Sponsored by:
Mary and Carl
Anonymous
"In loving memory of Geppetto's friend, Walter 16-071TD"
| In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date Posted | Fence | Kid Friendly | Another Dog | Cat Friendly | |
| 4/11/16 | Optional | Yes | Required | No! | |
| This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog. | |||||
|
Adoption fee: $600 |
Please welcome to America....Geppetto!
Geppetto was named after Pinocchio's kindly old puppet-maker, but we're the ones he's got on a string.
We have fallen hard for this senior gentleman, who showed up one day at the gate of a Turkish volunteer who lives near Ayvalik, a town on the Aegean Sea. Geppetto had clearly been neglected. His coat was caked with mud, and ropey mats hung miserably from his tail and hindquarters. He'd suffered so long from a chronic ear infection that draining fluids had formed their own horrible mats alongside his throat. When we took him to the vet, we expected to hear the worst.
But surprise -- Geppetto's blood work showed an unexpectedly healthy dog. Though his rough appearance suggested a dog of 12 years or more, his blood work pointed to an age closer to 8. As Geppetto remained at the vet so his poor ear could receive professional treatment, Turkish volunteers searched for his owner -- with no success. Geppetto was homeless.
Then we posted his photos and story on the RAGOM volunteer Facebook page, and people fell in love. "He's a red Golden," everyone said. "He's Golden for sure."
Maybe, maybe not. But RAGOM has rallied around him, so he's a Golden now. He has come to America, where he can receive the best treatment -- or possibly surgery -- for his ear. We'll find Geppetto a home of his own, with a family who will love him, and he will quickly forget how he was once so neglected.
As with all labors of love, we rely solely on donations to bring these sweet souls into RAGOM and pay for their vet bills. Geppetto would so appreciate your generous sponsorship or donation in any amount. Thank you! His status will remain as "unavailable" until we sort out a few medical issues. Please watch G's page for his next update to be posted after a visit to the vet.
| Mixed Breed | Born: March 2008 |
| Male | Weight not specified |
Status: Deceased
Sponsored by:
Mary and Carl
Anonymous
"In loving memory of Geppetto's friend, Walter 16-071TD"
| In addition to LOVE this dog has the following requirements: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date Posted | Fence | Kid Friendly | Another Dog | Cat Friendly | |
| 4/11/16 | Optional | Yes | Required | No! | |
| This is the most recent information available; however, it may change as we learn more about the dog. | |||||
|
Adoption fee: $600 |
Please welcome to America....Geppetto!
Geppetto was named after Pinocchio's kindly old puppet-maker, but we're the ones he's got on a string.
We have fallen hard for this senior gentleman, who showed up one day at the gate of a Turkish volunteer who lives near Ayvalik, a town on the Aegean Sea. Geppetto had clearly been neglected. His coat was caked with mud, and ropey mats hung miserably from his tail and hindquarters. He'd suffered so long from a chronic ear infection that draining fluids had formed their own horrible mats alongside his throat. When we took him to the vet, we expected to hear the worst.
But surprise -- Geppetto's blood work showed an unexpectedly healthy dog. Though his rough appearance suggested a dog of 12 years or more, his blood work pointed to an age closer to 8. As Geppetto remained at the vet so his poor ear could receive professional treatment, Turkish volunteers searched for his owner -- with no success. Geppetto was homeless.
Then we posted his photos and story on the RAGOM volunteer Facebook page, and people fell in love. "He's a red Golden," everyone said. "He's Golden for sure."
Maybe, maybe not. But RAGOM has rallied around him, so he's a Golden now. He has come to America, where he can receive the best treatment -- or possibly surgery -- for his ear. We'll find Geppetto a home of his own, with a family who will love him, and he will quickly forget how he was once so neglected.
As with all labors of love, we rely solely on donations to bring these sweet souls into RAGOM and pay for their vet bills. Geppetto would so appreciate your generous sponsorship or donation in any amount. Thank you! His status will remain as "unavailable" until we sort out a few medical issues. Please watch G's page for his next update to be posted after a visit to the vet.
