Gold Ribbon Rescue Adoptables

----- Original Message -----

From: randy

To: GRR
Sent: Thursday, July 13, 2006 2:24 PM

Subject: Tony (now Buddy)

Update on Tony (now Buddy)

We adopted Buddy just about six weeks ago and already he has brought sunshine and energy into our household. We were a little concerned about adopting another dog because our three year old Goldie (Precious) has been an only dog all her life and we were afraid she would not like to share. However, Buddy is her best friend. Precious has thyroid problems and got very overweight. She has lost 13 pounds in just two months and our vet says that we could thank good medicine and her Buddy. They play together so much it is like she is at the gym all day.

Buddy is such a sweet little boy! They both sleep in our bed, a little crowded but we each have our designated spot. In the morning Buddy is very patient while waiting for everyone to wake up, but the minute you open your eyes he stands over your face with his big silly smile and a kiss or two. Buddy and Precious both love water so we take trips to the river and they have a kiddie pool in the back yard. We take walks every night and he knows when I put the tennis shoes on it is time to go so he picks up a toy and walks around in circles whining because he gets so excited. He is very cuddly and he loves all animals and people (typical Goldie).

He is an absolute angel and we all adore him very much. Life just would not be the same without our Precious and our Buddy!!!!!

The two pictures I attached are Buddy's sweet smile, and Buddy and Precious nap time.

Thank you Gold Ribbon Rescue!!!

Randy and Julie

Tony came to GRR via a Good Samaritan who lives in a popular “dog-dumping” part of town and found the lively boy running stray one day. Nobody ever came looking for him, so we think he probably was simply abandoned by his original owners, perhaps in hopes that somebody nice would find him and give him a home. Luckily for Tony, things are working out so far! He headed to the vet for shots and neuter, spent a few weeks with a trainer to help him settle down, and then moved into his foster home.

Tony is an absolutely beautiful Golden. At just 18 months old, he’s very much just a big puppy, and he still has that “puppy” coat and look. After observing him for a week, we’d say it’s clear that someone paid a lot of money for a purebred Golden puppy—and simply got rid of him early on. He needed some indoor manners and was not housebroken when he arrived in our home.

He is a smart one, though! He is already almost housebroken (no accidents or marking in 6 days), and he’s learning our household boundaries and rules very quickly. Despite his unwavering desire to jump up on you, counter-surf, and climb on the couch, he has shown a remarkable learning curve and has almost stopped these behaviors completely. He really, really wants to learn and to please you, and all he needs is someone who will spend time with him and continue to reinforce his training. He already knows “sit," "down" and “stay” and walks nicely on lead. The “come” command needs some work, but I have no doubt that he will master that one as well.

Tony has some really funny quirks. First off, he drinks from his bowl not by lapping the water up, but rather by sticking his entire face in, swirling it around, and gulping water by the mouthful. He also likes to sit in the begging position on his hindquarters and place both paws on your leg. He will stay motionless like this until you move him! He adores car rides. We found out by accident that if there’s a open car door in his line of vision, we’ll find him sitting patiently in the seat, waiting for the ride to begin.

Tony LOVES to swim and socialize. He is glued to our Golden Jackson’s side and is a great playmate for him. He has a somewhat submissive personality and gets along well with other animals and people. We have three cats and at first he was very scared of them! However, he has since decided they’re quite intriguing and will very cautiously try to sniff and lick their faces when he gets the chance.

Tony loves kids and would be totally fine around them, but be aware that he is a strong puppy and might inadvertently knock a toddler down. He loves attention and companionship and really needs another dog or person around to keep him happy. I work during the day and have found that as long as Tony can be out with our 2-year-old Golden, he is just fine by himself for several hours at a time. (He has an amazing ability to break out of crates, so leaving him in a crate for hours on end is not a good option.) Ideally, he’d go to a family with other dogs and an owner who can be at home more often than not.

Tony has all the qualities that make this breed so popular: wonderful disposition, high intelligence, and a desire to please. He’ll be the quintessential “best friend” for some lucky owner and is very excited about finding his permanent home!