Now about golden retriever, Sophie. When we adopted Moose and met his foster (former owner) *** asked if he gave me his e-mail address if I would let him know how Moose took the 100 mile trip home with us and how he was doing. I said sure. And I did just that and attached some pictures I took when we got here.
They had "turned him back" into the rescue early with the promise they could foster him until either it was time for them to move or he was adopted. They were hoping he would be adopted before they move, tho most do not not want a 7 year old dog whose life span is only about 10--11 years. But they hoped someone would want him before they moved back to the north and they would get to meet the new owners. And as it happened, they had only turned him back about 2 days before Shaggy died and we were looking to get another. The rescue lady called and told me about Moose and we saw his pictures, read about him, I talked to Jill and we knew he was for us.
Well not only did I e-mail *** that day, but every two weeks or so I would send "news letters" and usually a couple of pictures. Then in early Feb. I got an e-mail from Jill saying she had a favor to ask me but would understand if I said no. She was wondering if I would be willing to take in her golden retriever, Sophie, who had turned 1 on Jan. 8. She has bad hips and knees and Jill didn't think the harsh winters up there would do her any good. I agreed and we met *** at the same spot where we had taken over Moose the Sept. before.
Poor Sophie had been with them since she was 6 weeks old, 11 years. She was so scared when we started home with her in our car and just huddled against the door shaking. I talked to her, calling her Sophie Girl and reached back and scar4ched her leg, the only part of her body I could reach. About an hour into our 2 hour ride home she laid down and put her head on the console and I just rubbed her head and ears, talking to her. It certainly calmed her down. When we got home I kept her out front and Jerry came in and got Moose and brought him out, but it appears they truly remembered each other as it had only been 4 1/2 months since they had been separated.
It took her a week or so before she felt at ease here--at ease enough to try to "wash" the dishes with her tongue when I loaded the dishwasher and to get on the sofa. Now it is like she has always been here. She follows me around--even into the bathroom. She wants to be in the kitchen when I am cooking--I know she is hoping something will drop to the floor. She wakes me up in the mornings to let her out if she wakes before I do. When she is outside she will come to the back door and let out a single bark. If we don't go let her in, she will let out a single bark again. If we don't come them, she just lays down by the door. Outside of that, I have only heard actually bark at something twice in the 10 months we have had her.
Her knees are bowed out and her feet kinda turn in and her hips are not good. She has the oddest gait you ever saw. She likes to sleep and nap on the sofa. Back in the late summer she went to g3t on there and fell. I thought she had a misstep. But later she went to get on and went over backwards. I saw then--she got her one back foot up but the leg on the floor buckled and she went ove4r. After that I would see her standing, looking, but not attempting to get on there. So I ordered Cosequin for her, and in a month's time she was getting on and off the sofa any time she wanted to, and had actually started to do a little running. Her legs are still bowed, her feet still turn in, her gait is odd, but she stretches her back legs now, gets on and off the couch several times a day, and runs. that is GOOD stuff. Even tho Moose shows no signs of arthritis etc, I have him on the Cosequin
Sophie scared the daylights out of us back in 'Sept. When we leave she lays by the front door waiting for us to get home. I open the door and bump her and she gets up, tail just wagging o greet us.. That day we both had doctor appointments in next town. 6 miles down the road. Got home and I opened the front door, umped her and she didn't move. I bumped her again and she still didn't move. I was scared then. I finally got the door open enough to get in and she was laying there and then she started struggling to get up, but her back legs didn't seem to want to work at all. And she had pooped all over herself.
I ran and opened the garage door and Jerry came in and by then I was in tears. I knew we were going to lose her. My thoughts were she had had a stroke and was paralyzed, or maybe she had had a seizure that had paralyzed her. We rushed back to her and by then one back leg seemed to be working and then the other. I got her to her feet and helped her outside. We cleaned her up and got her to the vet.
He ran tests and found she was low thyroid and felt it could be that had caused a seizure. He put her on thyroid meds. She has not had another that we know of, certainly none that caused her to poop all over her self. It was very foul smelling and very running. It also occurred to me that maybe she had gotten hold of something and that had caused this to happen. Just do not know. She goes in the end of the month or first of Jan to have thyroid tested again.
She got a hot spot about a month ago. Had to take her in and get her hip shaved and he gave her a steroid injection and put her on antibiotics. It cleared up with no trouble, but that fur is just growing back and it has been cold---for here. I bet she will be glad to get her warm fur back.
She loves to go out and play in the rain and will play in water sprinkler when I have it on. They sent some of her toys down and her favorite is a teddy bear. We have to "rescue" it from the yard all the time. Also she likes to carry around sticks. Jerry brought in some kindling wood a few nights ago when it was cold and she was taking all the wood out of the box!
She has amazing little white on her face. Most just on her chin and just above her lips. And curly! She has the softest fur and it is curly on her ears, chest and back legs. Jerry calls her "Miss Curly Top" and I call her "Miss Bright Eyes" as her eyes are so clear and bright. Is hard to believe that in just a month and 3 days this little girl will be 12 years old. I say little, she was 73 pounds when we got her and I hae her down to 70. With those hips and knees, less weight is better. She could still loose 6-7 pounds and not be skinny by any means. But when seeing her next to 115 pound Moose. she looke small. She does have thin legs and dainty paws like my Kaycee had. Honey had thin legs, m but she hd bit paws.
I managed to get one picture of her in the gallery and will try to get some more.