Bandit 20-043A
Profile
To understand why RAGOM will adhere to our requirements for Bandit regarding children and another dog, please read about Retired Breeding Dogs.
Profile
To understand why RAGOM will adhere to our requirements for Bandit regarding children and another dog, please read about Retired Breeding Dogs.
Updates
Sunday, July 25, 2021
Bandit has been to 2 meet-and-greets lately and he has truly surprised me! I was expecting him to find a safe spot - maybe under a chair or at least close to the walls. But no! He was out in the middle with the rest of the dogs! And he allowed folks to pet him. I was sooo very happy for this sweet, gentle boy! A new scary situation for him and he did great! I was so proud of this shy boy. So brave!
I was hoping that someone would meet him there and fall in love with him as all others have. I know there is a family out there that can love this boy and give him the routine he needs to be comfortable. He continues to be loving inside and follows me everywhere. I will try to get him to all the local meet-and-greets that we can so that his forever family will find him.
Sunday, June 6, 2021
Bandit would like to thank his sponsor! And your gift in memory of our Grizz is so appreciated! Two boys who can break your heart with their trauma from living in commercial breeding facilities. And both such beautiful boys, too!
Here is a picture of Bandit and one of Grizz, too. Grizz went to the Rainbow Bridge in 2015, but we will never forget him.
Wednesday, May 12, 2021
Bandit is still hanging out in his foster home. He has had a few families interested but unfortunately, he does not show well when they visit outdoors. Bandit won’t let anyone unfamiliar approach him outside. He will approach me and people he knows well when we are outside. Usually, he is looking for a treat. He no longer needs the long lead and that is a relief to both of us.
Indoors he is a different boy! He follows me everywhere except the kitchen. He spends the day with me in my office now, which is huge considering he only peeked at me from the doorway before. In the living room, he is on the couch with me and rarely goes to his dog bed. He lets me pet him without cowering. Bandit is so sweet and gentle!
If this sweet, special boy tugs at your heart, please consider meeting him!
Sunday, February 28, 2021
This boy breaks my heart some days. I am not sure what spooked him, but for the last few weeks, he has really struggled to come in the door again. I had thought that he was past that.
A few weekends ago, he wouldn’t come in and so spent a night outside in my fenced yard. It was not for lack of trying on my part and his to get him inside. Wagging hotdogs, placing a trail of hotdogs, fixing his food bowl. No way. A pretty sleepless night for me. The next day, he came in when he heard me fixing his breakfast.
I started using a tie-out and long lead. He hated it, and so did I. It made the chaos at the door to get out even more chaotic with four dogs. And then, early one morning, that chaos allowed me to forget to tie him out. He wouldn’t come in even for meals. It was getting colder, and I was so worried. He slept outside on a cot with a thick blanket.
I have a huge fenced yard and so had 6 friends come over and help me herd him. After dashing between us a few times, he finally gave up and went to his cot. I won’t make that mistake again.
A fellow volunteer with lots of experience with commercial breeding dogs suggested I leash him in the house again so that he gets more accustomed to being close to me. And he believes the leash often becomes a calming factor for the dogs.
I have been doing that, and it does seem to be having an effect. Tonight, he came and laid close to me when I asked him to without my having to move him with the leash. That was progress after all his adventures!
Bandit is a special-needs boy. And he needs a very special family. You couldn’t ask for a more sweet, gentle, beautiful boy. Is that you?
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Bandit has taken more baby steps. The most exciting is that he will come during the early morning hours while I am still in bed and let me scratch his chest and rub his face! It is a thrill every morning now as he leans into my hand for more.
I could lay there for hours if my residents weren't so persistent in trying to get me up. Of course, when I do start to get up, he runs back to his safe dog bed in the bedroom and waits. He won't let me pet him for that long anywhere else.
Bandit has also started taking treats from friends that visit outdoors. I have two friends that he has seen several times-in our pod. Check out the video where he takes a treat from my friend Jill even as she is standing up!
He is freer now to walk around the house even when I am nearby-his body relaxed but ever vigilant to make sure I won't get up and come to him. Still, the only time he is truly relaxed and free is outside running and playing with Tannin.
So I am not without hope for Mr Bandit. Hope that he will find his forever family, hope that he will allow the morning love to spread to other parts of the day.
