Finn (Beau 12-163)

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Profile

May 10, 2012

Beau is a 9 month old (dob 7/24/11) PB Golden Retriever.  He is currently 53 pounds, but is around 10 pounds underweight.  He’s adorable and sweet, but before you rush to email your placement advisor, please continue reading about him.  Beau has some issues that we are working on, and will require a lot of training and exercise to make him a happy Golden boy.  While he may look like a full grown dog, he is definitely all puppy!  He likes to chew on everything (chair legs, wood trim on the wall, shoes, etc.)  We have a ton of dog toys, so we are teaching him what things are appropriate to chew on and what things are not.  He’s catching on, but he should still be supervised when not in his kennel.  Garbage, laundry, and anything on countertops, tables, etc. are fair game to him.  Beau started vomiting the first night he arrived at his foster home, and continued vomiting the next day, this time it was pieces of different colored plastic, carpet fibers, and a rock.  We took him to the vet for x-rays, blood work, and fluids.  Luckily, he didn’t have an intestinal blockage and was able to go home after getting fluids to rehydrate.  After a few days, he was starting to feel better.  Beau had his wellness checkup today and got his vaccines, heartworm test, and fecal.  The heartworm test and fecal were negative.  He will need boosters in 4 weeks, since he didn’t get all of his puppy vaccines when he was a young puppy.  He’s also been started on heartworm and flea/tick prevention.  Beau has been microchipped.  He has an appointment next week to be neutered.  The vet appointment today did not go as well as we had hoped.  Beau is very nervous and scared in new situations.  Even though the vet was very quiet, gentle, and went slowly with her exam, Beau growled and snapped at her when she went to listen to his heart.  He was just so terrified and he thought she was going to do something to hurt him.

Beau’s adoptive family will need a secure fenced in yard for him to play in.  He figured out how to squeeze under the gate in our backyard (it’s only about 4 inches off the ground), but luckily I caught him before he was able to get his whole body under the fence.  His recall is not good, and I think he would run away if he got out.  We added landscaping bricks under the gate so he is no longer able to squeeze under.  He does fine with cats and he loves to play with other dogs, though he does not like to share with them.  Beau resource guards food and toys from other animals.  I would suggest feeding separately and keeping toys up when they are playing.  He does like to play all the time and loves to wrestle, so I would suggest if there is another dog in the house it is a dog that is very playful and energetic.  He would not do well with a quiet, senior dog.  He loves kids, though with his size and exuberance he may knock young ones down or lick their faces!  They should also be supervised when they are together so Beau doesn’t think he needs to guard his toys or food around them.  He should not be in a home with kids under 5, and kids older than that only if they are dog savvy and know how to act around dogs.  I have a 7 year old daughter, and he does well with her, but she also knows not to bother him if he has a toy or is eating.  Beau will need a very active family who will give him lots of exercise every single day.  I am currently taking him on a fast paced 45 minute walk before work, a 60-75 minute walk mid-afternoon after I get home from work, and at least a 45 minute walk about an hour or so after dinner.  He still has energy after our last walk!  He has minimal training and he will need a family who is dedicated to taking him to obedience training; more than just an 8 week long beginner’s class.  Beau gets mouthy and jumps up when he’s excited or when he meets a new person.  We have been working on it with him, and his adoptive family will have to keep up with the training.  He has shown that he gets very scared and nervous in new places and situations, and we are working on slowly exposing him to new things and showing him that new things are not bad.  I highly recommend using a gentle leader to keep him from pulling and to have better control over him.