Hello everyone! Mr. G has been home with us since July 16th and is doing great! He recently went through his dental surgery and had 18 teeth pulled! That has not slowed him down one bit! He eats like a horse!
He is getting better and better each day with climbing the 4 stairs leading up to our house and has even started jogging through the yard! He gets along wonderfully with our other dogs Tommy and Lady 14-153.
We can't wait to see everyone at Goldzilla!
It is with great pride that I announce that sweet Geppetto has found his forever home! He has the best new Mom and Dad that anyone could hope for, along with 2 human siblings who he already adores, and 2 resident pups (including beautiful Lady, who was adopted from RAGOM in 2014), that I'm sure will become the best friends he has ever had. This family has followed his journey for a very long time, and patiently waited for him to become available. I had no doubt all along that they were the ones for him, and couldn't be happier that he is finally in his forever home.
Geppetto's journey has been unlike any that I have experienced before as a foster. We were all drawn into his story from the very get go, when we received that utterly dejected picture of him, standing outside the gate of his soon-to-be rescuer's home. A volunteer of ours was over there to capture the story of the Turkey dogs, and her incredible early pictures of him - alone, lost, so very sad, and so very thin - found their way into all of our brains and hearts. And then he was here, and the RAGOM village literally sprang to life to save him. For those of you who have followed his story, along with his pictures above, save him we all did, and it was a journey well worth it.
My "job" in RAGOM is to help find fosters for our incoming dogs, and many a time I have said that it takes a village to find our dogs their forever homes. This was never more true than in the case of Geppetto. So many people brought him to where he is today: his incredible rescuers in Turkey; the flight volunteers who brought him to Chicago; the transporters who drove him from Chicago to the Twin Cities; the numerous volunteers who jumped to action to when he arrived at the RAGOM office to give him the care and love he needed; the numerous vets involved in his care - abroad, and in the Twin Cities; the numerous sponsors and donators who helped pay for his very expensive medical care; a special foster who gave him a wonderful summer vacation at her cabin so that he could experience being "up north"; another special foster who willingly jumped in to facilitate his adoption in ND, as she had done when they previously adopted; the transporters who immediately volunteered to help transport him to ND and enjoyed every step of the way with him; his incredible first foster mom who would have kept him but for her cat, but continued to love and care for him every chance she got; and last, but most certainly not least, his very special forever family, who will love and care for him for the rest of his days. I truly apologize if I forgot to list someone involved in G's care, but know that he has not.
I love this boy with all my heart, and miss him more than words can say, but he is where he is supposed to be, and things simply don't get any better than that. His family has already been updating him on our Facebook Adopters page, and I know they'll update this bio as well. I am overjoyed to announce that they will also be coming to Goldzilla in September, and they too will then see the outpouring of love that greets G every time he appears.
Congratulations to the "N" family - may you enjoy this wonderful and special boy as much as we all have! Until we meet again, I'd love to share these beautiful pictures taken by Mary K., on the day of his adoption - thank you so very much, as you captured every single emotion of that day!
Have you heard? It's my adoption day!!
Let me know when the doorbell rings!
Getting to know each other!
My furever Dad!
My furever Mom!
Going HOME!!
C'mon, let's go!
Thanks for everything, RAGOM! See you at Goldzilla!
Such a long day, I'm ready for a nap.
Hello, G fans!
In keeping with Minnesota tradition, Geppetto has traveled "up north" to celebrate the 4th of July. Many thanks to FM Jean for letting G hang out with the S family at their little slice of Heaven! If G were to publish his memoirs, this chapter would be entitled "What I Did On My Summer Vacation". Below is his photo diary of the week's experiences so far.
When G returns home from his whirlwind vacation, he's scheduled for a dental on Wednesday, July 6th. No more toothaches for this sweet boy, and his pearly whites will no doubt impress the family who has been so patiently waiting to officially meet him and make him a member of their family! Stay tuned for G's next chapter.
Fairy tales do come true, it can happen to you....
Loving all the new smells; Doing his daily steps to strengthen those hips 
Catching some Z's on a beautiful day; Sampling peanuts for the first time (Please, may I have one more?) 
