# Adopting Goldens - probably from bad breeder



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Bless you! Bentley is my first pup and he is from a BAD breeder. All of my dogs have been adult rescues so I didn't know much if anything about their background.
I think you're going into it with the right attitude. As long as you're patient with them, get them into classes and love them, they will be fine. 

As for health issues, it's a gamble like any other adopted dog but you already know to take it as it comes so I think this is the perfect home for them.
Good luck! I look forward to pictures. 

And welcome to GRF!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Thank you! I've been poking around here the last couple of hours to learn what I can  We had dogs pre-kids (a sheltie and a german shorthair pointer) but it's been a few years and we've not owned a Golden before (though my best friend in college/grad school did, and that pup was like a God-child to me ha!)

Here is a pic of one of these dogs we are thinking of adopting...


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Oh any ideas of how to judge/test their temperament? - they will be coming to our house, with four little kids, so I imagine it will be a little hard to see what they are normally like at home. I am expecting them to be enthusiastic and not necessarily on their best behavior, but of course I want to ensure that they have NO aggression, especially toward the little ones.


----------



## kelsey2664 (Jun 4, 2013)

Oscar wasn't from a breeder - just a woman who bred her golden with a neighbors - and while we were aware that goldens were prone to certain health problems, we didn't know that you could get clearances and we didn't think to learn about the parents' histories. 

I think there's a risk with any dog you get and you seem that you are very informed and educated on the needs of a golden so you will be fine


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Adorable! Goldens are great dogs, especially with kids. You won't have to go through the whole "puppy thing" but there will be an adjustment period for all involved.
I have never regretted a single one of my rescues.

The best advice I can give you is this, the kids should never be left alone with the dogs in the beginning. They will have to learn how to behave with kids and the kids will have to learn how to behave with the dogs.


----------



## Alaska7133 (May 26, 2011)

I'd like to say thanks for looking at adopting them. They may or may not have paperwork, you could always ask the owners if they have anything from their breeder. If they do you can post the information on this forum and we can help you look up the medical information the parents of the pups. Without that information there is no way of knowing what breeding they came from. We can only imagine. I know my contract with my puppy's breeder requires I return her to the breeder should I ever be unable to take care of her. My other dogs do not have that requirement. But anything is possible with your girls.

Whenever you get new dogs without a known medical history, you just will never know what is possible. So all you can do is give them the best home you can. I have a rescue that I'll never know and so far he hasn't been a problem. By the way there are many other issues that goldens can have beyond hips. 

So yes you are taking a chance with unknown medical history. But honestly there are no guarantees with any dogs that they will not have medical issues whether they came from good breeding or not.

I suggest that you get them and your family into obedience classes ASAP. I would put the dogs in separate classes. They will be distracted by each other. By bringing the whole family you can all learn together and have a plan for handling your new dogs.

Good luck have a really fun summer with your new pals!


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

All four of our goldens have been rescues, and all have been the most wonderful boys you could imagine. Sounds like with the number of kids and people in your house it would make it easier for all of you to have two dogs with double the lovin' to go around 

At their age pet insurance should be very affordable. Most rescues have their goldens spayed or neutered before adoption. If they don't, ask which vets they use and see if you can't get a really good rate. 

I might suggest you have a couple brushes lined up for their visit. Goldens LOVE brushing. It'll also give them a reason to flop on their backs and chill for a minute while your kids brush them. 

Here's to a really happy visit and a happy life for them


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Thank you for all the quick replies!!! 

That is very good advice about not leaving the kids alone with the dogs, and definitely will be heeded! 

It is honestly not realistic that we will be going to obedience class anytime soon, as much as I would like to in theory (especially not separate classes)... I think they have learned some basic commands and we will all work with them on manners, basic commands, walking nicely on a leash, recall, etc. But with four kids and soccer, golf, gymnastics, piano, voice, etc. we just have too many activities to commit to drive somewhere else every week (our dog training club is WONDERFUL, but it's a good thirty minute drive each way and class times aren't the most convenient). We went through three levels of obedience and a little agility with our Sheltie, so I am hoping I can just use what we learned there to train these pups. Again, we won't be showing them or trying to get them into Harvard  but they DO need to be manageable in the house!


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Personally....and this is just my opinion....dont take both....
With one you get to start fresh to some degree...with two...they will keep and fall back on 18 months of history together....let this be a chance for a clean slate of new behaviors....
Workign with one dog that may have issues to resolve is one thing...working with two is a whole 'nother ball of wax!

Pick the one best suited to living in a busy house full of kids....

If you fall in love with the breed and want to add another - trust me, there will be more dogs in the future....

If the owners are not willing to separate - walk away....


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Princess Di has had a wonderful experience adopting two brothers:

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...iscussion/129722-have-major-announcement.html


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I have never had pet insurance - I will look into it, thanks! Great idea. They are not in a rescue group right now, just the mother of the current owner's co-worker sent an email to a bunch of local dog-loving friends, and that is how my friend got the email and sent it to me. We can handle the spay cost (and two if we have to) but the long-term commitment of vetting and feeding two big dogs is, well, double  

The problem right now is that the owners will only adopt them out together.... I see the point about starting with less baggage if there is only one, that makes a lot of sense. I will feel her out on Friday, but basically the reason they did not want to give them over to our local Golden rescue group is that they would not be guaranteed to be adopted together.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

The rescue group should test their temperaments. Did the previous owners have children? I wouldn't separate them.


----------



## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

I am absolutely pro-rescue (have 2 of my own), but do believe families need to go in to things with realistic expectations--it's not fair to have the dogs to be bounced from home to home due to folks not thinking things through. How much time are you willing to put into successfully integrating the dogs into the family?

What's the heartworm status on the two? Keep in mind if they're HW+ you're looking at approx $500 to treat plus you will need to manage 6-8 weeks of limited activity (no running with the kiddos). Are these being vetted through the rescue or are you on your own? Could get expensive pretty fast.

Just because they were littermates doesn't mean they must live together forever. They may or may not be a bonded pair--is the rescue evaluating this?

How old are your kids? If you have a full plate & youngsters underfoot it may be difficult (but certainly not impossible) to train the two of them. I would seriously reconsider basic obedience, even with your skills, a class will help jump start the bond & ensure everyone (both humans & dogs) get off on the right foot/paw. 

Are you committed to having these 2 live inside as part of the family? Have these 2 lived inside before? If not, you may have additional training (potty-training, crate training, learning to not take toys of the kids). How dog-proof is your house? Are kids leaving toys & socks around? With goldens, they are retrievers, so anything that can be carried may in fact end up in their mouth.

How do they take treats? Do they snatch it out of your hand? Something to think about if you have little ones in the house--food will need to be carefully managed.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Oh, my. I have a lot to say, but I'll try to do it quickly.

I think two dogs are better than one. Yes, they are twice the food and vet care and somehow _more_ than twice the chaos, but the benefits to both the dogs and your family far exceed the costs. I wouldn't think twice about getting two (is that a pun?).

You have small children, so you need to understand that with a rescue you may not get that affable temperament Goldens are so famous for. Dogs in rescue are there for a reason. Often -- _too often_ -- dogs in rescue have temperament problems, even Goldens. And the rescue folks won't necessarily know about any problems. I've worked for a Golden Retriever rescue, and have had dogs that seemed perfectly wonderful suddenly turn and bite me. One in particular was getting belly rubs and taking treats one second, then launched a sustained attack on me and my companion the next. These dogs may seem fine but have "triggers" that the rescue folks are unaware of. The dog that attacked me triggered by seeing a cat, and redirected onto my companion and me. We both sustained multiple deep bite and slash wounds, and it happened in a split second, so fast there was no way to avoid it. With children, that's something to consider. You may not discover any temperament problems in a one-hour visit.

That said, I have a rescue Golden now from a "bad breeder" who is the most wonderful and gentle dog in the world. Kids can try to ride her, pull her ears or her tail, or stick a finger in her eye and she will tolerate it all. But she has hip dysplasia. It's something I will have to deal with her whole life.

Another rescue I had from a "bad breeder" was so incredibly smart and brave, she became a marine rescue dog and saved people's lives (and some animals, too), and got her picture in the paper more than once. No health problems, good joints. She thought nothing of jumping off ships in roiling seas, and towing drowning people to safety. She lived to be 14 years old, and went for a nice walk her very last day. So dogs from "bad breeders" can be very healthy and _fantastic_ dogs. Or not. You just don't know. But there are no guarantees even if a "good breeder" does everything right. It's just that you have better odds.

The major health issues you will have to watch for are:

1. Hip or elbow dysplasia, which can be anything from a minor maintenance issue to multiple surgeries and quite debilitating; and

2. Cancer, which can be very expensive and still result in a swift death.

With a rescue dog, you're leaping into the great unknown. Well bred dogs suffer those things too, but at least you can minimize the risks. That said, some of the best and healthiest dogs I've ever had have been rescue dogs from "bad breeders."

And another thing you should think about are your requirements. You say you're looking for a rescue about a year old that is housebroken. Those are really rare in rescue, and when they come along they have applications a mile high. These two dogs sound like they come closest to your requirements, so if age is important to you I'd snap them up. Often, though, if you're willing to accept an older dog, they can be much easier to live with. But few people want older dogs. The typical rescue applicant wants a dog under 2 years old, usually female, who is trained and housebroken. That's not really a realistic expectation. I think you're lucking out in the age department. So if you want a young rescue dog and everything else looks good, I'd jump on this.

I just want to repeat to beware temperament. Those dogs, kept in crates their whole lives, will probably be out of control on your visit, at least for a while. Let them run all over your house and yard, and explore everything, and give them a good amount of time to get the excitement out of their system. They are young, so it might take a while. But you want to see how they will do, and you won't get that until they calm down of their own accord. And another thing: those rescue folks will be looking to see how you react when the dogs run into your closet and pull out your underwear, or if one of them pees or poops in your house. If you freak out over it, they may decide you're not a good candidate. Rescue folks watch the humans more than the dogs on home visits. So you want to take it all in stride as those exuberant dogs destroy your lovely home. 

I really hope this works out! Having two dogs is _fantastic_. I would never have just one, again. And these two need a good home, which it sounds like you can provide. Plus, you're unlikely to get closer to your requirements than this, from a rescue. So it looks like it could be a wonderful result for everyone involved. Good luck!


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

My kids are involved in the same activities yours are, and we only have two of them. The amount of time and commitment required to train and care for ONE dog can often seem overwhelming with everything else going on around here, and our dog is relatively low maintenance. I can't imagine two! 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

You've gotten good advice here. I'd also suggest googling info on how to evaluate a dog. It would be better if you could have an expert do a formal temperament test on both but if that's not possible, do some research so you can do your own. Also, if your instincts are that they are not right for your family, listen to them! I guarantee your kids will be so excited and clamoring to bring them home, but you and your husband need to ignore them and choose the best fit for your situation.

It's always a bit dicey bringing adult dogs into a house with children. It's different when you've raised them from the beginning. So ask a lot of questions and do some testing and preferably decide away from the dogs. (It's very hard to turn down a sweet Golden face!) I really hope it works out for you and these are the dogs you are meant to have. I hope you'll come back and tell us what you decide.


----------



## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Dogs do just fine being separated from littermates - very often they flourish!

Ask people that train family dogs - ask rescues that routinely separate littermates and long-time house companions. It is not the dogs that have trouble adjusting....


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I can't keep up with these replies - what a wonderful problem to have!!  I am still reading Princess Di's post and it just makes me so happy 

So... well, a few things in response to the above....

They are NOT in a rescue right now, the current owners are trying to re-home them and I just lucked into responding to the word-of-mouth email first. They are young couple, obviously they love their dogs (they have these two and another smaller dog) but it is clear they are somewhat immature and just didn't think through the commitment of having two big dogs. The dogs DO live inside (and yes, of course they will with us as well, if we get them) but from all the pictures and videos on Facebook, they have been allowed to do things that they will NOT be allowed to do here - jump on people, jump up on kitchen counters, etc. But they seem generally pretty well behaved, like there is a video where the guy is coming home from work and one of them is clearly VERY excited, but she is trying really hard to sit and keep her butt on the floor while greeting him. It is cute, but shows that she has been taught to sit and is trying to control herself. The videos where they are being wild jumping, it is because the owner is encouraging them to. So, yes, that will be a lot to deal with.

I will google about temperament testing. They do not currently live with kids. Obviously this is my biggest concern at this point. We actually had another dog, who we got when he was 8 weeks old from the shelter (mystery breed but when he got older it was clear he had some pit bull in him) and did EVERYTHING right for (puppy kindergarten, LOTS of socializing, raised him with our toddlers (my two oldest now), etc. and yet he was very food aggressive for no "reason" and ended up biting my two year old when he was trying to get butter off the counter and she walked by him. It really spooked me, because we had really worked hard with him and it was clear that he just had that in his nature. (we were thankfully able to place him in another home, with a woman who had no kids and was never going to have kids and was willing to work with him, since he was only 8 months old at that point)

We have waited six years since then, and have decided that we would really like to add a dog back into our family soon - my husband and I miss having a dog (I actually borrow a friend's dogs to go walking with!), and we would like our children to grow up with dogs and our oldest is already eight years old. BUT of course we recognize that adding a dog (much less two!!) is going to be a big deal, and I am worried about temperament issues for sure. Believe me, after the trauma of Porter (the puppy who bit my daughter) I do NOT want to get any dog that ends up not working out for us!! 

I DO think this is a really rare opportunity to find a dog who is the age that I want. I don't want an older Golden, just because their life expectancy isn't that great to begin with, and I don't want my children to fall in love with their first dog only to lose him/her a couple of years later. But I don't want a puppy either. So 1-ish just seems really great. We have raised a puppy from cradle to grave, so I know what 1-2 year old dogs are like and what we would be getting into as far as normal age-wise behavior....

Finally, here is another picture. They seem darker and like their faces and body are more narrow than most Goldens? (again I don't really care about whether my dog is pure bred or not, just curious)


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

LibertyME said:


> Dogs do just fine being separated from littermates - very often they flourish!
> 
> Ask people that train family dogs - ask rescues that routinely separate littermates and long-time house companions. It is not the dogs that have trouble adjusting....


Believe me, I am TOTALLY sold on trying to get just one, it is the owners who are trying to re-home them that seem dead-set on keeping them together.


----------



## Tayla's Mom (Apr 20, 2012)

All my dogs have been rescues. Jesse was our Golden mix. We got her at a year old. She passed in March of this year at 15 years old. She had many health issues, but none of them huge. Cheyenne we got a year later. She was an Aussie mix. Had knee surgery a few months after we adopted her and was pretty healthy until she passed in February of 2012 at 15. Tayla, our first pure bred Golden, is our 3rd rescue and so far we know she has bad hips and came from a bad breeder in TN. We will be putting in an application in a month or do for a companion for Tayla. We only rescue and deal with what comes up. We have pet insurance for the first time for Tayla. Good luck with two. If you want to make it work, it will. Just make sure they have a good kid temperament.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

SheetsSM said:


> I am absolutely pro-rescue (have 2 of my own), but do believe families need to go in to things with realistic expectations--it's not fair to have the dogs to be bounced from home to home due to folks not thinking things through. How much time are you willing to put into successfully integrating the dogs into the family?
> 
> What's the heartworm status on the two? Keep in mind if they're HW+ you're looking at approx $500 to treat plus you will need to manage 6-8 weeks of limited activity (no running with the kiddos). Are these being vetted through the rescue or are you on your own? Could get expensive pretty fast.
> 
> ...


I realized there were some questions here I didn't answer... as far as how much time we're willing to put into integrating them, I guess I'm not sure what you mean... as much time as it takes, I guess? I don't expect that we would adopt them Friday and by Sunday everyone would be all adjusted and settled in. I really don't know (I don't think anyone does) how long it will take for them to adjust to a new home, a home with kids, a home with new rules, etc. or how long it will take for our family to get into the groove of having two new members. I don't plan on giving up on them if we do adopt them, if that's what you're asking. 

I do not know their heartworm status, but it is something I am concerned about since they have not been spayed or had their latest set of shots. If we decide to adopt them, I will probably insist on having this checked BEFORE we commit to them (if they don't have records showing they are on tested/on preventative). I am not up for taking in dogs that are heartworm positive. 

My kids are 20 months, 3.5 years, 6 and 8 years. I do get what you're saying about classes, it's just something I am trying to be realistic about and I don't think we can make it work scheduling-wise right now. My kids all still go to bed early (7:30) so most of my dedicated dog-training time will probably be in the evening when the kids are in bed (and of course we'll teach them about things they can do to help train them during the day).

The dogs are crate trained and housebroken, which is lovely. Our house is pretty dog-proofed because it is toddler-boy proofed! Like our trash is behind a closed door in the laundry room that they won't have access to. I imagine the kids will learn pretty quickly that they need to put up anything they don't want in a dog's mouth  

We will see how they do about food/treats. I just won't tolerate ANY signs of food aggression when they come visit - if they are guarding their food, snatching treats, or acting at all aggressive around kids/food, they will not be a good fit for our family.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Here they are as puppies


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> I can't keep up with these replies - what a wonderful problem to have!!  I am still reading Princess Di's post and it just makes me so happy
> 
> So... well, a few things in response to the above....
> 
> ...


They are beautiful! 2 peas in a pod. Totally golden! Sounds like a perfect situation! Good luck!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Okay last one  

It does look like they love each other.....










I will definitely come back here and update how things go on Friday (and will keep checking for replies - I REALLY appreciate the time and thought put into your responses so far! THANK YOU!!)


----------



## mudEpawz (Jan 20, 2011)

awww!!!!! look how sweet they are. 

I hope everything works out for you!


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Good luck. I think it's good that you have three days to think about it before you go see them.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Reading your post and looking at the pic, I'm suddenly excited about this for you. You sound like you have a good head on your shoulders and like these dogs probably aren't aggressive. Please let us know how it turns out!


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

We've had 3 rescue/shelter dogs- all different in personality, behavior and in health issues. You take your chances on rescue dogs, but when you find a dog that fits in with your family and your lifestyle it's all worth it. 

We also have a puppy from a fantastic breeder and we hope he has a long healthy and happy life. There are no guarantees so I'm stacking the deck in his favor with constant training, socialization visits and we got pet insurance on him. So far he's exceeded our expectations and I am very happy with him. 

I don't have any advice other than you will need to be sure you can spend time training with them to build a bond between you and the individual dog. 

Health issues- in addition to those mentioned- many Goldens get bad allergies and skin infections, hypothyroidism and some get eye diseases, including pigmentary uveitis or even cataracts. Pet insurance is a good idea- wish I had it on my 9 year old we adopted from a rescue at 6 months. You might want to consider whether you are financially able to handle major medical expenses on two dogs at once- it happens unfortunately. That's where pet insurance might come in handy. 

Best of luck to you in your decisions.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Ok, I am a total dog person. I am a veterinarian. I have never sold two pups to one person at the same time. You have very young children who reguire LOTS of attention. I have only two boys, about two years apart. As an experienced dog trainer, there is no way if I had four kids, I could work with two young dogs and four,children. My kids are now grown so all of that is moot.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> We've had 3 rescue/shelter dogs- all different in personality, behavior and in health issues. You take your chances on rescue dogs, but when you find a dog that fits in with your family and your lifestyle it's all worth it.
> 
> We also have a puppy from a fantastic breeder and we hope he has a long healthy and happy life. There are no guarantees so I'm stacking the deck in his favor with constant training, socialization visits and we got pet insurance on him. So far he's exceeded our expectations and I am very happy with him.
> 
> ...


I only peripherally even knew that pet insurance existed, so I am going to research it this week. We _can_ handle major medical expenses if they happened and we had to (with emergency funds - we have three houses, three cars, six people... add two dogs, there's always going to be some emergency!) but no, I had not PLANNED on the day to day expenses of two dogs (twice as much food, twice the annual vet visits, twice the boarding/grooming expenses, etc.) and that was really one of my main concerns with getting two dogs when I was just planning on getting one.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sally's Mom said:


> Ok, I am a total dog person. I am a veterinarian. I have never sold two pups to one person at the same time. You have very young children who reguire LOTS of attention. I have only two boys, about two years apart. As an experienced dog trainer, there is no way if I had four kids, I could work with two young dogs and four,children. My kids are now grown so all of that is moot.