Beau is kept in a crate while I work during the day and does really well.  He loves to go in the crate, and will often take a nap in it when we are home.  He will, however, shred blankets or toys in his crate.  A frozen peanut butter Kong usually keeps him occupied during the day.  Beau is house trained, but does have some submissive urination and excitement urination issues.  We have tried several things that have helped somewhat, such as not speaking to him or making eye contact when we get home until he’s gone outside and urinated and not talking to him in a high pitched voice.  He will submissively pee whenever anyone tells him “no,” so we are using an “eehh” noise whenever he is doing something naughty.  It seems to be working pretty well, but we still have to clean up after him a few times each day.  Beau is quite the lover and definitely a Velcro dog!  He always wants to be near his people and has already perfected the golden nudge.  His favorite toy is a tennis ball, though he doesn’t like to give it up.  He has growled when I tried to take his ball, so I have implemented give and take exercises into his training.  The training exercises are going well, but he still has a long way to go.  Beau is great for nail trims and though he doesn’t love getting a bath, he tolerated it very well.  He also rides well in the car, and gets very excited as he has learned that car rides usually mean going out to foster grandma’s acreage, where he can run around on a 50 foot training lead.  We have had a few storms and Beau did fine.  He also doesn’t seem to have any separation anxiety.  Even with his energy level and lack of training and other issues, Beau is a very sweet and loving dog.  Though he may require a lot more work than some other dogs, he is totally worth it. 

 

 

At a Glance #12-163

Golden Retriever Born: July 2011
Male 90 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

May 10, 2012

Beau is a 9 month old (dob 7/24/11) PB Golden Retriever.  He is currently 53 pounds, but is around 10 pounds underweight.  He’s adorable and sweet, but before you rush to email your placement advisor, please continue reading about him.  Beau has some issues that we are working on, and will require a lot of training and exercise to make him a happy Golden boy.  While he may look like a full grown dog, he is definitely all puppy!  He likes to chew on everything (chair legs, wood trim on the wall, shoes, etc.)  We have a ton of dog toys, so we are teaching him what things are appropriate to chew on and what things are not.  He’s catching on, but he should still be supervised when not in his kennel.  Garbage, laundry, and anything on countertops, tables, etc. are fair game to him.  Beau started vomiting the first night he arrived at his foster home, and continued vomiting the next day, this time it was pieces of different colored plastic, carpet fibers, and a rock.  We took him to the vet for x-rays, blood work, and fluids.  Luckily, he didn’t have an intestinal blockage and was able to go home after getting fluids to rehydrate.  After a few days, he was starting to feel better.  Beau had his wellness checkup today and got his vaccines, heartworm test, and fecal.  The heartworm test and fecal were negative.  He will need boosters in 4 weeks, since he didn’t get all of his puppy vaccines when he was a young puppy.  He’s also been started on heartworm and flea/tick prevention.  Beau has been microchipped.  He has an appointment next week to be neutered.  The vet appointment today did not go as well as we had hoped.  Beau is very nervous and scared in new situations.  Even though the vet was very quiet, gentle, and went slowly with her exam, Beau growled and snapped at her when she went to listen to his heart.  He was just so terrified and he thought she was going to do something to hurt him.

Beau’s adoptive family will need a secure fenced in yard for him to play in.  He figured out how to squeeze under the gate in our backyard (it’s only about 4 inches off the ground), but luckily I caught him before he was able to get his whole body under the fence.  His recall is not good, and I think he would run away if he got out.  We added landscaping bricks under the gate so he is no longer able to squeeze under.  He does fine with cats and he loves to play with other dogs, though he does not like to share with them.  Beau resource guards food and toys from other animals.  I would suggest feeding separately and keeping toys up when they are playing.  He does like to play all the time and loves to wrestle, so I would suggest if there is another dog in the house it is a dog that is very playful and energetic.  He would not do well with a quiet, senior dog.  He loves kids, though with his size and exuberance he may knock young ones down or lick their faces!  They should also be supervised when they are together so Beau doesn’t think he needs to guard his toys or food around them.  He should not be in a home with kids under 5, and kids older than that only if they are dog savvy and know how to act around dogs.  I have a 7 year old daughter, and he does well with her, but she also knows not to bother him if he has a toy or is eating.  Beau will need a very active family who will give him lots of exercise every single day.  I am currently taking him on a fast paced 45 minute walk before work, a 60-75 minute walk mid-afternoon after I get home from work, and at least a 45 minute walk about an hour or so after dinner.  He still has energy after our last walk!  He has minimal training and he will need a family who is dedicated to taking him to obedience training; more than just an 8 week long beginner’s class.  Beau gets mouthy and jumps up when he’s excited or when he meets a new person.  We have been working on it with him, and his adoptive family will have to keep up with the training.  He has shown that he gets very scared and nervous in new places and situations, and we are working on slowly exposing him to new things and showing him that new things are not bad.  I highly recommend using a gentle leader to keep him from pulling and to have better control over him.

