Boomer 13-348 [1]

 From Shiloh 13-176

Welcome shy boy, Boomer, a 1 ½ year old purebred Golden Retriever. He was surrendered with a group of dogs from a retiring breeder who wished to find them homes through RAGOM. He will be neutered next week and end his life as a stud. Boomer fathered several litters of RAGOM puppies. He has been with me for about two months now and is slowly relaxing (with medication) and braving his new world. Boomer is used to living in a kennel and spent most of his time here in his crate with the door open or hiding under furniture. He is extremely shy and easily frightened. When he came to me he was terribly shutdown. He was unable to walk on a leash. He doesn’t go outside and is not housebroken yet. During his first few weeks I watched in the dark night after night as he slipped out of the crate and up to the window where he sat looking out and sometimes howled. He was a very scared and lonely pup but that is changing.

Boomer weighs about 54 lbs. He has big feet and the vet thinks he is still growing. He is current on all shots and in good health.

Boomer is a beautiful dog and very sweet. He really likes to be petted. Even in shutdown mode, he likes to be petted. He is not yet housebroken due to his shyness but is trained to use puppy pads. Boomer does not walk on a leash yet. He doesn’t walk at all when he is afraid and goes into shutdown mode. He is too frightened to go outside or follow the lead of the other dogs at this time. However, he was watching the whole pack of five dogs here for Thanksgiving and permanently moved out of his crate to settle under the bed after they left. I was thrilled. Now his world is bigger and he is more active and on the verge of leaving the bedroom.

I celebrate the major and minor changes in Boomer over the two months he’s been here. During his nights, he chews bones, moves all the toys around the room ending up hoarding them under the bed or at the window seat. These were all signs of progress. I was so thrilled when he stepped out of the crate and wagged his tail and approached my dog. This week he snuggled next to me on the floor and gave me kisses every time I stopped petting him. Several times, he let out a sigh and relaxed and my heart nearly burst with joy. The sweet affectionate pup is beginning to show himself. He now wags his tail at me and the dogs. These may seem like funny landmarks but Boomer was a very shutdown dog and is trying to trust us and want to be with us.

When Boomer goes to his new home, he will require a fence because he could be a flight risk. He hasn’t experienced much and will react to noises and sudden movements by trying to run and hide. The few times he’s been outside, he is looking for an opportunity to flee to a corner to hide. He hasn’t been exposed to cats or children yet so these are still unknowns. He really needs another older confident dog or dogs to guide him into his new world. At his foster home, we’re working on trust. He is gentle and not aggressive. He has no fear of men. He lets them pet him even in his crate or when he’s sitting at the window seat. Boomer is a work in progress. He still needs housebreaking, to learn to walk on a leash, do steps, go in and out of a house, and ride in a car. Just to mention a few. Time and patience will be needed for Bloomer to blossom into a great dog. Please watch for Boomer’s updates. He’s going to make someone a great companion once he adjusts to his new life and learns some new dog behaviors.