Chance 09-408

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    -Anonymous

 

Chance is a big, beautiful, active 2-year old Golden Retriever likely mixed with Lab.  He has a large blocky head and the cutest wrinkles on his nose and face!  Chance arrived in RAGOM care skinny and in pain from a "home neuter" job, which had gotten infected.  After many trips to the vet he is now pain-free and his inner goof ball has truly started to show!
 
Although Chance came to RAGOM with some issues getting along with other dogs he has benefited greatly from 3 months of intense therapy (ie: Doggy Daycare), Chance now enjoys his playgroup sessions immensely!  See his video:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/2275ee9008b376d3f65d77610ff2490c/video/9104076
 
Chance is still learning his obedience and is a strong boy so requires someone willing to work with him on leash manners but he has come a LONG way these last months. 
 
Chance is the epitome of a rescue dog; A diamond in the rough who is already starting to shine!  Although Chance won't be available for adoption until he spends a little time in a RAGOM foster home, please let your placement advisor know if you think you have enough love and energy to really make this boy sparkle!

Chance and his friend Lucy, at doggie daycare!

Chance and Lucy playing!

 

At a Glance #09-408

Mixed Breed Born: September 2007
Male 75 lbs

Status: Deceased

Profile

    -Anonymous

 

Chance is a big, beautiful, active 2-year old Golden Retriever likely mixed with Lab.  He has a large blocky head and the cutest wrinkles on his nose and face!  Chance arrived in RAGOM care skinny and in pain from a "home neuter" job, which had gotten infected.  After many trips to the vet he is now pain-free and his inner goof ball has truly started to show!
 
Although Chance came to RAGOM with some issues getting along with other dogs he has benefited greatly from 3 months of intense therapy (ie: Doggy Daycare), Chance now enjoys his playgroup sessions immensely!  See his video:
http://sharing.theflip.com/session/2275ee9008b376d3f65d77610ff2490c/video/9104076
 
Chance is still learning his obedience and is a strong boy so requires someone willing to work with him on leash manners but he has come a LONG way these last months. 
 
Chance is the epitome of a rescue dog; A diamond in the rough who is already starting to shine!  Although Chance won't be available for adoption until he spends a little time in a RAGOM foster home, please let your placement advisor know if you think you have enough love and energy to really make this boy sparkle!

Chance and his friend Lucy, at doggie daycare!

Chance and Lucy playing!

 

Updates

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Chance continues to do wonderfully in his foster home. He is able to spend up to ten hours at home without being let outside and never has an accident.  You would think that when I do get home he would want to go outside immediately. But instead the first thought on his mind is dinner! He LOVES to eat!.  He knows the routine and is well aware that after outside time comes the chow. He will run outside to the bottom of the deck and run back in so he can get fed. After dinner is done he loves to spend some time outside. 
 
He is such a smart boy and so food motivated I am sure he could be trained with a little work.   He is fed separate from his foster brothers because he had issues initially when he was first here. I do not think that would happen anymore but routine is good for Chance so that is what we stick with..  He will go sit in his room and wait for me to feed him.   So patient he tries to be but it is so cute to  see him sit with his tail wagging so hard
 
Next to food his favorite thing is his walks.   He is such an explorer, and so happy to be able to see new places.   I usually walk him with his two foster brothers and they are all trying to be the first at every scent that he pulls some.  If I walk him by himself he does not pull nearly at all after the first block.  You have to always be ready though because if he does see a rabbit or cat the perfect walking ends.  He definitely should not go to a house with any cats. 
 
We have been spending a lot of time on a project in the back yard lately.   Chance is just happy to be out there with me, he loves to find a nice spot in the shade and just sit and watch over the neighborhood.  I have been replacing the fence and at times he has to be on a tie down in back and he is just as happy as you are out there with him.  He does like to be outside more than his foster brothers especially when it is so nice out.  When I go in his foster brothers follow me but most times I will have to call Chance in because he enjoys laying in the yard so much.
 
