Cocoa 13-266

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Cocoa was surrendered due to lack of time and money. She was crated for up to 12 hours per day and then put on a tie-out in the evenings. She has settled in well at our home and is getting along great with my children and my resident Golden. Cocoa is so pleasant and just wants to please. I have allowed her to free roam in my house at night and she is doing fine. She is not destructive and hasn't had any accidents. When I am working (I work at home) she spends the day with my resident Golden in our fenced yard. The surrendering owner said that when she would get off her tie out she would run and set everyone on a chase so a fence would be preferred. She loves balls and is highly motivated with treats. SO said that she was a counter surfer and would dig in the garbage but I have had no problems with such behaviors. SO also had a hard time taking her on any walks because she pulls hard on the leash. Boy, she was right! I used a Gentle Leader and in 2 walks went from what felt like water skiing to a nice stroll on the parkway. It is not her favorite thing, but we are all much happier walking. She takes redirection very well and is very submissive. I gave her a bath the second day she was here and she rolled over on her belly and enjoyed the suds. It was pretty cute!

Cocoa would love a family to be loyal to. She would make a great dog for first time dog owners who would like a solid foundation intact (which she has) and could provide her with a happy routine.

At a Glance #13-266

Golden Retriever Born: July 2007
Female 65 lbs

Status: Adopted

Profile

Cocoa was surrendered due to lack of time and money. She was crated for up to 12 hours per day and then put on a tie-out in the evenings. She has settled in well at our home and is getting along great with my children and my resident Golden. Cocoa is so pleasant and just wants to please. I have allowed her to free roam in my house at night and she is doing fine. She is not destructive and hasn't had any accidents. When I am working (I work at home) she spends the day with my resident Golden in our fenced yard. The surrendering owner said that when she would get off her tie out she would run and set everyone on a chase so a fence would be preferred. She loves balls and is highly motivated with treats. SO said that she was a counter surfer and would dig in the garbage but I have had no problems with such behaviors. SO also had a hard time taking her on any walks because she pulls hard on the leash. Boy, she was right! I used a Gentle Leader and in 2 walks went from what felt like water skiing to a nice stroll on the parkway. It is not her favorite thing, but we are all much happier walking. She takes redirection very well and is very submissive. I gave her a bath the second day she was here and she rolled over on her belly and enjoyed the suds. It was pretty cute!

Cocoa would love a family to be loyal to. She would make a great dog for first time dog owners who would like a solid foundation intact (which she has) and could provide her with a happy routine.

Updates

Friday, July 8, 2016

Hi RAGOM friends!

Cocoa Puff is enjoying all that summer has to offer.  We went canoe camping with friends on the St. Croix River a couple of weeks ago.  She was such a lady in the canoe that one of our good friends remarked how he'd take her to the BWCA with him in a heartbeat... Pretty high praise coming from a veteran paddler!  

We spent the 4th of July at a friend's cabin in Ely.  Swimming and rolling in grass to her heart's content!  Oh, and chasing tennis balls - don't forget the tennis balls!  

Cocoa is still as sweet and lovable as ever.  She's the type of dog that I gladly bring with me wherever I go and she charms everyone she meets without fail.  

The not so good news is that her bone tumor is growing.  And the chemo drugs that she takes for it have started having detrimental effects on her bladder.  BUT, her pain is under control, and her vet and I (her mom) will continue to work to keep it that way.  Believe me, our kitchen counter looks like it's Cocoa's very own pharmacy!  It's 100% worth it, though, to see her prancing around in the woods or at the park - tail held high and sniffing every blade of grass she comes across!  

Cocoa is happy.  And she is loved.  So very much.  

Friday, May 29, 2015

What to say?  My honey bunny is happy and silly.  Here are some of her goofier quirks:

  • She eats the silver maple seeds in my parents yard (you know, the helicopter seeds?).. Honestly, you'd think they were treats the way she searches them out!  
  • She loves to drop her ball in the grass and then flop over onto it and roll, roll, roll on it!  
  • She has a definite "bedtime" and will head off to bed without even a second glance to see if I'm coming.  All I hear is the clip, clip, clip of her nails on the floor.
  • She is rigorous in her commitment to her morning stretches.  When we visit my parents she starts off each morning "stretching" on the floor with my dad, who delights in stretching right next to her.

Cocoa is a sweet, goofy girl.  Her health is good (knock on wood), and I find myself telling people that she's a little bit of a miracle.  When she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in February of 2014, the vet said it would be a stretch for her to last a year.  Well, here we are, a year and 3 months later, and she's still frolicking like a pup!  Again, I try not to take any day with her for granted. So there are lots of off-leash hikes, lots of swimming, lots of romping with her best friend, Luna, and best of all, lots of treats!  

In the picture she's staked out her spot on our balcony; ensuring no squirrels, bunnies, or heaven forbid, cats get too close!  

Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Cocoa is doing great! Her ACL tear has healed nicely (well, as nicely as can be expected..) And while she's still taking tramadol and the metronomic protocol for the osteosarcoma, she runs and leaps and jumps and plays like a goofy, silly, happy 8 year old Golden Girl!

