Boomer 13-348

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Profile

 

From Shiloh 13-176  From Shiloh 13-176

 

 

 

 

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
 10/26/2013 Physical  10+ Confident, Resident Dogs Unknown
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Welcome shy boy, Boomer, a 1 ½ year old purebred Golden Retriever. He was surrendered with a group of dogs from a retiring breeder who wished to find them homes through RAGOM. He will be neutered next week and end his life as a stud. Boomer fathered several litters of RAGOM puppies. He has been with me for about two months now and is slowly relaxing (with medication) and braving his new world. Boomer is used to living in a kennel and spent most of his time here in his crate with the door open or hiding under furniture. He is extremely shy and easily frightened. When he came to me he was terribly shutdown. He was unable to walk on a leash. He doesn’t go outside and is not housebroken yet. During his first few weeks I watched in the dark night after night as he slipped out of the crate and up to the window where he sat looking out and sometimes howled. He was a very scared and lonely pup but that is changing.

Boomer weighs about 54 lbs. He has big feet and the vet thinks he is still growing. He is current on all shots and in good health.

Boomer is a beautiful dog and very sweet. He really likes to be petted. Even in shutdown mode, he likes to be petted. He is not yet housebroken due to his shyness but is trained to use puppy pads. Boomer does not walk on a leash yet. He doesn’t walk at all when he is afraid and goes into shutdown mode. He is too frightened to go outside or follow the lead of the other dogs at this time. However, he was watching the whole pack of five dogs here for Thanksgiving and permanently moved out of his crate to settle under the bed after they left. I was thrilled. Now his world is bigger and he is more active and on the verge of leaving the bedroom.

I celebrate the major and minor changes in Boomer over the two months he’s been here. During his nights, he chews bones, moves all the toys around the room ending up hoarding them under the bed or at the window seat. These were all signs of progress. I was so thrilled when he stepped out of the crate and wagged his tail and approached my dog. This week he snuggled next to me on the floor and gave me kisses every time I stopped petting him. Several times, he let out a sigh and relaxed and my heart nearly burst with joy. The sweet affectionate pup is beginning to show himself. He now wags his tail at me and the dogs. These may seem like funny landmarks but Boomer was a very shutdown dog and is trying to trust us and want to be with us.

When Boomer goes to his new home, he will require a fence because he could be a flight risk. He hasn’t experienced much and will react to noises and sudden movements by trying to run and hide. The few times he’s been outside, he is looking for an opportunity to flee to a corner to hide. He hasn’t been exposed to cats or children yet so these are still unknowns. He really needs another older confident dog or dogs to guide him into his new world. At his foster home, we’re working on trust. He is gentle and not aggressive. He has no fear of men. He lets them pet him even in his crate or when he’s sitting at the window seat. Boomer is a work in progress. He still needs housebreaking, to learn to walk on a leash, do steps, go in and out of a house, and ride in a car. Just to mention a few. Time and patience will be needed for Bloomer to blossom into a great dog. Please watch for Boomer’s updates. He’s going to make someone a great companion once he adjusts to his new life and learns some new dog behaviors.

 

 

 

At a Glance #13-348

Golden Retriever Born: March 2012
Male 65 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

 

From Shiloh 13-176  From Shiloh 13-176

 

 

 

 

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
 10/26/2013 Physical  10+ Confident, Resident Dogs Unknown
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

Welcome shy boy, Boomer, a 1 ½ year old purebred Golden Retriever. He was surrendered with a group of dogs from a retiring breeder who wished to find them homes through RAGOM. He will be neutered next week and end his life as a stud. Boomer fathered several litters of RAGOM puppies. He has been with me for about two months now and is slowly relaxing (with medication) and braving his new world. Boomer is used to living in a kennel and spent most of his time here in his crate with the door open or hiding under furniture. He is extremely shy and easily frightened. When he came to me he was terribly shutdown. He was unable to walk on a leash. He doesn’t go outside and is not housebroken yet. During his first few weeks I watched in the dark night after night as he slipped out of the crate and up to the window where he sat looking out and sometimes howled. He was a very scared and lonely pup but that is changing.

Boomer weighs about 54 lbs. He has big feet and the vet thinks he is still growing. He is current on all shots and in good health.

