Merry Christmas, Moby! With love from Andrea
Happy Holidays from anonymous
In memory of Murph, Bert, and Hank
Moby has been with us since Sunday (12/4/11.) He was surrendered by a loving family who could no longer control him due to his size and strength. Moby is one BIG boy! He weighs in at a whopping 109 pounds. He isn’t terribly overweight, but will need to lose around 10 pounds or so. He is around 8 years old. He has the sweet white face of an older Golden, but he is young at heart and still enjoys running around, playing fetch, and living life to the fullest! He is such a sweetheart and an absolute joy to foster! Moby is our first senior foster, and we have quickly fallen in love with how wonderful he is!
We weren’t able to get an appointment at the vet until next Tuesday, so Moby will go then to get utd on vaccines, have a fecal test, heartworm test, senior bloodwork, and an exam. He is already neutered and micro chipped. At his vet appointment, we will have him scanned so we have the microchip number.
It has been reported that Moby can easily clear a 4 foot fence, so we’ve been keeping him on a tie out in the backyard until we know him better. He’s done great and we haven’t had any issue with him being interested in the fence. A fence isn’t a priority for him at this time, but he will need to be on a tie out to keep him from wandering the neighborhood if you don’t have a fence. Moby also reportedly will lunge and bark at other dogs at times, especially when on a leash or at the dog park. We have not seen this behavior with him at this time, but we will continue to work with him and monitor the situation. He has been around an older (dominant) neutered male German Shepherd and a younger (submissive) female spayed Bernese Mountain Dog and has gotten along great with them. He sniffed the German Shepherd and then did not seem too interested in him. With the Bernese, he did give a loud bark when he first met her, and she immediately rolled over submissively. After that, they played and had a great time. We have been taking walks each evening, which Moby loves. I had hoped we would get to see more dogs on our walks so we could work on how he reacted, but it looks like very few people want to walk their dogs at night in the cold.
Moby is used to being around children, and is great with my 7 year old daughter. Little kids will probably get knocked down by him, only because he’s such a big dog. He has never jumped up on us. He gets along great with my two cats. Moby is housetrained and has not had any accidents. We crated him for the first few days, but now he has graduated to being shut in my bedroom during the day. He’s completely happy as long as he has a few toys and a comfy dog bed. He has fit into our home and schedule very well. Moby knows sit, down (lay down), stay, leave it, and come. We are working on a few new commands and tricks. He is very smart and is treat motivated, which makes training a lot easier!
I will have another update after our vet appointment next week!
| Golden Retriever | Born: May 2003 |
| Male | 100 lbs |
Status: Adopted
Merry Christmas, Moby! With love from Andrea
Happy Holidays from anonymous
In memory of Murph, Bert, and Hank
Moby has been with us since Sunday (12/4/11.) He was surrendered by a loving family who could no longer control him due to his size and strength. Moby is one BIG boy! He weighs in at a whopping 109 pounds. He isn’t terribly overweight, but will need to lose around 10 pounds or so. He is around 8 years old. He has the sweet white face of an older Golden, but he is young at heart and still enjoys running around, playing fetch, and living life to the fullest! He is such a sweetheart and an absolute joy to foster! Moby is our first senior foster, and we have quickly fallen in love with how wonderful he is!
We weren’t able to get an appointment at the vet until next Tuesday, so Moby will go then to get utd on vaccines, have a fecal test, heartworm test, senior bloodwork, and an exam. He is already neutered and micro chipped. At his vet appointment, we will have him scanned so we have the microchip number.
It has been reported that Moby can easily clear a 4 foot fence, so we’ve been keeping him on a tie out in the backyard until we know him better. He’s done great and we haven’t had any issue with him being interested in the fence. A fence isn’t a priority for him at this time, but he will need to be on a tie out to keep him from wandering the neighborhood if you don’t have a fence. Moby also reportedly will lunge and bark at other dogs at times, especially when on a leash or at the dog park. We have not seen this behavior with him at this time, but we will continue to work with him and monitor the situation. He has been around an older (dominant) neutered male German Shepherd and a younger (submissive) female spayed Bernese Mountain Dog and has gotten along great with them. He sniffed the German Shepherd and then did not seem too interested in him. With the Bernese, he did give a loud bark when he first met her, and she immediately rolled over submissively. After that, they played and had a great time. We have been taking walks each evening, which Moby loves. I had hoped we would get to see more dogs on our walks so we could work on how he reacted, but it looks like very few people want to walk their dogs at night in the cold.