Well that is why I do not want a puppy. We need a dog who is housebroken and at least moderately trained to be manageable. I'm fine with spending time (I don't know if you saw my post about my kids going to bed at 7:30, so my dedicated dog training time would be mostly in the evening after the kids are in bed) working on commands, and of course teaching everyone in the house about re-enforcing rules that will be new to these dogs (from what I can tell - mostly no jumping on counters!) But I am not willing to take on two totally wild dogs who don't know how to come and sit (at a bare minimum) and who have bad manners all around. Like I said earlier, the video of one of the dogs trying SOOOO hard (and sweetly) to stay in a sit while greeting her owner when he came home gave me some hope that someone HAS worked with these dogs some (and they are crate trained/housebroken). I am not expecting totally trained dogs, but I am expecting them to be manageable enough for us to be able to handle and work with them. We are also not aiming for show dogs - just polite pets


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sally's Mom said:


> You have very young children who reguire LOTS of attention.


I am, also, aware of this


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> Health issues- in addition to those mentioned- many Goldens get bad allergies and skin infections, hypothyroidism and some get eye diseases, including pigmentary uveitis or even cataracts. Pet insurance is a good idea- wish I had it on my 9 year old we adopted from a rescue at 6 months. You might want to consider whether you are financially able to handle major medical expenses on two dogs at once- it happens unfortunately. That's where pet insurance might come in handy.
> 
> Best of luck to you in your decisions.


Can you elaborate on the allergies? Like allergies to food? Or seasonal allergies? Is there anything that helps prevent them? Thanks!


----------



## Mirinde (Jun 8, 2011)

I personally would not do two puppies with four kids, but I also kind of have a jaded view of dogs + kids so take that as you will. You certainly sound enthusiastic about it, though appropriately cautious, and I think that is a great mindset to be going into this with. These two are indeed _puppies_. Goldens just tend to be a breed that stays young for years, and they look like fieldy goldens at that. Do not expect a great amount of maturity from them for at least another 6 months to a year. Do not mistake their age for maturity. They could totally surprise you, but that would be unlikely. Go into it expecting the worst, so that you are prepared to give them the best. 

Some things I thought of immediately : 
-- Pet insurance, ASAP. Seriously. Taking on two will already be more than you bargained for in day to day costs, do not put yourself between a rock and a hard place with the bigger medical expenses. Goldens in particular do not tend to be cheap dogs, medically. 

-- Heartworm, thyroid (full panel), and tick born disease testing for both (if you live in a tick area). Know that Golden's are extremely prone to thyroid conditions, cancers, allergies, and other disordered immune responses. 

-- If you are not going to be able to navigate getting these two to classes, it might be a good idea to hire a private trainer that can come in and help get you guys set up and work out a curriculum with you. I think that classes can be avoided, but professional training probably can't be with two puppies who have already spent time forming bad habits, especially with children in the home. 

-- Buy a million baby gates. No less than a million, haha!

-- If they have been kept in a crate most of the time, even if they have been kept indoors, know that they may not be used to things that you might consider basic handling and they may respond to that with uncertainty/growling/etc. You mentioned rehoming a dog for food aggression in a previous post-- if these two have only ever been fed in a crate away from human contact, you could very well need to do some careful training here. It does not automatically mean they are aggressive as a whole, but you will need to know what you are getting into. Invest in a good book on dog body language so that you can tell the difference between communication and aggression. 

-- With that said, the more you can see them being handled when you meet them, the better. Ask the owners to handle their paws, their ears, their hind end and tail, ask them to move the dog off a piece of furniture, ask them how the dogs are when they are eating. Because they are not coming from a rescue, they will not be professionally evaluated, so you will need to manufacture those kinds of situations. You have young kids in the house, even with the best of supervision, there will occasionally be a stepped on paw, a pulled tail, a pinched ear. You will need to know right away where their "problem" zones are so that you can begin creating a safe environment for everyone.

They certainly look darling. I hope your visit on Friday goes well!


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I am just remembering when I left,the hospital , giving birth to my first son, after almost dying and coming home to perfect, Golden, Sally. And my most annoying rescue beagle. I had no patience for either...


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Yes, I do remember from my best friend's Golden that she was a young dog for at least the first three years of her life. And jumping on counters was her big vice too (she once ate a whole large pizza off the BACK of a kitchen counter - in about 5 minutes!) 

What are "fieldy goldens?"

I do have the curriculum binder from obedience classes before. I have never looked into a private trainer, but I will. Again, there will have to be some level of manageability to these dogs before we will even consider taking them - we can't start from scratch training them. 

There was a picture of them being fed on Facebook - they ate in the kitchen. But again, not around children. I will have all four kids at home on Friday, so I plan on really watching them interact. Right now the dogs are big enough and my toddler small enough that they will always have to be VERY closely supervised together, but I want to be able to trust the dogs with the kids nonetheless. I *think* I will be able to read them when they are here (I am having them brought to our house instead of going there) to see whether they have the instinct to be gentle with my kids or if they are aggressive or overly crazy around them. I hope. That is my biggest fear.

Porter broke my heart. I think he just was going to be food aggressive no matter what. We adopted him from the shelter at eight weeks old, he never had any reason to guard food or act weird around it. When he started growling, etc. with food, we tried working with him (reaching into his bowl to add food, etc.) but when he spun around and bit my daughter over that stick of butter (I was standing right there, all she did was walk near him), I knew we would not be able to trust him enough around the babies to keep him and try to fix it. I can't go through that again - that is why I am hesitant, because I have heard some not so great stories about poorly bred Goldens being aggressive. 

It is really important to me that my kids grow up with a dog. I know that means taking risks and more chaos in a house that is already chaotic. But I think the value of that bond, teaching them to care for a pet, having that special companion, etc. outweighs the risks on the whole. I get that there are people who just don't think kids and dogs are good mix, and we'll just have to disagree about that. My husband and I both grew up with dogs, who by the way never had a day of formal training, were bought from who knows what kind of pet store puppy mills, were fed scraps and cheap food and rarely saw a vet, and made up some of the happiest memories of our childhood!


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Honestly these dogs look like they were well taken care of and the owners care enough to not want to separate them. It must be really hard for them to give them up or they would had already given them to a rescue. They know their dogs better than anyone here, so the meeting will be the deal breaker. You should also be able to get their health records to find out if there are any issues that need to be dealt with. As far as what kind of issues they can get? I wouldn't stress over what could happen. LOL! I am excited for you. I had something similar with a co worker, however she wanted me to take their dog. We were unable at the time and recommended a friend. It was a very happy ending to say the least. This isn't a typical rescue as you will get to know their history.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sally's Mom said:


> I am just remembering when I left,the hospital , giving birth to my first son, after almost dying and coming home to perfect, Golden, Sally. And my most annoying rescue beagle. I had no patience for either...


And that is why we waited until we were done with BABIES before getting another dog. That first year when you're so sleep deprived and an infant needs you constantly and hormones are all whacky... I didn't have much tolerance for ANYTHING during that time!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Honestly these dogs look like they were well taken care of and the owners care enough to not want to separate them. It must be really hard for them to give them up or they would had already given them to a rescue. They know their dogs better than anyone here, so the meeting will be the deal breaker. You should also be able to get their health records to find out if there are any issues that need to be dealt with. As far as what kind of issues they can get? I wouldn't stress over what could happen. LOL! I' m am excited for you. I had something similar with a co worker, however she wanted me to take their dog. We were unable at the time and recommended a friend. It was a very happy ending to say the least. This isn't a typical rescue as you will get to know their history.


Yes, these owners love these dogs and were REALLY happy when I promised an "open adoption" to keep them updated (if we do this). I could tell it was a hard decision for them and hopefully will ultimately be in the dogs' best interest. They just got in over their heads and didn't think about the long-term commitment (they are YOUNG young young!), but I do believe they love these dogs.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Good luck. I will bow out of 
this thread....


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I'm not telling you what to do here, but I have just one question. Have you ever witnessed a Golden get the zoomies? It's where they run around in circles, without warning, for 5-10 minutes. About a month ago, Bella knocked my feet out from under me, and I landed on my face. I'm 5'11" and 190 lbs. Imagine if that were a kid. It happened to my 50 lb daughter twice last fall, but not to the same degree as the shot I took. I'm just suggesting that you might be juggling kids and dogs a little more than you might imagine! I don't know how we would manage two young Goldens and 4 kids that age. More power to you if you can pull it off.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Nairb said:


> I'm not telling you what to do here, but I have just one question. Have you ever witnessed a Golden get the zoomies? It's where they run around in circles, without warning, for 5-10 minutes. About a month ago, Bella knocked my feet out from under me, and I landed on my face. I'm 5'11" and 190 lbs. Imagine if that were a kid. It happened to my 50 lb daughter twice last fall, but not to the same degree as the shot I took. I'm just suggesting that you might be juggling kids and dogs a little more than you might imagine! I don't know how we would manage two young Goldens and 4 kids that age. More power to you if you can pull it off.


I don't think that phenomenon is unique to Goldens - our Sheltie used to levitate when she got excited! I mean seriously spin until her feet weren't touching the ground. Our Pointer's tail was not docked and when she got happy she could clear a coffee table or knock over a kid with that whip of a tail - it was insane! I truly don't think I have unrealistic expectations of what 1.5 year old dogs act like based on past experience...

Like I said earlier, I AM aware that these dogs are big and my toddlers are small and I can't leave them together unsupervised for at least a couple more years. I do hope maybe with these two dogs staying together, and us having a pretty good sized fenced in yard, they can get their "zoomies" out with each other when needed. I've also owned dogs enough over the years to know they need exercise and mental stimulation and just a good "wearing out" - if they are still totally wild and unmanageable after that, they won't be a good fit for us. 

I am hesitant to get two dogs - that was not my plan, and EVERYTHING will depend on how things go on Friday at this point. 

But like I said in another post, I will just have to disagree with the notion that kids and dogs are not a good mix no matter what. I think we can just have different opinions on that point and still get along


----------



## Ohiomom9977 (Jul 27, 2012)

Nairb said:


> I'm not telling you what to do here, but I have just one question. Have you ever witnessed a Golden get the zoomies? It's where they run around in circles, without warning, for 5-10 minutes. About a month ago, Bella knocked my feet out from under me, and I landed on my face. I'm 5'11" and 190 lbs. Imagine if that were a kid. It happened to my 50 lb daughter twice last fall, but not to the same degree as the shot I took. I'm just suggesting that you might be juggling kids and dogs a little more than you might imagine! I don't know how we would manage two young Goldens and 4 kids that age. More power to you if you can pull it off.


I agree - the zoomies can be crazy! I have a 6 & 9 year old daughters & a 1 year old golden who has basic training & it's still difficult at times. 1 year old is still very much puppy!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Ohiomom9977 (Jul 27, 2012)

Dogs & kids can definitely go well together - but raising dogs & kids at the same time is a challenge. I wish you the best with whatever you decide & think you've been given lots of great advice!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

caroline162 said:


> Can you elaborate on the allergies? Like allergies to food? Or seasonal allergies? Is there anything that helps prevent them? Thanks!


My Luke is three and we're not quite sure what he is allergic to, but he has allergies. We've switched him to a hydrolyzed protein food to see if it is a food allergy, but he still has the itchies. It's nothing awful, but I hate to see him uncomfortable. I kept thinking they were seasonal allergies, but they're not going away -- which is what makes the vet think food allergies. Nothing seems to help much so far, except Benadryl eases it up some. He also takes fish oil for the issue.

I think we may end up taking him to a dermatologist for allergy testing.

Other than that, Luke is my soul mate.  He is the sweetest dog in the world.




Nairb said:


> I'm not telling you what to do here, but I have just one question. Have you ever witnessed a Golden get the zoomies? It's where they run around in circles, without warning, for 5-10 minutes. About a month ago, Bella knocked my feet out from under me, and I landed on my face. I'm 5'11" and 190 lbs. Imagine if that were a kid. It happened to my 50 lb daughter twice last fall, but not to the same degree as the shot I took. I'm just suggesting that you might be juggling kids and dogs a little more than you might imagine! I don't know how we would manage two young Goldens and 4 kids that age. More power to you if you can pull it off.


Our Golden gets the zoomies about once a day, but it's kind of a planned activity for us after swimming. I ask him if he wants to zoomie and we head out into the grass and I say zoom Luke and he zoomies. He's never taken me out as I stand off to the side. He used to do it in the house where he would run back and forth and slam himself up onto the couch and repeat the pattern, but that ended after the first couple of years. He's calmer these days, but I keep him busy with long walks and lots of swimming in the pool.



caroline162 said:


> I don't think that phenomenon is unique to Goldens - our Sheltie used to levitate when she got excited! I mean seriously spin until her feet weren't touching the ground. Our Pointer's tail was not docked and when she got happy she could clear a coffee table or knock over a kid with that whip of a tail - it was insane! I truly don't think I have unrealistic expectations of what 1.5 year old dogs act like based on past experience...
> 
> Like I said earlier, I AM aware that these dogs are big and my toddlers are small and I can't leave them together unsupervised for at least a couple more years. I do hope maybe with these two dogs staying together, and us having a pretty good sized fenced in yard, they can get their "zoomies" out with each other when needed. I've also owned dogs enough over the years to know they need exercise and mental stimulation and just a good "wearing out" - if they are still totally wild and unmanageable after that, they won't be a good fit for us.
> 
> ...


The Goldens you're considering are gorgeous dogs. I'm glad you're mulling over the possibility of taking them both. They're very social creatures and if the dogs have been together for a while they probably are attached to one another. It's one thing to separate litter mates, but once they've been around each other that long they probably have developed a relationship.

Another positive about taking them together is they may entertain and play with each other. We're considering getting another dog so Luke will have a companion. Our 17 year old Shih Tzu passed recently and Luke was used to a having his brother around.

You sound like a high energy person if you have four children and still want the Goldens. Plus, you plan on training the dogs after the kids go to bed. I come from a family of 14 children and I personally like an active household. I bet your kids would adore them and keep them entertained. My daughter recently had a baby -- four months old -- and Luke is so gentle around the baby. He also is quite popular amongst the neighborhood kids and he has never tried to jump up on or knock over a child. It's like he knows to be gentle around them. He's that way even with the neighbor's monkey child (kidding!) who likes to crawl all over him like he thinks Luke is a horse.

I hope the meeting goes well for you and you like the dogs! It will probably be an adjustment at first, but I bet with a little patience and work with the dogs everyone will adjust.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Ohiomom9977 said:


> raising dogs & kids at the same time is a challenge.


 I definitely agree with this! I feel like the challenge is worth it though. Just like we decided to have four kids, which is certainly more challenging than having two or three - but to us worth it. I feel like there are lots of things we do that are "challenges" (traveling to Europe with small kids, forcing them to practice piano every day, cooking nutritious homemade meals every night, putting two kids in two separate schools because of their different needs, etc.) that make our lives harder but are ultimately in the kids' best interests, despite the "inconvenience." I feel like owning a dog is in that category - it is most certainly time-consuming, expensive, sometimes nerve-wracking and heart-breaking, and just over all a _challenge_... but something that I think will be a net positive influence on my children's lives.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

> Our Golden gets the zoomies about once a day, but it's kind of a planned activity for us after swimming. I ask him if he wants to zoomie and we head out into the grass and I say zoom Luke and he zoomies. He's never taken me out as I stand off to the side.


It had never happened to me either. She basically does a big figure 8 around me. She was particularly excited that time, because we had a bunch of people over. I certainly wasn't expecting it, and I don't even think she knew what happened. I got up and called her, and she just sat there waiting for a treat. I don't take my eye off her for a second anymore when she's doing that.


----------



## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

IMHO - Puppies would do good to be separated at 8 weeks, not at 1.5 years of age. They can get depressed and/or aggressive if separated from the partner they grew up with. 
With that said, can you foster the pups for a period of time and see how things go? I agree with the others that four young kids and two pups is a lot to handle.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

diane0905 said:


> My daughter recently had a baby -- four months old -- and Luke is so gentle around the baby. He also is quite popular amongst the neighborhood kids and he has never tried to jump up on or knock over a child. It's like he knows to be gentle around them. He's that way even with the neighbor's monkey child (kidding!) who likes to crawl all over him like he thinks Luke is a horse.


This is the personality that made me want to get a Golden in the first place. My best friend's Golden, and then a few of my kids' friends that have them - they just have a really sweet way of knowing how to act around children. I am VERY curious to see how these two dogs do, considering they were not around kids very often as puppies. The grandmother who I spoke to on the phone today did tell me that they are good around their baby niece and older nephew, so we'll see.

I also appreciate you sharing about your "planned zoomies" - that is basically how things were with our Sheltie. There were times that I just expected her to go bonkers (like right after a bath) and then other times that we would purposely let her get all revved up outside or whatever. If she got too excited at an inappropriate time, we would put both the dogs in the backyard for a little while and let them run around like maniacs. That is DH's argument for taking both of these dogs (when he saw their pictures he wanted both, before we knew that the owners were insisting on adopting them out together).


----------



## SheetsSM (Jan 17, 2008)

If these dogs are not current on their vaccinations, I'd be hesitant to allow them around the children.

I second ClaudiaM's suggestion to see if you could do a trial period to see how things go--if you do go this route, you need to spell out in writing the agreement & who has what responsibility (ex. medical treatment). 

I still would consider the possibility of separating the two. Having worked with hundreds of fosters, I've seen limited true bonded pairs that cannot live without each other. What I have seen is one more dominant & when separated from this one, the one more thought of as a wallflower flourishes.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Claudia M said:


> IMHO - Puppies would do good to be separated at 8 weeks, not at 1.5 years of age. They can get depressed and/or aggressive if separated from the partner they grew up with.
> With that said, can you foster the pups for a period of time and see how things go? I agree with the others that four young kids and two pups is a lot to handle.


I'm going to see how things go... It is my feeling that this couple is making a very difficult decision and now that they've made it, they kind of just want to get it over with. I am going to spend quite a bit of time with them at our house Friday with the kids - it may be that we just obviously know it will not work out, and that will be that. If I DO think we want them, I will see how to proceed. It depends on how much we have heartworm documentation-wise too - I may say that I just want to keep them for a few days so I can take them to the vet first. I may contact our local Golden rescue and see whether they would be willing to take them into their system, with us foster/adopting them, but knowing they would place them if things don't work out during the first few weeks... I'm just going to have to feel the situation out. 

We decided to get a dog about six months ago (after talking about it on and off the past six years and deciding we were NOT ready before), we had an application on another Golden a couple of months ago, and we've been looking around other dogs since - so it's not like we're going to be impulsive about this at this point. It's just a little unique, because these ARE gorgeous seemingly sweet dogs exactly the age and breed that I want - without having to go through the lottery of an application (the flip side being that we will shoulder the cost of vetting/spaying/etc. rather than a rescue doing it for us).


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

SheetsSM said:


> If these dogs are not current on their vaccinations, I'd be hesitant to allow them around the children.
> 
> I second ClaudiaM's suggestion to see if you could do a trial period to see how things go--if you do go this route, you need to spell out in writing the agreement & who has what responsibility (ex. medical treatment).
> 
> I still would consider the possibility of separating the two. Having worked with hundreds of fosters, I've seen limited true bonded pairs that cannot live without each other. What I have seen is one more dominant & when separated from this one, the one more thought of as a wallflower flourishes.


Really? I'm a microbiologist, and I'm curious what your concern would be with these dogs and the kids having a visit...

Believe me, I WANT to separate them and take just one - it is the owners that are insisting on only adopting them together! It is part of my plan for Friday to see if they are willing to budge on this issue... but they told me the reason they did not want to give the dogs over to the Golden rescue here is that the rescue would not guarantee that the dogs would stay together. So I think they're pretty dead-set on this plan, whether it is reasonable or not.


----------



## Altairss (Sep 7, 2012)

I have had paired siblings before both that I raised and that I adopted and that pair was not young when we got them and really I never had a big issue with it. Each need some time worked regularly away from each other and yet they will still have each other for comfort and support as they make the transition.
Chances are people in your family will end up with one that is more of a favorite and be willing to help you work them separately and with kids its nice if there is more then one leash to hold if you do a group walk  Once the dogs have good walking manners if they don't already. 
Meet them give them a chance and if you connect great. If any issues arrise people here are always willing to help out. Good luck!


----------



## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

Just a little side note about house trained dogs. We have taken 2 dogs from our breeder that were 3 years old and our Gussee who is 6 years old. They were both house broken however our house was new to them and we needed to treat them, for a while, like they were not house broken. Of course it doesn't take as long and they can go longer but it is important to remember that they need to learn when, where and how to tell you that they need to go. We have always had at least 2 goldens and I love it. Bless you for thinking about taking these two beautiful girls.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

All the ADOOOOOOORABLE Goldens in everyone's signatures sure aren't discouraging me


----------



## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

One more thing if you decide to take both girls. As others have said try to give them time away from each other so they don't have separation problems.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

gold4me said:


> Just a little side note about house trained dogs. We have taken 2 dogs from our breeder that were 3 years old and our Gussee who is 6 years old. They were both house broken however our house was new to them and we needed to treat them, for a while, like they were not house broken. Of course it doesn't take as long and they can go longer but it is important to remember that they need to learn when, where and how to tell you that they need to go. We have always had at least 2 goldens and I love it. Bless you for thinking about taking these two beautiful girls.


