Beau (Leo 15-231)

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Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
9/20/2015  Not required  Yes  Optional  Not tested 
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

No Longer Taking Applications For Leo

Please extend a warm welcome to one of RAGOM's newest charmers! His name is Leo in the RAGOM database, but he actually responds very well to the name, Beau. He is almost 10 months old (DOB is approximately 12/3/2014), he will be neutered soon, and he is all puppy :-)! He is an adorable, fluffy, fun-loving dog who is definitely in need of some obedience training to become the best dog he can be. We aren't sure what he's mixed with, but my goodness is he ever so adorable! He has very large paws, so we are pretty sure he will be a pretty big boy when he is full-grown.

He came into RAGOM from a very kind family who had adopted him from a shelter; unfortunately their resident dog did not adjust well to having him in the home. When he arrived at the shelter, he was emaciated and very, very underweight. He is almost up to his ideal weight for his age after the shelter and his first family nursed him back to health. He currently weighs around 58 pounds, and should weigh about 63-65 pounds at this time according to the vet. His vet checkup went very well. She was impressed with his behavior, and said she thought he was a very sweet boy; not to mention very handsome :-). 

He loves other dogs, but we are pretty sure he would chase a cat. We haven't officially tested him, but he is all about play-play-play, and I'm guessing he would show some pretty serious interest in a feline friend. In terms of a fence, I don't think he would necessarily need one, but you'd have to make sure he got adequate exercise (at least 2 walks per day, I would estimate) since he's got so much energy. He loves to run and play with our two-year-old resident, and he hasn't met a dog yet that he didn't like. He does not resource guard toys, bones, or food from people or other dogs. Now, on the subject of children, I think he would be a great family dog. He met our friends' two-year-old last weekend and was very patient with her. However, you'd have to keep in mind that he is still very young, and he is an under-coordinated 10-month-old puppy. Therefore, he is more than likely going to bump into younger children and knock them down. He will also extend a paw when he wants you to pet him, which can be corrected with consistent training, but is still a nuisance. He is also still learning not to mouth (which is so gentle you don't even feel it), so that is something to consider as well. If you have young children, and you think he sounds like a good fit for your house, I'd be more than willing to talk to you about that, as it isn't necessarily a "deal-breaker", it's just something we'd have to chat about since each family situation is different.

The last thing I'd like to mention is that he is definitely house trained when we're home. He has free roam and doesn't need to be tethered. We crate him when we're not home. He's not a huge fan of the crate, but we leave him with a peanut butter filled kong daily and this seems to please him. He will bark for a little bit after we leave, but he settles down after a little while for the rest of the day. However, we do work 8 hour days with no ability to come home on our lunch, and he has had two accidents in his kennel. This is to absolutely no fault of his own, and we have adjusted our schedules as best we can so he won't go more than 7 hours without a potty break. This is just something to keep in mind right now, since he's still a pretty young dog. 

I'm sure there is much more to this boy than what I've said here. So, if you're interested in learning more about him, please contact your placement advisor! 

At a Glance #15-231

Mixed Breed Born: November 2014
Male 60 lbs

Status: Deceased

Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
9/20/2015  Not required  Yes  Optional  Not tested 
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

No Longer Taking Applications For Leo

Please extend a warm welcome to one of RAGOM's newest charmers! His name is Leo in the RAGOM database, but he actually responds very well to the name, Beau. He is almost 10 months old (DOB is approximately 12/3/2014), he will be neutered soon, and he is all puppy :-)! He is an adorable, fluffy, fun-loving dog who is definitely in need of some obedience training to become the best dog he can be. We aren't sure what he's mixed with, but my goodness is he ever so adorable! He has very large paws, so we are pretty sure he will be a pretty big boy when he is full-grown.

He came into RAGOM from a very kind family who had adopted him from a shelter; unfortunately their resident dog did not adjust well to having him in the home. When he arrived at the shelter, he was emaciated and very, very underweight. He is almost up to his ideal weight for his age after the shelter and his first family nursed him back to health. He currently weighs around 58 pounds, and should weigh about 63-65 pounds at this time according to the vet. His vet checkup went very well. She was impressed with his behavior, and said she thought he was a very sweet boy; not to mention very handsome :-). 

He loves other dogs, but we are pretty sure he would chase a cat. We haven't officially tested him, but he is all about play-play-play, and I'm guessing he would show some pretty serious interest in a feline friend. In terms of a fence, I don't think he would necessarily need one, but you'd have to make sure he got adequate exercise (at least 2 walks per day, I would estimate) since he's got so much energy. He loves to run and play with our two-year-old resident, and he hasn't met a dog yet that he didn't like. He does not resource guard toys, bones, or food from people or other dogs. Now, on the subject of children, I think he would be a great family dog. He met our friends' two-year-old last weekend and was very patient with her. However, you'd have to keep in mind that he is still very young, and he is an under-coordinated 10-month-old puppy. Therefore, he is more than likely going to bump into younger children and knock them down. He will also extend a paw when he wants you to pet him, which can be corrected with consistent training, but is still a nuisance. He is also still learning not to mouth (which is so gentle you don't even feel it), so that is something to consider as well. If you have young children, and you think he sounds like a good fit for your house, I'd be more than willing to talk to you about that, as it isn't necessarily a "deal-breaker", it's just something we'd have to chat about since each family situation is different.

