Ben

Profile

11/10/05: Ben has been with us for a few days now so I guess it's time to share him with you. Ben was surrendered with his brother (Budder 05-318) after having been given to the in-laws as a gift. They were raised as outdoor dogs & had free roam on a farm. The owners were no longer able to take care of these 2 young fellows & felt it was in the dogs' best interest to find new homes.

Ben is a beautiful boy. He is by far the biggest 1 year old Golden that I have ever seen. He is VERY tall. He weighs in at 90 lbs., which is just about perfect for him. He is a tall, lanky kind of guy, with a lighter reddish/blonde coat. He went to the vet this week & is now up to date on all vaccines & tested heartworm negative (YEAH!!). Ben was neutered as a pup so there's no need to worry about that. There are a few "problems" though. First being that he has worms (yuck!!) but he got 1 dose of medicine & then gets another dose in 2 weeks & should be clear after that. Secondly, is that he is hypothyroid, which means he needs to take a little & rather inexpensive pill twice daily. He takes it with his food, without a problem. And lastly, is that he may or may not have allergy issues. He has a few areas by his frontlegs (armpit area) & on his belly where his fur is missing. The vet thinks it's more related to possibly sleeping on rough surfaces because it doesn't bother him in the least and it's rough & dark, rather than red & irritated. We'll be watching him for itching, scratching & licking just to be sure but nothing in that department so far.

Talk about a gentle dog. Ben is such a big boy, yet so gentle & submissive. He is making the adjustment to being an indoor dog. He enjoys sleeping on the couch & a wonderful transport person gave Ben his very own blanket. He has slept on the bed with me a few nights but he is real bed hog & doesn't get the hint when it's time for him to move over. He is having tons of fun playing with my 3 kids & does remarkably well around my 3 year old. I was a little nervous at first about him possibly knocking her over, but he hasn't even come close. I think he instinctively knows that he needs to be gentle with her & thus takes extra care. He hasn't had any problem with house training although he was skittish at first & did some submissive peeing. As he relaxes & feels more comfortable & safe that has become less & less & soon to be non existant, I hope. Did I mention that I haven't heard this guy bark yet? Not a peep out of him, even when the repairman was over the other day. What a good boy Ben is!!

Ben does well on the leash. He walks nicely & is interested in looking around rather than pulling me around!! Being from the farm, he also does well with other critters...he has been exposed to cats, ducks & chickens without a problem. He has been great with our 3 Goldens (2 females & a male). Our male gets a little grumpy sometimes & then growls at Ben but Ben justs tucks his tail under & stands there looking like "why are you picking on me". He enjoys a good game of fetch & is also good about giving the ball or toy back, all be it a bit wet. He is a very playful young boy.

Ben would do best in a home with kids to play with him & preferably with another dog. He has so much love to give & will return it ten fold. If you are interested in meeting this guy please contact [email protected]. Ben will be waiting (but not for long, I'm sure!!).