Caramel (Carmel 05-192)

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Carmel is a sweet, beautiful 8 year-old spayed female Golden Retriever. She is medium gold with a very thick coat. So thick in fact, that is still includes her full winter coat - which I am working on removing. She suffers from severe storm anxiety - this includes fireworks and firecrackers and I assume gun shots. Carmel joined the RAGOM family on July 5, 2005. Her previous owners brought her into a vet clinic and asked that she be euthanized by Animal Control, because her storm anxiety caused her to run away on numerous occasions. The wonderful veterinary clinic and their staff, who Carmel had been turned over to, asked for and received permission to re-home her. They called us for help with finding her the perfect home.

I believe Carmel had spent much of her previous life outside - based on the thickness of her winter coat - so she would have been fully exposed to that which she fears the most. Her foster brother and sister and I have taken a vote and decided that henceforth she will be addressed as Princess Carmel. She will now learn how Golden royalty should be treated.

Carmel is a short, overweight, loving girl who loves to be brushed. Picture a coffee table that almost purrs. She currently weighs in at 70 pounds. I am guessing her ideal weight is closer to 45 pounds. Carmel is the same height as her 50 pound senior foster sister and the same color as her 62 pound 18 month old foster brother - who is 5 inches taller than she is. She will be going to the vet this afternoon.

During the 14 hours she has been with us so far, I have observed her intense love of rawhide chews, her extreme pleasure with being brushed - I have removed a grocery bag full of fur so far - her excitement at meal time (along with her disappointment at the proportion of dry food to raw carrots and green beans she was served. I am sure I heard her mutter something about, "what does she think I am, a rabbit??" I explained the term DIET, but she isn't impressed), her intense discomfort with containment (as is typical of dogs with storm anxiety), and her ingenuity and speed with identifying and opening the dog food bin - she offered to get her own meals from now on - good try, but THAT won't be happening at my house! I have seen no signs of counter surfing or garbage grazing. Carmel also enjoys car rides and is an excellent passenger.

Carmel

At a Glance #05-192

Breed not specified Born: March 1999
Female Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

Carmel is a sweet, beautiful 8 year-old spayed female Golden Retriever. She is medium gold with a very thick coat. So thick in fact, that is still includes her full winter coat - which I am working on removing. She suffers from severe storm anxiety - this includes fireworks and firecrackers and I assume gun shots. Carmel joined the RAGOM family on July 5, 2005. Her previous owners brought her into a vet clinic and asked that she be euthanized by Animal Control, because her storm anxiety caused her to run away on numerous occasions. The wonderful veterinary clinic and their staff, who Carmel had been turned over to, asked for and received permission to re-home her. They called us for help with finding her the perfect home.

I believe Carmel had spent much of her previous life outside - based on the thickness of her winter coat - so she would have been fully exposed to that which she fears the most. Her foster brother and sister and I have taken a vote and decided that henceforth she will be addressed as Princess Carmel. She will now learn how Golden royalty should be treated.

Carmel is a short, overweight, loving girl who loves to be brushed. Picture a coffee table that almost purrs. She currently weighs in at 70 pounds. I am guessing her ideal weight is closer to 45 pounds. Carmel is the same height as her 50 pound senior foster sister and the same color as her 62 pound 18 month old foster brother - who is 5 inches taller than she is. She will be going to the vet this afternoon.

During the 14 hours she has been with us so far, I have observed her intense love of rawhide chews, her extreme pleasure with being brushed - I have removed a grocery bag full of fur so far - her excitement at meal time (along with her disappointment at the proportion of dry food to raw carrots and green beans she was served. I am sure I heard her mutter something about, "what does she think I am, a rabbit??" I explained the term DIET, but she isn't impressed), her intense discomfort with containment (as is typical of dogs with storm anxiety), and her ingenuity and speed with identifying and opening the dog food bin - she offered to get her own meals from now on - good try, but THAT won't be happening at my house! I have seen no signs of counter surfing or garbage grazing. Carmel also enjoys car rides and is an excellent passenger.

Carmel

Updates

Monday, June 26, 2006

It's been awhile but I thought I'd forward some cute pictures of Faith and Caramel. As you can see, they are great friends.

Caramel has been a great dog. She is very mellow, so very gentle, loves to walk and chase a tennis ball, and pretty much is just so easy to have around. She still has storm issues and if we're not home, she wets on our bed and on Faith's bed. When we know a storm is coming, we put her in our very large bathroom when we're gone and at least the mess is contained to a tile floor and washable rugs. Other than the storm thing, she's just been a great addition to our family.

We worked very hard on getting her slimmed down and it took a couple months, but she lost 18 pounds and looked so good. I walked her twice a day and she still eats veggies with every meal. I don't walk in the winter months and she gained some weight back but we're working on that again.

I thought you'd enjoy these darling pictures of our gentle girls.

Monday, July 18, 2005

My bag is packed (and hanging on the knob), I'm ready to go. Just waiting for my forever family to come to take me home. It is time for my Golden Life!

Princess Carmel went home with her forever family today. The S's are incredibly lucky (and so is the Princess) to be adopted by such a special girl. I am looking forward to eventually receiving a picture of a svelte Princess Carmel.

Our foster dogs may leave our homes, but they never leave our hearts.

Thanks Foster Mom! Is it time yet?They are coming for me, right? They didn't change their mind did they?

Saturday, July 16, 2005

Princess Carmel has had a very busy couple of days. On Friday, our day started at 5:00 AM so we could feed and communicate with her missing foster brother, Red (the ghost dog) 05-182 behind the back fence. Then we kept Red company while he ate and I talked to him for a couple of hours while Carmel and her foster brother and sister tried to entice him through the gate and back into the fenced yard.

Since Red decided for the first time to spend the whole day behind the fence, we talked to him all day. Carmel finally managed to entice Red through the gate and into the fenced yard about 4:30 PM. Our Princess Carmel is one persuasive girl! Since Carmel was playing in the pool most of the day, I just know Red wanted to join in the fun.

Then Carly, a special previous foster girl arrived for a weekend visit.

Then Princess Carmel needed to interview a potential forever family - and she still had enough charm following an already long and eventful day to captivate them all.

Princess Carmel spent Saturday as one of the hostesses of an all day pool party in honor of the return of Red the ghost dog! What better way could there be to get to know a foster brother?

Two bathing beauties! The Princess is willing to share her pool with her friends!The more the merrier! Come on in - the water is wet!