

This morning we drove Sandy and Abby over to meet their new Forever Home. It was a wonderful meeting, Sandy and Abby were delighted with their new family. Their new home is out of town so they have room to run. There is a mountain home that they can go to in the summer and run in the streams, in the winter they can ride on the snowmobiles. The people know all about dogs, they brought treats and toys to prove that they will take good care of their new friends.

Below, I have a brand new toy lamb, it squeaks loud.

They brought Bella and I a bag of toys and treats as a reward for taking care of Sandy and Abby. Bella and I have agreed to share the toys and the treats as we both took care of Sandy and Abby. We were sad to see our friends go, but we know they have a wonderful home and they will have a wonderful new life. We made the people promise to bring Sandy and Abby back to our Golden Retriever of the Rockies Reunion Picnics and our party's. That way we can connect with them again.

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Don't you just love it when a story has a happy ending? This one ends.... Sandy and Abby lived happily ever after.

For GRRR it was a good day already, four dogs adopted before noon, and three more likely for the afternoon. On Friday we had three more come in, and on Sunday we will be taking in four more. GRRR is on track to hit over 400 adoptions in 2009. Thanks to all of the people who help make a dogs life a little better. There were people there to walk and play with the new arrivals until they could be placed in foster homes. They had their photos taken and updated their resumes for the adoption page, everyone wanted to look their best for the on line dog dating service.

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Thanks to our volunteers, you make life better for dogs that are under stress and feeling lonely. When we wag our tails and lick your hand, its because we know you are trying hard to make our lives better. We appreciate all the attention you give us.

Remember that you too can volunteer to help a dog. Drivers can transport, walkers can excercise, foster homes can love and nurture until the perfect Forever Home can be found. There is a rescue near you that needs you.
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Mogley G. Retriever

Farewell Party

Followers of my blog know that the two foster friends that have been staying with us have received an offer of a Forever Home. A nice couple that recently lost their senior Golden were looking for a young dog when they found our blog with Sandy and Abby. They decided that old Golden's do make the best friends. They have asked to meet and adopt Sandy and Abby Saturday morning. Below on the left is Abby and on the right is Sandy, relaxing after a hard day shredding toys.

We decided to have a farewell party and play date for Sandy and Abby. It looks like they will go to their permanent forever home on Saturday, so we wanted to have a special party for them before they leave. We invited our three cousins over to play for the day. Emma, Piper and Molly arrived to make the party complete and to enjoy a play date. Below are all seven Party Dogs, waiting for the resident treat vendor to do his job. Sandy and Abby are on the right.

We are going to enjoy our friends today and wish them a wonderful life tomorrow when they leave us. It has been a pleasure having these two well behaved and quiet ladies in our home. Being a foster brother is wonderful, but it has its downside. We hate saying goodbye to special friends that have become a member of our family. Of course there is a chance they won't get adopted, but it sounds like the deal is done.

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The goal of the rescue is to take homeless dogs in, evaluate them and help find forever homes for them. They call it a "Foster Failure" when the rescue home will not give up their foster when the time comes. Molly was a foster failure of a different kind, when it came time to hand her over, she refused, she would not go with the new people, she fought to stay with her family until they gave up trying to pull her out the door. We know if we don't give up the fosters we are given, then we don't have room for the next homeless dog who may have to stay in the chain link kennel. The wonderful people that take in our homeless friends and give them a forever home, make it all worthwhile.

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Mogley G. Retriever

Forever Home

We just received word that this coming Saturday morning we have an appointment to take Sandy and Abby to meet a prospective adopter. They have read all of our blogs about Sandy and Abby and they have talked with the rescue about them.

Sandy and Abby are very excited, they have their bags packed already. Abby packed her favorite toy, she will unpack in in just a few hours when she decides it is play time or when she just wants to run around the house with it in her mouth. Sandy likes tennis balls, but she does not have a favorite one, her favorite one is whichever one is thrown for her.

Sandy wants to remind her prospective family that she would like a very thick dog bed, she likes to lie without her bones poking the ground. There will have to be one bed near the human's bed, another one in the family room so she can have a comfortable afternoon nap. Sandy takes about seven naps a day. She says she is not lazy or tired, she just needs to be prepared to go to sleep at night and she is afraid she will get out of practice.

