Amos turned 11 this month!  He really enjoyed his doggie birthday cake and shared it with all his fur-siblings, as well as a couple neighbor dogs.  He played like a puppy with his new duck toy, seeming to forget his arthritis. 

Amos has slowed down in the last couple months.  We have decreased our morning walks to just going around the block rather than a mile-long walk.  Otherwise, he is still the happy, sweet boy who I have always loved.  I hope that we still have a lot of time left together because life without Amos is unimaginable.

Dear RAGOM:
 
Three years out of the backyard breeder's kennel, Amos continues to amaze me.  We have FINALLY managed to get him and keep him at a healthy weight of 89 pounds.  He's gotten down there before but could never stay at that weight until the last several months.  I think the healthy weight and accupuncture combined make him feel so good because he runs through the yard like a joyful pup.  He has also become more at ease in the yard.  He will never be a lover of the outdoors but now he will meander around the yard to sniff and doesn't run for the gate the moment he hears a loud noise.  Amos no longer wants to walk with just me; he likes his sister Charlotte (formerly Starlite 09-029) to be along and since he feels so good we are able to take longer walks again.  His heart condition has progressed a little but not enough to take additional steps like more meds or diet/activity changes.  At night while I watch TV or read, he rolls over on his back, thumps his tail and wriggles around.  Sometimes he rubs at his eyes, sometimes he snaps at his own thumping tale, but it just seems to be a gesture of great contentment.
 
In May 2010 I adopted a third dog, a corgi named Finnigan, from a local shelter.  He has been a handful.  Partly it's that he's a bossy little corgi, and partly that he has dog aggression issues I wasn't aware of until bringing him home.  With the help of a dog trainer and the saintly tolerance of Amos and Charlotte, Finnigan is coming along.  When he's being difficult Amos ignores him and Charlotte placates him.  He couldn't ask for better fur siblings, in my opinion.
 
Amos is my joy, the treasure of my heart.  Watching him do simple things like run through the yard or roll over on his back bring tears to my eyes sometimes because I remember the dog who huddled behind my loveseat and paced and refused to go outside until I got him on a leash and pulled him out.  A dog can teach you a million things about patience and love without ever saying a word.
 
Rachel R.

The Golden Retriever I envisioned myself adopting was age 3-5, a good walking/running companion, and a dog who would bark at noises and strangers to help me feel safe in my new home.  Then I met Amos and decided those qualities weren't necessary because he was the sweetest dog I ever met.  The vet estimated he was around 7.  He had been a breeder's stud dog and so he spent his life in a kennel and dog run and had no idea how to walk on a leash.  He was frightened of nearly every noise, he was extremely overweight and just out of heartworm treatment.  His foster family never heard him bark in the 3 months they cared for him.

I got Amos on May 30, 2008, and was officially allowed to adopt him in September when he was declared heartworm-negative (yeah!) and neutered.  He has blossomed into the dog I dreamed of.  A good friend volunteered to call the breeder who surrendered Amos and learned that he is actually 5 (his birthday is the day before mine) but probably due to his health issues he seemed older to the vet.  Amos has slimmed down to 92 pounds from his original 122; he was at 88 pounds right before Thanksgiving but appears to have put on a little holiday weight.  We're working to get him a little lower.  In October he started barking at noises that used to cause him to run and hide.  Now he barks when people come to the door or make noise outside, like any other dog.  He has also become a good walker.  A neighbor used to call out to me, "Who's walking who here?" as I struggled against Amos' weight and stubbornness while he dragged me down the street.  A couple months ago that same neighbor said, "He sure has turned into a fine walking partner."  Comments like these mean the world to me.

Amos remains the sweetest dog I ever met, and February 22 was the one-year anniversary of his surrender.  He loves to play fetch and play with his Duck.  My dear kitty Cricket died in October so now Amos has two new kitty siblings: Sumo & Bonnie.  Amos is content to just seek them out for a good butt sniff every now and then.  Every morning Amos wakes me with a smile and tail wag.  He loves to be hugged and kissed and is thrilled to go to work with me when I can take him.

I want to thank everyone who made it possible for Amos to be a part of my life - from the first volunteer who evaluated him and noted that she saw "potential in Amos in some day becoming a great Golden companion," (you were right!) to the volunteers who transported him, to Regina who did my home visit and has answered every question and more, and to Ann and her family who fostered Amos and love him still.  The highest compliment Amos and I have been paid is Ann's face when we ran into her on the street last week - her jaw dropped when she saw him walking down the streets of downtown Des Moines with me.  She couldn't believe how slim he was and how calm he acted with traffic going by.

Rachel R

Amos is done with his heartworm treatment! Yeah! He continues to make progress. He is still a backyard breeder pooch, but he deserves so much love to make up for those lonely years without human contact.

Amzie can be neutered in 4 months after an "all clear" from his heartworms. Nasty little creatures!

He has lost another 5 pounds for a total loss of 13 pounds. He has about 20 more to go. He feels so much better though and he moves around. He is still showing those characteristics of a dog who has not been out of a cage much, running in big circles in the back yard and burying his head when he is scared. Amzie likes to sleep with his head under the bed. During the day we force him to come out of our bedroom to socialize more.

He went to the lake with us last weekend and he needed coaxing to get out of the car. Once out though he stayed right by us. I have included a picture of his ride with Logan.

This is what we know about Amos:

1. He is the sweetest dog that we have fostered.
2. He loves other dogs and needs to be adopted to with a family who has another dog.
3. He doesn't like loud noises but is slowly getting used to them.
4. He needs a fenced yard because I don't know if he will ever be crazy about walks and a leash.
5. Amos loves "babies" (stuffed toys), bones and Kongs. He loves belly rubs and a soft voice in his ear. He wants to be a dog but at the age of 7 years, isn't sure how.
6. He needs a family who wants to snuggle and be an advocate for dogs with rough starts in life. The sad thing is that Amos will always be a backyard breeder dog.
7. Amos is the most beautiful dog inside and out. I cry often when I look in his eyes and can see that he loves me. I love him even more!

If you can understand and can provide for what Amos needs, please email placement@ragom.org to chat more about him.

Amos was to the vet and he had his last HW treatment(we hope)! Amos goes back in one month to have his blood tested to determine if he is HW free. Then he can be neutered and have dental work done. He is 114 pounds! He has lost almost 9 pounds and you can sure tell by the way he is acting. He is now playing ball more in the family room. He is also going upstairs on his own. Yesterday I came home from work and he wasn't in his corner. I was starting to panic and then I found him in our bedroom laying by our bed! He want up there on his own. This is huge for him. He also did not have any accidents or destructive behaviors. He is such a good boy.  Our next step is getting him to act like a dog when on a leash. We are going to try an Easy Harness on him. It is used to keep him from pulling like a Gentle Leader however it doesn't go over his muzzle. I think it may be more comfortable for a scared dog. I will keep you posted on
his progress.