# How to write the perfect bio for a golden/chow mix



## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

I've just started volunteering with a golden rescue group based in Houston. They have asked for my help writing the perfect bio for a golden mix named Molsen who has been in their program for THREE YEARS! (Yikes!)

This guy was in really bad shape when he was found wandering the streets, eating garbage. He had mange, heartworm, and many other parasites. It took him a year to get well. 

Now he's the best behaved dog and has even passed obedience. But he craves routine, and the coming/going of other dogs at his foster's home is disruptive to him. 

Here's the rub: he's got some chow in him. Apparently the chow people reject him because he's too big; and the golden people are reluctant because of the chow even though he's shown no aggression whatsoever. 

So how would you go about 'marketing' this terrific golden boy so that they can finally find him a loving, forever home?


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Does it look alot like a chow???? I know of a few rescues that put golden mix..


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

He's pretty obviously a chow.


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## mblondetoo (Jan 9, 2006)

Does he do well with other dogs?? Maybe one dog only family. I think you gave a nice description of him. Add how he does/doesn't do with children ,cats, other dogs and his cutest picture. Give his (above) story.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Yes, apparently he gets along very well with the family, with other dogs, etc. His only 'behavior' problem is that he gets unsettled when the household is unsettled. Hey, some of us people do as well! 

Thanks for the input. Maybe in the past they've just tried to spin his story too much instead of laying it out plain.


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## goldencrazy (Dec 15, 2005)

Former palace guardian with a golden heart! Molson is a Golden Retriever - Chow mix that is all sugar with a touch of spice. He is looking for a forever family that needs a gentle spirit to share lots of good times with. If you want a teddy bear ready to give lots of love and licks, Molson is your man!


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Very clever! I assume Palace Guardian is what chows were once bred to do?


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## goldencrazy (Dec 15, 2005)

Yes, in China. Much like our libraries have lion statues at the bottom of the steps, some of the old Chinese palaces still have stone statues of Chows guarding the palace gates. I thought you might be able to use a little of what I wrote to come up with a catchy bio - although I don't think I would mention the hard past in the bio. It could wait until interested parties actually met Molson (love the name!).


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Here's a 'before' photo. For a more current photo, he's on the goldenbeginnings.org site.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Unless its his coat.......he doesnt look like a chow in that picture..


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

It's a little more obvious in the "after" picture. From what I understand, he bonds slowly but steadfastly. Each time another foster comes and then gets adopted, poor Molsen gets extremely depressed.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

I looked earlier and the after picture wasnt on the site .....Is it now????


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## katieanddusty (Feb 9, 2006)

http://www.wcnet.net/golden-beginnings-of-texas/molsen.htm

He doesn't look ALL that Chow to me. I think if you listed him just as a Golden mix, someone who knew dogs would guess that the mix was Chow, but it's not incredibly obvious.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Oh I dont think he looks like a chow..... And yes, I would put him as a golden mix.....If you remeber a while back I fostered Hunter....they know for a fact he was golden/chow..... you could tell by the fur.... and his tail curled... Here is his picture...


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

I think the group wants to be as honest as possible with any prospective owners, so if they can guess the mix they feel obligated to disclose it. 

That's the new description that I wrote on the site, and the pictures of him playing are all new. Hopefully this more honest approach (thanks for the suggestions!) will find him a home.


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## Maggies mom (Jan 6, 2006)

Are they sure he is part chow????? Its just a shame if hes not or there is a possibility hes not that this has kept him from getting a home...


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## mblondetoo (Jan 9, 2006)

Maybe pull on the heartstrings a little more and show a "before" picture somewhere in his bio.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

I suggested that, mblondetoo, but apparently they decided against it.


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## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

Brandy'sMom - is there any news?


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

He's still on the Web site, so I guess no one has shown an interest. It's so sad! 

I've tried contacting the group several times since, but they have not responded to me in about 3 weeks. She had told me that they needed help with re-writing their Web site, a newsletters, etc. Guess they don't want any further long distance help from me afterall.


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## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

Brandy's Mom - anything on the pooch? I certainly hope the wee un has been adopted. No word from the agency?


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

He's still up for adoption  

You can see new pictures of him on the site -- www.goldenbeginnings.org


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## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

Robin: WHY DID I LOOK AT THAT SITE??? 

I just spent an hour going through the dogs up now for adoption and the ones available soon. I WANT THEM ALL!! 

Breaks my heart. Molsen is looking good. Sure wish he could find a forever home. 