Sandy and Abby like having access to a dog door, but they also are let out first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, plus several times during the day, just so they keep on schedule. They are used to getting a glucosamine treat twice a day, and they get a peanut butter treat twice a day when I get my pills. A finger of peanut butter to lick also helps that morning "dog breath" that we sometimes wake up with. Abby likes to chew on something, a stuffed toy, a big rag toy or a rope toy will keep her busy.

We are all excited that Sandy and Abby will have a forever home, but we Will be sad to see them leave. They have become treasured members of the family and they will be missed a lot. Sandy had a song written about her, "There are only three things worth a solitary dime, Old dogs and Children, and watermelon wine". They were thinking of Sandy and Abby when they talked about the joy of old dogs, they are wonderful, well behaved ladies.

Mogley G. Retriever

Swimming with the fishes.

Things did not go as planned. We planned on getting to run and play in the mud, then go to the GRRR dog wash and bake sale. It did not work out as planned. Humans, they can be so difficult at times.

First it was cold Saturday morning and the chauffeur decided it was too cold to go run in the frozen river. Then he worried about having four wet, muddy, happy dogs in the car, he said he had just cleaned it and he did not want us getting it muddy. Then we noticed that the dog wash was sold out, there was no time available for us late comers.

We did get to go to the bake sale. They sold human and dog treats there, so all was not lost. Sandy and Abby were able to sniff hello to the lady that transported and kept them for several days when they first entered rescue. There were many other rescue dogs to get acquainted with.

Sandy felt bad that she did not get to run in the water. She jumped into the koi pond today, she came out dripping and smelling great. The humans did not like her giving herself her own bath, they gave her one and now she smells like lilac water or such.

We have been promised a run in the river soon if the weather stays warm. Now we know that Sandy can swim and she is a water dog as well.

Mogley G. Retriever

News you need to view

Two recent items have been posted on Thoughts Fur Paws. The latest is about puppy mills, it can be seen at: http://thoughtsfurpaws.com/uncategorized/petland-faces-class-action-lawsuit/

A second item they have recently posted on Thoughts Fur Paws concerns poisons. Since summer is coming, I want to make sure my humans keep bad things out of our reach like they are supposed to. Read it at : http://thoughtsfurpaws.com/dogs/poisonous-household-items-for-pets/

Make sure your people read this and keep you safe. It's their job! Thanks for the news guys. Keep up the good work.

Mogley G. Retriever

Waste a wash?

Above, taken last March, five goldens play in the spring run off at the 12 mile park. Mogley, Bella, Emma, Piper and Molly get muddy in preparation for a bath.

I need your help. This weekend the Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) is holding a dog wash and bake sale. When we go down to the big park, our chauffeur/cook will not let us play in the river unless it is time for our bath. Most days he says that he does not have time to give us a bath so he will not let us play in the mud.

He is planning on attending the dog wash/bake sale, now all the pack has to do is convince him that it would be a shame to waste a perfectly good bath on a clean dog. After all, doesn't he want his money's worth?

Help me convince him that we need to spend some quality time at the river before going to the dog wash. Send him a comment, tell him we need to get real muddy before we go to the fund raiser.

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.A clean dog is a waste of a bath!

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.Mogley G. Retriever

The World Championships

The world championship mouth wrestling matches were scheduled to take place today. Molly, Piper, Abby, Bella and I were ready to hold the final matches to determine the World Champion. Bella and I figured that since we practice every day we would be shoo ins. We have even designed a special golden Chamionship Collar for the winner. Then the unbelievable happened.

Molly, Piper and Emma's daddy came home early. He is a pilot and he was rescheduled on his flights, so he came home and picked up his pack and went to their home. Bella, Abby, Sandy and I are left alone. Four dogs playing is all right, but it doe not have the intensity of all seven playing together.

We have postponed the World Championship Mouth Wrestling Championships for several weeks. This gives us time to ask for additional entry's. If you want to compete and believe you are a champion class mouth wrestler, let us know.

