Ellie 07-384

Profile

Meet Miss Ellie, all curly, friendly and a happy girl. She joined RAGOM with her sister Winnie 07-383 on Saturday the 26th. The girls arrived here in St. Cloud, Ellie to stay and Winnie to move on further up nort'. They have been together since they were young, but due to some changes in the home, the family knew it would be best for them to find a new forever home and we are glad they came to RAGOM to help them do it.

Miss Ellie has some curls going on that remind me of a Chesapeake. Her teeth are beautiful, she let me clip her nails and tonight we will tackle the cutting out of mats, a bath and brushing. Which means shower night for me!! She is interested in Coulter the Cat....but when I tell her NO, she lets him be. Coulter is smart enough to know to stay out of the way. Since Ellie is house trained, I won't have to face that issue. There was a question about her getting along with other dogs, but she has been very good with Sam 07-690 and resident Jake. She and Jake did the meet, sniff, growl, postured a minute and then that was it. I think some of it has to do with the fact Jake couldn't care less about another dog being here as long as he gets MORE than his share of lovin'. Sam of course is very submissive and poses no threat to Ellie. How things will play out once Winnie 07-383 leaves today, I have no idea. But for awhile, I will baby gate Miss Ellie in the kitchen and Sam and Jake will have the family room and upstairs. This will also let the cats roam the lower level with the 2 dogs. Eventually I will introduce Ellie to Lake the Lab from next door, as Ellie and Winnie play very rough together, and Lake did the same with Ranger 07-237 when he was here. It may be a match in heaven. Something to wear them both out.

Ellie will be going to the vet tomorrow to be updated on her shots (she is spayed) and check her out. So stay tuned for new pictures and updates.

P.S. When you look at the picture of the 3 dogs, look over to the right and you will see Sam trying to be brave enough to be in the picture :)

Foster Mom

At a Glance #07-384

Golden Retriever	Born: February 2008
Female	Weight not specified

Status: Adopted

Profile

Meet Miss Ellie, all curly, friendly and a happy girl. She joined RAGOM with her sister Winnie 07-383 on Saturday the 26th. The girls arrived here in St. Cloud, Ellie to stay and Winnie to move on further up nort'. They have been together since they were young, but due to some changes in the home, the family knew it would be best for them to find a new forever home and we are glad they came to RAGOM to help them do it.

Miss Ellie has some curls going on that remind me of a Chesapeake. Her teeth are beautiful, she let me clip her nails and tonight we will tackle the cutting out of mats, a bath and brushing. Which means shower night for me!! She is interested in Coulter the Cat....but when I tell her NO, she lets him be. Coulter is smart enough to know to stay out of the way. Since Ellie is house trained, I won't have to face that issue. There was a question about her getting along with other dogs, but she has been very good with Sam 07-690 and resident Jake. She and Jake did the meet, sniff, growl, postured a minute and then that was it. I think some of it has to do with the fact Jake couldn't care less about another dog being here as long as he gets MORE than his share of lovin'. Sam of course is very submissive and poses no threat to Ellie. How things will play out once Winnie 07-383 leaves today, I have no idea. But for awhile, I will baby gate Miss Ellie in the kitchen and Sam and Jake will have the family room and upstairs. This will also let the cats roam the lower level with the 2 dogs. Eventually I will introduce Ellie to Lake the Lab from next door, as Ellie and Winnie play very rough together, and Lake did the same with Ranger 07-237 when he was here. It may be a match in heaven. Something to wear them both out.

Ellie will be going to the vet tomorrow to be updated on her shots (she is spayed) and check her out. So stay tuned for new pictures and updates.

P.S. When you look at the picture of the 3 dogs, look over to the right and you will see Sam trying to be brave enough to be in the picture :)

Foster Mom

Updates

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Aah, my Miss Ellie May has done so well. She has decided Lake is an ok guy to play with (probably cuz he knows she's the boss :) She has been respectful of resident Jake and always is good to Sam 07-690. I took Ellie and Sam to the vet and all went well. Ellie loves road trips and meeting people, and Sam is happy to have a companion to help him through the ordeal. Ellie finished up with her boosters and got the all clear on her ears. And she loved the attention and showed her appreciation by leaning in, looking the vet and techs in the eyes and melting their resolve to stick to business :)

Last week after the PetCo event in Fridley, Ellie and I did a home visit up here and she met her forever family. Yep, they fell in love with her. Mom was looking for a little bit older dog, but wasn't sure, until she met Ellie and saw that 'older' doesn't mean no fun or life left. Chasing the ball down the hall and willing to lean in for love with everyone, well....Mom knew Ellie was the one. We took a few days break, then I took Ellie back for another visit, went out to play ball, etc., and she ran past the cat, Tiger, in the house without a backward look at him, so we figure she's learned to ignore the cats.

