Please welcome Dixie, an 8 1/2 month old Golden mix, to RAGOM! She is a happy, curious, energetic girl who was surrendered because she would wander from her farm. She weighs about 53#, has been spayed and is UTD (up to date) on vaccinations. Although I haven't seen her in action, she reportedly adores children and is a bit afraid of cats. She is good with other dogs and absolutely loves people! Dixie has made the transition from a shelter to our house with remarkable ease and grace.

She was an outdoor dog in her previous life, so potty training was a big question. While she is not completely house trained, she has only had one accident in two days and that was my fault. She will go to the door if she needs to go out (and has even rung the bell there!), but is generally quiet about it. We have been going out pretty frequently, just in case, but she has caught on very quickly! She keeps her crate clean all night.

Dixie enjoying the indoor life.

The crate is another new thing for her. She was pretty sure I was trying to entice her into a torture chamber at first! However, after 2 days of work, she goes in on her own to rest sometimes and has been left crated for a couple of hours while we were gone! She sleeps there at night with some whining and yipping at first, but settles fairly quickly. If she is awoken during the night by someone getting up or the RD (Resident Dog) making noise, she whines and barks but not for long. Dixie doesn't actually love the crate, but has come a long way and will eventually enjoy having her own private bedroom!

The RD is 7 months old to Dixie's 8 months and it has been virtually nonstop puppy play here! There has been no problem between them and they have shared toys, water bowls, beds, and people easily. High-value things, like bully sticks, hooves, and dinner, are restricted to the crate. We want to set everyone up to succeed!

Dixie adores the snow and tunnels head first for 10 or more feet before popping up and flinging snow high in the air with her nose! Her fur appears to be Teflon coated, as well. This is a marvelous thing, since all she does is shake and it falls off!

Although Dixie has not tried to jump the fence or dig out, I keep a pretty sharp eye on her. I wonder if her straying from her previous home might have been due to boredom. Or maybe she fell under the influence of a bad dog... She does watch through the fence and checks out the perimeter, but hasn't made an effort to escape.

She is a strong girl and pulled when on leash with her flat collar, so we started using a Gentle Leader or, as we call it, the nose leash. Although she doesn't really like the nose leash, she doesn't try too hard to get it off. We haven't gone for any formal walks, but she goes out front for potty walks using the nose leash and is very easy to control. With a little training and growing up, she will be a fine walker.

Overall, I would say Dixie is a very stable, loving dog. She is a puppy and has puppy behaviors, like stealing your ball of yarn or trying to do a little chewing on inappropriate things, but she is easily redirected and is not offended when you take something away from her. With appropriate things to chew, lots of play and attention, and training to engage her mind she will grow up to be an amazing dog!

Dixie would do well with a forever family that is fairly active and will include her in their lives. She would love to watch kids' soccer games, swim in the lake, go to the cabin, play in the yard, be a running or skijoring partner when she is old enough, and be petted, loved and kept safe in a fenced yard. I hear she adores children but haven't seen her with them. She might be a bit much for a toddler, only because she is still young herself! Because she is a bright girl, obedience training would provide mental stimulation and help keep her safe. She could be an only dog and have all the love and toys to herself or share the good life with a doggy friend. All that said, she is an adaptable dog who mainly wants a family to love her and give her the attention she craves!

If you think Dixie is your kind of dog, contact your placement advisor!

Dixie (left) and Gabby (right)