Yes this has been our experience as well. Thanks for the reminder! I'm so glad they are crate trained already, I think that will help.

A friend recently showed me her electronic doggy door - the dogs wear a sensor on their collar and it opens the door for them, but if they are not at the door it stays locked (to keep intruders out and kids in!) I am going to look into that, because it seems very cool!

We babysat a friend's dog recently and what we discovered is that our house is fairly big and has "zones" (like an upstairs, a laundry that is segregated, etc.) and her housebroken dog thought that going upstairs to pee was okay since we mostly hung out downstairs :no:


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

gold4me said:


> One more thing if you decide to take both girls. As others have said try to give them time away from each other so they don't have separation problems.


I did not think about that, or about training them separately. I appreciate the suggestion.

We got our two dogs years apart and having our show-off Sheltie actually HELPED us when we were training the Pointer, because she would model the behavior. But since these pups are the same age and will be having probably the same issues, I will spend time training them separately.


----------



## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Suggest seriously consider visiting the dogs, just mom and dad, (so as not to get the kid's hopes up) at their home or in neutral territory (a park, dog park, some other open space). Take the dogs for a walk, and see what they are like, and how you feel about them. Why? The chances of seeing the 'true character' of these girls is very slim, bringing them into a new environment, accompanied by upset owners who are facing the reality of 'losing' their dogs, exposing them to four children, is going to be very stressful (nerve wracking) for them. A stressed dog cannot 'listen' - pay attention to commands, may take treats hard or snap at them, which may be out of character for that dog when it is relaxed, and may be over (hyper) active or 'slow down' (seem very calm), which may not be the case in a familiar environment . 
Get as much information as you can about their socialization history. Socialization is key to 'bomb proofing' a dog, you want to know how well these dogs have been socialized, not only with children, with their environment, new people, other dogs and new situations. An under socialized dog is not a 'lost cause' but it takes a lot of extra time and effort to help them feel comfortable and safe in the world.
Good luck with your decision, hope it turns out well for you all.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Charliethree said:


> Suggest seriously consider visiting the dogs, just mom and dad, (so as not to get the kid's hopes up) at their home or in neutral territory (a park, dog park, some other open space). Take the dogs for a walk, and see what they are like, and how you feel about them. Why? The chances of seeing the 'true character' of these girls is very slim, bringing them into a new environment, accompanied by upset owners who are facing the reality of 'losing' their dogs, exposing them to four children, is going to be very stressful (nerve wracking) for them. A stressed dog cannot 'listen' - pay attention to commands, may take treats hard or snap at them, which may be out of character for that dog when it is relaxed, and may be over (hyper) active or 'slow down' (seem very calm), which may not be the case in a familiar environment .
> Get as much information as you can about their socialization history. Socialization is key to 'bomb proofing' a dog, you want to know how well these dogs have been socialized, not only with children, with their environment, new people, other dogs and new situations. An under socialized dog is not a 'lost cause' but it takes a lot of extra time and effort to help them feel comfortable and safe in the world.
> Good luck with your decision, hope it turns out well for you all.


I guess my thinking is that I want to see how they do in kind of a "worst case scenario" situation as far as things being stressful?? I want to be fair to them (and therefore will cut them some slack on non-aggression things I see), but I also want to see how they do in our house with our kids and all the weirdness of being not in the house they've been in since they were seven weeks old... because that is what they will be moving into, you know? I'm pretty sure from what I've seen and heard that they are very lovely dogs at their house - but what I really need to know is whether they can handle our hectic house and little kids and being away from their old home.

Yes, the meeting the dog thing could be disappointing for the kids (it was when we met the Golden that we put in an application for) but to me it's more important that I see how the dogs do with the kids.

At the end of the day, I would rather err on turning away dogs that MIGHT have worked out than taking in dogs that seem okay but then end up being a nightmare, which is why I wanted to bring them here to test them.

From their Facebook page, it does look like the puppies were handled quite a bit by different people, were taken into public, and they do have another dog also... but then again they were also left in crates all day long. So we'll just have to wait and see how they act Friday, to see how all that affected them.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I do plan on taking the dogs for a walk and also just being outside with them away from all the other people, to see how they are.


----------



## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

caroline162 said:


> So my family (me, husband, 4 kids) has been casually looking to adopt a dog for about six months. Goldens seem like great family dogs, and we love going to the lake and love the idea of a dog that enjoys the water, and just generally I adore the breed and the Goldens I have met. But it was important to us to adopt a rescue dog rather than buying one from a breeder, since a companion dog that fits with our family is more important to us than breed. Not very many Goldens or Golden mixes come up for adoption through the rescue groups here - we found one a couple of months ago, but he had tons of applications on him already and ultimately he went to another family who got to him first. We are also looking for a ~1 year old dog that has been housebroken, ideally. The idea of a baby puppy is overwhelming to me!
> 
> This morning a friend who is involved with a rescue group here forwarded me an email about two 1.5 year old Goldens who need a new home. We are meeting them later this week at our house, to see how they do with our kids and decide if we want to adopt them.
> 
> ...


Thank you for adopting, when its an option I always try to encourage people to adopt. 

I wouldn't be too worried, most of the issues associated with dogs from backyard breeders are genetic hip, and eye issues that would have likely presented themselves right now. As long as their temperament is good with your kids then go for it


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

As for dogs and getting the zoomies. I also agree that they usually adapt their behaviour to children, tuco is very protective of my little nephew Simon and he's careful to the point of pacing himself if he's within a foot or 2 of the little ones. Just my experience


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Tuco said:


> Thank you for adopting, when its an option I always try to encourage people to adopt.
> 
> I wouldn't be too worried, most of the issues associated with dogs from backyard breeders are genetic hip, and eye issues that would have likely presented themselves right now. As long as their temperament is good with your kids then go for it
> 
> ...


Really? I always thought hip issues didn't show up until they were older! That is very good to know.


----------



## Vhuynh2 (Feb 13, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> Really? I always thought hip issues didn't show up until they were older! That is very good to know.


Hip and eye issues can present themselves at any age. There is no magical age where you're suddenly "in the clear". 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Tuco said:


> As for dogs and getting the zoomies. I also agree that they usually adapt their behaviour to children, tuco is very protective of my little nephew Simon and he's careful to the point of pacing himself if he's within a foot or 2 of the little ones. Just my experience
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I suspect they don't all do zoomies the same. That said, I was making a larger point. Even Goldens with great temperaments and calm dispositions can be a handful at times. Especially young ones. I'm not even suggesting that the OP shouldn't adopt the dogs. When I was first considering a Golden, I came across pro-Golden articles asking questions like, "if you don't mind hair everywhere, including in your food, a Golden might be right for you." It's best to know what to expect before bringing the furry beasts into the home.


----------



## Tuco (Jan 3, 2013)

caroline162 said:


> Really? I always thought hip issues didn't show up until they were older! That is very good to know.


They can but I'm more talking about extreme issues that will cause lifetime problems and massive bills, like severely displastic dogs and dogs with partial blindness


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

caroline162 said:


> Can you elaborate on the allergies? Like allergies to food? Or seasonal allergies? Is there anything that helps prevent them? Thanks!


I'm not the expert in canine allergies, even though one of our rescues was very environmentally sensitive to pollens. There can be both kinds of allergies- food and/or environmental. For food allergies you will get all sorts of advice from special foods, eating raw or food trials. It's my understanding those types of allergies are not as common as simple seasonal/environmental allergies. 

For our boy we tried a whole host of things over time. He came to us on allergy shots, after expensive testing by the rescue to determine the specific pollens that he reacted to the most- the list was extensive. He was actually turned over to rescue by a veterinarian who took ownership of him after his medical doctor owner brought him in at age 5 for euthanasia because he could not get a handle on the dog's skin issues, ear infections and allergies. It took a year to get him in good enough shape for adoption. He also came on a special diet called BARF (bones and raw food) that actually made things worse (plus he stunk to high heaven on BARF)- as soon as we took him off of it his coat and skin improved and he didn't stink. Over time we got him to taking just antihistamines, frequent (weekly) shampoos with a medicated (and expensive) shampoo, wiping his paws and fur down every time he came in from outside and finally acupuncture. The acupuncture helped him the most, but it was expensive at $100 a visit. The acupuncture vet also treated his hip dysplasia though. He went at least once a month. It took a lot of time to manage his allergies, but we did it out of love and a desire to make him as comfortable as possible. He also had some bad ear infections that required frequent ear flushes (never fun), medication and sometimes veterinary trips. He lived to exactly one month shy of his 13th birthday. 

I can't emphasize enough the value of training classes with the dogs should you adopt both. You'll need all hands on deck for 2 at the same time. Do you have a child that is old enough to be able to take charge of one of the dogs during class? I've taken a couple of classes where a young teen was the handler and our trainer was very helpful to her. 

Good luck with what you decide- there is a lot of good advice in this thread.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Thank you again to all the really thoughtful posters who addressed my question (what are the problems associated with Goldens who come from not-great breeders)! I've dealt with dogs that have orthopedic issues, but never allergies. I'm glad to see that there are not a bunch of responses that discussed aggression issues in poorly bred Goldens - that is really what my biggest concern was, and something I had read about. 

I appreciate that y'all love this breed and therefore don't ever want to see them placed in the wrong home. Having said that, I don't think anything in my posts indicate that I'm unfamiliar with the breed (in other words - NO I'm not expecting a couch potato) or that I have somehow managed to miss the fact that my kids require lots of attention or that dogs are challenging sometimes. To be completely honest, some of the responses here have been a little off-putting to a new member - something you may care about if you want to be good ambassadors to this breed.

As for training classes, I've said a few times that I don't anticipate being able to make those work right now (as much as I always recommend them to people myself and think they would be great if we could make the timing work). If these dogs appear to need more work than I think I can tackle on my own when we meet them, then we won't be getting them. Normal 1 year old Golden mischief and enthusiasm I can handle, a completely untrained or aggressive dog, no. And yes, my oldest daughter who is eight is VERY much wanting a dog and has been checking out dog books at the library all spring and can help me work with them. She does well with our families' dogs and our neighbor's dog who we have dog-sat.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

You've gottten some very good advice, I won't repeat anything. 

Both of my GRs are adopted, my girl through a GR Rescue and I found my boy at my County Humane Society. I use to help the GR Rescue I got my girl from with Intakes and a variety of other areas such as home visits, shelter pulls, dog evaluations, etc. 


When I helped with Intakes, we had a very detailed Questionnaire owners had to complete and submit prior to the Rescue committing to take them into Rescue and then an evaluation of the dog was done. This questionnaire included tempermanent questions, health, asked for Vet Records, etc.

If you need any help with what questions to ask or what to look for when you meet these two girls, I'd be happy to help.

Best of luck to you. They're beautiful.


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

These two brothers were adopted together earlier this year by Princess Di. They'd lived outside their whole lives and didn't get much affection or attention. Typical goldens, they adapted instantly. 

Their thread:
www.goldenretrieverforum.com/golden-retrievers-main-discussion/129722-have-major-announcement.html


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> You've gottten some very good advice, I won't repeat anything.
> 
> Both of my GRs are adopted, my girl through a GR Rescue and I found my boy at my County Humane Society. I use to help the GR Rescue I got my girl from with Intakes and a variety of other areas such as home visits, shelter pulls, dog evaluations, etc.
> 
> ...


I would LOVE to get some advice about questions to ask! I feel like I've gotten a pretty good story (some negative info, some positive info) from the mother in law and from the owners' Facebook page. I know some of the issues the dogs already have (jumping on kitchen counters, no boundaries when it comes to furniture, generally being neglected for most of the day) and some things that I saw that seem good (the dog sitting very excitedly when the dad came home, many pictures of both dogs posing in a nice sit for pictures, obviously being very loved on when the owners were around, extremely sweet videos of the dogs with a very small puppy). From what the owners and the mother in law told me, they have had very limited exposure to little kids but when they were with them they were gentle. I'll of course ask them about whether the dogs have bitten any people, gotten in any dog fights, etc. but anything that I might not think to ask, I'd love to hear about. I plan on giving them some treats to see how they do (it was encouraging to me to see both the Goldens and the new puppy eating right next to each other in a picture), spending some time alone outside with one and both of them, and then of course just kind of seeing how they do in our house with all the kids.

I've said it before, but I am SO glad these dogs have been crate trained. We always taught the kids that they are not allowed in the crates or to bother the dogs when they're in their crates - so it ends up being a good place for the dogs to escape if they want a break from the kids.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

dborgers said:


> These two brothers were adopted together earlier this year by Princess Di. They'd lived outside their whole lives and didn't get much affection or attention. Typical goldens, they adapted instantly.


Someone posted that link yesterday and I read the whole thread - it had me smiling ear to ear :heartbeat


----------



## alligeek (Nov 4, 2007)

I agree that you've gotten some great advice here and it's wonderful that you're giving this a lot of thought. From what you've said, I think you'd offer a great and loving home to these dogs. 

Goldens by nature are sweet, smart and fun-loving. Yes, they're a lot of work, but you'll be rewarded in countless ways.... just like parenting. 

USUALLY goldens are great around young children, but I would make sure to not allow your kids around the dogs unsupervised and I agree that making sure that the kids don't go into the crates is a good move. You should set up a meeting with the dogs and the kids together before you move forward with the adoption just to make sure that it's a good fit.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> I would LOVE to get some advice about questions to ask! I feel like I've gotten a pretty good story (some negative info, some positive info) from the mother in law and from the owners' Facebook page. I know some of the issues the dogs already have (jumping on kitchen counters, no boundaries when it comes to furniture, generally being neglected for most of the day) and some things that I saw that seem good (the dog sitting very excitedly when the dad came home, many pictures of both dogs posing in a nice sit for pictures, obviously being very loved on when the owners were around, extremely sweet videos of the dogs with a very small puppy). From what the owners and the mother in law told me, they have had very limited exposure to little kids but when they were with them they were gentle. I'll of course ask them about whether the dogs have bitten any people, gotten in any dog fights, etc. but anything that I might not think to ask, I'd love to hear about. I plan on giving them some treats to see how they do (it was encouraging to me to see both the Goldens and the new puppy eating right next to each other in a picture), spending some time alone outside with one and both of them, and then of course just kind of seeing how they do in our house with all the kids.
> 
> I've said it before, but I am SO glad these dogs have been crate trained. We always taught the kids that they are not allowed in the crates or to bother the dogs when they're in their crates - so it ends up being a good place for the dogs to escape if they want a break from the kids.


 
The Intake Questionnaire we used, probably similiar to most of the GR Rescues, asked numerous questions,

1. Last Vet visit-name of Vet, availalbe records, current on shots, heartworm meds-which one, last dose.

2. Any fears dog has such as being afraid of storms, vacuums, etc. How do they react?

3. Has the dog ever shown any type of agression, can you take a toy or bone away from them.

4. Has the dog ever bitten anyone, how are they with small children, strangers, etc.

5. Has the dog ever had any formal training?

The GR Rescue I helped closed down a couple of years ago-here is the Intake Questionnaire from Adopt A Golden Atlanta. They are a very large GR Rescue, one of the top 10 GR Rescues in the US. Their questionnaire is very similiar to the one my group used. 

Adopt a Golden &#149; Atlanta &#149;

Hoepfully the current owners will be very forthcoming with their answers, it's very important to know both the good and bad traits of each dog so you are fully aware of what you're getting into and so you know what you need to watch out for and work on. 

My Bridge boy was AKC, but he was not a well bred Golden, he lived to be 15.5 with only minor health issues such as bug bites several times. He did get arthritis when he was in his teens, when he was 14-14.5 he was diagnosed with cancer.

When I adopted both of my current goldens, I went into it with my eyes wide open regarding health risks with the committment that I would meet any health issues they might have financially. My girl is 8.5 and my boy is 3/4 not sure of his exact age as he was a stray to the shelter. 

I give them both Dasuquin with MSM and a fish oil daily as a preventative. 
They are both very healthy, happy, they each had some health problems when I first adopted them. My girl is a former puppy mill momma girl-she was in very poor health when I got her. I did a foster to adopt of her through the rescue while she was being treated for Stage 3 HW. My boy was underweight and had some stomach issues which I was able to get resolved quickly after several Vet visits and a change of food. 

As long as you know what the challenges could be both health wise and the training that may be required and are willing to give them both everything they need and what you've got to accomplish it, you'll will have two wonderful happy, healthy, fun loving girls that will be wonderful companions and additions to your family.


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> Someone posted that link yesterday and I read the whole thread - it had me smiling ear to ear :heartbeat


I believe that would have been me  Goldens are the sweetest dogs on Earth.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Caroline162 you keep mentioning problems with poorly bred goldens. Do you know for a fact they were poorly bred? If not as another poster mentioned, regardless of where they were bred there are no guarantee's.

Also I would like to say that "zoomies" as any other behavior can be trained. As my Wyatt got bigger we stopped letting him do them in the house. I was more concerned for his safety.

There is just something about goldens and children. Both mine knew children were different and treated them gently. And we have not had any little ones in our house for many years. Both mine were never raised around them and I can trust them with any child. No problem. As far as taking treats my Wyatt still has to be reminded to take them slowly. Not because he is aggressive, because goldens just get so dang excited. That's what happy dogs do.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> The Intake Questionnaire we used, probably similiar to most of the GR Rescues, asked numerous questions,
> 
> 1. Last Vet visit-name of Vet, availalbe records, current on shots, heartworm meds-which one, last dose.
> 
> ...


Thank you - this is all so helpful!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

dborgers said:


> I believe that would have been me  Goldens are the sweetest dogs on Earth.


Sorry - I'm still trying to learn who everyone is on here!!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Caroline162 you keep mentioning problems with poorly bred goldens. Do you know for a fact they were poorly bred? If not as another poster mentioned, regardless of where they were bred there are no guarantee's.
> 
> Also I would like to say that "zoomies" as any other behavior can be trained. As my Wyatt got bigger we stopped letting him do them in the house. I was more concerned for his safety.
> 
> There is just something about goldens and children. Both mine knew children were different and treated them gently. And we have not had any little ones in our house for many years. Both mine were never raised around them and I can trust them with any child. No problem. As far as taking treats my Wyatt still has to be reminded to take them slowly. Not because he is aggressive, because goldens just get so dang excited. That's what happy dogs do.


As I said in my initial post, I don't KNOW that they were poorly bred, but that is my assumption going into this and the purpose of this thread was to ask "if they are, what problems might that cause?" Where I live, irresponsible breeders far out-number good ones... if these are some fabulous champion dogs after all, I can just be pleasantly surprised 

That is SO great to know about the kids - and what I have observed in Goldens generally, and why I wanted the breed in the first place. My best friend got her Golden in college as a puppy and didn't have kids until six years later, but that dog was always great with kids. Like you said, she just knew to be gentle.

I mean.... this is one of the dogs I'm considering adopting...


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I would just meet the dogs, see how they react, what you feel, and go from there.


----------



## kelsey2664 (Jun 4, 2013)

I figured I could add something as to how goldens are with kids. My boyfriends daughter has special needs (cerebral palsy) and Oscar has always been extra gentle with her. He lays his ball on her lap gently when we're playing fetch and sometimes just lies down with his head on her lap. 

There are also a lot of young kids on our road and they all love to come play with Oscar. One little girl recently moved there and was scared of dogs to the point that she cried around them, and she cried the first time she saw Oscar playing with the other kids but that same night she joined in and now she loves Oscar and isn't afraid of him at all - I think that says a lot about a dogs temperament and behavior around kids. I believe most all goldens are this way


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

kelsey2664 said:


> I figured I could add something as to how goldens are with kids. My boyfriends daughter has special needs (cerebral palsy) and Oscar has always been extra gentle with her. He lays his ball on her lap gently when we're playing fetch and sometimes just lies down with his head on her lap.
> 
> There are also a lot of young kids on our road and they all love to come play with Oscar. One little girl recently moved there and was scared of dogs to the point that she cried around them, and she cried the first time she saw Oscar playing with the other kids but that same night she joined in and now she loves Oscar and isn't afraid of him at all - I think that says a lot about a dogs temperament and behavior around kids. I believe most all goldens are this way


True for the most part, but there have been plenty of posts here about kids getting bitten by Goldens.


----------



## kelsey2664 (Jun 4, 2013)

Nairb said:


> True for the most part, but there have been plenty of posts here about kids getting bitten by Goldens.


This is true, too. I guess there is no breed that is completely free of these incidents. That being said I think goldens are one of the better breeds with children from my experience.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

kelsey2664 said:


> This is true, too. I guess there is no breed that is completely free of these incidents. That being said I think goldens are one of the better breeds with children from my experience.


