Greetings to all my RAGOM friends!

Hi everyone! Remember me? My name is Hunter and I am a senior adopted RAGOM dog who will be 14 years old in January 2012. I've been living with my adoptive family (my former foster family) for 3.5 years now and life is good! I had a clean bill of health at my last checkup. I'm slowing down a little but I still love to swim, chase balls and squirrels, snuggle with my family, and of course, chew on a good bone!

We've spent the summer up north and boy do I love it up here! There are deer, chipmunks, bunnies, and lots of birds to watch. We go on long walks and I can sniff where the deer have slept and try to find animals hiding in the bushes. I especially love the quiet nights when all I can hear are the owls hooting and animals stirring. I love my new life and want to thank everyone at RAGOM who helped rescue me.

If you have never adopted a senior dog like me you just don't know what you're missing. We old guys (and gals) will give you unconditional love and all we ask in return is for you to spend some Golden moments with us as we go through this last journey of our lives.

I hope I will be able to send you a greeting like this next year, but if my time has come to cross the Rainbow Bridge, please don't cry for me. I've enjoyed my years as a RAGOM dog. Instead of shedding tears, please help out another rescue dog in my honor and my life will not have been lived in vain.

Gentle kisses from your friend,

Hunter

Hunter came to live with us on one of the coldest days in January. He was a senior dog who could be very affectionate and loving but at the same time hated anyone wearing a laboratory coat, would not allow anyone to brush his tail, and had absolutely no manners at all. All we could think is oh, no- this is going to be a real challenge to turn him around! Well, we have always liked challenging foster dogs and you can be sure that Hunter was one of them! But throughout the winter, spring, and summer we saw a metamorphosis take place in this handsome senior Golden Retriever. As he learned to trust and love us, a new dog emerged from his soul. His true Golden personality came out and his face took on a whole new countenance. He felt loved, secure and safe within our home. We fell as much in love with Hunter as he did with us! Our dogs Robbie and Katie welcomed Hunter into their pack. They patiently taught him to swim and dock jump this summer. This fall they will show him how to hunt for tennis balls in the woods near our cabin. Life will be good for all of us and I am proud to announce that Hunter has found his forever home with his foster family in Golden Valley, Minnesota!

A special thanks to Data Recognition Corporation for sponsoring Hunter and letting him be the guest of honor at their company in May!

Happy summer to everyone!

Did you know that I was one of the featured dogs on the RAGOM display board at the Pride Festival? Lots of people saw my picture and read my story. There was a photo of me swimming for the first time in my life! Thank you Shannon for choosing me to be one of the special dogs that weekend!

My foster mom and dad went fishing last week and my human sibling Emily took care of us dogs. Robbie, Katie and I had a blast with Emily! She took us for a fun adventure to Bassett Creek. We sniffed all kinds of good smells, walked through the trail in the woods, met other dogs, and then came to a pond at the end of the path. Emily couldn't let me off leash to swim (RAGOM rule) but It felt good to get my toes wet because it was a very hot day!

I met some of Emily's friends and they thought I was a really nice. Every day I had a snuggle time with Emily. She really loves me and doesn't understand why I haven't been adopted. I guess that's because my forever home will be a very special family and they just haven't found me yet.

Last night Dad played a fierce game of ball with Robbie and I. I was hogging the balls and Robbie didn't even try to grab them away from me. He respects his elders. Meanwhile, Mom is up north with Katie the Black Lab. I miss Katie (and mom too). I always give Katie a big kiss when we see each other. Shhh! Please don't tell her that I am in love!

Wish me luck with Dock Jumping 101 class this weekend. I hope mom can get a picture of me flying through the air like Superman!

Love, Hunter

Hunter graduated from Dog Obedience Level One class last night at Alpha Academy. He did a great job when tested for heel, sit, stand, down, come and stay. He had to do a three minute down stay and a one minute sit stay. We hope that whoever adopts Hunter will continue obedience training with him. He is a very smart dog and learns quickly.

We will be going up north this weekend. Hunter loves to go up there and look for animals in our woods. The water should be warm enough for swimming too! Hunter is a very polite house guest and obeys the rules. The dogs aren’t allowed on furniture at our home up north and Hunter has never even tried to go on the couch. What a good boy!

