Robbie 14-248

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Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
8-9-2014 Required   Age 10+ Required Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Introducing the spectacular Robbie!  Robbie came to us from a humane society in southern Minnesota.  He and his brothers, Chip and Mike (for those of you who are old enough to make the connection - these three are named after the old TV show "My Three Sons") had been seen running  for a while on the gravel roads down there.  Workers from the humane society were finally able capture them and bring them to safety.  It is assumed that the three of them were dumped on the side of the road and left to fend for themselves, something these poor boys did for quite a while.   RAGOM was contacted to help with these three as they felt we had the experience to help these boys who had most likely never lived in a home, had very little people exposure and were very definitely a "flight risk" - would run if given the chance. 

Robbie has very quickly found that living in a home is a very good thing!  When he first came he was scared of everything, but I could tell he so wanted to be loved.  It did not take long (only a few hours) for him to jump up on the couch and snuggle next to me.   He is now all tail wags and kisses and just loves any and all attention.  He is a bit leery of new people, but if I have them sit on the ground, he will approach and then quickly warms up - he is just such a lover.

Some of the things we have learned about Robbie:

·        The shelter said he was exposed to the cats there and paid them no attention.

·        He is a very petite 33 pound boy (he is fully grown)

·        The vet along with every person I have met out on walks (and believe this boy can walk for miles and miles without tiring!) are convinced he is not a golden mix but a Nova Scotia Duck Toller retriever, I guess a pretty  rare breed, but basically a miniature golden retriever.  Only a DNA test will tell us the truth, but whatever he    is, he is adorable, sweet and loving!!!

·        He has had no accidents in the house.

·        Kennel training is a work in progress - We keep the door open and feed him in his kennel and have been    gradually working on increasing his time in there.  But for right now, he cannot be kenneled for extended    periods of time as he has destroyed kennel liners, bedding, etc and chews on the bars trying to get out.

·        He sleeps like a dream at night snuggled on a dog bed right next to our bed.

·        He just loves to be with, by, and on his people.  Honestly, he cannot get enough loving!!! 

I know we will learn so much more about him as he settles in.  Robbie will be making his debut at the Edina Chuck and Don's tomorrow.  Come out and meet this incredible boy - I promise you will fall in love!!

At a Glance #14-248

Mixed Breed Born: November 2012
Male 31 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
8-9-2014 Required   Age 10+ Required Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Introducing the spectacular Robbie!  Robbie came to us from a humane society in southern Minnesota.  He and his brothers, Chip and Mike (for those of you who are old enough to make the connection - these three are named after the old TV show "My Three Sons") had been seen running  for a while on the gravel roads down there.  Workers from the humane society were finally able capture them and bring them to safety.  It is assumed that the three of them were dumped on the side of the road and left to fend for themselves, something these poor boys did for quite a while.   RAGOM was contacted to help with these three as they felt we had the experience to help these boys who had most likely never lived in a home, had very little people exposure and were very definitely a "flight risk" - would run if given the chance. 

Robbie has very quickly found that living in a home is a very good thing!  When he first came he was scared of everything, but I could tell he so wanted to be loved.  It did not take long (only a few hours) for him to jump up on the couch and snuggle next to me.   He is now all tail wags and kisses and just loves any and all attention.  He is a bit leery of new people, but if I have them sit on the ground, he will approach and then quickly warms up - he is just such a lover.

Some of the things we have learned about Robbie:

·        The shelter said he was exposed to the cats there and paid them no attention.

·        He is a very petite 33 pound boy (he is fully grown)

·        The vet along with every person I have met out on walks (and believe this boy can walk for miles and miles without tiring!) are convinced he is not a golden mix but a Nova Scotia Duck Toller retriever, I guess a pretty  rare breed, but basically a miniature golden retriever.  Only a DNA test will tell us the truth, but whatever he    is, he is adorable, sweet and loving!!!

·        He has had no accidents in the house.

·        Kennel training is a work in progress - We keep the door open and feed him in his kennel and have been    gradually working on increasing his time in there.  But for right now, he cannot be kenneled for extended    periods of time as he has destroyed kennel liners, bedding, etc and chews on the bars trying to get out.

·        He sleeps like a dream at night snuggled on a dog bed right next to our bed.

·        He just loves to be with, by, and on his people.  Honestly, he cannot get enough loving!!! 

I know we will learn so much more about him as he settles in.  Robbie will be making his debut at the Edina Chuck and Don's tomorrow.  Come out and meet this incredible boy - I promise you will fall in love!!