Friday night the family came to take Miss Ellie to her new forever home. She will be exercised with walks, playing with her beloved tennis ball in the back yard and loved and played with indoors. A certain young man claimed dibs on Ellie as to where she would sleep her first night 'home'.

I will miss Ellie, but know it's best for her to move on to her forever home as quickly as possible. She got comfortable here very quickly, and attached herself to me even quicker, but now she will have many sets of hands to caress her, throw the ball and help her to settle into her forever home for as long as she is there. Goodbye, Miss Ellie, I will see you down the line.

Foster mom and crew

Sunday, February 10, 2008

Miss Ellie attended her first RAGOM PetCo event and was a quite the lady. Considering she has not had a lot of socializing and is rather bossy, I was a bit nervous. I am happy to report that with no food or tennis balls present, all went well. We stopped at Burger King on the way home so I could get water for her....OK, food for me, too. I am a horrible foster, I never even thought of her being thirsty after 2 1/2 hours of socializing, so when I stopped I quickly asked for an extra cup and brought my thirsty girl something to quench her parched throat. She was one tired girl. We got home, I fed her early, let her take a nap and then off to a home visit. There she met the parents and 7 kids, a neat blended family. They adored her and she was in heaven with all the undivided attention and the fact I brought a tennis ball with for the kids to roll on the floor for her. She was a little nervous and would come sit by me just to make sure I wasn't leaving. But she was wonderful with the 2 year old grandson and the kids ages 7 to 20. Need I say more?

While Ellie has difficulty in sharing the tennis ball and doesn't want another dog around her food, she is wonderful with people. She will do best in a home enviroment where she is doted on, the queen bee as it were. She will need a bit of time to acclimate to a new enviroment (she was worried where I was at the PetCo event and at the home visit). She loves her foster mom and when the right home comes along, she will in time transfer all her love to a new family. It will take a little time to adjust and for the family who adopts her to gain her love and trust. One of the things that is difficult as a foster is to gain the love and trust of a dog, especially one that is older and has lived all her life in one home. About the time they feel secure with you and understand the schedule etc., if they are lucky, they find a forever home. I, as the human, know it is the best for the dog, but the dog doesn't understand it. It takes time for them to 'forget' me and to bond with the new family. I'm sure in some ways it's like being 'abandoned' all over again. Dog are surrendered for many reasons, none of which I place blame for or criticize. As part of a rescue group and foster I am grateful for every dog I am able to welcome into my home, and then find a forever home for. Not all the dogs are the typical Golden Retriever. Just as with people, they are all different, with different personalities, temperaments, and baggage. Some are with us for a short time, some for a long long time, and not because they are 'bad' dogs, but they just haven't been 'found' by their forever family yet. There is nothing mystical about fostering dogs and finding them their forever homes. There is a place for all of our kids, and in Ellie May's case, being number one and maybe an only dog is what is best for her. The right family will find her, that is my mantra for all my fosters, the right family will find him/her!!

So if you are ready for a sweet senior girl who wants you to be number 1 in her life and vice versa, please contact placementragom [dot] org. And remember, all dogs are perfect - it's we humans that haven't figured out we have the wrong definition of 'perfect dog'!!

Foster Mom

Ellie & Mischief	Miss Ellie
Whaddya mean, we need an appointment?

Friday, February 8, 2008

Since Miss Ellie May and I will be attending the Fridley PetCo event this Saturday, 2/9, I felt I should do one last update. As time passes and I see Ellie with different dogs and in new situations, I learn more and more. This week I saw she could tell the little Dachsie off and turn around and sleep next to her. I have seen her put up with Sam jumping up, on and over her on the couch and the bed. I have seen her fight with my old Jake and put a few holes in his face and ears. Today I went to feed the Dachsie before he would be leaving and made the mistake of putting his food in Sam 07-690's dish. Well, Sam took this to mean he should eat it. Dachsie did not see it that way and proceeded to tell Sam off. They got noisey and next thing I know Ellie is there getting into it with Sam, then chasing him down to the family room. No blood, no harm, no foul. BUT now I feel that I can say what I feel the best family/scenario for Ellie would be.

