A Message from Our President...
Margo Biba

Dear Friends,

Although most of our Goldens come from Texas, we are happy to help with dogs further away. In 2017, GRR rescued nine lovely dogs from Mexico City. The logistics of identifying Goldens in need, arranging vetwork, boarding them for their mandatory 30 day post-vaccination quarantine, and arranging transport make this endeavor a challenge. If you have contacts with rescue groups in Mexico that could share the logistics on their end, please refer them to GRR.

I am reminded how much goodness we have achieved since GRR was founded in November 1998; we have rescued 3,014 fine Goldens and Golden mixes. Dat’s alotta dogs! Kudos to our dedicated volunteers, foster and adoptive families and our generous donors. We couldn’t do it without you

On the home front, Gary and I are celebrating. Our long time foster fellow, 17-031 Scooby, has found his forever home! Scooby had demodectic mange and heartworms when he arrived from Palm Valley, which is near the Mexican border. We had no idea what breed he was, as he was a skinny, scabby, hairless mess. He lived with us for nine crazy months. Happy, enthusiastic, and silly; Scooby is now fostering pending adoption with long time GRR adopters Tom and Anita Briggs. Scooby thrives in their household as Party Boy Extraordinaire, along with their three teenagers and their GRR guy Ferris. It is a match made in Heaven.

Happy Holidays!

Letter From The Editor
Dori Olsen

Hello to you all!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! I hope that the new year brings you love, peace and happy, healthy Goldens!

I want to give a warm welcome and a huge thank you to Becki Adler, the newest member of the newsletter team. Becki is so enthusiastic and she will be contacting members for adoption stories and other features. I really appreciate her assistance!

We truly appreciate all of your contributions that allow us to better the lives of our GRR Goldens. Your contribution may be monetary or a contribution of your time. Don't forget that your donations to Gold Ribbon Rescue may be tax deductible. Be sure to read the tax article in this issue.

Cats versus Dogs - who is smarter? Check out the article on a recent study. There's a big surprise regarding our Goldens!

Have a great month.

Dori

This month's Contributors:

Becki Adler
DeEtte Brownlee
Nathan Killion
Debra Mueller
Rick Gilpin
Candice Gourley
Donna Larson
Emily Tuczkowski
Amy Sebesta
Paula Ellis
Jeroen Naus
Dawn Marie Rae

Look What You've Done To Our Tree!

The Tree of Hope is our annual online holiday tree that your donations decorate with ornaments, lights, presents and Golden angels.

The 2017 online holiday tree is a wonderful way to honor a family member (two- or four-legged), friend or special occasion for the holidays. It’s a meaningful, easy holiday gift for all Golden lovers. We want to thank all of our generous donors who have made the Tree of Hope so full of light and beauty. It means so much to our ability to help our special Goldens and, because of your generosity, your donations are nearing $10,000.

We do not turn away any Golden because of their medical needs and sometimes this can be expensive. During 2017, we have helped both Oakley and Hero with their hip problems and helped Cody from Mexico with transitioning from a street dog to a family dog through extensive, and expensive, training. And then, of course, we have helped Trigger with surgical intervention and Clara and her puppies through intensive veterinary care (more on them below).

To donate, simply drag the item you have chosen to the place you desire and click on 'Check Out' in the blue box to process your donation. When you are returned to the tree, you may have to refresh your browser to have it updated.

Click here or on the image above to get started - and thank you!

The Tree of Hope remains open for donations through December 31st. If you haven't made your donation, please consider donating now.

The Latest Tree of Hope Recipients...
Trigger and the 2017 Christmas Litter
Candice Gourley and Dori Olsen

TRIGGER

Two year old Trigger (17-133) came into Gold Ribbon Rescue care with a bang just a few weeks ago. He was surrendered with a sock buried in his intestinal tract, and he was going downhill fast. Every second mattered. A GRR Board Member, also the Intake Director, left work early and rushed to pick up Trigger and transport him to a GRR veterinarian. Emergency surgery was performed - just as his intestine was beginning to perforate.

