Sunshine is doing great and slowly but surely coming out of her shell. She is adapting to home life and is becoming more adventurous and confident outside of her crate. She really feels the best when she is with my two resident dogs. She is starting to respond to her name and surprises me every now and then and comes when I call her.

I took her to a friend's house who has a big yard and there were several dogs there and so far, she has never met a dog she didn't like (or vice versa). She has absolutely no dog aggression nor do I think she would set another dog off to go after her. She plays with the other dogs and then takes a break and goes and lays off to the side but stays near the group. So far, cats are unknown.

I finally did hear Sunshine bark for the first time and it was when she caught her reflection in a window and jumped out of surprise and then barked. Then she proceeded to get all excited and starting jumping, wagging her tail and tried to play with the other dogs. She has the sweetest little raspy bark but I haven't heard it since.

Sunshine continues to have a great appetite and is becoming less and less afraid of me setting down her bowl near her. I used to have to set it down and then turn and look the other way--now she stays put and I just set in front of her and she will start eating once I step back. Now I can even set treats down in front of her and she will take it. So far she has not taken anything directly from my hand although she's more and more comfortable with me approaching her and doesn't try and run away. She's very receptive to smooches and scratches and seems to enjoy them in her own understated way and she was very cooperative when I was cleaning her ears.

I took Sunshine into the vet on Saturday and she weighs 69 pounds. The doctor and I agreed that her weight was good. Her health is good in general other than she's on meds for an ear infection. She suddenly seems a bit scratchy, so she may have some allergies also. I'll keep you posted on that.

All in all Sunshine is a sweet girl who is every low maintenance, really just goes with the flow. Here is a list of what I know so far:

• another resident dog who can show her the way
• a loving family who is patient and works with her to overcome her fears
• a quieter home with no children or children over 12
• cats are untested at this time
• she's not a big barker
• she's good in the car as long as she's not the first one in--she'll either follow another dog or follow me before she will get in.
• I would prefer a fence, but that could be negotiated--she hasn't given any signs at this point that she is a runner
• she's a good little eater :)
• she has a playful side to her with other dogs
• she is still pretty serious around humans, but as I mentioned she is very receptive to rubbing and lovin'.
• so far she is not a velcro dog but as she gets more used to humans, I could see her picking out a BFF and staying very close.
• she is pretty good on leash, but best when another dog is with us and she'll follow his lead. When she is alone, she tends to go in circles and isn't really sure where to go. She's vey gentle though and does not pull and I have been using just a flat collar with no Gentle Leader.
• I would recommend obedience classes just so she learns basic commands and walking on leash.

Ok, all for now. Sunshine will be at the RAGOM picnic on Saturday and she would love to meet you!

Sunshine [in front] shadowing her buddy Murphy

Sunshine continues to do so well and it has been so fun to see her coming around a little each day. She actually took food directly from my hand yesterday for the first time and was so gentle. It was a piece of chicken, so how could she resist, but that is still progress!

I took Sunshine to the RAGOM picnic last Friday and she did amazing. She wore her little red foster vest and walked around with me, my resident dog Murphy and other friends and coped really well with all the scary people petting her and all things that were new which is about everything when you’ve lived in a cage most of your life. She responds better and better to ear scratches and rubs and is learning to like it and seek it out. She definitely follows Murphy’s lead on what is right and good and he doesn’t mind at all. She has been very playful with the dogs she meets but is still very cautious and shy with people. She’s warming up more and more to me, but still has a ways to go with new or less familiar people.

Sunshine is really starting to get the hang of what a walk is and how it’s a good thing. She does well with my friend’s Lab Libby who is a very good leash walker and follows her lead. Unfortunately, Murphy isn’t a great role model for leash-walking so hopefully he’ll learn from her too! So far, Sunshine has not done any of her business while on walks or on her leash. She saves it for the yard.

As I mentioned before her coat is in pretty rough shape. I have a groomer’s appointment for her and I’m expecting them to probably trim her coat way back and get all the bad fur off and start over. I can see some coming in on her rump that had been shaved and it’s looking good. I’m sure with good nutrition and exercise she will be gorgeous!

I am very impressed with her doggy social skills. She corrects and has been corrected and she has responded very appropriate every time. She’s respectful of other dogs and does not get too much in their face and makes sure they really want to play with her before she dives in.