He is such a good dog and I would love to see him get his own home. Anyone out there looking for the perfect pal? Please contact placement. At least consider meeting him. He is well worth it
 


Exploring the changes in the backyard


Ready for my new home.....!

Sunday, July 17, 2011

What a beautiful summer day. Chance is enjoying the nice weather and is becoming more and more comfortable just lying out in the yard on his tie out. Occasionally I will have a kiddie pool out there but rarely does he go in. Once in a while just to get his feet wet.  As long as I am in his sight, he is content to take in everything around him. If I wander a few houses down he will bark to remind me that he was left behind. What a funny guy. He has gotten so good at meeting other dogs and rarely has an issue with any dog he meets. He has earned free roam of the house and still does well. Never an accident in the house even if he is left 10 hours a day. I know he gets up on the bed when I’m not home but can you blame the guy? It is the most comfortable place in the house.

He has been in foster care for almost a year now. He has come so far and is such a good dog. If I did not want to help other dogs, I would adopt him in a minute. He would make a great running partner and most certainly a good walking mate. The gentle leader or the easy walk harness has worked wonders for him. He is such a good dog with a great personality. What could it hurt just to meet him? Please give him a “CHANCE” and let your placement advisor know you would like to arrange a meet and greet. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

 

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Hey everyone Chance here. I thought I would give you an update on the happening’s here in fostercare. I love it here and can you believe that I  have been here 1 year now. WOW! Needless to say I have really settled in here. FD would tell you there were some rocky roads for a short time in the beginning (well maybe a little longer than a short time)but I am pretty much smooth sailing now. I know the routine and we all live in peaceful harmony.
 
I have a confession though. FD does not allow us to sleep on the bed. So when he is in the shower I jump up for a couple zzzzzzzz’s before I start the day. It’s not a restful sleep mind you. I have to keep one ear open for when the shower water shuts off and one eye open for when he gets out of the shower. I still enjoy it. What a cozy piece of furniture. I also do it when he is not home.  I suspect that he is playing detective though and I must remember to fluff the blankets upon departing because there just might be my body imprint in those blankets. So far I have not been caught!
 
Did I tell you how much I like kids? Especially those little ones. I know I am a big dog but when those little ones are around I am so good with them. I realize it does not take much to knock them over and I certainly would not want to scare them. When I encounter them on our walks I am so excited. I guess you could say I am a Gentle Giant!
 
And do you remember how much I love my food? Even though I now realize I will always be fed it is one of my favorite times of the day. When FD comes home from work we all have to go outside and do our business. Well let me tell you I am the quickest. I run out to the yard, take a 90 degree turn and wait to get back in. When dinner is done and my belly is full my foster brothers and I like to go back out and take a romp in the yard. I love to run in figure 8’s and my 2 foster brothers often collide with me. FD says we are playing bumper cars. He just sits on the deck and watches. I guess he feels he might get injured in our game of play. What a WUS!
 
I still love my walks but really have second thoughts about that gentle leader. However I accept it and it makes my walks much more enjoyable for you know who! That’s ok. I just want to go. I also love those car rides. Many times FD has put me in the car and not realized he had one of the windows wide open. I didn’t escape. Nor did I even try. I like a little game of chase with FD once in a while but I have it really good here and am well aware of that. If I could only talk and tell you my past. THIS LIFE IS GOOD! Thank you Ragom!
 
But now I have to tell you I really want to have my own home. Foster Dad would adopt me in a heartbeat but then he would not be able to help other dogs like me. I should probably have a fence but even if it is a 4 foot fence I won’t jump it. I occasionally like to stand up and look over it but that’s all.  If you have the time for me (and no cats) but I certainly would not mind kids, please consider me. COME ON……….. I could nestle my way into your heart just like I did FD’s. Please.. Just meet me..  I don’t go to events because that is not a good place for me to show off my good qualities. Too much stimulation I guess. Just let your placement advisor know of your interest. Can’t wait to check the email and see if any of you might give me a “CHANCE”.
 
