Shorty 09-027

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Sponsored by: Don Mueller

Shorty came to us yesterday (January 18) from Iowa. I want to first ‘thank’ the SO’s in their time of need to re-home 2 of their 3 dogs for choosing RAGOM for this girl and not other alternatives. This is a family who was on a farm, had to downsize and move to town and keeping 3 dogs was impossible.

Second, Shorty is incredibly shy. I don’t have much in medical answers (she seems in great condition) at this present time. Third, she is so beautiful, smaller, and very scared right now. She has never been inside a vehicle/truck or a house before. We are going very, very slow with her, like a PM dog. She does not look 9 at all nor does she act 9 (her DOB is 1-3-00).

At a Glance #09-027

Golden Retriever Born: January 2000
Female 50 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

Sponsored by: Don Mueller

Shorty came to us yesterday (January 18) from Iowa. I want to first ‘thank’ the SO’s in their time of need to re-home 2 of their 3 dogs for choosing RAGOM for this girl and not other alternatives. This is a family who was on a farm, had to downsize and move to town and keeping 3 dogs was impossible.

Second, Shorty is incredibly shy. I don’t have much in medical answers (she seems in great condition) at this present time. Third, she is so beautiful, smaller, and very scared right now. She has never been inside a vehicle/truck or a house before. We are going very, very slow with her, like a PM dog. She does not look 9 at all nor does she act 9 (her DOB is 1-3-00).

Updates

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Our girl is now spayed and groomed.  It is so good to have that behind you.  Again thank you to her sponsor to help us be able to do this! 

 

First, she is in great health, just amazing for 9.  She is CLEAN too.  Wow, dirty girl.  What a lovely glossy coat she has.  She was not nuts about the bath at all.  Considering she has never had one, been to a vet, or to a vet office, it was very understandable.  This is when we as fosters feel so bad for them.  There is only so much we can try to do to ‘prepare’ them for things, and some, you just can’t.  Going for the ride in the car to the vet's office was fine; she is getting very good with that.  Even getting out of the car and going into the office was ok.  She was apprehensive of course, but not horrible.  Then she was checked into a kennel to wait to get groomed.  The kennel part was ok, but the metal bottom was sort of scary for her.  The sound of banging and her nails was scary.  I waited until her time came to go into tub (I didn’t let her see me.  I did not want to encourage her to jump out).  In the tub when the water was turned on, she really didn’t like that.  That really scared her.  So Dr. gave her something to calm her down and then the rest went ok.  Her surgery and post surgery was fine.  All of her senior panel blood-work was just fine, all normal levels.  She got a little sick that night (Friday) due to nerves/stress of course. But by Saturday afternoon, she was ok and ate fine.  There was no oozing or licking at the surgical site at all.  It looks great.  She has definitely had lots of puppies.  Again, at least this is a one-time surgery!

 

With goldens like Shorty (PM), the idea is to take them to vet’s office/groomer, walk in and pay a short visit, and leave again.  She gets to know the place and person(s), and they get to know her as well  (well/happy visits).  It will build encouragement/trust, just as with a child.   Of course, having a buddy golden to go with and be with is huge!  Trust, patience and love.  She is doing great.  She feels good and looks great as you can see.  Such a wonderful girl!  A person gets SO much back from these goldens.  There's just nothing like it.  Our experiences, ups and downs, and the love and trust they give back is all so heart warming and wonderful.  Here's a couple more photos of her outside looking to come in. She is so cute! 

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Our girl is making more steps in her recovery/adjustments to a home.  She has found a new spot in the kitchen, and is venturing more and more out of her corner.  We are getting more adjusted to the new sounds every day.  We are still quite shy of flags blowing in the wind on properties when walking, or a loud bag of a car door or kids, but we just ignore and muddle through as this is what ‘normal’ will be.  Building that trust as much as I can. 

