Tess 13-333

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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
11/02/2013 Physical only at present time Yes, but kids 10+ Yes, medium to large Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

I would like to introduce this stunning redhead to the RAGOM family. Our Tess is a 3-year-old (BD: 06-08-2010) gorgeous auburn red girl who was released on October 19 from a commercial breeder. Right now, Tess is trying her best to work her way into our home routine. Tess is much more skittish and afraid than the other two girls I had from the same farm. She still isn't eating very well, but I attribute that to the fact that all the dogs there were penned together and must have had free-roam eating. At our house, I feed twice a day, so sometimes she only eats a few bites and then heads to her safe area, perhaps thinking she will eat more later. Unfortunately, since our resident dog likes having her dish available and has been helping himself to her food, I pick her food up and offer it to her at different times during the day in her kennel. She is getting the hang of this routine, so it won't be long before she is chowing down like the RD.

She will readily go in and out of doors and go up and down the steps to our lower level. I've even found her downstairs by herself several times. When she first arrived, she followed our dog so closely that if he stopped, she ran into him. Now Tess is much more independent in the house and out in the fenced yard. You may find Tess in one part of the yard eating grass and leaves and our pup in another area checking something out. She has been very good about her potty breaks--only one accident at night since she arrived. Thus far, I haven't figured out a signal that Tess gives to go out, other than perhaps pacing a bit more than usual. We just make sure to let her out every 3-4 hours throughout the day, but she sleeps all night without a break. Just the last day or two, Tess has been grabbing several of the stuffed toys and putting them in her kennel. She really doesn't play with them, but likes to carry them around. Tess ignores both our inside and outside cats. According to the Good Samaritan who helped Tess to freedom, there are many children on the farm who spend time around the dogs. She met my two grandchildren, ages 9 and 11, without any problems.

Tess had her wellness check at the vet and was found to be very healthy with the exception of a bilateral ear infection (which has now cleared up). Dr. H. did recommend that she lose some weight since she weighed in at 80 pounds. The picture of Tess standing is to show that she actually carries her weight quite well--she is very quick and fast in her movements. She was heartworm and parasite free but needs a booster shot in a few weeks and her spay operation. Since she is so skittish, she is hard to lead because she immediately lays flat on the ground when you try to lead her, so I've waited with her spay operation, hoping that with a little time we might be able to lead her better so she doesn't scrape her belly on the ground. When Tess is ready to come in from outside, she flops down on her belly and turns her front feet in a most unusual way, sort of splayed out to each side.

Tess is an absolutely beautiful girl with a fire in those golden eyes. I have no doubt she will soon catch on to the sights, sounds, and activities of living in a house. Tess is not ready to go to her forever home at the moment, but when she does, she will need (1) another medium- to large-sized dog she can emulate and have as a companion, (2) children must be at least 10 years old since running, noisy children at this point would frighten her, and (3) right at the moment, her recall is not good (just received her name upon entering RAGOM), so she will need a fenced yard or leash walking (this may be subject to change as she progresses). When Tess has been with us for a while longer, I will have a better idea of what she needs in her forever home. Keep an eye on this gorgeous babe as she makes progress in the real world, and when she is fully vetted and comfortable in the house, she will be a wonderful asset to any home.

At a Glance #13-333

Golden Retriever Born: June 2010
Female 55 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements:
Entered Foster Care Fence Kid Friendly Another Dog Cat Friendly
11/02/2013 Physical only at present time Yes, but kids 10+ Yes, medium to large Yes
This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog.

I would like to introduce this stunning redhead to the RAGOM family. Our Tess is a 3-year-old (BD: 06-08-2010) gorgeous auburn red girl who was released on October 19 from a commercial breeder. Right now, Tess is trying her best to work her way into our home routine. Tess is much more skittish and afraid than the other two girls I had from the same farm. She still isn't eating very well, but I attribute that to the fact that all the dogs there were penned together and must have had free-roam eating. At our house, I feed twice a day, so sometimes she only eats a few bites and then heads to her safe area, perhaps thinking she will eat more later. Unfortunately, since our resident dog likes having her dish available and has been helping himself to her food, I pick her food up and offer it to her at different times during the day in her kennel. She is getting the hang of this routine, so it won't be long before she is chowing down like the RD.