Updates

Sunday, March 1, 2015

Robbie has been busy since our last update and having lots of fun!  He continues to go to doggy daycare once a week and now runs right in when we get there as he can't wait to begin playtime.  This is a huge change from when I began taking him.  The drop offs reminded me so much of bringing my kids to pre-school at the beginning of the year - they would cry and cling to me.  Robbie was the same way and it was so hard to leave him.  Well, not anymore, he trots right in and, wiggling excitedly, heads to the play area without a second glance back at me.
We also went to a meet and greet a week ago and, unfortunately, Robbie was not at his best and had to leave early.  He is used to these and attends all the Edina events with me.  This was in a new location and he could not get beyond all the wonderful smells and treats in open bins everywhere.  After being told numerous times he could not help himself to the treats, he got it (he is a very smart boy), but then took it upon himself to ensure that not one other dog could get near them.  He importantly designated himself as Chuck and Don's own shoplifting prevention guard dog and took his job to heart and promptly let and dog that even glanced at the toys and treats that they were off-limit and if he couldn't have them, neither could they.   (insert photo of him lying by the toys)
Perhaps Robbie's biggest step forward is how he greets people who come in the house.  We have a lot of service people here lately and he has been great with them and greets with tail wags and kisses.  My daughter, who is a college student, noticed one of the biggest changes.  Robbie used to bark up a storm when she would come home and he really could not figure out what this new person was doing in his house and why she wasn't leaving.  This week she was home for just a night and, really, I think he has fallen in love.  He followed her everywhere and whenever she sat down, he would curl up as close to her as possible with a huge sigh of contentment.  (insert picture of sleeping)

Robbie will be at the meet and greet in Edina next weekend, so come out and meet this little guy.  He is a bit shy at these events and does get snarky about an hour into them, so if you want to see his true personality, let your placement advisor know and come meet him where he is most comfortable and just shines (our house)!

 

 

 

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Robbie had his first overnight away from us a couple weekends ago and he did great!  He got to hang with the doodles at another foster's house and had a blast playing all weekend with them and came home very tired!   Robbie feels so at home in our home now, that we do not see any of the behaviors we saw when he first came to us (resource guarding from the other dogs), however, in this new environment, he did feel like he had to find his place and there were a few instances.  In Robbie's case he could be snarky one moment and the next, wanting to play like everyone is his long-lost buddy.Robbie will need a home where his family is willing to provide the structure and training so that he feels safe and secure.  Once he doesn't feel like he has to be in protection mode, Robbie is about the sweetest, most loving dog we have ever met.  

Again, Robbie's perfect home will have:

  • a fenced yard
  • another younger, playful dog who will set limits with Robbie (Robbie is fantastic about listening and reacting to other dog's signals)
  • a person who is home with him most of the day.  He will not do well in a home where his people are gone for a full work day.  The alternative to this is if you are willing to bring him to doggy daycare - he absolutely LOVES going there and playing all day.
  • a quieter household.  
  • no young children

I know his home is out there and his family will find him.  Until then, we will continue to love him up.

 

 

 

 

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Robbie continues to do great in our home. This month, we have seen so many positive changes in him. First, he has fallen in love with toys. He would occasionally play with them before, but now it is constant. Every morning his favorite thing to do is empty to toy bin and choose his favorites for the day and then it is game on - he runs with them, tosses them in the air, pounces on them and rolls around with them with such incredible joy. He has also discovered the joy of fetch, much to my resident goldens consternation (and really they don't like it as he is much faster than they are and manages to beat them to the ball every time), although he doesn't quite get that he has to give the ball back to me if he wants another go around. He is just so darn happy all the time and makes us smile every day! Another development with this sweet boy is that he has discovered that with his diminutive size, he can be, and prefers to be, a true lap dog. His favorite place to be is in foster dad's lap while he is working. He will jump up, lay his head on his shoulder, and fall asleep with a deep contented sigh.

When he can't be on someone's lap, he thinks it is awesome to lay on the top of the couch and catch some rays. The fact that it is a great vantage point to see everything going on outside, doesn't hurt either. He really does like to lay in the sun and I have seen him moving from spot to spot throughout the day to nap in the sun.