Chance

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Chance has been having all kinds of fun around here lately.   On Easter my brother brought over his sixteen week old lab puppy.    When Winnie got here Chance was very excited to meet her, we introduced them slow and they became fast friends.  They chased each other around the back yard playing for hours.  With the smaller dog Chance would lay on his back and the puppy kept jumping at his head.   He was so gentle with Winnie and you could tell what a good time he was having.    Everyone was amazed at how calm and gentle he has become.  He still gets a little excited when meeting new people, but calms down right away.  

He loves when we’re on walks and kids come up to say hi to him.  He always goes up to them slowly and loves to get hugs from them.  I have to always be careful when kids come out to greet him because Chance is sometimes a bull in a china shop; although he has always been very gentle around the kids.  One of the kids always calls him Bear. He says his head reminds him of a big bear and he always comes up and gives Chance a big hug when I am walking the dogs. 

He also loves car rides.  Every time we walk past my car in the driveway he goes right to the door and wants to hop in.  I think it is because he loves to explore so much.  He even likes going to the vet.  He looks like one of those cartoon dogs when we take him to the vet or Chuck and Don’s.  I will be holding his leash with the gentle leader on and his legs are running 30 miles an hour on the tile floors.  He seems to be sprinting but is not really going anywhere. But he has a big grin on his face the entire time at both places. 

If you are looking for a guard dog Chance is probably not your dog.  He does like to run to the door and greet everyone, but he does not look very ferocious with his tail wagging so fast.  I have never seen him show any aggressiveness to people.  He must have lived at a house with a doorbell in the past. Whenever one goes off on the TV he runs right to the front door. 

He has been doing great getting along with all of the dogs around here, but can still have issues if another dog tries to show dominance to him.  He is not very good at turning the other cheek to dogs.  He does get along with all the female dogs he has met and does well with small dogs.  He gets along great with his foster brothers now, but should be watched and introduced properly to large male dogs.

He has come such a long way. If you would like to meet him, please let your placement advisor know.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Chance continues to shine at his foster house. He love to be outside and is just as happy as can be to lay around in the back yard. He does not seem to mind that it has not warmed up here yet. He will prance around the back yard with one of his toys in his mouth occasionally flipping it in the air and seeming to be surprised when it goes flying. He tries to catch it out of the air but misses it most times. When he is doing this he is just grinning from ear to ear. Think he could be a member of the Timberwolves?? He also loves to play tug of war with one of his Foster brothers. They can spend a half hour running around trying to take the toy from each other. He gets along great with them now, but does not get along with most large male dogs at first. He started off having issues with his Foster brothers, but now they are the best of friends. This did not happen overnight. It took weeks and weeks.

He likes it when I try to take a toy from him. He will just run circles around me just getting close enough to reach the toy and darting away before I can. He really enjoys the exercise and playing. If I really want him to drop the toy I will stand by the back door and he will walk over and let me take the toy from his mouth. He has never shown the least bit of aggression to me and I have even been able to pull food dropped on the floor from his mouth before he gets to scarf it down.

Chance had a checkup at the vet last week and he appears to be in perfect health. He did weigh in at 90 lbs and the vet seemed to think that was a healthy weight for him, as he does have a very large frame and big block head. He does fine at the vet meeting all of the new people, but is not the best with the cat at the vet. He did scare the cat when he lunged for her and got the bed down off the counter she was sleeping in. Chance didn’t get her but it is a good thing she has 9 lives!

Now that it is finally getting a little warmer out I have been walking Chance by himself. He actually has decent leash manners when he is not competing to be the first at every smell with his foster brothers. He will pull at times, when something smells too good to resist, but most of the time he is very nice to walk with. If he sees a cat or rabbit, all bets are off, he does have a very high prey drive and will pull when he sees them. Using a gentle leader or gentle harness is really necessary for him. He is also a very smart boy and if his collar is not on tight enough he does know how to back out of it. He really does deserve a home where he can get all of the attention he wants and he is not always competing with other dogs. He would do best as an only dog and probably prefers the attention he would get.

Tis the season……..RABBITS GALORE! I can guarantee you that all your gardens and shrubs will be perfect if you choose Chance. Word will spread and they will flock to your neighbors!

