Grandma
On Christmas Eve 2006, a Good Samaritan (who is now Grandma’s foster dad!)
spotted an older Golden girl running down a busy South Austin street in the
rain: “I chased her for three blocks, and finally she lay down and let me reach
her. I brought her home, dried her off, fed her, and kept her comfortable until
after Christmas. The first sunny day, we went around and posted about 50 flyers
all over the local neighborhoods, and we listed Grandma at all the vet clinics
and animal shelters. But nobody ever claimed her, which is a mystery, because it
is obvious she had caring owners before we found her. She had trimmed nails, she
was wearing a new collar, she is heartworm negative, she’s spayed, and the vet
says she’s clearly had some high-dollar professional dental work done in the
past. Oh, and she clearly was used to getting handouts from the dinner table,
too!”
Grandma is a sweet girl and very well behaved, except for her escape-artist
tendencies —a few days after her foster family took her in, she was out in the
yard to take in some fresh air… and casually opened the gate by lifting the
latch with her nose, then exited for a leisurely stroll. Clever dog! Fortunately
the fugitive was quickly apprehended, and now the gate is tied shut. Grandma’s
foster brother is an adolescent pup, and they play very well together. Once
she’s up and running you’d never guess she’s over ten years old -- she has so
much energy! She also has a bossy streak, but once you rub her belly she's like
putty in your hands. She's put on a little weight and is now probably around 55
pounds, which is perfect for her.
Grandma’s foster family is still debating whether she is deaf or not. Is she
truly hard of hearing, or just practicing the well-known Golden “selective
deafness”? Her dad says, “Sometimes I think she can hear okay, but then when
she’s not looking at you, you can come up quietly and give her a little suprise.
She really is a sweet ol' lady who gets along with everyone.”