If you have another medium to large dog, a fence, patience, and most of all good experience with extremely fearful dogs, please consider this sweet boy.
Sunday, October 11, 2020
I am sooo behind in updates for this special boy! Has he made progress? Of course! There is no hesitation to come in now-once the door is propped and I am out of the way. He does prefer not to have to navigate the door past other dogs but will do it. I am not using the long lead in my fenced yard. I trust him to come in now if I need to be somewhere.
He comes to me for treats whenever I am eating on the couch. He even took a treat from a friend sitting outside.
BUT there has been no progress in allowing me to approach him when he is outside. Inside, he mostly moves away when I approach but will stay on his dog bed if I move towards him with a treat. He knows this is routine now and expects it. I can scratch his ears then. But moving towards him to shut the blinds nearby-he moves away.
He IS more relaxed moving around in the house. Not always just laying in his safe spot. He even came to check me out in the office one day--peaking around the corner only. I was thrilled.
I have spoken to a couple of potential families about Mr. Bandit. Families with lots of love for a scared boy. Families that have hopes for a Golden that will come to them for snuggles and pets. That is not Mr. Bandit right now. Maybe in the future, he can be that boy. But that is not a given and I doubt it will be soon.
Bandit absolutely needs an adopter that has good experience with undersocialized, extremely frightened dogs.
Saturday, July 25, 2020
This boy has taken a few brave steps in recent weeks. Bandit stepped away from his safe place on the dog bed and approached me while I was eating my bagel. I had to give him a bite for that! He stayed for more bites until my bagel was gone. Oh my God—he approached me! I was so thrilled. Check out the video below. You can see he is a bit unsure—but he does it.
If I am doing this outside with hot dogs, he will smile at me and barks at me when all of the hot dogs are gone, as if to say “More, please.” And he has such a gentle mouth when taking it.
He still moves away if I move towards him outside. Inside, he will stay in his place if I approach him. But his head bows and I know he is afraid of what I might do. I approach sideways and don't make eye contact. Then I can give him a few ear scratches.
A few days ago, his vet started him on some anxiety meds. The hope is that he will relax enough to learn that he is safe with me. I am hopeful to see more progress!
Friday, July 10, 2020
His head hanging low, tail tucked, body in a crouch, he is just waiting in fear for whatever lies ahead. He is the picture of what happens--or doesn't happen--when dogs are kept in commercial breeding facilities, never to be approached with love and kindness, never to be socialized with humans, only to be surrounded by other dogs in a similar situation. He is scared.
This is Bandit, a beautiful, young, male Golden Retriever sold by a breeder at an auction, no longer wanted for whatever reason, destined to continue his life as a breeder of puppies for cash.
He came into RAGOM 4 months ago and is making baby steps. What does he need in his forever home? Mostly, he needs love--and the patience it will take to get him comfortable with his human family.
I have fostered dozens of dogs from commercial breeders over the years. Many came in terrified of me and other humans, but none as terrified as Bandit.
His saving grace and the joy in his days comes from my resident dogs. And I share in his joy just watching him prance, pounce, chase, and wrestle! In these moments, he is as happy as any 2.5-year-old dog--playing like a puppy, body carefree and loose. It makes me so happy and brings tears to my eyes.
I have waited to post him until he made a couple of breakthroughs. That happened--even though I know he has a ways to go. I am confident he will grow, with love and patience.
Bandit is happiest outside. I think he feels free there. But he hasn't come close to me, moving away if I moved in his direction. He will run outside if I hold the door open with my back to him. He will not come back in unless I prop the door open and move out of his line of sight.
Bandit is just now starting to eat in my presence. A big breakthrough recently is that he took a piece of hot dog from my hand--and now he has done it several times! He grabs it and runs away, but he comes close enough! Oh, the joy I felt for him!
Bandit has a ways to go in terms of being comfortable with people. He is very comfortable with the sounds and routines of living in a home. He knows where his food bowl goes, where he sleeps, and when he can expect to go out. He has never had an accident in my home.
If you have experience with severely undersocialized dogs and lots of patience, consider giving this boy a home.
Adopt Me: If you think Bandit would be a good fit in your home, please review our adoption process. If you have already submitted an Inquiry for Application, email [email protected] with Bandit's name, RAGOM number (20-043A), the name you submitted under, and a sentence or two explaining why you feel your home would be a good match.