Success Stories
Jasmine and Bowser
Jasmine & Bowser’s Story “Let me take ‘em out back and take care of ‘em” were the chilling words a couple heard from a “friend”. He had lost his job, they lost their home, had two senior Goldens’ and no where to go. Imagine the pain this family endured hearing this solution from a “friend” and not knowing what to do or where to turn to help. They had been putting the two in a vacant home’s fenced yard during the day and in the basement at night but Jasmine had began to dig out, making the hole large enough so both she and Bowser could escape so this option had lost its’ usefulness. Another friend told them about GRIN and thus the story goes. Bowser & Jasmine, brother and sister, nursed to life when their mother died during the birth, were the couples’ children and they needed help badly. GRIN offered to pay for vet bills, food or whatever they couple needed but unfortunately, they were living in their car and this was not an option for them. It took great love for them to relinquish their babies to Lynette from GRIN but they knew they had no other option for the good of their beloved Goldens’. I had been watching their story on GRINS’ website and saw that after 6 weeks, they were still at a kennel and GRIN was reaching out for foster homes since the kennel they use was booked for the holidays. Having lost our own Golden in August to cancer, we were hesitant about adding members to our Golden family, as the only one left was 11 years old. But, our hearts went out and we agreed to foster the two until a permanent home could be found, knowing very well that the chances of someone adopting two seniors was very slim. We met Lynette, the GRIN volunteer November 19th, the Saturday before Thanksgiving and began fostering the pair. At first, it was so stressful for them with all the changes in their lives, from leaving the kennel, going to the groomer and now to a foster home. They could barely quit panting the first night. Jasmine was extremely anxious because of all the changes in her life and Bowsers’ mobility was poor due to being on a cement floor at the kennel and having arthritis as well. He could barely make a short walk without sitting down in the middle of it. The steps into our home were also a challenge for the old guy. They both were sad and although their breed is known for its’ outgoing nature, Jasmine was very cautious and watched Bowsers’ every move as he was he only constant in her life. If they were separated for any reason, they would cry at the door and pace until they were reunited. They were truly inseparable and could not be split up for any reason. Within the next couple of days, things started to settle down and they began to relax a little. Jasmine made attempts to play with the resident golden, Ruggy, who totally loved having others of “his kind” around. Within a week or so, they became very comfortable with their surroundings but were still anxious when we went to my Mom’s for Thanksgiving dinner. Jasmine seemed convinced that we were going to leave them. But we didn’t. We loaded them back into the pick up and headed home. Jasmine was joyous for the first time in a long while. We now have had them for seven weeks and life is good for the “kids”. Jasmine has settled down tremendously and although she seems a bit anxious when we visit others, she settles down quickly. Bowser is now taking daily walks for several miles and loves being outside. Now they both sleep with their bellies up in the air… very trusting and very cute! They follow us around everywhere when we are outside, whether it is hauling wood or putting up the Christmas lights. They just want to be near us for that pet that may be headed their way. We decided to officially adopt them. On December 21st, Lynnete from GRIN came out and we signed their adoption papers. They were the best Christmas present anyone could ask for! Santa did a great job! All of our neighbors delighted in seeing the two new gray faces on our walks and welcomed the “new kids on the block”. We have been renamed as the “Seniors on Scobie (our street name)” and are very proud of the moniker we have been given! Life is great!!!! Michelle Gole & Ardo Arndt 3900 Scobie Road Peninsula, OH 44264 216 513 6820
Jake Wright
I volunteer for G.R.I.N., Golden Retrievers in Need, a rescue group in NE, Ohio. One of our volunteers found a golden at the pound in my county and I agreed to go and transport him to the vet the next day. She had given him the name of Oliver. Oliver was so excited to get out of the kennel and outside, pulling on the leash to get out as quickly as possible. He appeared very familiar with cars and going for rides and put himself in the backseat nicely. I got in and then realized I had left my camera in the trunk and got out of the car to get it. Oliver immediately jumped into the passenger seat like he belonged there. I laughed and let him sit next to me. On the ride to the vet’s office, he was licking my hands as I was inspecting his mouth, teeth, and ears. His ears were in terrible shape and he had infections in both. His ears are very thick from scarring, most likely from chronic ear infections. He let me do anything I wanted to him and was just content to be riding in the car. I dropped him off at the vet’s office and really didn’t give him another thought as I had three other goldens at home. A few weeks went by and I was in the vet’s office and they were saying what a nice dog he was. We were very short on foster homes at that time and I decided I could take him to foster as the vet had estimated his age at 9 and my other dogs were all seniors. He was being treated for bilateral ear infections, a urinary tract infection, and was very underweight at 67 pounds (he is a very tall boy with big paws and head). He had no fur on his belly whatsoever, had a “rat tail”, no feathering, and his coat was dry and dirty. He went to the groomers for a “spa treatment” immediately where they loved him. I brought him home and he paid very little attention to the other 3 goldens, allowing them to “check him out”. He appeared to know what a house and stairs were and was housebroken. He knew commands, including shake and roll over. Someone had obviously spent some time training him. He would follow me from room to room and I quickly found out he loved to eat. He was very respectful of the other dogs’ food and never attempted to take anyone else’s during meal times. He was so obedient, never counter surfed (unlike the others), got on the furniture and bed, even though invited, would be very content to just curl up beside me and be petted. I had done a home visit for a potential adopter and felt he would be the perfect dog for this particular couple, so I never thought for once about keeping him. In fact I was hoping he would be adopted soon as both my female goldens had serious health issues and I could not give him the time and attention he deserved. The only problem I had with Oliver was when he was sleeping or when I wanted him, I would have to go and get him as he did not respond to his new name. One evening I was on the computer and he was curled up on the floor beside me and I decided to try calling out some possible dog names. I must have tried 20 names, while he continued to sleep. I then said the name, “Jake” and you would have thought he won the lottery! At that point, he jumped up and started prancing around, so excited that someone “knew” his name. It was a wonderful moment. My family would comment on how “attached” he was to me and how “loyal” he appeared as well, which of course he was. You can tell when a dog loves you from the way they look at your face and your every move. Fast forward a few months and I officially adopted my Jakie. He is the most loyal, loving, and obedient boy. He loves car rides, being brushed, eating, and “chasing” squirrels. He does the “happy dance” whenever I come home, dancing on all four paws because he is so excited to see his “mommy”! His ears will always need checked on a daily basis, but his coat is absolutely beautiful, shiny, and no more bare belly. His feathering is coming in along with the hair on his tail as well. He was the best gift I could have ever given myself. We are starting class this month for his therapy dog license and I can’t wait to tell everyone his story with the “happy ending” for all!
Sampson - Jody K.