Boomer is a beautiful dog and very sweet. He really likes to be petted. Even in shutdown mode, he likes to be petted. He is not yet housebroken due to his shyness but is trained to use puppy pads. Boomer does not walk on a leash yet. He doesn’t walk at all when he is afraid and goes into shutdown mode. He is too frightened to go outside or follow the lead of the other dogs at this time. However, he was watching the whole pack of five dogs here for Thanksgiving and permanently moved out of his crate to settle under the bed after they left. I was thrilled. Now his world is bigger and he is more active and on the verge of leaving the bedroom.

I celebrate the major and minor changes in Boomer over the two months he’s been here. During his nights, he chews bones, moves all the toys around the room ending up hoarding them under the bed or at the window seat. These were all signs of progress. I was so thrilled when he stepped out of the crate and wagged his tail and approached my dog. This week he snuggled next to me on the floor and gave me kisses every time I stopped petting him. Several times, he let out a sigh and relaxed and my heart nearly burst with joy. The sweet affectionate pup is beginning to show himself. He now wags his tail at me and the dogs. These may seem like funny landmarks but Boomer was a very shutdown dog and is trying to trust us and want to be with us.

When Boomer goes to his new home, he will require a fence because he could be a flight risk. He hasn’t experienced much and will react to noises and sudden movements by trying to run and hide. The few times he’s been outside, he is looking for an opportunity to flee to a corner to hide. He hasn’t been exposed to cats or children yet so these are still unknowns. He really needs another older confident dog or dogs to guide him into his new world. At his foster home, we’re working on trust. He is gentle and not aggressive. He has no fear of men. He lets them pet him even in his crate or when he’s sitting at the window seat. Boomer is a work in progress. He still needs housebreaking, to learn to walk on a leash, do steps, go in and out of a house, and ride in a car. Just to mention a few. Time and patience will be needed for Bloomer to blossom into a great dog. Please watch for Boomer’s updates. He’s going to make someone a great companion once he adjusts to his new life and learns some new dog behaviors.

 

 

 

Updates

Thursday, July 10, 2014

Boomer has been adopted by a couple in Duluth. He will be living there and at their lake cabin in Wisconsin. Boomer is so lucky. Joyce and Paul have two other senior RAGOM dogs, Kutter and Kooper, who will be there to show him the ropes and help him become a part of their family. He is in such good company. Both dogs have a similar background to Boomer before coming into RAGOM about ten years ago.

Boomer bonded with Paul immediately and then Joyce. He was snuggling with Paul all evening and you could see it was a love match. He will have the patient love he needs to continue to develop and thrive as a RAGOM dog. His new pack will be there to guide him. And so his new journey begins, sent on his way with lots of love from his foster mom and her dogs. We’ll miss his funny ways and sweetness. Best of luck, Boomer! And thanks Joyce and Paul for wanting a dog like Boomer. You’re special, too.

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Well, I can finally report that Boomer is housebroken. He is cooperative, even willing to come out on aleash now. He will go outside on his own at night if I leave the door open, often staying outside for thirty minutes and bringing in sticks! While outside Boomer has allowed my neighbors to give him treats and pet him. He even moved closer for more petting. He is definitely warming up to people. I had a friend stay for a few days and he made a new friend. She gave him all the attention he wants and he often chose her to sit with.

There are still many fear issues but this boy is coming along. He still spends time under my bed sleeping but is very comfortable in the living room. When we settle in there he is often already there in my chair waiting for us. He initiates play with both resident dogs and gets 9 year old Gypsy to play with him the most. He comes flying over the arm of my chair to sit with me. He startles me but then makes me laugh as I see the pleasure he’s getting from sitting close and playing with me. He usually has a ball in his mouth and expects me to throw it for him to retrieve. He loves that game and is back for another go round.

Boomer is smart. He now understands lots of words. He sits and takes treats well. He understands when I tell him it’s time to stop playing and sleep. He will move to the foot of the bed and go to sleep. He is intelligent and willing to learn because he wants to please. His new owner will have to be aware that he is very submissive because of his past and can’t handle a raised voice or even a stern look. He’ll look at you with his beautiful almond shaped eyes and pee. 