When she walks, she will still stay more ‘behind’ me but is sniffing and checking things out in confidence which is great.  There are times she will stop and want to do her own smells, checking of new things/yard ornaments and such/sounds/critters as we walk. We take our time and she is doing great.  Shorty will put her little stubby tail up like ‘yep, I can do this!’  She has gotten much better at accepting to go into the vehicle and go for a ride; a big step!  She is really knowing our routines and is accepting of them more and more.  We are still going potty just fine; no accidents.  I have heard her actually bark a couple times. However, that is when my ‘entire’ gang is barking at the neighbor dogs, and she is now chiming in. That doll face and short stubby tail really makes her so special. 

I am including photos of her outside with the other resident dogs and like always, waiting to come back in!  We have been blessed with some nicer weather which has been great.  Shorty (Asia-Shorty) is such a lovely, beautiful, wonderful little girl and again, a wonderful girl to foster! We just love her, and love the great golden girl she is turning into!

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Here are some new photos of the girl.  Somehow my camera date is wrong; not sure how that happened.

Clockwise from left: Shorty, JJ (Corgi), Maggie (Golden), and Maggie.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

With this update, you are getting photos! I did not believe that would happen for quite some time yet!  Ok, lots of advancements for those of you who know about the ‘baby steps’ we take and the ‘big’ returns we as fosters get!  First of all, how beautiful is this girl?  Wow, just gorgeous.  (I cannot wait for her to have a nice groom/bath at some point soon too......all in time).  So here is what has occurred just this last week!  It is quite impressive to me.   

Major breakthrough, we go outside BY OURSELF (fenced in yard of course). Shorty is getting it totally now, and so very quick.  She has already ‘graduated’ from NO crate to a safe corner, and will go outside with the pack.  We are seeing more and more confidence each day with Shorty.  We have had NO accidents now (poopers) for several days.  She never has she peed in the house.  Shorty has got the connection now for house training and is getting rewards to do so.  It is just incredible as to the speed in which she has learned this.  Shorty is one very smart and willing golden girl.  Needless to say, this is so huge for her and us, especially this time of year with the cold.  NO MORE dragging/pulling/pushing.  Those soft brown eyes finally beginning to trust, watch, and listen.  Shorty also has to learn that this (housetraining) is and will be how it works, just like it does for the rest of the pack.  What a wonderful step we have taken!   

More steps.........Shorty DOES come up to me or foster dad when called and coaxed. Not every time, but many times Shorty will actually venture out of her corner to come say hi (still learning all of these odd, scary and unusual noises which occur in a house).  Just makes you melt.  Her little stub (3/4 tail) is a goin’ and she looks, sniffs, says hello and goes back to her safe spot (corner in living room behind chair).  And it happens multiple times.  Of course we use soft higher notes calling her name to coax her over to give her lots of love and pets and to just enjoy her.   

Shorty is now getting my schedule down, and is also learning when bedtime is.  Shorty has a nice large bathroom off the master bedroom which I still baby-gate at night for her, and keep lots of blankets and a bowl of water for her there.  We also have our three residents who sleep in the bedroom and the three cats.  Cats are totally fine; she has absolutely no problems with them.  I do see Shorty (with the aid of a night light) come up to her baby gate and check us all out a few times early on during the night.  She is quiet all night.  (I can hear her dream too, that is so cute!).  First thing in the morning, Shorty goes out with the rest of the pack, all the way down the hallway around the reading room through the kitchen and outside to potty.  It is just wonderful.   I have to pause here, and once again, THANK OUR OWN pack for helping lead the way for this wonderful girl.  We could not do this without our wonderful resident dogs.

We have went on a couple walks now.  (Weather had been a factor in not going often plus her fears).  She walks beautifully!  I take her during mid-afternoons when it is quiet and we're less likely to run into a lot of activity that may scare her.  But man does she walk nice and I feel she truly loves it.  It will be a matter of trusting me to trust all the new sounds and things that are out in the world.   

