Cas

Hello everyone, please allow me the pleasure of introducing our gentle dog, Cas!

Cas is a female Golden Retriever that is approximately 4 years old and about 66lbs in weight. She has the typical gold coloured fur with some lighter blonde going throughout. She has very large paws and a super cute little mohawk/ridge going up the middle of her nose. Her eyes are a dark brown and they just are so adorable next to all the lighter coloured fur. Her ears flop over and frame her face. We named her Cas because of her colouring. She has a nice whiskey colour to her, and a cask is the way whiskey is stored. So Cas was a great option to go with. 

Cas is a newly retired puppy mill mama from a puppy mill. Being a mill mama she is super gentle and cuddly with people she knows, but is still a bit nervous with new people and new sounds. But as time goes on I am sure this will improve. Lots of slow and gentle movements need to be considered around her.  We just always keep in mind, up until coming into rescue, she was living entirely in a barn and was never exposed to a home or the world outside.  

Cas seemed to do really well getting used to our home. She was extra nervous and didn’t quite trust us at first. This is all typical and very normal for mill mamas. You just need to give them some time and personal space when they need it. She did quite well at Christmas time with family visits and more noise. 

Cas had a full vet check up with up-to-date vaccinations, microchip, and spay surgery. At this appointment they found an extra tooth on the upper left quadrant. This doesn’t seem to pose an issue for now. Our vet had a good look at her teeth and all is good and no work needs to be done, but like all dogs when older, a dental is recommended later in life. They also found a very quiet 2/6 heart murmur in the initial exam. This didn’t pose an urgent concern, but cardiac protocol was used during the surgery and she tolerated it well. Her recovery was pretty normal. She did go on a mini food strike after the surgery but only skipping meals for 24 hours after. She took her meds like a pro though. No funny faces or complaints.

She has also had one bath in our care. She tolerated it well and it really made her fur much softer. As a golden retriever she can get matts in her fur, especially behind her ears. They may need to be trimmed or shaved every so often. She has a coat that needs regular brushing maintenance to avoid this.   

Cas loves going for walks and being outside! I’ve even noticed more active runs around the backyard in the snow, which is super cute to watch. She looks so happy in her retired life. She is a bit strong on the leash and tends to pull pretty hard when we first walk out the door and for a few houses. Then she slows down and it’s a more leisurely walk. She does seem to enjoy being first though. She typically gets a 10-15 minute walk in the morning after the school bus and a 30-40 minute walk in the mid afternoon before the school bus. On weekends or holidays she will get 2 walks about 30-40 minutes each day.  She will only get more active and need longer walks as she gains confidence so her adopters need to be active, outdoorsy types who can keep up with the energy requirements of a Golden.  

Crate training with Cas is a work in progress. When she first came to us she didn’t like going into her crate at all, more of a trust issue I would say. We just left the door open all the time and she would just go in and out at her own choice. This helped a lot, because she started using it as a safe space and quiet place to hang out. Now we can just say “Cas, in your house” and she goes right in. Because we were home so much over the holidays she got used to that. Getting back to normal life has been a bit of a transition.  She eats all her meals in her crate and she is quite comfortable. All night she is quiet in her crate and just sleeps. Once morning rolls around and she hears us getting up and ready she whimpers a bit and gets really excited that it’s time to come out. 

We consider Cas to be fully house trained. We have never had an accident in the house or in the crate before. Has always gone outside in the backyard or on our walks. But sometimes transitional periods can be difficult and we don’t like to say 100% just in case. She can hold it quite long but doesn’t seem to enjoy being crated for long stretches. Cas would need a home where someone is around more than away.  A few hours here and there in the day is fine for her to be crated but she won’t enjoy a home where she is left alone for a full workday.  

Some key information about Cas. She has shown interest when she sees squirrels or ducks, but during the cold spell we don’t see them out much. She doesn’t bark much at all. Doesn’t bark at other dogs on our walks, doesn’t bark at people coming to the door or into the house. She sometimes reacts to something on TV with a bark or a grumble though. We notice she already reacts to her name which is amazing. She listens pretty great at our commands. She knew how to shake paw the first night we got her. It’s quite fun for all of us to hold her hand. She loves to be pet and cuddled, by adults and children. My daughter is very calm with her and Cas just loves to hang out with her and is very gentle. Cas would enjoy a home with children 8yrs of age and up as long as it is a calmer home and not a lot of noise or commotion.  Cas loves playing with toys. Hard plastic toys are better since anything stuffy has a large chance of getting torn apart. Her favourite pastime is sleeping. Retired mill mama life goal is unlocked! Rest and relaxation!

Cas loves food and doesn’t seem very picky about what she eats. She loves treats but you just have to be mindful and work on her being gentle about taking treats from your hand. She is like a little snapping turtle because she gets so excited.

Cas is awesome in the car. She lays down on the floor of the backseat and just sleeps. The kids keep her company but she doesn’t stir much then.  

Cas is a mill dog and with that comes fear and nervousness about new sights and sounds, but she is a curious dog and we know that given more time she is going to adapt completely to the life of a “normal “ dog.  Everyone in her family needs to understand that she is nervous and doesn’t trust everything. It will be an experience for her to learn and trust everything. It will be a lot of fun to experience new things with her. Because she is a flight risk, as all mill dogs are,  a home with a fully fenced yard is a must. Being able to just open the back door and let her out to explore, play, and go to the bathroom is wonderful. Being attached to a neighbouring house isn’t really an issue because she doesn’t bark much and is pretty quiet.  Of course she still needs her walks and outings, but she gets real joy from time spent in her secure yard.  

If you think this suits your family, please send in an application. You will be getting a really special dog!