Sampson has been a joyful addition to our home for the past 2 weeks and it seems like he has always been a part of our little family. My other golden, Jade, is about 2-1/2 and was missing her sister who had to be put to sleep in October. With Sam's arrival, Jade is now regaining her playfulness and definitely exercising more as the two of them check the perimeter of the yard and tussle and chase.

Sam's age is not certain but one thing is: he is a gentleman. He is well-behaved and knows obedience commands, he is friendly with new people and other dogs, affectionate, and very curious about everything. He has some health issues that we are dealing with and he is a real trooper about his shots and ear cleanings.

The photo here is of one of our weekly hikes at nearby Towner's Woods, a place both dogs love to go. Sampson is usually out front, like he is here, ready to hit the trail and check everything out, while Jade keeps checking back in with me. She still can't believe she has such a great buddy!

January 2006

Whitney - Todd F.

Whitney has been a blessing to my daughter and me after a very trying year.  When I first was blessed to get her she was a fuzz ball with a very playful demeanor, and a lean 46 pounds.  She is now a respectable 64.5 pounds and I have been blessed with "fur"niture in the house and "fur"ricanes in my cars and love every wispy moment.  The child in me has resurfaced after many years of boring adult behavior, a lesson that should be learned by all.  She loves to be petted and brushed.  Grooming is a breeze and she gets a bath roughly every two weeks.  Rubbermaid makes a wonderful bathtub and she loves the extra attention.  After she’s washed and towel dried we sit in front of the fireplace and brush away the remnants of her youth.  At first when she started to lose her puppy fur I thought she would be "folically challenged" like her daddy, um, pet.  But no, her belly has filled in from her spaying and her tail looks like it belongs on a rat.  I cannot wait for her golden bushy tail to arrive.  It didn’t make it by Christmas.

She follows commands well and gets excited when guests arrive (more hands to pet & scratch her ears).  I vowed to not let her on the "fur"niture but she too won that battle.  She is only allowed when she is invited up and with the puppy dog eyes it doesn’t take long for her leap of love to take place.  I also absolutely forbade her to get on the bed.  I too lost that battle (darned night lights and those eyes again) and she now sleeps under, over, on top or wherever she wants with me.