Here’s a slightly revised list of what Sunshine should have in her new home:

1. A well-adjusted resident dog to show her the way.
2. A physical fence
3. A loving family to be patient with her shyness and show her the good things that come from humans
4. At this point she is not a high energy dog but she is learning to enjoy her walks and outings. That could increase as she gets more confident.
5. So far I have been crating her when I’m not home or at night when we are sleeping. She goes in it with no problem at all. Sometimes I shut the door to keep her out of the crate when I’m home just to keep her from retreating to it and so will hang out with the pack of people and dogs. I think she could become trustworthy alone out of the kennel eventually over time. She has had no accidents in the house but she has chewed on a rug a couple of times when I wasn’t looking. Nothing too serious, but I want to teach her to chew on only appropriate things.

Sunshine is such a sweet dog, doesn’t have a mean bone in her body and is very low maintenance. It’s hard for me to resist not wanting to keep her myself! I think she is ready to be adopted by the right family. If you are interested in hearing more about Sunshine or meeting her, please contact placement.

I don't know where to begin on how darling lil' Miss Sunshine is. She make leaps and bounds daily on coming out of her shell. Her tail is up and wagging more and more.

The best thing that has happened is that she went to a professional groomer and looks great! As I expected, the best thing was to cut off all the dry, old unhealthy fur and start fresh. For now, she's a short haired golden and she couldn't be cuter. Her coat is now her natural golden buff color with little curls and she'll be even more gorgeous when her feathers start to grow back in. After I picked her up from the groomer she just jumped right in the car without any persuasion and I took her over to my friend's yard where my Murphy and her other pals were waiting and she was the bell of the ball. She came in all happy and excited and she got quite a greeting from the others, noticing that something was a little different about our gal.

I will post new pictures soon. She's still a little camera shy so need to sneak up on her sometimes to get them!

Every day I'm impressed with her recall. Last night she was on the other side of the yard behind something so I couldn't even see her and I just called her name and she came racing around the corner straight to me with a happy face and came right to me for hugs and scratches! She would not have done that less than a week ago. Again, she has really been a low maintenance dog, very appropriate with other dogs, she's no bully but she's no pushover either. She will let other dogs know if they are pushing too much. Nothing has escalated beyond a little shout.

She just started taking treats directly from my hand and I no longer have to get in the back seat first to get her to get in the car. She just started hopping right in either alone or with Murphy.

I'm starting to test her trustability while being out of her crate when I'm not home. I'll keep you posted on how that goes. Also, she has not been officially cat tested, but we ran into a neighbor cat while out on a walk today and she was interested but very gentle and just sniffed the cat when it walked right up to her. So I'm not expecting that to be an issue.

She is so sweet and very open to learning new things, albeit with caution sometimes. Certainly her biggest hurdle is trusting people and taking her time warming up to new people. I really don't think she's going to last long though. She has so much potential and I'm already seeing so much of it in such a short time.

See some of her requirements in earlier postings of her. I think she is definitely ready to go to the right home. If you are interested in meeting Sunshine, contact your placement coordinator.

Sunshine continues to do well, slowly but surely coming out of her shell, although I'm guessing she will always be a bit of a shy girl. She is so gentle, lovable and eager to please. She has responded well to learning new things although I haven't attempted to try and teach her various basic commands like sit, down, stay etc. I know with the right approach for this shy girl, she would learn quickly.

So that brings me to the next topic. The humane society has classes that are special for shy and timid dogs. They are called Wallflower classes (how cute is that?!) I think that is just what the doctor ordered for our gal. The only problem is that for a series of classes, it is minimum $150. I think she would benefit so much from this so I am sending out a plea to anyone who would like to sponsor (fund) Sunshine for these classes. I am happy to commit the time in taking her there. We are so fortunate that she has good health, so it would be great to find someone who could help financially to put her through Wallflower school. It would not only make Sunshine safer and more confident, it would make her even more desirable to adopt.

Let me recap and update you on what Sunshine needs in her home and things I have learned since I've had her for about a month and a half.

• she needs a resident dog already in the house that is confident and can show her the way for the rest of her life
• she will need a physical fence around your yard.
• she will need a loving person or small family to guide her and show her that good things come from humans
• she would be best in a quieter home with no children or older children (over 12 or so)
• she is cat friendly
• she gets along with all dogs and likes to play
• she is very sweet and loving after she warms up to humans, she even likes to sneak some kisses
• she is great in the car--she just gets in and lays right down
• she doesn't bark much, but every now and then she will bark if she sees something moving outside or catches a shadow or her reflection in a window!
• she is potty trained
• she no longer needs a crate in the house, but she does like to have "her spots" and is learning that softer is better!
• she can be trusted with free roam of the house
• she likes to carry toys sometimes, and other times it might be your socks or shirt left in her reach, but she doesn't destroy them.
• she is learning about walks and I am starting to see a happy reaction when she realizes she is going on one. Once out, she walks with purpose, her head and tail up high.