If interested, please let your placement advisor know. He has come such a long way and deserves to have his own forever home.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Chance continues to do well at his foster home, but he can’t wait to meet his furever family.  He has been doing very well with free roam of the house.  He does love any attention he can get and would love to not have to share the attention of one person with his two foster brothers.  He would excel in a home where he was the only dog. 
 
He does love to run around in the fresh snow and seems to be very content to be out in the back yard.   When the neighbor’s dogs bark at him, he just goes about his business or maybe plays with his foster brothers some.  He pretty much ignores the neighbor’s dogs.  He has never even tried to jump the four foot fence and with all the snow it would not be hard to do. 
 
A couple of weeks ago he met one of the neighbors yellow labs.  They did have a little rough start and I was not sure they would get along, but after they both did a little barking they seemed to get along fine.  Chance does like to be the dog in charge and I am always very careful when he meets other dogs.  He probably will never be a good dog park dog, but I cannot imagine him every showing any aggression to any people.

He does great at the vet and is just happy to please.  He loves to put his head on my bed in the morning and wake me up.  He can’t wait to get his head scratched and then to get fed.  He does get so excited when he knows it’s time to eat.  His tail is out of control and he gets the biggest grin.  He knows where his food is kept and anytime I go near that area in morning or late afternoon he gets extra happy.  He would be easy for someone to train because he is so food motivated.   Even with him being so food motivated I am able to take treats right out his mouth with no issues.  He does love his food but loves his people more.
 
He continues to love going for walks and has learned some leash manners.  He might start out pulling because he is so excited, but with a leash correction and saying his name he will start to slack. On walks he pretty much ignores other dogs, but you need to have a good grip on his leash in case he sees a cat or rabbit.
 
Chance has come such a long ways. I think he certainly is worth meeting. If you would like to, please let your placement advisor know. He was a diamond in the rough, now he’s just a gem.

 


Playing in the snow


Waiting to be fed...his tail is a blur!

 

 

Friday, January 28, 2011

It’s time to give another update on all of the progress that Chance has been making.  He continues to do well with free roam around the house and has not chewed up anything other than his pull toys in ages.  If he had his way he would go everywhere with me.  He like to stay in the same room I am in whenever I am home.  When I go out the door he always gives one bark to let me know I forgot to bring him with.  Other then the one remember me bark, he is pretty quiet.   If I do hear him bark when I am home, you can be sure there is a rabit in our back yard.  When people knock on the door he does not even bark.  He does run to the door, because he wants to greet them though.

He has learned so many manners.  He used to jump up on everyone he met, now it has been months since he jumped up on anyone.  I would say he will not do it anymore, but every time I say that he has to greet the next person he meets with a standing dog hug.  He must understand what I am saying and is showing me he has some personality.  He does keep off of the furniture and my bed, but I just know he would love to be able to jump up in both.  He could use a little more leash manners, but he is so smart I am sure he will learn them quick.  I am normally walking three dogs, so much tougher to teach them proper walking manners.  When I do walk Chance alone he does do much better. 

He is not a big fan of baths, but with a little coaxing I can get him in the tub.  Once in there, you can see he does not enjoy himself, but he puts up with it nicely.  When he is done he is a ball of energy just sprinting around the house trying to dry off.  We have not gone on as many walks lately because it was just to cold.  A couple of weeks ago, we picked up a small spaniel on our walk.  He saw us walking down the road and decide to follow all of us home.  When the dog came running up to us, Chance did not even pay attention to him, he is just so happy being out exploring.

 


I want to play in the snow!


I guess I'll take a nap...


Can I go out please!!!!

Monday, November 15, 2010

It has been a while since I have given an update to thought I better get one out there for all my fans.  All of this snow is great for Chance, he loves running around in the back yard in the snow.  I he looks pretty funny sprinting around the back yard with his brothers.  When he sprints he tucks his tail between his legs and just sprints around in figure eights, it is a pretty funny site to see.  A lot of the times he grabs his pull toy and will literally run circle around me.  He will keep getting close until I try to reach for his toy.  He is such an expressive dog, when we are playing like this you can just see the joy on his face. 

