Gracie 16-211

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 This smart pup has it all!  Gracie is full of life, young, adaptable and wants to please her people.  She is RAGOM's newest, lucky dog and is looking for a special family to call her own.  

         

At a Glance #16-211

Labrador Retriever Born: January 2016
Female 45 lbs

Status: Adopted

Gracie's Well-wishers

Regina K
"Merry Christmas Gracie! You are Special!"

Profile

 This smart pup has it all!  Gracie is full of life, young, adaptable and wants to please her people.  She is RAGOM's newest, lucky dog and is looking for a special family to call her own.  

         

Updates

Sunday, December 10, 2017

Hi everyone,

I’ve finally mastered this keyboard thingy so I can tell you all about my great new life.  It’s been a while since you’ve been updated on me and that needs to be corrected! My forever parents told me it was my one-year adopt-aversary this weekend – wow, I can’t believe it’s been a year already.

First, the boring stuff about my health.  Yes, even with megaesophagus, my health report is boring, which means I am doing great!  I do have a “regurge” from time to time but no sign of any aspiration or pneumonia, knock on wood.  My mom sometimes tells me that I’ve had a run of many days or weeks with no issues, but then out of the blue it will happen.  With my special chair, special food prep, and some good medicine, though, I really am doing well.  I’ve added some weight and my fur is sleek and shiny. 

My life is so fun!  Mostly I play with my big bro Laser and he is a great big brother.  We run around the house like crazy dogs and chase and I steal his toys right out of his mouth and we wrestle and go on walks..it’s all good!  We get along like we were meant to be best buds.  Dad takes us to a place called Doggy Daycare for a half-day, twice a week, and we can really romp and stomp when we’re there!

My mom and I went to something called ‘basic obedience’ class in the spring.  I did OK once I figured out I was not supposed to bark at all the other dogs for the entire class.  Mom tells me I’m pretty well-behaved, but she was hoping that I would get a little easier to walk on my leash.  I have to admit I’m kind of a wild child while walking – there are just so many things to see and try to chase, like birds, squirrels, deer…even leaves can be kind of fun!  I’m getting better, I promise!

We also spent quite a bit of time at this place called ‘the lake’ this summer.  Did you know there are birds that float in the water??? Wow, I had a blast trying to chase them and found out I am a pretty good swimmer.  Can’t say I knew I was going to have to swim when I leapt off the dock the first time…but I figured it out fast.  Mom actually had to wade way out in the lake to haul me back to shore – I think I would have swum after Mama Duck forever!!

All in all, it’s been a terrific year.  I am happy, happy, happy and am so glad RAGOM helped me find my way to my forever family.  I may not be a golden retriever, so I know the rules had to bend a little for me, but my forever people and I are so grateful they did.  Uh oh, I think I’m getting kicked off the keyboard…talk to you again later!

I guess Gracie has told the story of her first year with us pretty well.  We are so happy we brought her into our family.  She has this joyful approach to life that is truly infectious!  If you ever think you might be able to bring a dog with some special needs into your home and your heart – we have to say it has been so worth it!  Yes, she requires some extra care and yes, there are some times we have some extra work, but the bond we have with her is extraordinary.  She needed us, and now we know how much we needed her.

Blessings of the season to everyone in RAGOM-land!

Robby, Rich, Laser, and Gracie

Saturday, January 28, 2017

Gracie joined our family on a snowy day in December.  Once she arrived at our home, she met our resident dog Laser nicely, explored a bit, and then the races began!  She and Laser have become great play buddies, but I have to admit that she is one of the most sneaky toy thieves I have ever seen.  Laser is very tolerant of what I call her "drive-by toy snatches" right out of his mouth.  They have a good time together, sometimes chasing each other through the house like crazy dogs and sometimes just chillin'. 

