Adopted Dogs · Happy Endings · Rainbow Bridge Memorials
Champ is an approximately 7-month-old Golden Mix who came into RAGOM today! He was found in Iowa tied to a tree with his brother Nash (09 031), another brother and their mama! Can you believe it? Luckily a good samaritan found them and brought them in otherwise they likely would have frozen to death. 
While Champ is a mix, he looks very much golden except for the freckles on his nose! Those freckles are quite endearing. He has soft fluffy fur that will be getting a bath soon! The whole ride home he kept his head on my arm and was so very loving. I've already gotten a couple kisses too :-)
Champ is still very much afraid, but who could blame him after riding from IA today! It took about 10 minutes to even get him in the house and he's since settled in a little. He met the resident dogs and gave a noisy hello but I think he's just used to having to stick up for himself (he has some cuts on his snout) and doesn't know that other dogs aren't going to hurt him! The resident dogs will make sure to make him feel very loved.
Champ goes to the vet on Monday and we'll get his weight and shots then. He does have cherry eye which will likely need to be surgically corrected but we'll see what the vet says about that. He will also need to be neutered, but don't tell him that...
More updates to follow, just wanted Champ to get some air time on the RAGOM page!
Champ continues to thrive in foster care! He is such a loving loyal puppy, whoever adopts him is going to have just a phenomenal dog! He is a typical velcro golden who wants to follow you everywhere and is contstantly underfoot waiting for a reassuring pat on the head or a nice lil hug.
The first couple days he was terrified of the stairs and it was a big production of whining and crying to get him up and down (he did some of that too). He has now learned that the stairs are not a big scary thing and uses them with ease. He hasn't learned of the hidden racetrack underneath them yet so still uses them appropriately :-)
He is no longer afraid of coming in and out of the house. A couple well place high value treats ensures he always wants to come in now! He is still leary of car rides, but I have a SUV and it's BIG to him! I am still helping him up and down from the back.
I firmly believe that he was never in a house before as everything startles him. I turned on the TV and at first he jumped at the sound/picture but now he sits and watches it! He also learned what a mirror was a studied his profile for ever one evening. The furnace, a shower, the alarm clock, the radio are all things that startle him and make me believe he was never in doors.
With that being said, we are working on housetraining. He does an excellent job going outside and we are going back to the puppy basics. He doesn't quite understand that we go outside, but he doesn't have accidents inside. He paces and smells when he needs to go and we run outside really quick! He was dewormed yesterday (Round Worms) so had diarrhea all night and he let me know when he needed out and didn't have 1 accident! Thank God! He has free roam of the bedroom at night with a baby gate on the door and he would stand at the gate and whine when he needed out.
Speaking of the vet, he weighs in at 51 pounds! They think he's a little older than 7 months, but younger than 1-years-old. They think that he won't get any bigger than 70 pounds at the most. They said that other than the round worms, he is completely healthy! He will still be getting his cherry eye fixed and we have drops to keep it lubricated.
As far as his needs... He will do well with or without another dog\ and with or without a fenced in yard. He was caught giving kisses to the resident cat last night. He hasn't been kid tested but he is so gentle natured I imagine he would be wonderful. He already is rooting around in the toy bin and has been caught carrying around and playing with a tennis ball so he will be a great retriever with some practice!
If you would be interested in meeting this love of a dog, please contact placement@ragom.org.
Champ had a huge day yesterday, he got to come with FM to work! He met all kinds of crazy people and got tons of loving and treats. He was pretty scared at first but quickly warmed up and started to enjoy all the positive attention. He then got to go and hang out with a service golden, which he loved too. He was so well behaved and of course, everyone fell in love with him.
Champ gets his cherry eye fixed and he gets neutered on Monday, so keep him in your thoughts! I will post updated beauty pictures of him after his surgery.
In the meantime, we're going to have a great weekend and Champers is getting a bath (but don't mention that to him either).
Mr. Champ is one lucky dog! He found a perfect furever home with the E family! I know it's a great home because I did their home visit! They met and fell in love with Champ that night. Champers will be going home on Saturday :-)
From Champ's forever family...
We adopted Champ 1-1/2 years ago. We had a scare with him a couple of months after we got him. His stomch had turned. So after a late night run to the vet and emergency surgery, he was fine. We had caught it early and had no side effects. He healed quickly and had even more energy.
Champ is not one to play fetch, but loves to play keep away. He wants to be chased. He is a runner and has gotten mom to jog part of the walk. He will run around our dining room table into the living room and jump on the couch and push himself off of the back. It is quite entertaining. He has been a great dog and a real joy.
 Champ and Brock 09-530 |
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Well it is time for another update and Brock is doing fine. He has learned a few manners, but still wants to jump up on people when he thinks he is being ignored. We did find out the he does love the water and I'm sure he can not wait for summer to be here. Brock is a cuddle bug and would love nothing more to be in your lap all the time.
Champ is doing great. He loves to run. The dog park is his favorite spot. As we get closer to the park, he starts barking and pacing trying to tell me to hurry up. It takes him a little while to warm up to people. He is a big tease, I will just let you think you can pet me and I will run away just as you get a finger length away. Champ always wants to lay close to you, but not on top of you.
