Tip 13-095

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With love to a grand southern lady - Anonymous

Cutest pup ever, I hope you find a forever home soon, sweetie. - Ed

Meet Tip. This 14-year-old Golden Retriever/ Australian Shepherd mix hails from Georgia. She came to RAGOM’s attention through the many people on Facebook who network for dogs in need, particularly those who are in danger of being euthanized in shelters.

Tip lived with her elderly owner and another dog, Pearl, a purebred Golden Retriever, until last month when her owner moved into an assisted living facility, and Tip and her companion were turned in to the shelter.  A local Golden Retriever rescue in Georgia took Pearl but left Tip because she was not purebred Golden. 

Tip's plight touched many hearts on Facebook. A wonderful organization called Mobile Mutts arranged transport for Tip and many other dogs to come to rescues in Minnesota.  Tip was picked up by her RAGOM foster family and began the next stage of her journey to the Golden Life.

   

Tip’s first week in Minnesota introduced her to snow - in May!  

She got along fine with the resident dogs and ignored the cat, but struggled with stairs in her foster home. So her first foster family brought her to a stair-free home in the Twin Cities.  

Tip adapted well to another change in her life. She enjoys walks and being outside, gets along with small RD (resident dog), loves ‘ear scritches’ and meets new people and dogs with tail wagging. Tip sleeps on one of many dog beds, usually in the bedroom. We’ve left her with free roam for several hours without problem. She’s on a low dose of Rimadyl for arthritis. Tip “talks” to us. No barking, but she did moan loudly when RD was walked separately and she was left behind.  She often signals a need to go out by pacing and making soft noises. Aside from two small pee accidents (one our fault for not responding to her signal), she is housebroken.  She shows up promptly in the kitchen when the fridge door is opened and looks at me with a squinty-eyed face. I think she was rewarded for that in the past. :)   She is a petite GR mix, weighs 36 lbs and 18 inches tall at her shoulder.

We think Tip could be an only dog as she loves human attention and often follows her human around. She’s used to another dog and would do well with a companion.  No stairs or limited stairs will be best in her home. She enjoys time outside in the warmth; with supervision or a tie out she doesn’t require a fence.

  Tip has won a lot of hearts including ours. Contact your placement advisor if she’s tugging at your heart.

At a Glance #13-095

Mixed Breed Born: April 1999
Female 50 lbs

Status: Deceased

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With love to a grand southern lady - Anonymous

Cutest pup ever, I hope you find a forever home soon, sweetie. - Ed

Meet Tip. This 14-year-old Golden Retriever/ Australian Shepherd mix hails from Georgia. She came to RAGOM’s attention through the many people on Facebook who network for dogs in need, particularly those who are in danger of being euthanized in shelters.

Tip lived with her elderly owner and another dog, Pearl, a purebred Golden Retriever, until last month when her owner moved into an assisted living facility, and Tip and her companion were turned in to the shelter.  A local Golden Retriever rescue in Georgia took Pearl but left Tip because she was not purebred Golden. 

Tip's plight touched many hearts on Facebook. A wonderful organization called Mobile Mutts arranged transport for Tip and many other dogs to come to rescues in Minnesota.  Tip was picked up by her RAGOM foster family and began the next stage of her journey to the Golden Life.

   

Tip’s first week in Minnesota introduced her to snow - in May!  

She got along fine with the resident dogs and ignored the cat, but struggled with stairs in her foster home. So her first foster family brought her to a stair-free home in the Twin Cities.  

Tip adapted well to another change in her life. She enjoys walks and being outside, gets along with small RD (resident dog), loves ‘ear scritches’ and meets new people and dogs with tail wagging. Tip sleeps on one of many dog beds, usually in the bedroom. We’ve left her with free roam for several hours without problem. She’s on a low dose of Rimadyl for arthritis. Tip “talks” to us. No barking, but she did moan loudly when RD was walked separately and she was left behind.  She often signals a need to go out by pacing and making soft noises. Aside from two small pee accidents (one our fault for not responding to her signal), she is housebroken.  She shows up promptly in the kitchen when the fridge door is opened and looks at me with a squinty-eyed face. I think she was rewarded for that in the past. :)   She is a petite GR mix, weighs 36 lbs and 18 inches tall at her shoulder.

We think Tip could be an only dog as she loves human attention and often follows her human around. She’s used to another dog and would do well with a companion.  No stairs or limited stairs will be best in her home. She enjoys time outside in the warmth; with supervision or a tie out she doesn’t require a fence.