My heart rips apart when I see the 6, 7 8 year olds there. I can't imagine having to give my boy up - what these poor dogs must be feeling. But then again..maybe the life they have now is WAY better than the life they endured before. Just wish they could all go to loving families. :bawling:


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Donna, then please stay away from the Adopt A Golden Atlanta site. They have a pair of bonded seniors -- Boomer and Bambi -- who were adopted together, returned, and now they feel they must separate them because they've been unable to get them adopted together again. Very sad. www.adoptagoldenatlanta.com


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## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

Aww Robin.............. far too many dogs in the Adopt-A-Golden site. Even if we could get another dog there are just too many that need homes. 

*WHY????? * Why can't people be responsible when they take on a new little life? Don't they realize how much these animals depend on humans for everything? That they feel pain, feel anquish, feel despair and loneliness but forget it in a moment if someone give them love and attention. They can also be the greatest source of undying love any human will ever be witness to. 

Why can't people be responsible in getting their animals spayed and neutered. I can't believe that people are so naive they think there's big bucks in breeding goldens. BE A RESPONSIBLE OWNER!!!!! 

Just look at all those faces.........................

Breaks my heart :bawling:


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

I know. Sometimes I feel so frustrated by the sheer number of dogs who are homeless because people are thoughtless and heartless. 

That's part of what keeps me coming back to these forums. At least those of us here all understand.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

BTW -- Mr. Snuggles and Petey have been on the Adopt-A-Golden site for more than a year.


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## Deborah (Jul 3, 2005)

I think he's beautiful..........I had a Redford, male Golden/Chow mix for 13 1/2 years and he was a wonderful dog. I recently rescued Lucie, a Golden/Chow mix and she's shaping up nicely. Chows often have a bad reputation but it's really all about the dog owner. He'll find the right home !


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## Princess Bella (Oct 17, 2006)

Is this the dog your talking about ? from Golden begginings?


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

okay--just read the whole tread--and have read Molson's bio a few times--even before this thread came up. 

My input--when they say--a little unsettled--I feel like I am reading a personal add and having to decode what that means. 

I think it needs to be specific if he has or has not lived with cats or other small animals, 'everyone or everything' does not cut it. 

List the ages of children he has lived with, so families can evaluate according, 

Does he like to swim? Retrieve? Favorite toys? 

What concerns me is what do they mean by craves routine? And just exactly what happens when he does not get it? 

Crap--if i knew he liked cats and was not a fence digger outer dog--I might take him. 

But--I have to get a real job first--


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

Ha--I see your rescue dog--and I raise you one...














That is the dog I want--is he not gorgeous? How can people have such beautiful dogs and just kick them out? 


Goldens Available for Adoption from GRRH


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## Sivin (Nov 23, 2006)

Hi,
He's a nice looking dog. I liked GoldenCrazy's suggestion a few postings up. I don't know a thing about chows, except for their questionable reputation, but this one is mixed with golden so perhaps the bad will be muted with the good. Anyway, I would research the chow breed a bit and see what people really like about them and play up the good angles in this mix. He sounds charming! Is his tongue black? I once slightly knew a chow mix -- not sure what he was mixed with but maybe golden -- and he was a sweetie.

Helaine


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## Baileysmom (Aug 5, 2006)

njb said:


> Ha--I see your rescue dog--and I raise you one...
> 
> 
> 
> ...


njb:
Bailey is still on that site -- didn't he go home to his "new" Mommy? Can you update us?


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## LaurJen (Aug 10, 2006)

Why did I look at that site?? I was sitting there last night reading sad stories and sobbing, and I couldn't even talk to tell my husband why I was crying. That one story of a golden who was locked in a cage for SEVEN YEARS that was so small he couldn't even stand... OMG... when he was abandoned, they thought he couldn't stand up because his nails had grown so long that they curled under his feet.... but the reason was all his joints had fused together from being immobilized his whole life. They couldn't fix it and he had to be put down. Imagine?? He lived seven years never running, walking, or even standing... it really haunted me for the rest of the night.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Princess Bella said:


> Is this the dog your talking about ? from Golden begginings?


No, it's Molsen. He's still up for adoption!


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

njb said:


> okay--just read the whole tread--and have read Molson's bio a few times--even before this thread came up.
> 
> My input--when they say--a little unsettled--I feel like I am reading a personal add and having to decode what that means.
> 
> ...


We got "creative" because straightforward for 3 years wasn't successful. In answer to your questions, he's not lived around kids but he's living at a Golden Beginnings board member's home with several resident dogs. 

