Riley 17-144

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Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Date Available Children Other Dogs Cats Fence Energy Level
7/6/2017 Ages 12+ Can live with other dogs Not tested Physical fence required - no invisible fence Medium
Riley 17-144 came into RAGOM on June 18th and was surrendered due to his family needing to be on the road for several years. At 7.5 years old, he is going through a major change in his life and, with slow introductions, forms very strong bonds as trust is built.
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

 

07/06/2017:

Riley is a 7.5-year-old, beautiful Golden Retriever who is truly gold with white feathering. He was surrendered to RAGOM on June 18th, as his family will be going on the road for a number of years and felt that wouldn't be the best life for him. This handsome boy joined the RAGOM family to begin another journey in his life, and we are right by his side as he begins to work through this major change. With the help of my resident dog, Nicole, he is settling in and we have learned that he forms very strong bonds as long as we give him the time he needs to get to know us. We have been working on slow introductions to new people and giving him time to build trust before we will introduce him to new dogs, knowing that he is still trying to process all that he has been through.

We recently completed his first vet visit to bring him up to date on everything and learned that he did test positive for Lymes disease and will be on antibiotics for a few more weeks. His birthdate is January 18, 2010, and he currently weighs 79 lbs. Through walking every day and running around in the backyard, we're hoping to bring him down to between 65 and 70 lbs., which is what the vet suggested would be a good weight for him.

Riley has been loving the freedom of a fenced-in yard and very much enjoys the outdoors, whether it is playing with a toy, just enjoying a breeze, rolling in the grass, or going for a walk. Some improvement is needed for him to not pull when walking, but he listens well to commands such as "leave it," "slow," or "heel." He has been good to follow a "sit-stay" command during a walk when someone is passing, and this has been good for him to feel safe with so many new things coming his way.

Riley hasn't had any accidents in the house and is crate trained. He follows a "kennel up" command, but also goes in his crate throughout the day just to nap when he feels like it. He plays with toys in the house and will find his way to a dog bed and sometimes to a couch or bed, depending on what looks the most comfy. There has not been any resource guarding of food or toys, and he has been good throughout the house.

We're still getting to know this boy - just as he is getting to know us. He does have anxiety during fireworks and storms, as well as car rides and going to the vet. With storms and firemworks, he does a lot of pacing, panting, and wanting to get as close to you as possible. We jumped right into fireworks over the last week and will continue to work to understand what makes him feel the safest when the anxiety sets in. Riley is quick to jump into the car and is best in a crate when traveling, as this makes him feel the safest.

Riley will need a family that will be patient and take time with him to build a special bond. His forever family will need to appreciate he had a whole other life for 7.5 years and understand that they will need to build trust with him over time. Each day will be another step in creating a new life for him, and as my foster mentor told me, "It will be a marathon, not a sprint." No matter how fast or slow it goes, I know that Riley will bring special moments and smiles to each day, just as he is doing for Nicole and me.

Stay tuned as we learn more about our handsome Riley in the days ahead...

If you think Riley would be a good fit in your home, please submit an "Inquiry for Application" form. If you have already filled out an "Inquiry for Application" form, please send an email to applicationatragom [dot] org with Riley's name, his RAGOM number, the name you submitted the Inquiry for Application form under, and a sentence or two why you feel you'd be a good match.

At a Glance #17-144

Golden Retriever Born: January 2010
Male 83 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Date Available Children Other Dogs Cats Fence Energy Level
7/6/2017 Ages 12+ Can live with other dogs Not tested Physical fence required - no invisible fence Medium
Riley 17-144 came into RAGOM on June 18th and was surrendered due to his family needing to be on the road for several years. At 7.5 years old, he is going through a major change in his life and, with slow introductions, forms very strong bonds as trust is built.
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

 

07/06/2017:

Riley is a 7.5-year-old, beautiful Golden Retriever who is truly gold with white feathering. He was surrendered to RAGOM on June 18th, as his family will be going on the road for a number of years and felt that wouldn't be the best life for him. This handsome boy joined the RAGOM family to begin another journey in his life, and we are right by his side as he begins to work through this major change. With the help of my resident dog, Nicole, he is settling in and we have learned that he forms very strong bonds as long as we give him the time he needs to get to know us. We have been working on slow introductions to new people and giving him time to build trust before we will introduce him to new dogs, knowing that he is still trying to process all that he has been through.