Gracie was born with a physical issue called megaesophagus, meaning her esophagus does not move food into her stomach efficiently.  Gracie's condition is on the mild end of the spectrum but still requires a few special adjustments to her feeding regimen.  Fortunately for us, Jen S., Gracie's wonderful foster mom, had done a lot of hard work in figuring out exactly what that regimen should be.  We have just kept it going and Gracie is doing well and gradually putting on a little needed weight.   Gracie eats in her special "Bailey" chair like a champ and we are grateful to the RAGOM donors who made the purchase of this custom-made chair possible.

Dogs like Gracie with megaesophagus run the risk that food / water that does not make it all the way to the stomach is regurgitated and accidentally aspirated into the lungs.  This can lead to aspiration pneumonia which of course can be extremely serious.   Gracie has an occasional "regurg" following an energetic play session or when she is over-excited, so we keep a close eye on her.  So far she is doing well health-wise.

After the holidays, we decided to give Gracie a chance to try out some doggie day care with Laser.  This picture was taken on her second visit...do you think she likes it???

Gracie has been with us now for seven weeks and we are so happy to have her.  If I didn't already like her name Gracie I would have renamed her "Sunny" because she is like a ray of sunshine in our lives.  She is well worth the extra effort she requires.  I was struck by her when I first read her initial web page and even though I didn't think I was looking for a yellow lab, I could not get her out of my mind.  So, I began researching her condition and gradually became convinced that we could provide her forever home.  Fortunately her foster mom agreed!  We are grateful to RAGOM for all the medical care and tests she received while in foster care and for bringing her into the RAGOM family in the first place.  Also for all the conversations, support, and information we received from her foster mom.

Today we observed her first birthday with a little celebration.  Gracie can't have treats but she got a couple of new toys and the party hats came out! Many dogs with megaesophagus never make it to their first birthday and sometimes vets just advise their owners to put the dogs down because they can be so much work.  Fortunately, Gracie is thriving!  We hope to celebrate many more birthdays with her.

Thanks to everyone in RAGOM for all that you do.

Robby, Rich, Laser, and Gracie

Friday, December 30, 2016

Wow - Gracie loves the new holiday icons on her page.  She sends a special bark and kisses to Regina for her generous donation towards her care!!  
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Gracie got the best Christmas present anyone could ask for...a new home!!  Miss Gracie was adopted a couple weeks ago by a wonderful couple.  She is lucky enough to enjoy another furry canine sibling and a few felines as well in her new home.  As her foster family, we are blessed to be able to have helped her on her journey and help her find her adoptive parents.  Yipee!!  Although we miss that girl a lot, we are thankful that RAGOM took her in, despite her medical needs and the fact that she wasn't a pure-bred Golden.  However she is definitely Golden at heart!!  A special thank you to Lakeside Companion Animal Clinic in their help with all her care, to the many RAGOM volunteers who helped with her in various ways and to all the donations that helped cover her medical care and her special chair.

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Sunday, November 20, 2016

What a week!!  My foster mom and dad both teach and on Friday they stayed home all day with us instead of going to work.  Something about a BLIZZARD and not being able to see anything.  Not quite sure what that all was all about, but I know I sure liked having the whole family home on a normal work day.  I went outside and guess what?!  There was this white stuff all around and I kind of went crazy!!  I was SO excited!!  I started leaping up high in the air and jumping in it.  Foster mom started laughing really hard.  Now I am more used to the snow, but I still like to run and play in it!!
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This afternoon I went outside with my human foster siblings and ran around for a bit. Again, I had a blast!  
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In the spirit of Thanksgiving, all the siblings in my foster family are required to make a list of 10 things they are thankful for, so they always remember to appreciate the simple things in life.  Here is the list I wrote: I am thankful for:surrendering owners who know their dogs deserve the besta warm and cozy bed to sleep insparkly snow to play infoster kids who play with memedical care for everything I needfoster familiespeople who adoptRAGOMfriendly, hard-working, passionate rescue volunteersdonors who make all of this possible
That is what I am thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!
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Saturday, October 29, 2016

Wow...I sure have been having fun lately and am developing a couple of special talents.

