Sunshine 09-381

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Sponsored by:Mary, Jim and Wally W.

 

Sunshine just arrived at my house all safe and sound this weekend so we are just getting to know her. Sunshine came from a puppy mill in Iowa as a breeding mama and now those days are behind her and the good life has just begun for her.

The vet believes her to be around 3 years old based on the good condition of her teeth although she looks physically to be in pretty rough shape and her coat is really worn and in bad condition probably from poor living conditions and bad nutrition. Also, she has stitches on her tummy from her recent spay and it's all stretched out from carrying so many litters. She looks like she is a pretty good weight for her stature but I haven't weighed her yet. Just a guess I would say around 60 pounds. She seems to be in a bit better shape than many PM dogs because she seems ok but cautious going up and down the stairs and she has no problem standing or walking on my wood or tiled floors.

What I know about her so far--is that her new home must already have a well adjusted resident dog to show her the way. That is true with any former Puppy Mill dog and she is no exception. She has really taken to following my resident dog Murphy around and I kind of think he likes it too. He only "yelled" at her once and she responded well.

Her first night here was spectacular. She goes well into her crate and responds great when you leash her to take in and out. She is fine off the leash in my fenced yard and is not showing any interest in 'busting' out. She mostly looks for a safe spot and hangs there. If you are not looking, she gets up and sniffs around and potties. She also drank some water and ate some food when 'I wasn't looking'. She appears to be potty trained. So far she has kept her crate clean and potties as soon as I take her outside. That is ALWAYS welcome news.

There will be more updates as I get to know her. She is a very sweet girl and we believe she will make a fabulous companion for a fur sibling and humans once she's learned about the good life living in a home with a family and everything isn't so scary.


Sunshine getting her first bath and all her fans cheering her on.

Sunshine found her safe spot in the corner and resident dog Murphy showing support.


Sunshine found another safe spot (out in the open and near the people) and resident dog watching over her.

At a Glance #09-381

Golden Retriever Born: September 2006
Female 70 lbs

Status: Deceased

Profile

Sponsored by:Mary, Jim and Wally W.

 

Sunshine just arrived at my house all safe and sound this weekend so we are just getting to know her. Sunshine came from a puppy mill in Iowa as a breeding mama and now those days are behind her and the good life has just begun for her.

The vet believes her to be around 3 years old based on the good condition of her teeth although she looks physically to be in pretty rough shape and her coat is really worn and in bad condition probably from poor living conditions and bad nutrition. Also, she has stitches on her tummy from her recent spay and it's all stretched out from carrying so many litters. She looks like she is a pretty good weight for her stature but I haven't weighed her yet. Just a guess I would say around 60 pounds. She seems to be in a bit better shape than many PM dogs because she seems ok but cautious going up and down the stairs and she has no problem standing or walking on my wood or tiled floors.

What I know about her so far--is that her new home must already have a well adjusted resident dog to show her the way. That is true with any former Puppy Mill dog and she is no exception. She has really taken to following my resident dog Murphy around and I kind of think he likes it too. He only "yelled" at her once and she responded well.

Her first night here was spectacular. She goes well into her crate and responds great when you leash her to take in and out. She is fine off the leash in my fenced yard and is not showing any interest in 'busting' out. She mostly looks for a safe spot and hangs there. If you are not looking, she gets up and sniffs around and potties. She also drank some water and ate some food when 'I wasn't looking'. She appears to be potty trained. So far she has kept her crate clean and potties as soon as I take her outside. That is ALWAYS welcome news.

There will be more updates as I get to know her. She is a very sweet girl and we believe she will make a fabulous companion for a fur sibling and humans once she's learned about the good life living in a home with a family and everything isn't so scary.


Sunshine getting her first bath and all her fans cheering her on.

Sunshine found her safe spot in the corner and resident dog Murphy showing support.


Sunshine found another safe spot (out in the open and near the people) and resident dog watching over her.

Updates

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

 

On 10/31 we said goodbye to our beautiful Sunshine. She joined our family in 2009 – coming from a puppy mill, quite scared of just about everything. Her big sister, Piper, did an amazing job of leading her and helping her become comfortable with us and with our household. In the short time she was with us we witnessed incredible amount of growth from a sweet, little girl who had every reason not to trust us.

Her Foster Mom, Julia, started her journey into a safe, loving environment. We were fortunate to be chosen as her adopters and continue the commitment of helping her build her confidence.

October, 2012 – we learned Sunshine had cancer. This disease moved so rapidly, making her weak.

This lovely spirit taught us so much about patience and triumph. Our time together was too short, but we are forever grateful to have been part of her life. She accepted us and learned to communicate with us, to show us her love in return. What a precious gift….

