Baxter 13-182 [1]

Sponsored By:

Molly Joseph

In loving memory of Oscar, Chester & Bernie -Kathy & Hailie Wellcome

07/19/2013:

Meet Baxter - tall, dark, handsome and oh so sweet. Foster mom has yet to find a personality flaw. He's both sweet and friendly with two- and four-legged friends. He's very social, but can lay low. His manners are impeccable - perhaps even too much so for his foster mom. She is of the school of thought that furniture is for two- AND four-legged creatures. Meaning, she likes her furbabies to cuddle on the couch and curl up for a nap on the bed. Baxter will currently only get up on the furniture with an extra bit of coaching, and then he tends to gravitate back to the floor after five minutes. He doesn't know it yet, but foster mom is working on this. She managed to snuggle him for almost ten minutes on the couch tonight. Don't think Baxter isn't a big lover, because he is, he just prefers to sit, or lie down on the floor or dog bed while getting pampered and fawned over.

Nine-year-old Baxter came to his foster family from the family that raised him from a puppy. Family additions (young children) were the reason for his surrender to RAGOM. Foster mom is so grateful that they were able to let him go and do what's best for him, as he is one amazingly loveable boy who has been thriving in his foster home with his fur friends and his 5- and 9-year-old two-legged foster siblings. And well, quite frankly, his foster family has fallen for him pretty hard and fast.

When he first arrived at his foster home 2.5 weeks ago, he was met by a couple of overnight guests of the four-legged variety. Our neighbor's Fourth of July dog-sitters fell through at the last minute, so Baxter spent his first four days with a 7-year-old English Lab and a 6-month-old English Lab puppy. He literally ran circles around the older lab and kept right up with the puppy. It's hard to believe that Baxter is nine when he could fetch balls as well as the younger Labs. Baxter and his new friends were wonderful together. You would never know that he hadn't always been a part of this household and friends with our furry guests. There was zero resource guarding, and when treats came, he'd sit patiently waiting for his turn, without grabbing foster mom's fingers.

One of Baxter's favorite things to do is to ride in the car. If there is a door open - he'll hop right in, which worked out wonderfully, as after four days with his foster family, they went on a road trip to Nebraska. They put down a stow and go seat and a comfortable dog bed, and they were off for the Fourth of July! Baxter rode in the van with his 5- and 9-year-old siblings like a champ!

Baxter had a great time on the trip. Little did he know that he was to visit his foster grandparents' farms, with ponds, other animal friends, swimming, and lots of time with his foster family and their extended family. Foster mom hopes she can find a few good pics to share of Baxter hanging out with the cousins' new kitten, swimming in the pond and some of the other great activities that he enjoyed on the trip. He also did well with the fireworks. Foster mom was worried, as she was just getting to know him on July 4th. Although Baxter was a little nervous, he didn't exhibit extreme anxiety, which was all the more amazing, as there were so many firsts, and strange things for him on day four with his foster family. When he first heard fireworks, he came and stood near foster mom, and she brought him inside. He could still hear the fireworks inside, but tolerated all the sounds very impressively inside.

Nebraska trip, on foster grandparents' farm

Swimming with foster family - obviously, foster mom has a ball in her hand ;)

The gentle giant and the baby kitten

After five days in Nebraska, it was home sweet home. Again, when foster mom returned home, there was yet another neighbor in need of a dog sitter for four days. So Baxter, again, shared his new home and family without a hitch. This time, it was a Golden guy his age - and again, he got along so well with his overnight visitor. This handsome sweetie has gotten along with everyone and every fur creature his foster family has subjected him to. He has been incredible. He's sweet, loveable, agreeable and the perfect gentleman. He's on free roam without any concerns - no counter-surfing, trash treasuring, etc. He's sleeps in foster mom's room at night and greets her with tail wagging and the goofiest smile (teeth showing like a caricature - foster mom hopes to capture this on camera sometime, as it's wacky and hilarious) first thing in the morning. He loves hanging with his family, taking walks and fetching the ball. He loves being loved, and foster mom has figured out that he knows how to shake and he sits like a prince.

Baxter is on the right, sitting pretty with his overnight guest, Bailey

Whew! I am exhausted from all the new people, fur friends , trip, and holiday!

Baxter is amazing and his foster family is in love with this guy already - he's aged to perfection. Baxter is currently not neutered and is scheduled for that soon. He also needs to put on a few pounds, as he's a bit lean for his gentle, giant, Golden frame. Foster mom can't quit gushing about this wonderful guy...he's is absolutely fabulous.