Hunter continues to love playing fetch! It’s hard to believe that he’s 10 years old because he has more energy than our 5 year old Golden! Hunter has good eyesight and is very coordinated too. He can catch a ball in the air almost every time. I think we’ll try a game of Frisbee tonight!

These are the things that Hunter needs in his forever home:

1. Dog savvy mom and/or dad
2. Adults only
3. No cats or small dogs
4. Large breed dog friends would be fine but not necessary
5. Fenced yard

If the weather is nice this weekend we will take Hunter swimming and take pictures of him playing in the water. I’m sure he will love it!

A big thank you to Data Recognition Corporation for sponsoring Hunter. More updates after our weekend in the woods!

Spring has finally arrived here in Golden Valley and Hunter loves being outside as much as possible! The three dogs had a great time chewing on their giant marrow bones in the yard yesterday and got along very well. Hunter did not show any signs of resource guarding.  When I asked to look at his bone he readily complied. After examining his slimy treasure I said “oh, what a nice bone!!”  and he wagged his tail and looked very happy.

We had fun roasting marshmallows last night in our firepit. Hunter was a good boy and didn’t try stealing any food but laid happily near a chair and chewed on sticks. This morning he was up bright and early to check out the remains in the pit. He came back covered with ashes and a big smile on his face. I think he found some tasty remains! He sat politely when I washed his face and then gave me a big kiss. He is very affectionate and bonds quickly with people. Hunter will make someone a very devoted companion.

Hunter would love being the only dog in the family so he could be the center of his owner’s attention. He gets along fine with our dogs, but would rather be at our feet than interacting with his canine siblings. He is allowed free roam for the 8 hours when we are at work and doesn’t chew or have any accidents in the house. Hunter is learning the rules of our home. He no longer helps change the toilet paper roll and has stopped rearranging the soap in the bathtub. Once we train him not to help wash the dishes he will be a perfect houseguest!

Hunter’s forever home should be a quiet place with adults only and no cats. We think he must have lived out in the country at one time because he loves being up north and away from the bustling city life. He will need a fenced yard if he lives in the city but would probably not need one if he lives out in the country. Hunter’s recall is excellent and he learns commands very quickly. He is very intelligent and loves to learn. On May 6th we start Basic Dog Obedience One class so stay tuned to Hunter’s next adventure! We’re betting that he will be the smartest dog in the class!

Did somebody say "marshmallows"?	Where are they?
I think I found them!	See my tongue full of marshmallow ashes? Ha ha!
I love springtime!

Hello friends!

I am so confused about the weather! Is it winter or spring? On Sunday I saw grass, went for a long walk, and laid on the deck in the sun. Today it’s snowing! Oh well, that’s okay, because I’ll play outside whether it’s snowing or sunny. I guess it doesn’t matter because I have a very nice warm fur coat. My foster mom thinks I am really funny to watch in the snow because I like to shovel up snow with my mouth. She said I look like a snow plow or a whale eating krill.

It’s time for another update about my life. Remember last week I thought I saw a woodchuck come out of his burrow? Well, Mom finally saw the critter for herself and she said it’s not a woodchuck, it’s a bunny! I’m really disappointed because I wanted to meet that big pesty woodchuck face to face! Bunnies are pretty fast and I’m not sure I can catch this one, but I will certainly try. I tried to chase some geese when we were on a walk, but Mom said “no” and made me sit still until they flew away. Next weekend I’m going up north and will probably see some deer, so I’ll keep you posted on my wildlife adventures. In the meantime, Robbie and I have fun chasing Katie around the yard. We bark at her while we run. She’s fast and feisty but someday we’re going to catch her! I almost got her today but then she turned her head and snapped at me! I hate it when the girls tease me!

I had one of the best days of my life last week! I got to visit my sponsors and friends at DRC (Data Recognition Corporation)! Wow, was that fun! I felt like a celebrity! You see, they have my story and pictures on the DRC intranet so I have become very famous. When we arrived at their office we “checked in” at the front desk and met the receptionist. Then we got escorted upstairs by Jenny, my new friend at DRC. There was a table in a big open area with a sign that said “Meet Hunter today at 1pm” and my picture was on it! Soon lots of people came by to meet me. It was like a dream come true to have so many people telling me how handsome I was, petting me and giving me treats. I was very happy! I met so many new friends that day that I can’t even count them all. I even got my picture taken with Mom and Jenny. Many thanks to Data Recognition Corporation for sponsoring me and inviting me for a visit! It was lots of fun and I hope I can go back there again some time! Next time I won’t need my mentor Robbie with me.  I will be just fine by myself!