Checking out the lake and boat; No swimming yet, but G walked right in up to his chest 
Chilling by the fire; Took my resident dog Baylee for a run tonight & when I got back this is where I found G 
Getting some morning love from Great Grandma; G and his friends napping on a lazy day
Happy Spring! Welcome to your new life in America, Geppetto. You are already loved by many. From Debbie and Smoozer
Happy Spring, Geppetto! From Wendy Wright
Happy Spring! So happy you made it to America Geppetto. I hope you get a forever home real soon! :) From: Erin Dindinger
Happy Spring, Geppetto! In honor of Ruby who crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 6/3/16. From Kathy Wellcome
We'd first like to start this update by extending our deepest gratitude to G's newest sponsor, who gave to him "in loving memory of his friend, Walter 16-071TD." That brought me to tears, and if G could cry, he would too. Walter was a very special dog, and he touched the hearts of oh so many people. We love you, Walter, and our thoughts are with your fosters who loved you so very much. Geppetto is proud to have been honored in such a way - thank you to his anonymous sponsor.
So, we have a lot of ground to cover in this update. Geppetto had an appointment with his vet again this past week, to see where we were standing on his remaining medical issues:
(1) His GI issues FINALLY seem to be under control (paws crossed). He is doing well on kibble, with small amounts still of burger/rice, but that should be done soon. He is also enjoying some non-prescription limited ingredient canned food mixed in with that, which we are mainly using to cover up his pills. His co-foster mom and dad made him some homemade sweet potato crisps, which he absolutely loves, along with some pumpkin treats made by another foster. All of these are great for his digestion, and we will continue with them for as long as he is with us. He is up to 41.7#, and the vet now feels his best weight would be around 42.5#. He remains just a tiny thing, but he's becoming so much stronger!
(2) For his arthritis, he will continue 1 1/2 tramadol twice per day indefinitely for pain. His vet added a small dose of Deramaxx (an anti-inflammatory), and wants us to start him on Glucosamine as well. He will not be placed on fish oil, at least at the present time, as that could create havoc with his digestive system again. In order to remain strong and healthy, he will need to remain on some form of these medications, remain lean, and continue to exercise to tolerance. We are slowly increasing his walks, and he is just thriving with them.
(3) And just when you thought we were all done....he needs to have some dental work done! He will get x-rays and have at least one tooth pulled, maybe more, but we won't know that until the time of surgery. This has all been approved, but we are just waiting to determine the location, and hopefully it will get handled in the very near future for him. After all he's gone through, I don't anticipate him having much trouble recovering from this procedure.
We've spent a whole lot of time on his medical issues, which of course have been huge, and I do want to again thank all the wonderful people who have donated on his behalf. We couldn't do it without you, so thank you so very much for your generosity. But I do also want to talk just a bit about Geppetto in the home, before I close out this update. He is truly one of the easiest fosters I've ever had in terms of temperament. He is sweet, gentle, loving, and just wants to be around his people and dog friends. He absolutely adores children, and it makes me smile thinking that somewhere in his past, a sweet child was probably kind to him. He loves his walks, he loves to cuddle, he loves to eat his treats, and maybe beyond all else, he loves to nap! He's a very quiet dog, and I've only heard him bark a few times. He is deaf, as we've mentioned before, so care will always need to be taken not to startle him. I'm not sure how well he can do on stairs, as we've never pushed it, other than the few in and out of our house. Frankly, I'm not sure if the issue is arthritis, or unfamiliarity with stairs, or maybe a combination of both. It just has never been an issue in our home, as our dogs all sleep sprawled around the main floor on dog beds, and he has just joined in. He has not had accidents in our house, and is on a fairly regular schedule of going outside, instead of the every few hours it needed to be when his digestive system wasn't operating properly. I still don't think he'd be able to go an entire work day without going out at some point during the day, and he does need to go out fairly shortly after his meals. He sleeps soundly through the night with no issues, and often wants to sleep in longer than we let him. He does not need to be crated, but crates beautifully if you feel that it's something you want or need to use. Finally, he does have one interesting habit that I haven't quite figured out. He is not wild about going potty in our yard, and we've found that it's easier and much faster to just take him on a quick jaunt down the street - and then he goes immediately. I have no idea what in his background caused this, and what might be done to change it, but wanted potential families to at least be aware that that is what he is doing at this point!