Moby is used to being around children, and is great with my 7 year old daughter. Little kids will probably get knocked down by him, only because he’s such a big dog. He has never jumped up on us. He gets along great with my two cats. Moby is housetrained and has not had any accidents. We crated him for the first few days, but now he has graduated to being shut in my bedroom during the day. He’s completely happy as long as he has a few toys and a comfy dog bed. He has fit into our home and schedule very well. Moby knows sit, down (lay down), stay, leave it, and come. We are working on a few new commands and tricks. He is very smart and is treat motivated, which makes training a lot easier!
I will have another update after our vet appointment next week!
Moby has been adopted! It was love at first sight for the K family! Moby now lives in MN with his new mom, dad, 2 legged sister and brother, and Louie, another 8 year old Golden Retriever! Moby’s new mom has sent pictures of the two dogs together and it looks like they are great friends already!
I’ve included a picture of my daughter and Moby, and two pictures that Moby’s new mom sent of Moby with his new brother, Louie.
A typical weekday for Moby:
FM’s alarm goes off at 445, and Moby is quickly on his feet. He then proceeds to nuzzle FM awake. He’s ready for breakfast! After going outside and having breakfast, Moby is quick to return to his dog bed in FM’s room while FM gets ready for work. Before FM leaves, Moby goes outside once more for a few minutes. When he comes in, he immediately runs (after grabbing one of his favorite stuffed toys) to FM’s room to get ready for his morning nap. Moby sleeps most of the day while FM is at work. When FM gets home, Moby is always there to greet her at the door with a stuffed animal in his mouth and his tail going a mile a minute. Moby goes outside, and then he comes back inside for dinner. After dinner, Moby gets his nightly walk (if it’s not raining or snowing… he does NOT like to be outside when it’s raining or snowing!) The rest of the evening is spent playing, snuggling, and napping at FM’s feet.
Moby has learned our routine well and sticks to it! He does let us sleep in on weekends, which is very nice! He loves curling up on one of the many dog beds we have. He even brings a stuffed animal to bed each night!
I was finally able to capture a video of Moby entertaining himself with one of his favorite stuffed toys. He will flip the toy around, grunt, and have a great time! He is such a silly boy!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHQSfMaynYA
We FINALLY got our first snow here in eastern Iowa! (Other than a light dusting that only lasted a few hours.) While my daughter and I were very excited for the snow, Moby was not. I am used to dogs going crazy when it snows and zooming around the yard, but Moby went out, did his business, and then sat by the door and whined to come in. He did enjoy being out for a short time when we were out with him and he had Sadie to play with, but he definitely prefers to be inside where it’s warm. I tried putting a fleece dog coat on him, but it didn’t seem to make much of a difference. I have taken him on two walks since it snowed, and he didn’t enjoy them like he usually does. Moby also didn’t like going out when it rained, so maybe he just likes nice weather! We skipped taking him for a walk today since it was cold AND snowing, and Moby was fine with it. We joked that Moby would say “been there, done that, I’d rather play inside or sleep on my warm bed!”
Moby has been on free roam in our house during the work week and has done great! I do make sure that all of the cat toys are put away, as he has picked a couple up on occasion, but he will immediately drop it when I tell him to. Moby does not counter surf, does not get into the garbage, and everything is always where we left it when we get home. Moby is always at the door to greet us with a stuffed toy in his mouth!
Moby loves to go for car rides, so I take him sometimes when I pick up my daughter from school or if I have a quick errand to do. Moby is able to jump into the back seat of my car without any assistance. I use a safety harness with him, and he is very patient while I put the harness on him and hook it into the car seat belt. Moby rides very well. He will sit on the back seat and look out the window, or he will lay down with his head on my daughter’s booster seat. He does not impede on her space when she is also in the backseat, which is great! We once had a foster who always tried to sit on her lap while I was driving, so she really appreciates sharing the backseat with a foster who doesn’t climb all over her.
This weekend we had some friends over for dinner. Moby acted like a perfect gentleman! He walked around to get love from everyone, but he wasn’t overzealous about it. During dinner, he laid on his dog bed in the living room and kept out of the way without being asked. He was able to keep an eye on us, but was great about not bothering everyone while we ate. Later in the evening, he kept everyone entertained by showing them how he flings his stuffed toys around. By the end of the night, he was sleeping on the floor by my feet, exhausted and ready for bed! All of my guests commented on how wonderful, playful, well trained, and adorable he is!
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I want to thank the person/people who donated the wonderful holiday icon in memory of Murph, Bert, and Hank! Thank you for your generous donation.
