Buster 20-047
Profile
At a Glance #20-047
| Mixed Breed | Born: April 2018 |
| Male | 61 lbs |
Status: Adopted
Profile
Updates
Friday, December 18, 2020
At the end of August I adopted Buster. I fell in love with his face, but when I read his story I thought to myself I could give Buster a better life.
I will say at first I was taken aback that in his history they used the word hip dysplasia. I have known people who have had to put dogs down because of hip dysplasia. I decided to talk to my Vet and a few other dog friends about Buster.
My vet said not to let that diagnosis scare me. Because Buster spent so much time in his crate, his muscles, ligaments and tendons were probably not very well developed. That I would need to work on strengthening that. There are a number of things to do before any surgery or worse. So my dog Sophia and I went to meet Buster.
Sophia and Buster liked each other from first sniff. And he seemed to like me as well. So we began and finally adopted Buster.
The day I picked up Buster to come home, he immediately jumped in the car with Sophia. He sat and panted for about 45 minutes. And then laid down next to Sophia.
Buster was unsure about most things. He took weeks before he would walk into a bathroom, or even in my craft room. He has yet to go to the lower level.
The very first day home Buster began to run and play with Sophia. They played for about an hour and I brought them inside. He plopped on the floor and stayed there all evening. He was sore and had overdone it. Lesson learn. Shorter playtimes for now.
I took him to the vet. We decided to put him on Dasequin, and switch his diet over to a skin and stomach sensitive, adding a Probiotic three times a week. Slowly but surely Buster was running and playing better. Slowly I introduced walking, both alone and with Sophia. Buster is reactive to other dogs while on a leash, so we are learning to “leave” those dogs alone.
Buster goes for a massage every other week right now. He also attends daycare one day a week with Sophia. His confidence has developed. We went from having diarrhea all over the daycare the first time, to jumping up in the car, and pulling Sophia and I into the building. He is a little timid with things at first. But by the third time doing something he is like “I got this, mom.” He is a good boy.
It took him 2 months before he decided it was okay to get on the couch with Sophia.
Thank you RAGOM for the gift of Buster! Truly a blessing.
Sunday, August 30, 2020
Here's Buster with his new fur sister, Sophia, as they leave for his forever home.
We will miss this canine gentleman and wish him much happiness with Diane and Sophia.
Saturday, July 25, 2020
Buster came to stay with us last week. As you can see, he blends right in with the white hydrangeas. When it's hot he beds down on some flattened daylilies to get out of the sun. Guess who flattened them?!
During his first week with us he has been a perfect gentleman except for a very loud bark. He barks at people passing by when he is in the house or yard but stops with a firm "No." However, on our walks there is no barking even when other dogs bark at him.
A Gentle Leader helps reduce his pulling. When the Covid-19 restrictions are lifted he would benefit from training classes. He seems pretty smart.
If you are interested in a well-behaved, housebroken Goldendoodle, Buster may be the guy for you.
Sunday, July 12, 2020
Buster continues to love life as a cherished family member. He is such a people pleaser. He loves to meet new people and dog friends!
He has traveled up to a lake cabin a couple of times. He does well in the car and appears to be a good swimmer!
Buster even fell off the dock a couple of times and took it all in stride, calmly taking human direction to get him back on land.
He hasn't had any reactions to all the sounds of fireworks or thunderstorms. He is such a happy-go-lucky guy that doesn't ask for much - except his food. He really loves to eat! He will stare silently at me if I forget to feed him.
He initiates play with my resident dog and loves the dogs of friends, too!
Buster is a very sweet, special, and handsome Doodle!
Saturday, May 23, 2020
Buster came to RAGOM through a shelter after being surrendered by a small breeder. He had no training or experience with living in a home, but adapted quickly.
Buster will require another medium to large, confident dog to help him continue learning about life as a family member in a household. He's had minimal interaction with children, but he seems interested when kids want to pet him while on walks. He hasn’t been tested with cats.
A fenced yard is required so Buster can safely play, as there have been times that he does not come when called and tries to play keep-away, so a fence is helpful to keep him safe.
Buster has been with me since March 14. He has watched my dog and learned how to be a dog - and a great house dog at that! He has only had one accident in the house this whole time! He had some tummy troubles overnight that seemed to be the cause of the accident. That’s amazing considering the surrendering owner said he was not house trained!
Buster did start out somewhat shy, but he has learned that he is in a safe and loving place. He initially wouldn’t take treats, but now loves them. He has learned the "sit" command and listens well when told, "No."
He closely watches everything around him and mesmerizes me with his gorgeous hazel eyes. He is still a little reserved, but is always nearby and up for some pets.
Buster loves going on walks and wrestling with his Doodle friends, and he has even learned that playing with balls and toys is fun!
We have been lucky enough to be able to introduce him to neighbors with a Doodle, and he meets other humans with hesitant interest. He is definitely more comfortable with women than men so far, though he has learned to trust and love particular men.
While on walks, Buster gets really excited to see and possibly meet other dogs. He is very strong and can pull hard in his quest to get to them. He could pull an arm off without the aid of a Gentle Leader! His wearing the Gentle Leader has made walks much easier and more calm.
Buster seems to be very interested in small dogs especially and doesn’t understand that he can appear intimidating while wildly leaping toward other dogs. When he isn’t able to meet the passing dogs, he whines and squeaks his displeasure.
Buster also loves to eat! He dances around when his bowl is being filled. He looks like a bucking bronco when he is excited. He is fed every morning and evening and will overeat if given the chance. I was told to help him drop some pounds. He has trimmed down and looks great!
I had Buster groomed and was told he was a very good boy during his groom. He went at the same time as his foster sister, which makes everything better for Buster. He will jump in the car if she is there; otherwise, be ready for a very difficult time getting him into a vehicle!
He seems to have more confidence and looks proud since his groom. He is a very handsome boy!
Buster is excited to see me every morning and shows his excitement by doing his imitation of a bucking bronco while lightly nipping and putting his mouth on my hand. It never feels like he is being aggressive; it is just his way of showing love and excitement.
He loves to have a comfy dog bed where he feels like he belongs. I keep it in the kennel with the door open at night.
After having me home with him for the past two months, he seems nervous when I do leave the house. I had to drop his foster sister off at the vet and put him in his kennel while we were gone, because he hadn’t been left home alone without her.
He soaked his dog bed with drool and could be heard barking before I entered the house. There was drool sprayed out of the kennel, most likely from barking, as well. He showed that he was very stressed to be home alone.
This happened another time, too, when I left him in his kennel with the door closed, but his foster sister wasn’t in the room. He definitely does better when his foster sister is with him.
Buster has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia in both hips. It is said to be a mild to moderate case. His teeth, the vet said, show more signs of age than his years. He is missing the tip of his tongue, which the vet said was either from electrocution or ingesting something toxic. There are scars that run up his tongue, as well. He makes a mess when drinking water, and perhaps his damaged tongue is the reason.
Buster shows some fear of men. He crouches down when being offered a hand to pet him, even by a man he sees all the time. He follows me everywhere, yet will not snuggle or sit with me. He loves to be petted and tolerates being brushed. He often chooses to go sleep in his kennel after dinner.
He definitely has some Poodle in him. The surrendering owner said he is part Lab, part Golden Retriever, and part Poodle. His hair is curly and wiry, and doesn’t seem to matt, but he does shed - quite a bit! He has beautiful spots of buff coloring in his white hair and a lot of freckles on his belly.
Buster will need someone who will have patience with him and continue to work with him so he can continue to learn to trust people. He deserves the best life can offer him!
