Emmit 07-642

Profile

Sponsored by: Sharon and Todd,
in memory of our wonderful, unforgettable Charlie

I'd like to introduce our newest foster, Emmit!

Emmit is a distinguished 12-13 year old senior with a sparkle in his eye and a nose for peanut butter!
This handsome boy was turned over to RAGOM following a change in his family circumstances. They'd had him from a puppy and sadly had to give him up. Emmit is a little confused about all the changes in his life, but he's doing very well considering. Imagine living your whole life (65 years in people-time) with the same family, and one day, finding yourself in a new home with new people and new fur friends. Yikes!
Emmit is a beautiful dog. He's tall and lean with a thick luxurious tail and the longest furnishings (leg feathers) I've ever seen. His coat is very fine and silky and just begs to have hands run through it. Fortunately, Emmit LOVES pets and grooming and zonked out last night while I was combing him out and giving him a massage. He laid his head down on my leg and was out, snoring and drooling away. Bliss!
Emmit has fallen in love with our senior girl Lizzie, and she seems pretty smitten with him. We have love in the senior center! Shane the diva boy had to throw a little hissy fit, and Emmit took note and is giving him wide berth. Rosie is just happy to have a new friend. The cats gave him one sniff and all is good.
Emmit will be seeing our vet this week. He is very stiff and achy in his hips and his teeth could use a good cleaning. We will be starting him on a joint support supplement and combined with gentle walking and hopefully an anti-inflammatory from the vet, and this old guy will be kicking up his heels in no time.
I will let Emmit write his own Updates after this. I find dogs are much more interesting and funny than I am, and once he's set up with a password and knows how to use the laptop, he'll be keeping everyone up to date.
Please don't let his age deter you from considering him as a new member of your family. We have two senior dogs (12 1/2 and 13 1/2) and the joy they bring to your family cannot be measured in time. Yes, senior dogs will break your heart. But that makes the love and friendship they give you all the more sweet. They know time is precious and they don't waste a second of it.

At a Glance #07-642

Golden Retriever	Born: November 1995
Male	Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

Sponsored by: Sharon and Todd,
in memory of our wonderful, unforgettable Charlie

I'd like to introduce our newest foster, Emmit!

Emmit is a distinguished 12-13 year old senior with a sparkle in his eye and a nose for peanut butter!
This handsome boy was turned over to RAGOM following a change in his family circumstances. They'd had him from a puppy and sadly had to give him up. Emmit is a little confused about all the changes in his life, but he's doing very well considering. Imagine living your whole life (65 years in people-time) with the same family, and one day, finding yourself in a new home with new people and new fur friends. Yikes!
Emmit is a beautiful dog. He's tall and lean with a thick luxurious tail and the longest furnishings (leg feathers) I've ever seen. His coat is very fine and silky and just begs to have hands run through it. Fortunately, Emmit LOVES pets and grooming and zonked out last night while I was combing him out and giving him a massage. He laid his head down on my leg and was out, snoring and drooling away. Bliss!
Emmit has fallen in love with our senior girl Lizzie, and she seems pretty smitten with him. We have love in the senior center! Shane the diva boy had to throw a little hissy fit, and Emmit took note and is giving him wide berth. Rosie is just happy to have a new friend. The cats gave him one sniff and all is good.
Emmit will be seeing our vet this week. He is very stiff and achy in his hips and his teeth could use a good cleaning. We will be starting him on a joint support supplement and combined with gentle walking and hopefully an anti-inflammatory from the vet, and this old guy will be kicking up his heels in no time.
I will let Emmit write his own Updates after this. I find dogs are much more interesting and funny than I am, and once he's set up with a password and knows how to use the laptop, he'll be keeping everyone up to date.
Please don't let his age deter you from considering him as a new member of your family. We have two senior dogs (12 1/2 and 13 1/2) and the joy they bring to your family cannot be measured in time. Yes, senior dogs will break your heart. But that makes the love and friendship they give you all the more sweet. They know time is precious and they don't waste a second of it.

Updates

Monday, March 16, 2009

Howdy! Mister E (Mystery) checking in. I had such a great time Saturday at Leashes and Leads. I am sending a picture of Bennie, my new best old man friend and me, doing what we both do best – sleep! He sure is a nice old guy, and it was really fun to commiserate with someone of my distinct age and demeanor. Thanks to everyone who came out to visit.