Sunshine is looking for her forever family and is wondering if you are the one. If you think you could love Sunshine as much as she would love you please contact your placement person.

Sunshine doing one of her favorite things- playing with her gal pal Libby.	Sunshine and her BFFs
Sunshine has discovered that soft, comfy, warm and cozy beds aren't so scary after all!	Sunshine with her happy dog face on.

I don't have any new pictures of Sunshine, but I felt it was time for a little update about our girl.

I just can't say enough good things about her. She is still a little shy, but she is coming out of her shell more and more every day. She now will walk up to people she barely knows to give a hello. If they reach to pet her, she may back up a bit (but doesn't run away anymore) and squat down so they can pet her. She has started to follow me around the house (yes, that is a great thing!) and comes to me for attention and noogies. She loves, loves, loves her walks. She is so cute as she walks along side her buddy Murphy, walking with purpose and her little tail up high and swinging back and forth.

Did I tell you how gorgeous her coat is? It's growing in so nicely, it's a lovely almond color and boy is it soft and curly! I'm sure once her full golden coat grows in, it will be super curly and beautiful.

I want to pay special thanks to Nancy F. for her donation of Reiki massages for Sunshine! This has given Sunshine great energy and is helping her overcome her fears and be the sweet dog that she is.

Also, another special thanks to Kathy G. for sponsoring Sunshine for training classes! Sunshine is signed up for classes especially for shy/timid dogs with people. After she completes that, I will take her to obedience classes to learn basic commands. I know once she feels safe in the classroom, she will learn quickly.

That does remind me to tell you about how smart Sunshine is. She is learning some very basic things when we are around the house. She's learning to "lay down on the bed (or rug)" and she knows "leave it". She responds appropriately to the commands--so I know she is a quick learner and eager to please once she is relaxed and feels safe as she does now in my home.

Thanks for reading up on Sunshine and sending your good energy and again a HUGE thanks to Sunshine's sponsors Nancy and Kathy for helping Sunshine be the best that she can be!

Sunshine will be at Leashes & Leads Meet and Greet in Byron (near Rochester) this Saturday 10/24 from about noon-2.

Hi everyone, sorry we're a little overdue for a Sunshine update! Sunshine is doing just great. She is getting more and more animated and expressive every day. She is the sweetest girl ever and wouldn't hurt a fly!

A fantastic family came to meet Sunshine recently to see if she would be a good fit to their family. Unfortunately their resident dog is a little shy and timid at times too, so we felt that the two dogs together may not be a good fit. So I would just like to reiterate that Sunshine definitely will need a confident resident dog already in your home if you were to consider her. If she doesn’t have a confident dog, she would probably be scared of the same things the other dog is afraid of and we already know, she is already scared of a lot of things on her own. With more and more exposure and reassurance, she gets less scared. But if it’s new to her, she is usually scared of it at first until she gets some reassurance or has a chance to check it out from afar! She really looks to her lead dog for cues on what is safe and what is scary.

Sunshine has been to a few RAGOM events lately thanks to the help of other RAGOM volunteers--Thanks Stephanie, Thanks Jen and Thanks Mary and everyone else who offered! She was in great hands and the report was that Sunshine did well, although she does like to find a doggie BFF and hang with them.

Sunshine and her new BFF Peyton 09-018

Chuck and Don's, 10-31-2009

Little by little she warms up to people that she has met several times. She is a little more curious and will stay out instead of going into hiding when someone comes over. When it’s just the pack at home, she is right out there with the family. As I mentioned before, she follows me around now, so that is a good thing.

Her coat is still growing out from her last cut and it is gorgeous. Her fur is so soft and she is quite the curly-cue girl. Her feathers are coming in so I can’t wait to see her when it gets longer. Right now her fur is curlier than the average golden and it is just cute.

Sunshine still loves her walks. Now she knows the word “walk” and responds accordingly—of course looking at Murphy for his reaction too. Once she understands what we’re going to do, she dances and hops around and then sits right by me waiting for me to put her leash on.

Sunshine was a visitor at a shy/timid dog class a couple of times and made slow progress. Mostly she’s just nervous about the new situation and then will relax after a few minutes. At this juncture we’re just trying to get her relaxed enough to accept treats to entice her so she will respond to training. She will be officially enrolled in a shy/timid dog (afraid of people) class in a few weeks. This hopefully will lead her into obedience classes once she masters the shy/timid dog class! J

Thanks for checking in. If you think Sunshine would be a good addition to your family and you are an approved RAGOM adopter please contact your placement advisor.