"Craves routine" means he gets depressed when he grows attached to a foster dog and he/she gets adopted. I don't know about cats and fence digging but I can ask. 

From what I understand, and I've not met him personally, he's a fun guy, well behaved and no behavior problems.


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

Brandy's Mom said:


> We got "creative" because straightforward for 3 years wasn't successful. In answer to your questions, he's not lived around kids but he's living at a Golden Beginnings board member's home with several resident dogs.
> 
> "Craves routine" means he gets depressed when he grows attached to a foster dog and he/she gets adopted. I don't know about cats and fence digging but I can ask.
> 
> From what I understand, and I've not met him personally, he's a fun guy, well behaved and no behavior problems.


No doubt this is a hard case. I would just say he gets sad and depressed at all the foster dogs coming and going. That might elicit more sympathy and emotional response from people reading the website. To me 'craves routine' leaves me wondering what happens when things get hectic--

I know you suggested before and after pics of him and they said no--(if I remember reading correctly) but your really might want to bring it up again--essentially all marketing is aimed at an emotional response--they need to pull out all the stops on this guy. 

It is a liability he has not lived with kids or cats--a good share of adopting families are just that--have kids, cats or other small animals. I have a cat he can be tested with! LOL If it does not make it, oh well, now we know.  

Play up the obedience class, you might even want to put that first. There is some research that says people remember the first thing they read. 

As far as Bailey goes--I think the lady was doing a foster to adopt thing. But she did email me some pics and say how wonderful he was doing. Maybe they have just not updated the website with his info, because she seemed thrilled with him. He does have very serious allergy issues, which we are thinking might be stress related too, seems Goldens get that way sometimes. 

Keep us posted! Wish I could be more help.

Oh--if she could get some video clips of him--she could create a dogster profile of him for free of course--showing how sweet he is and link that on the website....people could see him in action.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

I re-wrote the description based on your feedback, and have sent it off. Don't know if they'll use it or not. I believe Molsen is living near you somewhere. Maybe you could drop off the cat for the day? (lol) 

As for kids, the description does say he's good with older kids. I don't think he's been around younger ones.


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

Keep us posted on how it goes. I know this guy needs a forever family, but I kinda worry how he is going to react when he does get a new family, especially if they are not experienced dog folks. Not that he would be mean--just sad. I am sure he does not know he is a foster. Bless him.


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## mojosmum (May 20, 2005)

It's been a month since the last posting here...any word on Molson or Bailey?


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## RickGibbs (Dec 16, 2005)

njb said:


> That is the dog I want--is he not gorgeous? How can people have such beautiful dogs and just kick them out?


We ask ourselves this same question about Cosmo......


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

I actually talked to the foster mom about adopting Molson--she told me straight up she would only consider a potential foster to maybe adopt with him--I asked her if she was sure she could give him up after all this time and she said no...

I don't blame her really, heck I don't blame her at all--but she needs to just accept him as hers--for both of their sakes. I really don't think it would be good for him to be put in a new home after this long either.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

I just checked on Bailey and that Web site says Adoption Pending. 

As for Molsen, let's just say that after 3 years his foster mom isn't letting go of him easily. She's now only interested in having someone fostering him first, then possibly adopting. That narrows the field for a dog who has already proven difficult to place. I don't think she's ready to acknowledge that she really doesn't want him to go anywhere else.


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## njb (Oct 5, 2006)

Brandy's Mom said:


> I just checked on Bailey and that Web site says Adoption Pending.
> 
> As for Molsen, let's just say that after 3 years his foster mom isn't letting go of him easily. She's now only interested in having someone fostering him first, then possibly adopting. That narrows the field for a dog who has already proven difficult to place. I don't think she's ready to acknowledge that she really doesn't want him to go anywhere else.


I will have to ask why the website says Baily pending--I do know that I did a kinda of 9-11 vet pick up (much better than the pound) for the owner turn in--and was told it was just for the weekend they had a foster to adopt lined out--someone whose old gold had just passed away. I am a little concerned because she emailed me (the new adopter) and said they had a rough start--I can't imagine that because he was such a good dog. 

As far as Molson--I had that exact conversation with her--I don't blame her one bit--I even offered to meet her in a local park, just to see how Julie and him (and me) got along, since she does not live far from me and nada. At this point--I don't think it would be in the best interest of Molson to leave her either. If you talk to her anytime soon tell her I said "God Bless"--I do know how hard this is--


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