Aspen 18-142
At a Glance #18-142
| Golden Retriever | Born: July 2016 |
| Male | 80 lbs |
Status: Adopted
Profile
Updates
Saturday, August 18, 2018
Aspen has graduated from foster care and is now off to start his new life as a St. Paul pup.
Aspen has a lot of love to give, so we wish him all the best with his new family. He will have a couple of extended-family dogs to play with frequently, and he will have the opportunity to take obedience training classes.
Even better for Aspen, his new owner has already laid in a supply of Aspen's MOST LOVED treats!
His foster mom will miss her long walks with Aspen, and she will laugh when remembering his sweet, goofy nature and the happy little snorting sounds he sometimes made when settling into his doggy bed at night.
Tuesday, July 31, 2018
Hi, Aspen here.
I am really enjoying the Golden life. I had a very busy week with a lot of petting and attention—and a lot of treats. I always say, though, that you can never have too many treats.
I have met a lot of the neighbors, and I even hung out by the kids' lemonade stand for a bit. I also met some of the neighborhood dogs. Monty and Simba are my new buddies now.
I got to stop by the Girls Fast Pitch softball tournament in Eden Prairie last weekend, and I somehow managed to disrupt one team's practice when all the girls had to run over to pet me like I was some kind of rock star or something.
I passed what they called a "cat test." I politely wagged my tail so that the cat would know that I came in peace, but the cat still wasn't all that happy to see me. I just stayed calm and let the cat watch me.
I had a bath at Bubbly Paws so that I would smell good and look good for my first ever Meet & Greet. I met a lot of very nice people there, and I also enjoyed getting acquainted with the other dogs.
I successfully learned the "down" command today. Now I know both "sit" and "down." I still have a lot to learn, but I think I am definitely on my way.
On Friday, my foster mom says that I have to have a neuter surgery, and then I will have to wear a silly plastic cone on my head for awhile. Not especially looking forward to that, but maybe I will get some "get well soon" treats in sympathy if I play my cards right.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Aspen doesn't hesitate to approach strangers in hopes that they might stop to pet him. He is also eager to meet other dogs that come our way when out on walks, and he seems to get along quite well with them. He has met kids and did fine, but there are no young children living in his foster home. I don't yet know how he would do with cats.
You can see on his photos that Aspen has some scarring on his head. RAGOM was told that his scar resulted from his getting burned on a wood stove when he was just a little puppy. Aspen is still a very handsome fellow, and I think his scar just adds some character to his natural good looks.
Aspen would do well with a family who would commit to taking him through obedience training. The only command he really knows now is "sit." He is food motivated though, so that should make his training easier.
He does need some gentle reinforcement of what comprises polite doggie behavior in the house. I've had to remind him that good dogs do not jump up and put their paws on the kitchen counter just to get a better look at what might be up there!
Aspen is not excessively high energy, but he does enjoy taking long walks several times a day. He has not shown any signs of wanting to play with most dog toys or tennis balls, and has no interest in fetching sticks. He does like to chew and play with real bones and his Benebone chew toys.
Overall, Aspen is calm and laid back in the house. He hasn't chewed on any inappropriate items. He likes to nap a lot, and he usually likes to be in the same room with his people. Aspen doesn't show any signs of separation anxiety, and he is fine with being crated when I am away from home. We haven't had any problems at all with his housetraining.
On Friday, Aspen went to the vet and he is now up to date with all of his shots. He was tested and cleared with no indications of heartworm or Lymes disease. Aspen had one "hot spot" on his leg, for which they shaved and gave us a topical treatment. The vet tech told me that she had never before had a dog look at her with such adoring eyes while cleaning his ears.
Aspen still needs to be neutered, and that is scheduled for the first week of August. He won't be able to go to a new home until after he has fully recovered from his neuter surgery.
Aspen is a sweet, happy, and well behaved dog. Whomever gets to add this awesome guy to their family will have found a friend for life.