I agree with that. I just don't think it should ever be assumed that any dog is bomb proof.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> As I said in my initial post, I don't KNOW that they were poorly bred, but that is my assumption going into this and the purpose of this thread was to ask "if they are, what problems might that cause?" Where I live, irresponsible breeders far out-number good ones... if these are some fabulous champion dogs after all, I can just be pleasantly surprised
> 
> That is SO great to know about the kids - and what I have observed in Goldens generally, and why I wanted the breed in the first place. My best friend got her Golden in college as a puppy and didn't have kids until six years later, but that dog was always great with kids. Like you said, she just knew to be gentle.
> 
> I mean.... this is one of the dogs I'm considering adopting...


 
What a sweet photo! And we all know dogs don't need to be champions to be wonderful healthy family pets. Can't wait to hear your follow up from the visit. Thanks for sharing the great photos!


----------



## Goldens R Great (Aug 19, 2010)

Welcome to the forum! 

I really hope the visitation with the two goldens (beautiful dogs!) and your family goes well on Friday. I look forward to hearing about it!

Personally I love having two dogs at the same time. They keep each other company and help wear each other out! 

Pet insurance is definitely something to consider if the adoption goes through. I would recommend that to anyone, no matter what type of breeder their dog comes from.

Have fun on Friday! :crossfing


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

Two questions for you - 
The first time one of the puppies takes a cookies out of the hand of your toddler, are you going to say to the crying child, "darling, you know you're not supposed to be walking around with food," or are you going to say, "No, No, BAD DOG, you know better!" 
The first time one of the kids gets knocked over, or the puppies nip their ankles, because they're running around yelling, as kids will do, are you going to say to the crying child, "well, you know you're not supposed to run around and be wild like that!" or are you going to say, "Bad dog! You know better!"
Third question - at 7:30, after taking care of 4 kids all day, are you really going to want to spend time training 2 puppies? I'd be needing a glass (or bottle) of wine, and wanting to relax. Dogs aren't going to say, "well, it's 3:00, so if we just wait patiently for another 4 1/2 hours, we'll get lots of attention!" Are you positive that you have the time and patience for this? 

If you do, then I wish you the best.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

laprincessa said:


> Two questions for you -
> The first time one of the puppies takes a cookies out of the hand of your toddler, are you going to say to the crying child, "darling, you know you're not supposed to be walking around with food," or are you going to say, "No, No, BAD DOG, you know better!"
> The first time one of the kids gets knocked over, or the puppies nip their ankles, because they're running around yelling, as kids will do, are you going to say to the crying child, "well, you know you're not supposed to run around and be wild like that!" or are you going to say, "Bad dog! You know better!"
> Third question - at 7:30, after taking care of 4 kids all day, are you really going to want to spend time training 2 puppies? I'd be needing a glass (or bottle) of wine, and wanting to relax. Dogs aren't going to say, "well, it's 3:00, so if we just wait patiently for another 4 1/2 hours, we'll get lots of attention!" Are you positive that you have the time and patience for this?
> ...


Are those the only answers available? I'm not sure either of the alternatives you listed are good.


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I haven't read through all the responses.... but wanted to say that they are almost certainly field Goldens--and very pretty ones.  What that means is that they will likely be lively energetic dogs (although all dogs are individuals) with shorter, tighter coats. At their age they are still considered adolescents. From your description of their living circumstances and the video you watched, if you want to give them a try, I'd say they could be a very good match for you. 

If you can afford it, I'd say spring for the private, in-home trainer, right away. It will help them settle in--they will really want to know where they fit into the scheme of things, who's in charge, what the rules are, etc. I'm not talking a dominance "chain of command" thing, just a basic living structure--when do I get fed, who goes through the door first, who do I listen to first, etc.

If they've been kept in crates a lot that could be a real advantage to you. It will help you protect them from your kids and vice versa. But in any case, no matter what, you should never, ever allow your kids to go near them when they're eating. They will pretty much always look upon the kids as their equals, as siblings, and protecting their food from siblings is just a normal dog thing to do. Training your kids to understand the dogs' thinking is going to be a large part of of the work you do...

Sorry if I'm preaching to the choir. It sounds as if you know a great deal about dogs in general. But there are many people who consider Goldens to be a great family dog "because they're child-proof" etc., and there is no such dog. And there's no such thing as a child who is so well trained and educated that they can be 100% trusted to not do something around a dog that might end up causing the dog to be re-homed or even euthanized. Sorry.... I guess I'm on my bandwagon now... LOL. 

Good luck. I'll be interested to hear what you decide.


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Came back to ad... I brought home a re-homed Golden (Bella, in my sig pic). Raising and training her was very different that raising and training Tucker (brought him home at 9 weeks), but equally rewarding in terms of the love and affection she gives us. I got her because I thought Tucker would like to have a canine playmate, and I was right, He really LOVES having someone to romp around with (our little spaniel is too small and old for him to play with). So, although you already have a busy, full house, don't discount the benefits of having two versus one dog. Dogs love to have canine companionship and can entertain themselves together quite well. If you brought them home, I'm guessing that after the first few months, when everyone has settled (them with you, and you with them), you might be very grateful to have a high-energy playmate for your dog...


----------



## laprincessa (Mar 24, 2008)

DanaRuns said:


> Are those the only answers available? I'm not sure either of the alternatives you listed are good.


No, just didn't want to get more wordy than I already had. I'm just remembering the days when my grandchildren were here, and they were used to having a dog around, but one who had been with them since they were born. I had to constantly remind them that they shouldn't treat Max the way they did Josie. I had to constantly be after them to not walk around with food, not run, etc. I only had to do it once a week and I was fried! I can't imagine doing it with two dogs, every day.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

laprincessa said:


> Two questions for you -
> The first time one of the puppies takes a cookies out of the hand of your toddler, are you going to say to the crying child, "darling, you know you're not supposed to be walking around with food," or are you going to say, "No, No, BAD DOG, you know better!"
> The first time one of the kids gets knocked over, or the puppies nip their ankles, because they're running around yelling, as kids will do, are you going to say to the crying child, "well, you know you're not supposed to run around and be wild like that!" or are you going to say, "Bad dog! You know better!"
> Third question - at 7:30, after taking care of 4 kids all day, are you really going to want to spend time training 2 puppies? I'd be needing a glass (or bottle) of wine, and wanting to relax. Dogs aren't going to say, "well, it's 3:00, so if we just wait patiently for another 4 1/2 hours, we'll get lots of attention!" Are you positive that you have the time and patience for this?
> ...


This is kind of a weird response to my questions/concerns, and I'm not sure what you're getting at (except that same "gee don't you know dogs are a lot of work?" response that I found somewhat offensive before).

As far as your questions - do they have to be multiple choice, or can I come up with my own response? :uhoh: If I see my kids walking around with cookies, I'll deal with the walking around with cookies issue before the dogs get involved, since I don't plan on leaving kids + dogs alone together. If dog takes a cookie from a child it's going to depend on how it goes down... the more likely scenario is that my toddler held the cookie out to give to the dog and the dog took it. If it was the 3 year old, I will explain why we don't feed the dog cookies. If it's the 1 year old, I probably won't do anything except tell him (pointlessly) not to feed the dog and watch him better next time. If my child is eating and minding his own business and the dog snatches food out of his hand, I will correct the dog. Although I just don't really see that scenario playing out, since we don't let the kids eat anywhere but the dining room and we don't let the dogs in the dining room when we eat (well the big kids snack at the kitchen bar after school, but they are high up on bar stools and know not to feed the dogs)... 

If the kids get knocked over, I'm not going to do anything except check to make sure they're okay. They knock each other over all the time wrestling and running around. If the dogs are going wild and the kids are going wild, I will separate them - the kids can go run around upstairs and the dogs can go run around in the backyard. I don't let dogs herd my kids, so if they start, I will address it before any heel nipping happens. That hasn't been a huge issue with any Goldens I've been around (remember I've owned a Sheltie).

As for your last question, I never indicated that the dogs wouldn't get attention during the day. In fact the whole reason we are looking at adopting them is that they are currently neglected all day and at our house there is always someone at home - other than two hours on Sunday mornings when we're all at church, there is literally someone home 90% of the time. Six people will pet and play with and love on those dogs - they will get plenty of attention! The 7:30 time is just when I said I would have time to work on them without the kids on training. And actually, yes, it's been my experience that dogs are very capable of learning routines - they may not be able to look at the clock to see what time it is, but they will know after the kids go to bed they will get some training time. I go walking every morning at around 5:00 and currently borrow a friend's dog to walk with, so they will have that time with me too, but the after bed time is when I will have more time to just work with them on commands without any distractions. I already have the four kids, and no I don't have to drink myself to sleep every night


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

OutWest said:


> I haven't read through all the responses.... but wanted to say that they are almost certainly field Goldens--and very pretty ones.  What that means is that they will likely be lively energetic dogs (although all dogs are individuals) with shorter, tighter coats. At their age they are still considered adolescents. From your description of their living circumstances and the video you watched, if you want to give them a try, I'd say they could be a very good match for you.
> 
> If you can afford it, I'd say spring for the private, in-home trainer, right away. It will help them settle in--they will really want to know where they fit into the scheme of things, who's in charge, what the rules are, etc. I'm not talking a dominance "chain of command" thing, just a basic living structure--when do I get fed, who goes through the door first, who do I listen to first, etc.
> 
> ...


Great advice! I've never heard of "field Goldens" - I know around here there are a lot of labs that are specifically bred to hunt and then others that are bred as pets (same breed, just different purposes)... is this the same phenomenon for Goldens? 

I am going to look into a private trainer after someone suggested it - we've never used one before, so I have no idea how it works or how much it costs or anything. I have friends very involved in the dog training club where we took our other dogs, so they can help me figure that out.

And no, I don't expect any dog to be foolproof around kids, I was just concerned about some things I had heard about aggressive poorly bred Goldens.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

OutWest said:


> Came back to ad... I brought home a re-homed Golden (Bella, in my sig pic). Raising and training her was very different that raising and training Tucker (brought him home at 9 weeks), but equally rewarding in terms of the love and affection she gives us. I got her because I thought Tucker would like to have a canine playmate, and I was right, He really LOVES having someone to romp around with (our little spaniel is too small and old for him to play with). So, although you already have a busy, full house, don't discount the benefits of having two versus one dog. Dogs love to have canine companionship and can entertain themselves together quite well. If you brought them home, I'm guessing that after the first few months, when everyone has settled (them with you, and you with them), you might be very grateful to have a high-energy playmate for your dog...


This was my husband's argument for wanting both. 

By the way, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is the other breed we have really considered... it's just they NEVER come up in a rescue around here, and right now I can't bring myself to purchase a dog from a breeder with all the dogs out there needing homes (not that I have a problem with other people doing it!)


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

laprincessa said:


> No, just didn't want to get more wordy than I already had. I'm just remembering the days when my grandchildren were here, and they were used to having a dog around, but one who had been with them since they were born. I had to constantly remind them that they shouldn't treat Max the way they did Josie. I had to constantly be after them to not walk around with food, not run, etc. I only had to do it once a week and I was fried! I can't imagine doing it with two dogs, every day.


It sounds like more of a problem with the kids than anything - the advantage I have is that my kids already live at my house and know the rules, so now I just need to get the dogs to learn their rules. Not to say my kids are perfect all the time, but I have already taught them not to walk around with food so I may have to remind them from time to time, but I won't be "constantly after them."


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> It sounds like more of a problem with the kids than anything - the advantage I have is that my kids already live at my house and know the rules, so now I just need to get the dogs to learn their rules. Not to say my kids are perfect all the time, but I have already taught them not to walk around with food so I may have to remind them from time to time, but I won't be "constantly after them."


I'm pretty impressed with everything you've posted here. You are a smart and sensible woman -- which you probably must be in order to remain sane with a husband, four kids and (prospectively) two dogs.  I'm pretty certain that after a bit of time and consistency, both dogs and kids will know the boundaries, and you will have routine replace chaos, at least to a significant degree.

I'm with your husband on the advantages of getting both dogs. I actually find two dogs as easy as one, though twice the food is eaten and twice the poop needs to be picked up. And they are wonderful and "plug and play" companions for each other, who make everyone's lives a little better every day.

-----------------


----------



## dogloverforlife (Feb 17, 2013)

I am excited for you!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> Great advice! I've never heard of "field Goldens" - I know around here there are a lot of labs that are specifically bred to hunt and then others that are bred as pets (same breed, just different purposes)... is this the same phenomenon for Goldens?
> 
> I am going to look into a private trainer after someone suggested it - we've never used one before, so I have no idea how it works or how much it costs or anything. I have friends very involved in the dog training club where we took our other dogs, so they can help me figure that out.
> 
> And no, I don't expect any dog to be foolproof around kids, I was just concerned about some things I had heard about aggressive poorly bred Goldens.


Without knowing the pedigree, I don't think it can be concluded that they're "field Goldens." Someone is making that determination based on the color. Without a history of field titles in the lines, how would one know?


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

I hadn't really understood the distinction between field and conformation (show) Goldens before I joined GRF! Fieldies are intended to be quick, focused, high energy, and usually have the darker red color with a shorter coat. Conformation Goldens are generally bigger boned, thicker bodied, have blocky heads, longer flowing feathers/coats, and are not necessarily rangy and high energy. These things are all relative of course! And many wonderful GRs qualify under both headings. There was a fascinating lengthy discussion on here not long ago about whether the breed is "splitting." No matter how they are described though, the AKC standard is the same for all, and the sweet Golden temperament is supposed to be there. My Tucker (see sig pics) is more of a conformation GR and Bella more of a field GR. but they are very well matched in almost all ways. Biggest differences I can see are that Tucker is a bit mellower and more of a couch potato. Bella has a harder time using her "off switch" but she does have one and settles nicely.

Funny you should say that about Cavs. I do think the temperaments of GRs and Cavs are similar in terms of sweetness and eagerness to please. Also in wagginess, being food motivated and other areas!  We got Tess as my daughters first dog about ten years ago and she was great with her (DD used to dress her up in Build a Bear outfits!). Then DD wanted a "big dog" and now we have two GRs.


----------



## jimla (Oct 9, 2008)

DanaRuns said:


> I'm with your husband on the advantages of getting both dogs. I actually find two dogs as easy as one, though twice the food is eaten and twice the poop needs to be picked up. And they are wonderful and "plug and play" companions for each other, who make everyone's lives a little better every day.


I agree. Our dogs give each other lots of exercise that I could never do. They keep each other company when we leave the house. They walk great together with one on each side. I love your pictures DanaRuns. Your dogs look like great buddies!


----------



## Sampson's Mom (May 13, 2013)

After reading through all of these posts, I think you are incredibly intelligent and sensible. I'm very impressed with all of your responses...you obviously aren't going into this with blinders on! I agree that kids should grow up with a dog (or two!), and I sincerely hope Friday goes well. I'm so excited to hear all about it, which is why I wanted to post on this thread so I'll get the notifications!! 

On another note, I have one of those electronic dog doors you mentioned. Sampson won't be using it yet until he is around six months, but my Lennon used it for years. I highly recommend it.

Good luck! Fingers crossed for Friday that everything goes well for your family and those two beautiful Goldens!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

*Caroline 162-*when you meet these two girls, ask the owners where they got them from. 

That was one of the first questions working with Rescue we asked anyone that was wanting to surrender a dog to us.

If they got the dog from the breeder, the owner must contact the breeder. Most breeders have a contract stating that the dog must be returned to them at any time and for any reason. The person who purchased a dog from a breeder if it is stated in their contract, does not have the right to rehome the dog. They must abide by the contract and return it to the breeder as stated in the agreement. 

As for dogs biting, any dog can bite in a given situation. I would never leave young children unattended with a dog without supervision. It is impoprtant to teach your children or that they know how to treat a dog.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> *Caroline 162-*when you meet these two girls, ask the owners where they got them from.
> 
> That was one of the first questions working with Rescue we asked anyone that was wanting to surrender a dog to us.
> 
> ...


I think it's _fantastic and wonderful_ that breeders have this clause in their contracts. Unfortunately, unless the dog is co-owned with the breeder, it's pretty much unenforceable.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

DanaRuns said:


> I think it's _fantastic and wonderful_ that breeders have this clause in their contracts. Unfortunately, unless the dog is co-owned with the breeder, it's pretty much unenforceable.


The GR Rescue I helped with Intake, would not take a dog into our program if it had been purchased from a Breeder due to legal issues. The attorney we had on retainer advised us against doing so, ever.....


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

OutWest said:


> I hadn't really understood the distinction between field and conformation (show) Goldens before I joined GRF! Fieldies are intended to be quick, focused, high energy, and usually have the darker red color with a shorter coat. Conformation Goldens are generally bigger boned, thicker bodied, have blocky heads, longer flowing feathers/coats, and are not necessarily rangy and high energy. These things are all relative of course! And many wonderful GRs qualify under both headings. There was a fascinating lengthy discussion on here not long ago about whether the breed is "splitting." No matter how they are described though, the AKC standard is the same for all, and the sweet Golden temperament is supposed to be there. My Tucker (see sig pics) is more of a conformation GR and Bella more of a field GR. but they are very well matched in almost all ways. Biggest differences I can see are that Tucker is a bit mellower and more of a couch potato. Bella has a harder time using her "off switch" but she does have one and settles nicely.
> 
> Funny you should say that about Cavs. I do think the temperaments of GRs and Cavs are similar in terms of sweetness and eagerness to please. Also in wagginess, being food motivated and other areas!  We got Tess as my daughters first dog about ten years ago and she was great with her (DD used to dress her up in Build a Bear outfits!). Then DD wanted a "big dog" and now we have two GRs.


I understand why you called them field Goldens, but I don't think they should be classified in one category or another based on color or head shape. Most people wouldn't say they have a conformation bred dog unless there were conformation dogs in the immediate pedigree. In this instance, we don't even know what the pedigree is. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> The GR Rescue I helped with Intake, would not take a dog into our program if it had been purchased from a Breeder due to legal issues. The attorney we had on retainer advised us against doing so, ever.....


I agree with Dana Runs that these clauses are usually unenforceable; however, that said, I think it's good, from a legal standpoint, that your rescue's attorney advised you against doing so unless the breeder acquiesced in the surrender. My thoughts are with the people who actually adopt those dogs from the rescue and not getting dragged into a dispute.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Dallas Gold said:


> I agree with Dana Runs that these clauses are usually unenforceable; however, that said, I think it's good, from a legal standpoint, that your rescue's attorney advised you against doing so unless the breeder acquiesced in the surrender. My thoughts are with the people who actually adopt those dogs from the rescue and not getting dragged into a dispute.


Exactly, my group tried to be as proactive as possible to prevent any problems from the get go. It was drilled into my head when I started helping with Intakes as well as any dog that was found as a stray.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Dallas Gold said:


> I agree with Dana Runs that these clauses are usually unenforceable; however, that said, I think it's good, from a legal standpoint, that your rescue's attorney advised you against doing so unless the breeder acquiesced in the surrender. My thoughts are with the people who actually adopt those dogs from the rescue and not getting dragged into a dispute.


Well, without getting too legal (sorry, I'm a lawyer, it's in my genes), any adopter would be determined to be a "buyer in due course" and could not have the dog taken away from them. 

But, sorry. I seem to have hijacked the thread.

:hijacked:

We now return you to your regularly scheduled programming, already underway...


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

DanaRuns said:


> Well, without getting too legal (sorry, I'm a lawyer, it's in my genes), any adopter would be determined to be a "buyer in due course" and could not have the dog taken away from them.
> 
> But, sorry. I seem to have hijacked the thread.
> 
> ...


I know you're a lawyer, input welcomed. 

I'm over on the East Coast, laws are a bit different in my state.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

DanaRuns said:


> Well, without getting too legal (sorry, I'm a lawyer, it's in my genes), any adopter would be determined to be a "buyer in due course" and could not have the dog taken away from them.
> 
> But, sorry. I seem to have hijacked the thread.
> 
> ...


I'm a lawyer too, retired as a partner from commercial real estate lending in a large commercial law practice. I was just thinking in terms of risk prevention. As you know many people threaten litigation over almost anything and it's never pleasant if you are drawn into it by circumstance. Agree- back to the original thread.


----------



## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

Dallas Gold said:


> I'm a lawyer too...


Oh, lord. Too many lawyers. There goes the neighborhood...


