Adopted Dogs · Happy Endings · Rainbow Bridge Memorials
Sponsored by: Kirsten, Chuck and Tyler 06-517
Well take a look at this "looker"!
We picked Amos up at a vet who was holding him after he was surrendered by a commercial breeder. These are the facts of the surrender: Amos is sterile and so can no longer breed and therefore not make any money for the breeder, he is 122 pounds, about 35 pounds over weight, he is so uncomfortable with his excess weight; he is heartworm positive, however the vet thinks maybe he will have to lose weight before the heartworm treatment begins; he has double ear infections; he has Whip worms; he is 6 years old and has never been out of a breeder's kennel and finally, he stinks to high heaven!!!!!
Ok, now for the good part, as I am sitting here with tears in my eyes, he is so incredibly sweet. He still is kind after all the hurt a human has caused him. He wants to trust us badly.
The first line of defense was to get him smelling like a dog not an outhouse! We took him to the groomers on Saturday morning. As we were trying to lift him out of the truck, he jumped and landed on his face. His legs couldn't support the weight he is carrying. He cut his lip and scraped up his nose. The nicest group of people helped him through the bath and conditioner. He was so scared but once again he allowed others to care for him. Kristy, the young groomer, will probably never forget our Amos, or probably the big tip. :) She more than deserved it! When we went to pick him up, my husband didn't recognize him.
Eric and I cleaned his ears this morning. They were smelly and gross. Not now. Those ears shine now. Eric was holding him down, once we got the 122 pounds down on the floor. We broke a sweat!!!! Once I started the cleaning and rubbing, Amos started moaning! He loved it, as all Goldens do!
He goes to our vet tomorrow. We know that he will need to be heartworm treated, treated for ear infections, get a plan for his weight loss, clean his very, very, very bad teeth and get neutered. The timeline will be crucial.
I will update his bio tomorrow after the vets. Stay tuned. You are going to be amazed at this boy's transformation! We are thrilled to have him and help him become a "Golden" again!
Amos spent Friday night at the vets. He was running a fever and would not eat. After IV fluids, he is eating and his fever is gone. He is also positive for a thyroid condition. Amos is taking a very soft bland diet with dry dog food mixed in. I think he was used to a very high calorie food and now he is getting a very high grade dog food. He is trying to get used to the switch.
The vet is still waiting for more thyroid levels so we know his health before heartworm treatment begins. We will find out the numbers today.
Amos prefers to be in his kennel. We leave the door open when we are home so he can come in and out. He likes to stay in. The last two days we shut the kennel door so he has to stay out and interact with us. He is getting used to being part of the family. When he goes outside, he is very cautious of all of the noises. He may run out in the yard but he runs back to the door every now and again. When I call him he comes and loves to have a big back rub! I think he might like the really Golden life!
More to come once we get more information from the blood tests.
Sorry that I haven't written in awhile. Amos is still as sweet as ever. He went in for heart worm treatment last Wednesday and so far is handling it well. His whole back is shaved because of his "chubbiness" they had trouble finding the correct vertabae to inject the medicine into. He lost 2 pounds in the first 1 1/2 weeks of having him. We went on walks around the block. Now he has to stay as calm as possible so no walks around the block, just short periods to relieve himself outside. I suppose his weight loss will be harder to control now. Oh well, baby steps. He still has a long rode ahead of him. He has more HW treatment, neutering and then have his teeth taken care of. By then his weight should be more manageable.
We have put away his crate. We want him to get use to being out with us more. He is chewing on a bone now and playing/chewing on a tennis ball. He continues to like his soft food and spits out his dry food. Yesterday was the first day that he ate both textures. YEAH! He has not had an accident in the house but doesn't tell us that he has to go. He just holds it forever until we force him to go out.
I will send pictures soon of our guy!