Thank you from Mary, Dave and Duke 11-248

 

Friday, February 5, 2010

Adopted! Sunshine went to her forever home last night and she is a lucky girl. I sure will miss lil' Sunshine but her new home is near by so I really didn't have to say good bye to Sunshine, just "see you later!" Her mom and dad have already updated me on how her first night went and all went well which I had no doubt--they will take very good care of the sweet girl for sure.


Sunshine with her new family: Mary J, Dave B & Piper

I would also whole-heartedly again like to thank Mary, Jim and Wally W. for sponsoring her, Nancy F. for her Reiki massages and Kathy G. for paying for her classes! The new family will continue to take Sunshine to her shy/timid dog classes. Also thanks to Angie M. and Blossom for the sweet token over the holidays. It takes a village and we did it! Thanks to everyone Sunshine is on her way to being the best dog she can possibly be and I'm here to say she is really amazing.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Hi Sunshine fans! Sorry it’s been so long since we’ve had an update!

First off, the great news is that Sunshine has a sponsor! I would like to give a HUGE thanks to Mary, Jim and Wally W. for sponsoring Sunshine. You can never under estimate or show enough gratitude on how much these donations contribute to the well-being of our beloved dogs that come into RAGOM. We couldn’t do it without you!

We’ve had a pretty busy month and Sunshine continues to be the sweetest and easiest dog ever. I don’t think that will ever change and I will probably just repeat myself in her updates. Again, she’s like have a little breathing cuddly teddy bear in the house. She is quiet and just likes to hang with the pack. She will take a break from her naps and sometimes chew on a toy or come over for some lovin’. Resident dog Murphy and other friends have shown her the art of shredding toys, so she’s starting to get the hang of it although she is not surprisingly much gentler about it.

Sunshine has easily learned how to sit on command. She will usually lay down on command with a treat, but we haven’t been drilling that one as much so I will continue to work with her. Also, I started teaching her to shake for a little more fun—she tends to have the natural tendency to lift her paw with her head tucked down when she wants attention, so this should be an easy one too. As always her recall is fantastic and she will come quickly when called.

Tonight she starts her Shy/bashful class with people, so I’m looking forward to seeing her grow and gain more confidence around new people and situations. I have been able to expose her to a lot of new situations and I can see that it is helping her a lot. At some of the events, she will be very engaged and then every now and she will give herself a time out (ie. curl up and shut her eyes for a bit) when it gets to be a bit too much. Again, I believe she will always be a quiet and shy girl for the rest of her life, but I just want to nurture her sociability and comfort with humans as much as possible.

She continues to be healthy, has a good appetite and shall we say, very well formed #2’s--always a sign of good digestive health.

Below is a recent picture of Sunshine (on right with her BFF Murphy and new BFF Cynthia) at the Land O’ Lakes Kennel Club event in St. Paul. She was there for almost 4 hours and really did well.

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Hello to Sunshine fans! Well we have some good news and bad news. First the bad news is that the family that met Sunshine chose not to adopt her. They felt that she was not a good fit for them as they were looking for a more outgoing and active dog. The good news is that I still have her! No worries for our Sunshine, she can stay here as long as necessary to wait for her perfect forever home. The pack loves her so much and we only want the best for her. When it's right, we will all know it!

It's been a while since I've put up a list of what would be her perfect home and what you should know about her. This list does evolve as she grows and comes out of her shell and I get to know her more and more.

-she is a quiet and easy going girl.

-she likes to play with other dogs, but she picks and chooses when and with whom.

-she will always need a best fur-friend.

-she should be in a quieter home without small children.

-she is completely house trained.

-she loves her food and treats but so far has not picked up the bad habit from her foster brother and friends on the art of begging.

-she loves her comfort and likes beds but does not get on the furniture.

-she needs a safe spot (bed) to be her very own so she can go to it at any time.

-she loves her noogies but usually waits for you to come to her. She occasionally will come to you and ask for it.

-she loves her walks but does not require it daily, especially when it's cold outside!

-she gets very excited when you ask her if she wants to "go for a car ride?"--she will hop right in and lay down.

-she gets baby-gated in the kitchen when I am gone--she seems to do better in a smaller space when human's aren't home.

-she is a gorgeous, gentle girl who wouldn't hurt a fly.

-she will probably always be a bashful girl and very cautious with new people and things that aren't familiar.

If you think Sunshine might be a good match for your family, contact your placement coordinator. She is like having a live little teddy bear in the house to snuggle up to!

One last thing: A BIG thanks to Blossom 09-382 (aka Angie M.)  for her Santa Hat Christmas gift! Sunshine appreciates such thoughtfulness.


Sunshine Posing with Her Pals

 

 

Thursday, December 10, 2009

It's been a while since I've given an update on Sunshine--we've just been having so much fun, time has flown by!

