Adopted

Joey came to Gold Ribbon Rescue after being picked up as a stray in pretty poor condition. He was “WAY SKINNY,” according to the volunteer who met him at the shelter—and he had heartworms to boot. That was in mid-June. A few months down the road, and he has gone from a scrawny 50 pounds to a healthy 65 and completed his HW treatment. His soft coat and warm eyes make for a handsome face, and he just radiates boyish happiness whenever he grins and lets his big tongue loll out (which seems to be almost all the time these days). Happy and healthy, this two-year-old is ready for just the right home.

Joey is a natural people dog. His affection is quickly earned by anyone who’ll pet him, and he’s never met a person he doesn’t like. Watch out, though, because his affection has been known to be a bit on the slobbery side! His sweet demeanor is really something to love. Whether you’re watching TV or eating dinner, he’ll never be too far away, but don’t worry—once he learns your signal to back off, he’s happy to lie down and observe the action from a distance… unless, of course, the aromas are just too enticing, in which case he’ll come back over to check whether you’ve changed your mind! I haven’t seen him play with children, but I suspect he’d be very good. The one caution here is that he tends to give his paw to get attention, and he sometimes jumps up to greet you when you come home, so a home with non-toddler children (school-age or older) would probably be best for him—as for most young dogs.

Joey doesn’t bark a lot, he doesn’t compete for food, and thunderstorms don’t bother him. Housetraining went smoothly once we established a regular schedule and he learned the command “leash.” He’s never chewed anything I didn’t give him as a toy (wow). Walking this strong young boy was a tug-of-war at first, but with a firm hand, he has learned how to walk properly on lead with only occasional strong tugs. For now, heeling is still way too hard because there are just too many good things to sniff along the way, and he’ll occasionally stray in front of you to find out what smells good on the other side, too! That said, he’ll do anything for a treat as long as you tell him what you want. A little obedience training will go a long way with this smart boy.

Joey plays well with smaller dogs. With bigger male dogs, he’s got into a scuffle or two at first—I think his initial defensiveness may just have stemmed from the days when he had to fend for himself all the time. Now that he’s settled into a home (and has been neutered!), his playful nature will always come through—just be sure you pay attention to proper dog introductions and take it slow.

The perfect family for Joey will have a big yard where he can really stretch his legs into his favorite galloping stride and run to his heart’s delight, as well as a porch where he can lie down to relax and enjoy the scenery. Cats are almost a definite no, as he loves to chase them. (If the cat is really used to big dogs, things might be OK—but my parents’ cat, who is used to terriers, decided to stay safely on top of the china cabinet unless Joey was outside!) Other dogs to run and play with would be a plus, though he’d be perfectly happy playing with his humans. He has that classic Golden-boy charm and is sure become a cherished member of the family.