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

OutWest said:


> I hadn't really understood the distinction between field and conformation (show) Goldens before I joined GRF! Fieldies are intended to be quick, focused, high energy, and usually have the darker red color with a shorter coat. Conformation Goldens are generally bigger boned, thicker bodied, have blocky heads, longer flowing feathers/coats, and are not necessarily rangy and high energy. These things are all relative of course! And many wonderful GRs qualify under both headings. There was a fascinating lengthy discussion on here not long ago about whether the breed is "splitting." No matter how they are described though, the AKC standard is the same for all, and the sweet Golden temperament is supposed to be there. My Tucker (see sig pics) is more of a conformation GR and Bella more of a field GR. but they are very well matched in almost all ways. Biggest differences I can see are that Tucker is a bit mellower and more of a couch potato. Bella has a harder time using her "off switch" but she does have one and settles nicely.
> 
> Funny you should say that about Cavs. I do think the temperaments of GRs and Cavs are similar in terms of sweetness and eagerness to please. Also in wagginess, being food motivated and other areas!  We got Tess as my daughters first dog about ten years ago and she was great with her (DD used to dress her up in Build a Bear outfits!). Then DD wanted a "big dog" and now we have two GRs.


Fascinating! I guess now that I think about it, it does seem like there are two "flavors" of Golden Retriever, I just had never really thought about it or heard that term.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> *Caroline 162-*when you meet these two girls, ask the owners where they got them from.
> 
> That was one of the first questions working with Rescue we asked anyone that was wanting to surrender a dog to us.
> 
> ...


They did get them from a "breeder" in the sense that they purchased the dogs from someone who mated their parents, but I am not at all sure how responsible they were or if they were just someone breeding their dogs and selling them. Based on some things said/read about the situation, I don't have a great feeling about it (like I have some doubts that there was a contract, etc.) but it is definitely on my list of questions!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Nairb said:


> I understand why you called them field Goldens, but I don't think they should be classified in one category or another based on color or head shape. Most people wouldn't say they have a conformation bred dog unless there were conformation dogs in the immediate pedigree. In this instance, we don't even know what the pedigree is.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


So are you saying that "field" or "conformation" is an actual status?? I guess I got the feeling it is more of an informal designation based on the dogs' characteristics... Just curious, since this is all new to me


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Y'all have on the whole been INCREDIBLY sweet and helpful!! I just want to say again THANK YOU to all the people who have really given thoughts to this thread and commented on it!! 

We're all eager to meet these pups! It is like COMPLETELY an unknown how things will go down on Friday, so in that sense it's a little nerve-wracking (like buying a house, which we just did - you don't want to get TOO emotionally invested, but you do need to get excited enough to make an offer...) Anyway, we shall see. As I said before, we won't go into any decision lightly!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> Y'all have on the whole been INCREDIBLY sweet and helpful!! I just want to say again THANK YOU to all the people who have really given thoughts to this thread and commented on it!!
> 
> We're all eager to meet these pups! It is like COMPLETELY an unknown how things will go down on Friday, so in that sense it's a little nerve-wracking (like buying a house, which we just did - you don't want to get TOO emotionally invested, but you do need to get excited enough to make an offer...) Anyway, we shall see. As I said before, we won't go into any decision lightly!


 
I think you are well prepared and are going into this with your eyes wide open. 

Don't be afraid to ask any quesiton-you have a right to know everything you possibly can about these two girls. It's a big decision, it's a life time committment. You have your entire family to think about if you decide to take these girls, it's going to be life changing for you and them as well. 

It could be a very wonderful experience for all of you.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> So are you saying that "field" or "conformation" is an actual status?? I guess I got the feeling it is more of an informal designation based on the dogs' characteristics... Just curious, since this is all new to me


There are lighter and darker Goldens, with different shaped heads who have had success in both venues, so to classify as "field Golden" based on a photo seems like a leap to me. I didn't intend to ignite controversy, but that's how I see it. Nobody knows the temperaments, aptitudes, energy levels, or pedigrees of those dogs based on the photos you posted. To me, field bred means there are dogs in the immediate pedigree that have earned titles in that venue. Otherwise, how would you know that they have those attributes in their lines? 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Caroline162, first, I want to say that your responses to some of the offensive responses (even though some were not meant offensively since I'm familiar with the responders) have been polite and not defensive, something which often derails threads. I'd just like to offer one piece of advice for your family meeting on Friday with these pups. Immediately upon their arrival, before any backyard play or inside the house introductions, take everyone for a walk. Make that walk as long as possible. If these two youngsters are crated a lot, they have a lot of energy to burn. You don't want them to start using that energy in your house with your kids, if for no other reason than you won't be able to make a fair assessment of their suitability in your home. If you have a fenced ballpark or other safe place to unleash them and let them play fetch for a bit, all the better. It sounds like your goal is to get the most realistic impression of these lovely dogs as you can, so releasing some of their energy will help in achieving that goal. I have raised my children with goldens and now my grandchildren, some of whom have a golden of their own. My current rescue dog, Finn, doesn't like to share the limelight with the littlest grands (he'd prefer the attention be on him rather than on them) but he's still patient.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Nairb said:


> There are lighter and darker Goldens, with different shaped heads who have had success in both venues, so to classify as "field Golden" based on a photo seems like a leap to me. I didn't intend to ignite controversy, but that's how I see it. Nobody knows the temperaments, aptitudes, energy levels, or pedigrees of those dogs based on the photos you posted. To me, field bred means there are dogs in the immediate pedigree that have earned titles in that venue. Otherwise, how would you know that they have those attributes in their lines?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


It's really not a leap. Breeders who specifically breed hunt and field do have a different look than confirmation bred. As someone mentioned here there was a huge thread discussing the split.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> It's really not a leap. Breeders who specifically breed hunt and field do have a different look than confirmation bred. As someone mentioned here there was a huge thread discussing the split.


We don't know, in this case, who the breeder is, or what they were bred for. 

I see three Goldens every Monday night who are very much field bred (I've looked at the pedigrees). All three look very different. One of them is much lighter than the other two with a blocker head. 

It would probably be better for the OP and her family if they weren't from a long line of competitive field dogs anyway. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

I think that the positive thoughts are a good thing. Personally some of the worst interdog aggression I have seen is with bitch littermates at 18-24 months, that is when they reach their sexual/social maturity.....

I am also a mom. I had two kids four years and two years when Laney was 18 months old..
Had I had more than one of her, I would have been beyond exasperated ...

So not to be Debbie Downer, can you have a trial period?


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Nairb said:


> We don't know, in this case, who the breeder is, or what they were bred for.
> 
> I see three Goldens every Monday night who are very much field bred (I've looked at the pedigrees). All three look very different. One of them is much lighter than the other two with a blocker head.
> 
> ...


You are correct we don't know their lines. Just going by their looks. I have a lighter field bred also.


----------



## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

Here's hoping it works out for you all.
I had three large dogs before I had kids. I trained the dogs and the kids. I never left the dogs alone with the kids - who knows what my young kids would do when my back was turned?

Please rethink obedience class. I married my husband to get his dog. Even though she was beautifully trained, we went through a class together for the bonding experience. 
I work fulltime, raised three kids who did competitive baseball, soccer and hockey, so I know what your schedule is like. You should be able to divide and conquer. Your husband goes with one dog and half the kids, you take the other dog and the other half of the kids at a different time.


----------



## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

Yes, that is the other thing that really bothered me... The lack of time to attend obedience class. Not to be the jerk I can be, but if you do not have one hour of time to take a dog to class, how do you have time to work with two adolescent dogs?


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

BajaOklahoma said:


> Please rethink obedience class. I married my husband to get his dog. Even though she was beautifully trained, we went through a class together for the bonding experience.
> I work fulltime, raised three kids who did competitive baseball, soccer and hockey, so I know what your schedule is like. You should be able to divide and conquer. Your husband goes with one dog and half the kids, you take the other dog and the other half of the kids at a different time.


If you find a good trainer it can be a fun experience for the entire family, plus the trainer can evaluate how your children and dogs interact and possibly help train your children with the dogs and give helpful suggestions and tips. The bonding that goes on in training classes is amazing. I saw firsthand how our trainer went out of her way to help with a child/dog team in one of the classes I took with our puppy. 

If you don't want to do group classes, please consider hiring an individual trainer to come to your home who might be able to be flexible to fit with your busy schedule.


----------



## Zuca's mom (Aug 14, 2012)

If I could afford another dog, I would get one in a heartbeat. I'm excited for you and the family. If you are committed to making it work, it will work. Maybe it won't be perfect, but it will be a wonderful experience. Goldens are wonderful and two would be just awesome! Good luck and I look forward to pictures and update on the visit.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Finn's Fan said:


> Caroline162, first, I want to say that your responses to some of the offensive responses (even though some were not meant offensively since I'm familiar with the responders) have been polite and not defensive, something which often derails threads. I'd just like to offer one piece of advice for your family meeting on Friday with these pups. Immediately upon their arrival, before any backyard play or inside the house introductions, take everyone for a walk. Make that walk as long as possible. If these two youngsters are crated a lot, they have a lot of energy to burn. You don't want them to start using that energy in your house with your kids, if for no other reason than you won't be able to make a fair assessment of their suitability in your home. If you have a fenced ballpark or other safe place to unleash them and let them play fetch for a bit, all the better. It sounds like your goal is to get the most realistic impression of these lovely dogs as you can, so releasing some of their energy will help in achieving that goal. I have raised my children with goldens and now my grandchildren, some of whom have a golden of their own. My current rescue dog, Finn, doesn't like to share the limelight with the littlest grands (he'd prefer the attention be on him rather than on them) but he's still patient.


Oh my goodness that picture is just PERFECT! I am seriously smitten with all the adorable Goldens whose pictures are on here!

That is a good idea about getting some of their energy out first...how do Goldens do in the heat? They are coming to visit in the middle of the afternoon and the heat index will be over 100 degrees. Normally I would take them for a long walk at 5am and then in this part of the summer mostly play fetch in our (very long) hallway inside or play a quick game of ball outside etc. in the middle of the day, but would not walk a dog in the middle of the afternoon when it's this hot...

Thanks!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sally's Mom said:


> Yes, that is the other thing that really bothered me... The lack of time to attend obedience class. Not to be the jerk I can be, but if you do not have one hour of time to take a dog to class, how do you have time to work with two adolescent dogs?


I think I addressed this earlier. Our dog training club is 30 minutes away wit traffic, so when we took our other dogs it was always about 2.5 hours not 1 hour time commitment. I said that I have plenty of time to work with the dogs after the kids are in bed at 7:30pm (and already go on a 3-4 mile walk every morning at 5am when they will be with me), plus just the time that they are home with my husband or I during the day we will be with them and "working" with them the way you work with dogs constantly - the evening time is just when I will have dedicated time with no kids or other distractions. It's just obedience class is not offered at 8pm or 5am - it's offered during times that we have other commitments because of kids sports, music lessons, etc. 

As I said before, I agree about classes in theory and I always recommend them to other people (have done them with my other dogs) but I am being realistic and honest when I say they will not fit into our schedule right now. I've also said I have the experience and materials from having trained past dogs, and these dogs have clearly had some training before, and also that I would look into a private trainer.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sally's Mom said:


> Yes, that is the other thing that really bothered me... The lack of time to attend obedience class. Not to be the jerk I can be, but if you do not have one hour of time to take a dog to class, how do you have time to work with two adolescent dogs?


Also just to reiterate as a new member of this forum, if you want to be good ambassadors to this breed, you might pay attention to how you come off. It's a good general rule of thumb that if you find yourself saying something like "not to be a jerk..." you are probably being a jerk.

It seems like something about this thread got you upset from the very beginning - to the point of feeling the need to announce that you were leaving - so we are probably not going to have a fruitful discussion at this point. You have decided that I should not have these dogs, which is certainly an opinion you're entitled to, but it actually doesn't address the topic of this thread at all and at this point is just you criticizing me - kind of without any reason.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

BajaOklahoma said:


> Here's hoping it works out for you all.
> I had three large dogs before I had kids. I trained the dogs and the kids. I never left the dogs alone with the kids - who knows what my young kids would do when my back was turned?
> 
> Please rethink obedience class. I married my husband to get his dog. Even though she was beautifully trained, we went through a class together for the bonding experience.
> I work fulltime, raised three kids who did competitive baseball, soccer and hockey, so I know what your schedule is like. You should be able to divide and conquer. Your husband goes with one dog and half the kids, you take the other dog and the other half of the kids at a different time.


I also am not saying these dogs will NEVER be in a class - we started obedience and then agility classes for our sheltie when she was seven years old and it was fabulous! I dont know how many of my older posts you saw (this thread has gotten crazy long!) but my youngest kids are 1.5 and 3 years old - I know you're not suggesting I try to attend obedience classes with toddlers


----------



## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> I also am not saying these dogs will NEVER be in a class - we started obedience and then agility classes for our sheltie when she was seven years old and it was fabulous! I dont know how many of my older posts you saw (this thread has gotten crazy long!) but my youngest kids are 1.5 and 3 years old - I know you're not suggesting I try to attend obedience classes with toddlers


Nope, I missed/forgot about their ages. They will need you to teach them to how to behave around the dogs.

I do think that you will be much happier in the long run if you go to class ASAP. We've had three dogs at a time for almost 37 years. Though I start the training ASAP, I still take them to class. The class corrects my mistakes (I am not perfect). We now have 4 dogs since rescuing Rogue last month. She is scheduled to be spayed this month and I can hardly wait to get her in class.
Just a thought, if you can't find the time to go a class every week now, is this really the best time to be getting a dog, let alone two? I think your kids and their friends will enjoy them more if they are trained. It is very difficult to be dedicated to training the dog/dogs in a busy household - it seems to get bumped lower on the priority list. I've seen too many dogs tossed in the backyard and left because they weren't socially acceptable (AKA trained).


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

In answer to your question about Goldens and heat, I share your concerns that you might not get an accurate assessment if you meet with them and get them outside in this heat and humidity (we are hitting 100 today, with high humidity too- miserable). My two tend to be a little less energetic outside during the days so we get most of the energy expended with two morning walks until it cools down some. They like to play with one another inside (tug with a toy and bitey face, with lots of zoomies) and they expend their energy that way. They also nap a lot during the hottest part of the day, inside, under the big ceiling fan in our family room, with nice cool AC too- their energy levels are about the same at 9 years for our field descended boy and 8 months for our conformation puppy. 

I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned this, but ask the owners how they feed the dogs- is it together or apart , and if there are any resource guarding over toys or feeding issues. If so you will probably want to watch it and feed them separately from one another and keep the children away. 

Also, Goldens are notorious for ingesting inappropriate items, especially things like childrens socks and small toys. This can result in expensive obstruction surgery and sometimes the outcome is tragic. You might need to reinforce to the children the importance of putting their things away and also the dogs need to know Drop It/Leave It/Trade for these items. Our dogs' ability to find a stray sock is uncanny and it helped teach my husband to put his socks and shoes away!  I've been working with the puppy every day on leave it and now, at 8 months, I'm seeing the light bulb go off in his head that I mean don't pick it up! I am using high value treats to do this. I'm also working on Drop it, using some very high value chews- and that is much harder for him, and it's taking a lot of practice. It's a matter of his safety and welfare though. 

I'm wishing you the best, both in your decision making on Friday and, if you decide to take both pups, in settling them in your home and family.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

BajaOklahoma said:


> Nope, I missed/forgot about their ages. They will need you to teach them to how to behave around the dogs.
> 
> I do think that you will be much happier in the long run if you go to class ASAP. We've had three dogs at a time for almost 37 years. Though I start the training ASAP, I still take them to class. The class corrects my mistakes (I am not perfect). We now have 4 dogs since rescuing Rogue last month. She is scheduled to be spayed this month and I can hardly wait to get her in class.
> Just a thought, if you can't find the time to go a class every week now, is this really the best time to be getting a dog, let alone two? I think your kids and their friends will enjoy them more if they are trained. It is very difficult to be dedicated to training the dog/dogs in a busy household - it seems to get bumped lower on the priority list. I've seen too many dogs tossed in the backyard and left because they weren't socially acceptable (AKA trained).


I give up trying to respond to these types of comments. (1) I will not take these dogs if they are so un-manageable that we can't live with them without goin to an obedience class (that is why we don't want a puppy in the first place); (2) I get it about class, I don't disagree that they are useful or ideal, that doesn't mean I can make them work into our schedule which is why I will look at private trainers instead; (3) if after reading my posts you think I will end up throwing these dogs in the backyard because I behavior problems, there's truly nothing else I can say to you. I didn't come here to defend my ability to care for dogs, I came here and asked some Golden Retriever questions. Like I said before, I get that y'all love this breed and don't want to see any of these dogs go to the wrong house, but to a new member of the forum you come off rude and pushy.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

You, know what your doing,you have had dogs before, I feel you will know once you meet them, please let us know what happens tomorrow.


----------



## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

I have read through all of this!! I think you are a fantastic, knowledgeable and well grounded person totally capable of making a good decision tomorrow and I wish you all the best of luck.
I had my first dog (boxer) when I was 4 and since then myself and 3 younger brothers and sisters were raised with a minimum of 3 dogs in the house. No problem and fantastic for us. We are all in our mid-fiftys - sixtys now and all still have two or more dogs each!!
Hoping tomorrow is a success and that these two lovely girls get a super forever home thanks to you and your family.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> In answer to your question about Goldens and heat, I share your concerns that you might not get an accurate assessment if you meet with them and get them outside in this heat and humidity (we are hitting 100 today, with high humidity too- miserable). My two tend to be a little less energetic outside during the days so we get most of the energy expended with two morning walks until it cools down some. They like to play with one another inside (tug with a toy and bitey face, with lots of zoomies) and they expend their energy that way. They also nap a lot during the hottest part of the day, inside, under the big ceiling fan in our family room, with nice cool AC too- their energy levels are about the same at 9 years for our field descended boy and 8 months for our conformation puppy.
> 
> I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned this, but ask the owners how they feed the dogs- is it together or apart , and if there are any resource guarding over toys or feeding issues. If so you will probably want to watch it and feed them separately from one another and keep the children away.
> 
> ...


This is how they eat currently












That is good to know about eating inappropriate things - actually y'all are bringing back some memories of my "God-child" Golden, who once broke into a suitcase and ate a houseguest's entire pack of cigarettes :no: Our kids' rooms are upstairs and the dogs won't really spend time up there (definitely not unsupervised) until the kids are much older, so toys should not be a huge issue since they usually stay upstairs anyway. But socks - yes!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> In answer to your question about Goldens and heat, I share your concerns that you might not get an accurate assessment if you meet with them and get them outside in this heat and humidity (we are hitting 100 today, with high humidity too- miserable). My two tend to be a little less energetic outside during the days so we get most of the energy expended with two morning walks until it cools down some. They like to play with one another inside (tug with a toy and bitey face, with lots of zoomies) and they expend their energy that way. They also nap a lot during the hottest part of the day, inside, under the big ceiling fan in our family room, with nice cool AC too- their energy levels are about the same at 9 years for our field descended boy and 8 months for our conformation puppy.
> 
> I'm not sure if anyone else mentioned this, but ask the owners how they feed the dogs- is it together or apart , and if there are any resource guarding over toys or feeding issues. If so you will probably want to watch it and feed them separately from one another and keep the children away.
> 
> ...


Oh and I meant to add - thanks for your perspective on the heat thing. We will go to the lake swimming on weekends with them, and we actually plan on putting a swimming pool in our backyard when the kids are older. Until then you've confirmed pretty much how I plan on handling it.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

My three year old, on the other hand, is not well grounded and can't make a reasonable decision about getting a dog - he is sitting next to me scrolling through this thread looking at everyone's signatures and saying "I love all the dogs! I want them! Get that one! And that one!" : I agree with him that y'all have some amazingly gorgeous dogs!!


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I can understand the person ,wanting to keep them together, they would miss one another. I wonder what is up with the black and white puppy,in the picture, they must have 3 dogs.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

goldensrbest said:


> I can understand the person ,wanting to keep them together, they would miss one another. I wonder what is up with the black and white puppy,in the picture, they must have 3 dogs.


Yes it's really sad. Basically they got the Goldens when they were fuzzy cute puppies, now they can't take care of them any more but they got a new cute puppy


----------



## Ohiomom9977 (Jul 27, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> I think I addressed this earlier. Our dog training club is 30 minutes away wit traffic, so when we took our other dogs it was always about 2.5 hours not 1 hour time commitment. I said that I have plenty of time to work with the dogs after the kids are in bed at 7:30pm (and already go on a 3-4 mile walk every morning at 5am when they will be with me), plus just the time that they are home with my husband or I during the day we will be with them and "working" with them the way you work with dogs constantly - the evening time is just when I will have dedicated time with no kids or other distractions. It's just obedience class is not offered at 8pm or 5am - it's offered during times that we have other commitments because of kids sports, music lessons, etc.
> 
> As I said before, I agree about classes in theory and I always recommend them to other people (have done them with my other dogs) but I am being realistic and honest when I say they will not fit into our schedule right now. I've also said I have the experience and materials from having trained past dogs, and these dogs have clearly had some training before, and also that I would look into a private trainer.


