Adopted Dogs · Happy Endings · Rainbow Bridge Memorials
Welcome Chester to the RAGOM Family!! He is a real sweetheart! The vet estimates him to be about 10 years old, he's neutered, a little on the heavy side (about 95 lbs) - so we're working on that, he has a tooth that needs to be pulled and teeth that need to be cleaned, and apparently the evening before I picked him up he developed kennel cough. He is into his 8th day of treatment so as soon as he has been issued a clean bill of health he will go in for his dental and then be ready to meet his forever family. He does have an old cruciate ligament injury that has developed a little arthritis in it, but I have him on Rimadyl once a day and he doesn't seem to be in any pain, he doesn't limp, it doesn't seem to bother him at all.
He is really one special guy, neither of my resident dogs (even the little snarkey one) even growled at him when I brought him into our home. That is a first!! To say that he is mellow is an understatement. He enjoys going for short walks. He is not a velcro dog but he does like to be in the same room as his person. I would say that he had been a loved member of a family at one time. He's housebroken, takes treats nicely, knows sit, unfortunately he doesn't know his name - or should I say that I don't know the name that he responded to in the past (I think it is so sad when an older dog is a stray because he is the only one that really knows his name and he can't tell us), so I call him Chessy - he responds to that better than Chester. He also has free roam 24/7, I put him in a crate the first day and he was fine - he just laid down, took a nap and waited until I got home to let him out. I haven't had him in a crate since, he would go in there at first just to take a nap but he hasn't even checked it out for at least 4 days now. He enjoys chewing on bones and nylabones, but he hasn't chewed on anything inappropriate. When I come home after being gone for awhile he runs to the toy basket, picks up a toy and then runs to me all excited. He is so cute...
He is so cute, he likes to carry his leash in his mouth when it is dragging on the ground. Everyone that meets him says how well behaved and sweet he is. He does great with dogs (both medium and small), he keeps trying to make friends with the cat, and so far he has really enjoyed pets from kids in the neighborhood, but they are all 6 and older. Tomorrow my grandchildren, 2 1/2 and 1 will be here so we'll see how he does with them. I can't see that there will be a problem at all though. The only thing that might be a problem is that he likes to lean into you when you pet him and at almost 100 lbs that might knock over a small child.
If you think you would like to meet Chester please let your placement advisor know and we'll see what we can do.
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Chester has been with me for almost 3 weeks now and he could definitely be my first 'foster failure'. He is so easy and loving that he has totally won me over. He only barks when the 2 resident dogs start barking, he has free roam of the house 24/7, he has never had an accident, he isn't a velcro dog but he does like to be in the same room as his person, he knows sit and down - stay is a work in progress, he has never met a person or dog that he doesn't just love and he rides nicely in a car. He greets me at the door when I come home with 2 stuffed toys in his mouth and the cutest wiggly butt you have ever seen. He just gets so excited that he can hardly contain himself. Oh yes, he will bring his leash to you if he thinks it's time to go for a walk - he is so darn cute!!!
I took him to the volunteer meeting last weekend and he thought every person and dog there were there to see him. It was so cute. He also went to work with me yesterday afternoon and after welcoming people to my office he just laid down beside my desk and either slept or chewed on a bone I had brought with me. I even left him in my office for a short time while I went to a meeting and he never made a peep and when I came back to my office he was sleeping under my desk. He met people in uniforms, went through heavy loud doors, long hallways and even went in an elevator and nothing even remotely concerned him.
He will be having surgery on his cruciate ligament as soon as he has lost a few pounds but as soon as that is healed he will be ready for adoption. If you are interested in a very loving, well-mannered, mature boy Chester just might just be your guy, let your placement advisor know. I'll try to send a few more pictures over the weekend.
Chester is one of the luckiest gentlemen in RAGOM's care. He met a family on Sunday that fell in love with him and wants to foster him until he is healthy enough to adopt and then they will adopt him. How lucky is that??? He will have a tiny little fur-sister named Millie and several kitty siblings also. If everything goes well he will be moving into his new home this weekend. I wish him all the best as he really is a joy to be around. And it goes without saying, I will miss him terribly.
Chester has had surgery on one of his legs and is doing great. He is about due for his 8 week check-up so I will let you know what they say after that. He wasn't sure that he liked the rehab though. He did make sure that he got more than his share of attention and extra treats during his recovery. He can really look pitiful when he wants to. Keep him in your thoughts as he may have to have the other leg done too.
Chester is doing great after his knee surgery and it appears that he won't need the other knee done after all. Whoppee!! He is scheduled to have an abcessed tooth removed this week and then he will be all set to have his adoption papers signed. He has spent the last few months recuperating and rehabing in his adoptive home and loves it!! He even gets to go to work with his new mom on occasion, so how awesome is that?
Merry Christmas to the Golden seniors
I'm happy to say that Chester / Dewey has had his adoption papers signed and now is happily living in Eden Prairie with his parents, and several furry siblings.
I adopted Dewey (previously Chester) just over 2 years ago as senior golden of about 10 years old. He was 20 lbs overweight and needed a knee repaired. At first he seemed content with the sedentary life I expected with a senior golden. But not for long. After some weight loss and a knee surgery he perked up, but he still was only up for a quick lap around the neighborhood before coming home to rest. Then we discovered the dog park. And tennis balls. And WATER. It turns out his true golden retriever nature was there all along. I am sure he would chase tennis balls until he collapsed (we always have to stop him, he'd never quit on his own), he eagerly befriends anyone with a Chuck-it. But water is his true love - lakes, rivers, puddles - any body of water he sees he MUST swim in. He gets mad at us if we have negligently forgotten to bring a tennis ball, but he'll swim after rocks if he has to. He is just returning from a vacation on Lake Michigan where he spent a week running on the beach and chasing balls in the water (long after our younger dogs were panting and ready to rest). Even though he was "about 10" two years ago, when people ask how old he is I still say "about 10" because if anything it seems he has gotten younger. Last week someone asked if he was a puppy. This is a pic of him saying "hurry up and throw the ball already!"
Thanks for an awesome addition to our family,
Erika N