Well we have an nickname for our big boy....Amzie! He made his first big trip and I was nervous but he is a great traveler. He want to Watertown, Wi for the Easter Holiday. 6 hours away. He went into Grandma and Grandpa's house and found the perfect corner. This time though he came out to see us. He even was able to handle my loud nephew!
Amos is starting to play ball with Logan in the family room. He is a lot faster than we thought. Logan knows right now that Amos is king and he is babied. Logan usually gives the ball up to Amzie. Amos also was coaxed up the stairs to our bedroom and stayed up there for a while. He is beginning to be more daring.
Our family thought his back looked like a pig because it is shaved from the heartworm treatment, which went well. He is a trooper and so sweet. We also found worms today so he now is taking 3 medicines. We can put them in his mouth without any problems. I will continue to send updates through Amos' medical regimen. We are seeing great progress in the short time he has been with us.
Amos here~ Have you ever had so much blubber on your body that it is uncomfortable to move? That was me....but you should see my new body now. Richard Simmons would be jealous of my diet plan. :) I love to play with that other big dog. My family is shocked when I start playing with the ball and even take it away from Logan. My foster mom says that I should be spoiled rotten because I am sick and didn't have a good start to life. I agree!!!! I still take three pills a day but I figure that is nothing compared to those injections for Heartworm, which brings me another thing. I have my next HW treatment on Thursday. Mom is worried because I am starting to wag my tail, play ball, come out of my corner, and smile. Will I still do those thing after the next shots? This treatment hurts and I might be sore for a few days. I hope not but Dr. I always gives me pain killers to help.
I will have mom email again after Thursday's treatment. I won't feel up to it. The most exciting part about Thursday is that I am going to be weighed. I feel so much better with less weight. Mom says that I will keep getting better each day. Golden life is great!
Guess what? I have sponsor who helps with my vet bills. My family wants to thank them for my life. Mom says I deserve it! She loves me! Amos kisses to my sponsors and a big thank you!
Amos was to the vet and he had his last HW treatment(we hope)! Amos goes back in one month to have his blood tested to determine if he is HW free. Then he can be neutered and have dental work done. He is 114 pounds! He has lost almost 9 pounds and you can sure tell by the way he is acting. He is now playing ball more in the family room. He is also going upstairs on his own. Yesterday I came home from work and he wasn't in his corner. I was starting to panic and then I found him in our bedroom laying by our bed! He want up there on his own. This is huge for him. He also did not have any accidents or destructive behaviors. He is such a good boy. Our next step is getting him to act like a dog when on a leash. We are going to try an Easy Harness on him. It is used to keep him from pulling like a Gentle Leader however it doesn't go over his muzzle. I think it may be more comfortable for a scared dog. I will keep you posted on
his progress.
There is not much change with Amos this week. He is feeling better after his second HW treatment and he has one more to go. He continues to be so sweet and is learning to be a Golden! I have included new pictures of our blooming boy!
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Amos is done with his heartworm treatment! Yeah! He continues to make progress. He is still a backyard breeder pooch, but he deserves so much love to make up for those lonely years without human contact.
Amzie can be neutered in 4 months after an "all clear" from his heartworms. Nasty little creatures!
He has lost another 5 pounds for a total loss of 13 pounds. He has about 20 more to go. He feels so much better though and he moves around. He is still showing those characteristics of a dog who has not been out of a cage much, running in big circles in the back yard and burying his head when he is scared. Amzie likes to sleep with his head under the bed. During the day we force him to come out of our bedroom to socialize more.
He went to the lake with us last weekend and he needed coaxing to get out of the car. Once out though he stayed right by us. I have included a picture of his ride with Logan.
This is what we know about Amos:
1. He is the sweetest dog that we have fostered.
2. He loves other dogs and needs to be adopted to with a family who has another dog.
3. He doesn't like loud noises but is slowly getting used to them.
4. He needs a fenced yard because I don't know if he will ever be crazy about walks and a leash.
5. Amos loves "babies" (stuffed toys), bones and Kongs. He loves belly rubs and a soft voice in his ear. He wants to be a dog but at the age of 7 years, isn't sure how.