Beau is kept in a crate while I work during the day and does really well.  He loves to go in the crate, and will often take a nap in it when we are home.  He will, however, shred blankets or toys in his crate.  A frozen peanut butter Kong usually keeps him occupied during the day.  Beau is house trained, but does have some submissive urination and excitement urination issues.  We have tried several things that have helped somewhat, such as not speaking to him or making eye contact when we get home until he’s gone outside and urinated and not talking to him in a high pitched voice.  He will submissively pee whenever anyone tells him “no,” so we are using an “eehh” noise whenever he is doing something naughty.  It seems to be working pretty well, but we still have to clean up after him a few times each day.  Beau is quite the lover and definitely a Velcro dog!  He always wants to be near his people and has already perfected the golden nudge.  His favorite toy is a tennis ball, though he doesn’t like to give it up.  He has growled when I tried to take his ball, so I have implemented give and take exercises into his training.  The training exercises are going well, but he still has a long way to go.  Beau is great for nail trims and though he doesn’t love getting a bath, he tolerated it very well.  He also rides well in the car, and gets very excited as he has learned that car rides usually mean going out to foster grandma’s acreage, where he can run around on a 50 foot training lead.  We have had a few storms and Beau did fine.  He also doesn’t seem to have any separation anxiety.  Even with his energy level and lack of training and other issues, Beau is a very sweet and loving dog.  Though he may require a lot more work than some other dogs, he is totally worth it. 

 

 

Updates

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Finnegan has been in our home for just over a year and this week we celebrate his second birthday!  We couldn’t ask for a better dog!  We took Finn to a private trainer and attended four different levels of obedience training with him last year.  The results are remarkable!  We always get comments on how well trained and well behaved he is!  It took a lot of work to get where we are today, but it was definitely worth it!  Finn can still be a little insecure in certain situations or with certain people, but he has improved so much that he barely resembles the puppy he was when we adopted him!  We are incredibly thankful to RAGOM for allowing us to adopt our sweet boy.  We simply can’t imagine life without him!

Finn is such an amazing foster brother to all of the foster dogs we have had for RAGOM since he was adopted.  In the past year, we’ve had 10 fosters that Finn has welcomed and shared everything from his toys to his snuggle time with.  He understands which dogs want to play and wrestle, and which ones prefer not to.  Finn does a great job teaching fosters how great it is to live in a loving home! 

We have taken Finn on several trips since we’ve gotten him and he always is ready for a new adventure.  Finn still hasn’t learned that swimming is fun, despite our repeated attempts to show him, but he does love playing in the sprinkler.  Finn also loves to go to my parent’s acreage in IA and farm in MN to run around and play fetch.  Despite his activity level when he’s outside, Finn is usually a couch potato inside.  He loves to climb up on the couch next to me in the evening or sprawl out on the floor to chew on a nylabone. 

I asked my 8 year old daughter, Cadence, what her favorite things about Finn were.  “There are so many!  Playing fetch, snuggling on the couch, giggling when he plays goofy with his toys, the secrets he whispers in my ears, brushing him, making him sit/stay with treats on the floor and making him stay for 5 minutes before he can eat the treat, running with him at Papa and Grandma’s house, watching him snuggle with the cats, when he gets the zoomies, when he lets me play “vet” and listen to his heart with a stethoscope, and the funny noises he makes when we get home and he’s happy to see us!”  

I couldn’t have said it better myself!  We love every single thing about Finn and we are so lucky that he gets to be a part of our family!  THANK YOU RAGOM!

