Golden Bond Rescue Success Story Shilo 1264

Golden Bond Rescue of Oregon, Inc.
Golden Retriever Rescue
For the Love of Goldens

Success Story: Shilo (#1264)

Adopted August 19, 2005

I'm so glad I found this family. They keep saying they're my "forever family" and I think it means I can stay and play with them every day. My new brother is Cody and he's been so good to me. He has shared all his toys and his beds and rugs with me. He doesn't care if I sleep on his rug. He does get jealous if I take up too much of Mom or Dad's attention, so I try to share them too. Cody is ten years old and pretty gray but he's been playing with me a lot. Most of the time we play, "Who can make the ugliest face and show the most teeth." He doesn't run much, so I run around him in really fast circles. It's fun!

This new family has a cat named Tim. Boy is he ever fun to pick on. I keep trying to make him run so I can chase him, but he is twelve years old and is kinda ornery; he stands his ground. Tim rules the roost at this house and I'm learning not to bug him too awfully much.

Mom and Dad take me lots of places. I love to ride in the car. I get so excited to go for rides. They lower the window a bit when they're going slow in town and I stick my head out so I can catch the wind in my fur. It feels soooo good that I smile the whole time! One day Mom took Cody and me to the river. It's one of Cody's favorite places to go. He loves to swim. I didn't think I knew how to swim, but it came naturally to me. I'm not as good as Cody, but it was fun to swim out to a stick and retrieve it. That's a fun game and I like to play in the water. Mom tied a really long leash on me when I was swimming. Someday, I wanna go swimming on my own!!

I'm getting better at walking on leash. I get so excited smelling new things that I pull Mom or Dad around. They get frustrated with me and are considering obedience class; Dad and Mom have been trying out the clicker and diced chicken to help me learn about the leash, and it's been helping. They say that once I bond with them real good and learn some things like "Come" and "Heel" that they'll take me off leash and then I'll be able to run like the wind. They tell me I remind them of their last Golden, Dusty, who loved to run. And I'm told I look like him too. Back to smelling new things. Their neighborhood is filled with hundreds of birds that my instinct tells me are the good kind: Dad says they are and that their other name is "quail". I bet I could catch one if I had the chance! I've got the best nose, I could be a hunting dog. Dad's been smiling at me though cuz I also get just as interested in Killdeer and blackbirds!!!

I don't bark much at all. Only if I get real concerned about what's happening outside my yard. I'm real good about not touching any of the bonsai plants or the produce in the garden. Sometimes I walk through the vegetable garden, but Mom doesn't get too mad.

I'm a little greedy when it comes to food, but I'm learning to eat a little more slowly and not to eat Cody's food. He's a slow eater. I grabbed a stick of butter from the table the other night and I really got scolded. I don't think that's a good idea to do again. Mom doesn't even like me to sniff the counters when she's fixing dinner. She does let Cody and me have lettuce and other vegetables. She says they're good for us.

I love Mom and Dad. They let me on the bed any time I want. I have to stay off the other furniture and that's ok because the bed is more comfortable anyway. If the weather is too hot Cody and I stay inside all day while they work. We sure get praised for being good and not making a mess in the house. And when we spend the day outside we get praised for being good out there too. I guess we're the best!

Mom and Dad get tired of my nosing in for attention all the time. I can't help it. I want to share my love with them. I want to be petted and talked to all the time. I follow them everywhere and when they go two different directions I get confused because I have to choose which way to go. I am learning to lie down at dinner time and other quiet times. Sigh! It's hard but they do give me lots of love. And they say my kisses are pretty good too.

I love my new home. I'm so glad Golden Bond was around to rescue me. Mom and Dad say there was a reason for my accident and subsequent rescue: to give them smiles every day and to love them as much as they love me. Thanks Golden Bond and especially Carol for taking such good care of me.

Shilo's "Available" Story

Shilo (#1264) is a happy, wiggly boy. He enjoys being with people and is a love and attention sponge. Shilo came to Golden Bond after being hit by a car. He was stitched up (no broken bones) and has healed completely. This guy holds no grudges. When he went to the doctor to have his staples removed, his foster mom and the assistant held him down for the painful part. He squirmed and cried but once he was free again he popped right up and gave the assistant a kiss.

Shilo is about 1-2 years old, around 70 lbs. and has a medium energy level. He likes to play with other dogs, play tug and chase balls but many times he is just as happy to curl up at your feet. He is house trained and happily sleeps in his crate at night. He also enjoys napping in his crate during the day. He is fairly well behaved for his age. He doesn't chew on inappropriate things, seldom barks and it is unusual for him to jump up on people. It is unknown how he behaves with cats and children. He does 'counter surf' and needs to learn to be patient and ask for attention politely. Shilo does not like to be excluded from the activities in his foster home and will whine when he has to wait in the house for his turn at a training session or when he has finished his meal and has to wait in the other room for the other dogs to finish their meals.

Shilo is being clicker trained and has started with 'touch the stick'. It just didn't seem fair to ask for a sit when he had staples in his bum. He is now working on sit and is learning fast. He picks up on words quickly and learned his name in just a few days. He has more to learn and should be enrolled in a class when he goes to his new home.

If you would like a friendly, easy to train dog, Shilo may be just the one for you. He could easily fit in with a pack of dogs or be an only dog and I think he would be just as happy with one person as with a family. Because he has an unknown history, he cannot be placed in a home with children under 12.

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