Boomer is grateful for all the help he gets from RAGOM. He is still taking medicine for anxiety. His new home will need to have a fence, a confident, playful resident dog, no children or only older ones and someone with time and patience to help him continue to develop. He’s playing catch up for the puppyhood he missed. However he’s beginning to shine.

 

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Guess who’s a lapdog?

Guess who really, really wants to play with the other dogs?

Guess who stayed in the living room during a party and met everyone?

Guess who’s turning into a retriever?

 

The answer to all of these is BOOMER. He continues to open up and act live a normal dog. Stay tuned for more growth. Hoping with spring weather he will blossom into an outside dog.

 

Saturday, April 19, 2014

For this update I am happy to report that Boomer has made some real progress in his social development. He is curious and exploring. These are real positive developments for him. He has initiated play with the other dogs a few times and finally enjoys retrieving toys. Boomer has made himself at home now in the living room and on the sofa. He’ll be there alone or hop up with another dog. I find him sitting there looking out the window or waiting there when we come back inside.

My sons visited recently and I wondered if he’d hide under the bed. Instead he came out within a few hours and went to them for petting. He made the adjustment to new people very easily. My son’s male Golden visited as well and there was no sign that a new dog bothered him at all.

Boomer is very affectionate and comes often to give hugs and get attention. He half climbs into my chair and leans against me. What a sweet dog! He is now sleeping on my bed near my pillow. My resident dog has given permission to share the bed. 

If you’ve been following Boomer you know he’s afraid to go outside. With some warmer weather, I have put his food on the deck and sit there (freezing) while he eats. Luckily, he eats fast even with three tennis balls in the bowl to slow him down. At first he stretched as far out as possible to reach his food dish while still keeping his back legs inside. With Boomer, it has always been baby steps, sometimes even an inch at a time. He is regularly coming out on the deck to look around and explore but rarely comes down the steps. However, he has ventured out to explore the backyard when it was still dark out in the early morning. He moved out on a mission to pick up a toy and dash back inside with it. One morning, he walked around the yard with Gypsy keeping him company. It looked like she was showing him around.

I feel that Boomer is smart and really wants to please. He listens and responds to direction. He calms down quickly. He is a young dog and an excitable, happy pup most of the time. He is very interested in food and getting attention. He entertains himself well with toys and chewing on bones and antlers. He pays more attention to toys than the other dogs. As a young dog he’s chewed up some things. I feel like he is going through the puppy stage he missed in the kennel. I just need to put things away and anticipate him. Finding the remote control chewed up when I got home and wanted to watch the last few seconds of the NCAA Wisconsin Badgers vs. Kentucky Final Four was upsetting but my fault for leaving it out. 

Boomer’s definitely coming along in some ways but he doesn’t handle change well. I moved his toys outside and moved the puppy papers closer to the door. It was too much change for him at once. The result was regression. I am reminded by him that he can do it and he will but it’s got to be slowly. Oh, another discovery is that Boomer was appropriately named. My son came upstairs in the middle of the night and startled me and the dogs. Boomer is a watchdog. He has a deep, booming bark. I haven’t heard it often but it was really funny. He jumped off the bed and went underneath it but stuck his head out and barked at him.

Keep watching for Boomer updates. Thank you to those who support him. He is going to be an awesomedog. He just needs to become more confident and continue to explore the greater world outside.

 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

First, Boomer would like to thank all those who have sent him Mittens and Valentines. His life has shifted to spending more time with Foster Mom and the two other dogs. He has always liked being petted but now he’s always nearby wanting to get his share of the love. He even pushes the other dogs out of the way. I think he’s making up for all the love he missed.

Boomer has learned to sit. I think he is a very smart dog. I can tell that he now recognizes words like toy and he will settle down at night when I tell him to lie down and go to sleep. He has a safe spot in each room but still prefers to go under my bed. When I vacuum that room he flees. I usually find him hiding in the other bedroom curled up on a dog bed. When he decided to join us in the living room, he took over Gypsy’s safe spot. She’s relocated to the sofa and now Boomer likes to lie on a dog blanket in front of the sofa.

Boomer is funny and playful when he’s not being his frightened self. Today he took a wash cloth off the tub and came parading into the living room with it dangling from his mouth. He has a thing for socks as well. Recently, he emptied my socks one at a time from a laundry basket and carried them away. I laid out my clothes one morning and before I could get dressed the socks were gone and my shirt was in the hall. His antics often make me smile and laugh.