Hi everyone, Sunshine here! I'm writing my own update for the very first time. Do you know why?--Because I found out that the computer isn't so scary after all. I'm much braver now and there are very few things in the house that scare me anymore. I *almost* walk around like I own the place now. I'm finding out just how much I love being able to move about and not be in a cage like I spent the first years of my life!

Sometimes things can still get a little overwhelming if I've never seen it before, but I'm much braver now and I don't run too far away from strange things. I still do (and always will) like to have another dog around to reassure me that things are okay at times, but I am getting more independent the more I am familiar with things. I do like to follow FM around and sleep on the dog bed next to her bed at night and she *really* likes that. FM says I am a really good girl and really smart [*blush*]. I'm a shy girl and a little humble so I don't like to brag so FM going to finish up my update.

FM here: Sunshine is still just doing great--every day I see new signs that she is getting more confident and secure. She really is just a happy dog and always in a good mood when she's with her pack.

I really feel like I need to get better pictures out there of her because I don't think the ones I am getting do her justice. A couple of people who have seen her pictures and then meet her in person can't believe how much cuter she is in person! Her eye contact is getting better and her eyes are getting more bright, open and expressive. I think one of her coping mechanisms when she was a PM mama and she was scared she would just close or squint her eyes to feel safe. So I will work on getting some better pictures of her. She really is just darling and her coat gets more and more beautiful as it grows back out. She is just a curly-cue!

Jeff & Kathy M.                  Your roadtrip buddy, Blossom 09-382

Sunshine will be at Chuck and Don's in Cottage Grove this Saturday, December 12, from noon until 1PM.

It's been a while since I've given an update on Sunshine--we've just been having so much fun, time has flown by!

Sunshine just continues to be her low key, low maintenance, bashful, sweet and gorgeous self. She has had a very busy past few weeks attending events and parties and she does very well as long as she is with her pack. I think she does get overwhelmed and needs a time out every now and then for decompressing so she'll just go off and curl up on a rug for a while to regroup. I think I know what she means, because that's how I feel after I visit the Mall of the America! I think that's how Sunshine's new world is to her sometimes--one big Mall of the America! Large, loud and a bit confusing!

I think this snow and cold is new to Sunshine and she doesn't seem to care for the cold much. She likes to go out quickly and do her business and go right back in and snuggle with you or on her bed. She still does get fired up when you say the w-a-l-k word though!

I still think Sunshine is amazingly smart--the truth-be-told I have not spent a lot of time with her on formal training, but since I've had her she suddenly will start doing things on command. Her recall has been excellent practically since the beginning when she learned her name, she responds well to "go lay on your bed" or "eh-eh" when she's doing something she shouldn't be (which is rare because she is usually just an angel). She will "sit" down for a treat most of the time and she comes and sits right by you for you to put her leash on when you say: "You want to go for a walk?" She really learns quickly in context and in tone. I have found with her and my other dogs, that they listen well when I soften my voice when I want them to do something. She is signed up in January to attend her shy/timid dog classes, but we'll see if she is already too advanced for that. She may be ready to launch right into obedience training.

Good news for Sunshine--she has a great family coming to meet her on Sunday! They have a 2 year old resident former RAGOM dog that could be Sunshine's next BFF and the bonus for me is that they live in my neighborhood and hopefully they would let me and Murphy visit her often. The day Sunshine moves on to her forever home will be a teary day for me. I just love her so much but will be so happy to see her have her very own forever home!

A BIG thanks to Jeff & Kathy M. for Sunshine's token!

More updates on Sunshine's adventures later!

Sunshine getting in the holiday spirit with her pack (second from right)

Sunshine at the Canine Crossing event with her BFF Murphy and Heather 09-375

Hello to Sunshine fans! Well we have some good news and bad news. First the bad news is that the family that met Sunshine chose not to adopt her. They felt that she was not a good fit for them as they were looking for a more outgoing and active dog. The good news is that I still have her! No worries for our Sunshine, she can stay here as long as necessary to wait for her perfect forever home. The pack loves her so much and we only want the best for her. When it's right, we will all know it!

It's been a while since I've put up a list of what would be her perfect home and what you should know about her. This list does evolve as she grows and comes out of her shell and I get to know her more and more.

-she is a quiet and easy going girl.

-she likes to play with other dogs, but she picks and chooses when and with whom.

-she will always need a best fur-friend.

-she should be in a quieter home without small children.

-she is completely house trained.

-she loves her food and treats but so far has not picked up the bad habit from her foster brother and friends on the art of begging.

-she loves her comfort and likes beds but does not get on the furniture.

-she needs a safe spot (bed) to be her very own so she can go to it at any time.

-she loves her noogies but usually waits for you to come to her. She occasionally will come to you and ask for it.