Annie went with us. She and I both had fluff and buffs while there. The groomer thought it was pretty funny that I fell asleep during the comb out. I just have to ponder…what was she expecting anyway? My dancin’ days are long over with! That’s why I take Whirley Girl along. She makes up for both of us. Annie (07-135) is a pretty girl, and really has come a long way now that her Bismarck puppy mill days are behind her.

Has spring really sprung? Zak and Kip are sniffing all over the yard, and it looks like most of our snow is on it’s way out of here. Did I mention that I really hate snow? I do! I also hate getting my paws wet, so the mud season really isn’t for me either. This time of year brings back memories of my youthful days, which I re-live through the other three fur butts in my house. My job now is to lay in the sun and enjoy watching them act like they know what they are doing. Hahaha. What’s that saying about you can’t teach an old dog new tricks – what a joke! A mature, distinguished man of mystery (that would be me, Mr. E!!) could teach them lots of tricks!!

Here are some pictures of Bennie and me, another one of Annie and me, Annie and Big Zak, and Fraggelrock - that would be Kip, the terrier. Life is good in Emmit's Paradise!

Big Dog Smoochies
Emmit and The Gang

Monday, February 16, 2009

Just want to check in with all my friends, and tell you how nice it was meeting you at the PetSmart event on Valentine's Day. It wore me out, as you can tell from the photo I am sending.

Time to get back to doing what I do best - sleep!

Big Dog Smoochies

Emmit

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

It's me, Em! Remember me? Big guy, blonde, gorgeous, and a talent for napping? Yeah! ME! I'm still here!!! Still livin' the life in Emmit's Paradise, where I can snuggle in my big, comfy blanket that I kinda stole from Annie (07-135) and do what I do best, nap and snore. Here's a scoop for all of my fan club members - this Saturday, February 14th, Teri says I can go to the RAGOM event at Petco, the one at the Shoppes on Maine in Rochester. Come on over, so I can wish you a happy Valentine's Day. I promise I will be handing out special puppy kisses!

Winter finds me keeping close company with Fragglerock. I mean, Kip. Us two grandpa guys have a great buddy system going, and keep a close eye on one another. Now that Ground Hog Day is behind us, and I know we have another 6 weeks of winter to brave, I'm seriously staying inside and sleeping until Spring springs! What else can a guy do?!?

The new medications my vet put me on a few months ago are working fine. With this cold weather, some days I wake up pretty stiff. But once I am up and about I can do lots of laps around the dining room to get me warmed up to head out to the great beyond. That darn willow tree is a magnet! Let me tell ya, I keep ending up down there one way or the other, and some days make it back in the house on my own, then other days Bob & Teri have to come boost me up. Kip barks his head off to alert every one - "Big dog stuck under the willow tree"!!. He makes enough noise to alert the whole darn neighborhood, and even those who thought I was deaf know I can hear some stuff - which doesn't make me happy, because I love it when people feel sorry for me! I am sure my fosters, Kathy and Scott can hear Kip sometimes way down the road at their house. I think Kip just wants Kathy to know he's good for something….

Anyhoo, it's time for me to call it a night. Have to get my beauty sleep so I am lookin' good for you all this Saturday!

Big Dog Smooches,

Emmit

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Hi Everyone!

It's me, Em! Remember me? Big guy, blonde, gorgeous, and a talent for napping? Yeah! ME! I'm still here!!! And boy, have I got news for you!

I suppose you're all wondering why my status has changed from "Available" to "Hospice". No, I haven't been diagnosed with a horrible illness and I actually feel pretty darn good. So you can breathe a sigh of relief, and know that I fully intend to keep on keepin' on for a long time. I promise.

But here's the deal. I am almost 14 years old. I have found it harder and harder to ambulate and get around. I have some days where it's really hard for me to get up and get moving. I've been on Previcox and my dosage went up and today I went in to the vet and my bloodwork came back and it looks like that medicine might be a little too hard on my kidneys. So my vet decided to transition me to Rimadyl, which is a different pain medication that is metabolized in the liver instead. My liver levels were all normal, so I should be ok on that. My ears, nose, toes, eyes, butt and teeth all looked fine. But I still can't walk or stand very well. My vet thinks I have arthritis in my spine which is affecting my leg muscles. He manipulated my legs and they are pretty flexible but I just don't have muscle tone. He recommended short walks (which I get now, five houses up, five houses back. Six houses? I don't move the rest of the day.) and minimal stairs.