Also, Robbie continues to be a regular figure at the meet and greets in Edina. He is doing so much better at these now and greets everyone - dogs and people really well. If you have ever attended one of these events, you know that they can be pretty overwhelming - lots of people and dogs - and that does affect Robbie a bit. While he is far from shy at home, and greets all visitors with joy, at the events he is a bit shy with people and prefers a quiet area to hang out. Also, he does get overwhelmed with the activity after a bit. I can almost time it to the minute, but it seems like 1 1/2 hours is his witching hour and then he will start getting snarky with the other dogs there, even ones he was perfectly happy with earlier. He does not do this in our home at all and I am confident it is his way of saying, "I've had enough and want to go home! Until I can leave, will you all just leave me alone!" The minute we get home he happily greets the dogs here and settles in for a very long nap.

Finally, an update about Robbie's health. He is completely symptom free and is down to 2.5 mg of prednisolone every other day. He goes for runs, long walks, and attends doggie day care where he plays all day and has not had any coughing at all! You can just tell that he is feeling so good.

This little guy is just such a sweetheart and will bring incredible joy to a family. Yes, he has his quirks, but the boundless love he has to give outweighs all of this.

Friday, December 12, 2014

I just wanted to do a quick update on how Robbie is doing since he began his medications for his asthma.  I am happy to say that his coughing has stopped completely!  We have been gradually taking him off the steroids - which is a really good thing since it has caused him to have to pee a whole lot.  The belly band he is sporting in the picture below has been a life saver and ensures he has no accidents on the floors.  After a long conversation with his vet today, I received more information on his long term medical needs.  As long as he had no side affects from his current prescription for the bronchodilator (theophylline) he can remain on that and will not need to go to an inhaler!  This is great news.   We are even trying to decrease his dosage on that and hopefully he will tolerate that well.  If he does well with the reduce dosage, we will maintain him at that amount.  I wanted to make sure that any potential forever family knows that Robbie is not at all affected by this condition and he will live a normal, happy, healthy life.  The monthly medication costs of this prescription is not much at all - especially since he is such a little guy (we still are trying to get some weight on him - he lost another pound and is now down to 29.9 pounds) so he takes the 100 mg. tablets.  
Robbie is a very special  boy and one of the most loving dogs I have had the pleasure of fostering.  Yes, he does have his quirks and will need some consistent training, but in return, he will be the most loyal, loving pup ever.    

Thursday, December 4, 2014

fter a solid month of coughing (really more like honking), Robbie is finally feeling so much better!  Because he was just not getting better, we took him back to the vet for chest x-rays and it was discovered that Robbie has allergic bronchitis (this is what they call asthma in dogs).  He has responded almost immediately to the two meds prescribed and is back to his old self.  We will keep him on the medications for another week and then gradually wean him off the Prednisone.  The optimal course of treatment would then to move him to an inhaler (very similar to that used for humans) for use when he has another attack.  Because we are just now getting him comfortable again, we really do not know what he will need long-term.  He will most likely need to have an inhaler, but we just don’t know how often he will need to use it - daily, weekly or seasonally.  Often these asthma attacks are triggered by environmental irritants (similar to allergies) so I am really hoping that this is a seasonal occurrence for him (just like many goldens experience allergies in the summer and fall).  Additionally, while Robbie had the coughing, he never really seemed affected by it and did not seem to have trouble breathing, so the hope is that this is mild case.  We will know a bit more once he finishes his current prescription and see how he does off of the medications.  

With his medical issues finally figured out we are back to seeing the old Robbie in all his glory!  He is full of vim and vigor and is just such a happy guy.  We are beginning to re-introduce walks (he was on exercise restrictions due to his coughing) and I can tell he is loving getting out and about the neighborhood again.  I have never seen a happier dog than he is when the leash and harness come out.  He is doing much better when left alone for short periods of time (3 ½ to 4 hours).  We retired his crate as he just was not doing well with it and he does just fine with being left with the other dogs.  I do give him a treat-filled Kong when I leave and that keeps him busy for a bit, but when I come home, he almost always curled up on the couch with the other dogs.  Robbie is also doing so much better in his fear-based reactions to things that startle him - we still have some work to do, but the progress has been great!  He is such a smart boy and really seems to want to learn - and he does learn very quickly.  Also, perhaps due to the Brittany Spaniel in him (they are very sensitive to “harsh” tones), a firm “no” with a correction has been very effective.   One habit we are really working on right now is this boys love of counter surfing.  Since he is a little guy, keeping things pushed back on the counter has been very effective.  At the suggestion of many other RAGOM volunteers we did try a couple things to keep him off the counters - foil and cookie sheets.  (INSERT Photo 1)As you can see in this picture, Robbie initially laid down in the middle of the kitchen and appeared to be contemplating his next moves - luckily they did work to keep him down.  Unfortunately, not wanting my kitchen counters covered in foil or cookie sheets poised and ready to fall at the slightest touch always out, I did remove them after a few days.  It only took a few days for Robbie to notice they were all down and he was back at it again.  For now, we just watch him and continue to try to correct his behavior and when he is home alone, the foil and cookie sheets go back up.

