2012
My Dog is Vomiting....What do I do?
If your dog is bright, alert and acting normally and only vomits once, it is probably not necessary to call your veterinarian. Many dogs eat grass or other "things" in the yard and vomit (usually on your best rug). However, if your dog vomits more than a few times, appears sick and uncomfortable-- call your vet. It is helpful if you note when the vomiting started, how many times your dog has vomited and what the vomit looks like - bile, undigested food, foreign objects. If any of the following symptoms occur, please seek immediate vet care or go to an ER clinic for after hour care.
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There is blood in the vomit
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Your dog acts like he wants to vomit, but nothing is expelled
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Your dog appears bloated or has a swollen abdomen (See Bloat below)
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You suspect your dog may have eaten something toxic or poisonous
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You suspect your dog has eaten a foreign object
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Your dog has a fever or is depressed
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Your dog's gums are pale or yellow
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Your dog appears to be in pain
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Your dog also has diarrhea
BLOAT - A MEDICAL EMERGENCY
What is Bloat?
Bloat is a life threatening condition in which the stomach rapidly fills with air. Sometimes the stomach then twists upon itself, preventing the air from escaping. If not treated, this condition can rapidly progress (in less than one hour) to death. Twisting of the gas filled stomach is known as GDV (gastric dilatation and volvulus).
GET TO A VET OR EMERGENCY CLINIC IF YOUR DOG HAS THESE SYMPTOMS
Excessive Drooling
Panting
Distended Firm Belly
Dry Heaving and Retching
Restlessness
What Causes Bloat?
As of yet we do not know exactly why dogs get bloat, but here are some strongly suspected risk factors:
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A deep narrow chest, common in Great Danes, Setters, GOLDEN RETRIEVERS and large dogs with long legs.
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Stress and panting, which leads to swallowing large amounts of air.
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Eating only one meal per day.
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Using elevated food and water bowls.
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Lean and underweight dogs.
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Littermates or relatives that have bloat.
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Most dogs bloat in the middle of the night when the stomach is empty.
What Can You Do?
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Feed your dog at least two meals per day.
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Keep your dog's food and water dishes on the floor.
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For at-risk dogs, consider gastropexy at the time of spay or neuter.
How is Bloat Treated?
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Decompression. If the stomach is distended but not twisted, a tube can be inserted in the stomach to allow the gas to escape.
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Surgery:
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If a dog has bloat without stomach twisting, surgery called gastropexy is done to anchor the stomach inside the abdomen, thus preventing it from twisting.
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If the stomach has twisted, surgery is done to untwist the stomach, and then it is anchored inside the abdomen with a gastropexy procedure
CANINE SPRING CLEANING 
or how to recycle a woobie....
Today IS woobie or dog toy wash day. Not only do the woobies get laundered but medical procedures are performed such as: woobie amputations, woobie decapitations, woobie sutures, and all in the name of saving beloved woobies, and saving money too. Nylabones and Kongs are scrubbed too. Dog beds are soaked and cleaned and covers washed. Weekly routine: dogs ears are flushed and swabbed, teeth brushed, nails trimmed, filed and rounded with a Dremel. Each dog is felt for lumps and bumps. It takes a full day. This is "dog" spring cleaning. Your canine will appreciate a "spring cleaning" too.
Check out all the toys hanging on the line.....Poor Mr. Bill, missing his arm. He knows how difficult it is to be a woobie.
DUTCH
To GRRSN,
We can't thank you all enough for the love that this fuzzy gift has brought to our family and everyone that has had the pleasure of meeting him. This is the love that this dog has brought to us. He has been to more B-day parties, ski trips to Lake Tahoe, Park City, Mammoth, Boating trips on Lake Arrowhead & Big Bear Lake, CA, Hiking trips, he has been photoshoped as a president, my son even gave him new eyes, He has been the subject in paintings, our neighbors toy poodle really loves him, you will see below just some of Dutch's love he has brought to us. I must say he is one lucky dog, but we are the ones that are Lucky!!!
Thank you so much, Lois, Jason, Dayle & Griffin Guttenberg & of course "Dutch"
p.s. Wish us luck on his last eye surgery, So sad he had such beautiful eyes, but still has a beautiful heart!
Dutch is completely blind. Dutch was diagnosed with Canine Uveitis.
SCOOBY
GRRSN,
I'm writing this email in complete heart ache. I'm saddened to say, Scooby passed away today. Though I hadn't had Scooby more than two years, I wanted to thank you guys for sending me the sweetest, most loving angel. Scooby gave my family and I more love than I could have ever imagined possible, he was family. He truly was, the "glass slipper to my Cinderella story."
The Young Family
Shamrock
This was sent in by Sharon Murphy,,,,,this is what Shamrock would have said.
The Last Will and Testament of Loved Dogs.....
To a poor and lonely stray I give:
--My happy home.
--My bowl and cozy bed, soft pillows and all my toys.
I'd will to the sad, scared shelter dog, the place I had in my human's loving heart, of which there seemed no bounds.
So when I die, please do not say, "I will never have a pet again, for the loss and pain is more than I can bear." Instead, go find an unloved dog, one whose life has held no joy or hope and give MY place to HIM. This is the only thing I can give... The love I left behind. Author Unknown
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Dog Aging
Author Unknown
My body may age but my mind will stay young.
I've much left to do, many songs to be sung.
many roads are to be traveled, much love to express,
many souls that need aid, who are now in distress.
I will do what I can to help brighten your day,
I will spread cheer and love as I pass by your way.
The world is my oyster, to have and to hold,
why, I'm really too busy to ever grow old.
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For as long as I can...
Author Judy Smith
No one wanted the older dog
But you brought me home
Thankful for the time we'll share
And I will be grateful to you for as long as I can.
My face is whiter now and I'm not so limber
But you are patient
Taking it easy and slow
And I will walk with you for as long as I can.
You'll never know about my world 'before'
But that's okay, because the rest of my life
Will be spent at your side
And I will stay with you for as long as I can.
My eyes tell the story
Of love lost and found
Safe at last, I lay happily at your feet
And I will be your friend for as long as I can.
Time knows no reason
But hearts know no bounds
We were meant to be together
And I will love you for as long as I can.
Senior Pet Care
Thanks to the advancements in veterinary medicine, pets are living longer than ever. However with this increased lifespan comes an increase in the variety of conditions and diseases that they are susceptible to including osteoarthritis, kidney disease, heart disease, liver disease, cancer and diabetes. And because pets age faster than we do, health problems can progress much more rapidly.