She will readily go in and out of doors and go up and down the steps to our lower level. I've even found her downstairs by herself several times. When she first arrived, she followed our dog so closely that if he stopped, she ran into him. Now Tess is much more independent in the house and out in the fenced yard. You may find Tess in one part of the yard eating grass and leaves and our pup in another area checking something out. She has been very good about her potty breaks--only one accident at night since she arrived. Thus far, I haven't figured out a signal that Tess gives to go out, other than perhaps pacing a bit more than usual. We just make sure to let her out every 3-4 hours throughout the day, but she sleeps all night without a break. Just the last day or two, Tess has been grabbing several of the stuffed toys and putting them in her kennel. She really doesn't play with them, but likes to carry them around. Tess ignores both our inside and outside cats. According to the Good Samaritan who helped Tess to freedom, there are many children on the farm who spend time around the dogs. She met my two grandchildren, ages 9 and 11, without any problems.

Tess had her wellness check at the vet and was found to be very healthy with the exception of a bilateral ear infection (which has now cleared up). Dr. H. did recommend that she lose some weight since she weighed in at 80 pounds. The picture of Tess standing is to show that she actually carries her weight quite well--she is very quick and fast in her movements. She was heartworm and parasite free but needs a booster shot in a few weeks and her spay operation. Since she is so skittish, she is hard to lead because she immediately lays flat on the ground when you try to lead her, so I've waited with her spay operation, hoping that with a little time we might be able to lead her better so she doesn't scrape her belly on the ground. When Tess is ready to come in from outside, she flops down on her belly and turns her front feet in a most unusual way, sort of splayed out to each side.

Tess is an absolutely beautiful girl with a fire in those golden eyes. I have no doubt she will soon catch on to the sights, sounds, and activities of living in a house. Tess is not ready to go to her forever home at the moment, but when she does, she will need (1) another medium- to large-sized dog she can emulate and have as a companion, (2) children must be at least 10 years old since running, noisy children at this point would frighten her, and (3) right at the moment, her recall is not good (just received her name upon entering RAGOM), so she will need a fenced yard or leash walking (this may be subject to change as she progresses). When Tess has been with us for a while longer, I will have a better idea of what she needs in her forever home. Keep an eye on this gorgeous babe as she makes progress in the real world, and when she is fully vetted and comfortable in the house, she will be a wonderful asset to any home.

Updates

Friday, February 5, 2016

I wanted to share with you our Tess.  It was a long road, but she's been with our family for 2 years and has become a totally different dog from the timid, skittish dog we brought back to Nebraska!   At times during the transition, we wondered if we bit off more than we could chew with her.  With our other golden rescue, Izzy, we molded her into our family.  She now won't leave our sides when we walk, plays with Izzy, and seeks pets and loving constantly.  Click here to see her excitement at going for a walk. We love her and she loves us. I don't know if you remember our little puppy mill girl, but she now has shown her true personality.  I thought perhaps you would enjoy a success story!   Thank you for giving us the opportunity to love her!!

Lori & Paul S.

Lincoln, Ne

Monday, August 17, 2015

 

 


Tess, January 2014

Tess came to us January 18, 2014. Prior to that time, Tess lived almost the first 3 years of her life as a PM dog. She was released October 19, 2013 from her commercial breeder into RAGOM’s open arms. At that time Tess was afraid of her own shadow and trusted no one, but fortunately RAGOM and Susie G stepped in to help! Susie helped Tess start her new life by showing her so much love and understanding. Susie fostered and helped evaluate Tess, and was quite accurate with all her descriptions of Tess’s habits; trust of people, new environments, separation from those she was comfortable with, loud noise, and more were all terrible issues for Tess.

