Dakota 05-140

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We welcomed Dakota into our house tonight. There were no problems with introductions to all 6 residents. He is a sweet, mellow 12 year old. His owner had to go into the hospital suddenly and he had no where else to go. He is a joy and I'm in love already.

Hi there, this is Dakota here. I'm a little confused. I've been moving around a lot this past week and I don't know where my person is. After all, I'm 12 and it is sometimes hard to make changes. I just met a whole gaggle of Goldens. There was a whole lot of tail waggin' and face kissin' and we're all happy. More later when I figure out what's goin' on here.

DakotaDakota

At a Glance #05-140

Breed not specified Born: March 1994
Male Weight not specified

Status: Deceased

Profile

We welcomed Dakota into our house tonight. There were no problems with introductions to all 6 residents. He is a sweet, mellow 12 year old. His owner had to go into the hospital suddenly and he had no where else to go. He is a joy and I'm in love already.

Hi there, this is Dakota here. I'm a little confused. I've been moving around a lot this past week and I don't know where my person is. After all, I'm 12 and it is sometimes hard to make changes. I just met a whole gaggle of Goldens. There was a whole lot of tail waggin' and face kissin' and we're all happy. More later when I figure out what's goin' on here.

DakotaDakota

Updates

Sunday, January 6, 2008

An update from Dakota's forever family:

With wind chill temps at 18 below, even a Golden needs protection. Dakota loves his booties so much, he waits for me to put them on. I made his coat and found the company that makes the sled dog booties, in Duluth. They are so easy to put on and take off and protect him from frost bite on his feet and eliminates the pain from his arthritis. He's too big and heavy for Hap to pick up, so this is a great solution. He is able to roll in the snow - his favorite winter pastime. Note that he still takes his bear out with him and is such a happy camper.

Katie
http://doggiecrackers.blogspot.com/
Katie & Dakota's Hangout

Saturday, October 8, 2005

Dakota continues to bring smiles to our faces and love to our hearts. I think he's starting to consider this his "forever home" as he now commands ownership of the family room couch (grin) and will not move unless he receives a treat. He does this by moving his front legs off of the couch but keeps the back legs on just in case he might be able to con a second treat.

He has been spending many hours at the family room windows watching the chipmunks store up food for the winter. We put little piles around the deck but they all compete for the food and sometimes a food fight breaks out. Dakota ends up with his nose pressed against the glass and is ready to spring into action. Then he will run to the back door to follow where they are going. He found one chipmunk home and checks it every time he goes outside.

He loves doing roly-polies in the back yard even though there is frost on the ground. We're sure he will be making "angels" in the snow. He gets the biggest smile on his face. He has also discovered that the new TV trays are just the right height for him to put his chin on and beg for something. Alas he is not successful as I'm a toughie when it comes to dogs having people food. He can only count on popcorn and sometimes a cracker.

Dakota has now warmed up to Hap [my husband]. He still follows me around but he is interfacing with Hap more each day. He now goes into Hap's office to see him and get petted, treats, and lay on the futon if the spirit moves him. He greats him at the front door, barks when he hears the garage door go up, and watches him drive off and down the street before returning to his chipmunk watching.

Is it any wonder that he has already put on five pounds (grin). Dr. Waples says it has to stop. I told her that she'll have to deal with Hap as he's the "softie" in this family. I now have a container of little broken up Health Bar treats for Hap to give for each day...when they are gone, that's it. Since Dr. Waples is so far away, we take Dakota to a closer vet clinic to weigh him. He goes in, gets on the scale, and back into the car like he's been going there for years. He is such a stable dog. I marvel that he lays in the kitchen when I'm there and isn't phased by my banging through the drawer of pot/pan covers. He seems to love being the center of attention.

He is taking a DVM product for the arthritis and joints. I've used it for my dogs for years and have a lot of confidence in it. He also is getting Rimadyl when the weather is bad. I gave up my negative stance about the drug when I saw it help him get up. Dr. Waples told me I don't have to give it every day...only when he needs it, so I am quite comfortable.