My foster mom has had me staying at Annie's house. Teri, Annie's mom, has been kind enough to let me stay there because 1) There's no Shane and 2) There's only a few steps for me. I have been thriving here because 1) There's no Shane and 2) I can sleep in their lower level and spend most of my time without climbing stairs. Mostly, there's no Shane! hahahaha. I do get to putter around the yard with Annie, Kip and Zack and they are all nice to me and don't knock me over.

So back to my original story. (Sorry, I'm old. I tend to wander in my stories.) My fostermom and Teri talked and they felt I was happiest at Teri's house and wouldn't really benefit by being adopted. Teri wanted to adopt me as her forever dog, but with three dogs already, her family was concerned about added expenses that an old dude like me might incur. So, RAGOM has generously agreed to let me live out my time at Teri's and they will assist her in any vet bills I may incur. I have promised everyone that I will stay as healthy as possible and not become a burden. But I have to tell you, I am so relieved to know I am finally home. I know I'm going to sleep better tonight than I have in nearly a year knowing I can finally give my entire heart to a family and know they will love me right back, only more. I know my fostermom loves me, but she's got steps and Shane and knows that Teri's is a better place for me. She's crying as I type this, but it's ok. She and Teri only live one and half blocks away and I know we'll see each other often. And what's better, I know I will have many loved ones by my side when my time comes to take that last walk over the Bridge. But I promise I don't plan on going that way soon!

From now on, I will update my blog "dispatches" from my new house at Teri's. I'm even more lucky since her computer is right next to an air conditioning vent that I always lay on, so I won't have to go far from my favorite spot to update. Teri promised to take nice pictures of me and keep everyone updated on how I'm doing.

Thanks to everyone for keeping me in your thoughts and checking in on me. I'm a good boy. My fostermom (who I think I'm going to start calling Kathy and Teri is my new Mom. Boy that feels good. *sniff* I think I'm going to start with the waterworks now too.) took some pictures of me, Annie, Kip and Zack the other day so she's going to post them. Don't I look handsome?

Take care everyone. Life is good.
Love, Emmit
PS...Puppy Smooches!

So a Horse Walks in a Bar and the Bartender Says... Why the long face hahahahaha	The Famous Emmit Smile
I Like To Lounge in Slippers	Mr. Fuzzbutt

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Hi Everybody!

Betcha thought I decided to hibernate the rest of winter, huh? Nahhh.....I've just been busy!

So, can we all uncross our paws and say Spring has Sprung? I've been trying to shoo winter out with the dust bunnies. It seems to have worked!

I got to spend a week with Annie, Kip and Zack. They were very nice to me and I enjoyed my vacation. Annie's mom Teri said I fell asleep standing up outside and tipped right over and never woke up. I meant to do that. But at least that proves what a champion sleeper I am! The breeze was blowing in my face and I was just meditating. I ended up in a yoga pose called "Snoozing Woofie." You should try it. It's very relaxing.

My health is good (knocking on wood, which happens to be Shane's head) and I feel pretty frisky now that it's warmer. I was in the backyard helping my foster mom with some gardening and I even bounced after a toy she threw for me. I did that a few times then decided it was nap time. I've been getting along really well with Shane and Rosie but when they start playing I head in the other direction. I learned my lesson and stay the heck away from Shane when he gets in one of his rambunctious moods. He's been nice to me, he even licked my face a few times and wagged his tail at me. I'd rather not push my luck with him though. My foster mom gives us these really nummy treats called raw bones. She keeps them in the freezer and when we are outside for a while, she puts me on the deck with mine and Shane and Rosie gnaw on theirs in the back yard. Oh those are good and my teeth are pretty sparkly now.

Have I told you that I still haven't barked? Nope. I haven't said one word since I've arrived. I'm the magical silent dog. I make up for it though, I snore worse than my foster dad. I do make a funny groaning half-purring sound when I get my ears rubbed. I like that a lot.