Trigger's medical bills are currently over $5,700, and may be more, depending on any other medical needs that he has. You see, GRR loves our Goldens and we do our best to restore them to the best health they can achieve. However, we are an all -volunteer, non-profit organization and can only continue to save young Golden boys like Trigger with your help.

THE 2017 CHRISTMAS LITTER

Candice also fostered the 2015 Christmas Litter so she is well-versed in and LOVES puppies. You can see the progress of Clara and the puppies on the GRR Facebook Closed Group page: Candice updates us regularly on their progress. Clara and the babies are under continuing veterinary care, at GRR expense, to ensure their health and welfare.

There's still time to make a donation to our Tree of Hope and help save lives. Give Hope - Give Love - Place an Ornament. Ornaments are available in multiple increments, starting at $10, going up to $500. Every donation is appreciated and donations are tax deductible. To help, click here.

Gold Ribbon Rescue's 2018 Calendar!

Our 2018 GRR calendar is off to production. You can order yours here. They're great gifts for any occasion!

Help Wanted

Newsletter contributor:
1 hour/month. Contacting adoptive families and foster families for features, external subjects. Collect or write articles and solicit for photos. Time volunteered flexible. As little as 1 hour a month depending on how much you want to do. Please contact Dori Olsen.

Foster Coordinators:
Guiding foster families through the fostering process, answer their questions as they arise and show them where documentation resides. The foster coordinator must have minimal experience with the drawing up of contracts. Anyone interested can contact Lonni Swanson.

Where are They Now? - Rowdy 17-119
Debra Mueller-Milton

Almost 20 years ago I adopted my first GRR dog. The organization was much smaller at that time, but the mission and dedication of the volunteers remains the same. With the sad loss of each four legged family member I turned back to GRR to fill the corners of our home and of our hearts. So let me start by saying “thank you” to all the hard working volunteers, you are making a difference!

Last year our lives changed forever when our 18 year old son was injured in a high school football playoff game. Grant has a traumatic brain injury and is unable to walk or talk at this time. While we are hopeful that he will continue to improve with the help of experts at a neuro-recovery facility, we know that he will have special needs for the rest of his life. To compound his many challenges, we were told that he may be suffering from depression as he works to relearn basic functions. While this is not surprising, as we are all sad about recent events, we really want to do our best to uplift Grant as he cannot help himself. When I called GRR this time, I hoped to find the right dog to act as a therapy dog for Grant and bring some joy back into our home.

When I agreed to foster a 10 month old bundle of energy, aptly named “Rowdy”, I had no idea how quickly he would become a valued member of our home. It is my understanding Rowdy came from an elderly couple who had received him as a gift from their children. Sadly, the woman was struggling with dementia and this high energy pup was undoubtedly the last thing they needed. It must have been hard for these people to say goodbye to this charming pup and I commend them for doing the right thing.

Poor Rowdy. Imagine what he was thinking by the time I picked him up from the Manchaca Vet Hospital on October 1st. He had left the home he knew, travelled 160 miles with pretty severe motion sickness and had been neutered and is wearing a giant funnel on his head. He then arrived at a home where they only serve dog food to dogs and they only allow the cat on the furniture. He was committed to pushing the boundaries from the first 30 minutes in the house. We soon found out that his favorite trick was to grab the dish towels from the kitchen sink and run through the house jumping onto our beds…both no-no’s in our house, but, I have to admit, pretty funny.

So I strapped on my walking shoes and we walked, as much as 5 miles a day. Then we learned to retrieve. When I pulled out the ball launcher that belonged to his predecessor I told him he had big shoes to fill. We mastered sit and stay (sometimes still working on that one) and some of the bad behaviors have faded into distant memories. Although, he will eat a Christmas ornament or pull dirty Kleenex out of the trash just to keep me on my toes.

Rowdy will be introduced to Grant in the new year as we transition our son to his next level of care. In the meantime, I am hoping to refine Rowdy’s training… if he does not wear me out! Already my family has benefitted from the unconditional love and hilarity that comes with every adopted Golden. It is our hope that this sweet animal can bring comfort and joy to our son, but the reality is he has already done so with the rest of us.

Happy New Year!