-Michelle and Cadence

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Beau has found the perfect forever family – his foster family! He’s a perfect fit for our family, even though he has some issues that we need to work on. We have decided to change his name to Finn.

Most dogs coming into rescue have one issue or another. Finn came into RAGOM with limited training, loads of energy, and some resource guarding. We instantly fell in love with him – especially his adorable face and his nose nudge kisses. We quickly learned that Finn needed a lot of training and a lot of exercise each day to be a happy dog. We also learned that nothing in the house is safe from a mischievous puppy! Despite all of his issues, we decided that we wanted to make him a part of our family. We’ve already started training classes and will continue to attend them as long as we need to. He will make a great RAGOM ambassador and will be a wonderful foster brother to future RAGOM fosters.

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Friday 5/18 – Tried an inflatable e-collar for Beau since he licked at his incision on Weds and it is red and beginning to develop a lick dermatitis in addition to the razor burn he got when they shaved him for his neuter.  By the time I got home from work, it was no longer inflated, and it was obvious that Beau had been licking at it all day.  The area was oozing and red, so I shaved more hair around the area so it wouldn’t stick to the oozing area.  I also put a topical antibiotic ointment cream on it that my vet suggested.  I tried to put a t-shirt on him overnight to see if that would stop him from licking, but Beau just decided to try to eat the t-shirt. 

Saturday 5/19 – Tried one more time with a clear, hard sided e-collar while I was at work.  He wasn’t able to bend it, but he did crack it in several places.  I talked with my vet, and he suggested that we just put him on antibiotics and not use an e-collar anymore since he is not doing well with them.  I’ve had to stop him from licking a few times, but he seems to be healing.  The vet also suggested giving him a little more exercise and maybe he will be less bored and less likely to mess with his incision area.

Sunday 5/20 – We have been dog sitting a male cattle dog mix for the past few days.  Beau was very interested in playing, but Spike (the cattle dog) didn’t want to play as rough as Beau wanted to.  I kept all of the toys picked up and fed them separately, and there were no issues with guarding.  Beau tried to initiate play a few times, but quickly lost interest once he realized Spike didn’t want to play. 

Monday 5/21 – I started Beau back on regular exercise today now that his incision is looking better and we are a week out from his neuter surgery.  I shortened all of his walks by about 10 minutes, but he was still very tired afterwards!  I moved one of the orthopedic dog beds out into the living room, and he decided it was bed time at about 8pm.  It’s the first time I’ve seen him sleeping this much when we are in the living room – usually he is running around, chewing on toys, nudging me for some loving, or trying to convince the cats to play with him.

Tues 5/22 – Beau lost his blanket privileges during the day.  He likes to eat them when they are in his kennel.  He’s been so tired at night that he doesn’t bother it, so for now he still gets to have a comfy blanket at night.  I am still working on getting Beau to gain weight.  He’s so active that even though he’s taking in a lot of calories, he’s burning them just as quickly! 

Weds 5/23 – We met with a dog trainer that does in house one on one training.  She said that he’s doing well, but there are a lot of things we need to work on still.  He will listen to me a majority of the time, but when she was here he was wild and wouldn’t listen.  An important part of training is for Beau to listen even when there are distractions.  We are going to work with hand signals with Beau, since sometimes verbal commands will scare him and he’ll submissively pee. 

Thurs 5/24 – Beau lost his blanket privileges overnight, too. (At least for now!)  I woke up at 1:30am to the sound of fabric ripping.  He had shredded most of the blanket.  So, for the time being, Beau no longer gets any blankets in his kennel.  He gets a nylabone to chew on in his crate and he goes in willingly.  Beau has gotten used to our schedule and routine and knows when we are getting ready to leave.  He’ll run to his crate and wait for us to give him a treat!  He does whine a little once we close the crate, but stops when we tell him “quiet” in a soft voice. 

I work on Friday and then have a four day weekend, so Beau will get lots of training, exercise, and play, which should make for a very tired and happy puppy! 