According to the American Animal Hospital Association, scheduling regular veterinary examinations is one of the most important steps pet owners can take to keep their pets healthy. AAHA recommends that healthy senior dogs and cats (age 7+) visit the veterinarian every six months for a complete exam and laboratory testing.
Your senior pet's wellness exam should include the following:
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Health Consultation
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Physical Examination
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Diagnostic Tests
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Intestinal Parasite Test
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Overall Wellness Recommendation
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Vaccinations (if necessary)
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Blood Work
A visit to your veterinarian is imperative if you notice any of the following:
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Unexplained weight loss
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Excessive drinking and/or urination
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Loss of appetite or lethargy
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Behavior changes
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Diarrhea or vomiting
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Skin lumps, bumps or irritation
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Bad breath, plaque on teeth or bleeding gums
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Ear odors, redness, scratching or head shaking
"Golden Retriever Senior Sanctuary"
GRSS is being developed in southern New Hampshire. This effort is being led by Joan Puglia, co-founder (in 1985) and long term President of Yankee Golden Retriever Rescue, although this new sanctuary is in no way affiliated with Yankee GRR. The intent will be to accept from any GR rescue program any senior to include those in need of hospice-level care. Property has been identified and the design will be small and home-like. The primary goal is to provide quality of care while, at the same time, to free up foster homes affiliated with the local programs no matter where they are.
The current goal is to establish a database of interested people ("Special Friend of the Center and Sanctuary") to receive a quarterly newsletter and information regarding events. There are no dues associated with this. Email Joan Puglia at jepgoldens@yahoo.com
Daisy and Toki
Daisy adopted us in October, and has fit in great with our Family. She has amazing manners (unlike her brother Toki), she is great with the kids, she loves to snuggle on the sofa with anyone who will sit down long enough for her to get comfortable! Daisy and Toki became best friends the minute they met. Both dogs love hanging with the family, going for walks and going on trips to run in the desert.They are pretty much inseparable They and can play pretty hard, but all in all everyone gets along.
Thanks GRRSN for finding a perfect match for Toki and our family. I tried to get a picture of the dogs and kids all at once but no one would stay still long enough :-)
Nicole Baker
BREWER
Friends at Golden Retriever Rescue Southern Nevada
I wanted to send you a couple of pictures of Brewer and let you know how he is doing.
Brewer has settled right in at his new home with me. He has become quite the Velcro dog to me (which is what I was looking for). When he first got here, he was never more than 2 feet from my side, even when it was time to go outside and do his business. I had to actually go outside with him as if to say, I’m not leaving you, I’ll be right here! Even when I would go to work, he would follow me to the door. Now that he is settled in, I think he realizes that I ACTUALLY WILL RETURN!!!! He doesn’t follow me to the door anymore when I leave for work, but instead sleeps away on my bed (what a lush!).
However, I can always expect him on the other side of the door when I return home. He immediate sees that it is me, and then runs and gets a toy to hold in his mouth. He cracks me up!!!
One of his signature traits is his REQUIREMENT that HE carry his own leash. He basically takes himself for a walk. The first thing he does when we go for a walk, is jump up and pull the leash out of my hands and carry it in his mouth. I don’t even have to physically leash it to his collar. Everyone that he passes thinks it is so cute (and so do I).
His training is going really well. He has learned to sit on command, lay down and put his nose on his front feet and remain completely still until I release him. He also rolls over on command as well. We still haven’t quite figured out the whole shaking paws thing yet. He kind of gives me this stupid look when I ask him for his paw. J
Another trait I’ve noticed about him is that he is quite a talker/whiner! Yes a talker (not a barker) but talker/whiner. He will sit there and hem and haw and I’ll talk to him and as if on cue, he will talk back to me. Sometimes he will sit there and just whimper these high pitched sounds instead of talking. It makes me laugh so hard when he does this.
He is extremely affectionate and well behaved and even tempered. I am actually a little surprised at how low key he is for an almost 3 year old.
He has been the vet a couple of times as the vet has found he has a category two heart murmur. The vet is monitoring it every 6 months to see if it progresses. As I was told, some dogs go there whole lives without any issues from a murmur, others can have it worsen and become life threatening. We are monitoring it closely and as such has gone beyond a category 2. Here is to keeping our fingers crossed that it stays that way.
I couldn’t be more happy to have him a part of my family. He has filled the void created when I lost my golden Emma over a year ago. His timing to come into my life was perfect.
Thank you so much for helping me to find him.
I look forward to the summary dog days out at Green Valley. Also please keep me informed of other events where both of use could come to meet other owners and friends of GRRSNV.
Tom & Brewer (he has such big feet too).
Story by Jim Cannell, inspired by Kela
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GRRSN parent writes to our local Heidi Harris (radio personality), after airing a show about back yard breeders and homeless pets in Las Vegas. One of her listeners Jim, was so inspired by her show that he sent this letter to Heidi Harris.
I wanted to share it all with you as it demonstrates their 110% commitment to Kela their adopted Golden.
While listening to your show this morning, I wanted to call in with our story, but I will not use a cell phone on the freeway (safety, not the new law).
I'd like to share our story with you about our beloved Kela. I'm certain that she was a puppy mill dog. Her original owner kept her chained to a sliding glass door in the house (We know this because he posted pictures on Craig's List). At seven months old, somehow she managed to escape. Lied Animal Foundation picked her up, and by their policy, she was immediately spayed. When the owner showed up and was informed of this, he told them to keep her. He didn't want her. Obviously, he wanted a brood mare --- one of these back yard breeders that you quite appropriately slammed on your show. Fortunately for us, someone from the Animal Foundation called Golden Retriever Rescue of Southern Nevada. They immediately came and got her and took her to their vet. Our name had just come up to the top of their list, so they called us. (This is several weeks after the extensive interview and house inspection). We rushed over to the vet's office, and immediately fell in love this undernourished puppy that GRRSN had named Tina. We preferred a Hawaiian name, so we came up with Kela (pronounced Kayla) which in Hawaiian means to excel. She has lived up to her name. She is a fantastic dog that we love very much. When we brought her home, she just went wild with her new found freedom to run in our large yard. The story doesn't end there. About a month after we got her, she was being a silly puppy and running around the yard at full speed. She hadn't learned how to stop yet, and 45 lbs of dog slammed into the side of my wife's knee, tearing the meniscus, and the ACL. After a night in ER, two months in a wheel chair and four months of therapy, she was able to return to hula dancing. What irritated us about it was friends and family that kept asking if we got rid of the dog after that. Not a chance -- it was an accident, and Kela needed a good home, which we have given her. 2 1/2 years later, we still consider ourselves fortunate to have such a loving dog. Kela is an important part of our family. You have my permission to share this story on the air if you like. We can't give enough praise to GRRSN. They have found great homes for Golden Retriever's all over this Valley. I hope you can one day feature them on your show. Check out their web site at www.grrsn.org and the blog at www.grrsnblog.org.