Mr. Moby continues to do wonderful in our home. Honestly, it’s like he’s lived here for years instead of 1 month! He knows our routine, loves to curl up at my feet, enjoys playing and getting belly rubs from my daughter, and even gets along with our cats. He is a very easy going dog and he has never given us any trouble or problems.
I brush Moby’s teeth each night. He will sit still and allow me to brush them, and really seems to like the toothpaste (poultry flavored.) His teeth are in really good shape and he loves to chew on the CET veggie dental chews that we get from the vet. I have been cleaning his ears every 10 days or so, and they stay healthy and infection free. Dogs with allergies can be prone to ear infections, so I make sure I check his often. So far I have not noticed any problems.
One of my favorite things about Moby is that he crosses his front legs when he is lying down. It makes him look even more adorable! He has so many cute mannerisms. He LOVES belly rubs. He will squint his eyes when he gets really excited. When I get home from work, he’ll grab a stuffed toy, and then he will come over to me grunting and talking and wanting some love. The only time I’ve heard him bark is when someone is at the door. He’ll bark once or twice, and then be quiet without me having to say anything. Moby respects baby gates, though we are no longer using them since he has earned full roam of our house.
I continue to work with Moby while we are on walks and we see another dog. He knows that I am in charge and that I have treats, so he listens well to me. This week my 7 year old daughter held on to the leash on our walk and Moby listened to her as well as he listens to me. He would absolutely benefit from going to obedience training with his new family. This will help him bond with his new family, solidify his training, and show him his place in the family “pack.” He knows the following verbal commands: come, sit, down, off, out, ok, leave it, stay, wait, roll over, drop it, speak, and quiet. I also do hand signals when I give a verbal command, and Moby is quickly catching on. He will sit, stay, wait, and lay down all with only hand signals! Moby knows that he needs to sit and wait for his food until I say “ok.” He would wait for an hour if I asked him to, but I don’t make him wait that long! He’s a very smart boy and is learning a lot of new things!
We are also working on teaching him “shake,” but he is being very stubborn about it! No amount of treats will make him shake, even though he learned speak and roll over within 15 minutes! We will keep working on it!
We have been spending a lot of time in the backyard lately since the weather has been in the low 50s! Tonight, while playing with his friend, Sadie, Moby decided to roll in the patch of dirt where our swimming pool was this summer. He was so dirty that he looked grey instead of golden! I let him play and roll around for a little while, and then it was back inside for another bath. It took quite a long time to get all of the dirt out of his coat. Drying his coat takes a pretty long time with a standard hair dryer. I think I need to invest in a dog dryer!
Moby is a very content and happy dog. He loves to go for walks, but isn’t obnoxious or too high energy if he doesn’t get a walk or exercise for one day. He really enjoys having lots of toys, and he will even pick out his favorites out of the toy box. Moby will entertain himself with toys, he’ll even push a tennis ball with his nose, and then he’ll get up and go fetch it!
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Thank you to the anonymous donor who gave Moby the Holly icon! We appreciate everyone’s generosity during the holiday season!
Happy New Year! Moby spent New Year’s Eve with us at home, though he did not make it up to midnight! Around 11pm, Moby decided that he was tired and curled up on the dog bed in my bedroom. He has a routine and he was sticking to it, even if it was New Year’s Eve! We try to keep his routine the same each day, even on weekends. He knows we leave in the morning after we let him out for the second time, and he will run into my bedroom so he can sleep on his bed during the day. He also knows that when the leash comes out, it means he’s either going for a walk or a car ride! He loves both!
Moby has been taking Doxycycline to treat the Lymes and Anaplasmosis. I started out putting the pills in pill pockets, but now I just throw them in his bowl with his food and a little water and he gobbles it all up! I am also giving him an over the counter allergy medication twice daily. We have seen improvement, though it’s hard to tell if it’s because of the medication or because he was switched to a grain-free food (Taste of the Wild) when he came to our house. Our vet suggested keeping him on the allergy medication for a few weeks, then taking him off of it to see how he does. We have discontinued the use of the eye drops for Moby and he has done great. The redness around his eyes and the eye discharge has all but disappeared. It is entirely possible that his minor itchiness could disappear with a grain free or limited ingredient diet, meaning he will not need any allergy medication. We have homemade sweet potato treats and store bought limited ingredient grain free treats, so there is no risk of having any treats he may get interfere with the grain free food.
For the last week, Moby has had free roam of the house while we were gone. He has not gotten into anything, including items on the counter or the garbage. He has been left as long as 10 hours while I worked late one day, but is typically left for 8 hours during the work week. He has never tried to get on the furniture (I don’t mind if my fosters get on the couch or chair, but don’t encourage them to do so if they haven’t been allowed to in the past.) We have had to take a few pictures and other things off of our coffee and side table in our living room, because Moby’s tail knocked them over a few times. No big deal, it’s something that we always have to do when we have a bigger foster.