Besides these really relatively minor issues, Robbie is just such a loving sweet boy and he is so easy to have around.  He is really all about his people and is a huge snuggler. In the right home (quieter without a lot of activity), he will continue to shine and be the most perfect loving family member.

 

 

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

I cannot believe it has been over a month since my last update on this special boy.  While Robbie continues to thrive, the last week has been tough for him.  I am not sure how he contracted it since he has only been in my house and on walks, but Robbie came down with a particularly nasty upper respiratory infection (aka kennel cough) that has knocked him for a loop.  This normally happy, energetic boy just wants to sleep all the time and make it all go away.  Hopefully, he will be back to his normal self in another week or so.Prior to getting sick, Robbie continued to amuse us every day.  He is just so darn cute and loves to play.  He does, however, still have some fear-based reactions that we are working on.   While Robbie is a sweet loving boy, he is apprehensive of new things and still not convinced that his life has changed for the better and he will always have a home and people who will love him.  Because of this uncertainty, he is protective of all the good things in his life and will bark and try to get new people who enter the home to leave.   We had a trainer come into the home to help us and it is amazing that within a day, he made significant progress.  It will take some consistent training, but I have no doubt that Robbie will conquer his fears and learn appropriate responses.  He so wants to learn and make people happy, he just needs some guidance.  
Robbie would love to find his forever home.  His ideal home will include parents who are home more often than not, a quieter atmosphere, people committed to continue his training and also people willing and able to give him the exercise he needs.  I know his perfect family is out there, but until they find him, we are loving having him with us.

Friday, September 26, 2014

nce again, I am way overdue for an update!  Robbie continues to grow and become more confident in our home.  He has so many new experiences in the last few weeks and with new experience his confidence growsRobbie had his first experience with a long car ride as we headed up to our cabin a few weeks ago.  He really does not love riding in a car - he gets in fine, but just can't seem to get comfortable enough to lay down and we got confirmation that this boy gets carsick.  After we pulled over and got everything cleaned up, he finally settled down and slept for about an hour.  Once up at the cabin, he was in doggy heaven!  He loved exploring everything up there, yet was not too happy with me as he did not have complete freedom.  I kept him tethered to me on a very long lead all weekend and he missed the freedom he has here at home of running freely around the yard.  However, he still had plenty of room to run, try out swimming (he was a bit hesitant after he tumbled in head first!), dig a big whole in the sand to lay by the fire, and met his very first garter snake (scared him to death as he thought it was a stick and went to grab it - when it moved, he jumped a good foot in the air!)  Once home, the very first order of business was to find something to help him not get carsick!  We had a bit of a drive to Goldzilla and I wanted to make sure he didn't get sick on the drive.  After all the great input from other RAGOM volunteers (who knew that carsickness was so common?!), we got a prescription for a medicine specifically for this (just administer 2 hours before travel) and it worked like a charm!!  We are now trying a bit of essential oils in the car (peppermint and ginger) and have had many more car rides since then and he has not gotten sick again.  I am hoping as he gets more comfortable in the car, that we may be over this - fingers crossed!Robbie was a bit nervous at Goldzilla - so many people and so many dogs - but he did great.  He does get a bit snarkey with dogs at first but once we do a slow, leashed introduction he loves them.  I often babysit dogs and at times have had up to 8 dogs here for daycare and Robbie has a blast with them all - he loves to run and play.  His most favorite playmate lately has been sweet little Remi 14-265.  We have been providing daycare for her while her foster mom works and she and Robbie are best pals and it is pretty much non-stop action with these two.  I don't think that prior to coming into RAGOM, this boy ever had the chance to play, and it is so cute watching him learn the incredible joy in it - both playing with other dogs and with toys.  Because of this, he can be a little rough in his exuberance and joy of playing - luckily he is really good at listening to other dogs and if they let him know he is too rough, he backs away and usually goes back to playing a bit gentler.To help with his socialization and interactions with other dogs, we have started him in doggy day care.  Today was his first day and I was told he did fantastic!!!  Daycare is going to become a routine here for Robbie - not only is important for his continued socialization, but it also gives him time away from us.  He has bonded so much with us that he has a hard time when we leave.  When he first came to us, he was so stressed anytime we left him (even though he had three golden sisters here with him).  The progress has been gradual, but he is definitely making progress.  I now feel very confident leaving him for up to 3 1/2 hours, either in his kennel or with free roam.  I don't know whether Robbie will ever do well in a home where he is alone for a whole workday, but for now, I know he is good for an extended period of time.