Tree climber - yep, you read that correctly!  I climb trees.  Okay, before I brag too much, the trees might have to be about 3 feet from the ground, with a landing platform.  Also, having another dog along to show me what to do also helps.  Monkey see, monkey do!  Or in this case, doggy see, doggy do!  Regardless, I can climb trees.
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Antler holder - yes, you read that correctly, too.  You might be asking yourself what is so special about being an "antler holder", because all dogs carry around bones, which are pretty similar to an antler.  This is where I am special...I hold them when I am sleeping.
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Well, I am off to learning more and having fun!  Hope you keep following my story.

Tuesday, October 25, 2016

Gracie continues to do well and was very lucky to go on a short vacation to the suburbs this past weekend.  To her it seemed like a big city, because she is used to being a country girl in rural, small-town Minnesota.  A special thank you to the foster home that took her in for the extended weekend with open arms, as well as the volunteers that helped with transport.  Gracie told me all about her time there and how much she enjoyed meeting some new people and new doggy friends.  She could barely keep her eyes open in my car for the rest of the ride home.

There isn't anything new medically to report with Gracie.  We have learned that at this time, there is not a medical procedure that can fix or cure her megaesophagus condition.  Gracie is looking forward to living a long and healthy life, with a few daily "tweaks" to her routine.  We have found a routine that works for her and our family that keeps her healthy and is easy to manage for us.  Gracie is healthy in all other ways and enjoys being the young dog she is.  She plays just like other dogs her age and just wants to please her humans.  Gracie...super sweet and incredibly smart!

Gracie has been working hard at walking on a Gentle Leader and is getting much better.  She loves her walks and being able to be out and about, exploring and taking in all the smells!!

As her foster family, we would like to give a heartfelt thank you to all the RAGOM volunteers who have generously donated money towards the purchase of a "Bailey Chair" for Gracie.  She came into RAGOM with a wonderfully built standing chair, but she is outgrowing it now and is ready for a chair that she can sit and relax in while she eats.  We can't wait for it to arrive!
One of Gracie's favorite things to do is to PLAY.  She plays fetch, tug, how many toys can I hold in my mouth at one time, soccer (paws around a tennis ball while another toy is in her mouth), bitey face (playing with my resident dog) and tackle tennis (wrestling with my resident dogs).  During all of this play, she is extremely well rounded and picks up on any signals from her canine friends when they have had enough or they want to stop.  However, she is still learning what it means in the house when foster mom says, "Gracie, that is enough playing!"  I mean, really, can a girl really ever play too much?!
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Thursday, October 6, 2016

Hi everyone!  If you are here and reading my story, I thank you for taking time to stop by and learning about me.  I am living in this really fantastic foster home and have a lot of fun times playing with their two resident dogs, Milo and Roxy.  We have a blast playing tug and teasing each other with toys.  Okay, okay, yes, sometimes we get a little carried away and may have ripped the mouth out of a shark or the head off a bear.  And yes, I may also have had some fun trying to sneak out an empty toilet paper roll past my foster mom, but she caught me...every...time!!

It is SO hard trying to learn to be good inside the house all the time.  I am trying really hard and my foster family keeps telling me what a sweet and smart girl I am.  I guess we are all a little rough around the edges and need some tuning up!  Snuggling on my couch is one of my favorite things, so sometimes I run and jump over my humans, to get on the couch, just a bit too excitedly and am told to "calm down".  I also like to put a gentle paw up on the counter to check things out up there.  I smell many good smells on the counters.  I don't know why everyone is always telling me "off" as soon as that paw touches.  Oh well!

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The good news is that I ALWAYS go outside to do my business and LOVE to run and play in a fenced in yard.  My foster mom keeps trying to "bring me on a walk".  Well, let me tell you, I am used to running free in the country and not using these things called leashes.  I am a bit of a work in progress and am learning quickly!