Then there is the snow.  She believes it is all hers and must bring it into the house to eat.  Much to my chagrin, I find myself making snow balls as a snack and into the house we go.  The look in her eyes when I made the base to a snowman was precious.  She tried to grab it to bring inside, but only was able to attain small bites.  With each trip outside the base got a little smaller.  Speaking of snow, when the December offerings melted away, she was disappointed and it looked like I was running a puppy pile farm.  The shovel was put to great use and my flower gardens should be SPECTACULAR in the spring.

As for her training I think she had some formal obedience schooling before I got her.  Either that or she’s the smartest dog on the planet when it comes to training.  She still pulls a bit on her leash when walking but only for the first few minutes. She does follow all commands very well except heel.  We are still working on that with progress shown.

My best friend’s dog and her friend Bailey, the reason I decided to get a golden, come over to play and have sleepovers.  Bailey is about 75 pounds of golden fun and yes they both sleep in bed with me (p.s. don’t tell Bailey’s daddy).  Bailey is the kiss monster and Whitney is a lady like lapper!  They get along swimmingly and not just in Lake Erie.  Whitney brings out the puppy in her "sister" and they have a ball or two or three etc. together.  They wrestle, tug at, chew on and tease each other until they are tired and curl up together for a nap.  After they awaken it is time to brush out the goobers from each and the playing commences.

Brady - Ciaran R.

I just thought I would email a few pictures to update you on our adoption of Brady. All is fine and he is a true member of the family now and we couldn't imagine a life without him. Brady is happy, energetIc, and snuggable. Our other two dogs have welcomed him without reservation. He has received all hIs vaccinations and a new dog license for the year. He learned the invisible fencing very quickly and is quite the protector from squirrels. He will sit beneath a tree, just waiting and waiting....

Thanks again for all you did on your end and for the Brady recommendation. He is a wonderful dog.

December 2005

Mickey

After 14 months of being part of my family, Mickey has been adopted to a wonderful family.  He now has two goldens that actually enjoy playing with him; he goes on daily walks and is getting an abundance of attention.  Mickey is down to 82 lbs. and his vet said he does not need to lose any more weight!  He has lost a total of 84 lbs. and is a new, very dapper-looking boy.  He thought he deserved an award for this amazing accomplishment, so he helped himself to an entire homemade apple strudel that his new mom had just made!

Mickey became quite the celebrity while with GRIN and many people ask about him and are thrilled that he has found his "forever" home.

It was extremely hard to let Mickey go and I cried for several days afterward, but he is in an excellent home and lives close-by so I can visit regularly.  My house just doesn't seem the same without his big butt to step over.  It was an honor and a privilege to foster Mickey and see him blossom from a very sad ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.  Mickey is so full of life and happiness that it reaffirms my belief that there is a loving home for each and every dog no matter what the obstacles may be.

February 2006

Winston & Sully

We adopted Winston and Sully in February of 2006, after the loss of our beloved GRIN dog Bullet in December 2005. Winston and Sully are brothers who were separated and put into loving foster homes with GRIN. We reunited them at the home of Carrie and Steve and it was instant joy for the two of them.

The first night was difficult because Winston was missing Stacey and Darryl and his foster brothers, and Sully was missing Carrie and Steve and his foster brothers. There was plenty of crying, along with plenty of comforting up on mom and dad's bed. Finally about 0400, everybody settled down to sleep. The boys have been ecstatic ever since. They are constantly wagging their tails, kissing each other, and mom and dad, and have an insatiable need for loving. It is not uncommon for Winston to spend most of the night in the bed between mom and dad. Sully likes to get his lovin' too, then he moves on to a cooler cubbyhole where he loves to sleep.

The two kids are inseparable, and when Winston went to the vet, Sully spent the day with mom, crying and looking for his brother. When we brought Winston home, Sully was instanty happy again. Sully goes to the vet this week for his neuter and dental, since he is now heartworm negative. Hopefully Winston won't miss him too much.

The two clowns we have recently brought into our home have lifted the unbearable sadness that losing Bullet brought upon us. They are a couple of comedians and never stop entertaining us. They have recently met our friends' golden Tanner (not a GRIN boy), and they all got along famously. In the spring they will have play dates together.

We thank all the hard working people at GRIN for all the support and encouragement in the process of adopting Sully and Winston. We are so happy they found their forever home together and did not have to be separated, since they obviously love each other so much.

We would encourage anyone thinking of adopting a senior golden. Don't think twice, just do it - they have energy, wisdom, faithfulness, and tons of love to give.

Yours Truly,
Dawn & Randy L.
and Winston & Sully!!
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