Duke

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    -Anonymous

I have the great privilege of introducing my very first senior foster – the one and only Dukester!  (He has a few other nicknames, but in the name of dignity, absolutely prohibited me from sharing them!)  11 year old Duke is a handsome, deep red, neutered PB golden retriever. Duke has had a rather sad story in the recent past. His original owner passed away several years ago, and sweet, loyal Duke was found standing by his owner’s side. He was then rescued by another older gentleman, who sadly passed away in the last month.  The daughter of the 2nd owner took care of Duke until he was able to come into RAGOM, as she was unable to keep him as she already had 3 dogs and 2 cats of her own. According to the daughter, the owner believed that food equals love, and our Duke was very, very loved!

He was the perfect gentleman at his recent vet visit, and is now up to date on all of his vaccinations and preventatives, has been microchipped, and is heartworm and fecal negative. His senior bloodwork checked out well, and a follow up thyroid panel is being done to determine if he is hypothyroid.  He also has some arthritis in his knees, and is very stiff when he tries to get up or lie back down. He has been started on Rimadyl for this, and I’m hoping to see an improvement in his stiffness before too long.  The biggest issue for Duke (literally speaking) is that he tilts the scales at approximately 120#!  Believe it or not, this is actually good news, as his weight had been estimated at nearer to 140#!  Duke’s diet is seriously underway, and much to his chagrin, will be the focus for him in the near future!

Duke settled into our house without as much as a hitch. He had immediate free roam, hasn’t had any accidents in the house at all, and sleeps through the night without a peep. He has already adopted several of the tennis balls and chew bones scattered throughout the house (once a golden, always a golden), and though a bit slow, his eyes already start to sparkle when he knows it’s time for our twice daily walks!  In addition to it being imperative that any adoptive family be committed to his weight loss program, it will also be extremely important to continue to increase Duke’s exercise tolerance, as it will not only aid in his weight loss, but it will make his joints feel much better in the long run!  Plus – he loves it!

I totally lost my heart to this boy the first time his tale thumped the floor like crazy when I walked into the room - it’s one of his most endearing characteristics, and I pretty much melt everytime he does it!  He has the sweetest golden personality, and absolutely loves being around us. He gets along great with the 2 residents, Belle and Bear, and has been nothing but friendly to dogs, adults, and kids on our walks.  He also has no issues with cats - actually, I can’t imagine him having an issue with much of anything, other than the fact that he definitely feels he is not getting enough to eat! Though very mellow, he also can be quite “talkative” when he wants you to know what he thinks about something!

As I’ve said in the past with other fosters, I am 100% convinced that there is a family out there for every one of our special dogs.  Duke simply wants to be by his people, and be loved and cared for through his golden years. The love, devotion, and loyalty you will get in return are indescribable. Please contact your placement advisor if you think you have the room in your home and in your heart for this incredibly special, senior boy. Believe me, you won’t regret it.