Geppetto has come such a long way, and it's been one of the most incredible journeys that I have been on with a foster dog. When I first saw him at our offices the day he came in, he was literally a huddled up, painful little mass of a dog. He made us all hurt looking at him, and there was barely a spark of life in his beautiful eyes. But that spark was enough, and his will was strong. With the love and care of a lot of volunteers, vets, and groomers, he has turned into one beautiful, amazing dog. With that, though he can't go home until after his dental surgery is performed, Geppetto would like to announce that he is now available for adoption!
First off, we would like to extend our thanks to Pet Salon Bark Avenue in Burnsville for graciously donating their services to give our boy a much needed full grooming. They did an amazing job on him, and I can't thank them enough for their gentle and loving care of him. He is absolutely stunning, and the difference between G now, and when he was first found all those months ago, is enough to bring tears to my eyes. 
My "after" pictures...aka Canine Extreme Makeover
My "before" picture...but on my way to a better life
So as he inches closer to becoming available, I thought I'd give you all an update as to where he medically is now. His sutures have all been removed, and all incisions have healed beautifully. He has literally been on different antibiotics since he came into our care, and I am thrilled to announce that his last day of those is today! We think the antibiotics have contributed to the ongoing diarrhea/loose stool issues that he has had, so are as happy as can be that those will be out of his system. His most recent fecal was also negative, so it appears we have finally caught up with the bugs that were in this poor boy's system. Due to these issues, as well as the fact he really did not want to eat when he came into our care, he has been primarily on a bland diet of burger and rice this entire time. Prescription canned food was slowly added to that, and we now have been slowly replacing this mix with normal kibble. He not only is tolerating it well, but now rushes for his food bowl along with his foster siblings. I think care will need to be taken with his diet for some time to come, with avoidance of rich or "people" food, too many changes in his diet, or too many different types of treats. He absolutely loves little Charlee Bears, especially the new blueberry/bacon recipe given to him by volunteer Kathy G. at the meet and greet last weekend - thank you so much!
Next up, we will be addressing with the vet the arthritis in his back end. He has been on Tramadol since he came into our care, and more than likely will remain on this and/or possibly a different medication, as well as supplements such as glucosamine and fish oil. It will also be important that he stay relatively lean (which he is!) and get appropriate exercise to strengthen his muscles. He is currently 41# and the vet has said an ideal weight would be around 44-45#. He is completely enjoying his walks these days, and we are happily increasing these to his tolerance. His forever family will need to be committed to continuing to follow whatever regimen is determined for him in this regard, so that he remains healthy and comfortable for years to come.
G did attend a meet and greet in Coon Rapids this past weekend, and we will post some fun pictures from that, as soon as they become available. He did an awesome job meeting people and dogs, and we'd like to thank everyone who came out to meet him, as well as the other RAGOM dogs at the event. We had some terrific conversations with people, and I just love how interested people are in G's story! Thank you for following him, and check back soon for additional updates!
Geppetto here! Since I'm feeling a whole lot better these days, Foster Mom said I could try my paw at writing an update! If I don't say so myself, I've gotten a rather good grip on this English language stuff over the past several weeks.
First off, I received the biopsy results back from my surgeries and guess what - no cancer!! That being said, my ear was pretty gross (like I didn't know that). Here is what the good Dr. R said about my ear: "Wicked, chronic, irreversible infection with tissue reaction with likely foreign body (plant material, grass awn, etc.) as the instigator." What?? I had a plant stuck in my ear? Though it's kind of gross, I thought you might want to see what my ear used to look like before I came into RAGOM's care. I'm feeling so much better now, and I really want to thank Dr. R for getting that thing out of there. 