Story by: Jim Cannell
TEBOW RENAMED OSCARrr
Oscar is getting along great with his big brother Miles. He does everything Miles does. We have had a few minor mishaps but Oscar is training us. He has the goofy golden grin and loves to play. Oscar knows when it is bed time and goes to sleep on his own bed, which is right next to our bed. He has already learned not to go in the pool without permission. We couldn’t have asked for a better golden.
Thank you very much,
Coleen & Kurt Gleim
Dogs need dental care, too!
February is Dental Month.....
Unfortunately, dental hygiene for dogs is sometimes overlooked by even the best dog owners who don't realize that dental hygiene is just as important to their dog's overall health and well-being as proper nutrition, exercise, routine grooming and vet visits.
Poor dental hygiene leads to tooth decay, tooth loss, oral pain, gum disease and last but not least, the dreaded "doggy breath." However, the bacteria that cause these problems can also affect other parts of the body, like the heart and kidneys. The most important thing is to address dental disease as soon as it is detected, no matter how minor. To inspect your dog's teeth, lift the lips all around the mouth, looking at the front and back teeth as closely as possible. Be gentle and use caution. Your veterinarian will also take a look at your dog's teeth during routine examinations, so make sure you visit your vet at least once a year for wellness check-ups and contact your vet if any problems arise. Watch for the following signs:
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Bad Breath
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Reluctance to chew
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Increased Salivation
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Red or bleeding gums
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Tarter
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Loose teeth
Dog dental care should be part of a daily routine - meaning brush your dog's teeth - Please ask your vet how to do this and what to use-DO NOT USE HUMAN TOOTHPASTE!!!!
Professional dental cleaning by your vet is periodically required; some dogs need dental cleanings one or more times per year, while others can go longer. Be certain to follow your vet's recommendations.
MADDIE
We adopted Maddie about two weeks ago. She had led a terrible life. All of that has now changed, and she is being treated like a princess. She is a cuddle bunny and full of energy. Maddie has changed our lives as well, as we lost our beloved Gracie to cancer in September and went into a deep depression. We are now a very happy family again, and are sure that we are the lucky ones to have found such a precious Golden.
Thank you for everything! GRRSN is a wonderful organization.
Julie & Paul Kraig
LINCOLN IS MAGNIFICANT
hi - we adopted a Golden, Lincoln, from you a few months ago (we previously adopted another one from you Simon (originally named Simba), approx 4 years ago. Lincoln had been abandoned by hiS family in Utah and lived on his own for a couple of months before being picked up by animal control who were one day away from shooting him (their so called legal version of euthanization) before you guys saved his life.
Lincoln is magnificent. Thank you so much for saving him.
I think the best way to show you thanks and how awesome he is are just by a few pictures: first one is the day we brought him home - had him go in the back yard and of course he went straight to the pool and sat on the first step
Second pic of him we call "joy to the world" - you'll know which one it is when you see it. We took him on his first "road trip" this fall and stopped at a sand dune and with my cell phone snapped this picture.
Third pic - he is the cutest thing in life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There's so much more good stuff to say but I am such a procrastinator and have been meaning to send you this stuff for a while so am just going to send it now.
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tracy & Kim Gilsbach
Jed and Moses
Here's Jed and Moses on a holiday hike on Henderson Mountain. Moses was adopted from Best Friends in April 2011.
When making your New Year's resolutions this year, keep your dog in mind
Sticking to the plan can be difficult - especially if you are only accountable to yourself. Try incorporating your own goals with a plan to improve your dog's quality of life. Making small, positive changes in daily routines can make a big difference for both you and your dog. Plus, you will be reinforcing that special human-canine bond. Here are some ways to get started. Happy New Year!
Getting more exercise is probably one of the most common resolutions for people. Some of us want to lose weight, others just want to be healthier and more energetic. Your dog also needs plenty of exercise, and he too will reap the benefits. Obesity in dogs is becoming more common, and lifestyle has a lot to do with it. With proper diet and exercise, you can help your dog lose weight or prevent weight problems down the road. Try increasing the amount of daily exercise that you and your dog get. If you think you are getting the right amount, or you just don't have time for more, you can just change it up. If you take your dog for a daily walk, try running or powerwalking instead. Or, change around your usual route and play some intermittent games of fetch.
There are many activities you can do with your dog while exercising at the same time. Try walking, running or hiking with your dog and see how much better you feel. Some activities provide more exercise for your dog than for you, but are still a fun way to bond. Play fetch with a ball or disc, visit the dog park.
Above: GRRSN dogs make New Year's resolutions--
Gracie (L) will work on not begging for French fries
Caleb (R) promises to take his thyroid medicine like a good boy, and stick to a diet a nutritious weight loss kibble and go for regular walks.
Dog Food Ingredients & Nutrition
Sad News from the Millers
It's killing me to write this letter, but our beloved Shelby passed away early Thanksgiving morning after becoming ill Sunday and
having to have emergency surgery. It was just too much for him to handle and he went to the Rainbow Bridge.
Shelby came in to our lives in early March of 2008. It was quite by accident. We had just adopted our other Golden, Relay, three days earlier. Kathy from the GRRSN contacted us to see if we could foster Shelby (whose name at that time was "Rocky") for a few days while they looked for a new home for him. Shelby was only six months old and had already been in three homes. We agreed and Kathy brought him over. He came into our home like a bolt of lightning. He and Relay wrestled and played like they had known each other their whole lives. My wife and I looked at each other and knew that we had to keep him. Without delay we called Kathy and told her to stop looking for a home for him, as he found one with us.
The first thing we did was change his name to Shelby. Rocky just didn't fit. As we got to know him (and he got to know us), We also came up with several other names for him, including "The Fair Haired Boy", "Our Big Baby", "Bo Bo", and our personal favorite, "Mama's Boy". He really loved my wife (Joanie), and she loved him more than anything. Shelby grew from a clumsy puppy in to a gentle giant, tipping the scales at 125lbs, however he still thought he was a lap dog. I can't tell you how many nights I had to spend on the couch because he would crawl up in bed with us, stretch out and kick me out! What a nut! When I would come home from work, he would greet me at the door, nuzzle up to me and literally push me in to the kitchen so I could give him a treat. Shelby was just over four years old and left our world way too soon.
We love and miss him terribly. (So does Relay).