6. He needs a family who wants to snuggle and be an advocate for dogs with rough starts in life. The sad thing is that Amos will always be a backyard breeder dog.
7. Amos is the most beautiful dog inside and out. I cry often when I look in his eyes and can see that he loves me. I love him even more!
If you can understand and can provide for what Amos needs, please email placement@ragom.org to chat more about him.
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Amos is the most blessed dog in the whole world! He is being adopted by a very special person who has fallen in love with him. The first time Amos met Rachel, he licked her face. He doesn't do that to just anyone. After the initial meetng at our house, Rachel asked if Amos could come to her new home so Amos could meet her 19 year old cat, Cricket, yes, I said 19 years old!. Amos went in Rachel's home and cuddled up to her. He sat next to the cat and didn't give her much notice. Cricket did hiss at Amos and I think Amos' feelings were hurt!
Rachel has decided to help this sweet, big boy live the rest of his life as a golden. Rachel will always hold a special place in our hearts for loving our Amzie. Thank you Rachel!
Amos will be adoption pending until September because he is not neutered yet. He can't be neutered until his final HW check is completed 4 months after his last treatment. Rachel has agreed to "foster" him until then. RAGOM dogs can not be adopted without being spayed/neutered. In September, Amos will be officially adopted.
This is an update from Amos' mom. She loves him dearly and you can tell by this letter! Thanks Rachel for loving this very special boy. We miss him!
I cannot believe the progress Amos made on Sunday! Regina and her sister Janice (who is also my neighbor) came over Saturday with a dog named Kaya for a play date. It was more like a sit and watch date but it got Amos out moving around. We also took him on his first walk; it was short-lived due to a lawnmower but Amos did pretty good.
Sunday I decided that I needed to challenge Amos a little more and wanted to get him to see my bedroom because eventually I want him to sleep there. Well, Amos was of the same mind and when I put the leash on him to take him outside he walked down the hall to my bedroom instead. He got scared and turned around but the interest was there. We worked on it throughout the day resulting in Amos sleeping in my bedroom (to Cricket's horror) for the first time last night. I took him outside in the night to pee because he was anxious and was surprised when we came back in that he came right back to the bedroom with me with no coaxing at all!
Other firsts include that he went outside a few times without me getting the leash on him to go out. He also came out from behind the loveseat a couple times all on his own. He laid in the middle of the living room instead of with some furniture at his back. He went into his kennel for the first time and spent a little time in there; ultimately I want to end the retreat behind the loveseat and have the kennel (which is in my living room) be his safe place.
Most importantly, he wagged his tail for the first time. I just sat on the floor and cried because I was so relieved and happy.
I took Amos for a walk this morning. I've decided I will go early in the morning and/or later at night when there is less noise to build his confidence. We got a little farther than Saturday but Amos was anxious and wrapped me up in the leash a time or two.
Friday was national take your dog to work day and I decided to see how Amos would do. He did wonderfully, especially considering I work in downtown Des Moines and had to park on busy Grand Avenue. He was fine in the elevator (kept staring at the floor) and cuddled up to one of the secretaries and gave her a kiss. He sat under my desk as I made calls and responded to emails. We were only there an hour and a half or so. He got a little spooked when we went back to the car so he hopped into the driver's seat; it took me a minute to recover from laughing because he looked SO CUTE in the driver's seat!
He has been coming out to greet me more consistently and regularly wags his tail. Walks are still a challenge but we go twice a day (early in the morning and right before bed). I'm beginning to think he poops on the walk (after already pooping in the yard moments earlier) as a means to effectuate his
escape - distract her with the bag and poop and make my getaway! He gets scared by other dogs barking at him as we walk by. This surprised me at first but I think it's because he lacks confidence; he knows how to be a dog in a kennel but not a dog out in the world.