Next, since I'm a big boy, I get to start making some of my own decisions as to what will be okay for me in my forever home. Though we previously thought I should only have grown-up kids, I'd really be okay with kids of any age. When I stayed overnight with another neat Foster Mom, I absolutely LOVED the 4 year old girl in that house, and had a whole lot of fun following her around. (If she'd had sticky hands, that would have been even better!) What's important for my potential family to know, however, is that I won't be anyone's running partner or wrestling mate. Kids and grown ups will need to be gentle with me, and always remember to be careful not to startle me, since I can't hear.
Finally, I will be okay without a fence in my forever home, as long as I'm on a leash or tie-out when outside, to keep me safe. If I decide to wander, I can't hear you if you try to call me back, so please know that you'll always have to make sure that I can't go anywhere. For the same reason, an invisible fence just isn't going to work for me, as I'm not going to be able to hear the little beeps that manage to keep my foster siblings safe and within our yard. 
Well, that's it for my first update, and I hope FM lets me do another one soon! I get my stitches out this week and will also be able to ditch the dreaded cone, so check back soon for the new and improved me!
Lots of love, G
Geppetto had a wonderful time at last Saturday's Chuck & Don's Meet and Greet in Shakopee. Since he was the only actual RAGOM foster dog in attendance, he cheerfully took it upon himself to be our official greeter. Here he is anticipating being loved on by some new arrivals.
In this photo, he's with one of his new BFF's, Scott, a wonderful RAGOM volunteer who probably has as many miles transporting RAGOM dogs as Geppetto racked up on his frequent flyer account when coming to America!
Sweet G seems to be feeling better today and has decided he'd like to attend the meet and greet at Chuck & Don's tomorrow. We'll try to be there by 12:00 and stay as long as he's able. Hope to see you there!
Geppetto underwent all of his procedures this past Monday , including total ear canal ablation with lateral bulla osteotomy, mass excisions on his rear and toe, and neutering. His ear surgery was particularly extensive, and he unfortunately isn't feeling very well at the moment. He did finally start eating again on Wednesday , and we have been able to get all of his medications into him with no issue. He is sleeping a lot, which is the best thing for him at this point in time.
Though I wish with my whole heart that he was feeling better, I know this is truly the beginning of his new life, and nothing but positive things are left to come for this incredibly sweet boy. As soon as he is able, we will start bringing him to events again, as there is nothing that he enjoys more than the attention of people and other dogs. I don't understand how a boy that has gone through so much can be so loving and so trusting, but he truly is one amazing little dog. We are blessed to have him in our home at this point in time, and we will do everything we can to help him get through this part of his life. He'll be spending the weekend with his other foster mom, so check back soon for additional updates!
Handsome Geppetto attended the Turkey Dog Fundraiser in Rochester last weekend, and had an awesome time greeting all the people and other dogs. He might have a differing opinion, however, as to how much fun his pre-event bath was! Thanks so very much to those who came out to visit, and to all the volunteers who made this wonderful event possible!
Geppetto did see our specialist this past Mond ay, but his surgery was delayed due to an emergency with another RAGOM pup. However, he is scheduled to return this upcoming Monday, May 16 th, and his primary surgery will be total ear canal ablation surgery on the left. He also needs to be neutered, and has foot, perianal, and a possible testicular mass that need to be removed. Given the extent of the ear surgery, I'm not really sure what all will be performed on that date, and will keep you posted. As you can tell, he has a whole lot going on in that little body of his, and he has quite the recovery period ahead of him, so we'd really appreciate your healing thoughts and prayers in the upcoming weeks.
I'm starting to get a feel for what this sweetheart deserves in his forever home, and will talk about all of that very soon. In the meantime, I'd love to share a clip of what happened yesterday when we were all outside. Sweet G has been completely silent at our house, and I've been waiting and waiting for him to start coming out of his shell. Yesterday, everyone started barking at some unknown threat, and yes, finally - an unfamiliar but very sweet bark joined the fray. I laughed and cried, and pretty much turned into a puddle when he added some sweet tail wags to his tough guy act. I apologize for the blurriness of the clip, but please enjoy this sweet boy's emerging personality as much as we do!!
Best supervisor a FM could ask for!