Debra Mueller-Milton

It's That Time Again!!!

As a 501(c)(3), GRR is a "qualified organization". The IRS allows you to claim the following deductions as charitable contributions, if you itemize: Mileage for every mile you travel for GRR purposes: vet appointments, transport, home visits, etc. Direct expenses such as food, medical supplies and other items for a foster dog. Money spent on envelopes, postage, containers for supplies, baggies for supplies, etc. Membership fees or dues. From publication 526: "You may be able to deduct membership fees or dues you pay to a qualified organization. However, you can deduct only the amount that is more than the value of the benefits you receive." GRR always recommends that you talk with your tax consultant/adviser on all deductions.

See publication 526 here.

Our Grant Writer Does It Again!

From Amy Sebesta:
While every sock has a mate, it seems that they just can’t seem to keep together. Perhaps, the dryer ate it or maybe, and more likely, it’s already in the drawer, alone, waiting. Unfortunately, this time the sock turned into a tasty snack for one mischievous Golden, 2-year-old Trigger. And then, on a Friday no less, the phone rang at Gold Ribbon Rescue. The GRR medical group quickly sprang into action, prepping the team at Central Texas Veterinary Specialists for a late-night surgery. We nabbed sweet Trigger in the final minutes before his bowel perforated. It was a close call to say the least, but also a wonderful testament to the power of a team of volunteers who love all things Golden and Golden-like.

Trigger’s surgery turned out to be extensive, and required even more follow up for a complication. In fact, Trigger’s medical bills are on the top of the expense list for GRR in 2017. In an attempt to defray a portion of the costs, I called on GRR’s special friends, Golden Rescue in Naples, Inc. (GRINinc) Their Gifted Golden Grant Program enables rescues who are members of the National Golden Retriever Club to access a special fund for extraordinary situations for individual dogs in need. In less than a week, the GRINinc board approved funding for sweet Trigger and officially crowned him a Gifted Golden. And so, while Trigger’s sock will probably never reunite with its mate, Trigger will soon find his. Socks everywhere beware; Trigger is back on his paws, regaining health, and will be back in action soon in his new and surely beloved home.

New Year Resolutions

Dogs versus Cats - Who is Brainier?
people.com

(Contributed by Rick Gilpin)

A new study has some ammunition for dog people everywhere.

The research, published in the journal Frontiers of Neuroanatomy, says dogs may be brainier than cats. That is, dogs have cerebral cortexes with twice as many neurons — the brain cells responsible for thought, planning and behavior – compared to cats. Scientists have associated neuron density with overall cognitive ability – i.e. intelligence.

For the study, a group of researchers led by Suzana Herculano-Houzel, an associate professor of psychology and biological sciences at Vanderbilt University, examined the neuronal density and brain sizes of various carnivorans, a class of mammals that includes many predators – along with some omnivores and and a few herbivores. These animals are of particular interest, according to the paper, because many must outsmart prey to survive, potentially pointing to a higher number of neurons, and thus higher intelligence.

To learn more, the researchers examined the brains of eight mammals: cats, dogs, bears, lions, hyenas, ferrets, mongoose and raccoons. They found that the animals with larger brains also tended to have more neurons, just like non-carnivorans — a similarity that suggest carnivorans aren’t so different from the rest of the animal kingdom, after all.

The results were marked. In addition to dogs’ cortical neurons outnumbering cats’ — to the tune of 530 million to 250 million — they discovered that brown bears had only as many neurons as cats, despite the obvious size difference. Raccoons, on the other hand, had far more neurons than their small brain size would suggest.

A golden retriever that was studied had the most cortical neurons of all, with 627 million.

However, even the researchers admit that their findings shouldn’t resolve the old dogs-versus-cats debate over intelligence.

“While our finding of larger numbers of cortical neurons in dogs than in cats may
 confirm anecdotal perceptions of dog owners and animal trainers as well as unpublished reports that dogs are easier to train and therefore ‘more intelligent,’ cat owners would probably protest, and rightly so,” they write.

“Any argument about their cognitive capabilities at this point will be largely a matter of opinion until direct, systematic comparisons of cognitive capacity are performed across these and other species.”