Wherever Boomer is, that’s where all the dog toys will be. He has a pile on top of my bed where he spends afternoons and early evenings chewing bones. Another pile will be in the living room near his spot. He doesn’t know about retrieving or catching balls. If I throw a toy toward him, he runs away. He chews up tennis balls instead of catching them. The other dogs are trying to show him about catch. I moved the toy basket recently and he’s ‘discovered’ it and is emptying its contents into the room.

Boomer has not progress on going outside except I saw him standing at the door watching us the other morning. He gets very excited along with the other dogs when I suggest going out. All three go tearing down the hall and just as he gets to the door he ducks under the bed. Leashes frighten him a lot. I’ve tried putting it on him and he goes under the bed to hide. He chewed up a harness I put on him one day. He has chewed the clips off leads. This dog really hates them and does his best to destroy them when left alone. When leashed, he still freezes up. When he sees me with a leash approaching him, he almost knocks me over rushing out of the room to go hide. This seems to be one of those things that we have to do with baby steps. I wish the other dogs could convince him that he’s really missing out on so much when we leave each day to go for a ride and to the park for a walk. My two residents have gotten him to nap and hang out with us indoors but so far, no progress with the big scary world outside. He’s only experienced transport to me and to the vet and all those trips have been pretty scary for him. He’s made it out of the bedroom and living in daylight instead of only moving around at night to I’m sure it will come. It’s just a slow process for him. Baby steps. Once we are outside in the yard, I’m sure it will be only a matter of time before he will join us like he’s done with the living room.  I can’t wait for spring weather.

This pup is sweet, loving, and smart. He is shy, very submissive and reluctant to explore. His social development was so restricted he is fearful of people, sounds, and sudden movements. Boomer needs to learn that he is safe and that his people are his safety net. For now, safe is a spot, and the people part is slowly developing. Please keep reading about his progress. He will make someone a very loving and devoted dog.

 

Monday, January 20, 2014

Well it’s been a busy month for Boomer. He started getting more active and restless so the vet suggested it was time to get him neutered. That was a challenge since he doesn’t walk on a leash. With help he was crated and taken to the vet. The surgery and recovery went well. Boomer moved in his crate from the bedroom to the kitchen for a few days. When he was feeling better, he fled down the hall to hide under my bed.

There was some regression that occurred but he also decided to sit beside my bed each night to be petted for hours. From there he moved up on the bed at night to be petted for hours. I’ve filled the space under my bed with boxes so he can’t live there anymore. Now being on top of my bed is one of his favorite places as you can see. He naps there all day long. For quite awhile he retreated to his crate but recently I moved it to the kitchen. He doesn’t like it there and never goes in it. He unstuffed my pillow to let me know his feelings.

Since then I don’t sleep in my bed. He does. He loves it. But now he wants to be with me and the dogs so he is finding us and wanting to be petted all night like before. This means he has made it into the living room and the kitchen and the spare bedroom. Hooray!!! He’s pretty scared to do this and sometimes leaves abruptly and returns to the safety of the bedroom. He’s making progress.

Boomer is taking two anti-anxiety medications. The new one seems to have helped him a great deal. Thank you to my vet for keeping us in mind and suggesting it. Thank you also for the support he’s getting from RAGOM. He has a lot of people watching his progress on Facebook and rooting for him.

Boomer is a big puppy. He loves his toys. He’s funny when he’s excited. His breakfast is a very exciting time for him. The other two dogs tolerate him and his sudden flights of fear. I watched Bella the other day when he first came into the kitchen. She took a drink of water. He took a drink of water and then gave her face a lick. It was precious. I’m expecting the dogs to start doing some of the work here in getting him more socialized and adjusted to living in the whole house. Someday, we’ll try the great outdoors again when it’s not frigid and blizzard conditions. For now a leash brings out a return to terrorized and shutdown Boomer. I put his toys on the deck one day and left the door open. He went out on his own and retrieved a few of them so I know he can do it when he isn’t frightened.

As you can tell from this update, Boomer is taking some extra time to get ready for his forever home. Please keep reading his story. I’m sure it will have a happy ending.