My wish for you, little one, is that tomorrow's surgery (if it comes to be) gives you the gift of being able to hear. Able to hear me tell you you're such a good boy and there are only good things ahead...no more fear, no more cold & rainy nights, no more hunger or thirst. Able to hear a gentle breeze rustling through the leaves and birds singing in your backyard. But most of all, I wish for you to hear me say "I love you, Geppetto!"
Calling all Geppetto fans!! Mr. G will be making his Rochester debut this Saturday, May 7, at the Rochester Feed & Country Store (corner of Hwy 63 and Hwy 14). Join us at the Bake and Craft Sale Fundraiser being held to assist with the mounting vet bills for Geppetto and some of his friends from Turkey! He'll appreciate your pawsitive thoughts to carry him through a very tough day next Monday when he sees a specialist for the mass under his left ear and possible surgery.
And on that note, G has once again put himself down for a nap. He knows he needs to rest up for a busy few days ahead!
Geppetto has moved to his new foster home (minus cats!) in Apple Valley, and we are so thrilled to have him! This darling boy is about as sweet and gentle as they come, and has settled in without a hitch. Though we knew he needed to be without cats, it was also felt that he might really enjoy having another dog or two in his foster home, and that has definitely been the case. He is not a player, and neither frankly are my dogs, but he is completely enjoying their company, and has been following their lead in pretty much everything that happens around here. For that reason, we are now requiring another confident dog in his forever home, as I believe that will make him the happiest in the long run.
Geppetto is really enjoying his walks with his new friends, and has greeted every dog in the neighborhood appropriately, whether they be large or small. His endurance still isn't the greatest, though he does appear to be getting stronger, so we are currently doing smaller walks several times per day. Often when we get home, he decides it is time to take a little rest, and we have been amused to no end when he "puts himself down for a nap" in his wide open kennel.
Medically, our little man still has a ways to go, but he is definitely showing improvement. He has an appointment with our specialist this upcoming Monday 5/9 , and I will update everyone as soon as I can after that. He will need surgery on his ear, as well as having the mass beneath it removed. He needs to be neutered, and also needs a mass on his back end and a mass on his little foot removed. It is uncertain whether this will or can be done all at once, as it would be a lot for him to go through, so it will still be some time before he is available for adoption. I'd really appreciate it if you'd all keep him in your thoughts as he continues to go through his healing process.
Geppetto was at an event this past weekend attended by many of our past and current Turkey dogs, and his appeal was absolutely undeniable. He really loves people, and shyly wagged his tail for everyone who came to greet him. After all the attention and treats (thank you!!), he decided a good nap was in order once he got home, but this time, he just decided to curl up on the nearest comfy blanket he could find.
"G" will be spending the weekend with his co-foster mom as we are going out of town, and I know she can hardly wait to have him back. I'm guessing Cecil the cat doesn't feel the same, but hopefully he will understand that we need a safe and comforting place for our boy to be. I would give anything to know this boy's past, to picture where he has been, and perhaps most of all, to understand how he came to be so alone. But that is not to be, and all we can do now is give him our love, as well as the best that life has to offer for a RAGOM dog, and I know that his co-foster mom and I will do everything possible to give him what he deserves. Check back for further updates as I think his will be an ever-changing story!
Mr. Geppetto went to the vet last Friday for a re-check of his ears and received good news! His right ear infection is all cleared up and his left ear is much better. Dr. G has cleared Geppetto to be neutered (and possibly remove the mass under his left ear and a tumor on his cute little hiney), even though he hasn't reached 42 lbs yet. He's much stronger than he was 2 weeks ago and he has much less swelling in his left ear, so hopefully his surgery with the specialist can be scheduled soon and he'll be a few steps closer to interviewing a potential furever family!
Later in the day, we drove over to St. Paul to visit Bubbly Paws and G enjoyed a nice bath and blow dry - the total spaw treatment in preperation for yet another big day.
Our handsome boy gets even handsomer
That's right...as if all the excitement of a vet visit and a bath wasn't enough, the following day Geppetto attended his first Meet & Greet held at Chuck & Don's in Shakopee. We had a great turnout and G was happy to meet lots of new friends, both human and canine. It was so cute watching him as each new dog arrived - he'd start pulling on his leash to make sure I knew he needed to go meet another dog.