Thoughts, Prayers and Remembrance

Our Rainbow Bridge: (December 2017)
Rest in peace, our friends and companions.

Honey and Bailey (never separated)
Dewdrop
Sherlock
Buddy
Chula
Rex
Beau

HAPPY NEW YEAR - 2018!

The 2017 Holiday Party - Fabulous!

The Holiday Party was fantastic!!! The day was beautifully warm and sunny, the decorations were unbelievable, the food was delicious and the attendees were festive and in high spirits. Huge thanks to our hosts Jack and Peg Crownover for a perfect day!

Remembering Candy O'Conner
Emily Tuczkowski, Donna Larson and Margo Biba

From Emily: So sorry to have to share such sad news. Our very special GRR volunteer, Candy O'Conner, passed away this evening (December 6, 2017). Know well that your prayers and well-wishes wrapped her in peace. Somewhere, I am sure, there is a reunion going on between her and all of the Goldens she helped throughout all of these so many years. As your soul flits by between this world and the next, please let you know how grateful we all are, Candy, for every loving action, for every loving tear that you have given.

Candy was such a wonderful volunteer and friend, taking in the "old gold" Goldens in need of special medical care, for more years than I can remember. She once shared a list with me that she kept over the years of all the dogs that she had fostered, remembering some special story about each one. Each dog held a special place in her heart, as she does in ours.

Tearfully.

From Donna: Candy was the type of person who would literally do anything for anyone in need. She would have given away anything she possessed if she thought someone else needed it more. She was a strong Christian, and took comfort and peace in the knowledge that God always had a plan for her life. She didn't sweat the small stuff. She didn't even sweat the big stuff, because she knew God would take care of her. She never worried about possessions, never worried about what people thought. She was comfortable with who she was and accepted other people for who they were. She loved to fold dollar bills in the origami style into little shirts, to hand out to people with a story about God's love.

Candy was a very sensitive and loving person. She wasn't the type who was comfortable around crowds: she was more of a one-on-one kind of person. We adopted her into our family several years ago and she was a part of every holiday season with us. She would bring us goodies at Easter and Christmas, and always had treats for the pups. Our house is filled with little stuffed animals, animal baskets and pictures from her.

The thing that got Candy up in the morning was the dogs. They were truly her life. The more, the merrier. Her house was geared around them, with their beds everywhere, as were dog gates, food bowls, toys, leashes, etc. She always had cut-up fruit or veggies ready to hand out as treat and every dog who entered her home knew it was loved. She stayed at our house a couple of times to dog-sit, and we always knew our crew was in the best of hands. Her dogs came here when she went on one of her cruises and were instantly a part of the pack.

She had faith in people, and always gave them the benefit of the doubt. She trusted people, trying to see the best in them. Even when she was in the hospital, at the end, she was gracious to everyone and gave them her special Candy smile.

Candy was very special to our family, and we were very blessed to have known her. I can only imagine the party that took place when she crossed the Rainbow Bridge and saw her beloved dogs from the past.

From Margo: Candy was a dear friend to many of us in GRR, and a valued team member. If she were still here, I suspect she would be comfortable with me sharing the rest of her story, as she was quite open about the impact that GRR had on her life. Life-long, Candy battled many issues, including severe depression. In 2013, she wrote: “I want to thank each and every one of you for the privilege of fostering all of the Goldens you entrusted to me. When I began fostering in 2008, my life had gotten so low, I considered death my only option. With the love of the Goldens who have passed through and the many nice volunteers I have met or talked to, my life took on purpose.”

As the years went on, Candy continued to work with GRR; stashing dogs, fostering dogs, transporting dogs and dog sitting adopted GRR dogs. She made many friends along the way. Not only did Candy help rescue countless Goldens; but through GRR, Candy was rescued as well.

