Bear (Jerry 08-175)

back to Adopted Dogs

Profile

Greetings gorgeous humans! My name is Jerry and I’m a 70#, two year old, pure bred, male Golden Retriever. My brother and I were raised on a large farm, running free all day and kenneled outside at night. We were pups that were left over from two separate litters and finally had to be surrendered as there were just too many four footed furries on the farm. I don’t think my Mom wanted to give me up – she wasn’t there when our RAGOM friends showed up.

Wow! Was that scary. We were put in the basement early that morning so we didn’t find the nearest mud puddle to roll in and were completely unused to being inside. Then our RAGOM transporters showed up and put these nylon necklaces on and snapped on a long leash. We didn’t know what to do! Now, I’ll be honest…traveling in that moving box – not my stomach’s favorite thing. But my foster Mom promises it will get better and my four footed foster brother seems to think sticking his nose up to that open window thingy is the next best thing to…bacon. We’ll see.

My foster Mom calls me super dog. She seems amazed that I have adapted so well to a completely new environment, but really – I’m a very smart dog. I confess that walking through the door of her house in New Brighton, MN – in the middle of a neighborhood full of other houses, and tons of cars and people and dogs and noises – was daunting at first. Even now, I glance up a little warily at door frames – they seem to loom over me. But boy, talk about a happy dog!

I’m house trained now – that took about two minutes. My four footed foster brother showed me right away what to do so…how hard was that?

I’m pretty quiet, especially compared to the crazy Lakota, who bounces around like an acrobat all day long…and what’s up with those fluffy fake animals that he chases and tosses around all day? Some of them even squeak, which is just plain weird! Personally, I’m much happier sitting at Mom’s feet or snuggled up in her lap or just sprawled somewhere near her or her friends. I love humans! Alright, perhaps I glance a little enviously at those fluffy toys…maybe, just maybe, when nobody is really looking I toss one up in the air once in awhile, but if you glance at me I’ll set it down guiltily and look sheepish.

I’m great with other dogs, neither aggressive nor particularly submissive…just laid back and easy to get along with. I like kids too! I met a couple of young ladies at the vets on my second day here and within moments my tail was thumping gently against the floor and my head was pressed into their hands. Oh yeah, I passed my tests with flying colors except maybe a small eye issue and of course dirty ears. But I never flinched once even when they…well, you know. Even the vet person seemed to find that extraordinary.

We went for our first walk today. My four footed foster brother is either absolutely fearless…or just foolish. I’m not particularly timid, but I do keep my eyes open and when I see something I’m uncertain of, I stop, and watch. Of course, I stop right in front of my human, to make sure we’re both safe, while evaluating the situation. I have one enormous bugling bark to warn my foster Mom if something seems weird. Like, today, this HUGE yellow box on wheels with squealing sounds and flashing lights that stopped on the corner. I let out one bugle and sat my butt down on her feet, watching warily. Suddenly something swung outward…I don’t know exactly what because I scrambled quickly behind my foster Mom’s legs and kind of peered out from between them. Can you believe, all these fun looking kids came out of that horrible contraption! A couple even came over and petted me and my foster brother, how cool!

So what else? Oh, you know that commercial with the crazy dog that runs around the house screaming about bacon? Whatever. I’m not big on treats, dried or fresh. I like my dried kibble but if you put it in a bowl, I eat when I’m hungry…and I’m not a pig.

Let’s see…on the still working on it side, I’m prone to counter surfing – just to see what’s up there keeping the humans so busy and I’m not adverse to picking up anything that looks kind of interesting and carrying it around in my mouth. I’m a retriever, what can I say?

If I had a wish list, it would be to find a home with another dog…or, maybe, even my brother, Ben 08-174? I sure miss him! A child or two wouldn’t hurt either, but definitely a human or ten that are as happy to cuddle as I am.

Jerry
(the Magnificent)

PS: My foster Mom made me put that last part in.

 

At a Glance #08-175

Golden Retriever Born: February 2007
Male 60 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

Greetings gorgeous humans! My name is Jerry and I’m a 70#, two year old, pure bred, male Golden Retriever. My brother and I were raised on a large farm, running free all day and kenneled outside at night. We were pups that were left over from two separate litters and finally had to be surrendered as there were just too many four footed furries on the farm. I don’t think my Mom wanted to give me up – she wasn’t there when our RAGOM friends showed up.

