Riley

Profile

07/06/2017:

Riley is a 7.5-year-old, beautiful Golden Retriever who is truly gold with white feathering. He was surrendered to RAGOM on June 18th, as his family will be going on the road for a number of years and felt that wouldn't be the best life for him. This handsome boy joined the RAGOM family to begin another journey in his life, and we are right by his side as he begins to work through this major change. With the help of my resident dog, Nicole, he is settling in and we have learned that he forms very strong bonds as long as we give him the time he needs to get to know us. We have been working on slow introductions to new people and giving him time to build trust before we will introduce him to new dogs, knowing that he is still trying to process all that he has been through.

We recently completed his first vet visit to bring him up to date on everything and learned that he did test positive for Lymes disease and will be on antibiotics for a few more weeks. His birthdate is January 18, 2010, and he currently weighs 79 lbs. Through walking every day and running around in the backyard, we're hoping to bring him down to between 65 and 70 lbs., which is what the vet suggested would be a good weight for him.

Riley has been loving the freedom of a fenced-in yard and very much enjoys the outdoors, whether it is playing with a toy, just enjoying a breeze, rolling in the grass, or going for a walk. Some improvement is needed for him to not pull when walking, but he listens well to commands such as "leave it," "slow," or "heel." He has been good to follow a "sit-stay" command during a walk when someone is passing, and this has been good for him to feel safe with so many new things coming his way.

Riley hasn't had any accidents in the house and is crate trained. He follows a "kennel up" command, but also goes in his crate throughout the day just to nap when he feels like it. He plays with toys in the house and will find his way to a dog bed and sometimes to a couch or bed, depending on what looks the most comfy. There has not been any resource guarding of food or toys, and he has been good throughout the house.

We're still getting to know this boy - just as he is getting to know us. He does have anxiety during fireworks and storms, as well as car rides and going to the vet. With storms and firemworks, he does a lot of pacing, panting, and wanting to get as close to you as possible. We jumped right into fireworks over the last week and will continue to work to understand what makes him feel the safest when the anxiety sets in. Riley is quick to jump into the car and is best in a crate when traveling, as this makes him feel the safest.

Riley will need a family that will be patient and take time with him to build a special bond. His forever family will need to appreciate he had a whole other life for 7.5 years and understand that they will need to build trust with him over time. Each day will be another step in creating a new life for him, and as my foster mentor told me, "It will be a marathon, not a sprint." No matter how fast or slow it goes, I know that Riley will bring special moments and smiles to each day, just as he is doing for Nicole and me.

Stay tuned as we learn more about our handsome Riley in the days ahead...

If you think Riley would be a good fit in your home, please submit an "Inquiry for Application" form. If you have already filled out an "Inquiry for Application" form, please send an email to [email protected] with Riley's name, his RAGOM number, the name you submitted the Inquiry for Application form under, and a sentence or two why you feel you'd be a good match.