Violet is a 3-year-old Golden Retriever who has come into RAGOM as a surrender from a commercial breeder. The reason given for her surrender was that she was no longer interested in being a “mom.” My guess is that she knew there was a better life waiting for her via RAGOM.

Like many dogs who come from commercial breeders, she is quite shy and has needed to learn to trust humans. She is making great progress and every day we see a bit more confidence and tail wagging. Her favorite activities are wrestling with our resident dog and rolling in the grass. She absolutely loves to be outside and you actually can see her demeanor lighten up.

Violet has since been spayed and fully vetted. She initially was overweight but is now trimmed down and is getting much needed exercise and play. She initially had yeast infections in both ears but those have cleared up quite nicely.

She is a very good patient and allows you to clean her ears and clip her nails without any fuss. While having a bath is not her favorite thing, she is compliant and quietly sits for them. 

Violet is a very sweet and gentle dog, who is timid at first but really longs to be by your side. While hesitant initially, Violet does enjoy belly rubs and general attention and now when I stop, she will actually reach up and “kiss” (lick) my hand to say “please don’t stop.” This in itself is progress and shows her gaining confidence. 

Violet has interacted with other dogs, cats, and horses. In her approach to other dogs, she shows good manners, is interested, not aggressive at all, and somewhat playful.

She has had limited exposure to cats (only one) and only seemed a bit curious. She did not attempt to chase and I would infer that she has a low prey drive. With respect to horses, she acknowledges their presence, keeps a safe distance and does not bark or seem frightened.  

Violet has been around older children and teenagers. She seems to enjoy the attention as long as it is not too loud or rambunctious. In general, loud noises and yelling are scary for her and send her running to seek shelter under a table or bench.  

Violet follows our resident dog (Milo) around and looks to him for assurance – he is also her favorite playmate. She and Milo both sleep on the floor in our bedroom but at opposite sides of the bed (not sure why). She is always excited when we get up in the morning and looks forward to her morning playtime. 

In the evenings, she will follow us into whatever room we are congregating in and take a spot under a table or chair. During the day we try to get out for a couple of play breaks or walks, but otherwise she will hang out near a human and/or Milo. 

Violet is house trained, does not chew, bark or jump on furniture – she is almost too well behaved. The challenge for Violet will be in gaining confidence and learning to trust people. She will need a consistent, calm, and patient family who will be OK with small steps of progress… but the reward of her affection is worth it!

She also needs to be in a family who has another dog who is confident and can help her learn to be a dog and to trust. Given Violet's background, she will also need a fenced-in yard. The potential for Violet to run away is high, given her history and insecurity. She will always be a flight risk and her adoptive family must be willing to be proactive to ensure she never has a way to escape. 

I think Violet would do best with a family/couple/single person who can spend a lot of time with her, where she is not home alone during most of the day. She needs to be not just a pet, but also an integral part of a “family.” I see in her eyes how she is so wanting of love and she will return it a 1,000 fold!