He will also run at his foster brothers like this and they will all get some exercise playing.  Chance seems to want to do this more than they do, and has become very good at leaving them alone if they let him know that.   He does get along with all of the small dogs and female dogs in the neighborhood, but he is always on a leash when I am around them.  He is a lot more comfortable around here, but can be aggressive with other large dogs when he is in new places.  I do bring him to the pet stores with me and he has seen many other dogs and does good as long as you keep him focus on you.  His food aggression seems to be totally gone.  I will even give him treats with his foster brothers. 

He is such a smart boy.   I think he might have even been trained to ring a bell in the past to go out.  There are times that he will put his nose up to the door handle and nudge it some.  I know if I let him out then he will take care of his business right away.  He also gets very excited every time I put one of my reflective coats on.  His tail will start wagging so much he can’t stand still.  He knows he will most likely be going for a walk or ride.  I have been trying to take him for walks a couple of times a week without his foster brothers.  He does very well on those walks.  He still needs his gentle leader or harness, but pulls very rarely.  He can’t help himself if he sees a critter.  I know with minimal work he could become a perfect walking companion. 

He is also continuing to get more and more freedom in the house.  I will leave him alone for three hours now and not be concerned.  He still spends the day in his own room when I am at work, but when neighborhood kids get home they let him out to play a little.  They are able to get him back in his room without any issues.  This week we will see how it goes if he is left out until I get home.  He is very food motivated, and knows what time he eats.  I could never forget feeding him because he will go sit by the closest where his food is kept when it is time to eat.   He does love his food and am sure he could be trained quickly with almost any treat as his reward.

All of the families in the neighborhood keep commenting about how far Chance has come.  He used to be a very hyper dog that needed to jump up on everyone and greet them.  Now he calmly will walk up to everyone and know if he is calm he gets petted more.   Some of the younger kids on the block have to run out and see him every time we walk past.  One of them even calls him Tiger every time because he says Chance is his tiger.  Chance loves getting the attention from all of the kids on the block.  He probably still should not go to a house with small kids, just because he would probably escape the house and explore the neighborhood.


Chance resting with his foster
Overlooking all the white stuff in his yard!

 

 

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Hey Ragom fans. Let me introduce myself. I am Chance, aka formerly known as THE GREATEST ESCAPE ARTIST. But things have changed. A lot of things have changed for me. All for the good, I might add. I decided to write my own update because frankly I have not been updated in a month. What the heck does FD do with all his time? Becoming a part of Ragomland was just supposed to be a pit stop for me. I have been here for quite sometime. Don’t get me wrong. I love it here and I really love FD. But if I have to move on (and FD says I do because he cannot help others just like me if he adopts me) I want to get going. So let’s get to the nitty gritty.
 
My past is pretty shady. I was not treated very well but am learning that good things come from humans like my FD and that I do not always have to compete with other dogs for the things I deem necessary. (attention, food, etc) I now can get along with most dogs after a proper intro.
I am a very STRONG boy but I love to be petted and will put my paw on you asking for some of your time. No longer will FD grant me my wish with this behavior. He says my paw is too strong so I need to sit nicely to get some love. I no longer jump up on people but you know the old saying. “Never say never”.  J
 
Did you know my FD played football? Funny the things you find out when just going from the house to the back yard via the garage. He slipped a leash over my head to steer me to the yard. Unfortunately for him he left the big garage door open. I looked to the left and saw all that freedom. I sat down and backed right out  of my slip leash. Bad memories came back to FD and he was able to tackle me and bring me down. He limped around for a few days but seemed no worse for the wear. His 2 day old iphone seemed to take the brunt of it. The hole on the screen did nothing to help him heal. I think he is over that now. Thank goodness.
 
We had a furry house guest over the holidays. I did so well with her. She likes balls and there were a few times I thought she should share that with me. She had different thoughts. I backed down. How many girls out there LOVE that trait?  J  I can live with another canine (NO FELINES!) but I really think I prefer to be an only dog. Then I would never have to share..
 