My wife Lori and I were looking for a companion for our other rescued dog, Izabella.  The three of us mourned the loss of our older friend, Kallie, who sadly passed in June of 2013.  As time passed, Izzy was becoming very lonely spending long days with no friends around.  Lori and I decided to begin our search for a companion for Izabella.  GRRIN, our group, had no dogs available, so we broadened our search which led us to RAGOM.  Such a great organizational network, full of wonderful people, doing great work!  Once we got in contact with Patty, we spent many hours emailing and talking on the phone, prior to making a trip to Rochester and a “Meet and Greet” with Tess. It seemed to be an immediate attraction with the two dogs.  So we adopted Tess, and Izzy was thrilled.

We have come miles, all three of us!  We thought we knew all that one needed to know about dogs, and Tess showed us a whole new side of an animal that has been abused.  Tess of course had no clue what to expect coming with us, but has warmed our hearts and continues to bring us joy, even on down days.  Now, after 18 months or so, we go to the lake and swim with all the dogs in the family (5 others), and most of all, Tess loves pontoon boat rides around the lake.  Tess enjoys overnighters in Omaha with Uncle Andrew and Aunt Mac, and short stays with friends in Lincoln, but what Tess really enjoys is going home.  Home is safe and that is the key to life.  Consistency and routine is the key to a PM dog’s life.  She now moves through door ways with a purpose, but not at the speed of light.  She now will accept treats from Lori and I and is eating really well.  Tess especially loves the beef broth on her food.  We try as often as possible to get out and walk, which Tess loves.  Tess still pulls a bit in the beginning but settles down as the walk progresses.

In the last month, we have seen another new side of Tess coming from her; a very excited, bouncing around Tess, wanting to wrestle or play.  Sometimes in the backyard, racing around, sometimes while grilling in the eve and even in the mornings.  Tess loves to wake Lori in the morning, by bounding up on the bed and snuggling down between the two of us for a little snooze.  Just another step in a line of many that warms the soul!  Every day brings a new surprise or a new adventure for Tess.  We think she is happy and in a good place.  Certainly we are attached to her, and can’t see our house without Tess! 

In our house, if you want a treat, you have to sit on the steps.  Izzy is very food driven and easy to motivate, but Tess could care less about treats originally.  Now, she will move to a spot or perform a task for a treat.  Small steps.


A cold Nebraska night


A hot Nebraska day

Lori and I felt compelled to send this note, first to say thank you for arranging the meeting in January of 2014, at the feed store, without which, we would not have met Tess. And, thank you for all the help and counseling you gave us prior to coming to Rochester and conversations that followed. RAGOM is a great organization, and all of us in the Plains and Mid-West as well as Minnesota have benefited from your hard work!

Happy 30th Birthday RAGOM!
Paul & Lori S, Tess & Izabella.
Lincoln, Nebraska

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Three months to the very day of Tess' release from a breeding facility, she has found her forever home. Through the cooperation of Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska and RAGOM, Tess is on her way to Lincoln, NE, with an awesome couple who will help Tess be the kind of family companion she was meant to be. She started becoming more confident during the past week or two, so it shouldn't be too long before she integrates completely into this family. This great couple saw Tess was going to be at the Rochester Meet & Greet and decided on the spur of the moment to drive up from Nebraska to meet her, staying in Rochester for two nights before leaving with her this morning. Tess will have a fenced yard and a GR companion named Izzy to show her the ropes and help her get settled. If this wonderful couple had not taken the time to come forward and meet her, I was prepared to be a foster failure for the first time.

We are forever appreciative and grateful to our Good Samaritan who facilitates the release of these girls and gets them into the protective loving arms of RAGOM, where they can develop into loving family companions.

Our Tess will be tremendously missed--good luck to Tess, Lori and Paul on their new life together!!