My hips are really achy and stiff and some days I can't do stairs, but my foster mom gives me a pill in peanut butter to help and I take gentle walks to keep moving. She also helps me up and down stairs or my foster dad will pick me up and carry me. I like that, it feels like a big hug.

I've been waiting for a long time for someone to adopt me. My foster mom and dad talk about adopting me, but they wait, hoping someone will come along and make me their very own. I am pretty old and know this could be my last spring and summer, and I'm ok with that. Life is good now and I know I'm loved. But if someone out there wants to share the sunset days with me, I'd be most grateful and I promise I'd love you with everything my big heart has to give. And if that's too scary to love me and lose me too soon, that's ok too. I understand. I am very grateful for my sponsers, Sharon and Todd. You are good people and it makes me happy to know someone out there is thinking of me and helping me live a full and long life. Your Charlie was a very lucky boy.

Well, it's nappy time and my fluffy dog bed has my name on it. Time to go dream of slow bunnies and big fat bones and three legged squirrels!

Love, Em

I'm so handsome!

The sun on my face feels so good.

Saturday, April 5, 2008

Hi Everyone!

I thought I'd update before another month goes by! My fostermom looked at my blog here and noticed that almost all the pictures I've sent in are of me sleeping. She thinks that even though I'm a cute sleeper, I should share a few other pictures so you don't all just think I'm a big hairy rug.

Spring has sprung around here. It's about darn time!! I have gotten very frisky and bouncy and love the fact that I don't freeze my kaboose when I go outside. I get to walk every night and that's fun too. I also love rolling in rabbit poop, which my fostermom thinks is a little yucky, but she's more grossed out by Rosie, my fostersister who eats rabbit poop. It's got too much fiber in it for my taste.

I like to play catch the toy. My fostermom dangles it in front of me and I try to jump up to catch it. When I first came here, I'd try that and fall down. I didn't have very good coordination or leg strength to do that. But as you can see by the thrilling action shots, I can get up enough bounce to make my ears fly! Whooooo! My fosterdad tries to take the toy away from me and we start playing keep away. I learned that game from Lizzie and it makes my family laugh. I stand over the toy and the very second they try and take it, I snatch it away and trot on down the hall...laughing all the way.

I am also very helpful in the kitchen. I love to stand right in the very middle watching all the action. I'm also a master dishwasher packer. I'm so helpful my fostermom tells me to go lay down. But no! I stay and help! I also love watching food cook. And I'm especially useful when fostermom is putting groceries away. I like to stand in front of the fridge and direct where everything goes. She is always telling me to go lay down. She apparently doesn't want me to exert myself.

Well, I have to go do some sniffing around. I think I smell toast. Enjoy my new action shots. I threw in one shot of me sleeping wrapped in curtains. Rosie and Shane were playing roughhouse and I didn't want to hear them.

I hope you are enjoying Spring!

SmoochesEmmit

Action Shot! Emmit catches the toy!	Do re me fa so la ti dooooo
Emmit likes to sleep behind the curtains.	HA HA HA HA HA this is FUN!!
I can haz cheesburger!	My toy! I got it! MINE!
My new toy	Call a chiropractor!

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Holy Cow.

I have sponsors! I feel so warm and fuzzy and special! Thank you, thank you, thank you to Sharon and Todd. I am sorry you lost your best bud Charlie. I promise that when my time comes to go to the Bridge (years from now, of course!) I will give him a very big kiss and tail wag for you. You are what we call "Good People."

Now I suppose you all want to know what I've been up to. (Yeah, I noticed I haven't updated in a month. oops. sorry)

I went on Spring Break! Yessiree! I got to go on a road trip! It was a lot of fun, and I got to have Foster Mom and Dad and FM's Mom and Dad all to myself! I didn't have to share them with the other dogs, cats or fish! Whoooohooo! I got the entire back of the big car, with my dog bed, toys and treats! I thought we were going some place warm and sunny, but instead we went to Milwaukee in the middle of a very bad snowstorm. Foster Mom was pretty excited about having to take an hour to go the last twenty miles. Seemed like a good pace to me!

Instead of white powder sugar SAND, I got stuck in white powder sugar SNOW. (Foster Mom is right, my hearing is shot!) I really did get stuck. The snow was so deep and sticky, my Foster Dad had to dig me out with a shovel. It was pretty funny, but my boy-bits were getting kind of cold.