Here are more things we have learned about this sweet boy, including what he will need in his forever home:

  • He absolutely needs a fenced in yard where he can run freely.  He has a very strong prey drive towards all the critters in neighbor's yards and I have no doubt, given the chance, he would take off.
  • Another dog in his home both as a playmate and as a mentor - he still is learning how to be the best dog he can be.  The other dogs also provide a sense of security to him when his people are gone.
  • Preferably someone who is home most of the day with him.  He just loves his humans so much that is hard for him to be away from them for long periods of time.  Robbie will need someone with infinite patience to help him conquer his lingering fears of abandonment.  Getting him into a kennel is 
  • An active family - this boy loves, loves, and loves to go on walks.  I really think he would be a fantastic running partner - I don't run, but with Robbie I have had to break into a jog on occasion (a somewhat comical sight!).
  • I think Robbie would be a fantastic agility/frisbee dog with the right training.  He just wants a job to do and so wants to please.  If someone has the experience in training, I can also see him being an amazing hunting dog - he is a tracker and follows his nose all over the yard.  
  • While he is a very active boy outside, inside he is actually very mellow and will lay down and nap anywhere close to me.  

 

 

Robbie is such and incredibly loving boy and I know that his forever family is out there looking for him.  They just have not found him yet.  In the meantime, we will continue to love him, train him, and show him how incredibly good life will be and help him believe that he will never be dumped and left to fend for himself again.

 

Friday, September 5, 2014

I am way overdue for an update on this sweet boy!  Robbie has now been with us for almost 4 weeks and we have learned so much about him in that time.  He has really settled in and is such a fantastic boy!  He just loves his people and loves to play with the dogs.  While outside he is a bundle of energy, he calms down and is actually pretty mellow when inside.  In fact, his favorite thing to do inside is to cuddle up right next to me on the couch!  

We did learn that Robbie absolutely loves the lawn mower.  Because he is a bit skittish inside around the vacuum, I had been leaving him inside on mowing days.  The other day, he was let out while I was mowing the backyard and he came bounding up to me all excited and happy.  He trotted back and forth beside me and would take some breaks to roll around in the cut grass.

Having spent a long time on his own as a stray and then in a shelter before coming to us, Robbie has a lot of learning to do.  He is so eager to learn and to please and I have no doubt that this incredibly intelligent boy will be a star in any obedience class.  I can also see him excelling in agility training (something, unfortunately I have no experience with so I have not been working with him on this).  This picture shows a very typical expression on his face as he tries to figure out what it is we are asking him to do.​
​

Robbie does have some issues that we are working with him on.  First, since he has decided that living in a home with people who love him is the absolute best thing, he is very protective.  He will bark and assume a protective stance when people enter unexpectedly.  If, however, we greet them and the other dogs are going wild in their exuberant greetings, he joins right in and knows this person is just another friend.   Additionally, Robbie loves, loves, loves other dogs but he does need a slow introduction to them.  We have had a lot of dogs over and as long as the other dogs let him do all the sniffing he needs to do and don't invade his space right away, they soon all become fast friends and it is game on in the tearing around the back yard. Or just letting the other dog have a break to catch his breath - he can easily wear out the youngest and the oldes pups, but is very good at reading their signs on when they say "Enough". ​The other thing we are working with Robbie on is crate training.  I am just not sure what has him so afraid of his kennel, but he just hates being confined.  This has been a really slow process but I work with him every day to help him get more comfortable.  However, actually, after all this time with us, I am very comfortable leaving him with free roam for short periods of time - he usually just curls up with the rest of the dogs and, as long as everything is put away, he does not get into any mischief.  
You really have to meet this young boy to appreciate how truly special he is.  He will be your loving companion and faithful friend! 
Robbie will be at Goldzilla and showing off his awesome self in the foster tent from 11:30-12:30.