  Tip has won a lot of hearts including ours. Contact your placement advisor if she’s tugging at your heart.

Updates

Sunday, December 8, 2013

 

 


Miss Tip had an occasional soft cough since she came to our house. Recently her cough became deeper and more frequent. There was concern for pneumonia and she was given antibiotics. We saw improvement for a few days then she worsened and seemed uncomfortable. So before she lost her unique spark, on Thursday her vet helped her to the bridge while I held her. 

That Miss Tip was a dignified, quirky, kind of shy yet very curious, sometimes stubborn dog. She liked the snow and even ran and jumped in it (running and jumping were very rare occurrences). She knew love, home and family for her seven months as a RAGOM dog and ended her long life peacefully. 

 

 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Dear Friends,

My, the last month has been a whirlwind! 

Let’s start with the pictures. FM (foster mom) really wanted a picture last week on my birthday. I’m not so fond of that camera but found the peanut butter very interesting. FM sent the picture she wanted and an example of what all the other pictures look like. FD  (foster dad) found the most wonderful treats that don’t upset my stomach – canned chicken drummies! They are not just for birthday treats; I enjoy them or the canned beef every day! 

We had a grandma staying with us for a few weeks. I just loved following her around. I didn’t mind her walker at all, in fact FM and FD often called to me to “give her some room to move!”  They wondered if my former owner was a woman who used a walker ‘cause I really stayed close to this grandma. Just yesterday she moved to an assisted living apartment, like my person in Georgia did. I will miss her and look forward to visits.

Lots of people were coming and going lately. I’ve greeted them all and thoroughly sniffed anything they brought with them. FM says there’s nothing wrong with my nose! A most interesting little bundle has visited quite a few times in the last month. She is called “grand daughter”. I’ll say the baby smells very interesting but after some good sniffs I’m done. FM and FD are quite besotted and hold her a lot. I don’t mind that at all but the little RD (resident dog) seems a little jealous – she dances and moans to get attention. 

Oh, I suppose I should mention my health. I don’t know if I see much change but FM and FD really monitor me. They get concerned if I’m reluctant to eat (not with those chicken drummies!) or have any GI upset. They say I’m kind of ‘twitchy’ and just give me slow gentle touches.  I have needed a little help getting my back legs under me when I get up or they haven’t supported me reliably on occasion, but this has been rare. So I just keep on goin’!

Affectionately, 

Miss Tip

Monday, September 30, 2013

Foster mom (FM) told me that I was remembered at Goldzilla and received 2 paw prints. Oh my, thank you to Ed and Anonymous for thinking of me, and your kind wishes. 

I had another little spell of digestive upset and visited the vet. Back on that Flagyl medication again, along with a probiotic and Pepcid. So now what I eat stays down and ‘elimination’ is normal – my apologies for such details.  I do appreciate foster dad (FD) cooking rice and hamburger or chicken for me. I’m just not very hungry early in the day. FM and FD offer me bits from their hands to encourage me to eat and are very interested in making sure I eat the cheese balls. (I know very well they put the meds in the cheese but I play along. Cheese is rather tasty). 

The little resident dog (RD) here has really warmed up to me and will cuddle up and share a bed. She sure snuggled closely into my side when a storm passed through. We’re alike in that we’re not interested in toys or unladylike tussling. We work together to get treats and keep FM and FD aware that we do track the attention given to us here. You know, making sure that walks, pets, treats and cuddles and kisses are given equally. And there is just no shortage of that attention here. 

I’m usually addressed as “Miss Tip” but sometimes they say “Tippers” or “Tippity”, then FM might sing “Tippity-do-dah, tippity-ay. My oh my-y, what a wonderful day”.  And they say they want my day to be as good as it can be. You see, we’re aware that my health is declining and we have an agreement that I’ll stay right here with my family as long as my days are good to wonderful. For a lady of a certain age (actually, I’m one month from my 15th birthday - but you didn’t hear me say that) it brings peace of mind to know I’m settled here and loved by so many. 

As always,

Affectionately, 

Miss Tip 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Tip’s been on some adventures since her last update. She attended a Meet and Greet at Ollu Dog Wash. Besides meeting many people and dogs she noticed her reflection in the window.  

 Afterward we had lunch on a nearby café patio where she charmed the servers and was well behaved beside us while other patrons and dogs came and went.

 Tip had a dog sitting date at another foster home for an afternoon (Thanks, M!). She met the resident dogs and Daisy 13-146 without problem. And she met and ignored the cat.  We think Tip would be fine as an only dog, or with dogs that don’t want to play/wrestle (low energy like her) and would be fine with a cat. Here’s a picture of Daisy, resident dogs and Tip waiting for treats at the M house.