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I have been really good going into my special feeding chair in the morning and at night.  I eat about 1 1/2 cups of dry food soaked in 2 cups of water.  This sits on the counter calling my name for about 20 minutes before they give it to me.  It is so long!!  There are a few medications that I also now get in my food.  They help so I don't have acid reflux, especially when my tummy is empty and so my esophagus stays coated and happy.  I have been having a little of problem with regurgitating the water that I drink, but it seems to be a bit better now with the medicines.  I do need to sit in the chair after I eat for about 10-15 minutes to let my food go down into my stomach.

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I have had a really busy week at the vet.  I was spayed and have been doing all kinds of tests to figure out if there is anything that can be done to help lessen my megaesophagus...whatever that is.  As you know, a lot of times, one test leads to another one, just to make sure we get all the information we can.  I am pretty sure I owe hundreds of dollars at the vet and am trying to come up with a side job to pay off all those bills.  I am SO glad they are helping me out and doing all they can.  I am definitely forever grateful to RAGOM.  If there is anyway you can donate just a little bit to RAGOM in my name to help cover some of my costs, I would be "over the moon" happy about that!!  Every dollar helps, that is for sure!!  Thank you for reading this far. I hope you have a great day!!  Love, Gracie

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Saturday, October 1, 2016

Gracie is an 8 month-old purebred, Yellow Lab.  She was lovingly surrendered to RAGOM because she was born with a condition called megaesophagus.  The owners were planning to train her as a hunting dog and she was currently living in an outdoor kennel.  Because of Gracie's condition, they knew she needed to be inside to stay healthy.  They loved and adored Gracie and we thank them for their selfless act of giving her the chance at the best life possible.

Megaesophagus (ME) is a condition where the esophagus is enlarged and the muscles that normally push food down don't work properly.  Thankfully in Gracie's case, it doesn't seem to affect her too much as long as a couple of adaptions are made for her.  She has a mild case of ME and it is easily managed through modified feedings and an elevated water bowl.  Right now, Gracie needs to be upright when she eats.  We use a special chair made for her where she stands and has her food in front of her while she eats.  This makes it easier for the food to work its way down her esophagus.  She eats pretty quickly and then hangs out in the chair for about 10 minutes.  Gracie is great about this and it has been easy for us to do.  We also try to get her to relax after eating and not play and run.  However, this is easier said than done for an 8 month old Lab.  She seems to love to play right after she eats.  The great news is that in the last week she has been with us, she has not regurgitated her food at all. 

Gracie is in perfect health otherwise.  Lean, strong and all of her blood-work looks great.  She has been brought up to date in all her vaccinations and will be spayed this week.  Gracie also did a couple other tests to determine the extent of her ME and see if anything further could be done to correct it. We are waiting for all the results on that. 

Gracie gets along beautifully with our dogs and is excelled at reading doggy language.  She LOVES to play, but also listens when our dogs tell her it is enough.  Our resident cat and foster kittens love Gracie as well; and the feeling is mutual.

Gracie is one of the smartest dogs we have had as a foster.  She knows "sit" like a pro and will sit anywhere, anytime you say it.  She had previously been trained with a whistle to sit when she was off leash and the whistle was blown.  Gracie also knows "heel" pretty well and we use that on a walk when she pulls too hard.  We taught her to "pretty sit" and "hug" in two days . Gracie is also 100% house trained and hasn't had an accident at all during her time with us.  She goes to the door and does a little whine when she really needs to go outside.  Gracie is crate trained and goes into her crate like a pro when we go to work.  She gives a couple whines at first and then is perfectly quiet in her crate. 

Gracie is a young, energetic puppy still, although she weighs about 50 pounds and should be about full grown.  She does need some work on her leash walking skills, but we are working on that every day.  Gracie is smart and wants to please, so she will catch on quickly to anything she is taught.

Gracie smiles constantly and would love to share that smile with a family of her own.  If you are interested in learning more about Gracie and talking to her foster family, please contact RAGOM.

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