Kevin

Kevin has found his forever family and it was well worth the wait! His new family finds all of Kevin’s needs to be exactly what makes him special and fun. Kevin is in the right home with two adults and a new cat sibling. He’s truly ready for new outdoor adventures this summer!

Looking for a partner for long walks in the woods? So is Kevin! He would love to show you the wonders of dirt paths, new scents, and wildflowers starting to pop out of the ground! He gets very excited about these adventures and once he realizes that you don’t need to run through the woods, he can slow down to take it all in with you. He loves life!

Kevin is looking for a family to call his own! He has become a much loved, terrific dog in foster care. His super high puppy energy that seemed to last longer than most pups is stabilizing and he is a wonderful, exuberant two year old. This is the perfect age to join a family- eager to please, interested in everything that his family is doing, used to house rules… and frankly, quite gorgeous! He is looking for an active family and is not the best dog for being crated all day as he needs to stay busy. Kevin would be a good candidate for doggy daycare a few days a week as well as the opportunity to work with his owner in training classes as he longs to please.

Kevin has been a very loyal dog. He enjoys his foster family and checks in constantly to make sure that we see whatever he finds of interest. This is one smart dog. He has a “Look at me!” attitude.

Kevin’s skin issues do not present any concerns at this time. At most, we get a few dandruff flakes occasionally and need to make sure his ears stay clean. Keeping him on a healthy diet is the key to staying ahead of any concerns.

But Kevin’s most lovable trait is he’s happy! Always happy and ready to go! It’s hard to have a bad day with so much positive energy beside you!

Handsome Kevin is still looking for his forever family. And he has been working so hard on becoming a wonderful family member!

He has learned the difference between inside energy and outside energy- inside means sleeping in the sun or under the desk while foster mom works at home, knowing the tone of voice that indicates zoom calls are coming to an end and he can make a quick appearance on camera, and getting his ball ready for break time. And occasionally zooming around the house if one of his foster brothers will chase him.  Outdoor energy means walks where he call smell everything, meet new people, and participate in any kind of game where he can wiggle and run!

He still has a high energy level and would most love a family who wants to actively play but he is so much more understanding of when and where that can happen. He loves to run more than walk and is a puller when leashed but will respond to “sit” and “look at me” commands when used consistently.

His inside manners have been very good with the exception of peeling tennis balls and destuffing toys at times. He’s a bit of a pro at this so he’ll need plenty of firmer rubber balls. He has full run of our house when we’re gone but most cherishes his window where he can watch the world go by.

And he loves his belly rubs before bed and first thing in the morning. Willingness to provide daily belly rubs will be a requirement of his forever family.

A few people have inquired about Kevin and we need to explain a few things. While Kevin loves and needs exercise, this works best with his family being active with him. He wants to play and be with his people.

One way to meet this need is to go to classes with him to extend his training. He responds very well to his people and is very happy when called or spoken to. And his house manners have been good. No counter cruising but he sure is anxious to vacuum up whatever falls!

If you have ever wanted to have a running partner or join a fly ball community,Kevin might be your new best friend! 

Kevin continues to mature and we can’t help but laugh with his fun personality. He is always up for adventure! He has been loving snowy walks although he has to stop and taste the snow rather frequently.

It has been a very cold week here so he has been in the house more than usual and coping as best he can. He is learning the concept of “hygge” and mellowing out when there are no other good options. But come a warm day, he is ready to get going.

Kevin continues to mature while with us and can’t help but make us smile. But potential adopters need to keep in mind:

Kevin is a young, very impulsive, very agile, and very smart dog. The combination of these traits makes him a challenge. He has high exercise needs and is not a dog to be left home alone all day. He will find ways to entertain himself that you might not appreciate.

Kevin is a difficult dog to walk. We are working on this but Kevin needs to run. While walking on a corrective harness, he will leap vertically into the air. Goldens often take longer to mature than many other breeds so potential families truly need to understand this issue.

Kevin is a fantastic dog once exercised. But he needs several exercise periods each day. He simply needs to get his energy out. And obedience classes with his new family would serve him well. He learns quickly and could be a great agility dog!

