Skipper 07-027

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2/20/07: Here’s your first chance to meet “Skipper”, a perky, sweet seven year young female who is going to steal someone’s heart away. She came to us yesterday properly tired from much travel, boarding and vet inspections. Today her tail is constantly wagging, her curiosity has her inspecting every nook and cranny of the house and she frequently comes over to my desk for pats. Resident Golden Sydney and I took Skipper on our regular walk today and she loved it, sniffing everything and trying to lead the whole way. Now she’s had her supper and is snoozing on a dog bed.

Skipper has had a tough life, yet her Golden resiliency and independent spirit have done her proud. She has been living outside with little care or shelter. She has grown a thick winter coat, making her legs look like big tree trunks. She loves being outdoors and especially rolling in the snow. She apparently was hit by a car (for which she showed great respect on our walk today) some years ago. She has some damage to her right hind hip which does not slow her down very much, but might keep her from swimming well. She also has the usual ear yeast infection, which is being treated, but it does make her very sensitive to touches in that area. Skipper’s ear and hip sensitivities are such that she might be best in a forever home without or with only older or absent children.

This dog is ready and needing to love someone. She needs humans who really, deeply care about her, and she will return that love in abundance and then some. She probably hasn’t had folks who understood that her life matters to her just as much as ours do to us. She needs one or two truly special people who will reach out and wrap her up for the rest of her life, the way she is already reaching out and looking. She has been with lots of dogs of all sizes, breeds and ages and has gotten on really well with all of them. She and Sydney looked like a pair of trout on their “fan hitch” leash today, doing everything together, side by side.

We’ll have more information and photos in the next few days. Please, if you’re that “right” person, don’t miss meeting and loving Skipper. She needs and deserves you.

Skipper

At a Glance #07-027

Golden Retriever Born: March 2000
Female Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

2/20/07: Here’s your first chance to meet “Skipper”, a perky, sweet seven year young female who is going to steal someone’s heart away. She came to us yesterday properly tired from much travel, boarding and vet inspections. Today her tail is constantly wagging, her curiosity has her inspecting every nook and cranny of the house and she frequently comes over to my desk for pats. Resident Golden Sydney and I took Skipper on our regular walk today and she loved it, sniffing everything and trying to lead the whole way. Now she’s had her supper and is snoozing on a dog bed.

Skipper has had a tough life, yet her Golden resiliency and independent spirit have done her proud. She has been living outside with little care or shelter. She has grown a thick winter coat, making her legs look like big tree trunks. She loves being outdoors and especially rolling in the snow. She apparently was hit by a car (for which she showed great respect on our walk today) some years ago. She has some damage to her right hind hip which does not slow her down very much, but might keep her from swimming well. She also has the usual ear yeast infection, which is being treated, but it does make her very sensitive to touches in that area. Skipper’s ear and hip sensitivities are such that she might be best in a forever home without or with only older or absent children.

This dog is ready and needing to love someone. She needs humans who really, deeply care about her, and she will return that love in abundance and then some. She probably hasn’t had folks who understood that her life matters to her just as much as ours do to us. She needs one or two truly special people who will reach out and wrap her up for the rest of her life, the way she is already reaching out and looking. She has been with lots of dogs of all sizes, breeds and ages and has gotten on really well with all of them. She and Sydney looked like a pair of trout on their “fan hitch” leash today, doing everything together, side by side.

We’ll have more information and photos in the next few days. Please, if you’re that “right” person, don’t miss meeting and loving Skipper. She needs and deserves you.

Skipper

Updates

Tuesday, March 6, 2007

Rest and relaxation are doing their magic for Skipper. She is making huge strides in trusting us and enjoying life. She comes when called to get ear meds, lies down and lets me do it. Yesterday I took her on errands - at first she was leery of going anywhere out of the house. We discussed it for a bit (read patting session) after which she got up, went with me to the car, went right up to the open car door and let me help her in. After a visit in It's A Pet's Life, Skipper walked to the car door and climbed in herself. What a difference!

Surgery on her bum leg is scheduled for this coming Monday (3/12), after which she needs to keep from frolicking for about eight weeks while the new leg supports heal and grow. I'd love to see the right person adopt her by March 20th so I can help babysit the grandchildren far, far away. That person is someone who has the understanding and will take the time to love Skipper back into the world of kindness and caring. She is a truly wonderful dog. Please let "Placement" know if you'd like to meet this remarkable friend - any time after next Wednesday.

Monday, February 26, 2007

I'm pleased for Skipper to report that last night and tonight she let me put the ointment in her ears without fuss and without the muzzle. This is one great dog! And this morning she just plain ran, flat out, into the fenced yard, where she and Sydney (the resident jealousy package) romped and chased and played as friends. It's working!