We recently completed his first vet visit to bring him up to date on everything and learned that he did test positive for Lymes disease and will be on antibiotics for a few more weeks. His birthdate is January 18, 2010, and he currently weighs 79 lbs. Through walking every day and running around in the backyard, we're hoping to bring him down to between 65 and 70 lbs., which is what the vet suggested would be a good weight for him.

Riley has been loving the freedom of a fenced-in yard and very much enjoys the outdoors, whether it is playing with a toy, just enjoying a breeze, rolling in the grass, or going for a walk. Some improvement is needed for him to not pull when walking, but he listens well to commands such as "leave it," "slow," or "heel." He has been good to follow a "sit-stay" command during a walk when someone is passing, and this has been good for him to feel safe with so many new things coming his way.

Riley hasn't had any accidents in the house and is crate trained. He follows a "kennel up" command, but also goes in his crate throughout the day just to nap when he feels like it. He plays with toys in the house and will find his way to a dog bed and sometimes to a couch or bed, depending on what looks the most comfy. There has not been any resource guarding of food or toys, and he has been good throughout the house.

We're still getting to know this boy - just as he is getting to know us. He does have anxiety during fireworks and storms, as well as car rides and going to the vet. With storms and firemworks, he does a lot of pacing, panting, and wanting to get as close to you as possible. We jumped right into fireworks over the last week and will continue to work to understand what makes him feel the safest when the anxiety sets in. Riley is quick to jump into the car and is best in a crate when traveling, as this makes him feel the safest.

Riley will need a family that will be patient and take time with him to build a special bond. His forever family will need to appreciate he had a whole other life for 7.5 years and understand that they will need to build trust with him over time. Each day will be another step in creating a new life for him, and as my foster mentor told me, "It will be a marathon, not a sprint." No matter how fast or slow it goes, I know that Riley will bring special moments and smiles to each day, just as he is doing for Nicole and me.

Stay tuned as we learn more about our handsome Riley in the days ahead...

If you think Riley would be a good fit in your home, please submit an "Inquiry for Application" form. If you have already filled out an "Inquiry for Application" form, please send an email to applicationatragom [dot] org with Riley's name, his RAGOM number, the name you submitted the Inquiry for Application form under, and a sentence or two why you feel you'd be a good match.

Updates

Tuesday, August 22, 2017

Riley has so, so much to share since the last update. He has had 3 more play dates and is really starting to get the hang of this "play thing." Thanks again to his special RAGOM friends - Koda, Andy Lindquist, Krae, Lilly, Cindy Groth and CJ 17-049A who have made the world of difference in his life helping him to learn how to have fun and also to just enjoy some good relaxation time with the pack.

The best news is that Riley found his forever home with the wonderful E. Family where he will have love x 5 with a dad, a mom, a brother and two sisters. It doesn't get any better than that for this special boy!! He's very proud to share a few last pictures with you of his new mom and dad on adoption day and another one in his new home with dad and one of his sisters.

Thanks to all who followed this boy's journey along the way and have continued to support RAGOM. Riley sends his love and hopes to see you at Goldzilla!!!

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Hey, everyone - Riley here! Thought I would help out and do my update as FM has been very busy working with all the RAGOM volunteers on the upcoming Goldzilla Fun Fair and Walk for Rescue that will be on Sunday, September 10th, at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton. Hope everyone can make it, as I hear it is a ton of fun!!

We've been very busy - where do I start?? First of all, we took our trip to the vet for a weigh-in, and I lost 1 1/2 lbs. Who knew this weight loss program could be so hard and take so much work! I do love the walks, though, and the very healthy, refreshing snacks like watermelon. Hoping to have more results on our next trip, as we're still working on this.

My FM is very into grooming, and I'm very good with being brushed, having my nails trimmed, and letting her clean my ears even though it tickles quite a bit. I can tell she's going to want to brush my teeth soon, as she keeps lifting my lips to look around a bit. I know it's just a matter of time, but I hope she's too busy with Goldzilla to do that any time soon.

My best news is that I had a great first play date with Koda and two other RAGOM volunteers. Since I have never really played in a yard where I could run with other dogs, they helped me through the introductions, a little walk, and some time in the yard before I was ready to try out this "play" thing. Koda was a great teacher, and I needed to learn a bit at first what all the jumping and running was about. Sending a little video for you to see how I did. I'm the chubby one, but I have some moves, too.