Travis and Joanie Miller
O'Malley Murphy (Formerly Archie)
O'Malley Murphy...the luckiest Irish canine who thru adoption, only knows love!
Sgt. French Fries Lenz (Formerly Augie)
Sgt. Lenz is so happy to be home with his family including the newest member Sgt. French Fries Lenz (formerly Augie). Brandy calls them father and son.... so precious! Brandy says Sgt. FF was a little scared of her husband in uniform, but it looks like he's gotten over it!
Brandy
Dear Golden Retriever Rescue
Thank you so much for helping us find the new addition to our family Brandy. Poker and Brandy get along so well, it's like they have always been together.
Sincere David and Yulia
Sincere David and Yulia
Christmas Gift Wrap at the GAP in the Galleria Mall
GRRSN thanks the GAP for a successful shopping day!
GAP at the Galleria Mall, 1300 W. Sunset, Henderson, NV 89014
Caleb and Penny
That's Nancy with them in the back yard. Penny is relentless in getting attention as Caleb is in chasing a ball or anything else thrown. Most polite well behaved dogs we have ever had; very well trained. it's hard to believe they weren't adopted, but lucky for us they weren't. Everybody comments that they are so sweet and adorable.
We can't thank you enough for having them at the right time
Mark C ashmere
Naked Kenny By Nancy Wegis
Back when my husband Tom and I had just started dating, we had gotten to the place in our relationship that it was time to meet the parents. I also wanted my parents to see Tom's home, to me, it would show them that he was a responsible guy, being a homeowner and all. Tom also had two wonderful dogs Harry and Snowy and I was very excited for Mom and Dad to meet their future grand-doggies!
My very Catholic and conservative parents had just flown into Las Vegas from Seattle so we picked them up at the airport, loaded them into the car and off we all went to Tom's house.
After a quick tour of the downstairs we all sat down and were chatting on the couch in the living room getting to know each other. Things were going very well up to this point when suddenly Tom's roommate came waltzing down the stairs completely naked!
Apparently Kenny never got the memo and had no idea that we were all coming over.
Tom suddenly yells "KENNY!" at which point, Kenny said hello to all of us and then just kind of stood there with this stupid smile plastered across his face. I wasn't sure if he was frozen to that step out of sheer embarrassment or if he was actually enjoying his little slice of voyeurism.
We all were starring at Kenny's well you know, personal parts in shock, we knew we shouldn't stare but somehow our necks were all stuck in the same position looking right at Kenny standing there in his glorious birthday suit.
None of us could look away, we wanted to, but we just couldn't. It is almost like driving buy a terrible car accident, you really don't want to slow down and rubber neck but you do, we all do. We just can't help ourselves. We don't want to look but we have to look, and look we did!
Suddenly, Harry the lab came to the rescue of all of us and ran up the stairs to great "Naked Kenny". Harry magically placed his chubby black body perfectly in front of Kenny and covered the offending body parts. That was of course until Kenny turned and headed back up the stairs...
So, "mom dad, how was your flight?", I meekly asked.
The moral of the story is, if you are going to have naked roommates, get yourself a dog and remember size really does matter. Ahem, the size of the dog that is!
CAMMY
I was disappointed that we were not able to make the BBQ. We adopted Cammy a year ago when she had just turned 2. Now she is 3 (Birthday Oct 2) and she is such a joy. She makes us laugh every day with her enthusiasm and silliness. She and our 6 year old yellow lab are inseparable. I would have liked to have seen Cammy interacting with the other goldens at the BBQ.
Thanks for all of the great work that you do.
Julie Callan and family.
SAMMY
Received your letter of 8/27 and have been trying to sit down and reply and sent pictures. Our boy Sammy is a handsome lovable dog. We hear this from everyone who sees him. As you can see by the pictures Sammy has made friends with a Newfoundland (Nordstrum) and a little black terrier dog (Rocky). Rocky runs like a rabbit and Nordstrum and Sammy, believe it or not, get worn out. Sammy loves the pool and is in it more than we are.
Bill & Sally Brennan (and Grandma).
Cammy and Family
I was disappointed that we were not able to make the BBQ. We adopted Cammy a year ago when she had just turned 2. Now she is 3 (Birthday Oct. 2) and she is such a joy. She makes us laugh every day with her enthusiasm and silliness. She and our 6 year old yellow lab are inseparable. I would have liked to have seen Cammy interacting with the other goldens at the BBQ. I've attached 2 photos. One is Cammy getting the newspaper. That has become her job every morning. She loves picking up the paper and bringing it into the house. The other picture is of Cammy and our lab, Sunny, taking a nap together.
Thanks for all of the great work that you do.
Julie Callan and family.
NIKKIE
Therapy Humans In Training....
This very lucky girl with the bright green cast is being pulled around the neighborhood in a wagon lined with a comfy dog bed.
Nikkie recently broke her toe and was looking quite depressed after the cast was put on. Her wonderful humans Deb and George, (mostly Deb I would surmise) bought her a wagon and now she travels in style!
Rumor has it that the neighbors are buying tickets to see George pull his dog around in the wagon! I am pretty sure that is why Nikkie is smiling in this photo.
Do you have a pampered pooch? Would love to share your stories.
Winter AKA MAXX
Making a House a Home
It took many months for us to move beyond the passing of our first Golden. Retirement allowed us to launch ourselves into a flurry of travel and boating. The years passed and so did our boat and travel trailer, sold finally with some regret.
We settled into the activities provided in our Sun City community, but we knew something was missing. Not that over the years we handn't talked about getting another dog. We even went to the shelters and came home broken hearted. Then, as fate would have it, we saw an article about rescued Goldens.
Your Winter has become our Maxx. Named after the first Max and looking so very much like him. But we can detect some differences. Our new boy has some issues that make us sad. Someone has taken the playfulness out of him. But we are seniors and it has proven to be a good fit. He is quiet. He never chews or messes. He is gentle with children, grown-ups and small dogs. But he can hold his own with his rambunctious friend down the street.
He has bonded with us and we with him. He is always underfoot. We must be careful now where we step. While his toys remain unplayed with (not that we haven't tried), on occasion he appears before us with a ball in his mounth. His soft brown eyes sparkle, his tail sweeps through the air like a sultan's fan. We get all excited and praise him while knowing he is only doing it to please us and get attention. We then play his version of keep away for a minute or so, and then it is over. But it is enough to make us all happy.
Our house has become a home again because Maxx lives there.
Laura Williams
ZAC and JAKE
Attached is the Weisbein Therapy Dog Team of Michael & Samantha Weisbein Handlers & Zac & Jake, the therapy dogs.