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Skipper has been with us a week now, getting ever more rested, used to us and our routines and now willing to try new things. This is one great dog! I do realize, however, that I may be making her sound like the perfect animal when in fact she has several "issues" - as do we all. We've had two puppy mill moms as resident dogs, so I am used to certain behaviors and oddities (some of which Skipper has, too) which others might not have seen and I may take for granted.

So let's look at Skipper in another light - as a "fixer-upper". Basically her foundation and structural integrity are fine. She's strong, getting stronger, big-boned, only slightly overweight, resilient and cheerful.

- But, her right rear hip is injured and the leg works, but not as it should. It may need surgery to improve it, but a total fix is probably not possible. She gets around well on all fours, but increased age could make that harder. The hip issue is a work in progress (experts will see the x-rays this week). More as we know more.

- But, her right ear has had a bad yeast infection and has been very painful while filled with what the doctors technically call "gunk". It has been completely flushed, meds introduced, etc. We believe the pain is gone, but Skipper still "anticipates" pain when her collar is grabbed or pulled or when her ears (either one) are threatened. Petting is fine. Inadvertent ear pulling or lifting, however, gets her yelping and pulling away. Behaviorally she does need someone who will be extremely gentle but also very firm so she realizes that we're her friends, but that some treatments are necessary - even from friends (usually a given in Goldens). The vets believe this is more drama than pain, trying to keep people away from her ears. Right now I'm using a small cloth muzzle over her snout to prevent the possibility of nipping or biting when putting the ointment in. Whether she will outlive this behavior or not is uncertain - thus she might be better with adults or much older children where the accidental offending of her ears is less likely.

- But, Skipper has had a really rough life. Her records indicate the possibility that she may have been abandoned, left as a stray in the Dakota winter, or totally ignored, deprived of shelter and human contact. She was for sure an outdoor dog this winter - her coat looks like that of an arctic musk ox. She builds trust VERY slowly and apparently not with everyone. If she thinks you're after her ears or some other threat she will walk or sidle away rather than come. She will not be what we call "towed", but will come gracefully when put on a leash. Right now her fear of cars is such that she has to be lifted aboard. One early report says she does not ride well, but she was fine with me for the 30 miles we traveled together. Who knows?

- But, she pulls on the leash, but not overly hard - we're working on that. She has a moderately strong food drive, and we're working on taking snacks more gently. She likes to sleep near the glass door and front windows - most like the outdoors she's used to? She often crosses her front paws when she does this - even I think that's cute. She is fine with most other dogs, but can tell some to keep their distance as needed. New reports are that she's okay with cats (didn't get her complete file until yesterday).

So - - -what have we got here? A dog that I've come to love to pieces. A dignified, noble, resilient, loyal dog who could be a darned good friend. A dog with some physical limitations. A dog with fear as still her highest awareness, gradually moderating. A dog for whom most of these issues can and will be overcome with the right human in her life.

Maybe she's not really a "fixer-upper" after all. Maybe she's just a classic in need of "restoration". What she needs is a "curator" - someone who can make sure it doesn't get worse and works with her on making all things better. She is, after all, a classic rescued dog. Are you a curator?

Thursday, February 22, 2007

This is Skipper's fourth day with us, and she is really shining. She feels free to snooze anywhere in the house, whether people are there or not (that admirable independent spirit of hers). She loves people and dogs (we don't know her opinion of cats) but does not need to cling and follow. Her favorite spot is the living room floor in the sun (she's no dummy!). Her tail wags furiously (and sometimes around in a circle) when we meet somewhere in the house. She is well potty-trained, and I am just learning that when she stands by the door and points at it, it's time to go out again. Skipper should probably have a home with a fenced yard and a door that opens right onto it.

Skipper LOVES the outdoors. She likes checking out the yard, endlessly rolling in the snow, eating snow-bites, and WALKS. Her right hind leg has been fine so far, going on two 15-minute walks and one longer one without showing any obvious pain or wear. So far she hasn't shown any interest in wrestling with Sydney (the resident Golden) nor in squeaky toys or various chew items. She doesn't like getting into cars (she was hit by one), but once aboard seems to ride well (though her rescuer thought otherwise). She eats readily and has decided that healthy dog biscuits are actually okay (on Monday she wouldn't take one from anybody).

What else? Skipper is reported to dislike crates/kennels. She weighs 61 lbs this week, weighed 65 lbs earlier in the month, and might benefit from losing a tad more - maybe down to about 55 lbs? She is somewhat big-boned and has a stocky build. She does, by the way, have wonderful fluffy feathers on her back end and tail which are temporarily not shown in pictures due to considerable matting being removed when she was bathed. She is letting us put ointment in her ears without any fuss (SO different from Monday!) - the trust level seems to be building. We'll have more pictures tonight when the resident digital expert gets home. I took 'em, but I can't send 'em. More news as it happens!