In the meantime we are still looking for a Forever Home for Sandy and Abby. If you want to help two fine Lady's find a home, visit the rescue web site at www.goldenrescue.com and read more about Sandy and Abby.

Mogley G. Retriever

The Philosopher Dog, Part 5

The Bumpass Hounds will say this should be titled "Part 6", they think I skipped one chapter in the Dog Philosopher. Or maybe "Part 5 1/2".

We are having a lot of fun together. Abby and Sandy are even joining in the chasing and mouth wrestling. Mealtime is a lot more exciting with seven bowls in seven places and seven hungry dogs trying to see what everyone else is getting fed. You never know when one of us gets better food and how will we know if we don't check? The chauffeur/cook thinks we should all sit down in our place to wait for our bowl, but that takes all the fun out of it.

With seven dogs in the house, the resident chauffeur/cook spends a lot of time with his tools cleaning up the yard.

This raises an important philosophical question. Why are humans so obsessed with dog poop? All of my friends at the dog park ask the same question. We watch people pick up dog poop, put it into special plastic bags they carry with them. When we run in the park we always see people walking along with plastic bags full of poop in their hands. They even point out dog poop to other people to pick up. If one person misses a dog poop, another person will make sure they get it. At the big dog park, they even schedule a "clean up day" for everyone to come and pick up dog poop just in case they are running short on their home supply. Humans buy special tools to use to pick up poop, they buy special plastic bags to carry it in, they exchange tips on how best to collect dog poop.

Is it a fixation, a hobby gone berserk or just a character flaw in humans? Are humans potty trained at too young of an age? Is this behaviour normal? I think not! You don't see dogs carrying their own poop around in plastic bags. You don't see dogs obsessing with a little dog poop on the lawn. We need to show the humans the part about how fertilizer helps the grass grow. We need to show humans how to relax and enjoy just walking for the sake of walking.

Mogley G. Retriever

The sound of seven dogs playing?

Above, seven Golden Retrievers, a family reunion and extended play date.

Life is wonderful today. My cousins, Emma, Molly and Piper are here for about 10 days. Their family went on a trip so we get to have an extended play date. What is the sound of seven dogs playing? We don't know what it sounds like, but you can hear it from a mile away! The inventory is me, Mogley, 2 years old, Bella, 3, Sandy, 11, Abby, 6, Emma, 7, Molly and Piper, both 2.

I always enjoy having Molly and Piper here, we play all day long. Emma is not into playing, she is into relaxing, so she gets along very well with Sandy and Abby. Sandy surprised us all by rough housing with us for a while, then running laps around the yard with us. We still do not believe that Sandy is realy 11 years old, we think they made a mistake. Bella is the queen of the house, so she plays a little, then takes up her position as the head of the pack and watches us from her cushion.
Above and Below, we gather for treat time. I have my back to the camera, I am telling the others to sit so we can get our treats.
The downside to having my cousins visit is that they will tear all of my toys up. When it is treat time no one gets a treat unless everyone is sitting. Sometimes it takes several minutes before we can all calm down at once.

Mogley G. Retriever

Rescue Report

Sandy and Abby were getting anxious, they have been here almost a month as foster friends and still they have not been adopted into a forever home. I may have found out why. I opened an e-mail from Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies (GRRR) and boy did they have news. Last week GRRR took in 10 dogs, on top of the 30 or so that are normally in the foster system. GRRR is in need of volunteers who can provide foster homes and forever homes for more Golden friends. With each new dog there is a special and often very sad story, as the economy sinks, the stories get worse.

This fall GRRR had a rescue from the Animal Protection Services. Here is what GRRR wrote this week:
"Remember Brodie, the senior Golden who was given sleeping pills by his owner and then dumped in a field outside of Pueblo? Well the owner who did this horrible stuff was fined $500 today after he plead guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse. It's not a lot, but it's something. He was informed that if anything ever happens like this again he'll be facing felony charges. Brodie, I know you are being spoiled rotten in your new home now, but sleep well, knowing that he was punished for what he did to you, and by some miracle you lived through that, found your way to GRRR and are living a wonderful life now."

