Buddy 13-132 [1]

May 22, 2013

Please welcome Buddy 13-132 to RAGOM. Buddy is a 2 year old, neutered, Golden Retriever mix. We aren’t sure what he is mixed with, but we think he might be part snuggle bug. This sweet boy likes to cuddle more than any dog we have ever met. The paper work that came with Buddy from a shelter in Iowa says he was initially a stray. He was adopted by a family about a year ago from the same shelter and lived with that family until 3-4 weeks ago when they moved to Germany and couldn’t take him with. He is now up to date with his shots and in good health. Buddy is a lean 50 lbs, but he is really tall. He has black fur mixed with golden in his ruff and his tail – which is curly. He really is a cute fellow.

Buddy is crate trained and completely housebroken. When we let him out to do his business he doesn’t have to sniff everything in the yard first – he goes and does what he needs to do and then comes to find us to see if we can snuggle some more. We have been giving him free roam with our resident golden girl, Sammy, and everything is fine when we come home. Buddy is the most excited dog ever when you come home. I don’t care if you just walked down to the mailbox or came home after being gone a full day at work, Buddy dances and whines and wants to be with you and to be loved so badly. He is not shy about wedging his way in for pets either. He has been sleeping on our bed wedged between my husband and I for maximum snuggles. We wake up to dog kisses on our faces and necks and Buddy sandwiched in tightly – not moving at all during the night, except to try and get closer. What a sweetie.

Since he is so tall and athletic he has no problem jumping baby gates, but he only does it to be with his people. He has become my complete baby duck, following me from room to room. We keep the upstairs baby gated off for the cats (and he is great with cats – totally ignoring them) and when I went upstairs to get something he jumped over the gate to follow me, but otherwise hasn’t so much as sniffed at it if we are on the same side as he is. Buddy is also nuts for tennis balls. He hasn’t learned that if he drops it we will throw it again, but he will chase them like crazy if you have two of them to play with. Sammy hasn’t been too happy about that as she thinks all tennis balls should be hers – and will pick up both of the ones he is playing with in her mouth and play keep away with Buddy.

Buddy is a great car rider and is super happy to be going anywhere with his people. With the warm weather finally here we have been swimming in my parent’s in-ground pool. The other dogs love this, but Buddy isn’t too sure about the water. He followed me and Sammy down the stairs of the pool into the water, got his front feet wet and ran away. I don’t know if he has ever been swimming before. We are going to try him with a lake soon.

Clearly this guy has already won us over completely. He will make someone a great companion. As soon as you sit down Buddy is right there leaning in for loving. And while he is very content to lie around for hours in the evening while we read or watch a movie he loves to be active and will run like crazy if given the chance. He walks well on lease using a flat collar (after 1-2 minutes when the initial excitement of getting to go somewhere has faded slightly). He is a good player and respects other dog’s talk. Buddy gets along well with my parent’s hyper 1 year old golden (Lucy). Sammy is not big with playing anything except tug-a-war, so we borrow Lucy sometimes for play dates. Buddy and Lucy run all over the place playing, taking turns chasing each other and then wrestling. Buddy can out run Lucy any day and is seriously speedy.

If you have time to give a dog lots and lots of hugs and snuggles and have a place for his to run and get rid of his yahoos, then Buddy might be the sweet boy for you. Contact your placement adviser if you want to meet this total cuddle bug.