I have proven to be such a good boy when I get enough exercise. FD now walks or runs me at least a mile a day. I need that to stay out of trouble. If you are quite active I might be PERFECT for you. It does not work to just put me in a fenced in yard and think I will entertain myself. I LOVE MY PEOPLE.
 
I know my past updates have painted me to be kind of naughty. I now am proud to tell you I am getting more free roam of the house. As long as FD exercises me, I find myself quite content and not looking for things to get into. He thought he was going to get some projects done around the house and forego my exercise program. Hmmmm….that didn’t work for either of us unfortunately.
 
All in all I have so improved. Just ask FD. He is truthful to a fault sometimes.  J  I spent a few days at another fosters house while FD went on vacation for a few days. Seriously the guy needs a vacation? Hope it wasn’t because of that iphone incident. I was a little nervous the first day but then began to settle in. They even had a cat. Now that was a risk! But I behaved. Thanks Bill for taking me in and keeping me from going to boarding. So I will adjust to your home and schedule if you pick me. I need some obedience training but couldn’t we all benefit from that?
 
I will love you ten fold if you would just let me slip into your heart. PLEASE give me a CHANCE……..
 
Till next time
Mr. Chance

 


Cooling off after a walk in the heat...


Trying to find some shade with my foster brothers...

 

 

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Chance has been doing GReat!  He seems to crave human attention so I think being an only dog would be best for him. He does well with his canine brothers but he always seems to be competing. I am now taking Chance on one walk a day by himself and he does so well. He loves to take his time, explore things and sniff the world.
He likes to be with his human (me) and does great in the yard as long as I am in view.

Chance had earned limited free roam and did well for a couple weeks. Last week he decided to start chewing things and so back in his room he goes. When I am home, he is near perfect. He will still try to get through a door and bolt. He is a very strong boy so obedience is a must. Given his strength he really needs to be good with commands. He is so smart and such a pleaser. He will excel at training. Agility could be a possibility.
 
It seems that Chance came down with a bug recently. He was put on antibiotics and has already showed improvement. YAY! He is also very good about having his nail clipped. No problem at all with touching his paws.
 
Chance is a super boy and has HUGE potential.

In his forever home he would flourish best with:

1.     A physical fence
2.     Obedience training
3.     Someone who will be consistent with him
4.     An only dog
5.     Someone who has the time to make him the best dog ever
 
If you think you could give Chance what he so deserves, contact your placement advisor. He will return your time and efforts ten fold.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Chance is becoming a great example of what a fine dog a rescued one can be.  A dog that was initially found on the side of the road, and took two people to get in the car, now loves car rides.  Whenever he walks through my garage his nose always goes to the car door, because he loves to ride.   He is a very smart and curious boy and if given the CHANCE will run, but I know it is because he just loves to explore new areas.    He was stuck in boarding for way to long and just is a curious boy.  He loves going on walks will even let you put a gentle leader on him without much fuss.  He does figured out that it means a car ride or walk. 
 
When he first came here, he would jump on furniture and needed to sleep in bed with his FD.  He became comfortable after about a week and now he loves his dog bed.  He still likes to sleep in my room with me  but does not need to be in bed or on the furniture.  I have not seen him on furniture in over a month.   I have not given him free reign of the house yet, but have been letting him wander when I am in the neighborhood.   I have been gone for an  three hours and no issues.  He does have his own room to stay in when I am at work and he does good in there, as long as you are not a window shade.   He did have issues with shades when was just getting used to my house and was stuck in the room for 10 hours a day.  I now have a neighbor teenager come over and let the dogs out. I think the break has been good for Chance. Gets him out a bit. He has free reign of house after she leaves and has not had any issues.  He is learning that he will always be let out of his room and is getting better at going in there.  It has helped a lot when I figured out I should feed him in his room. 
 
He seems to do ok with my 4 ft chain link fence but I never leave him unattended. He is playing nicely with his foster brothers now and everyone seems to be enjoying playing with each other.  He loves to be close to his humans and always seems to keep me in site.  When I am grilling I have him on a tie out and he is quite content to watch the world go by as long as he can see me.   
 