We will be spending the winter working on a new storm-fear system recently developed and supported by Cornelll University college of vet medicine. If it works, I will pass it along to RAGOM. I think the concept is a good one and quite similar to what I used to suggest in my column and classes in the past. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I don't expect it to be perfect, but I'm hoping it will lessen his anxiety and make the storms more tolerable.

The only time I see Dakota a little "down" is at bedtime. I think he must miss something but I can't figure it out. He gets treats and bolts up the stairs to wait for them. He has a huge, round cuddle bed in a safe, warm corner of the room next to our bed. He seems to like it. He doesn't want to get up on the bed and if he does to get a little massage, he gets down before I crawl in. Mornings he's happy as can be, wagging his tail when I'm ready to go downstairs. He's out the door to potty and check on his chipmunks and then high tails it in for his breakfast.

He had his very first visitor last weekend. A long-time, dear friend of mine came over to visit Dakota and Me [in that order]. He greeted her right away and followed her down the hall to the family room and enjoyed his visit so much. He loves his rides in the car too to the point that anytime the front door opens, he's ready to go. The last couple of days we have turned on the fireplace in the morning for a little heat. Doesn't phase Dakota...matter of fact he enjoys having his back warmed up by the hearth. His Christmas presents have arrived and he's quite curious.

We love him dearly. He is bringing us so much happiness and we are glad we can give him a home and a continued happy life. I have his poem almost finished and will send it on when it's done. It's time for popcorn and football...

Dakota's Forever Mom

Katie

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

I started to write to you about the plan that I had for Dakota and how well it has worked, but then I realized that you have placed many, many rescue dogs and my lengthy story probably wasn't needed or wanted.

Thanks to foster mom Sheila, I was prepared for Dakota's arrival some 7+ weeks ago [July 31st]. He was, as Sheila had said, quite frightened and under a lot of stress. In less than six months his life had been turned upside down and at age 10 [just had his birthday] he had been through so much. His owner had been hospitalized, he was placed in a kennel, then moved to a RAGOM foster home for three months, and again transferred to a Forever Home. He went from an "only" dog to living with four other dogs, back to an only dog. He certainly proved how resilient Goldens can be.

I put my plan to work and I'm happy to announce that it has been most successful. The early days were so rough for all of us. Dakota was so scared of just about everything. I established myself as Alpha person and he followed me everywhere. Sheila called him a "Velcro" dog. His first shock was that I would not let him in the bathroom with me. He tried to get in and then pasted himself against the door. Every move I made, he made with me. Every time I moved, I gave him a hug. I talked to him constantly, trying to assure him everything would be ok soon.

Unfortunately he had to have some dental surgery that really couldn't wait, but thanks to my wonderful vet and clinic staff, he got through it like a real trouper. He was not, however, happy that I had to take his bones away from him for a couple of weeks.

The days and weeks have flown by. My plan seems to be working. Dakota doesn't get up every time I do. In the mornings he sleeps in on his big comfy bed in the corner of the bedroom where he feels safe and doesn't move until I am ready to go downstairs. And he takes his sweet time getting up too. He seems to like the routine we laid out for him. He also likes the "specials" we're establishing for him.....like a spoon of ice cream that has been slightly micro waved to soften it for him at noon [my husband thought he should be spoiled just a little]. He and I have "our time" in the afternoons before going down for dinner. He gets a massage, he responds with his rolly pollies, and we play for a while. His daily attention is focused on our many resident chipmunks...oh how he loves them. We go out on the deck early in the morning after he's had his breakfast and again in the afternoon after dinner, and he looks for them and enjoys our outings.

He has pretty much shed his "Velcro" title. Most days after he eats, he is at liberty to go in and out the back door. This has given him control over his life and decision making. He loves sniffing around the backyard where the chipmunks, mice, and squirrels have been. Early on, he would lay between us on the couch in the family room...but that has tapered off now too.