Yesterday he stayed out on his dog bed in the bedroom while I mowed the lawn and vacuumed the living room - brave boy! He enjoys spending time with me in the living room; I call his name and he will come out to take a nap, be petted, or chew on a toy.
The dining room and kitchen are still scary. We are slowly working his food and water dishes towards the kitchen; currently he drinks and eats in the dining room. Last night I brought out a tennis ball and he was very excited. Amos promptly took the ball to his water dish, dropped it in, and rolled it around
good with his paw before retrieving it from the dish with his mouth and carrying the dripping ball all around the living room. He did this twice. While I admire how cute it was it would be cuter outdoors and not in my living room! So I moved the bowl to the kitchen and he gave up the game.
Regina and I took Amos on a walk with Kaya (dog belonging to Regina's neighbor) on the Clive Greenbelt trail. Amos still pulled once we turned back, pulling me all the way to Regina's van. Amos did give Kaya a kiss before we went home.
Wednesday night Amos begins obedience classes. This weekend I'm getting a wading pool for Amos and my sister will bring her brittany Diesel to show Amos how to enjoy the pool. Amos has attempted to make contact with Cricket; he approaches with a wagging tail for a big sniff but Cricket hisses and Amos
walks away. He will win her yet!
Keep your fingers crossed that Amos proves to be the incredible student we know he can be!
A & R (Amos' foster family)
I'm sorry to inundate you with Amos emails this week but he has been so amazing the past couple days that I had to write before the holiday weekend. Amos started spending more time in his safe place (between the bed and wall in my room) this weekend; partly I think it's just cooler because of the hardwood floors. So on Monday night I started shutting him out of the bedroom from the time I got home to bedtime. He can still hide his head between the loveseat and ottoman in the living room when he's scared.
He has started coming to me in the kitchen. The kitchen used to be a very scary place we had to get to on the way outside. I don't know if it's less scary now because he followed my sister's dog Diesel (Amos LOVED Diesel) in there over the weekend or because he's been watching me cook and wash dishes the past few nights. I think very soon I will have him drinking out of his water bowl in the kitchen, rather than my dining room. Also, having the bedroom door closed makes it easier to get him to go outside. Usually I can just coax him out, sometimes I have to put his leash on. The other night he came out so easily but then someone set off a dang firework just as we got out the door and he got scared but I was still able to persuade him to come into the yard for a quick potty.
Tuesday afternoon I decided to bring him to the office again for a couple hours. He does not suffer from a lack of hugs, kisses, and adoration in my office I can tell you. He lounged on the floor as me and a few co-workers discussed a case. He played fetch with his wubba in my boss' office. After a while he just followed me around off-leash (!!!) as I walked around the office. Once he lost me because I turned and he went straight so he just went to find someone else he liked till I tracked him down. I was just in awe of him.
Last night was our second obedience class. As you know, he laid on the floor for the duration of the first one. He would not accept treats from anyone or participate, other than to get up and pee on the floor once. The instructor told me I should absolutely bring him back because he's still learning by being there and he's getting socialization. My hope for last night was that he'd be just a little more alert. Well, he surpassed that by paying attention to everything, taking treats from the instructor Tonja and her husband Chuck, and me. When we first sat down he laid next to me and rested his paw on my feet. He did all the things we were learning and made friends with a teeny-tiny (3 pounds!!!) papillion named Gidget. At one point I looked over and Amos was bending down really low to sniff Gidget and she was resting her two front paws on Amos' head! My gentle giant with a papillion on his head! I wish I'd had a camera. Amos got tired near the end of class because it went over an hour but he was still paying attention. The instructor said he was like a completely different dog this week and seemed to have gained some confidence. She is working with us to improve the walking and pulling on the leash. She said part of the problem is he doesn't even know how to walk in a straight line because of all his years in a kennel, but that will improve over time.
Amos wagged his tail at the papillion before we left. I was so proud of our boy that I cried on the way home. I know we will have some setbacks with all the fireworks this weekend but he will continue to amaze me by all he can do.