Moby is the quintessential family dog. He is active enough to keep up on walks and on outings, but is able to be mellow and just hang out with the family too. He adores my daughter and gets along great with our cats. He is a big dog, but I would absolutely trust him with younger children/toddlers. We walked to a playground a few days ago for my daughter to play. I had planned on sitting on the bench with Moby while she played, but he wanted no part of that! He climbed right up the stairs to the play equipment, followed my daughter through the tunnel, and even followed her down the slide! He also enjoyed digging in the sand with my daughter, but I had to stop him when he started rolling in the sand!
We are having a great time with this wonderful boy! He has quickly stolen our hearts and we know that he will make an amazing addition to one lucky family.
What a GReat Christmas!! FM always tells us (me, the cats, and the little girl I live with) that we are spoiled, but I never realized it until I got all of my presents! FM gave me tons of new toys. I chewed up 2 within a few minutes, but FM didn’t mind. She says she likes them better now that they don’t squeak! Santa even left me some gifts! I also got a new collar. It is turquoise with sea turtles and FM says it makes me look very handsome! I also got a rawhide roll and a stuffed hedgehog! I love rawhides, and FM says I am very good about not inhaling them too quickly. I can chew on the same one for a week and it will only have an inch or two chewed off.
This past weekend we walked on the nature trails at a local state park. We walked for almost 4 miles, and I didn’t get tired at all. We even jogged for part of it, and I kept up perfectly. I walk very nicely on a leash with a gentle leader. I stay right by FM’s left side and don’t pull on the leash at all. FM says that it’s very enjoyable to walk with me! We met several other dogs on the trail, and I didn’t get worked up with them at all. FM carries treats on walks, and rewards me when I don’t bark or try to lunge at them. I have done that in the past, but have never done it here with FM.
Have I told you how much I love my stuffed animals?! I love to constantly have something in my mouth. When I get excited, I grab a toy; when FM gets home, I grab a toy; when I am on my way outside, I grab a toy; when I get ready for bed, I grab a toy. My stuffed deer head, my penguin, and my hedgehog are my favorites! I will play with my toys alone to entertain myself, but I really like playing with people more. I love to play fetch and am very good at dropping it when I bring the toy back. I do a very good job at only picking up things that are mine. Except I did pick up a new kitty toy that Santa brought, but FM told me to drop it and I did immediately. I am a people pleaser, so I will do whatever FM tells me to do.
FM decided that I needed a bath last night. I don’t love baths, but I’m a good boy for them. I get in and out of the tub by myself, and stand still while FM scrubs and rinses me. I don’t like to get my face wet! I love getting dried with a blow dryer (set on cool so it doesn’t dry my skin out) as long as it means I get a puppy massage at the same time. I have a light golden coat with a mix of silver throughout. FM thinks that I am absolutely gorgeous!
If you are looking for a GReat dog who is housebroken, trained, great with kids and other pets, one who is active, but past the crazy puppy stage, then contact your placement advisor! I love it here at FM’s house, but I would love to find my furever home!
I would like to thank Andrea for the holiday icon and her donation in Moby‘s name! Moby sends puppy kisses her way!
Moby went to the vet and there are many things to report!
First, we’ll start with all of the good news. He is now up to date on vaccines, heartworm negative, and he weighs 105 pounds. I was unable to get a fecal sample in the dark the morning of his appointment, so we will drop one off at the vet for them to check this week. He also had a senior bloodwork screen, and all of the values were within normal limits! His physical exam was good; no signs of arthritis, heart and lungs sounded great, and the vet said his teeth were in excellent condition!
Since we started fostering Moby, he has had clear eye discharge, some irritation around his eyes, red ears, and he licks his feet occasionally. The vet thinks he has some mild allergies, so we are adding an antihistamine to see if that makes a difference. The antihistamine is sold over the counter and would cost around $4-6 per month, depending on if we need to adjust the dosage. We’ve also added an eye drop that we do around 2 times each day to both eyes and it seems to really help with the eye discharge. The drops are just sterile artificial tears, and are available over the counter for about $2-3 per bottle. He may not need these long term, we are just trying them out to see if they make a difference. He doesn’t seem to be itchy, so we think his allergies are very mild. He is currently on Taste of the Wild dog food (bison formula) and the vet does not recommend changing his food at this time.