Wow! Was that scary. We were put in the basement early that morning so we didn’t find the nearest mud puddle to roll in and were completely unused to being inside. Then our RAGOM transporters showed up and put these nylon necklaces on and snapped on a long leash. We didn’t know what to do! Now, I’ll be honest…traveling in that moving box – not my stomach’s favorite thing. But my foster Mom promises it will get better and my four footed foster brother seems to think sticking his nose up to that open window thingy is the next best thing to…bacon. We’ll see.

My foster Mom calls me super dog. She seems amazed that I have adapted so well to a completely new environment, but really – I’m a very smart dog. I confess that walking through the door of her house in New Brighton, MN – in the middle of a neighborhood full of other houses, and tons of cars and people and dogs and noises – was daunting at first. Even now, I glance up a little warily at door frames – they seem to loom over me. But boy, talk about a happy dog!

I’m house trained now – that took about two minutes. My four footed foster brother showed me right away what to do so…how hard was that?

I’m pretty quiet, especially compared to the crazy Lakota, who bounces around like an acrobat all day long…and what’s up with those fluffy fake animals that he chases and tosses around all day? Some of them even squeak, which is just plain weird! Personally, I’m much happier sitting at Mom’s feet or snuggled up in her lap or just sprawled somewhere near her or her friends. I love humans! Alright, perhaps I glance a little enviously at those fluffy toys…maybe, just maybe, when nobody is really looking I toss one up in the air once in awhile, but if you glance at me I’ll set it down guiltily and look sheepish.

I’m great with other dogs, neither aggressive nor particularly submissive…just laid back and easy to get along with. I like kids too! I met a couple of young ladies at the vets on my second day here and within moments my tail was thumping gently against the floor and my head was pressed into their hands. Oh yeah, I passed my tests with flying colors except maybe a small eye issue and of course dirty ears. But I never flinched once even when they…well, you know. Even the vet person seemed to find that extraordinary.

We went for our first walk today. My four footed foster brother is either absolutely fearless…or just foolish. I’m not particularly timid, but I do keep my eyes open and when I see something I’m uncertain of, I stop, and watch. Of course, I stop right in front of my human, to make sure we’re both safe, while evaluating the situation. I have one enormous bugling bark to warn my foster Mom if something seems weird. Like, today, this HUGE yellow box on wheels with squealing sounds and flashing lights that stopped on the corner. I let out one bugle and sat my butt down on her feet, watching warily. Suddenly something swung outward…I don’t know exactly what because I scrambled quickly behind my foster Mom’s legs and kind of peered out from between them. Can you believe, all these fun looking kids came out of that horrible contraption! A couple even came over and petted me and my foster brother, how cool!

So what else? Oh, you know that commercial with the crazy dog that runs around the house screaming about bacon? Whatever. I’m not big on treats, dried or fresh. I like my dried kibble but if you put it in a bowl, I eat when I’m hungry…and I’m not a pig.

Let’s see…on the still working on it side, I’m prone to counter surfing – just to see what’s up there keeping the humans so busy and I’m not adverse to picking up anything that looks kind of interesting and carrying it around in my mouth. I’m a retriever, what can I say?

If I had a wish list, it would be to find a home with another dog…or, maybe, even my brother, Ben 08-174? I sure miss him! A child or two wouldn’t hurt either, but definitely a human or ten that are as happy to cuddle as I am.

Jerry
(the Magnificent)

PS: My foster Mom made me put that last part in.

 

Updates

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Hello again *happy waggy tail with a bright gleam in my eyes*. Jerry the Magnificent here. Life is sooooo good! My ears are clearing up nicely, I haven't had any accidents and am VERY proud of myself and I've learned to "lay down". "Stay" baffles me...why would I want to sit in one place when I can be next to foster Mom or her friends? Silly humans.

Foster Mom left me at home by myself with free roam for thirty minutes on Sunday. You should have seen her when she got back. I suspect she started envisioning all the stuff I could have gotten into while she was gone...she looked a little frantic. Me, I was snoozing on her bed, all four paws in the air. I, of course, didn't do one naughty thing. Free roam is fun but I think it would be better with my foster brother. Unfortunately, he really likes to ride in that box on wheels and me...not so much.

I'm getting more and more comfortable in my new indoor environment. I actually venture around a bit now, even on different levels from the one where foster Mom is. And I like to follow her friends...well, at least some of them. I don't like construction noise. Some guy took a steel thing with teeth to a wall in the house and made a horrendous noise but I protected foster Mom and my brother. I stood back about four feet and growled ferociously, prancing from side to side. Somehow, it didn't seem so ferocious to the man making all the noise. Finally, my curiosity got the better of me and I spent the next thirty minutes sidling closer and keeping a really curious eye on the whole process. It's my job to make sure all is well, you know.