Have a good 4th!
P.S. R, good luck with the Brittany this weekend!
R (Amos' new mom)
Amos graduated from obedience class last night. The instructor came outside to observe Amos on a leash and commented that he is doing SO much better on a leash. She said I was doing a really nice job with him. During part of the class we went outside to stand in a circle so each dog and owner could weave through the others to practice heeling. Our dogs were supposed to be in a sit or down position. I couldn't get Amos to focus enough to do that but I realized what progress it was for him to stand quietly next to me and not be yanking me towards the door to go inside.
Amos walked very well on the leash this morning. He has learned so much in a week and the instructor said that it's hard for dogs to learn to heel because in nature they would never walk side-by-side like that. This morning on our walk he surprised me by not being frightened by noises that once would've
terrified him. I brought Amos into the office Tuesday afternoon and everyone commented on how svelte he is and he has gotten brave enough to explore a bit on his own but then come back to me.
In another month or two I may do the obedience class again to focus more on the actual training because our main focus was socialization and walking on a leash this time. Especially with the diarrhea and special diet we have done little training other than walking in the last week.
Amos has played fetch with me each day out in the yard and Janice was my witness last night - she said you could tell he really enjoys it!
Amos continues to make progress in his sweet way. I had kept his toys in a cupboard that only I could access but finally bought a basket to put them in. He likes pulling them out one at a time so they're spread around him, playing with one for a minute and then going to get another. This is also a good way for him to let me know the ones he doesn't like as much. I bought him a stuffed duck that quacks on Saturday. The quacker scared him at first but within 24 hours he wore it out. He LOVES Duck. Duck sleeps with him at night and goes outside with him for the first potty each morning. He's never done that before with a toy but clearly Duck is special. It's the best $5.99 I ever spent.
Duck came to work with me and Amos on Tuesday. Previously I have parked right outside my building but on Tuesday I parked in the space I pay for, which is four blocks from my office. It was 8:00 in the morning so you can imagine the traffic, noise, and poeple in downtown Des Moines. Amos handled it marvelously, though he gets a little impatient waiting at intersections but he was even calm as large buses zoomed past. When we get on the elevator in my building he sits down as the elevator starts moving and looks at the doors expectantly. When we got off at my floor he began to wag his tail as we walked down to the office.
Amos has begun to go up to other people to be petted. He would never do that before, just skim past them as they reached out. Now he goes up and sits beside them for a nice pet. He did piddle in the front office this time but it was my fault for not taking him out! I was concerned he wouldn't be sure where to pee in downtown but we found a space and he emptied his bladder (poor guy!). Everyone at my office tells him how beautiful and good he is (they are willing to overlook the piddle incident). I took him home over lunch and he tried to leave with me, which he has never done before. He was rather solemn when I came home from work later; he usually is smiling so I suspect he was still a little miffed that I brought him home. But he has definitely proven to me he can come in for a full day sometime since he can walk to and from my parking space and pee in downtown DM.
Amos now eats and drinks from his bowls in the kitchen. It was a long trek from the living room to the kitchen but he is finally comfortable eating and drinking there, even when I'm not in the room. I was in the bathroom this morning and he surprised me by walking out of the bedroom and going into the kitchen for a drink.
Amos is also very excited to get up in the morning now. This may be because I have put a stop to him getting me up in the night so he can go outside to sniff around, drink out of his outdoor water bowl, and maybe pee if he feels like it. He still tries waking me but I tell him to go back to sleep. If he can hold it while I go to work surely he can hold it for me to get a good night's sleep! So in the morning after the alarm goes off he comes to my bedside wagging his tail and starts hopping around as I get up. He lets me hug and kiss him and then goes to the bedroom door. He is also excited about eating now. He was always so disinterested in food before but now he starts eating before I'm finished putting all the food in the bowl. I don't know if it's because of his hunger strike when I was supposed to give him special food
for the diarrhea or what but he now eats all his food each mealtime and is excited to do so.