We are Volunteers at Summerlin Hospital and spread happiness, love, and cheer to people who otherwise might be lonely, sad or slow to heal. Did you know that pet visits often spark good memories of a person's own pets? Dogs often can reach people and children who have withdrawn from the world. It's been suggested by science that petting a dog can lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and stress, and promote healing.
ZAC & JAKE are almost always guaranteed to produce smiles and laughter.
We love giving back to the community...
MURPHY
Happy Summer to you.
After looking at the website, I decided to share a couple of pictures of Murphy. We do not have any human children of our own and Murphy is always soooo happy when my niece and nephews come to visit.
Attached are a couple of pictures of Murphy in our pool.
Best regards,
Colleen
Carmel
Howard & Jackie Kramer with Carmel - now about 4 yrs old in the middle, and Buddy - our daughter's Golden Retriever Rescue dog from about 4 years ago, now about 8 yrs old. Note that one the picture on the right - Carmel is belly up and now Buddy is in the middle.
August 19 will be 2 years that you matched us up with Carmel. She is our 4th golden over the past 25 years. Each one has had their own distinct personality. She is sweet, beautiful and has us wrapped around her "paws". Thank you for a "perfect match".
Howard and Jackie Kramer
ENJOY PICTURES FROM OUR BBQ
Reunion Bar-B-Que Fundraiser
Saturday, October 1, 6:00 PM
Doggie District Pet Resort
3223 N. Rainbow
THANK YOU TO OUR BBQ SPONSORS and VOLUNTEERS
Doggie District Pet Resort
Albertsons on Charleston and Town Center
Red Rock Harley Davidson
Total Wine
Tony Pace Show
Costco
Suncoast Hotel and Casino SC Prime
Patty Pierson
Healthy Tails
Lynne Bodamer
Melissa's Grooming
Spencer Springs Animal Hospital
Mon Cheri Dog Grooming
McKenna Ford
Sun City Animal Hospital
Kona Grill
Andrea Fuster
Carol Schneider
Shari Bohanon
All Dog Solutions
Louanne Kahn
Donna Schneider Sellpro Realty
Fremont Hotel & Casino
Darryl Hutchings
Mary Calabray
Nala's Pet Sitters
Sandra J. Tueller
Buddy renamed Kirk
Hello to Everyone at GRRSN,
My family and I adopted Buddy (Kirk) last January and he quickly became a member of the Sider family. Sorry it's taken so long, but we wanted to share some family photos. Buddy has a great heart, loves everyone, and is truly a joy in our family!!!! We thank you for helping him to find a home, and for adding to our family!
Rebecca
Prada renamed Sugar
Hello! We, the Lowe Family wanted to share some pictures of our little Sugar. We love her so much and she is an amazing companion. When we first got her she had just gotten fixed and her name was Prada. She didn't really respond well to Prada and she was just so loving and sweet so we renamed her Sugar. We have a 2 year old and a now 8 month old and they absolutely love Sugar. Kayla our 2 year old and Sugar wrestle pretty much all day long. They are best friends. I can't tell you how much that means to parents to see a dog become best buds with their kids and become a member of the family. Sugar is our third daughter :). Thank you for helping place her in our home. We love her. Hope you enjoy the pics.
Love,
Sarah, Jeremy, Kayla, Kenzie, and Sugar Lowe
Wish you were here! For more Swim Party entertainment
Adopting a Senior Golden
Dear Tammie ~
I want to thank you for checking in on Whitey! He has quickly found his way into our hearts and is most certainly a stunning addition to the neighborhood. I am quite certain his presence is driving up home values as we speak ;-) As we spoke on the phone last weekend, a comment you made resonated with me, “If your experience can get just one person to consider adopting a senior Golden that would be great,” or something like that. I immediately began wondering if I could write something with a focus on convincing readers to be open to the possibility of adopting a senior pet. Additionally, I want you to know how extraordinary the work is that you do and you are making a difference every day! What you and GRRSN have accomplished in terms of Golden rescue is magnificent. Thank you for taking in our Whitey and countless others. We are so grateful to you and GRRSN.
Sincerely,
Nicole
Several Reasons (excuses) Not to Adopt a Senior Pet, and One Good Reason to Take a Leap of Faith!
As my husband, his grandma, our daughter, and I approached the District at Green Valley Ranch, it was clear this wasn’t going to be an ordinary day of leisurely shopping. Rather, my husband and I began to mentally prepare for the child chasing that would ensue once our three year old Emily made her way to Mutts on Main Street. Miss Emily didn’t disappoint. Enthusiastically, she took off in the direction of the largest, friendliest animals she could find: Golden Retrievers. Plopping down, she grinned and giggled as she gleefully accepted a warm welcome that included tickling tails and slobbery kisses. While we managed to do some shopping, we were sure to stop back at the GRRSN booth before we left so Emily could bid her new friends a fond farewell.
Over the course of the next few weeks and months, my husband and I discussed at length the many reasons it wasn’t necessary to adopt a Golden, or any dog for that matter. Between my profession in school administration and my husband’s as a CPA, we have received a good amount of training in decision making over the years and we consider ourselves experts (ha ha). It was clear: we are not candidates for adopting.
A myriad of reasons (excuses) supported our conclusion:
1. We both have a full time job.
2. We have a precocious three year old.
3. Our four legged, 13 year old son, Buddy, would not appreciate sharing his home.
4. Our lives are already filled with hobbies, chores, family, and friends.
5. Um, we have never had a big dog and don’t know the first thing about Golden Retrievers.
Now that we had that out of the way, we continued to check in on the many beautiful Goldens posted on the website and were always celebratory when one would be adopted. Somewhere along the way our top five “reasons” (using the term loosely, of course) for not adopting a Golden were overshadowed by the one reason we should: it’s not about us. What became increasingly clear is that our three year old daughter possesses the wisdom and compassion that we had somehow lost track of in our efforts to make “sensible” family decisions. Miss Emily looks at our senior Golden, Whitey, and sees pure love and friendship. She doesn’t care about head shape, fur color, size, weight, gender, or age. She has no concept of time and, as it turns out, neither does Whitey. She’s blissfully unaware of his age, and fortunately, so is he. What she intuitively understands and has conveyed to us without even knowing it is the undeniable fact that when we concern ourselves with the well being of others, rather than worrying about what’s convenient for us, our lives are enriched.
If you’re considering adopting any type of pet, not just a dog, or a Golden, please take advantage of the many benefits a mature pet offers:
They’re often potty trained.
They’ve graduated from the chewing stage.
They’re grateful for the simple joys of life: a roof over their heads, food in their bellies, and companionship.
Their loyalty is unparalleled.