I am in that situation too. Our training facility is 30 minutes away - there is not one closer. I need 2-2.5 hours per week for training. We are a one vehicle family with 2 school aged kids. It was VERY hard to fit into our schedule & only happened because one of the kids activities was cancelled for the spring.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Ohiomom9977 (Jul 27, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> I also am not saying these dogs will NEVER be in a class - we started obedience and then agility classes for our sheltie when she was seven years old and it was fabulous! I dont know how many of my older posts you saw (this thread has gotten crazy long!) but my youngest kids are 1.5 and 3 years old - I know you're not suggesting I try to attend obedience classes with toddlers


Where we go for training I was not allowed to bring my children for basic obedience. 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Ohiomom9977 said:


> I am in that situation too. Our training facility is 30 minutes away - there is not one closer. I need 2-2.5 hours per week for training. We are a one vehicle family with 2 school aged kids. It was VERY hard to fit into our schedule & only happened because one of the kids activities was cancelled for the spring.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


I'm hoping we can make it work at some point with schedules especially when the kids are a little older because it would be a great thing for them to do together. I think at age 9 (?) our club lets kids be the trainer, and I know my oldest would love doing it. Agility was really fun too! It's just going to have to work out timing wise by luck - my middle daughter's golf lessons are in that general part of town, so ideally at some point we could time golf/ obedience lessons around the same time. We will just keep an eye on schedules and see!


----------



## Ohiomom9977 (Jul 27, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> This is how they eat currently
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Our dog does not have access to the kids room either & we've successfully trained our kids to keep the socks out of sight. I encourage you to work on a good "leave it" if you get them. At a year old my kids can play with small toys (Barbies & their accessories for example) & he will lay there & watch them but will not pick up a Barbie or accessory. Socks MUST be on their feet or in their bedroom. I have drilled this into them (& my hubby) & we've avoided any sock problems.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## BajaOklahoma (Sep 27, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> I give up trying to respond to these types of comments. (1) I will not take these dogs if they are so un-manageable that we can't live with them without goin to an obedience class (that is why we don't want a puppy in the first place); (2) I get it about class, I don't disagree that they are useful or ideal, that doesn't mean I can make them work into our schedule which is why I will look at private trainers instead; (3) if after reading my posts you think I will end up throwing these dogs in the backyard because I behavior problems, there's truly nothing else I can say to you. I didn't come here to defend my ability to care for dogs, I came here and asked some Golden Retriever questions. Like I said before, I get that y'all love this breed and don't want to see any of these dogs go to the wrong house, but to a new member of the forum you come off rude and pushy.


Wow! Rude and pushy? Not me at all. Sorry it came off that way.
I work with young students every day and love them, so I deal with hundreds of families every year, all year long. That's where my comment about dogs being stuck out in the yard comes from - I see it happen too often. And that is why I am an advocate for training.

You will do what you will. Good luck in the future.
I am done with this thread.


----------



## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

I think you have gotten quite a bit of useful information. What you can use keep, what doesn't apply to your personal situation let it go. I guess I see some of the posts different than you have. I understand your thoughts on us being good ambassadors for our breed of choice but many here take it further and want to be informative on the possible down low and skinny on what could potentially happen in some homes and situations because we see it on the forum and many work through rescue or other fields that relate to our dogs. Those posts may not look like ambassadors to the breed but they are advocating for each individual dog that somehow becomes connected to our forum. 

We all really do hope that these dogs are the right fit for your family but for many of us what we want most is that these dogs end up in a successful forever home.

It may be your home but it may not be your home. All the posts were made in hopes that you will be given the best information to make the best informed decision.

Good luck with tomorrows meeting.


----------



## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

"(1) I will not take these dogs if they are so un-manageable that we can't live with them without goin to an obedience class (that is why we don't want a puppy in the first place);"

Not sure if this was mentioned earlier in the thread but certainly something to be aware of.

This is just my opinion but it takes a few weeks to a few months to really see what the personalities are like when you bring home rescues, rehomed, or shelter dogs. There is a honeymoon period. The dynamics of your home will be totally different than what they had before and dogs don't always generalize well so it may be like having two 4 to 6 month old puppies that don't have any training at all when it comes to your house vs theirs. When it comes to them listening to you vs their original owners once they are living with you. Some dogs can transistion better than others and this may not be a problem but it can be. Having each other may make it even harder as they may cling to each other, feed off each other and it may take longer for them to actually bond with your family.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

solinvictus said:


> I think you have gotten quite a bit of useful information. What you can use keep, what doesn't apply to your personal situation let it go. I guess I see some of the posts different than you have. I understand your thoughts on us being good ambassadors for our breed of choice but many here take it further and want to be informative on the possible down low and skinny on what could potentially happen in some homes and situations because we see it on the forum and many work through rescue or other fields that relate to our dogs. Those posts may not look like ambassadors to the breed but they are advocating for each individual dog that somehow becomes connected to our forum.
> 
> We all really do hope that these dogs are the right fit for your family but for many of us what we want most is that these dogs end up in a successful forever home.
> 
> ...


I think if you've read this whole thread, you will see that I am hoping for the same thing. It is COMPLETELY 100% totally UNKNOWN whether these dogs will be a good fit for us - I have NO idea how they will do in our home, with small kids, how well trained they are, what their temperments are, etc. I have said from the beginning that I am hesitant about getting two dogs and that EVERYTHING will depend on how things go at our meeting tomorrow... I never asked whether I should get a dog, or whether I should get these dogs - _no one here can answer that question, and I can't answer it for myself until we meet them_. I asked what breed-specific issues I might encounter if they came from a bad breeder, and how I can help judge their temperament when we meet them. 

The posts that I have found rude are the ones that seem to imply that I have no idea dogs and kids are a lot of work, or make really unfair judgments like that I would just neglect these dogs or have unrealistic expectations of them - that may have been your experience with another family, but I don't think anything I've posted here should give someone the impression that I would be that way. I think it's generally nice to give people the benefit of the doubt, especially when you first "meet" them. I can see that y'all DO care about this breed and I am sure want to be a helpful resource to people - you can't be that if people are turned off by being unfairly judged.

As I said, though, there's not anything else I can say about the whole issue of whether I can handle getting dogs in general, so I will just ignore those posts from now on. I truly appreciate all the thoughtful and helpful replies I've gotten that are on topic


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

solinvictus said:


> "(1) I will not take these dogs if they are so un-manageable that we can't live with them without goin to an obedience class (that is why we don't want a puppy in the first place);"
> 
> Not sure if this was mentioned earlier in the thread but certainly something to be aware of.
> 
> This is just my opinion but it takes a few weeks to a few months to really see what the personalities are like when you bring home rescues, rehomed, or shelter dogs. There is a honeymoon period. The dynamics of your home will be totally different than what they had before and dogs don't always generalize well so it may be like having two 4 to 6 month old puppies that don't have any training at all when it comes to your house vs theirs. When it comes to them listening to you vs their original owners once they are living with you. Some dogs can transistion better than others and this may not be a problem but it can be. Having each other may make it even harder as they may cling to each other, feed off each other and it may take longer for them to actually bond with your family.


Which is why I will err on the side of NOT getting them despite the fact that they MAY eventually be perfect for us, if I get any indication tomorrow that things may not work out well. I think I have a pretty good idea of the sorts of behaviors tomorrow that are manageable vs. true temperament issues that we can't deal with (or clearly inadequate training). I am not up for raising a puppy puppy right now, and like I said before I just can't bring myself to purchase a puppy from a breeder when there are rescues out there needing homes, but ultimately you are right that I am taking a risk taking in older rescued dogs. I do feel pretty confident that between myself (who has more dog experience) and my husband (who has stellar instincts in general) we will be able to make a pretty good decision based on how things go tomorrow.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

I realize you asked a specific question in your OP, but you also added a number of things which are bound to invite comments when hundreds of people are reading it. 

_So my family (me, husband, 4 kids) has been casually looking to adopt a dog for about six months. Goldens seem like great family dogs, and we love going to the lake and love the idea of a dog that enjoys the water, and just generally I adore the breed and the Goldens I have met. But it was important to us to adopt a rescue dog rather than buying one from a breeder, since a companion dog that fits with our family is more important to us than breed. Not very many Goldens or Golden mixes come up for adoption through the rescue groups here - we found one a couple of months ago, but he had tons of applications on him already and ultimately he went to another family who got to him first. We are also looking for a ~1 year old dog that has been housebroken, ideally. *The idea of a baby puppy is overwhelming to me! *

This morning a friend who is involved with a rescue group here forwarded me an email about two 1.5 year old Goldens who need a new home. We are meeting them later this week at our house, to see how they do with our kids and decide if we want to adopt them. 

Basically the current owners got them (bought them) when they were super adorable puppies, but both owners work all day so the dogs are in a crate all day and they decided they can't give them the attention they need. Well, with six people in our house, there is no lack of attention for dogs and since our two youngest kids aren't in school yet, someone is always at home except about two hours on Sundays when we are all at church. We also have a fenced yard and these people don't. I am a little hesitant about taking in TWO dogs (who both need to be spayed, get their one year shots, eat twice as much as one dog, etc.) but my husband thinks they will be happier together, and the people who are getting rid of them are adamant that they stay together. Anyway, we will see how they do later this week....

My question is, knowing that we are not buying these dogs and we have no interest in breeding or showing them, how bad is it that they most likely came from a shoddy breeder? I really have no idea, and that may be a very unfair thing to assume, but based on my experience with "breeders" around here, it just is likely. I am willing to give them glucosamine and do whatever I can to try to keep their hips healthy, I'm not really sure what other health issues Goldens tend to have if they are poorly bred, but assuming they don't have an excessively short life span because of it, we are willing to deal with it. They deserve a home no matter what. *Temperament is obviously a MUCH bigger concern for us, which is why we will spend a good deal of time with them Friday to see how they behave around the children, with food, etc.*_​
And then you concluded with this!

_*Any other thoughts?*_​
I really hope it all works out for you, and I hope you've found this discussion helpful in your decision.


----------



## Makomom (Feb 28, 2012)

I have read through the whole thread and I hope they are the perfect fit for your family! We have had goldens for the last 30 years but never 2 at once....we just rescued Max and we couldn't be happier having 2  
I hope it works out for your family....I grew up with a dog and it is an awesome experience as a kid.


----------



## PrincessDaisy (Dec 20, 2011)

A lot of opinions expressed so far, so I'll throw in mine.

I have not read all 16 pages, so excuse me if I am repeating, assuming, or generally uninformed.

1 Goldens are great dogs. All Goldens need a loving home, regardless of where they were bred and from what pedegree. So, thank you for adopting these two dogs if you do.

2 Obediance training is more for the humans, than for the dogs. Teach the humans in your household, that when on a leash, THEY are in charge, not the dog. Gentle correction, no brutality. Lots of video's available on basic obedience, so does not have to be an expensive process. Train the dogs seperately. But let them watch the other passively while being trained (one indoors watching the other being trained outdoors). The key is using the SAME command phrase EVERY time regardless of which human is giving the command. The obediance training is important for interaction when away from home, and when around strange humans and other dogs. Sit, stay, heel, hold, come, release, drop it, no, fetch, off, speak, quiet. This is 90% of what a companion dog should know. Check how many the dogs already know on their visit. Ask the present owners what commands they use, and what the expected result should be.

3 Two dogs get in less trouble than one bored dog, as they have a companion to play with. A familiar friend will make the transition easier in most cases. Don't be afraid to take both if they are well mannered. However, having been in a home with two largly absent adult humans, being with six will have them excited and they will be very active during their visit. Look for them to be calmer in the long run.

4 A crate can be punishment or a safe haven to a dog. You WANT the crate to be a safe haven. Teach the kids that they should leave the dogs alone when in the crate with the door open. With 4 kids, the dogs will need their safe place. Also, have all 4 kids take equal responsibility for both dogs. No favorites unless the dogs make the choice.

5 Buy the best food you can afford. Good food translates to lower vet bills in the long run. Take a look at www.dogfoodadvisor.com , he is a dog owner with a educational background in biology and chemistry. Read his "about" info at the site. Also, suppliment the food with vitimines A, E, D, coconut oil and flaked coconut in addition to the joint supplimennts you mentioned. (The Princess Daisy has grain allergies, so I feed Blue Buffalo Freedom Chicken for Large breeds.)

6 These Goldens don't speak English, even in the GRF dog Chat, so don't expect complete understanding for a while. As an example, Daisy has been with us 2 years since her rescue from Middle Tenn G.R.R., and I just figured out that when she tries to get in my lap while I'm sitting at my desk it means, "Dadz, I gotta poopz". Dogs just want a human to love. Be that human.

7 If you ever find yourself visiting Graceland/MEM with the dogs, let us know and we'll meet up.

Good luck, and God bless you for taking these dogs.


Max (the human, not the dog)


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

caroline162 said:


> My three year old, on the other hand, is not well grounded and can't make a reasonable decision about getting a dog - he is sitting next to me scrolling through this thread looking at everyone's signatures and saying "I love all the dogs! I want them! Get that one! And that one!" : I agree with him that y'all have some amazingly gorgeous dogs!!


Just for the record...my two are not looking for a new home right now! Tell your little girl thank you for her interest in all the wonderful forum pups!

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Max, thank you! Yes, I have pretty much said all of those things. The dogs would most certainly have had LOTS of obedience training - I have the curriculum still from having gone through obedience/agility with previous dogs and also said I would consider a private trainer. It was only the classes that we couldn't make work right now because of scheduling and how far away our dog training club is. And yes, our kids have always been taught that they are not allowed in the dogs' crates or to bother the dogs when they are in them.

Having said all that (and the past 16 pages of posts) I just got a text message from the owners saying that they have changed their mind about getting rid of the dogs  If I thought that their situation was a good one, I wouldn't be so sad about it, but I feel bad - the mother in law said they were literally in a crate all day five days a week.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> Max, thank you! Yes, I have pretty much said all of those things. The dogs would most certainly have had LOTS of obedience training - I have the curriculum still from having gone through obedience/agility with previous dogs and also said I would consider a private trainer. It was only the classes that we couldn't make work right now because of scheduling and how far away our dog training club is. And yes, our kids have always been taught that they are not allowed in the dogs' crates or to bother the dogs when they are in them.
> 
> Having said all that (and the past 16 pages of posts) I just got a text message from the owners saying that they have changed their mind about getting rid of the dogs  If I thought that their situation was a good one, I wouldn't be so sad about it, but I feel bad - the mother in law said they were literally in a crate all day five days a week.


----------



## Zuca's mom (Aug 14, 2012)

Well that just stinks.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Wyatt's mommy said:


>


I know, I am bummed.  It brings back all those house-hunting roller coaster emotions - as soon as a house became unavailable, I would become convinced it was the perfect house for us :doh: I just have to remind myself it was not meant to be... we ended up with our dream house last fall, I will just have to trust that we will also find our dream dog!


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

Nairb said:


> I understand why you called them field Goldens, but I don't think they should be classified in one category or another based on color or head shape. Most people wouldn't say they have a conformation bred dog unless there were conformation dogs in the immediate pedigree. In this instance, we don't even know what the pedigree is.
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


For sure, that's why I said this: _"These things are all relative of course! And many wonderful GRs qualify under both headings. There was a fascinating lengthy discussion on here not long ago about whether the breed is "splitting." No matter how they are described though, the AKC standard is the same for all, and the sweet Golden temperament is supposed to be there."_


----------



## OutWest (Oct 6, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> Max, thank you! Yes, I have pretty much said all of those things. The dogs would most certainly have had LOTS of obedience training - I have the curriculum still from having gone through obedience/agility with previous dogs and also said I would consider a private trainer. It was only the classes that we couldn't make work right now because of scheduling and how far away our dog training club is. And yes, our kids have always been taught that they are not allowed in the dogs' crates or to bother the dogs when they are in them.
> 
> Having said all that (and the past 16 pages of posts) I just got a text message from the owners saying that they have changed their mind about getting rid of the dogs  If I thought that their situation was a good one, I wouldn't be so sad about it, but I feel bad - the mother in law said they were literally in a crate all day five days a week.


Oh noooooo. They were doing the right thing, too. They must have felt guilty. I hope they're going to change their lifestyle to accommodate the dogs some.... :doh:


----------



## diane0905 (Aug 20, 2010)

caroline162 said:


> I know, I am bummed.  It brings back all those house-hunting roller coaster emotions - as soon as a house became unavailable, I would become convinced it was the perfect house for us :doh: I just have to remind myself it was not meant to be... we ended up with our dream house last fall, I will just have to trust that we will also find our dream dog!


I know you will, but it still stinks. Boo. I guess it wasn't meant to be. I feel for the dogs, however, if they are actually crated like for that much time five days a week.


----------



## BRIAN C (Apr 10, 2013)

I think that you should take both they belong togrther i had two dogs but my golden sam died last month of cancer my seven yr old lab hasent been the same since. Its like seperating a family member go to their vet and find out their history then go for it . I am looking for another golden my self my family cant live without one . I have had goldens for the last thirty years they are very speical dogs go for it you will be glad you did


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

The wife said that it was her idea to get rid of the dogs, but her husband won't let her - he is out of town all the time, though. So, just not a good situation all around  It is VERY hard to get rid of a dog (it just about killed me to re-home Porter when he bit my daughter) but sometimes it is the right thing to do... Hopefully this almost-losing-them was a wake up call to them and they will make time for these dogs. Sadly, I think they will have kids soon and the dogs will only be further bumped down the totem pole (I think that's one of the main things that happened here - once the cute new puppy came). 

But I have to just let it go or that will drive me nuts.


----------



## dogloverforlife (Feb 17, 2013)

That is really a bummer. I am sorry they bailed like that.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

Oh no, maybe they will change their mind.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm sorry to hear this, but things might change.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Thanks, y'all. I did tell her to let me know if they find themselves unable to keep the dogs and she said she would. 

I think it is a great testament to Golden Retrievers that there are so few out there for adoption - we will keep looking


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> Thanks, y'all. I did tell her to let me know if they find themselves unable to keep the dogs and she said she would.
> 
> I think it is a great testament to Golden Retrievers that there are so few out there for adoption - we will keep looking


Would you be interested in adopting a Golden through a GR Rescue?

The dogs would be evaluated and fully vetted prior to being available for adoption.

Here is the link for the GR Rescues in your state-

National Rescue Committee of the Golden Retriever Club of America

I found both of my goldens listed on Petfinder.com, rescues, shelters list their available dogs. Do a search for a Golden Retriever, you can narrow it down by sex, age, etc.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Would you be interested in adopting a Golden through a GR Rescue?
> 
> The dogs would be evaluated and fully vetted prior to being available for adoption.
> 
> ...


YES those are all the places we have been looking the past six months. There was one other young Golden who came up through a local rescue group, but he immediately had a bunch of applications on him and one of the families who put one in before us got him. 

I will keep looking! :crossfing


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I do have a question though... what do breeders do with dogs who are returned? Or does that just not happen often? I am wondering if I could get (purchase) a 1 year old-ish Golden from a breeder under those circumstances. As I said before, we are really not up for a baby puppy, and I don't want to get an older dog only because I want my children to have this dog for a long time... I would still prefer to rescue and will continue to keep an eye on shelters and rescue groups, I am just wondering.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Sometimes breeers do get dogs back for various reasons. You can contact breeders in your area to see if they have any adults available.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> YES those are all the places we have been looking the past six months. There was one other young Golden who came up through a local rescue group, but he immediately had a bunch of applications on him and one of the families who put one in before us got him.
> 
> I will keep looking! :crossfing


Alot of the Rescues adopt dogs out very quickly, especially puppies or young adults. 

The group I was with, always recommended to people who were looking for a young golden, to complete and submit their adoption application even if we didn't have the dog they were looking for at that time. This way, the adoption process would be completed which includes reference checks, telephone interview, and a home visit.

A lot of the Rescues don't list all the Goldens they have in their group because they may be undergoing medical treatments of some type. Once they are cleared medically, then they are listed for adoption. 

If you were approved, then you might be first in line for a particular dog when it becomes available.


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> I do have a question though... what do breeders do with dogs who are returned? Or does that just not happen often? I am wondering if I could get (purchase) a 1 year old-ish Golden from a breeder under those circumstances. As I said before, we are really not up for a baby puppy, and I don't want to get an older dog only because I want my children to have this dog for a long time... I would still prefer to rescue and will continue to keep an eye on shelters and rescue groups, I am just wondering.