Amos still isn't the biggest fan of going outside or on walks, but his tail isn't tucked under for the whole walk now. We took a two-mile walk on Sunday morning and he did very well, barely pulled, but he did keep cutting across from me in an attempt to get me to turn back. That's frustrating because it trips me but it's better than having my arm jerked off.
Amos has met some new dogs in the past couple weeks and gone to other people's houses. We went over to Janice's to meet her dogs Mac and Willie on Saturday. Mac misbehaved so he got banished to the basement but Amos followed Willie outside where they had a marking war, taking turns peeing on one plant. Amos decided to finish it once and for all by taking a dump on the plant. But Amos played fetch in Janice's yard and then as we sat and talked he actually laid down on the ground with his back up against the house, behind my chair. He will never do this at my house but this shows when the conditions are right he will settle down outside.
Overall, Amos is such a happy boy right now. I love to watch him sprawled on the living room floor with toys surrounding him or when he chases down a ball in the yard at top speed.
Well, I am writing my last entry and I am crying. Amos is the most blessed boy in the world. He is now Amos R. after the completion of his adoption ceremony! Amos bought Mom flowers and accepted her love with glee! I wish you all could have seen the before, during and after Amos. It is so amazing! Live your life to the fullest Amzie. You deserve it. Sleep and play with "DUCK" to your heart's content! Continue to lick Cricket on the head to show that you're happy! Race Rachael around the backyard. You're a dog now. Never again will you have to live in deplorable conditions with food shoveled at you, water sprayed at you, concrete as your bed! Rachael will never allow that. Amos, you have made me a better person just knowing you. You taught me love and patience! Thank you Amzie!
Thank you also to Kirsten, Chuck and fellow RAGOM dog Tyler for your sponsorship!! You've helped Amos on to his Golden life!
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The Golden Retriever I envisioned myself adopting was age 3-5, a good walking/running companion, and a dog who would bark at noises and strangers to help me feel safe in my new home. Then I met Amos and decided those qualities weren't necessary because he was the sweetest dog I ever met. The vet estimated he was around 7. He had been a breeder's stud dog and so he spent his life in a kennel and dog run and had no idea how to walk on a leash. He was frightened of nearly every noise, he was extremely overweight and just out of heartworm treatment. His foster family never heard him bark in the 3 months they cared for him.
I got Amos on May 30, 2008, and was officially allowed to adopt him in September when he was declared heartworm-negative (yeah!) and neutered. He has blossomed into the dog I dreamed of. A good friend volunteered to call the breeder who surrendered Amos and learned that he is actually 5 (his birthday is the day before mine) but probably due to his health issues he seemed older to the vet. Amos has slimmed down to 92 pounds from his original 122; he was at 88 pounds right before Thanksgiving but appears to have put on a little holiday weight. We're working to get him a little lower. In October he started barking at noises that used to cause him to run and hide. Now he barks when people come to the door or make noise outside, like any other dog. He has also become a good walker. A neighbor used to call out to me, "Who's walking who here?" as I struggled against Amos' weight and stubbornness while he dragged me down the street. A couple months ago that same neighbor said, "He sure has turned into a fine walking partner." Comments like these mean the world to me.
Amos remains the sweetest dog I ever met, and February 22 was the one-year anniversary of his surrender. He loves to play fetch and play with his Duck. My dear kitty Cricket died in October so now Amos has two new kitty siblings: Sumo & Bonnie. Amos is content to just seek them out for a good butt sniff every now and then. Every morning Amos wakes me with a smile and tail wag. He loves to be hugged and kissed and is thrilled to go to work with me when I can take him.
I want to thank everyone who made it possible for Amos to be a part of my life - from the first volunteer who evaluated him and noted that she saw "potential in Amos in some day becoming a great Golden companion," (you were right!) to the volunteers who transported him, to Regina who did my home visit and has answered every question and more, and to Ann and her family who fostered Amos and love him still. The highest compliment Amos and I have been paid is Ann's face when we ran into her on the street last week - her jaw dropped when she saw him walking down the streets of downtown Des Moines with me. She couldn't believe how slim he was and how calm he acted with traffic going by.