She love, love, loves the snow. Every opportunity she gets she takes a snow bath! And you should see her when we go for our walks on the trail.. I let her off her leash and she just takes off! Snow flies in the air behind her.. She does her best to keep up with her best dog friend, Luna, who is half her age.. And she does pretty well.. Just tuckers out a little quicker than Lu does. Not that it stops the two of them from getting in trouble, mind you.. :)

We especially like our nighttime hikes with Luna and her mom, Jenni. Both dogs have their little lights glowing on their collars and it's so fun to watch their lights illuminating the trail in front of us.. Until they veer a little too far off the trail.. Then Jenni and I just call the girls back and laugh as we watch those orange and red lights bobbing crazily up and down through the night as they race back to us for the treats they know are sure to follow.  Good girls!

Enjoy the pictures of Cocoa and her partner in crime, Luna, taken on one of our snowy winter walks. She sends her love.

Friday, August 1, 2014

As much as I thought Cocoa loved winter (this girl is a snow bath champion! - see photo), I find she loves summer just as much.  Our girl is a SNIFFER!  We go for our on-leash walks and a turtle would pass us at the rate we walk... all because Puff has to smell literally every inch of ground that we pass.  All the better to find things to roll in, I guess.  :)

Puff is also a big fan of our off-leash trail walks.  She's pretty darn good about staying close and loves to be able to run ahead or behind at her own pace.  And, I'm happy to report, our favorite trail ends at a nice little swimming beach - and she has become quite the water dog!  A month ago I wasn't sure she'd ever be comfortable in the water – her swimming skills were atrocious and she was pretty hesitant about getting in.  Now, though, she's the first one in and she actually swims just to swim!

Overall, Cocoa is just a happy girl.  She loves her ball, her walks, her treats, and her couch (yes, she considers it hers and does her best to kick me off at least twice a day!) Cocoa loves her "G-ma and G-pa" (my parents), and life in general.  Oh, and she loves her den – if I ever wonder where she’s gone, all I have to do is peek under the kitchen table and there she is, surrounded by her most prized possessions, in her “den”.

Cocoa Puff’s health is good.  She was off of the metronomic chemo treatment for about a month as it was starting to upset her tummy a bit... but we're back on it now, and the vet is pleased with her progress.  Sometimes I have to remind myself not to take these days for granted.  She's still a sick pup, but for now, she's pain-free and happy go lucky.  (For those who aren’t familiar with Cocoa, she was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in February.)

Oh!  And did I mention that she stayed at a friend's hobby farm for a couple of days while I was working?  Boy oh boy... does she like to chase ducks and chickens!  Ha!  What can I say; she's a "bird dog".  :)

I am so proud of Cocoa Puff every time someone comments on how sweet she is, or how soft she is, how calm she is, how pretty she is, how well-behaved she is.... I don't take credit for most of it, but every time it reminds me of how lucky I am to have her. Cocoa really is a special girl.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Hello RAGOMland!

As of last week, our little Cocoa Puff is a proud graduate of Basic Obedience. But what really makes my heart swell with pride? How awesome she's done with her recall in just the past week!

As some of you may know, Cocoa is severely tempted by poop (yleck!) and she has found bird seed and suet to be to her liking as well; in the past our Cocoa Puff has been easily led astray. But using our new favorite game of "Touch!" and making sure to reward her with LOTS of treats and belly rubs, CP hasn't run off even ONCE in the last week! We've even played fetch with her favorite giant orange squeaky tennis ball at the park and while there have been temptations, Mom's always there to offer her hand for "Touch!" or to initiate a game of chase with Cocoa Puffers, and it has worked every time! And you can bet that Cocoa gets major treats when she comes back to Mom.

Honestly, I can't tell you how proud I am of her! And she is SO darn happy running through the snow, carrying her ball around with pride. And I'm so happy seeing her get exercise and playing around like a pup without worrying that she's going to take off at any second to go check out my landlord's birdfeeder! (That would be bad news bears all around!)

Cocoa still has some pretty major separation anxiety, but we're working on it. Luckily when I go back to work next week she'll be able to stay at a friend's house with his dog during the day. They get along well and Cocoa is comfortable there.

I love her to pieces. Thank you to all of our new wonderful RAGOM friends for helping us find each other!

Monday, October 28, 2013

Cocoa has been adopted. Her new mom, Michelle, is so excited to have her. Having a new Mom and a ball makes Cocoa super happy!

 

Monday, October 14, 2013

Cocoa is a 6 year old female PB Golden fostered in New Prague, MN. Cocoa was adopted and returned to RAGOM due to her becoming ill; and the cost of doctor bills was more than the family could afford. She's recovering and doing well back in foster care. She's finished her meds; she is eating regular dog food, and is always hungry. Cocoa gets along well with my yellow lab and seems to love everyone she meets.  As the earlier foster said, she pulls on a leash; but she seems to do better when walking next to my dog. We will try the Gentle Leader tomorrow--I can tell she's getting more energy. The first couple of days I kenneled her when I was gone, but now is doing fine without. She is a sweetheart. Cocoa loves to lay on pillows, and she loves to be petted.