Lucy 19-115A
Profile
At a Glance #19-115A
| Golden Retriever | Born: March 2017 |
| Female | 40 lbs |
Status: Adopted
Profile
Updates
Monday, June 3, 2019
Lucy was adopted by Gary and Stella!! She went from life as a commercial breeding dog to a warm and loving home! Lucy will enjoy a sister named Spirit who is a black lab, and a brother named Max who is also a golden. She will also have lots of kitty siblings! Congratulations to everyone!
Thursday, May 23, 2019
I am happy to report that Lucy has made enormous strides in adjusting to our home this week. She has been to 5 softball games for our teenage daughter.
Her first game we sat far away to give her space and let her observe all the people and action, but tonight she was sitting in the front row, ready to accept pets from other softball fans who just adore her. One of the other parents excitedly noticed, "Look! Lucy's tail is out and wagging today!"
Lucy also was a part of the RAGOM meet-and-greet at Chuck & Don's in Cottage Grove last Saturday. I did not know what to expect of her, knowing that there would be many other dogs and people wanting to pet her. She handled it better than I could have ever hoped.
We brought along our resident dog for emotional support. When she entered the store and saw all the other Goldens, she became very excited. When Lucy is excited, she sways her back end and does a lot of spinning. She has the gentlest energy!
She acted like she just walked into her own surprise party and was accepted warmly by all the guests. She is very submissive to other dogs. She gave kisses to fellow fosters and accepted all the attention quite well. When we came home, she was exhausted!
Since Lucy was having such a great week, I decided it was time to introduce the bath! Lucy had one bath prior to coming to our home, but she needed some detailing, so I brought her to a self-service dog wash and scrubbed and scrubbed!
We removed a few layers of old life and revealed the shiny, beautiful, soft golden coat that makes Lucy so stunning. She was the best-behaved dog in the room and even allowed me to use the dryer on the gentle setting while she watched my teenagers wrestle our resident dog in the bath.
I am so proud of Lucy and how she has handled all the new things she has been exposed to. Her expression and energy has changed so much in the past few days, and I can feel that she is more at ease. She is still working on potty training, but has gone two nights with a clean kennel.
She continues to eat like it is a race and should be fed away from other dogs until this calms down. She went to the vet, and we were told at 45.2 lbs, she is a perfect weight for her size and that she can now be on maintenance calories. Lucy is not so sure about that, but she is happily taking treats between meals.
She is scheduled for her spay surgery on Thursday, and some dental work will follow that.
While we have made much progress and are celebrating the small victories, potential adopters should know that she will regress. The perfect family for Lucy will understand that it will take her time to adjust all over again at adoption.
Lucy's foster family is committed to finding her a home that will understand her needs and persevere through any difficult coping behaviors she has learned to use.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Lucy was surrendered from a commercial breeding facility and will need a forever home that can respect, accommodate, and see her through her rough start in life. She is only 2 years old and I can see a playful spark in her eye that tells me she knows her days of breeding and confinement are over. However, she, as many others, have had to adapt to that life.
She is going to find living in a home with a family a bit intimidating at first. She entered foster care on April 16, 2019, and moved in with our family a few days ago. I can promise you she will regress at adoption.
I want her forever family to understand that this is normal, expected, and an opportunity to help Lucy build trust with her forever people. What would take a "normal" dog a couple days to adjust to may take Lucy weeks. I assure you, the reward will be worth the effort.
Lucy absolutely requires another dog in the home. She loves to play and will spend hours playing in the fenced back yard. She is a submissive and gentle playmate. Watching her with other dogs is my favorite part of fostering Lucy.
She likes bigger stuffed toys and carries them around the yard and the house. She looks to my resident dog to understand how to respond to situations. She has taken to mirroring my resident dog's activity. If I ask my resident to "come" Lucy is quickly studying and responding in kind. She takes her treats from my hand and brings them to her kennel to eat.
Lucy sleeps in her kennel overnight and is kenneled when we are away from home. The honest and unfortunate issue is that she is used to living in unclean conditions so using the kennel to potty train has been ineffective. For this reason, I would prefer a family where someone is home more than they are away, or who has a potty plan as if Lucy were a little puppy.
She needs to be set up for success. She will not hold it for 8- to 10-hour days in kennel confinement. She needs to be taught that the clean life is the way to go! When she is in her crate she does not cry or bark. She even handled the first thunderstorm without an issue.
Healthwise Lucy appears in good condition. Her light golden coat is soft and shiny. Her teeth have some tartar but she is learning what dental chews are and will hopefully take to chewing firmer toys soon to help clean her mouth. She came in underweight but is putting on weight and eating without issue. She is a petite gal at 40 lbs.
We have gone on a few walks and as long as my resident is right by her side, Lucy is content. I have double leashed her and aim to assess our surroundings for things that may scare her, but she has not had an issue. She's not quite sure what we are doing so she will need a patient family to help her learn that walks are a fun way to explore the world!
Playful Lucy will make a great family member once she has time to accommodate to her new life. She wants to love and play and be cared for by a special family who understands that the true heart of rescue requires us to meet her where she is at, and help her blossom.