Rachel R
This is Amos. I told my mom I wanted to write my own update. Thanks to RAGOM I haven't been a backyard breeder dog for over 2 years and have been with my mom for almost 2. I have 2 kitty siblings named Sumo and Bonnie and last year I got a little sister named Charlotte (formerly Starlite 09-029). The cats don't always like me because sometimes I get excited and run them over but I don't mean to!
I sure like this indoor life, so much that I prefer the indoors to being outside. Sure, I'll go out and do my business, play fetch, and go on walks (because Mom makes me) but I like to hang out indoors. One of my favorite places to go is to work with Mom. That's me in the picture, hanging out under her desk at work. Everybody pets me, gives me treats, and tells me what a nice dog I am. They say I sure am different than when Mom got me because I'm not so scared anymore. I know nothing bad will happen to me with my mom around.
I really don't like to go the vet but Mom sure takes me there a lot. I have to go every 6 months for blood tests because of my thyroid. I put on weight easy but I sure like treats and when my thyroid medicine is right I do pretty good. Last spring Mom got really sad because the vet heard a heart murmur so I had to have more tests and got shaved again. The heart vet said I have early dilated cariomyopathy, which means I have to take more pills because my heart is getting bigger. He said he doesn't usually see it this early and that's a good thing. When I had my heart test again in the fall the heart vet said things looked so good I don't have to come back for a year. Mom cried because even though I'm the biggest and almost the oldest (Sumo the cat is older) she says I'm still her baby and she wants me to stay around a long time.
So that's why she takes me to another vet, Dr. F, who does accupuncture, which is a fancy way to say she sticks needles in me because sometimes my back legs hurt. I don't like the needles but Dr. F gives good treats and she's a nice lady who says I make her want a golden retriever again. Dr. F says I'm like Gandhi because if I don't like the needles I just move away, I don't try to hurt her. She calls this civil disobedience. Dr. F gives Mom special pills for me too so I have lots of pills to eat with my food. I'm a good boy so I eat them up but if I miss one Mom just hands it to me and I eat that too.
I admit I was a little jealous when my little sister came. I like other dogs but now I had to share my mom with 2 cats and another dog! But I'm so good I could get along with anyone. Even when my little sister Charlotte takes my toys or chews on my paws, legs and ears, I just act like Gandhi like Dr. F says. Every once in a while I let Char know I don't like it and give her a little nip to keep her in line. Even us nice guys have to set limits. 
I like the quiet life and routine. Char likes to break the rules and keep busy. In our house getting on the furniture is a cat privilege but as you can see in the picture, Char sometimes gets caught on the furniture. (That's my kitty brother Sumo too.) She's only supposed to be up there to look out the windows because she thinks she's Miss Guard Dog but sometimes she sneaks in a lie-down. She may try to be a guard dog but I bark loudest. Mom does let Charlotte break the rules and sleep with her on the bed but I prefer sleeping on my dog bed on the floor. Sometimes I'll put my big paws on the bed to let Mom know I'm excited she's getting up.
I admit, sometimes it's good to have a sister. She likes walks so I learned walking can be fun. When she goes to training I get training at home too and that means I earn hotdog pieces. We like to play tug sometimes or cuddle up for a nap together. If we take toys out in the yard she steals mine. I try to catch her but she's fast and I just can't keep up.
I still love my Duck and now I have my Moosie-Moose too. But Mom keeps them in the closet because Char loves to chew up toys and now I do too. Mom says Duck and Moose are safe in the closet.
Thank you to RAGOM and my foster family for giving me the golden life. I was scared in the beginning because I didn't know anything but my kennel but now I have a family of my own! There isn't anything better than that.
Amos