Where are They Now? - Brave (Chip) 17-102
Nathan Killion

We were five months into our marriage when we met Chip (the pup once known as Brave). Since early in our relationship, my wife and I had talked about adding a fuzzy member to our family, and while I was bringing my own Golden girl, Shelby, with me, she was keen on having a pup she could raise as our own. In her 30 years she’d never had a dog (or any pet larger than a hamster) to love and train and care for, so we began our search. We knew we wanted another Golden and so we found ourselves at Gold Ribbon Rescue’s website filling out an application.

Weeks went by before we were given the call we’d been waiting for. A pup was available and needed to be picked up right away. We hurriedly piled into my truck, braving the onslaught of the powerful hurricane Harvey as we trekked down IH-35 from Round Rock to Manchaca. Chip met us with the characteristic excitement he would go on to display throughout his daily interactions with all he meets, leaping into the backseat with my wife as though he’d never truly contemplated doing anything different that day. He was with his forever family now and he knew it.

Arriving home we made introductions to his new sister and he is learning the joys of having an older sibling to play with and learn from. Shelby, graciously, helped him through the basics of family life, teaching him what being house trained looked like and how it is to sleep calmly through the night. Chip, for his part, taught our old girl how to get up and have fun again. In her twilight years, and diagnosed with a cancer for which she was too old to receive treatment, he was able to keep her young through play and affection.

He learned a lot from our Shelby, and carved out his own place in our hearts, nestled in close to hers. In the month after he entered our home, we lost our sweet girl, her battle with age and cancer lost, though not before she’d passed on her wisdom and love to one who could watch over us in her stead. Chip knew he could not replace our lost Shelby, but he’d learned how to love us as she had.

These days, now removed by time from our grief, we have a rambunctious little one to care for. He loves to go on walks and rides. He enjoys his time at Lowe’s and Home Depot helping his dad to find just the right tools and materials necessary to get things done around the house. He gets to go to work with dad too, riding to the office with dignity and class before interacting with customers and co-workers alike, as though he knew he was destined to be a car lot dog all along.

Chip is a joy, a pleasure, a delight, and occasionally a pain. He has learned that our bed is far more comfy than his own, and that bunnies are much more fun to chase than a ball. It is already impossible to imagine life without him in our lives. We look forward to all the many adventures he will become part of as a member of our family. As we look out towards the new year, we are glad that we have found a family member who knows how to snuggle and knows how to have fun. He is, in short, our favorite boy.

GRR Monthly Status Report: November 24 - December 23
Paula Ellis

Came into care:17-138 Riley, 17-065 Becky, 17-139 Clara, 17-140 -145 Clara's Puppies, 17-146 Boyd, 17-147 Boo

Adopted:17-107 Beaumont, 17-070 Tobin, 17-082 Chiquita, 17-124 Luna, 17-112 Hudson,17-128 Winter, 17-092 Rio, 17-130 Bella, 17-137 Sandy, 17-134 Midas, 17-131 Carley

Currently in Foster Care: - 16 available/available soon, 10 foster pend adoptions, 9 permanent fosters

IT SNOWED IN TEXAS...And the pups loved it!!!!

Don't Forget the Treat!

Jack - My Indonesian Golden Retriever
DeEtte Brownlee

We had just moved to Indonesia. It was our very first overseas assignment living abroad. My husband worked for Chevron and the company provided our housing in a large complex. This included Indonesian nationals as well as expatriates all working for the same company. Our house was in a cul-de-sac and across from us was this beautiful, very young Golden Retriever named Jack. Every morning he would stick his nose through the fence so that he could see the kids going to the International School that was located in the complex. The owner’s housekeeper would arrive every day to feed and play with him in the yard.

There was a single guy (Bob) living there and Jack was the only dog. I asked Bob if I could walk Jack during the day while he was at work. He told me to speak to the housekeeper (Martha) about it. The next morning I went over and introduced myself to her. She liked the idea since she had a bad foot and it was difficult for her to walk.

Jack and I started walking every day and sometimes we walked twice a day. We would go outside the Chevron security gates, pass the guards, and go down into the village. We got to know a lot of the locals as we passed their homes and chicken coops. Jack was fascinated by the chickens, but was very well behaved. The locals became familiar with us as we walked by their homes and store fronts daily. Indonesia is a Muslim country and there were not a lot of dogs in the neighborhood. At first, they were intimidated by his size, but later they looked forward to our walks as we passed their homes each day. The little children would come out and greet him.