I am going to post a bunch of pictures of my trip. I offered to pay for gas, but when I heard it was 329 Kibbles per gallon, I decided that was too expensive for me.

Otherwise, not much is new. I am now fat and sassy. I spend my days snoozing and my evenings prancing around. I avoid Shane and Rosie and that's just fine by all of us. I have the girls to play with, Sugar and Lucy are very nice to me and share the dog bed with me at night. My health has been good, I eat like a trooper and love going on leisurely walks. I am very dignified, until I slip on ice and then I do a triple axle with a half gaynor and act like I meant to do that.

Anyhow, I have to go get my vacation pictures uploaded. My Foster Mom's Mom said I came to Milwaukee in a very important storm. It set a record and that it's now the 2nd snowiest winter on record. I'd hate to see the first.

Smooches to all of you, but most special puppy kisses to Sharon and Todd.

329 kibbles a gallon	Spring break they said. Haha.
Sun's so bright, I gotta wear shades	I thought they said white powder sugar BEACH
Being cute is really tiring work	I'm smiling but my butt's stuck
I have really cute toes	Chillin'

Sunday, February 24, 2008

Hi Everyone!

Wow, I am really sorry it's been a month since I last updated! Time flies when you're having fun! Well, actually, time flies when you're snoozing this long cold winter away. (Isn't spring supposed to be soon? I don't know about all of you, but I am really tired of my favorite pee spots freezing over...)

I don't have a whole lot new to report. I did have to go back to the vet this past week. No, no recent scuffles with Shane, but rather, I had a sore spot under my collar that had gotten infected. The vet and my fostermom think that in one scuffle, I must have gotten bit, but it never bled or looked like a bite, but it all got infected under the skin. My fostermom was petting me on Tuesday and noticed a really bad smell coming off of me and in seconds, I had this really nasty wet sticky stuff all over my collar and neck. That's when she called the vet. I went in, they shaved my neck and discovered I had a pus pocket that opened up. It's healing up nicely, but my fostermom has to give me big antibiotic pills, skin spray and has to do warm wet compresses twice a day to help the infection go away. Only my dignity hurts, since I'm shaved. I look kind of silly.

Speaking of Shane, he and I have come to a truce. I avoid him and he avoids me. My fostermom figured out that the biggest problem between us is that I'm deaf and can't hear Shane when he's telling me to back away. Yep, you read that right, I'm deaf. I also don't make any noise, I don't bark, whine, talk, nothing. I do groan a little when I get petted "just right" and I snore, but other than that, nothing. So my fostermom makes sure that Shane and I are not put in a situation where I might misunderstand him. He's come up to me a few times and offered me a toy, and happily wagged his tail and one day he even gave me a kiss on the cheek, but I find it easier to just ignore him.

I am a really happy mellow old dude. I am welll loved by the neighbors and everyone at the vet clinic. My fostermom hasn't taken me anywere else since it hurts me to get in and out of the car, she has to strap me in so I don't slide around! Hopefully when the weather warms up and I can shake off the winter stiffness, I can come visit at different RAGOM events. I follow my fostermom and dad around like a furry shadow. I love getting pets and especially love massages. My tail never stops and you know I'm a happy boy in spite of some of my aches.

I am happy to report that I weigh 60 pounds now. I eat puppy food with a little extra chicken added. I love it and my coat is luxurious and soft and my skin is nice and soft and I have more strength now to get up and walk around. I don't think my fostermom really described just how skinny and weak I was when they first got me. But now, I'm really healthy and a good weight.

I am going to attach some new pictures. One of my best friends here is Sugar kitty. She has really long hair just like me and she loves to sleep with me on my dog bed. I like her. I also love to roll in the snow, and one morning I'd just rolled and my fosterdad took my picture. He said I looked like Sasquatch. I don't know who that is, but I like that name! Sasquatch!!!

I know that a lot of you are looking to adopt a younger dog, but RAGOM has a lot of older dignified seniors available. Why not consider adopting a mature golden? My fostermom said we are the best. We are silly, gentle, stubborn (that's a good thing, right?) and can be as goofy as a puppy but we don't tear the house apart and make you lose sleep like a youngster. Consider adopting an older dog...Please?