-she loves her walks but does not require it daily, especially when it's cold outside!

-she gets very excited when you ask her if she wants to "go for a car ride?"--she will hop right in and lay down.

-she gets baby-gated in the kitchen when I am gone--she seems to do better in a smaller space when human's aren't home.

-she is a gorgeous, gentle girl who wouldn't hurt a fly.

-she will probably always be a bashful girl and very cautious with new people and things that aren't familiar.

If you think Sunshine might be a good match for your family, contact your placement coordinator. She is like having a live little teddy bear in the house to snuggle up to!

One last thing: A BIG thanks to Blossom 09-382 (aka Angie M.)  for her Santa Hat Christmas gift! Sunshine appreciates such thoughtfulness.

Sunshine Posing with Her Pals

Hi Sunshine fans! Sorry it’s been so long since we’ve had an update!

First off, the great news is that Sunshine has a sponsor! I would like to give a HUGE thanks to Mary, Jim and Wally W. for sponsoring Sunshine. You can never under estimate or show enough gratitude on how much these donations contribute to the well-being of our beloved dogs that come into RAGOM. We couldn’t do it without you!

We’ve had a pretty busy month and Sunshine continues to be the sweetest and easiest dog ever. I don’t think that will ever change and I will probably just repeat myself in her updates. Again, she’s like have a little breathing cuddly teddy bear in the house. She is quiet and just likes to hang with the pack. She will take a break from her naps and sometimes chew on a toy or come over for some lovin’. Resident dog Murphy and other friends have shown her the art of shredding toys, so she’s starting to get the hang of it although she is not surprisingly much gentler about it.

Sunshine has easily learned how to sit on command. She will usually lay down on command with a treat, but we haven’t been drilling that one as much so I will continue to work with her. Also, I started teaching her to shake for a little more fun—she tends to have the natural tendency to lift her paw with her head tucked down when she wants attention, so this should be an easy one too. As always her recall is fantastic and she will come quickly when called.

Tonight she starts her Shy/bashful class with people, so I’m looking forward to seeing her grow and gain more confidence around new people and situations. I have been able to expose her to a lot of new situations and I can see that it is helping her a lot. At some of the events, she will be very engaged and then every now and she will give herself a time out (ie. curl up and shut her eyes for a bit) when it gets to be a bit too much. Again, I believe she will always be a quiet and shy girl for the rest of her life, but I just want to nurture her sociability and comfort with humans as much as possible.

She continues to be healthy, has a good appetite and shall we say, very well formed #2’s--always a sign of good digestive health.

Below is a recent picture of Sunshine (on right with her BFF Murphy and new BFF Cynthia) at the Land O’ Lakes Kennel Club event in St. Paul. She was there for almost 4 hours and really did well.

Come meet Sunshine at PetSmart in Minneapolis this Saturday, January 16th, from 11AM to 2PM!

Sunshine has found her fantastic forever home! She will be going home on Thursday so I will be relishing all my time with her until the pack sends her off. More info and pictures will be coming!

Adopted! Sunshine went to her forever home last night and she is a lucky girl. I sure will miss lil' Sunshine but her new home is near by so I really didn't have to say good bye to Sunshine, just "see you later!" Her mom and dad have already updated me on how her first night went and all went well which I had no doubt--they will take very good care of the sweet girl for sure.

Sunshine with her new family: Mary J, Dave B & Piper

I would also whole-heartedly again like to thank Mary, Jim and Wally W. for sponsoring her, Nancy F. for her Reiki massages and Kathy G. for paying for her classes! The new family will continue to take Sunshine to her shy/timid dog classes. Also thanks to Angie M. and Blossom for the sweet token over the holidays. It takes a village and we did it! Thanks to everyone Sunshine is on her way to being the best dog she can possibly be and I'm here to say she is really amazing.

Sunshine's new Forever Mom, Dad, and big sister here.  Big huge thank you to RAGOM for bringing us our sweet little miss Sunshine.  She is such a blessing to our home and she has made such an improvement to the life of her new big sister, Piper, (former RAGOM pup).  We can definitely tell Sunshine has picked up Piper's spirits after the loss of Piper's sister, Daisy, 2 years ago (another RAGOM pup).  Piper and Sunshine are a perfect match and have already become best friends forever.

Sunshine is already showing great signs of growth out of her puppy mill days. She follows Piper's lead in how to be a happy dog, always sticking close to her side . Literally, they go on walks pressed up against each other almost the whole way!  It's soooooo sweet! Thanks again to RAGOM and foster mom Julia for greatly improving the life of this beautiful sweet animal - and, not to mention, Piper, Mary, and Dave's life too!!