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Tess is continuing to work on learning the ropes of being a family pet. She continues to make slow but steady progress. She still startles at sudden loud noises, quick movements, and anything she doesn't recognize that troubles her. She spent time at my RAGOM foster daughter's home and did very well. My daughter said Tess was curious and explored the house without exhibiting any undue anxiety. She previously spent time with their dog Sadie at our home, so she did have a familiar companion with her.

We had the privilege of having our third RAGOM foster as a house guest for a little over a week recently. It was a good experience for Tess to be around another dog similar in size. Both dogs especially enjoyed their outside time when the weather was warmer. Everything went along smoothly with all three dogs enjoying each other's company.

Tess is beginning to stay in a sitting position most of the time when we pet her, instead of hunkering down on the floor. She still will not take treats out of your hand, but will eat them if you drop them at her feet. That makes it hard to reward her for any job well done. Tess immediately comes in from the outside when you tell her it is "time to come in" and gets very excited inside when you ask if she is "ready to go out." However, if she was loose outside our fenced yard or even within the limits of our fenced area, it is difficult to catch her since her recall to come directly to you is almost zero. If you take two steps toward her, she retreats three steps away from you, almost like a game of catch me if you can. If she were treat-motivated, it would be easier to coax her to come directly to you.

Tess has had free roam up to two hours in the house without disturbing anything. The first time was by accident when we forgot to close one of the two doors on her kennel. Tess has had free roam on three other occasions and everything was perfect when we got home. When she is home alone or in the dark, she stashes toys in her kennel. It is cute to come home and see just how busy she has been while we were gone. Tess is a lovely, sweet girl whose progress, albeit slow, is continuing. She will need time and much patience to accomplish her goals of blending into a family.

Tess has plans to attend the Rochester meet and greet on January 18--she hopes to get there by 11:30 and will stay as long as she is comfortable with all the noise and excitement.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Tess is still a work in progress. We have been pushing Tess a little harder this week in order to move her forward. She has been on two excursions this week through two different pet stores to acclimate her to another environment outside our home. When she follows our dog down the aisle, she pulls very hard to catch up to him--if she and I walk down the aisle alone, she stays quite nicely by my side. Getting outside her fenced home area does make her somewhat anxious, but she is going on another pet store visit tomorrow to welcome a new RAGOM girl from the same breeding facility. Our hope is that visits to the different pet-friendly stores will help her overcome some of her skittishness and build up her confidence. Tess will still startle at any loud noise, fast movement, or some object she does not recognize (for example, if you hang a jacket on the back of the kitchen chair or set a suitcase where she can see it).

Tess does very well with visiting dogs and doesn't pay them much attention. She has not yet reached the stage of playing with dogs or toys. In the very early morning when she goes out (usually dark outside), she will grab a soft toy and toss it around outside and run with it. Once she gets back inside, she pays little attention to the toy. Occasionally, Tess will do a little stiff-legged jump outside like she wants to play, but all she has accomplished so far is a few laps in the yard with our dog. She finally figured out what to do with rawhide chew. She has had one for several weeks, but never bothered with it until yesterday.

Tess very much wants to know where her people are if they aren't in the room with her. She usually won't cross into the room where you are, so I have been leading her into the different rooms and making her stay there while I complete a task, petting and praising her to let her know it is a safe place for her.

Tess is a sweet, lovely, gentle girl who still needs work on her socialization/integration skills in the home and outside of the home, skills of everyday living, and leash walking. She will learn these skills with time and patience, but coming from a puppy mill puts her at a disadvantage over a dog raised in a loving home who learned these skills and then was given up for adoption. Once she establishes confidence and trust in her adoptive home, she will move along at her pace and be a wonderful addition to any home, but this will not happen overnight and patience will be required by all involved. She is a sweetheart to have around and we enjoy having her in our home.