Emmit and Sugar napping	Emmit and Shane getting along
Emmit snoozing with Sugar...	Emmit's snow angels
Hi there handsome!	Emmit Sasquatch

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Hi Everyone!

My fostermom taught me how to email photos to RAGOM so you can see some new ones of me!

Love and puppy kisses!
Em

I see treats	Sister Emmit Francis
Dreaming of seventy degree days and green grass	Listening to Baby Jesus
I love teenager feet

Sunday, December 2, 2007

Hi Everyone!
Emmit here. Thought I'd drop in for an update! I have to pick some ice out of my toes cuz I'm getting the laptop wet. Just a sec.
Ok, better. We got snow and ice here in Rochester yesterday and I love to be out in this! Except I give my fostermom heart-attacks because I gingerly walk on top of the crusty snow and then crack! It breaks and I fall through and act like I have trouble getting up. What she doesn't know is that I like the cold icy snow on my belly and boy bits. I just wait for her to come fish me out and then start all over again!
It's been kind of a sad week at our house. My big foster sister Lizzie has gotten really sick. I heard my foster mom and dad saying something about her going on a trip to the Rainbow Bridge. I think it sounds like a great trip, I'd love to go with her. We'd get to run and play and be puppies again and see our old friends, but mom said I'm not ready to go on that vacation yet. So in the meantime, I've been hanging out with Lizzie, keeping her company as she gets ready for that trip. Good time to go since it's cold and snowy here. Please keep your paws crossed for her. She's been a very nice big foster sis to me and I don't want her to worry about her trip.
I discovered toys this week. I love waving them around and shaking them and tossing them up and catching them! So fun! I'm also learning that people fingers hurt when you nip them in the quest to get the toy. Oops. Sorry. I was just excited. Id idn't know your hand was there! I will try to watch myself. You know I'm just a big marshmallow.
My foster mom thinks I'm looking and acting a lot better since I'm eating good dog food and taking previcox. I have a lot of energy and like to prance now. I'm not even so skinny! I like my foster mom and gave her a big puppy kiss the other morning. She liked that.
Well, I have to go now. I am going to go lay by Lizzieboo for a while and take a nap with her. I hear her snoring and it sounds like a good idea.
Take care!Love, Emmit

Emmit and Lizzie	Emmit, Lizzie and Shane

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Hi Everyone!
My foster mom finally showed me how to use the laptop, got me a password and here I am!
I've been here a week now, and it's been a week of big changes! I went to the vet and I weigh 51.2 pounds. I am really skinny but the vet thought it might be a good idea for my weight to stay down as my hips and shoulders have arthritis and poor muscle tone and extra weight would make me hurt. So I am now on Previcox once a day and a super high quality dog food with nutritious nibbles in between. I didn't realize I hit the foster jackpot, my foster Mom owns a dog biscuit bakery. Wowza!
I also got an extreme makeover. I got a bubble bath, blow dry, comb-out and my toenails trimmed. The pretty groomer lady said I was a very sweet old gentleman. I loved the attention and rested my big head on her shoulder or her leg for most of the beauty session. I felt really good afterwards!
I found out that turkey is really good and Lizzie showed me how to lay right in front of the oven to make sure it didn't escape. It worked!
The other dogs here have been pretty nice to me, but Shane is a big baby who has to grumble and growl at me. I ignore him. I like the cats, they are nice and like to sniff me. Lizzie thinks I'm nice and handsome, but wishes I didn't snore so loud.
I got to go with Lizzie to visit Annie. She was the last foster dog here, and she came from a very nasty place called a puppy mill. She lives two blocks away with her dog brothers Alex and Kip..so we took a walk to their house for a visit. My foster mom and Annie's mom remarked about how nice I was and how much my tail wagged. Annie liked me a lot. She was pretty wiggly and even gave me a quick kiss on my cheek. I hope no one saw me blushing.
I have to go see what's happening outside. The other dogs are acting all excited, I think I heard them discussing squirrels. I'll update more later when I have time at the computer.
I really hope you are reading this thinking of how much you really need a nice old gentleman at your house. I am about 12 years old, but I'm in good health. I just ask that you take things at a slower pace so my old legs can keep up.
I hope you like my before and after pictures!