You’re saving the life of an animal that most likely will not get adopted otherwise.
Through Whitey, we will be blessed for Emily to experience the responsibility, love, and pride associated with making pets a part of the family. On a larger scale, someday Emily will understand the selfless gift she offers to her senior Golden: unconditional love. She sees what’s important: his heart and his loyalty. Someday, hopefully many years from now – too many to count, she will also learn what it means to lose her best friend. Thankfully, her many warm memories will serve as a source of comfort and her resilient spirit will inspire her to yet again use her big brown eyes to convince us that another old man with big brown eyes will be just perfect for us!
Entertainer Tony Pace Donates Blankets to GRRSN....Thank You!
The blankets are from Tony Pace, an entertainer here in Las Vegas. He's performing at the Clarion Hotel & Casino. For the shows in the last week of July, he sold tickets for $5 in exchange for blankets for animal shelters and rescues. Our organization was recommended to Mr. Pace by Carol McCabe-Joy. Th
Tilly and Winston (Klyde)
Here is a photo our beloved Tilly and (Klyde) Winston. They have so quickly become the center of our lives. Tilly and Winston go to the dog park every day and love socializing with the other dogs and humans there. They are the sweeetest, most loving and obedient dogs ever!
Thank you, GRRSN for allowing us to be a part of your wonderful organization!
Shelly and Mel Mitchell
DUKE Dettrey
This is the story of DUKE Dettrey.
He is a God given addition to this family and we “LOVE” him dearly. He was a gift to our 19 year old daughter and they go hand in hand, everywhere she goes he goes, except he won’t be able to go to College with her when she leaves, but she has already said she will be calling daily on Skype to see how he is doing. Just wanted to let you all know. We will forward more pics as they come.
The Dettrey Family.
Hi! It's me again.....Remember "Bella".
I am on the road again.
If you can help GRRSN help me, place my name on the donation. Thank you
Despite a multitude of wishes, hopes & prayers from Bella's numerous friends and kindhearted strangers, she became fully incontinent again several weeks after her laser surgery. The Urethral Cuff procedure, which we were hoping to avoid, has been scheduled for Monday, August 1st in San Diego, CA. Thank you all for your continued support during Bella's epic journey. We will continue to post updates on her progress.
UPDATE August 2: Bella was so sad today, she just put her head in my lap and whimpered. She wants to be out of there. We leave tomorrow for home. As soon as Bella is healed we will need to return to Dr. Ross so she can inflate the Urethral Cuff. The end of the journey....
Attention all Golden Retrievers
Tell your human parents that all your friends will be attending the Golden Play Date!
Pam from Just Like Home Doggie Hotel and Grooming is allowing our golden babies to play at her new outdoor play facility for FREE! "BYOT" Bring your own towels for the Splash Park and please be willing to sign a "play at your own risk" waiver when you come. We are meeting Tuesday, July 19th from 5:30-7:00 and every week after that.
Spread the word!
See you all soon!
Melissa and Norton
July 19, 2011
Splash Park
Just Like Home Doggie Hotel and Grooming
4872 W. Lake Mead Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89108
Telephone: (702) 558-5689
Golden Retriever Rescue Southern Nevada is in the News!
Channel 13, The Morning Blend 9 am to 10 am Monday July 25, 2011
Click here to view the video!
Check out the pictures from the Channel 3 , Sunrise Newscast Saturday July 23, 2011
Debbie Pietro with Golden Sundance along with Nancy Wegis and golden Sachimo discuss how wonderful it is to adopt a senior golden.
Sachimo with the Cheer Leaders from the Las Vegas Locomotives UFL Football Team ..interviewed prior to GRRSN.
CHAMP
Picture upper left....Saidie (GRRSN Alumni and Champ) We’re very grateful for the smooth way in which GRRSN helped us adopt our first Golden Retriever, CHAMP.We were looking for just the right companion for our young son, one who wasn’t too wild, non-aggressive, and would simply “be there” for him (and us) as our boy grows up.We found all of that and more in our sweet-natured, easy-going retriever.Champ has weathered our son’s affections like a “champ”, patiently sitting through stroke after stroke along his coat.We knew we had made a good choice when our little one leaned back to watch Mickey Mouse, and found he was lying back on ol’ Champ.Together they enjoyed the animated adventures and have been stuck at the hip since.Thanks again to GRRSN for helping us find our son’s best friend.
Calvin "Shugsy"
What a joy this little boy turned out to be! We have had him now for about 5 months and he has brought nothing but happiness and delight into our lives. This kid is SWEET like SUGAR. He went on his first big car trip with us a couple of months ago and half the time we forgot he was with us because he was so quiet. Our last Golden, Gus yelled at just about everything… but this little guy…..didn’t say a word! What a pleasure! Of course we didn’t mind Gus’s barking either.
Calvin gets us up every morning at 5:00 a.m. to take him for a walk. We never miss a day. You can’t fool him either, there is no pretending to be asleep. After our walk its breakfast and a short car ride. Yes, EVERYDAY! This boy is spoiled rotten but we love doing it.
After dinner it’s off to the couch where Calvin gets his belly rubbed and rubbed and rubbed. I think we’re getting blisters!!!
We could never thank you enough for finding our new Golden Boy. We love him dearly.
Steve, Debbie & Calvin
PS. I am just about ready for another!
SHAMROCK
Here is my angel, Shamrock, on his TV debut for golden retriever rescue of southern nevada! He was asked to be a 'senior representative' to encourage senior dog rescues and show how loving a senior angel can be. I am so proud of him! We just filmed this this morning. His grandma Jackie is pretty darn proud too!
Love,
Sharon "mom", and Shammy
Meet Mabel...Before Her Rescue
When you tell people that you volunteer with Golden Retriever Rescue, more often than not people respond with the question "How many Golden Retrievers could possibly need rescuing!?"
People mistakenly think that Golden's are exempt from abuse, neglect and plain old indifference from their owners. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
Meet our girl Mabel. Her after picture will appear on the 'Waiting for a Home' page soon, and thanks to our Intake Director, Jennifer, she will look beautiful. A typical, happy, Golden Retriever. She'll have a bio that states that she gets along with other dogs and cats, loves people and would make someone the most wonderful companion, and because we strive to keep our site upbeat and positive, you would normally never see the "intake" picture. However, sometimes it seems that the reality of rescue should be shared, and such is the case with our little angel Mabel.
Mabel is a beautiful Senior girl who ended up at Lied. We don't know her story, but one look at her and you can see what her life up until now has been like. A dog does not end up in this shape by spending a weekend running stray on the streets. Mabel has to have been neglected for years.
