Jake

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11/28/05: Jake, our wandering stray from Iowa came in this last weekend and joined our family. After 3 baths and a grooming session, his newly found outer beauty now matches his true inner beauty. He is a big boy, coming in around 100 lbs., but he has the narrow muzzle, not the broader face. He is a beautiful light red gold and according to the groomer had been shaved at one time. Since his outercoat hasn't completely grown out we are expecting that his color might turn a darker shade as he gets older.

His age has been placed at around 5 years and he is one big ball of love. Tug 'o war is his favorite sport, although he loves to chase after toys and balls of any sort. He rarely brings them back because he obviously feels it is his duty to help you get more exercise. He LOVES to go for walks and ride in the car. I often times find him gazing out the front door just waiting. If you ask him if he wants to go "outside" he is in a race with our Black Lab to see who gets to the door first. At first he used to pull on the leash fairly often, but now he seems relaxed enough to wander along with you. He especially likes the longer leashes because it gives him a wider range of travel.

The groomer said he knew what to do when he was fluffed and buffed. He leaped up on the table and stood there quietly waiting to be fussed over. He's not always quiet. If he is outside and wants to come inside he'll let you know it. But, he does love being out with the rest of nature.

I did notice that after he has been sleeping, when he gets up his rear left leg is a bit stiff. But, he seems to walk it off and he handles up and down our stairs and in and out of the car easily. Jake is so tall that his head can rest on the edge of our kitchen table without a problem. And boy has he got a good nose! I suspect that at his previous home he was a counter surfer in-training, but he responds well to 'No" the first time and has never been a problem.

He lives peacefully with our 7 year old female Black Lab and our 1 year old cat. He never has tried to chase it and is basically only curious about its different smell. He seemed to get along well with all the other dogs at Petco as well. There has been no sign of any kind of aggression or food guarding. He happily lets me take his rawhides and peanut butter bones away from him, hoping that something better is soon to come. He respectfully eats out of his own bowl side by side with our Lab - although she tries to sneak from him all the time and he lets her.

He knows "Sit" very well and "Come" pretty well, but "Stay" doesn't register at all. He just wants to be wherever you are. He loves to sleep on your feet. He is totally house trained. At night he sleeps wherever he wants and lately has been opting for the cooler tile of the front hall. But, when he had to go outside in the middle of the night, he quietly came to the side of my bed and breathed on my face till I took him out. When we are up if he needs to go outside, and I don't notice, he will go to the door and whine. So, you'd have to be totally oblivious to not know when he needed to go outside.

He is neutered and we'll update his shots at the vet this Wednesday as well as micro chip him. So, at this point in time, he is ready and eagerly awaiting finding a forever family. If you prefer a larger Golden with a big cuddley disposition, Jake's your man.