The last thing I'd like to mention is that he is definitely house trained when we're home. He has free roam and doesn't need to be tethered. We crate him when we're not home. He's not a huge fan of the crate, but we leave him with a peanut butter filled kong daily and this seems to please him. He will bark for a little bit after we leave, but he settles down after a little while for the rest of the day. However, we do work 8 hour days with no ability to come home on our lunch, and he has had two accidents in his kennel. This is to absolutely no fault of his own, and we have adjusted our schedules as best we can so he won't go more than 7 hours without a potty break. This is just something to keep in mind right now, since he's still a pretty young dog. 

I'm sure there is much more to this boy than what I've said here. So, if you're interested in learning more about him, please contact your placement advisor! 

Updates

Friday, November 13, 2015

Beau continues to blossom and is becoming a very easy houseguest. We started clicker training which is simply working with the puppy to let them know what behaviors you want. You then reward them with a click followed by a treat and a lot of praise. This has been so incredibly easy and effective with Beau, he’s just a joy to watch “get it.” He has the 2 things that make him easy to train. He likes to please and he is treat motivated. He will sit nice and stay without treats now too.

Beau engages nicely and wants to follow your lead. He will follow me everywhere in the house. Whatever I am doing in that room, he will lie down and wait to see where I am going next. He’s well- mannered and follows behind me. He is not clingy and doesn’t need attention if he sees you are busy. He does not get underfoot at all.

If you are relaxing, he will relax. Beau does not pester or nudge for attention, like almost all my other Goldens have. Beau understands “go lay down.”  

I have been feeding Beau in his kennel and putting Beau in the kennel with a kong with high value treats (tiny little bits of hot dog and cheese with his kibble) while I eat and watch a TV show, so he knows his kennel isn’t just the place he has to go when we leave him. He does OK when we leave him, but he will bark for about 5 minutes or so, but the goal is for Beau to actually enjoy his kennel. At night Beau sleeps on our bedroom floor and sleeps quiet.

Beau entertains himself a lot. His favorite toy is his red ball, which he plays with both inside and outside. He loves to run along a bike. We did get a harness for Beau for walks. Wearing the harness, Beau’s pulling has decreased by about 90%. He will walk right alongside us now.

Beau is a really fun dog that you can take everywhere if you would like. He is an adventurous, loving, smart, happy, gentle and sweet big puppy, who sleeps hard after exercise and play.  

It seems as Beau loses his baby face, he is looking much more Golden. He has a sharp outlined face that looks like a Golden to me now. Many people really want a purebred puppy and we all understand that, but there are many who believe mixed breeds are healthier due to the fact that a mixed-breed puppy often has the advantage of having a much lower chance of being born with inherited congenital diseases, since the mating process naturally leaves out the defective genes. This is a general truism. Your chances of a healthy dog are increased, therefore keeping trips to the vet and vet bills low.

Beau currently weighs 60 pounds and he is fluffy, soft and very huggable. Beau will let my husband and I do anything to him at any time, even feeding time. He does not seem to get bothered by anything. Beau is very good natured.

If Beau sounds like he would fit into your family please let placement know.

Friday, November 6, 2015

Beau was originally named Leo and this is because his original veterinarian records document he is a Leonberger Mix. It’s obvious by Beau’s body that he is mixed with Golden Retriever, but his face and tail look more like a Leonberger. I don’t think it’s possible to find a find a better combination. We all know the loving gentle nature of a Golden, but the Leonberger is known for being cheerful, intelligent, loyal, responsive and social.

These characteristics certainly describe Beau. His distinctive markings are very unique and it’s easy to catch yourself enthralled with his handsomeness. Everywhere we go people comment on what a beautiful and unique look that he has.

If I had to name Beau today, I would have to name him Champion. He has really defeated all the odds against him. Originally found as a starving stray in Indiana, Beau was adopted once and it appears he lived in Wisconsin.  From there he came into RAGOMS care in Iowa and is now in Minnesota. So, less than a year old and he has already lived in 4 different states. It appears since being rescued from his initial circumstances, he has had very good care takers as Beau is a happy, social, well- adjusted and resilient puppy.

Beau is going to make some family very happy. The things Beau will need from his forever family are:

  • Someone to play with and make sure he gets his exercise.

  • A family willing to continue reinforcing his good behaviors.

  • Another dog is optional. He is currently an only dog and loves her humans but plays very well and enjoys other dogs.

  • A fence is optional, but Beau does like to run hard and fast and needs to be on a leash right now if not fenced in.