Many breeders also sell adult dogs who no longer fit in to their breeding plans.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> Alot of the Rescues adopt dogs out very quickly, especially puppies or young adults.
> 
> The group I was with, always recommended to people who were looking for a young golden, to complete and submit their adoption application even if we didn't have the dog they were looking for at that time. This way, the adoption process would be completed which includes reference checks, telephone interview, and a home visit.
> 
> ...


We did go through the approval process (vet check, home study, etc.) when they had the other Golden available, so we can pretty much immediately get a dog through that rescue (the main non-breed specific rescue group around here) if we get our application in right away. Luckily I have two friends who are caseworkers, so they emails about puppies about to come up and are keeping an eye out for me  Even so Goldens are not common to come through there, especially not young ones (they are usually puppies rescued from a puppy mill or seniors )


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Nairb said:


> Many breeders also sell adult dogs who no longer fit in to their breeding plans.


And I guess a well bred adult would be fine too... I personally would be fine with ANY age dog (other than puppy), but since this will really be my kids' first dog I want them to have a long life together. I'm afraid if I rescue an older Golden who may not have come from a reputable breeder, we may only get a couple of years with him and that would be awfully sad, you know? But buying a good breeder's adult dog may be an option I had not considred.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> And I guess a well bred adult would be fine too... I personally would be fine with ANY age dog (other than puppy), but since this will really be my kids' first dog I want them to have a long life together. I'm afraid if I rescue an older Golden who may not have come from a reputable breeder, we may only get a couple of years with him and that would be awfully sad, you know? But buying a good breeder's adult dog may be an option I had not considred.


There is no guarantee-however, if you get a dog from a breeder that does all four clearances, you have a greater chance of getting a dog that will live a long, healthy and happy life.

My bridge boy was not a well bred golden, but AKC, he lived to be 15.5 and only had minor health issues until he was diagnosed with cancer at 14-14.5.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> There is no guarantee-however, if you get a dog from a breeder that does all four clearances, you have a greater chance of getting a dog that will live a long, healthy and happy life.
> 
> My bridge boy was not a well bred golden, but AKC, he lived to be 15.5 and only had minor health issues until he was diagnosed with cancer at 14-14.5.


Wow that is wonderful for a Golden!! Our Sheltie lived to be almost 18 - she had a wonderful life until the last six months or so when she developed breast cancer and was too old to treat.


----------



## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

caroline162 said:


> I do have a question though... what do breeders do with dogs who are returned? Or does that just not happen often? I am wondering if I could get (purchase) a 1 year old-ish Golden from a breeder under those circumstances. As I said before, we are really not up for a baby puppy, and I don't want to get an older dog only because I want my children to have this dog for a long time... I would still prefer to rescue and will continue to keep an eye on shelters and rescue groups, I am just wondering.


We have gotten 2 of our goldens from our breeder that were being rehomed as they hated the show ring. One, Emmy, was three years and now our Gussee who is 6 years. We have a great relationship with our breeder so she always thinks of us first for a dog who needs rehoming to a SPECIAL LOVING HOME.  That is us. It is definitely worth checking with breeders.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

gold4me said:


> We have gotten 2 of our goldens from our breeder that were being rehomed as they hated the show ring. One, Emmy, was three years and now our Gussee who is 6 years. We have a great relationship with our breeder so she always thinks of us first for a dog who needs rehoming to a SPECIAL LOVING HOME.  That is us. It is definitely worth checking with breeders.


3 and 6? *sigh* I couldn't imagine rehoming them just because they hated the show ring.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Wow, things definitely changed. Please do consider a rescue and also you can check Petfinder or Craig's list for Goldens in your area. You just never know what will pop up. I know a few shelters in my area actually adopt to "civilians" before turning dogs over to rescues so you might be able to adopt a dog out of a shelter directly, and saving a life. Of course you will know little to anything about the dog's background, health of parents or behavioral issues, so you take your chances, much like playing the lottery (I won that lottery once with our first Golden boy adopted out at 4 months from a shelter). As the others mentioned, breeders do sell some of the dogs that age out of their program or are returned. One forum member got a wonderful one year old Golden girl that way last year when the dog's owner passed away (I think that was the reason). The breeder may have specific criteria attached to the adoption though, such as taking a training class together within a specified time frame ((no legal opinion on enforceability- let's not go there again since this is just a general example of a requirement that a breeder might impose)). Another friend of mine purchased a young Golden from a breeder when the breeder determined she had an issue that would prevent her from showing successfully and breeding (had to do with the dog's mouth structure). That dog needed a lot of initial obedience work because this breeder had never trained her in basic house manners, but in less than a year my friend and this dog became a therapy dog team with TDI, Inc. and they both love visiting with children in a reading program. 

Best of luck to you in your search.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Sadly a search of this forum confirms what I have always suspected (but had never really researched) - I don't think there are any reputable breeders (of Goldens) around here. But it's on my list of things to keep looking into, especially if a rescue pup doesn't fall into our laps in the new few months.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Dallas Gold said:


> Wow, things definitely changed. Please do consider a rescue and also you can check Petfinder or Craig's list for Goldens in your area. You just never know what will pop up. I know a few shelters in my area actually adopt to "civilians" before turning dogs over to rescues so you might be able to adopt a dog out of a shelter directly, and saving a life. Of course you will know little to anything about the dog's background, health of parents or behavioral issues, so you take your chances, much like playing the lottery (I won that lottery once with our first Golden boy adopted out at 4 months from a shelter). As the others mentioned, breeders do sell some of the dogs that age out of their program or are returned. One forum member got a wonderful one year old Golden girl that way last year when the dog's owner passed away (I think that was the reason). The breeder may have specific criteria attached to the adoption though, such as taking a training class together within a specified time frame ((no legal opinion on enforceability- let's not go there again since this is just a general example of a requirement that a breeder might impose)). Another friend of mine purchased a young Golden from a breeder when the breeder determined she had an issue that would prevent her from showing successfully and breeding (had to do with the dog's mouth structure). That dog needed a lot of initial obedience work because this breeder had never trained her in basic house manners, but in less than a year my friend and this dog became a therapy dog team with TDI, Inc. and they both love visiting with children in a reading program.
> 
> Best of luck to you in your search.


Thanks. We've been looking at all the shelter websites and local rescue groups for several months. Lots and lots of pitbull mixes here, not many Goldens (or mixes). But we will keep looking


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

And I've been checking humane societies too, because they do a lot of hoarder rescues around here - so sad! And then every now and then I torture myself and look on Craigslist, where I find things that make me want to scream like this: Pitbull stud 

Honestly it gets hard after a while looking at the rescue dogs available out there - I feel awful that I am being picky about breed/age (even though I know ultimately I need to get a dog that is a good fit for my family NOT just the most needy dogs!) when there are such awful scenarios playing out in shelters and rescue groups.


----------



## PrincessDaisy (Dec 20, 2011)

I'm not sure which end of the state you are in, but MAGRR.org is where we adopted our first back in 2001 just before TVGRR-MEM became MAGRR. They are a wonderful group. If I can help in any way, let me know. I'm local to them.

Max (the human, not the dog)


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

PrincessDaisy said:


> I'm not sure which end of the state you are in, but MAGRR.org is where we adopted our first back in 2001 just before TVGRR-MEM became MAGRR. They are a wonderful group. If I can help in any way, let me know. I'm local to them.
> 
> Max (the human, not the dog)


I am in Little Rock, so only two hours from Memphis


----------



## jacksilas (May 26, 2013)

Hi,

Having read this entire post, and being new to this forum and to Goldens (we just adopted a young, now 4 month old boy from a family who couldn't cope - not the dog's fault), I have this to say:

Clearly you are a dog person who is doing your homework before adding a dog to your family. I am sorry for you, and the two who started this post. However, whatever gal/guy you end up with will be very lucky (formal training classes or not ). Not that you needed me to tell you any of this. Just saying. . . 

Good luck on your search. You will know when you find the one, then you will all figure it out together.


----------



## GinnyinPA (Oct 31, 2010)

The dog I originally thought I wanted was long gone by the time we were approved by the Rescue group, but once we were it seemed like there were dogs everywhere. Then I saw Ben's picture, and I knew he was the one, though there were some real red flags in his description. He turned out to be the right one. As others have said, the right dog will find you.


----------



## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

I was coming here to wish you luck for tomorrow and read that the people backed out. I am so sorry!!! I hope another golden comes your way real soon!!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

SandyK said:


> I was coming here to wish you luck for tomorrow and read that the people backed out. I am so sorry!!! I hope another golden comes your way real soon!!


Thank you! I'm coming down off the emotional roller coaster of thinking about these girls for three days and then finding it all was moot. Reminding myself it just was not meant to be. I'm giving myself a few days (or weeks) to recover and we'll start looking again - that Memphis rescue has my hopes up! When we found Charlie, the Golden in a rescue here, and then someone got to him first, it took me a few weeks to pick up and start looking again. We'll find our pup


----------



## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

caroline162 said:


> And I've been checking humane societies too, because they do a lot of hoarder rescues around here - so sad! And then every now and then I torture myself and look on Craigslist, where I find things that make me want to scream like this: Pitbull stud
> 
> Honestly it gets hard after a while looking at the rescue dogs available out there - I feel awful that I am being picky about breed/age (even though I know ultimately I need to get a dog that is a good fit for my family NOT just the most needy dogs!) when there are such awful scenarios playing out in shelters and rescue groups.


I flagged them as prohibited!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

MikaTallulah said:


> I flagged them as prohibited!


Good thinking!!! I made it through 1.5 pages of posts wanting to scream before I had to just close it.


----------



## gold4me (Mar 12, 2006)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> 3 and 6? *sigh* I couldn't imagine rehoming them just because they hated the show ring.


You are so right. Our breeder was told by the owners that they just didn't want them any more so she took them back and knew that we would be a wonderful home for them. We lost Emmy a year ago to cancer at 10 1/2 and we just got Gussee. Both of our girls were/are the sweetest ever. Our breeder said she knew that we would give these sweet girls the love and attention they needed.


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Gordon sure looks like a great boy. 9 mos old, sweet, 52 lbs 

*Intake Report 6/6/2013*    Gordon found himself in a rural Arkansas shelter with just about no hope of getting out until a nice MAGRR lady told the shelter that he could become a MAGRR boy. Thanks to our Arkansas Angel, Lynda Bertram, he was saved. He was transported to Memphis via hand-off to our dynamic duo, the Thomases. He arrived and got checked out with a clean bill of health. He has a beautiful blond coat and those soulful eyes. He is a "teen-ager" and oh so cute. He gets along with everyone and other doggies, too. He is going be a nice addition to some lucky family.  

Gordon


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I can tell the longer I hang out on this forum, the less likely the whole "wait a few weeks before looking again" thing is actually going to be the case


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> I can tell the longer I hang out on this forum, the less likely the whole "wait a few weeks before looking again" thing is actually going to be the case


It's working!! LOL


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

LOL!! Okay, I filled out their application. But they say they will only adopt to "Eastern Arkansas" and I am very much in Central Arkansas. Their "Arkansas connection" lives in Little Rock, though, so I am hoping it will be okay. We shall see


----------



## Guybrush (Apr 17, 2012)

Hi after reading your posts I thought I would give you my short rescue story to brighten your outlook.

We decided our 1.5 year old golden needed a playmate. Its almost unheard of to find a rescue golden around here (In 4 years I have only seen 2 in a rescue group). We scoured the internet looking for months and found one pup that fit our family. So we went to visit what we thought was a lab cross who loved swimming. We drove an hour and a half to see this dog and it had no lab in it at all. Turns out she was half Dingo half Kelpie who hated water! We had to say no we couldn't have a dingo in our house they are wild animals and have a tendancy to be vicious. I came home and had a cry and in desperation emailed a breeder I knew to see if they had a litter coming up. They didn't but they knew of a golden girl who was 9 months old and needed to be rehomed due to the owner having a sick elderly father who needed full time care after having a stroke. Two days later we took another hour drive to visit the pup and we fell in love with the maniac and took her home that day.

Here's a pic to help with your searching.


----------



## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

Sorry about the other two but maybe Gordon is the one for you.
Good luck


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

They get so many goldens, and with Gordon (temporary name, I'm sure) coming from Arkansas and them having volunteers nearer you you just never know. I'm sure they have someone who can do a home visit. You can send pictures and videos to them as well to show them your setup. All the best 


caroline162 said:


> LOL!! Okay, I filled out their application. But they say they will only adopt to "Eastern Arkansas" and I am very much in Central Arkansas. Their "Arkansas connection" lives in Little Rock, though, so I am hoping it will be okay. We shall see


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

caroline162 said:


> Sadly a search of this forum confirms what I have always suspected (but had never really researched) - I don't think there are any reputable breeders (of Goldens) around here. But it's on my list of things to keep looking into, especially if a rescue pup doesn't fall into our laps in the new few months.


The Golden Retriever Club of America has a puppy referral-you can do a search by State or Region. 

I know you are not looking for a pup, but this referral will give you Breeders to contact and you can ask the Breeders if they have any young adults that are in need of a home.

Golden Retriever Puppies: GRCA Puppy Referral: Golden Retriever Club of America (GRCA) Find your Golden Retriever Pupppy Here

You have a lot of opitons, good luck in your search.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

You guys are FANTASTIC!! I sent an application to MAGRR (who may or may not even consider us since we are technically out of their area) and reached out to their Arkansas liasion (hoping maybe she knows of a local dog word of mouth or in a shelter that I haven't checked). I will give rescues a couple more months. If that doesn't pan out, plan B will be to start contacting breeders about young adults. Like I said originally, we started seriously talking about getting a dog about six months ago, and I am getting increasingly eager - like now I can just FEEL the empty spot on the couch next to me while I watch TV at night! 

Plan C, if I spend much more time on this forum, is to get a puppy! No, not really... when we went to one of the local shelters, there was a puppy and I had the same reaction that I have now when I see a new (human) baby - "aaaaaw isn't it cute? I'm so glad it's not mine!" LOL! Some day I will want (grand)babies again and some day I will want a puppy again, but at this juncture just the thought of it makes me tired.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

YAY great news - MAGRR emailed and they have our application and they DO adopt to Little Rock  Oh Gordon, don't make me fall in love with you... 

My daughter is totally smitten with this sweet goofball at MAGRR - two year old Greta










and don't have a heart attack, but... she has a sister LOL!


----------



## Nairb (Feb 25, 2012)

caroline162 said:


> YAY great news - MAGRR emailed and they have our application and they DO adopt to Little Rock  Oh Gordon, don't make me fall in love with you...
> 
> My daughter is totally smitten with this sweet goofball at MAGRR - two year old Greta
> 
> ...


Great news! Glad to hear that.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> YAY great news - MAGRR emailed and they have our application and they DO adopt to Little Rock  Oh Gordon, don't make me fall in love with you...
> 
> My daughter is totally smitten with this sweet goofball at MAGRR - two year old Greta
> 
> ...


OMG! Love that tongue!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> OMG! Love that tongue!


I know, right?!


----------



## mudEpawz (Jan 20, 2011)

oh my goodness! both Gordon and Greta are adoreable!!! 

My fingers are crossed for you!


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Congrats on Little Rock!!

Ya, a sister. Hmmm, _someone_ on this thread was talking about adopting two. 

Gordon? Sisters? Another golden? What will it be?


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

dborgers said:


> Congrats on Little Rock!!
> 
> Ya, a sister. Hmmm, _someone_ on this thread was talking about adopting two.
> 
> Gordon? Sisters? Another golden? What will it be?


Adopting two Golden Retrievers? Crazytalk. :uhoh:

I keep making the analogy to buying a house, only because we just went through that and the roller coaster was similar.... it's a little nerve wracking but also exciting because at a certain point I just have to let go and have faith that our perfect house/dog will come to us. We got our dream house last year, now we are praying for our dream dog :crossfing Let me know if that crystal ball tells you anything though!!


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

(CUE: Ethereal music)

I see a golden in your near future. 

My prayer over something like this is always "God, this or something better"


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

Just now reading this thread and am so sorry the two litermates didn't work out, but glad that you might be able to get Gordon!! I know that this subject is obsolete since it fell thru, but I feel that it isn't right to split up siblings that are bonded. I know that many with more experience than I disagree, but just imagine when you were 15 having your sister snatched never to be heard from again! 

Sending all the best thoughts that Gordon is the one and it works out for you!!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

PrincessDi said:


> Just now reading this thread and am so sorry the two litermates didn't work out, but glad that you might be able to get Gordon!! I know that this subject is obsolete since it fell thru, but I feel that it isn't right to split up siblings that are bonded. I know that many with more experience than I disagree, but just imagine when you were 15 having your sister snatched never to be heard from again!
> 
> Sending all the best thoughts that Gordon is the one and it works out for you!!


I just want to let you know that reading your thread when you adopted your boys made me SO HAPPY!! :heartbeat:heartbeat:heartbeat


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Princess Di's story is so heartwarming and inspirational. I remember someone on this thread proclaimed adopting siblings was only trouble. That's why I posted the link to Di's thread. Most of those stories are very very happy 

I'm glad our social worker kept my sister and I together. Guess she knew our little sister was already headed to another home. I found her in 1993.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

One thought popped into my head this morning- please hang around and stay active on here because from time to time this forum has accomplished some amazing transports of Goldens long distances for a variety of reasons (owner needs to give up, shelter rescue but needs a home, etc). You never know what can happen on here. I think Danny (dborgers) might be able to attest to this as he helped a dog go from TN to Canada, thanks to the forum!


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

I agree with anne,plus there are people needing to rehome their goldens.


----------



## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Caroline162, I'm very sorry you didn't get the opportunity to rehome those cooped-up pups. One thing to be aware of as you continue your search is that some rescues don't and won't adopt to families with children under a certain age. You might check with MAGRR to be sure that you're eligible based on your kiddos' ages. I volunteer with Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies and we have such a requirement. On the surface, it seems discriminatory, but if you knew how many people say "the dog bit my child" when the dog was simply taking a tennis ball out of a kid's hand, you'd know that often the rule is for the dog's safety. Just wanted to give you a heads up on something you may run into.....


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Thanks all - I will definitely stick around here as long as we are thinking of getting a Golden, because I am learning SO much! AND I have read some of the amazing rescue stories here that have given me hope. So awesome!

We are eligible to adopt through all of the major all-breed rescues here locally (there are no Golden rescues in Arkansas) - have passed vet checks, home studies, etc. despite our kids' ages. It's just that there are currently no Goldens up for adoption through any of them. Maybe that will change. MAGRR has my application and just says that applications with small children may take longer. We will see - so many unknowns!!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Oh AND the person who initially emailed about the sisters who started this thread, emailed me this morning to say she is very upset - those two dogs are still crated all day long


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

What a shame.


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

The fact that you've been so open to listen to everyone's input and already have a love of the breed and learn, puts you so far ahead of many who want to adopt!! The right golden/goldens will find their way into your home. Anne has a very good point. You would not believe how many have helped in transporting rescues to their forever homes. 

Actually, Bae Lee and Keeper were posted on Facebook and a rescue emailed it to a forum member who is a good friend. You would not believe how many are posted on Craigslist. Have you kept an eye on your local Craigslist?

Danny-I thought of you when I was writing the post. It is true of goldens as well as people. It probably is right to try to not adopt litter mates when they are puppies. But when they are older and bonded, it seems like it would be so cruel to split them up.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Funny you should mention Craigslist, because this happened this morning: http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...cue-forum/187034-craigslist-puppy-rescue.html I am just praying that through all of this craziness, that sweet girl finds a better home - how awesome would that be? I will keep checking Craigslist too. I told MAGRR that I would be happy to get that girl and turn her over to them, so they are trying to arrange something now.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

And now I'm going to foster her from tomorrow until Thursday :curtain: 

(Update in that other thread)


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

This question is actually related to my original post, so I thought I would just keep it in here... I am wondering what the average life expectancy is for a rescue Golden (who very well may not have come from the best breeder)? I'm asking because as we wait for a rescue dog (since these two sisters didn't work out -for anyone who hasn't read all 23 pages of this post!) I am trying to decide what age to consider. I definitely have a lower limit (I don't want a dog under 1 year old). But as for older Goldens, I just love them... but I want this to be the dog that my children remember as the dog they grew up with - meaning I want him/her to be around for many years! So I am thinking if I can reasonably expect him/her to live to 13, I would consider rescues between 1 and 3 years old, which would give us at least ten years (yes, I do know there are no guarantees - a young dog can die, I can get hit by a bus tomorrow, etc. I am just saying that I do not want to get a dog that will most likely die a couple of years later like many of the gorgeous senior rescues out there). 

Thoughts?


----------



## tippykayak (Oct 27, 2008)

Average age for dogs the size of a Golden Retriever (including Goldens) is around 10.5. I think you can reasonably expect that as an average for a rescued dog. 13 would be a ripe old age for a dog of that size.