Chance has come such a long way in foster care. He really does deserve a forever home of his own. With a little love, time and patience he will be the best companion you could ever ask for. Your reward will be tenfold.  Won’t you please consider him?
 
He had such a great time at the event in Mpls last weekend, here are a couple of pics taken at event.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Chance continues to do well in foster care. He does have an ear infection in both ears but very odd because he was not showing any symptoms. Hopefully we will get these cleared up and it will just be an isolated incident. Seems to be a virus going around and both my resident dogs came down with it. Cold like symptoms with a terrible cough. I stay healthy and I have to worry about my dogs coming down with crud.  J  Always something. Let’s try for a new season. Bring on spring.
 
I don’t think it will be long before my resident dogs will break down and play with Chance. They still remember the incident with the food but they seem to be tempted by his strong will to play with them. If he goes too far with them, they growl and he immediately backs off. Good boy! He crossed the line last time but he has learned quickly.
 
I never like to have dogs in bed with me so I have been working on getting Chance to sleep on a dog bed like the rest of the clan. Initially he barked so much if I did not let him up that I did not have the stamina to be firm and continue to say NO! I have since been working on this and all week he has slept on a dog bed in my room. I think we might be on the road to success here. I do keep him in a spare bedroom that I have during the day while I am at work. Since there was that initial fight, I do not want anything to escalate when I am not here. Chance does fine in that room for up to 10 hours. When I do not have to worry about any altercations, he might gain free roam of the house. I am going to try and give him some freedom over the weekend just to see how he does. I will use a gate to keep him separated from my dogs.
 
Chance really needs just that…… A chance. He is a good boy with a lot of potential. He has learned to play well with other dogs, just needs to brush up a bit on his dog cues. I will be taking him to a Ragom meeting this weekend where there will be a lot of other dogs. A true test to see how he does. Will keep you posted.
 
Thanks for following his story and I hope I have some positive to report next week.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Happy Spring everyone! Mr. Chance just checking in. Life has been SO GOOD since I got sprung out of boarding. I am so grateful to have a Foster Dad and canine foster siblings to live with. I have had so many good things happen to me since the day I was found as a stray with a home neuter job. (Believe me, not everyone is cut out to be a surgeon. OUCH!) I am learning everyday but like most of us, I can always learn more. I know that my foster brothers are a little nervous around me because I got into a scuffle with them over food. It probably goes back to those days when I did not know where my next meal was going to come from. I forget easily, but they don’t. Foster Dad now monitors us when we eat but I am thinking the residents think the damage is done. Boy they don’t forget a thing! I have asked (nicely, I thought) them to play many times but no luck. Darn! I’m learning. I will probably always have to be monitored around my food if I live with another canine but that’s a simple fix if I can be your canines best friend. I am learning dog signals and just really want to have someone to wrestle and play with.

Foster Dad says I would benefit greatly from obedience school and it should probably be a must. I am tall and somewhat lanky and manners would suit me well. People seem to think I am part lab but it is a guess as to what else I might be mixed with. Possibly hound dog? I am told that I am quite handsome.  If I had manners too, WOW!! What a package.  I have become much more relaxed. Who wouldn’t when you have a place to call home? And guess where I sleep? That would be in the B  E  D with Foster Dad! He said he would never allow that but…….. come night time that is where you will find me.
I LOVE kids so it appears I probably lived with kids and slept in a bed. Possibly the kids bed. I guess I do not remember.
 
All checked out well with Dr. Larry. I am a good weight and appear to be healthy. I did have something on my toe called a Plasmacytoma. Dr. Larry said it might go away with a better diet. Foster Dad says it appears to have decreased so in no time at all it should be gone.
 
I would love to have a home I could call my very own. No cats please. I guess I am just too interested in them for their own good. I thought maybe the Easter Bunny could deliver me but that remains to be seen. If he looks like a cat, all bets are off!  If you are interested in me, please let your placement advisor know.