Ellie needs a fence or underground fencing (she is accustomed to the underground kind)
She would do well as an only fur butt child
She is good with kids
She loves people, anyone, will go right to them and put her nose in wherever she can fit it for pets and pats.
She is doing fine with the cats, but will occasionally look at Coulter and once in a great while give chase. Usually when I see her looking his way I just tell her no or leave the cat.
She could live with an older submissive dog, one that is not interested in chasing balls of any kind and would not bug her.
She is protective of her food only to other animals; I can walk up to her and take her food anytime, same with toys/bones etc.
She is totally housebroken and the only thing I have seen her do is go into the laundry waste bin and pull out dryer screen fluffies.
She loves to play ball, will retrieve, drop and keep on going. Just loves it. She cannot be in an environment where someone is throwing balls for another dog. Doesn't matter if she had her own, she would go after the other dog and their ball.

I can't explain how sweet this girl is with her humans and is good with the other dogs as long as food and balls are not involved. She is so loving and deserves a new forever home. She lived all her life with another dog and we don't really know what the relationship was, but from what I understand I think her 'sister' was more dominating, they were fed in separate areas and who knows about the balls. Ellie was taken from the only home she knew, the only people and furr sibling she knew. She is in a new environment, with male dogs, a fenced yard, but allowed free run of the house, where before she was only allowed in the kitchen. She has had some adjusting to do. Dogs are like people, they feel, they hurt, they can be confused and feel abandoned, and whatever their issues are, that's what they are. Should Ellie be passed by due to the ball/food issues? I don't think so. She is a very loving girl and if you met her you would see what I'm talking about. She just looks at you with those big brown eyes and you can see the love in them. The Chessie in her gives her more of a 'tude, but nothing I haven't seen in purebred goldens, so don't let that stop you. She wants to be loved, in a home with people that want her and will understand her, but will be the boss. She responds very well to direction and our being in charge. She doesn't care who the alpha is, but if no one wants the job, she'll take it just like any good dog would.

So if you have been thinking and wondering about Miss Ellie May, and thinking St. Cloud is a long drive, now is your chance to meet her in the metro area. We will be at the PetCo in Fridley from about 11:30 til 2:00. If you have any questions about her, wonder how big she is, what does she feel like etc etc..........come and see us Saturday. If you would like to chat before then just contact placementragom [dot] org and put Ellie 07-384 in the subject line. I'll be happy to give you a call.

Foster Mom

Ellie and guest dachsie

Saturday, February 2, 2008

I decided it was time for a really thorough update on Miss Ellie. She came from a home where the owner did child care and there were no problems as far as we were told. Well, today a friend came over with her 3 year old daughter and Ellie was fine. Loved the attention. This little girl's mom is a vet tech and she has been taught how to be around dogs and treat them. So I'd say any child who has good dog skills would be fine. Ellie is a big girl and will jump up occasionally but we have been working on that.

Ellie has been hanging with Jake, resident 11 year old, Sam 07-690 and Lake, the 1 year old Lab from next door. As you can tell by the one picture, my sofa is a "pit" and all the dogs can get on it and bury me....so that's the human body under them all. Ellie came with a bossy 'tude but has come a long way in a week's time. The other morning as we were all laying in bed, Sam jumped up and was his usual excited self on the bed and ended up sitting on Ellie's head...literally. Not a moan, groan, or snap out of her. She just layed there.

She has been doing well with the dogs, will even play with Lake, though she has let him know in no uncertain terms that she is the boss, and being a smart male (I won't go there :)) he gives way. She will even play with Sam a bit. When they are all out in the yard without me (I'm hiding in the laundry room watching) they are all running and playing. Today Ellie even played a bit of tug with Lake. Big improvement from the growly snappish episode last time.

Ellie is looking for a place to call home. She loves her humans, she is sweet and gentle and listens well. We haven't been on a walk, just a visit to the vet and she was fine on leash. I have watched her become more social and socially adept with the pack. Ellie would love being an only dog where she got all the attention and would soak up the one on one like a sponge. She could also be in a home with a submissive male. The only thing Ellie can't do is have a tennis ball with other dogs around, or at least a dog that would challenge her for the ball. She wouldn't do well with a young fur sibling that bugged her, either.

I have kept tennis balls and tug ropes out of the toy box since seeing Ellie's possessiveness with the ball and her less than cordial play manners with the rope and Lake. Today while my company and I were at the kitchen table, Jake had a tennis ball - where it came from, I don't know. My best guess is that Ellie went for the ball and unlike Lake, Jake wasn't going to give it up. A fight ensued and it took a minute to break it up. I checked both dogs and found only slobber. I sent Ellie and Lake out to play. A few minutes later while sitting on the couch I noticed blood on Jake's face. Since Teresa is a vet tech we checked him over and found a couple puncture wounds on the side of his face and in his ear. Nothing requiring stitches. We shaved the hair and cleaned him up and put him on antibiotics just to be safe. The reason I tell you this is because A. I'm always honest about my fosters B. It shows Ellie cannot have a tennis ball around another dog that would not give it up to her or challenge her for it C. I want you to know that this does not mean Ellie is a bad dog, this is just something that her new family would have to be aware of. AND this is only with another dog, not a person. Just as my Jake will bite me when trimming his nails, so I use a muzzle on him. Why this is an issue with him I don't know, but I didn't get him til he was 11 years old, he was my foster, and this was his baggage which I was not aware of. Jake and Ellie have been fine since the incident. In fact, when Ellie came back in she went over to Jake and licked his face. He didn't care for it and got up and walked away. Just not gonna make up that easy :)