Love, Hunter

Hunter, Mom, Jenny, and Robbie at DRC

Yum!

Hunter has been doing great this past week, except for a few episodes of counter surfing. I guess he’s trying to tell me that I’m not tidy enough! One of the RAGOM home visit questions is: “How do they think they (the applicant) would react if they came home and found the dog standing on top of the kitchen table?” This question must have been added to our home visit questionnaire by Hunter’s first foster family years ago when he was two years old! He is the type of dog you’d find standing on the table if you left something edible or interesting!

This ten year old going on two has kept us hopping! Sometimes he is too curious for his own good. He is not content to lie around and look regal all day long. He wants and needs aerobic exercise and games daily. Since this foster mom is not a jogger I have found that throwing balls down our steep hill is a good alternative and makes all three dogs happy. Hunter drops the ball on command and most of the time will set it right in my lap. What a good boy! He races down the hill after the ball and practically does somersaults at the bottom! It is hilarious to watch! After retrieving it, he races right back up and plops it back down in my lap or takes a break to eat snow while lying at my feet.

The icy roads in our neighborhood have dried up enough to make it safer for walking again. Hunter walks very well with a Gentle Leader and leash. He is very much of a gentleman and doesn’t try to stop and sniff or mark every vertical object. He apparently went to obedience school at some time in his life because he knows to sit and wait when I stop during our walk.

Hunter is young at heart and does some very funny things. I had a basket of laundry sitting out with a Bounce Dryer Sheet on top. Hunter put his head in the basket and rubbed his head back and forth across the dryer sheet. Maybe he was trying to freshen up for the ladies. He sure smelled nice when he was done. He makes us laugh with his silly antics!

Hunter is learning some more manners and our house rules. He is always the first of our three dogs to sit and wait while his food is being dished up. He is also the first to sit and wait for the patio door to be opened. He won’t rush out the backdoor if someone is leaving the house. He sits and stays. He rarely barks unless he sees a stranger too close to our property. And did I tell you that he loves to snuggle? He is a 100% Velcro dog. It has been a pleasure to foster this sweet senior boy and we are looking forward to finding that special person who will be Hunter’s soulmate.

Please contact placementragom [dot] org if you think you might be that special person for Hunter.

Hunter has been with our family for almost two weeks. Every day we love him more and he amazes us with his intelligence and curiosity. He has already learned the word “off” when shown a tasty treat, but still thinks he should help us cook, do dishes, and take food out of the refrigerator. He wants to be right “in the thick of the action” whether we are outside playing or in the house getting dinner ready. Hunter is proving himself to be quite domestic and wants to help in the bathroom by rearranging the soap tray or changing the toilet paper roll. At times his intense curiosity gets him in trouble and he ends up back on the tether and gentle leader! He doesn’t seem to mind though because he gets to follow us everywhere!

Our handsome gent is enjoying his stardom as the Golden of the Month! Thank you RAGOM for selecting Hunter for the front page! We won’t let his celebrity status go to his head though. People are amazed when we tell them that Hunter just turned 10 years on January 12, 2008 because he certainly doesn’t act his age. Last night he behaved like a puppy and chased his tail in circles. Then all of the sudden he grabbed it, hung on and continued to play “ring-a-round the rosy” with his tail in his mouth the whole time. He stopped as soon as he saw the camera pointing at him! He doesn’t want the word let out that he is still plays puppy games!

We will continue to work on teaching Hunter some more manners and convince him that we really do not need his help cooking or cleaning. He is a very sweet dog so it is hard to get angry when he gets into mischief. He’ll learn though because he is eager to please us and very proud of himself when he does!

It has been a joy getting to know Hunter. His curiosity and zeal for life sets him apart from other senior dogs we’ve known. Hunter will make the right family a perfect companion and friend!
 
Thanks, Hunter's foster mom/sledding pal and foster dad

Hunter - you are a wonderful boy.  I love you!