Beau is very smart and learns very quickly. I envision the joy an older child or an adult would experience watching him progress into a wonderful loyal family dog. He really enjoys playing with other dogs and if he had trouble getting the cues in the past that the other dogs are done playing, I think he has matured since then. The play we have observed has been flaw-less.

He loves every person he meets, especially if they have a treat. He is very food motivated. He identified his places to relax quickly at our house.

If you are looking for a puppy who has already gone through the really hard stuff of training a puppy Beau is the one for you. He will be one in December and is really hoping to have a forever family to love by then. If you think Beau would fit into your family, please let your placement advisor know!

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Beau got to go to his first Meet & Greet yesterday and did very well! He of course wanted to meet all of the other dogs and did so very nicely, even though a couple of them growled at him. We both thought it was fun to meet the dogs from Turkey that were there! He was pretty excited to be in that big room with all that action going on, but would still sit when asked and after a little while did relax. He sat very nicely when people came to meet, and pet, and give him treats and let me say he got a LOT of teats and pets! What I heard from people who had seen his picture on the website was that they expected him to be a lot bigger. He is right around 60lbs and is just about 11 months old, so while we really don't know what he is mixed with I don't think he will get to be too huge (even though he has big feet!).

Leo15231d1.jpg

One man asked me; “What are the bad things about him?" I had to think for a minute and replied, "He counter surfs". He is still a puppy and definitely needs some training. But I can really think of far more good things about him, like: He is not a door dasher, he has good recall, he does not jump on people, he stays off furniture, he is crate trained, and I am sure would respect a baby gate as I have blocked a door way with my kitchen garbage can and a step stool and he respects that. Beau does not have separation anxiety. Sometimes he will bark for a little while after going into his crate. Most of the time he is given a frozen Kong with peanut butter and that keeps him busy for a while when I leave him in there. He will allow me to put my hand in his food dish, and will let me take balls and other toys out of his mouth. He is housetrained and has had no accidents, he does not dig in the yard, He barks appropriately at passersby or when someone comes to visit. He loves to play ball or Frisbee in the backyard which is a great way for him to burn off some energy. I would not consider him a high energy dog, but he does need his exercise, one or two 20 minute walks a day mixed with play time is what we have been doing. He takes treats very gently, and rides in a car nicely. In fact yesterday was my first time taking him and I wasn't sure how he would react when I opened the back to get him out. Of course I had him fastened in so if he did try to take off he couldn't, but he did not try to take off at all, rather just stood and waited for me to connect the leash and take him out.

He does do some puppy mouthing, but we are seeing less and less of this. He is easily redirected with a Nyla bone or other chew toy and he is choosing to select a toy and chew on his own rather than do the mouthing. Beau has not chewed on anything inappropriate, except a tissue when he wanted to get up earlier than I did and assume was bored!

When he is in the house he likes to be near people and although he does counter surf he is really quite a gentleman if I am in the kitchen preparing food. He will lie on the rug or in the middle of the room and so is not under foot at all and does not try to counter surf when I am in the kitchen. He will follow me from room to room and find a comfy spot to lie near me. When I am on the computer he seems to like to get a chew toy and lay under the table and chew.

He does have some prey drive, and will sit at the back door and whimper/whine and get all excited when he sees a squirrel running in the yard. When walking he will pull when he sees a squirrel, he does NOT get all crazy and wild and start jumping or anything like that, but just pulls in the direction of the squirrel. He will also sit patiently under a tree that he sees a squirrel go up in my yard. Pretty hysterical to watch him sit there so completely focused! So while he has not been officially cat tested, I am going to guess him and cats are not going to be a good thing!

Beau loves to play with other dogs, although he does not always get the signal when the other dog is tired and wants to quit. He does seem to be getting better at this. He probably just needs more practice! We'll work on this!

 

 

Sunday, October 4, 2015

Hello from Leo (or, Beau, as we call him since he responds so well to that)! We have a few new updates from our neck of the woods.

First off, Beau is becoming much more comfortable in our home. We are seeing a happy, ornery, young pup blossoming. 

Second, he is much more comfortable in his crate now. We think that he must have been potty-pad trained at one time, because he will have an accident on the blanket, towel, etc that we put in the crate. However, if he is left without a blanket or towel, and just with a kong or something, he keeps his crate clean for up to 8 hours, with no problems! Great news. 

Third, we have discovered that he's a shameless counter-surfer. It's something to keep an eye on, but he hasn't managed to get himself into any trouble here yet because we're able to keep a close eye on him when we're home, and he's crated when we're not home. 

Lastly, he does still paw rather frequently when he's looking for attention. We are working on ignoring the pawing, and praising the times he sits next to us without pawing. He's a very sweet boy, but this behavior is something that will require some consistent training with his forever family. 

He is an adorable dog who is waiting for his forever family. Let your placement advisor know if you're interested!