FM was so proud of me, and afterwards we all just hung out. I'm so happy to have made a new friend and hope to make more friends in the weeks ahead. A big thank-you to Koda, Andy, and Cindy.


Riley (front) and Koda

Also, FM says to be sure to tell you that she's been leaving me alone for several hours with my foster sister, Nicole, where we have free roam of the house. We usually just hang out, catch up on our napping, look out the window to check for critters, and wait anxiously for her to come home. We're so excited to see her, and it usually means either time for a walk or to eat - both great things!!

If you're looking for a gentle "middle-aged" guy who still likes to have fun, has a few quirks to work on but can give lots of love - I'm your guy and hope to meet you soon!!

If you think Riley would be a good fit in your home, please submit an "Inquiry for Application" form. If you have already filled out an "Inquiry for Application" form, please send an email to applicationatragom [dot] org with Riley's name, his RAGOM number, the name you submitted the Inquiry for Application form under, and a sentence or two why you feel you'd be a good match.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Riley has been with us for almost 4 weeks and he is definitely more relaxed and having more happy moments. The fireworks seemed to last a good 7 days for us, and Riley is very happy July 4th is behind us. Our sleep was definitely impacted since they went well beyond midnight, but on the upside, we had a lot of bonding time. We learned that the bathtub might just be the best place to be for Riley to feel safe, and he feels so much better if you can stay close as well. He looks much calmer in this picture than he actually was - guess it's because he is so very photogenic!

We have learned that although he has storm anxiety - it is such a piece of cake as compared to fireworks. I learned that staying close on the couch and petting him helps, or just keeping him tethered to me while I do a little work in the kitchen helps to let him know all is okay.

Riley did pass the big groomer test last week with flying colors. Since he is slow to meet people and sensitive to initial eye contact or someone patting him on the head, we weren't sure how it would all go. But our Riley did great and looks beautiful.

I'm hoping to get Riley to the vet later this week to weigh him. as I'm sure he has lost a few pounds due to our daily walks. I also think it will help him to experience going into the vet for something quick and hopefully a little treat or two to start reducing the fear he experiences while there. It will probably be best for Riley to always have an appointment at the vet when it is quieter - possibly at the end of the day to help reduce his stress. His medical records show that this has been an issue for him since early on.

The new happy moments we are seeing include running hard with his toy, jumping over plants to get where he wants, and much more relaxed rest and sleep overall. He has been sleeping at night in the bedroom, usually on the floor, and does a lot less roaming. I've even caught him a few times resting comfortably with my resident dog, Nicole. Seems like all the boys usually love her, and Riley is no exception.

Introductions to new people have to be on Riley's terms a bit. Usually, that involves just ignoring him initially, which is hard since he has such a cute face and looks so lovable. But we've learned it is best to just bring new people in without paying attention to him, and as he learns everything is okay, he will go over for pets and attention. We know that initial eye contact or leaning over to pet him before a little time has passed concerns him, and he gives you signals to let you know. But once he decides it's time to meet you, he's usually all in, which could include sitting on your feet or climbing onto your lap. It usually takes only about 10 minutes or so before he decides to reach out to a new person, and he made friends with my 90-year-old mother immediately. On the flip side, it can take a bit longer at times, and we let Riley determine when he's ready to reach out. I am sure he is on information overload at times, with all the new things coming at him after the life he had known for 7+ years changed abruptly for him.

We will continue to work on introductions to new dogs in the upcoming week. Riley met Nicole very easily, but I think he was just so relieved to be done with his long ride in the car when he arrived that we all looked good to him. We also had my Foster Mentor and her Doodle, Krae, come to visit to see how Riley would do. Krae is a very confident girl, and Riley needed to take time to accept her in the yard. Both Krae and Riley remained on their leashes, and we took time to have them walk past each several times, walk in the same direction, and then just spent time sitting apart in the yard. Eventually, we were able to have them stand closer to each other with Riley more relaxed.

During our walks, we are working on focusing to the path ahead and the command to "leave it" when he wants to pull towards another dog. Our walks are definitely going better, and we keep to a routine which helps quite a bit as well. Speaking of commands, I've learned that he knows how to give his paw and to speak, and he will talk to you at times when he is happy and excited - usually when the leash comes out for a walk.

Riley will need a somewhat quiet but active home with a family that can care about and be focused to what he needs each day to be successful. In return, he promises a lot of snuggles, goofy moments, wonderful companionship, and a whole lot of love.

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