Betty

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Sponsored by:

Harley & Marti
"A forever thank you to Nikki, Sam and the boys from their other boy, Harley!"

Love, Archie and Clyde

Good luck finding your furever home! Say hi to Sam and Nikki for me! Love, Zeek

Gary and Jill Fedo

March 31, 2012

Betty came to our house on March 25th from a commercial breeder that was going out of business. We want to give a HUGE shout out to the volunteers that drove hundreds of miles to rescue not only Betty, but 28 other Golden Retrievers, as well. We also want to acknowledge the countless volunteers that stayed up all night to welcome them with loving arms. You guys are amazing and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!

Betty will be 2 years old in August and has a beautiful cream colored coat. Prior to RAGOM she did not have much contact with humans and is very timid and shy. However, she has latched onto our resident dogs, Bauer and Cooper. Our boys have been wonderful with her and have been showing her what the Golden life is all about!

Here is a breakdown of her first few days in our house:

Day 1: Betty had to be carried inside, and was too terrified to even make eye contact with us. When we would make eye contact, she would start to tremble and shake. Except for a potty break, she spent the day in her crate, getting used to all the noises a house makes. She completely perked up and her tail started to wag the instant she saw our boys walk near her crate. She even smiled as if to say, "YAY! Friends!" We carried her out for a potty break and she ran right up to our boys as if she had just been reunitied with long lost friends. She was SO happy to see them and happily trotted alongside them when we were outside. She didn't even seem to mind the multiple collars and leashes attached to her for her safety. When it was time to go inside, however, Betty froze, so we carried her back inside and back into her crate.

Day 2: We carried Betty outside again for a potty break. She seemed to thouroughly enjoy her time outside with our boys - and even picked up one of their balls to play! When it was time to go back inside the house, she watched our boys and was brave enough to go thru the doorway on her very own! That’s a big step for a dog like Betty since she has never seen doorways before. Today was also the day she ate a little food from her dish. She was just laying down in her crate and around 8pm we heard “crunch, crunch,crunch”. Good girl, Betty!

Day 3: Betty came out of the crate on her own today, exploring the family room, and then discovering the stairs! Slowly she crawled up, out the door to the garage, and then after getting her long line attached, went straight out into the yard (with us on the other end of the leash, of course!) When we came back in, she cautiously followed Bauer upstairs to see this new space. Then she followed him back down the stairs to explore the family room. For the rest of the night, all we did was up and down, up and down. :) Betty also began to come closer to us, especially if we are with the boys. She will sniff us on her own terms but is very afraid if we reach out to pet her. She takes a wide berth whenever she comes near us. We decided to cut up some hotdogs, and with Cooper by our side, fed him a few pieces. Then we would stretch out our hand in Betty's direction, and she would cautiously walk over, take the piece of hot dog, and run back to her safe spot. She did this several times and we were very proud of her for taking a little step forward in trusting us!

Day 4: Betty is now eating in the kitchen with our dogs and licks her bowl clean! She has had a few accidents in the house, which is to be expected since she doesn't know anything about potty training yet. That will come in time. She has kept her crate clean and has not had any accidents during the work day or overnight. She is starting to come a little closer to us and will make eye contact with us, but she isn't so sure she wants us to pet her. Of course we are giving her some space and respecting her wishes. :)

Day 5: Betty went to the vet and weighed in at 44 lbs, which is the perfect weight for her. She was scared when the vet walked in and surprised everyone when she jumped straight into Foster Dad's lap for comfort. :) She has an ear infection and some ear mites, but has tolerated the ear drops like a champ. She is settling in well and has even taken a few naps on the floor next to our boys while we're watching TV. She has also discovered toys and has tried to tear every one of them apart. :)

Day 6: Betty let us pet her! She was such a good girl and let us stroke her very softly. She even let FD massage her ears. Such a big step, and we are so very proud of her!! Betty is smiling more often and has relaxed enough to lay by the patio door, watching the birds in the backyard.

Betty is making progress, but isn't ready for her forever home just yet. She still has a lot of things to overcome and learn about, and we know she'll get there in time. Please check back often to find out how our beautiful girl is adjusting!