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Saturday 5/12 – I attended the RAGOM event at the Coralville Petco today.  I had planned on bringing Beau, but after the incident with him snapping at the vet I decided to wait to take him into that kind of situation until he was more comfortable with new places and strangers.  We have been making small advancements in Beau’s training, though we won’t be able to do as much for the next week or so while he recovers from his neuter surgery.  Beau will now usually “sit” on command, and is doing much better with “sit” and “wait” when he gets fed.  He knows he can’t eat until I tell him “ok.”  Beau will come most of the time when we are inside, but he will only come occasionally when in the back yard.  Through positive reinforcement and lots of good treats, he is learning that good things happen when he comes to me!  He listens to me much better inside, as he is distracted by more things when we are outside.  In addition to our 3 daily walks, I also do short training sessions each day.  Consistency is the key, and he needs to be worked with every day.  Beau is on a high quality food and has gained about 5 pounds since we first got him.  He’s a very tall dog and will probably be 75-85 pounds (on the lean side) when fully grown.  He loves to eat and gulps it down very quickly, so I have been adding water to it to slow him down.  He also gets part of his breakfast in a Kong to keep him busy when I leave for work in the morning. 

Sunday 5/13 – We are using his walks as time to work on training, experience new things and situations, and to burn off some of his energy.  He does get very nervous and growls whenever a male will walk past us on the sidewalk.  He has done well with most females, but Beau seems to be afraid of most males.  I make him sit and focus on me whenever a situation scares him.  I want him to learn that meeting new people is fun and enjoyable and that seeing them means he gets treats.  He won’t be cured overnight, but with consistent training he will get better over time.  We take 3 walks each day, so there is plenty of time to practice!  Later in the afternoon, Beau decided he wanted to play in the sprinkler with my daughter.  He got very excited and tried to bite the water.  He would then flop his body down in the grass and roll around.  I think we’ve got a water loving dog on our hands!  He loves to be outside with us. 

Monday 5/14– Beau went to the vet for his neuter.  He was very scared, and growled at the tech who tried to lead him to the back.  We ended up sedating him for surgery while I was still there and holding him, and then after surgery they let him wake up in a kennel.  They had me get him out of the kennel when I picked him up, as he did not want them to come near him.  The surgery went well, but he was very sleepy and sore when I went to pick him up.  He spent the whole evening sprawled out on a dog bed. 

Tuesday 5/15 -I bought Beau a bunch of new “indestructible” toys.  He was excited and spent a lot of time trying each one out.  These toys will be especially helpful since he is on exercise restriction from his neuter surgery.  He wanted to play and run around in the yard, so I had to take him out on a leash whenever he needed to go out. 

Weds 5/16-  E-collar 0   Beau 1.  I came home from work to find his plastic e-collar destroyed.  I think he found out if he put his head in the corner of the kennel the e-collar would bend and he could bite the edge of it.  It looked like a shredded plastic necklace by the time I got home from work.  Luckily, I had a few extras so he will still have one to wear to keep him from licking the incision area.  Beau has had enough of this staying calm business and wants to run and play, but he needs to stay calm for at least 3-4 more days.  Beau is still urinating a small amount when he’s excited or when someone approaches him.  Some days are better than others, and we make sure not to punish him when it happens, as he really has no control over it. 

Thurs 5/17 – I have every Thursday off, so this morning we went for a slow walk on the nature trails by the lake.  It was a struggle to keep him calm and he was trying to jump up for most of the walk.  I think he would have been fine if we could have walked faster and longer, but since he’s not supposed to get much exercise that was not an option.  He has enjoyed the company today, and he spent a few hours chewing on a bone and watching me clean the house.  He has free roam of half of the house when I am home, and he does well if everything is picked up.  I do, however, keep a close eye on him to make sure he’s not chewing on furniture or the woodwork again.  We are dog sitting this weekend, so we’ll see how Beau does with another dog in the house.  I plan on feeding them separately and I will be keeping the dog toys put away to limit any resource guarding issues.