Next was a report from GRRR on a special rescue.
"We had two very special girls come into GRRR 3 weeks ago, Tessa and Tori. They were only 6 weeks old when they arrived at GRRR. These small precious little bundles of fur were welcomed into their Foster home to be loved and cared for until they find that special family to love them forever. What makes them so special? They were born blind. One of those ... I'm struggling to find a word that isn't too horrible... backyard breeders… to put it nicely couldn't sell them, so he contacted one of our volunteers who had taken a blind puppy from the last litter he had to sell a year ago. Last year's little blind girl was taken in at 4 weeks to the vet to be euthanized. He said, "They are too little to shoot." Not kidding, that is what this horrible man said when he took her in to have her euthanized. The vet refused because she was not sick and told him he knew someone would love that little puppy. Our volunteer begged him to keep the puppy with the mom and others until she was older. But "No" was his response, he'd already sold the pups and they had been away from mom for some time. I was so mad when I heard this and spent a good part of the night trying to find out if there was a law against selling pups before the age of 8 weeks. But no, there is no such law in South Dakota.

Several volunteers pitched in and drove these two girls from North Dakota to Denver. Tessa and Tori went into a loving foster home, and one of them has been adopted out already. The other is doing well with several older house mates to help out. These young ladys have their own "seeing eye dogs" to help them find their way.

If that is not enough, this was the next message:
"A volunteer emailed me on Sunday night about a girl in Gallup NM who needed help. The rescues in NM were full or didn't have resources to care for her. Oh, and by the way, they think she's pregnant. A few emails and a few calls and I am hoping that this girl will find her way to Colorado on Thursday. One volunteer is ready to jump in his car and go get her from Gallup and bring her to Albuquerque. The rest of the trip is still pending, but we are hoping for Thursday. I hope she keeps her legs crossed if she's close to delivering pups. The shelter she is in doesn't vaccinate, so that opens up a big can of worms when it comes to parvo, etc. So she will need to be transported without the company of another dog(s) as a precaution for everyone."

That is only the first few stories on GRRR rescues. I will post more tomorrow on several other rescues. Meanwhile, we need volunteers to provide foster homes and forever homes. If you don't have room in your home, you can donate to our rescue efforts by going to the link on the left of my blog and click on "Donate to Rescue Here!

Remember, no matter where you live, there is a rescue near you that needs help!

The economy is bad for people and for dogs, my chauffeur and chef says that dog food is now almost $40.00 per bag, that is almost $280 in Dog dollars at the current exchange rate.

Mogley G. Retriever

Playing in the park.

Above, four wild Golden Retrievers loose on the open plains. Look out!

The test is to see if the current foster dogs will come when called. If they don't come well we can't go to the big park. Sandy and Abby were given the test and they passed it just fine. So we get to go to the park regularly, four wild Golden Retrievers lose on the world. We can run until we are exhausted, we can run until we are panting and thirsty. Sandy is running better with each trip to the park. When she first arrived with us she could not jump into the SUV and had to be helped in and out of the car. Now she runs and leaps into the car in her excitement to go for a ride. At 11 years, she is doing so well that everyone is surprised when they are told how old she is.

We are all pulling for Sandy and Abby to be adopted into a Forever home soon, but until they find their new home, they are doing wonderful with us. They have been with us for three weeks which is close to a record. Most foster orphans that stay with us spend only a few days to a couple weeks before the rescue organization places them with a new family. We had fosters that spent less than a day before they were adopted, several that stayed less than five days. Sandy thinks it is taking longer because of her age and because we want to adopt Sandy and Abby out as a pair. They have spent their life together and they are very attached. With a large number of new, young and pretty dogs entering the rescue system, two older ladies will be hard to place. People don't realise that having an older dog that has learned how to behave is a huge blessing. No chewing on shoes, no wetting on carpets, no chasing the cat, no barking in the middle of the night. Just two well behaved dogs that love affection and bring a calm demeanour to the home. With Abby (6)you get a bonus, she plays a mean game of fetch, if you have a tennis ball she will bring it to you and drop it, then jump around waiting with anticipation for you to throw it again. We know there is an ideal home out there somewhere, but it takes time. While we wait we can all have fun and enjoy each others company. Below, Sandy and Bella share a bed.



Mogley G. Retriever