And Kevin LOVES people. Once he is relaxed, he wants nothing more than to lie on top of you and have his stomach rubbed. Until a new idea comes into his mind…

• Kevin is doing well and maturing every day. He is a very smart, very agile, and very energetic fellow. Because of this however, Kevin needs a forever family who understands his special needs. Kevin needs a high level of exercise, stimulation, and companionship. His perfect family would accompany him for at least a half hour run each morning, at least a half hour of very active fetch at lunch, and an hour walk in the evening. A walk or two alone each day is not going to cut it with Kevin!
• And he is not the type of dog who is comfortable in a crate for hours as he gets restless very quickly and his impulsivity increases. Leaving toys to entertain him won’t be enough as he shreds stuffed toys and cannot have food stuffed toys. (Kevin is on a special skin and GI diet. We otherwise limit him to small amounts of fruit and vegetables. Traditional dog treats aren’t for him.)
• Kevin focuses on training only after he has run off his energy. He will try very hard to make his people happy and will train for affection if you respect his needs first. But he is a dog that you must stay one step ahead of in order to address his quick thinking. (We joke that our neighbors must think that Kevin’s middle name is WAIT!) And Kevin’s family should plan to participate in training classes with him to create a strong family bond.
• Kevin cannot live with an invisible fence as he is very impulsive. It would only deter him from returning home if he knew that recrossing the perimeter would cause him pain.
• In other words, Kevin is a joy but also a challenge. He is not the best candidate for the first time dog owner. And he needs a high level of companionship. As the day ends, he wants one on one time before he falls asleep on the floor next to my bed. He wakes up wanting to have his head rubbed before we head outside. But then he’s up and running for the day!

We think of Kevin as an Italian sports car of a Golden- sleek, beautiful, and made to move at high speeds. Can accelerate from 0 to 100 in seconds. Quirky and challenging to maintain and will deteriorate if garaged too long. Not a family sedan. Not the best first car for anyone. But you sure can fall in love with him!

Beautiful Kevin had a good week! As the video here will show you, he sure can run! (Kevin is the dog in the black vest.) He loves a fast race!

He is working on channeling his enthusiasm for life into positive behavior. He runs up to us wanting to tell us face to face about how happy he is but has learned that he needs to not jump up to tell us. He recently got a new tug toy and teases all the other dogs to give it a try as it isn’t fun until they play together. He will stop on first notice if the game gets a little too exciting and we need to remind everyone to take a breather.

Did I mention his love for fruit? Since we avoid too many traditional dog treats for him due to stomach and skin sensitivity, he has learned that small pieces of apples, bananas, blueberries and strawberries can make due when needed. He’s pretty easy to make happy! 

Kevin is enjoying these beautiful brisk days. He is always up for an adventure whether it should be a long walk, chasing his foster siblings, or warning the deer in the yard that they best move on. And can he ever run! If only there were track events for dogs! He would be an all time champion—running and jumping! This is a dog who would love an agility course (as long as there were limited distractions).

He enjoys all of his foster siblings and is the dog who starts most of the games in the house. He also is the dog who will shred all of the soft toys.

Kevin does need a lot of stimulation on a daily basis. He is high energy and intelligent, which means he needs companionship. But he is also a motivated learner and is apt to excel with obedience classes. And walking him is still a challenge, but he is trying hard to do better. He just wants us to run rather than walk!

He has had one small skin lesion which we were able to quickly control. He will need a special diet to avoid future sores. Frequent brushing helps keep his skin healthy and also makes him very happy!

Say hi to Kevin!

Kevin came to RAGOM from a family who loved him since he was a pup. He is a happy, healthy, SUPER energetic young guy who wakes up happy and sees each moment as a new adventure. He is looking for a family to help him burn off some of his energy and then spend the evening rubbing his belly while he settles down.

Kevin is in an adolescent stage of life and can be impulsive. He is interested in everything from his toys to the birds flying overhead to the new sound on the street to the new scent in the air. This combination of characteristics means that he needs a fenced yard. 

And he is possibly the most agile dog his foster family has ever known in their many years of living with dogs, so the fence will need to be high. His recall to his name is very strong but he is young and gets distracted very easily. 

He is a challenging dog to walk because he sees the world at a high speed. As he gets a little older, he could be a wonderful companion for a runner or speed walker. And when distraction is controlled, he is a great retriever! He flies after balls.

Kevin has a big heart and can make you laugh with his antics. But he also has special needs. His family placed him with RAGOM after he nipped one of their children (no skin broken) when she was active on the sofa with him. He will not be placed in a family with young children (under 13 years old) due to his impulsiveness. And we continue to remind him that mouthing is not acceptable during play. 

He can easily get excited and needs to settle a bit. In addition, Kevin has mild ichthyosis. While he has a beautiful coat, his new family will need to maintain his skin health with special shampoo and appropriate food. He will also need consistent brushing and ear cleaning to keep him comfortable. 

Kevin works hard to make people happy and will bring joy to the right family. He will never let you have a bad day!