How could someone have looked at her day after day, hair matted to the skin, an open wound on her leg and not done anything about it, and who could have just thrown this girl out? What is even more unthinkable is that Mabel probably loved her owners with all her heart... even though they did not seem to love her.
Thankfully, her suffering is behind her. Mabel had her vet check and even with everything she's been through she was all smiles! Her leg has been cared for and Mabel was given a clean bill of health. Her beautiful coat couldn't be saved, but it will grow back in no time and she will look and feel better than she has in as long as she can remember. Luckily, because of our wonderful volunteers, her foster family will love her until she finds her forever home... which brings up another reality of rescue to consider.
Because Mabel is a Senior she will be passed up... often, by most people who (understandably) only want to rescue a young dog between the most popular ages of 6 months to 3 years. This is sad for our seniors, and ever more so for the people who wont give them a chance considering Golden's only get better with age!
If you have thought about adopting, please, keep your heart open to the possibility of rescuing a senior and put aside the worries standing in your way.
True, you wont have as much time with them as you want, but do we ever have as much time as we want? Does it make it easier to loose an animal just because you've had them for 15 years?
Yes, It's hard to loose them but we guarantee the heartbreak of saying good-bye will be overshadowed by the happiness and joy they've given you and we promise, you wouldn't trade even a second of the time you had with them.
We agree, it is hard on children to loose an animal, but what better lesson to teach a child than the importance of putting your wants aside to help someone who really needs you?
Considering a dog like Mabel is a chance to make such a difference and it will completely change the life of another. How wonderful to be maybe the first person to show an animal what it's like to be part of a family, or what it means to be safe and loved!
You will get 100 times more from these special "less desirable, harder to place" angels than you will ever give... and please remember, Mabel, and Jack and all of our seniors have no idea how old they are. They think they'll be with you forever, and there's no reason for them to think any different. As humans we can deal with that part of the story.
Mabel has been adopted. Meet Mabel's new family. Another happy ending.........
By Tammie McNeill
Golden Retriever Rescue Southern Nevada Alumni Saves Owners Life
Shaker is a hero to his whole family
In January of 2009 at 11 - months old Charlie came into rescue as a typical barking, drooling, counter-surfing puppy who was not house broken and who had very little training. He was adopted and renamed Shaker and his whole new life began. Here is a story about Shaker and his owner that shows the devotion and loyalty and frankly the uncanny ability of some dogs to recognize life and death situations.
This story is told by Shaker's owner
This particular story starts in September 2009. I had torn a ligament and tendon in my ankle and was treated conservatively, which failed to relieve to relieve the chronic pain after 4 months. In January, it was determined that I needed surgery but that was also about the same time my wife broke her wrist when she was knocked down by a group of playing dogs at the dog park. So my surgery was delayed.
I finally had surgery on April 5th and was in a splint for 2 weeks, followed by a cast for a month. The cast was removed on May 20th, and I went back to a support boot and crutches. On Monday May 24th, I had my first full work day of just using the crutches and the boot, and I started having some chest pains near the end of the day. By the time I got home at about 8:30, I was exhausted and it was all I could do to get from the car to my bed. By around 1 AM the pain was a little worse, my pulse was rapid and I was having some shortness of breath. At this point, I could't sleep and was lying there debating upon if I should wait until morning, or go into the emergency room right then. That was when the oddest thing happened. Shaker got up on the bed, which is not usual for him. He very rarely gets on the bed, and if he ever does, he strictly lies at the foot of the bed. But this night, he walked right up and over my wife and laid his head on my chest. Then he would not move from that spot no matter what we did or said. Now, I have heard many stories of dogs doing amazing things, and have even had clients whose dogs were able to detect oncoming seizures, hypoglycemia, cancer, etc. so I took this as a sign. I woke my wife up, we put the kids in the car, and she drove me to the emergency room.
Apparently, during the time that I had the cast in place, I was forming blood clots in my leg. When the cast was off and I had more movement of my let, the clots started breaking free and were moving into my lungs. On that first full day of work, a large clot broke off and went to my lungs. When the doctor did the CT scan, the found numerous clots throughout my lungs, as well as something called a saddle thrombus in both lungs. In order to understand what was going on, a small anatomy lesson is in order. Basically, when the large pulmonary artery leaves the heart to go to the lungs, it splits into 2 parts, one going to the right lung, and another going to the left. Each of those in turn splits into 2 smaller vessels that go to the top part of the lung and the bottom part of the lung, and then to smaller vessels, etc. There was a large clot in the vessel that splits into the top and bottom part of the lung on both sides. Therefore, the clots were blocking a large portion of the blood flow to both of my lungs. In the emergency room, the started me on IV blood thinners immediately and transferred me to ICU. I spent the next 6 days in ICU followed by 3 days in intermediate care, before being transferred to a regular hospital room. I am in that room as I am writing this, so I cannot relay how long my total hospital stay was, only that it is not yet over.
I have been seen by several specialists while here. All of the doctors just kind of shake their heads in wonderment and tell me the same story...with pulmonary emboli like I have the most common symptom that is seen is sudden death. They tell me that by all rights I shouldn't have made it to the hospital at all. They tell me that only the fact that I came in when I did saved my life. And I tell them that the only reason that I came in when I did, rather than waiting, was the attentions of our Golden Retriever, Shaker. Shaker saved my life. Isn't it strange how things work...as a veterinarian I spend my life saving animals' lives, and then one of them saves mine.
I will hopefully be able to return home to my family in a few more days, and I am greatly looking forward to seeing them all, including Shaker and our other GRRSN adoptee, Rusty. I will be on blood thinners for about 6 months, and it will take a few weeks to a few months for the clots to fully dissolve. They will arrange for a home care nurse and physical therapist for a while and with luck I will be able to return to work in a few weeks....maybe sooner.
INCONVENIENT KILLINGS
Since I am hosting this blog for GRRSN, I have felt that I should always remain neutral, not get too opinionated, not really say what I want to say...
This current situation of their latest intake has really pushed some buttons inside me and, unfortunately, it has not been the first time and sadly will not be the last.
So today, I open my big mouth! It really has been kept closed for way too long!!
I just cannot wrap my brain around the fact that some people on this planet think it is perfectly okay to euthanize their pet because it is an "inconvenience." Of course, they may come up with more clever reasons; most probably those contrived reasons are merely to relieve themselves of any guilt that they may feel.
Most often it happens with the senior dogs. As a proud owner of three senior dogs (13, 10 and 9) and one senior foster (13!), I cannot say enough wonderful things about my elderly pets.