Sunshine just continues to be her low key, low maintenance, bashful, sweet and gorgeous self. She has had a very busy past few weeks attending events and parties and she does very well as long as she is with her pack. I think she does get overwhelmed and needs a time out every now and then for decompressing so she'll just go off and curl up on a rug for a while to regroup. I think I know what she means, because that's how I feel after I visit the Mall of the America! I think that's how Sunshine's new world is to her sometimes--one big Mall of the America! Large, loud and a bit confusing!

I think this snow and cold is new to Sunshine and she doesn't seem to care for the cold much. She likes to go out quickly and do her business and go right back in and snuggle with you or on her bed. She still does get fired up when you say the w-a-l-k word though!

I still think Sunshine is amazingly smart--the truth-be-told I have not spent a lot of time with her on formal training, but since I've had her she suddenly will start doing things on command. Her recall has been excellent practically since the beginning when she learned her name, she responds well to "go lay on your bed" or "eh-eh" when she's doing something she shouldn't be (which is rare because she is usually just an angel). She will "sit" down for a treat most of the time and she comes and sits right by you for you to put her leash on when you say: "You want to go for a walk?" She really learns quickly in context and in tone. I have found with her and my other dogs, that they listen well when I soften my voice when I want them to do something. She is signed up in January to attend her shy/timid dog classes, but we'll see if she is already too advanced for that. She may be ready to launch right into obedience training.

Good news for Sunshine--she has a great family coming to meet her on Sunday! They have a 2 year old resident former RAGOM dog that could be Sunshine's next BFF and the bonus for me is that they live in my neighborhood and hopefully they would let me and Murphy visit her often. The day Sunshine moves on to her forever home will be a teary day for me. I just love her so much but will be so happy to see her have her very own forever home!

A BIG thanks to Jeff & Kathy M. for Sunshine's token!

More updates on Sunshine's adventures later!

 
Sunshine getting in the holiday spirit with her pack (second from right)
 
Sunshine at the Canine Crossing event with her BFF Murphy and Heather 09-375

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Jeff & Kathy M.                  Your roadtrip buddy, Blossom 09-382

Thursday, November 19, 2009


Sunshine enjoying the sunshine with her friend Libby.
 
Sunshine snuggling with her BFF Murphy.
If you love a snuggler, you will love Sunshine!

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Hi everyone, sorry we're a little overdue for a Sunshine update! Sunshine is doing just great. She is getting more and more animated and expressive every day. She is the sweetest girl ever and wouldn't hurt a fly!

A fantastic family came to meet Sunshine recently to see if she would be a good fit to their family. Unfortunately their resident dog is a little shy and timid at times too, so we felt that the two dogs together may not be a good fit. So I would just like to reiterate that Sunshine definitely will need a confident resident dog already in your home if you were to consider her. If she doesn’t have a confident dog, she would probably be scared of the same things the other dog is afraid of and we already know, she is already scared of a lot of things on her own. With more and more exposure and reassurance, she gets less scared. But if it’s new to her, she is usually scared of it at first until she gets some reassurance or has a chance to check it out from afar! She really looks to her lead dog for cues on what is safe and what is scary.

Sunshine has been to a few RAGOM events lately thanks to the help of other RAGOM volunteers--Thanks Stephanie, Thanks Jen and Thanks Mary and everyone else who offered! She was in great hands and the report was that Sunshine did well, although she does like to find a doggie BFF and hang with them.


Sunshine and her new BFF Peyton 09-018
 
Chuck and Don's, 10-31-2009

Little by little she warms up to people that she has met several times. She is a little more curious and will stay out instead of going into hiding when someone comes over. When it’s just the pack at home, she is right out there with the family. As I mentioned before, she follows me around now, so that is a good thing.

Her coat is still growing out from her last cut and it is gorgeous. Her fur is so soft and she is quite the curly-cue girl. Her feathers are coming in so I can’t wait to see her when it gets longer. Right now her fur is curlier than the average golden and it is just cute.

Sunshine still loves her walks. Now she knows the word “walk” and responds accordingly—of course looking at Murphy for his reaction too. Once she understands what we’re going to do, she dances and hops around and then sits right by me waiting for me to put her leash on.

Sunshine was a visitor at a shy/timid dog class a couple of times and made slow progress. Mostly she’s just nervous about the new situation and then will relax after a few minutes. At this juncture we’re just trying to get her relaxed enough to accept treats to entice her so she will respond to training. She will be officially enrolled in a shy/timid dog (afraid of people) class in a few weeks. This hopefully will lead her into obedience classes once she masters the shy/timid dog class! J

Thanks for checking in. If you think Sunshine would be a good addition to your family and you are an approved RAGOM adopter please contact your placement advisor.

Monday, October 12, 2009

Sunshine continues to do well, slowly but surely coming out of her shell, although I'm guessing she will always be a bit of a shy girl. She is so gentle, lovable and eager to please. She has responded well to learning new things although I haven't attempted to try and teach her various basic commands like sit, down, stay etc. I know with the right approach for this shy girl, she would learn quickly.