 Tip did pace a lot while she visited (as she did for an entire day when she first came to our house). 

When I came to pick her up she had the biggest grin I’ve seen and RAN in the yard – back and forth, back and forth! She surprises me sometimes, for example she can jump in and out of the tub. And she handles some stairs (4-6) without problem. She’s gone down a full flight of stairs several times but hasn’t made it all the way up on her own. Tip needs a boost in and out of the car, but at 35 pounds that’s easy. 

Dear Miss Tip is observant and interested in what’s happening around her. She’s quick to thoroughly sniff something new in the house or your hand/ankle/foot upon meeting. Tip is hard of hearing and can be easily surprised if approached from behind. It’s best she goes to a house without young children. We get her attention with a light touch if she doesn’t see us coming or feel vibrations from footsteps and use hand gestures for “come”.  We think with a tie up or close observation she doesn’t need a fenced yard. 

Only one pee accident in the last 6 weeks! She goes out every few hours during the day and holds it 9 hours overnight. She has free roam while we’re gone. 

Tip rarely barks. She’s a sweet, kind of shy senior who wants to be near her people – usually right next to me- yet doesn’t demand lots of pets. She loves scritches around her ears and neck and swoons a little. Her gentle kisses are bestowed on occasion and are all the more special.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Hello! Miss Tip here. I hope y’all are enjoying summer as I am. The lovely sun and heat, and humidity when we have it all remind me of my home state, Georgia. 

I do enjoy my walk every day. Now that I’m used to my routes here I like to set a good pace and keep walking with rarely a stop to sniff or relieve myself. I’ll admit to a LOT of stopping and sniffing when I go somewhere new. There are just so many wonderful smells! 

Foster Mom (FM) took me to the Pride Festival where we met lots of people and dogs. Like the southern lady I am, I met everyone graciously. And I’m not a wallflower; I stepped right up to the walkway to receive pets and attention. For some reason FM discusses a ladies age (mine!) quite readily. I was rather pleased to hear more than once, “Wow, I wouldn’t have guessed”. 

 

FM says I’m just a little bit of a Velcro dog. I do follow her from room to room and often rest against the chair she’s in. I’ve been lifted onto the couch but really prefer the floor or a dog bed.  I’m not so forward as to use a “Golden Paw” to get attention and give very few nose nudges. Head and neck rubs are lovely but I prefer you don’t rub my lower back much. FM smiles when I give a happy tail wag in greeting or in response to petting and appreciates the rare quick kisses I give. 

Of course, I’m on my best manners here and don’t get into a wastebasket or, gasp, chew on things. FM says I must admit I’ve had a few accidents and wet the rug. The vet says it may be hyperparathyroidism making me drink a little more. My foster parents bring me outside every few hours. It should be noted I can hold it all night and do not wake my people up early.

I’m a rather dainty eater, if I may say so. At the gathering the other day another volunteer offered juicy hamburger to me three times. Each time I sniffed the treat and carefully considered it, then gently accepted it. That’s just my style.  

Until next time –

Affectionately, Miss Tip

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Miss Tip has settled in and is a joy. Her day often starts with us waking her (no early riser here!) for a trip outside. We’re walking her a ½ mile daily. Once she gets out of bed for the first time of the day, she walks faster than the resident dog so often they are walked separately. Tip will cry when she’s left alone. We haven’t heard her cry when we leave both dogs home together.

When she first got here Tip vomited some undigested food, usually right after eating in the morning. Now she’s not doing that. She had a follow up visit to the vet for that and to check her elevated calcium level. Most likely she has hyperparathyroidism, which is sometimes treated with surgery. Discussions with the vet, RAGOM and foster family have all in agreement that at Tip’s age, comfort and quality of life are paramount so surgery won’t be pursued. She continues on a low dose of Rimadyl daily more for back pain/stiffness than hip pain. The vet says her hips don’t seem arthritic.

She’s usually near her people and will nudge open a door with surprising force (if, for instance, you don’t close the bathroom door all the way). She’s got that squinty eyed, “batting her eyes at you” thing down pat to request a treat. If you’re sitting forward on a chair, Tip will walk under your knees, kind of like a cat. She’s just the right height to give herself a full body rub and looks so pleased! Whenever the sun’s out she enjoys lying in the grass or walking around the yard. She’s happy by herself outside and doesn’t bark.