They are past the chewing stage -- well past, they are housebroken, they are calm, they are loving and beyond all of this, so completely loyal. They look to us for just the most basic of things: a soft bed, a bowl of food, gentle walks and a good belly rub every now and then.
So next time you see a senior who needs a new home, why not consider adopting one. Yes, their time with you may be short, but it will change your life -- I guarantee it. Especially when you realize what a beautiful thing you have done for this old dog.
Our senior experience with a dog to be euthanized because of old age is as follows:
There was a lovely Golden named Gracie whose owner had passed away. The daughter stepped in and brought her mom's three dogs and one cat to the vet's office. Two of the dogs and the cat were offered up for adoption. The Golden, as the daughter explained, "was just too old and should be euthanized." Of course, my fabulous vet did not kill this dog and instead took it upon herself to keep Gracie at the clinic until she could find her a new home.
Well, in I walk one day, most probably picking up meds or something for one of my pets, and Dr. S asked me to come and take a look at Gracie. By this time she had been in a cage at the vet's for four weeks. During this period, they had treated her for an ear infection, trimmed her overgrown toenails and had completely shaved her down due to severe matting. Other than outwardly appearances, this dog seemed very healthy. She asked if I would consider giving Miss Gracie a new forever home. I said I would ask my husband and let her know later that day.
Well, of course, my fabulous husband said yes and off I went to pick up our "new" (old) dog.
The only picture we took of Gracie
Gracie immediately fit in with all of our other animals and was just as sweet as can be. Now here is the tragic part. She collapsed four weeks later and we rushed her to the vet. Bringing her in on a stretcher, the attending vet looked at us and said, "this dog is dying." I said I know.... but I had to know why. Dr. S was closed for the weekend and I felt out of respect for what she had done, she deserved Gracie's full medical report. So $600.00 later and a DVD to bring to her office on Monday, we were sadly informed that she was riddled with cancer.
We had to say goodbye that day to our dog, Gracie, who blessed us with the final four weeks of her life.
I would not have traded those four weeks and I believe Gracie would have chosen to live them as well. We spoiled her rotten and loved her unconditionally. She ate well, made new dog and cat friends and I even sewed her a dog jacket to keep her warm since her fur had all been shaved.
The day she died, I cried and cried and could not get off my couch. The grieving I felt for her was as if she had lived a lifetime here with us. I know that her last bit of time on earth, albeit short, was loving, warm and comfortable.
Remember -- love is not measured in minutes, hours, days or months. Memories can be created instantly and doing the right thing will definitely make you a better person.
These animals are a gift to us from God. Let's step up to the plate, point our moral compass in a direction of compassion and do the right thing by them and make the rest of their short little lives the best they ever had.
Turd Takers! Turd Takers! TurdttTurTURD TAKERS!
Does your dog dine on this? Read more........
Coprophagia, what???? I can't even pronounce that! I have seen it too many times to mention and I do know what it means, but I digress here.
Just now, I finished feeding my beautiful dogs dinner and immediately went out to clean up after them as I always do. We have at least two, dare I say three doggies that like a little something, something after dinner. This has been going on for a number of years. We have tried all the tricks in the book from pineapple to meat tenderizer. I honestly think nothing works.
So, out I go to the side yard and what is my adorable white, cute poodle doing but digging in and not with her paws. This is the same cutie that sleeps with me every night, cuddled right near my face! Offering sweet little kisses at will.
So of course I go over to scold her and what do I see, but turds all over her head! It was as if she waited under the big dog and these wonderful warm treats appeared to fall from the heavens bouncing off her head and into her adorable little mouth! It was like the doggie turd version of the movie, "The God's Must Be Crazy". GROSS!!!!!
Of course I hustled her into the house and scrubbed her now not so white head.
Tonight little Jojo you sleep with Daddy!
By Nancy Wegis
THE GREAT HAIR DEBATE
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Chelsie, Emma and friends Edmond's Beach WA |
Recently we adopted a fabulous "Grandpa Golden", named Sahcimo and until this very minute, I would have easily debated with my Sister Laurie and probably anyone else who had the time for a cup of Joe and a lively spirited discussion over this topic, "who sheds more"???? My Lab's or your Golden's?
My Sis, owns two Golden's Emma and Chelsie and my husband and I have had many breeds including, two Golden's, two Labs, a Chesie, an Airedale, an American Eskimo and a small Poodle mix. Of course not all at one time but oh so close! You get the picture...
I recall just telling her earlier this week that I thought our Lab's shed way more than her Golden's, in fact, I think I was quite proud of this fact. In hindsight, our first Golden, Gracie came to us shaved down and passed away before her fur even had time to grow out. With that in mind, I guess I really didn't know what I was talking about.
Well just now, I was outside with Sachimo and it was like a giant molting fur fest, I mean we've had him since February 15th and he really wasn't shedding and then out of nowhere the fur was falling off him at an alarming rate!
With each swipe of the slicker brush he would do sort of this "old grandpa man wiggle" and a half hearted leg scratch. I would flip it over and inspect the brush, WOW! look at those chunks of hair...and what if I go backwards? Oh my, bigger chunks! I wanted to show someone the hair, I wanted to shout to the world, "LOOK AT THAT CHUNK!, LOOK AT THE HAIR!" Should I run across the street or around my neighborhood and show everyone? Would they be as amazed????
As I emptied the now fluffy slicker brush, I thought to myself how can he still even have hair, all the while the pile of hair next to me on the patio furniture kept growing, taller and taller. With glee I kept brushing and brushing my old grandpa man and with equal contentment he kept doing the "old grandpa man wiggle".
But the hair kept coming off, some on me, some on the brush and some even floated over onto my Black Lab Harry, who now was becoming a Red Lab, hmm, should we change his name perhaps??? Get him genetically tested? Do we have a new dog breed here?
Sachie's hair left his body with such unsurpassed speed that even the most expensive and high end vacuum would admit defeat and quietly roll away to it's own special corner of the garage. Hanging its mighty suction hose in disgrace, wanting its bag changed but to embarrassed to say so, quietly begging to be returned to the store to leave this house of harry horrors. "The factory in China never told us about Golden's" the vacuum thought... Ah the store, where I sat proudly in a clean box on a clean shelf, (with marginally good lighting), free from dog hair and proudly announcing to the world how fantastic I was.
But I say to you Mr. Vac, you must stay and help me, I beg you. We now live with a Golden, I NEED YOU!
I admit, I have lost the debate and must now accept my punishment of a life of lint rollers, masking tape, damp wash clothes, hair grabbers, hair snatchers, hair catchers and yes Mr. V always just an arms length away.
God Bless our Golden's, America and you Mr. V!
By Nancy Wegis