  

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Our beautiful Tess is still working on overcoming her skittishness--most days she appears to be doing fine and making slow progress; then we hit a snag and for a few days she is more nervous and leery of her surroundings. What makes the difference we don't know. Most of her days are very quiet and calm living with two retired persons--the agenda remains pretty constant. Perhaps it is due to the fact that we have spent several afternoons Christmas shopping which is slightly out of our norm, so she and the resident dog were home alone. Tess always remains the same sweet pup, though, accepting pets when they are dished out. Ordinarily, she still will not approach you to be petted, but certainly enjoys any attention when you stop by her safe blanket. The only exception to not coming up to you is first thing in the morning when she comes over to my side of the bed with the RD, telling me it is time to get up so they can go outside. Otherwise, we must seek her out in order to give her attention.

Tess did very well when my daughter's dog, Sadie, stayed with us for a week. She did not play with Sadie, but she was not afraid of her either. In fact, I think she enjoyed having another dog here that was almost her size. Our Champ is only 42 pounds, whereas Sadie is approximately 72 pounds. Tess could look at Sadie nose-to-nose and eye-to-eye. All three dogs enjoyed being out in the fenced yard with the new snow. Tess just loves to walk through the new snow eating as much as she can while she wanders around. We don't mind her eating the new snow, but it gets pretty cold waiting until she is finished with her snow treat to go potty. Tess has not had an accident in the house for weeks and sleeps quietly in our bedroom on her dog bed. Lately, on a rare occasion, she will grab a soft dog toy before she goes outside and carry it around the entire time she is out there. She then takes the toy to her safe blanket and sleeps by it.

Tess is a such a gentle soul to have around. She very rarely barks and thus far has not gotten into any inappropriate items. Our Christmas wish for Tess is for her to relax and enjoy her new-found freedom and love. We're hoping that as her trust level builds up, she will begin to freely wander around the house and seek out a closer relationship with her people. We just love having this big red dog around!!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Our Tess is coming along well in baby-step increments. She went to the Rochester Pet and Country Store Meet and Greet on November 23 for her first formal outing. She was somewhat anxious and apprehensive when we arrived, but after meeting the other Goldens appropriately without any problem, she began to relax and enjoy the attention. Her penmate Tillie also attended and was immediately recognized by Tess as she came through the door. It was good to push Tess a little out of her comfort zone to see how she responded to a new situation.

Tess is not a treat/food motivated girl so it is hard to entice her to approach you or reward her when she will not take treats from your hand--if they are dropped on the floor in front of her, she may or may not eat them. Tess wants to know where we are when we leave the room and will come looking for us, but if we approach her to pet her after finding us (even if we crouch down to her level), she quickly skitters back to her blanket. She is the friendliest in the morning when we are getting dressed, greeting us with tail wags and an occasional quick kiss on the hand. Once in a while, she will run to the toy box, select something, and take it back to her blanket. Sometimes she accumulates quite a little stash there. This doesn't happen very often but we are happy when it does.

All the kids and their families came home for Thanksgiving Day. Tess handled the noise, activity level of the kids, and general chaos that results with lots of people in a small house just fine. She received lots of attention from the 6 grandkids and enjoyed every bit of it. Tillie 13-334 was also there and perhaps provided Tess with a little extra security by her presence. Tillie will be going to her forever home this week, but my daughter's resident dog Sadie will be staying with us for the upcoming week. It will be interesting to see if Tess responds as well to Sadie's presence as she does to Tillie's. Her potty training is coming along super; she seems to understand "potty, Tess," since we've had no accidents for a few weeks, but she is not yet trustworthy for free roam when we leave the house. If both dogs could only drop that 4 am potty break, foster mom would be so happy (their last outing is usually 11-11:30 pm)!