That said, I can assure you that Ellie is a very loving dog, needs a family that understands the humans are the alpha and follows through with Ellie, and keeps a tennis ball away from her around other dogs. She loves to play fetch, will bring it back and when told to 'drop it' she does. Everyone comes with baggage, just some are heavier than others :) Ellie is a senior who deserves to be loved, accepted and understood. The question is.....are you that person/family? If so please contact placementragom [dot] org.

Foster Mom

Love the curls	Ellie hanging out
Ellie and Sam enjoying the warm sun	Jake, Ellie, Lake and Sam

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

OK finally got some pics. It's a brutal night out and Lake came over to play while his mom and dad are at a meeting. So how is Ellie doing with Lake? Fine. She is definitely the alpha and needs to learn to play nice with others. When she gets a bit growly I just tell her NO and she backs off. She doesn't even look at the cat anymore:) It has taken Ellie a couple hours to make nice with Lake. They have been in and out about 4 times for short romps. Brrrrrr. Lake would stay out til he was frozen!!

Feeding time went fine, though after I put Sam 07-690's food on the other side of the gate, he came up to eat and Ellie immediately went over to the gate and growled at him. This is her tactic and the one she used on Winnie. I simply corrected her, got her bowl and took her to the dining part of the kitchen and proceeded to feed Jake and Lake. All was fine. Everyone goes around and sniffs and licks everyone else's bowl when everyone is done eating.

Like the pictures of Lake and Ellie playing tug? Me too. While it lasted. Lake is accustomed to playing 'rough' etc., and so they were fine while I would hold it, they'd each take an end and tug. Soon though Ellie decided it should be all hers. I threw the tug rope for Lake and she went after the rope and maybe Lake? I simply said NO and took the rope away. After that Lake decided he wasn't interested in playing tug with Ellie anymore. I think she is, not sure of the word, just that what is hers is hers and what is anyone else's is hers. I think she got by bullying Winnie 07-383 her sibling at her home, and so feels that is how you do it.

Ellie is a velcro dog, starved for attention and affection. She would be so happy to be an only dog and get all the attention. She will need someone who will let her know they are the Alpha and she is part of the pack, not the leader!! She listens well over all, but obedience class would be a wonderful thing for her. She could use the socialization, the bonding and the learning. She really is a sweetie, allows you to do her nails, bathe her etc. I also believe she has Chesapeake in her, which accounts for the very curly hair by her head, ears, back side etc. She's a beauty though.

I also have her sit next to resident Jake when it's treat time and she has done fine. I think she is slowly getting the message that she is not numero uno in charge here and is starting to accept it. As for kids, I really don't know. At her previous home the woman did child care and we were not told of any problems. I think an older, dog savvy dog child would probably do very well. She is protective of her human, though. Again I correct her and let her know she may not stop the other dogs from coming to me for love. When she tries to interrupt Jake getting his pets and pats, I tell her no and make her wait. She is fine.

Ellie's bloodwork came back A-OK. I'm working on gathering the 'samples' for the rest of her check up. She is up to date on all her shots, bathed and looking GOOD!!! Her eyes are clear, no cataracts, and her teeth look good for an 8 year old. The vet felt she was a tennis ball chewer and you can see some of the wear on the back molars.

I believe Ellie is ready for her forever home. I think she could even work out in a home with another dog that was submissive....not alpha. She has only been around boys here, but lived with a girl and bossed her from the sounds of it and what I saw the night they were here, I think it will depend on the family and the other dog.

Ellie is a happy girl, trustworthy in the house with the other dogs and cats, and outside of jumping up occasionally to show how happy she is to see you, be with you or wanting to go with you, she has pretty good manners. So come on, if you've been waiting for that not quite senior girl who would like to walk a bit to drop about 3 1/2 lbs, this is your gal. She would love nothing better than to cuddle up with you and watch a good reality show (we know that is all that is on nowadays). So to make a meet, greet and get to know one another date, contact placementragom [dot] org. Besides it's so much better for her to get to her forever home sooner than later, we don't want her to love it here too much:)

Foster mom