So that brings me to the next topic. The humane society has classes that are special for shy and timid dogs. They are called Wallflower classes (how cute is that?!) I think that is just what the doctor ordered for our gal. The only problem is that for a series of classes, it is minimum $150. I think she would benefit so much from this so I am sending out a plea to anyone who would like to sponsor (fund) Sunshine for these classes. I am happy to commit the time in taking her there. We are so fortunate that she has good health, so it would be great to find someone who could help financially to put her through Wallflower school. It would not only make Sunshine safer and more confident, it would make her even more desirable to adopt.

Let me recap and update you on what Sunshine needs in her home and things I have learned since I've had her for about a month and a half.

  • she needs a resident dog already in the house that is confident and can show her the way for the rest of her life
  • she will need a physical fence around your yard.
  • she will need a loving person or small family to guide her and show her that good things come from humans
  • she would be best in a quieter home with no children or older children (over 12 or so)
  • she is cat friendly
  • she gets along with all dogs and likes to play
  • she is very sweet and loving after she warms up to humans, she even likes to sneak some kisses
  • she is great in the car--she just gets in and lays right down
  • she doesn't bark much, but every now and then she will bark if she sees something moving outside or catches a shadow or her reflection in a window!
  • she is potty trained
  • she no longer needs a crate in the house, but she does like to have "her spots" and is learning that softer is better!
  • she can be trusted with free roam of the house
  • she likes to carry toys sometimes, and other times it might be your socks or shirt left in her reach, but she doesn't destroy them.
  • she is learning about walks and I am starting to see a happy reaction when she realizes she is going on one. Once out, she walks with purpose, her head and tail up high.

Sunshine is looking for her forever family and is wondering if you are the one. If you think you could love Sunshine as much as she would love you please contact your placement person.

 
Sunshine doing one of her favorite things-
playing with her gal pal Libby.
Sunshine and her BFFs
 
 
Sunshine has discovered that soft, comfy, warm and cozy beds
aren't so scary after all!
Sunshine with her happy dog face on.
 

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Sunshine continues to do so well and it has been so fun to see her coming around a little each day. She actually took food directly from my hand yesterday for the first time and was so gentle. It was a piece of chicken, so how could she resist, but that is still progress!

I took Sunshine to the RAGOM picnic last Friday and she did amazing. She wore her little red foster vest and walked around with me, my resident dog Murphy and other friends and coped really well with all the scary people petting her and all things that were new which is about everything when you’ve lived in a cage most of your life. She responds better and better to ear scratches and rubs and is learning to like it and seek it out. She definitely follows Murphy’s lead on what is right and good and he doesn’t mind at all. She has been very playful with the dogs she meets but is still very cautious and shy with people. She’s warming up more and more to me, but still has a ways to go with new or less familiar people.

Sunshine is really starting to get the hang of what a walk is and how it’s a good thing. She does well with my friend’s Lab Libby who is a very good leash walker and follows her lead. Unfortunately, Murphy isn’t a great role model for leash-walking so hopefully he’ll learn from her too! So far, Sunshine has not done any of her business while on walks or on her leash. She saves it for the yard.

As I mentioned before her coat is in pretty rough shape. I have a groomer’s appointment for her and I’m expecting them to probably trim her coat way back and get all the bad fur off and start over. I can see some coming in on her rump that had been shaved and it’s looking good. I’m sure with good nutrition and exercise she will be gorgeous!

I am very impressed with her doggy social skills. She corrects and has been corrected and she has responded very appropriate every time. She’s respectful of other dogs and does not get too much in their face and makes sure they really want to play with her before she dives in.

Here’s a slightly revised list of what Sunshine should have in her new home:

  1. A well-adjusted resident dog to show her the way.
  2. A physical fence
  3. A loving family to be patient with her shyness and show her the good things that come from humans
  4. At this point she is not a high energy dog but she is learning to enjoy her walks and outings. That could increase as she gets more confident.
  5. So far I have been crating her when I’m not home or at night when we are sleeping. She goes in it with no problem at all. Sometimes I shut the door to keep her out of the crate when I’m home just to keep her from retreating to it and so will hang out with the pack of people and dogs. I think she could become trustworthy alone out of the kennel eventually over time. She has had no accidents in the house but she has chewed on a rug a couple of times when I wasn’t looking. Nothing too serious, but I want to teach her to chew on only appropriate things.

Sunshine is such a sweet dog, doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and is very low maintenance. It’s hard for me to resist not wanting to keep her myself! I think she is ready to be adopted by the right family. If you are interested in hearing more about Sunshine or meeting her, please contact placement.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

 


Sunshine [in front] shadowing her buddy Murphy