Tess had her first long car ride last Saturday. Most of her rides have been to/from the vet's office or just around town. We visited my hometown cemetery, about 2 1/2 hours away, to do our Christmas decorating so we were gone for the majority of the day. Tess did very well for such a long jaunt--started out panting some and looking out the windows of the van, but eventually settled down with our dog to catch a few winks. Since it was so cool outside, we were able to stop for lunch and leave both dogs in the van--no problems encountered while we ate. We then stopped at our camper to let both dogs out for exercise and a drink of water. This was Tess's first visit to the camper, but she handled it well. I have been using the Gentle Leader on her, along with the Martingale collar as a backup since she is still very skittish in new places. Tess pulls very strong when she becomes scared/excited, so she is much easier to control with the Gentle Leader, but is still in the process of learning proper leash walking. The whole riding experience was a success and luckily, she did not encounter any motion sickness.

This beautiful girl has handled all the new situations quite well the past few weeks, but can become somewhat skittish when encountering something she isn't familiar with, unusual loud sounds, or sudden quick movements. As we expose her to more new people and places, I am certain she will continue to make good progress. Each day brings both of us willing to establish another milestone in her journey to the Golden Life. The progress seems slow, but there is progress being made--she is just an awesome girl to love and work with!

Monday, November 18, 2013

Our beautiful Tess has slowly been making progress. Some days, it seems like she is making progress, and on other days, she appears to be more apprehensive of things. Quick, sudden movements and loud noises will still send her scurrying to her safe spot between the sofa and the recliner. From that vantage point, she can watch what is going on in the house. Tess likes to have her people within her view--if she can't see you, she will leave her safe area and come down the steps, down the hall, or peek into another room until she can find someone. Occasionally, I can coax her into the office where the computer is, but not very often. As she grows more secure, she will venture into other parts of the house on her own. If you are sitting in the recliner watching TV, she is perfectly happy to stay on her blanket, receiving scratches and pets from her peeps.

Just this week, Tess started to eat most of her kibble when it is offered twice a day. I still have to make it more tasty by adding a spoonful of canned food, but am glad she is finally eating and falling into our twice-a-day feeding schedule. According to our veterinarian, Tess should be on a weight reduction diet until she reaches her goal weight--approximately 60 pounds.

Tess has developed the habit of going outside about 4 am even though her last potty break is usually around 11-11:30 pm. Once she has finished outside, she will readily go back into her kennel until about 6 am when she starts to whine. If I bring her into our bedroom at that time, she will settle down until we get up. She has not had an accident in the house for almost two weeks, but we are very diligent in letting her out when she wakes up from a nap or starts to head to the kitchen door. She is not yet trustworthy for free roam, but with time, she will master that part of house training. Tess enjoys her time in our fenced yard, eating grass and leaves as she follows along the fence line. Since Tess still startles easily and would run if she is scared, she must at present have a fenced yard, although once she bonds with her family and becomes accustomed to her forever surroundings, she may stay close to her people--that will have to be decided once she settles in.

Tess had a visit from Tillie 13-334 who was her pen mate at the commercial breeding farm (Tillie is fostered by my daughter). Both girls are beautiful, although Tillie at this time is braver and more social than Tess. Tess really perked up when she saw Tillie and welcomed her to share her safe spot. Both dogs are cat and kid friendly.

Tess has done well with grandkids who are 9 and 11, although children in her permanent home must be 10 or older. Although Tess is very gentle, small, noisy children with quick fast movements would scare her. She totally enjoys the pets and attention from grandkids when they are here.

Tess had her final booster shot and spay operation on November 15. She was extremely frightened going to the vet's office and perhaps regressed for a day or two after her vet overnighter, but seems to be back to her normal now. Tess will follow me on a leash in the fenced yard, but once I get her beyond that safe perimeter, she becomes extremely agitated and acts like a whale at the end of the line--or she just lies down like a turtle and does a military crawl. Her progress may seem slow, but we are grateful for the strides she has already made, realizing that everything she sees, hears, and does is new to her--each new day will bring her closer to enjoying the sights and sounds of daily living so she can enjoy the Golden Life. If Tess continues to do well, I plan to take her to the Rochester Country Store Meet and Greet on November 23, exposing her to more dogs her size and seeing how well she handles the noise and activity level there. She is a real love to have in our home.