Jack and I continued our walks and, as I approached his yard each day, he was so happy to see me. We started a wonderful friendship. After a few months, I discovered Bob was being transferred to Nigeria and wouldn’t be able to take Jack. I approached Bob about adopting Jack when he moved. He was hesitant but never gave me any details as to why. Later I discovered that he had bought Jack as a gift for his Indonesian girlfriend Anna. Finally, he agreed for me to have Jack. In the meantime, I had a fence built in our backyard so that he would be secure when he wanted to play outside.

The day came for me to pick Jack up and I had a strange feeling in my stomach that something wasn’t right. When I approached the house, Bob came outside to the patio and wouldn’t allow me to go into his house. Jack wasn’t in the backyard. Finally, he let me enter the house and there sat his girlfriend Anna with Jack. She told me she was taking Jack to her house and the dog belonged to her. I explained to her that Bob had given me the dog and that I would take good care of him. I pointed out it was expensive to feed him, since all dog food on the island had to be flown in to Indonesia. I offered to pay her for him, since I really didn’t think she wanted Jack other than to use him to extort money from Bob. She refused!

She drove away with Jack; definitely the saddest day I could have ever imagined. The next day I sent my driver (Harry) to scour the neighborhoods looking for Anna’s house. I was afraid she would sell him to a local pet store or a family that wouldn’t properly take care of him. My friend Kate went to the local pet stores and gave her name and phone number as a contact in case someone was selling a Golden Retriever. She spoke fluent Indonesian. We received many phone calls with puppies to sell but none were Jack. My driver finally found Jack in one of the housing complexes and we would drive by every day. He was tied on the porch with his leash tied inside the window. There were always people out, so we never were able to get close. He was losing weight and he had sad eyes.

It came time for us to return to the US for our annual home visit a month later. I was concerned I would never see Jack again. Kate was staying at our house and I left money for her in case Anna changed her mind.

My husband and I left for the US and arrived the next day at my parent’s house in Reno. Later, the next morning I received a text from Anna stating that she had someone interested in purchasing Jack and asked if we still wanted him. I immediately responded and we began negotiating a price for him via long distance texting. There was a 13 hour time difference so I would stay up late waiting for her texts. I didn’t want her to think I had left Indonesia. My parents thought I had lost my mind. We went back and forth on purchase details for several days. At one point Anna told me she was in poor health and needed to pay her medical bills. (I guess she thought I would pay for them!) I stood my ground and we finally agreed upon a price.

The next step was to get Jack to our home in the Chevron complex before she changed her mind. At this stage, we have progressed to phone conversations across continents to finalize closing the sale. I requested that Jack be delivered to our security gates that day and a letter would need to accompany him, stating that she would release her ownership and would not bother Jack or myself in the future. She told me Jack was on his way and I was to deliver the money to the taxi driver that was chauffeuring Jack. He was her brother-in-law. I immediately called Kate and asked her to take the money and meet the taxi at the gate. Kate went to the gate with a Chevron manager, in case there were any problems. Jack arrived at the gates sitting in the back seat of the taxi. The security guards signed the envelope containing the letter from Anna and they exchanged the payment for Jack to the taxi driver.

He stayed at our home for a month with Kate before we returned to Indonesia to welcome him to our family. My housekeeper took very good care of him. She got his weight back, so he was healthy when we arrived. The place was familiar to him and he knew everyone.

We had so many good times with him at the beach and our daily walks. He chased the squirrels and rats. Jack learned to live with two cats. Before he was only interested in chasing them. He loved to play in the mud. A Monitor lizard about 5 feet long wandered into our yard one day and both he and the lizard walked away without a scratch.

Our next assignment sent us to Nigeria and Jack and the two cats accompanied us to our new home. We stayed there for three years. In 2012 we returned to the states and Jack went with us. He unexpectedly died two years later. I will never forget his companionship and the adventures we experienced together. We rescued each other. Max is our new Golden and we will continue to have a Golden in our lives forever.