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

I can only speak of my experience with our rescues, and of course there are lots of factors in play in determining longevity of a rescue dog, but here goes:

1st- adopted at 4 months from a shelter, parvo survivor before being placed in shelter for adoption by the vet who nursed him to health- lived to 13 years, 6 months. Hypothyroid diagnosis at 11 years. Severe hip dysplasia diagnosed at 4 years. Died on surgical table for splenectomy due to hemangiosarcoma. Surgeon called, said cancer cells were everywhere in the body and recommended we not wake him up. Also diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted fever in late 90s in Dallas, when ticks were not considered a major issue.

2nd- adopted from a Golden rescue at age 6 3/4 years- severe allergies, skin infections, ear infections, severe hip dysplasia, hypothyroid, survived leptospirosis- died exactly one month shy of 13 years of hemangiosarcoma. 

3rd- adopted at 6.5 months from a Golden rescue- congenital cataract in one eye, later a cataract formed and grew in other eye. Double cataract removal surgery, numerous bouts of colitis and gastric episodes, mitral valve prolapse, hypothyroidism, cobalamin and folate deficiencies- alive at 9 years 5 months. (Good hips!).

What I learned- there are no guarantees- get pet insurance to cover the unexpected health issues and pray you adopt a healthy one!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Shadow Wonderdog lived to be 17.5 (and she had two litters - one with nine pups! - before we got her) - she was a Sheltie, so a little smaller than a Golden. But also obviously one hardy pooch


----------



## booklady (Mar 3, 2009)

My first golden was "free to good home, 1 yr. old golden female" from the newspaper. Tasha had lived the first year of her life in a backyard with little to no human companionship. She lived to 16.

In 2009 I failed at fostering with a bonded pair of goldens....8 and 10 yrs. old. I have no real knowledge of their background, but I know it wasn't good. Kyra, the 8 yr. old was blind, had to have 22 (not a typo) teeth extracted, had severe chronic ear infections, etc. I lost her two weeks ago at 12. It wasn't enough, but they were four good years.

Buddy, her partner, is probably the worst example of golden conformation you'll ever see.....but his heart and his spirit are Westminster quality all the way. When he came into rescue he was so badly matted he needed to be completely shaved down and he weighed 105 lbs. He's 14 now. He's slowed down quite a bit, but he wasn't that speedy to begin with, lol. 

It's all a crap shoot, but I've been incredibly lucky and I hope that luck continues. When Buddy, Chance and I feel the time is right, we'll give fostering another go and request another senior. We just might fail with that one too.


----------



## Lennap (Jul 9, 2010)

caroline162 said:


> LOL!! Okay, I filled out their application. But they say they will only adopt to "Eastern Arkansas" and I am very much in Central Arkansas. Their "Arkansas connection" lives in Little Rock, though, so I am hoping it will be okay. We shall see


 
Caroline - 

I was trying to catch up on recent events in this thread since I took a few days off and then saw your post above about MAGRR. typically I try to read the whole thread first, but I had to answer this one. Get yourself approved by MAGRR !!!!! You must! I got my Remy from them, and I cannot say enough good things about these people!!!!!

They seem to get dogs of all ages. Tell them Lenna and Remy said so! Do whatever it takes. This is a wonderful group of fabulous and PRACTICAL people doing what is right for their dogs. I capitalized practical because so often when I was looking to adopt I found that being a working full time single person none of the rescues would adopt to me. 

Phyl and her team of wonderful people understand that even working people (Yankees at that!) can be wonderful dog owners. I am so very committed to this group.

GET YOURSELF APPROVED!!!! DO IT!!! good luck!!!!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Lennap said:


> Caroline -
> 
> I was trying to catch up on recent events in this thread since I took a few days off and then saw your post above about MAGRR. typically I try to read the whole thread first, but I had to answer this one. Get yourself approved by MAGRR !!!!! You must! I got my Remy from them, and I cannot say enough good things about these people!!!!!
> 
> ...




I am SO blown away by MAGRR since y'all told me to check them out... I put in my application Friday evening. Then Saturday afternoon I contacted them about the Craigslist puppy - they were in contact with the owners within like one hour, asked me to foster, and then had arrangements made within another couple of hours. WOW. I cannot tell you how amazing I already know this rescue is!! 

Lynda is the local coordinator for MAGRR here in Little Rock, and who I have been talking on the phone with about the Craigslist girl - turns out, we know each other through work! Small small world. She is coming by my house (we live very close to each other too!) tomorrow evening to do the home study... she said she was going to inquire about Gordon for me (turns out his status changed to adopted TODAY) and Phyl said "you are wonderful" when I agreed to foster Craigslist girl, so I have made friends and feel good about getting approved : (not to count my chickens before they hatch). Since I was already approved by a notoriously picky caseworker for our local all-breed rescue, I also am not so worried. 

Now... just need to have patience waiting for my perfect pup to become available.


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

Our first golden Golda, we got from the Orange County Animal Shelter and he was 5. We lost him just before he turned 17 to congestive heart failure. Claire's Friend has a beautiful girl that she rescued, Princess Erin. I think she was 18 when she lost her. She had a hard life before SM rescued her.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

PrincessDi said:


> Our first golden Golda, we got from the Orange County Animal Shelter and he was 5. We lost him just before he turned 17 to congestive heart failure. Claire's Friend has a beautiful girl that she rescued, Princess Erin. I think she was 18 when she lost her. She had a hard life before SM rescued her.


WOW! That is amazing!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I just need to stay off MAGRR's site... I have fallen in love with River Looking for Love | MAGRR He is six years old, could very well not be available anymore... but oh man, is he not amazingly gorgeous?


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> I just need to stay off MAGRR's site... I have fallen in love with River Looking for Love | MAGRR He is six years old, could very well not be available anymore... but oh man, is he not amazingly gorgeous?


As a matter of fact, he is!! You could get him a younger brother or sister in a little while. You know your older kids are both going to want a dog in bed ... Hint hint. Great way to keep the peace!! LOL


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

dborgers said:


> As a matter of fact, he is!! You could get him a younger brother or sister in a little while. You know your older kids are both going to want a dog in bed ... Hint hint. Great way to keep the peace!! LOL


I do, I want to snatch him right up. I don't know why, but of all (!) the dogs that have cropped up as possible pups for us this week, he is the one that I most fell in love with just from pictures. My only worry is... if he only lives to be ten, that means we might only get four years with him  We might now get very many years of healthy, fun playful dog. I personally would be okay with that, but I don't want my kids to go through losing a dog so soon.


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

Wow I am amazed of the longevity of rescue goldens


----------



## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

We rescued a labrador aged 4 and she died (in my arms) just after her 17th birthday having never been ill the whole time we had her.
I think if you can get River, why not. You never know what will happen or how long he could live and like dborgers said get another, younger one in a couple of years time when your kids are a bit older.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

rooroch said:


> We rescued a labrador aged 4 and she died (in my arms) just after her 17th birthday having never been ill the whole time we had her.
> I think if you can get River, why not. You never know what will happen or how long he could live and like dborgers said get another, younger one in a couple of years time when your kids are a bit older.


I am going to ask about River - he just stole my heart. I hope regardless he gets the best ever forever home!! Here's a picture of River - aaaah he's so beautiful!










But my daughter is still asking about Greta, she said "I love her sense of humor" and that's hard to argue with, with that long goofy tongue hanging out  Greta has kind of a funny shape face (her sister too) don't you think? 










We will see, I really love and trust MAGRR after my experience with the Craigslist puppy this weekend, so I know they will help us make sure we get a good fit for our family. We need an active dog who is not overwhelmed or frightened, and it sounds like River might be a little shy... we'll see!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Also... Greta is 35 pounds and River is 85 pounds - I know boys are generally heavier than girls, but that seems like a HUGE variation for two grown dogs of the same breed. I feel silly not knowing it off the top of my head, but I am going to look up the normal Golden weight ranges.


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Greta looks like she's a mix ... something like Weimaraner too. That would explain her face and smaller size too.

You're gonna get just the right guy or gal for your family. Good things happen to good people


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

It has been our experience with our goldens before Bae Lee and Keeper, that adopting a younger golden seemed to add new spark to the older one. As long as the older Golden is relatively healthy. I think that Max and Di added years to Golda's life. I just love River! He looks like he has so much character. Looks like he might actually be a little heavy, but it's difficult to tell accurately. 

Here's a thread that I just love reading:

http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...enter/99553-hank-eight-year-old-adoption.html

And then another absolute favorite thread:
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...ior-center/53404-lets-celebrate-old-gold.html

If Bae Lee and Keeper had not been sent to us, I actually think we would have eventually adopted a Goldie at least 10 years old. I absolutely love old gold. There is nothing like it. Sure you risk heartbreak, but you can have that at any age with the cancer risks. The rescue that we knew nothing about health clearances outlived the AKC puppies that we adopted and lost at 11 and at almost 15 years old.


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Wow I am amazed of the longevity of rescue goldens


I'm curious, why are you amazed at a Rescued Goldens longevity?


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I am on pins and needles waiting for our home study. I am going to ask about River. I agree he might be a little overweight from the pictures, but it's hard to tell because of his gorgeous full coat. Something about his face - I just love him. We adopted Shadow when she was seven and she had already had two litters and had to have several teeth pulled - yet she had the spirit of a puppy and we got ten amazing years out of her. River has been in foster care long enough that they should know whether he could handle our house - he sounds a little timid and that would probably make us not a good match.


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

Being a veteran of dozens of home visits on behalf of rescue, I can tell you I only ever turned down one for adoption. She already had one large dog, had only lived here a month, rented a very small house with no fenced-in yard, didn't have a vet, and didn't need a 2nd large dog. Everyone else got approved. 

You're going to be a shoo in. The kind of family rescue groups gladly say yes to ... and leave the driveway smiling and doing a fist pump halfway down the road over. For you and your eventual adoptee


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

I am just getting really antsy about getting my Golden now! Patience is NOT my strong suit  We came to the decision to get a dog, then a Golden, then a rescue after months of considering all the options. I was pretty mellow about waiting for the right dog for a couple more months, but the longer I wait (ok the longer I spend time on here and see everyone's gorgeous Goldens!!!) the more excited/impatient I get


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

But I know, as the saying goes, good dogs come to those who wait


----------



## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

CAROLINA MOM said:


> I'm curious, why are you amazed at a Rescued Goldens longevity?


Amazed in a good way. It's refreshing to hear that when most rescues are not from reputable breeders.


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

And the roller coaster continues  

The rescue coordinator who was going to do our home study still has our little Craigslist rescue puppy, and the puppy is very sick, so she is going to stay home with her instead of coming here (of course!!) I have a meeting at church tomorrow night, so we will have to do our home study later in the week sometime. They won't talk to me about specific dogs until that's done, but she said that they had fourteen new dogs come into care the past couple of weeks (!) who haven't even made it to the website! So, once again I am reminding myself to be patient because our perfect pooch is out there  

It IS hard to wait! I told Danny this weekend - we were actually licensed foster parents for (human) babies, which involved not just several home studies but an FBI background check, so I think we will probably be approved to adopt a dog  but it's still nerve wracking to have to wait. Especially when you have kids asking you every day "when are we getting a dog????" 

My three year old son came up to me yesterday morning and VERY seriously said "just get the dog. Get the blue one." I have no idea what he was talking about LOL! So that's our family joke right now - are we getting the blue dog?!


----------



## dborgers (Dec 7, 2011)

> My three year old son came up to me yesterday morning and VERY seriously said "just get the dog. Get the blue one." I have no idea what he was talking about LOL! So that's our family joke right now - are we getting the blue dog?!


LOL!! Aw, that's precious


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Wyatt's mommy said:


> Amazed in a good way. It's refreshing to hear that when most rescues are not from reputable breeders.


My Bridge boy was AKC, but not a well bred golden. He lived to be 15.5.

I currently have two Rescued Goldens, both AKC, again not well bred.
My girl came from a GR Rescue and I found my boy at my County HS.

My girl is 8.5, my boy is 4. 

At the moment they are both very healthy, not having any problems. Hard to say how long they both will live. I have been extremely lucky with the dogs I've had in my life-all have lived into their teens. Not all have been Goldens though. I had one that lived to be 17, one 16, another 16.5. 

My girl had a very rough start-she was 2 when I adopted her. She is a former puppy mill momm girl. She was very unhealthy and had Stage 3 HW. Not sure if she will make it into her teens or not. Of course we are hoping she does. 

Just goes to show you never know.


----------



## PrincessDaisy (Dec 20, 2011)

ALL Goldens have the capability to love and be loved. B.Y. bred, or from the most prestrgious kennel, dosen't matter to the dog. If we get to love them 10 years or 10 days, we are better off for it. And so is the dog.

BTW, our Ivory (born Feb 1 2001) came from TVGRR-MEM (their last MEM adoption) in April 2001. Died April 26 2011 from Mast Cell after fighting for 2 years. Great dog. I know more about diet and suppliments now. Rescue is the way to go. So many "needs" are filled through rescue, as opposed to "wants".

Max (the human, not the dog)


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Oh I had zero doubts that we would rescue  And if I didn't have kids, I am almost certain I would have swooped up a senior Golden. But since this is my kids' first dog (since they were babies) I really want them to have the experience of growing up with this dog for many years, and I think our family is more suited to a younger (more active) dog right now, which is why we were looking for a younger dog. I agree ANY length of time with a dog is a blessing


----------



## *Laura* (Dec 13, 2011)

caroline162 - I've just read through this thread and think that any dog(s) would be extremely lucky to become a member of your family. Good luck with your search


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

*Laura* said:


> caroline162 - I've just read through this thread and think that any dog(s) would be extremely lucky to become a member of your family. Good luck with your search


:smooch: Thank you! WE are going to be so lucky to have a dog back in our lives, we are just about to burst with anticipation!! The past couple of weeks when I am sitting and watching TV after the kids go to bed, I can just feel this empty spot on the couch next to me/in my lap where a dog is supposed to be. And being greeted by a dog when you first walk in the door, isn't it the best thing in the whole world?! I miss it so much! I remember our Shadow (the sheltie), if we walked out to the car to get something (30 seconds) and then came back in, she would act like we had been gone a month LOL!

I think our search is over and we will be welcoming the newest member of our family VERY soon (details still being worked out)


----------



## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Is it Max who is with Danny?????


----------



## PrincessDaisy (Dec 20, 2011)

Good for you and the potential dog.

Max


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

GoldenMum said:


> Is it Max who is with Danny?????


    

I wanted to get Danny's blessing on the name we picked before announcing it, but yes, we are meeting him in Tennessee this weekend! I am so flippin' excited - I didn't sleep last night and I can't think about anything else!!! It's just about killing me to wait, we just keep watching the videos over and over again arty:


----------



## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Oh my God*

Caroline

I am so VERY HAPPY for Max, you and your family!
This is so wonderful!
He might need some training, then maybe not.


----------



## rooroch (Nov 7, 2012)

I am so happy for you and thought this may be the dog for your family. I have been following this thread with tears of joy at the outcome.
Does your son mind that he is not "blue"? Or maybe you could call him Blue.
I look forward to lots of news and photos in the future.
Good luck - this was meant to be.


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

caroline162 said:


> I wanted to get Danny's blessing on the name we picked before announcing it, but yes, we are meeting him in Tennessee this weekend! I am so flippin' excited - I didn't sleep last night and I can't think about anything else!!! It's just about killing me to wait, we just keep watching the videos over and over again arty:


 So you are getting him?


----------



## *Laura* (Dec 13, 2011)

I am over the moon excited for you and for beautiful Max to be going to live in your home. He's just beginning a new, amazing life with your family. Grinning from ear to ear


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Karen519 said:


> Caroline
> 
> I am so VERY HAPPY for Max, you and your family!
> This is so wonderful!
> He might need some training, then maybe not.


He knows "sit" and we'll see about everything else. We are headed to my in laws' in two weeks, who have a big farm with various fenced in areas, so we are going to do come major work on recall. Those are the essentials, and then we'll have fun working on everything else. I think he will be easy to train - Danny says he is smart and eager to please


----------



## goldensrbest (Dec 20, 2007)

This is just great, danny did such a great thing,by going and getting him.


----------



## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

Tears of joy here, I too got a wonderful rescue from another forum member. She made her way from Texas to North Carolina and has filled our lives with joy for just over a year now! I truly understand how anxious you are.

Welcome home Max!!!!


----------



## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Yippee! 

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

goldensrbest said:


> So you are getting him?


YES!!! I am meeting Danny this weekend - still getting logistics ironed out. 

 <---that is pretty much the permanent look on my face right now!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

*Laura* said:


> I am over the moon excited for you and for beautiful Max to be going to live in your home. He's just beginning a new, amazing life with your family. Grinning from ear to ear


Thank you, Danny-Miracle-Sister :smooch:


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

goldensrbest said:


> This is just great, danny did such a great thing,by going and getting him.


I was bawling yesterday... Danny took a HUGE chance on this sweet boy - and he is going through extraordinary lengths to get him for us, I am just bowled over with gratitude!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

GoldenMum said:


> Tears of joy here, I too got a wonderful rescue from another forum member. She made her way from Texas to North Carolina and has filled our lives with joy for just over a year now! I truly understand how anxious you are.
> 
> Welcome home Max!!!!


What a miracle this forum is! :heartbeat


----------



## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

Perfect, just perfect. :squintdan Congratulations to you, your family, and Max who is getting a great home.


----------



## Makomom (Feb 28, 2012)

Awesome....just AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## problemcat (Apr 4, 2013)

caroline162 said:


> YES!!! I am meeting Danny this weekend - still getting logistics ironed out.
> 
> <---that is pretty much the permanent look on my face right now!


That is WONDERFUL!!!!! 


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## *Laura* (Dec 13, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> Thank you, Danny-Miracle-Sister :smooch:


Yes!!! Danny-Miracle-Sister - our puppies have the same Dogfather


----------



## *Laura* (Dec 13, 2011)

GoldenMum said:


> Tears of joy here, I too got a wonderful rescue from another forum member. She made her way from Texas to North Carolina and has filled our lives with joy for just over a year now! I truly understand how anxious you are.
> 
> Welcome home Max!!!!


I loved your GFR rescue story. I still think about it.


----------



## MyBuddy22 (Oct 29, 2010)

cant wait to see pics


----------



## olliversmom (Mar 13, 2013)

This whole story is awesome. I am so happy for everyone involved. Best of luck!


----------



## PrincessDi (Jun 8, 2009)

THIS IS TOTALLY AWESOME!! How wonderful that our resident angel Danny rescued Max for you!! You and your family will be a wonderful forever home for Max!!


----------



## Brinkleythegolden (Jun 18, 2012)

Woo-hoo! That's just wonderful!


----------



## caroline162 (Jun 11, 2013)

Pictures to follow! Along with his coming home story AND his new name in a new thread... I just want to get Danny's blessing before I give him his new name, then this boy gets his own thread! I feel like y'all have all been on his amazing journey, and I can't wait to continue sharing the rest of his life with you!


----------



## Belle's Mom (Jan 24, 2007)

I have to ask.....did you know Danny before joining the Forum or just meet and make a connection with Danny after joining the forum?


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> I wanted to get Danny's blessing on the name we picked before announcing it, but yes, we are meeting him in Tennessee this weekend! I am so flippin' excited - I didn't sleep last night and I can't think about anything else!!! It's just about killing me to wait, we just keep watching the videos over and over again arty:


 Whoopie!:greenboun:yipee::hyper:


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

MyBuddy22 said:


> cant wait to see pics


Hey there! :wave:Isn't this exciting!? Are you going to the dog park this evening?


----------



## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

Congrats, I hope all works out for you. I do think you will have to make Danny the 'godfather' for Max.


----------



## HolDaisy (Jan 10, 2012)

Amazing news am thrilled for you! I'm sure that the moment you see 'Max' he will definitely be going home with you  Can't wait to hear what new name you have picked out for him. Danny is such a star!


----------



## Artnlibsmom (May 8, 2013)

Congratulations to everyone! Great job on the OP's part, wonderful job on Danny's heroic rescue, and fantastic job to Caroline for giving this beautiful boy the new home and a new "leash" on a life that this gorgeous boy so obviously deserves. Artemis and I are so very happy for everyone involved.:thumbup:

Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## PrincessDaisy (Dec 20, 2011)

caroline162 said:


> Pictures to follow! Along with his coming home story AND his new name in a new thread... I just want to get Danny's blessing before I give him his new name, then this boy gets his own thread! I feel like y'all have all been on his amazing journey, and I can't wait to continue sharing the rest of his life with you!


 
And, just whats wrong about the name "Max"?? I think it rather noble, and has served well these many long years.

Max (the human, not the dog)

()


----------