Something really special happened on Sunday. My foster brother and I were out playing in the yard - we played pretty hard, running in circles - and then collapsed on the second story deck, panting happily in the sunshine. Some people arrived. My foster brother was sure they were there to play with him - that's pretty much usually the case, at least, until the people understand what a clown and a cuddler I am.

BUT..these people came to see ME!! All the attention made me a little shy. They seemed like really nice people - the man even got on the floor with me to play. I came over warily and sniffed, and came in for a pet or two but...I'm just not used to so much focus. I kind of retreated to foster Mom's side in confusion. But then, I found the man's shoes and brought them, one by one, into the family room and played with them. I stuck my entire snout into one of them which sent foster Mom running for the camera. Of course, I had to follow and forgot about the shoes. But I really liked it that the man came down to my level to play with me...it was fun and made me feel more confident. They didn't stay very long but I enjoyed the visit.

So..beyond some sunbathing and a new command and some really interesting people it was a fairly quiet weekend. I'm still hoping some wonderful family out there will bring me back together with my brother Ben ...sooooo...if you're reading this, wonderful family, please respond!

Jerry the Magnificent

 

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Hello again glorious Humans! Jerry the Magnificent here – my foster Mom was sooo right, I AM magnificent! This living inside concept – it’s for the dogs! Especially this one. If I had any complaint, and I don’t, it’s that my fur, which my foster Mom says is especially thick and luxuriously rich and shiny *preening a bit*, is just tooo much, I’m often too warm.

I’m learning that the indoors and the outdoors have a lot of similarities. Outdoors, water comes in the form of puddles, ponds, lakes and rivers – oh and here, it comes out of this snake-like thing in streams. Wow, is THAT fun! My foster brother runs around in circles for that – but then, he’s a little goofy anyway. I like to stand and just lap at the water. Getting sprayed is alright, too. Inside, however, water comes from all sorts of places. Bowls of all sorts – some on the floor, some up higher with shiny attachments. And then there’s THE ROOM . Every morning my foster Mom gets up and goes into THE ROOM , and does something with those shiny things and water comes pouring out like rain…it is sooooo amazing! Sometimes, when I’m panting especially hard, she’ll turn on the water THE ROOM and let me go inside. I’m still hanging onto the shreds of my dignity – I go in like I don’t care, but the minute the door is closed I wiggle and prance like a young puppy. I love THAT ROOM!

I’ve had a couple of “accidents”, since that terrible day at the vet when they..well…took parts of me. I feel really sheepish when it happens but sometimes she’s just sooo preoccupied. My foster Mom’s been patient…each time she’s caught me just a bit too late and put me outside to finish, which I do, and then she praises me lavishly…maybe I’ll try barking at the door next time?

I’m allowed to run about the house when my foster Mom’s home. I like that – there are always so many interesting things to watch….but I don’t like to get far from Humans…I’d prefer to be near and just watch. When she leaves, my foster Mom puts Lakota and me in the laundry room together except for once, yesterday, when she let us roam for about an hour while she was gone. She did this really weird thing when she got home. She went from room to room, looking at the floor. Humans can be odd, can’t they? It must have been a good thing though, because she sat down on the carpet and hugged and praised and petted both me and my foster brother for a long time afterward.

We go on walks together, all three of us, every day. It’s neat! So much to see, sniff and hear…sometimes I find it overwhelming and stay right at FM’s side…but that doesn’t happen for long because my foster brother always has something new to show me.

Still and all, I think I’m happiest curled up next for whatever Human is in the house – they’re all nice and they seem to really like me. Sometimes there are more than two in the house and then it’s the greatest dog game in the world. I’ll look around and pick one to sit by, who will then pet me and play with me while all the others look a little envious. One by one I get around to them all sooner or later. What a life!

Ooohhh…I have a new tricks, too. My foster brother often takes the best places – you know, right at foster Mom’s side? So I’ll climb up at the end of the bed….or sit at her feet if she’s in my favorite chair….and then, when nobody expects it, I leap up barking at a window. Lakota goes bounding off barking and I crawl into the spot I want. I guess I have a little bit of a naughty side, but my foster Mom seems to think it’s funny. My foster brother hasn’t quite caught on yet…thank goodness. But no worries, if and when he does, I’ll find some new trick. I’m very, very smart.

The Magnificent Jerry