Sheila warned me that he had some storm fear and separation anxiety. After watching him for a while I felt this was not something he'd had his whole life and that it started with the sudden changes in his life. I have used the Rescue Remedy drops and they have helped a bit, but I am using suggestions put out by Tufts University and that is to give such a dog more chances to have control over its life and the ability to make its own decisions. I've been a far more liberal mom than ever in my life. At times I'm scared to death and hold my breath while I'm watching him, but it seems to be working. At first he wouldn't even go out when it was cloudy and misting...that was without any thunder or lightening. Now he seems to kind of enjoy trying and if he does make it out, he loves to roll in the wet grass, forgetting that he's scared. The big storms are still a huge problem, but we continue to work on it.

As for the separation anxiety. I have not left him alone yet. That's my next step. I didn't feel I should tackle all of the problems at once and having me here constantly has helped him settle in. He is the most loving dog and so sweet. I think he might have had a little obedience work, but he needs more and that will come this winter. I am going to use "Clicker" training with him rather than the traditional. A gentle leader goes along with that while he's learning. This will give him some challenge during the long months his chipmunks are sleeping.

Dakota has given us so much at a time when we were hurting so badly. I lost two dogs in less than a year. My last - a Golden - required 24/7 nursing care for 8 months starting just several weeks after I lost my Melodie. I was exhausted and hurting so much but suddenly facing an empty house after years and years and no one to hug, love, or cry with was more than we could handle. My Golden was supposed to be my last dog because of my age, but I'd expected him to live another 4-5 years. Dakota seems to understand and he's there for us and we're there for him. We call him Chaucie most of the time but he doesn't seem to mind.

I think he finally has accepted us as his forever home. He "woofs" if he hears the paper person early in the morning, and when he hears the garage door. He alerts me to strange noises and other things. This morning he decided to take his exploring to new heights and got into the fenced in garden and out into the fenced in side yard. All of this time he's looked at it all from afar. I just had to laugh rather than getting upset with him. I asked him if he was trying to run away back to Iowa...I don't think so..I think it's just that he considers this home now. He's making decisions all on his own without looking back at me or even waiting to be told it's "ok". Seeing him assert himself is to gratifying. Seeing him relaxed and the smile on his face and watching him jump up and down when he plays with us tells us we've managed to bring some stability back into his life and let him know he's loved and safe. I'm sure in the back of his mind he still wonders about all that has happened to him, but keeping him busy with fun and challenging days and heaps of love and understanding is helping him feel that he has a safe and loving home again.

[I'm sorry this is so long...I didn't mean for it to be. It's just that this has been such a wonderful time for us and we are so glad that we decided we could provide a home for a rescue Golden. The rewards have been far, far greater than ever imagined.]

Kindest Regard,

Katie W

Dakota's Forever Mom

Sunday, June 5, 2005

Hi there, Dakota here. I'm just hanging out here, waiting for someone to call. My foster mom says she doesn't believe I'm 12 years old because I act like a much younger dog. I got my teeth cleaned and I now have a beautiful smile. I get worried about thunderstorms and being left without a person. My foster mom gives me some drops to calm me down and I feel much better afterward. I will pull tissue out of the trash can and shred it if I'm nervous, but what is a guy to do? I love long walks and rides in the car. I get along famously with other dogs so who wouldn't love to have me as their companion? Call soon!

Dakota shows off his pearly whites.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Dakota made a trip to the vet on Monday. He is in good shape, up to date on his shots, neutered and heartworm negative. Dakota has an appointment for some much needed dental work next week but after that, he is ready for his forever home. We found out last night, he has thunderstorm anxiety. He panted and paced a little so we will try Rescue Remedy and see if it helps. He does like to sleep on the couch. Here are some pictures of Dakota making himself at home.