We also had the vet take a look at a growth on Moby. It is about the size of a pencil eraser and is located on his lower abdomen/groin area. It sometimes bleeds, but Moby doesn’t seem to be bothered by it. The vet was unable to aspirate it, as it started bleeding when he put the needle in it, and it’s hard to get a good needle aspirate of a growth when it bleeds. The vet recommends removing it only if it continues to bleed often or if it grows significantly in size. So, for now, we will keep an eye on it.
Now, the not so good news. The heartworm test that our RAGOM vet uses also tests for 3 tick-borne diseases. Unfortunately, Moby came back positive for 2 of them - Lymes and Anaplasmosis. They are both treated with Doxycycline, so Moby will now be on 5 tablets of Doxycycline twice daily for 30 days. Symptoms for Lymes and Anaplasmosis include lack of energy, high fever, swollen/painful joints, lameness, vomiting, diarrhea, and lack of appetite. Moby is not displaying ANY of these symptoms. We are not anticipating any complications or problems for Moby from the Lymes and Anaplasmosis after he is treated for them.
We have been taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and have been spending as much time outside as we can. Moby loves his daily walks! He also enjoys playing fetch in the yard. We are still using the tie-out when we aren’t outside to watch him constantly (such as when we let him out to go potty) but he has also been off the tie-out when we were out in the yard with him and he was not interested in the fence whatsoever. Moby has fit into our household like he’s lived here for years. He’s adjusted very well to our routine and is such a joy to have around! Moby isn’t glued to me 24/7, but he does enjoy being around us and getting love and attention. When he isn’t sitting near me or curled up at my feet, he’s usually either sleeping on one of the dog beds or raiding the toy box. He ignores our 2 cats (they think that they rule the house) and absolutely adores my 7 year old daughter. What more could you ask for?!
Moby, my family, and myself would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday season! We have a lot to be thankful for this year and are thrilled to spend the holidays with such a wonderful foster!
Moby here! FM has been sick, so I get to do my very own update!
I’m having a lot of fun with my foster family. I am getting along great with everyone here. I occasionally give chase to one of the cats if they run by, but most of the time I ignore them. I’ve also been playing with Sadie, a Bernese Mountain Dog, and haven’t had any issues with her. We love to play in the backyard! FM says I have more energy when we play than Sadie does, and she’s not even a year old yet! FM called me a “senior” a few times, but I don’t think that’s me. I don’t FEEL old! I get around great, can run around without any issues, and I am always ready to play. I’m not active 24/7; I do enjoy curling up on one of the many comfy dog beds or at FM’s feet. I’m perfectly content lounging around the house with some of my favorite toys!
I do great when FM goes to work. I sleep on one of the dog beds, chew on some toys, and then sleep some more. I have not had a single accident in the house, and I never get on the furniture. I don’t counter-surf, however, FM did catch me stealing a few bites of food from a plate that my foster sister left on the coffee table. What can I say, I love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! FM caught me in the act, and gave a stern “no!” I immediately dropped it and put myself in timeout on my dog bed. I was really embarrassed. I know better than to steal food, but it smelled so good!
I love going outside when it’s nice out. FM is still putting me on a tie out, but I don’t mind. I wait patiently by the door for her to snap it on before I go out and unsnap it before I come in. It’s been raining the last few days, and I do not like to go out in the rain. I don’t dig or do anything naughty when I’m in the backyard, but FM doesn’t leave me out long enough to get into trouble. With exception of the last few days, we’ve been going for walks every night. We’ve seen some dogs while out walking, but FM talks to me and distracts me with treats, so I just ignore the other dogs. I LOVE my walks, and am looking for a family who will give me daily walks and plenty of exercise.
I love toys! FM has all sorts of new and exciting toys for me to play with and destroy! Actually, I’ve only destroyed two toys so far, a so called “indestructible” stuffed toy and a rope toy that I chewed up. Whoops! I treat my other stuffed toys very nicely. I love tennis balls, and frequently carry one around. Before I go outside, I quickly grab a stuffed toy to bring outside. FM makes me sit and takes it away from me before I go outside. I don’t know why she won’t let me bring my stuffed white bear outside?!
Since FM (and then FS) were sick, my vet appointment had to be rescheduled. I will be going in soon for everything. I’m a little nervous, but FM said they are wonderful and they will take very good care of me. Plus, she said she’d be there the entire time, so that helps! I trust FM completely and I know she won’t let anything bad happen to me.
If you’re looking for a big, lovable, sweet, playful, adorable (the list goes on and on) dog to adopt, I’m the one! Let your placement advisor know that you are interested in me and they will contact FM!
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