The one, the only, Mr. Regal himself 
Working the crowd-- Sherman 16-022 (far back)
Geppetto 16-064TD, Zoe 15-275, Ariel 16-065TD 
We took a little break and went inside to do a bit of shopping -- G scored a new halter and picked out an especially yummy chewie
After the Meet & Greet, we were feeling adventurous, so we hopped onto Highway 5 and drove out to Chanhassen. That's right, Geppetto visited Paisley Park...sort of. He and FD were pretty pooped out by then and watched from the other side of the highway while FM made the trek with the rest of the throng. Too bad G didn't come with FM, since we ran into his friend Copper 15-200 and his dad!
Because Geppetto loves the company of other dogs and we don't currently have a resident dog, G will be moving to another foster home tomorrow. There he'll have a foster brother and sister who will be happy to show him what the good life is all about...playing with toys, chewing on bones, maybe even chasing a tennis ball or two. His new FM has a few trips scheduled in the near future, so G will come back to us periodically and she and I will be able to enjoy co-fostering our little guy.
Stay tuned for more pup-dates coming soon from handsome Geppetto!
Geppetto would like to thank Erin Dindinger for the Spring icon! Your generous donation will help so much with G's many vet bills!
After getting the "spaw" treatment the day after arriving in America....
...Geppetto has settled in well after his first week in foster care. He's a quiet little fellow who, after being on his own for what appeared to be quite some time in Turkey, prefers spending his days outdoors. G is happy to nap the day away and go for 3-4 shorts walks to pass the time.
Naps are so much better when you know you're safe
G has shown no interest in toys or tennis balls, but oh, my, does he have a high prey drive! When he notices a squirrel he's all about the chase and unfortunately, this carries over when he's indoors and spies The Cat. Cecil is pretty dog savvy and loves nothing more than to teach a newbie who's boss, but when G sees him and tries to give chase, Cecil wants nothing to do with G and heads lickety-split for the nearest hidey hole. For this reason, G is always tethered or in his crate while Cecil is upstairs, or Cecil is put in our lower level behind a closed door so G is able to have some "free to roam about the cabin" time. G will definitely need a forever home with no cats!
Geppetto gets along well with other dogs and greets them appropriately, but so far doesn't feel the need to engage in playtime. Another dog won't be required to keep him happy but he may like to have another dog just for company and perhaps to show him how to have some doggy fun.
Geppetto meets Ariel 16-065TD on American soil for the first time
G hasn't been "officially" kid tested, but we meet a lot of kids on our walks and he doesn't show much interest in them...unless they're coming from the DQ and are carrying a tasty treat! He's so incredibly gentle that I think kids over the age of 10-12 would be fine, only because he's a bit fragile and shouldn't need to worry about being accidentally stepped on or bumped into. This little guy often loses his balance just lifting his leg to relieve himself :(
The vet visit was pretty much what we expected. G weighed in at 39.5 lbs and needs to be up to 42 lbs before he can be neutered, along with a couple other issues that will require anesthesia. The good news is, no HW, tick-borne diseases or worms...yay G! The not so good news is, he has infections in both ears and the left one is completely swollen shut. He also has a lump under that ear that has been draining for some time. Until the swelling goes down, Dr. G won't know if the infection and lump are related or are two separate issues (also at this time, G doesn't seem to be able to hear very well, if at all, so a physical fence is a must). He also has a tumor just under and to the left of the base of his tail which will be removed at the time of his neuter. We came home with ear drops, pain pills for his ear infections and arthritis and an antibiotic. Hopefully the vet will be able to see farther into his ear canal at his follow-up appointment on Friday. We'll keep you posted.
G loves Dr. G...and the feeling is mutual!
G has acquired quite the fan club within the RAGOM community and everyone is anxious to meet him. I'm sure that goes for the general public as well, so....mark your calendars for next Saturday, April 23rd....Geppetto will be at Chuck & Don's in Shakopee, MN from 12-2 pm, making his first public appearance in his new homeland!! We hope to see you there!