How big of steps we have done.  This is just incredible.  She is a total beauty inside and out.  We just love to have her.  Enjoy these wonderful new photos of her and appreciate the HUGE steps we have taken in such a short time.  I never thought I would get pictures of her OUTSIDE on the porch looking in!

 

Sunday, January 25, 2009

We have had this beautiful nine-year old a week now. We have been taking very small, gentle, caring steps with Shorty girl.  I will try to share what we know at this time.

 

Shorty came with AKC papers and she is 9 (DOB:  1-3-00) She has not exhibited any aggressions. We have had an occasional lip curl in the beginning from being so frightened of all the new in her life and other dogs coming up to her crate sniffing and checking her out.  That was only the first 2-3 days and have not seen nor experienced that again.  

 

Shorty has a ‘shorter tail’ from something unknown. However we can assume she was not born that way. Perhaps she had some trauma/accident later in life that made her lose part of it, but we of course do not know what.  It sure makes her cute and unique though.  You should see that little stub wag and wiggle when she is happy outside with the other dogs; just makes you want to giggle inside!  She walks with us, next to us or behind very very nice.  She pays attention to you and listens. 

 

I must state here that thanks to a fellow Ragom Volunteer and Foster, who happens to be a vet (KB), who took the time to come to our home and help this shy, scared senior golden get the vetting she so desperately needs and to help eliminate the potential trauma and frightening experience she would have had to do early on in fostering: going to the veterinarian office.   This is a golden girl who has NOT been vetted for at least 3+ years and I am sure much longer prior to than that.  So now, Shorty is now UTD!  She is not spayed that we can tell and she has definitely had many litters.  I bet a good mama too. 

 

She has a nice coat considering her prior history of being outside 24/7 for her life and poor diet.  Her teeth look very good. We see no lumps/bumps as we do with most senior dogs. She is in very good condition ‘physically.’

 

Shorty is a nice medium size, guessing about 58-60# perhaps.  She has a small amount of white on her chest.  It is hard to believe at 9 there is not much gray at all.  Shorty is a medium golden color and when the sunlight shines on her coat, there are very nice red and dark golden colors.  She has some really dark golden/red marks in-between her toes and a couple other places on her legs. You would not notice unless you really look close and sitting petting her.  Perhaps you could call them dark mahogany markings.

 

She has such gentle eyes and also eyes with some ‘worry and questioning’ in them too.  They are now becoming softer and more trusting with each day.  Little steps in our learning/teaching curve of a house, a yard, fence, and other pet companions.  Sounds she has never heard before and ones she will need to learn not to startle or scare her.  Normal for us humans, but a whole new world for her and a big learning experience.  Shorty is a patient girl and doing better than I originally anticipated.  She is willing to try to really observe and to take in some new sights and sounds.  The reassurance of a voice calming her is working nicely along with gentle stroking, rubbing, and sitting by her is so rewarding for all of us and for our girl.  

 

Shorty now has her safe spot in the family room behind my big chair and is ok with that versus the crate in the kitchen next to it.  I am trying to get Shorty to understand that outside the crate is safe, and it is working.  About half the time, she needs a push/pull to get going to come out of our spot and go outside. However, there have been times now when she has come out on her own, checked out the couch or other chair, and go back to her spot again!  The beginning trust stages is starting. Shorty does enjoy the outside.  The potty is going quite well.  She has never peed in the house and the first couple days we did poop not knowing. Now with a good diet, scheduled feeding times and praise, she has gotten the hang of it already.  To me that is incredible in just a week from never being housetrained in 9 years!  So, Shorty is a quick learner and very smart.  (I of course have to credit my ‘pack’ with all THEIR help! Huge difference).  Shorty did come from a place who had two other dogs also.  She ignores our cats. 

 

I cannot say enough just how lovely she truly is, inside and out!  She has much to learn, to experience and to do (don’t we all?). She really needs someone who want to take the time, effort, courage, patience, love and the want to take of her and want to get the incredible benefits back from such a great golden girl who needs these basics in life which some us already take for granted.