Lola 16-220
At a Glance #16-220
| Golden Retriever | Born: October 2010 |
| Female | 57 lbs |
Status: Adopted
Profile
Updates
Monday, August 20, 2018
We all foster for different "reasons" but the "why" always stays the same. We do it for the better of the dog. Lola has found a great family to love and cherish her. She now has a nice fenced-in back yard, so she can learn to play with her two new dog friends and will make new kitty friends, too.
She took to her new people immediately, and they will provide her with the peace and quiet that she requires. Lola, we loved having you visit us, and we love that you have found a place to call home. May you have many tail wags during your new journey.
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Lola has settled right in with us. She's still nervous in new surroundings, so we try to get her out to new places without overloading her mind.
When she is nervous she does look for that safety zone and will pull rather hard to get to it. We did get her a gentle leader but have not yet tried it on her, because for the most part she is fine and we can manage her.
She has taken advantage of us the last couple of weeks by "lolly gagging" along on her walks, so the walks have been shorter and less energetic. She outsmarted us until she stepped on the scale when she went in for her teeth cleaning. She's up a pound when she's supposed to be down a pound. Little stinker.
As you'll see in the photo she does walk nicely on her leash when in her comfort zone. She's coming out of her shell more each week. On rare occasion, she enjoys trying to play with the cats (they don't play well).
We are just starting to switch her food over to the brand that her potential new family feeds, and we are excited to do our meet and greet. Despite her desire to be in a comfortable surrounding, she is not afraid of new people (maybe a little if they have a loud booming voice), so we feel that most of her true identity will be obvious.
Side note, she seems to know what pizza is and will follow you around night and day if you are having some. Other foods, not so much. Pizza... I think it would be her favorite if she were a human.
Sunday, July 29, 2018
Lola has an adoption pending but it doesn't mean that she doesn't deserve her updates.
She continues to grow inside to match her beautiful glow on the outside. She's learning how to pounce around like a dog in play. Unfortunately, our resident dog is a little competitive when it comes to play time, so Lola isn't quite Queen of the Mountain yet.
Her walks are going well. She stops less, she noses around more, she still walks very nicely along side us (as long as nothing appears scary to her). Unlike when she first arrived, she does not desperately try to pull away when scared. Now she mainly just plants her feet (but don't we all?).
This week she goes in to get her teeth cleaned, and next weekend she will get to hang out with many people. It will give us the opportunity to see how she does in a busy environment. If it's too much, we have a back-up plan for this sweetheart.
In the last update I suggested she may be playing fetch by the next update. Nope. Not this update either. But, she did chew on a stick (a couple), which is almost the same thing in her mind.
Keep following Lola until her adoption is finalized.
Friday, July 20, 2018
We are just over week two now, and Lola is fun to watch "grow." She's coming out of her shell and starting to wag her tail. She knows her name and does her best to come to you when called. She is spending more time out of her safe zone behind the couch and is pleasantly comfortable with "strangers" after they approach. The approaching part is still difficult for her.
Lola is still most comfortable inside the house, but we are making sure that she spends plenty of time outside as well. Last week she went over to the neighbors to play with their 2-year-old Golden mix, but she chose to just wander around a little bit instead.
She has shown interest in playing with the cats though. They however, have not expressed the same interest. It is fun to watch her pounce around on rare occasions. She shows her true Golden beauty.
She still likes quiet. She is nervous when outside but is getting more comfortable as long as there isn't much change. Her favorite thing to do on walks is to meander through the tall grass (side note: the importance of regular tick preventative). She likes to sniff for things while she strolls along.
She is not a fast walker and still occasionally stops. Lola is just starting to find her running/pouncing legs, but we haven't witnessed her using them much.
Lola is not hip on toys, so to keep her mind occupied we'll fill a treat ball for her. She'll also chase it if you roll it around the living room. Perhaps by the next update we'll report that she is fetching.
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
Lovely Lola is looking for a quiet home where she can go for walks in a quiet environment. If you are looking for a high-energy Golden Retriever that will play fetch all day and bounce around with your 2-year-old pup, she's not that dog. So, what is she?
Lola is a sweetheart that enjoys belly rubs. She will initially need encouragement to come lay by you but luckily is motivated by the sound of a treat bag.
She enjoys her walks but has a couple of quirks. Sometimes she just stops and looks around and needs a little encouragement to continue. Sometimes she will pull you into the tall weeds to go to the bathroom (pro and con of course).
We recently did a 4.8 mile walk on a narrow, slightly hilly, nicely wooded trail and she walked peacefully with us and a new dog friend that she just met.
Lola is house trained, passed her wellness exam with flying colors, sleeps through the night, and is quiet. She gets along fine with other dogs and cats. She is still learning what squeaky toys are. She has yet to hold one but did sniff one for a while. She enjoys stopping at puddles for a drink and has a good appetite.
She doesn't mind passing cars or barking dogs. She does not like tractors, the sounds of young kids, bicycles going by, or loud noises (but the fireworks in the distance were not an issue).
When she is scared she will pull hard on the leash to try to get to a "safe" zone. What are her safe zones? The inside of your vehicle (or under it if the door is closed) or the inside of your house.
She enjoys laying under your desk (at work), under benches (at the vet office), under the thick tree branches if you stop to pick wild berries, but she would rather be inside than outside right now if you're just hanging out.
She is starting to spend a little time in our bedroom at night but still retreats to her favorite spot behind the couch. I believe she likes the light that comes in through the big bow window at night verses our dark bedroom.
She will make you a great companion dog as long as you understand that she likes routine and quiet. Follow her journey to see if she will be a fit for your quite home.
