Golden

ADOPTED

Please read our dog bios carefully to be sure that the dog you are applying for suits your family and lifestyle.
We at PDR believe in the benefits of post-adoption training for our dogs and their families. This allows for continued socialization, learning and helps to create a well-mannered and balanced dog. Post-adoption training is a requirement in our adoption process.

Let me introduce you to Golden. She is a 2-year-old Golden Retriever and Poodle mix. Golden weighs in roughly around 50lbs and will fit nicely in a home with a backyard so she can stretch her legs and bounce around. She has a beautiful gold and copper colored curly coat and adorable teddy bear face. Her playful and loving eyes will steal your heart. As I write this, she is calmly staring out the window enjoying the passing scenery. She is a beautiful dog with an even more wonderful temperament and personality.

Golden was used for breeding purposes for the first 2 years of her life up until about 4 weeks ago when she came into our care. Golden has never known a life as a pet but that does not show as she already knows to come, walk on leash, sit and spend time in her crate. We both commented that it has felt more like babysitting a friend’s dog then taking in a dog from a puppy mill. Golden still does have some work to do on her behaviours like stealing ornaments off the Christmas tree but nothing some time and attention won’t address. At the end of the day, she needs and deserves a home that will give her endless amounts of love and affection and she will give it right back to you.

I would like to make very clear here that Golden is NOT hypoallergenic. She is a “Goldendoodle” which means she is part Golden Retriever, a shedding dog. Her fur is so soft and fluffy and it’s impossible to not bury your face into her to give kisses. If you are allergic to dogs and expecting to do this without sneezing you are out of luck! She will not be a suitable dog for allergy sufferers, sorry! Golden also requires regular brushing as her fur will easily mat up if not kept up. Regular trips to the groomer to keep her nicely trimmed will also be required. There is quite a bit of upkeep with this coat type and it can become a huge mess quickly so the time and energy to keep up this type of coat will have to be taken into consideration as well. This is quite the undertaking and not something everyone wants to take on or has the time or desire to do.

Golden would do well in most homes but preferably one that can provide her with the attention and energy she requires, ideally with a large fully fenced backyard to explore in. She craves attention and playtime and so will require a home that is able to give her lots of love and attention. She is calm and quiet indoors and likes to bounce around outside with other dogs or her family. As she has developed her confidence she will bark, a very sweet bark, from time to time at new sounds or situations going on outside. A quick verbal instruction to stop and she will carry on with what she was doing. Golden’s favourite things to do outside are to explore the backyard and try to engage the other dogs in playtime. She has shown some prey drive towards squirrels and rabbits both in the backyard and on walks so she should be watched when around these animals. She has been around other small dogs and did not pose any issue. She is a higher-energy dog and does well with regular walks and playing in the yard. But if it is pouring outside, she can make do with quick trips out for potty breaks. Golden has been taken on walks around the neighbourhood and on trails and she is happy to trot along. She would love to run in the fields with the other dogs but additional work on her recall will be needed by her forever home.

What Golden loves best though is snuggles and pets. Golden loves love. She is happiest when she’s getting pets as she sits by your side or rests her head on your lap. She can’t get enough love and affection and she will remind you she’d like more with a gentle heart-warming paw to your arm. Golden will allow you to do anything to her if she’s told she’s a good girl and a couple pets or treats accompany it. She is also perfectly behaved as we trimmed her nails and never so much as pulled a foot away. Golden has been such a good girl during her stay with us and to top it off has been perfectly housetrained, not a single accident. She is also crate trained and sleeps in her crate at night and stays in her crate when we are away from the house. She has been an easy dog to foster and an even easier dog to love. Everyone who meets her comments on how sweet she is and how lucky someone will be to have her as their forever dog. Golden is good with other dogs and has settled in nicely with our other two larger dogs. She showed interest in playing with them right away and we think she would do well in a home with another friendly, well-behaved dog, but this is not a necessity for her. Golden would do just as well being the only dog and getting all the attention to herself. There are no cats in our house so we are not sure how she would do with them. As noted, she will chase squirrels and rabbits, so we feel it would be the same for cats and as a safety precaution will be looking for a cat free home for her. Golden is not being fostered in a home with children, but we believe with her fun, loving nature, she would do fine with older children (over 10years old). She would love the attention she would get from kids who would love to pet her and play nicely with her in the yard but can also understand that as living in a home and having access to the yard etc are still new to her, she is a flight risk and doors and gates must be kept closed and she is not allowed access to escape.

Golden is being taught basic obedience in her foster home and has learned come and “sit”. She is treat-motivated and along with some love and praise seems to pick up new items quickly. Golden’s new family will need to commit to continuing her obedience training to bring out the best in this smart dog. We are looking for a family dedicated to advanced levels of obedience for this super smart girl. The more you can do with her the better for her over all learning, socialization and confidence building. With regards to health, Golden has had a check-in with the vet and no issues were noted. Golden unfortunately went into heat days before her scheduled spay so we had to hold off on this. Her heat is over now but she can’t safely be spayed for a few months. She will need to be returned to be spayed, in a few months, which needs to be done our veterinarian in Cambridge and is already paid for by her rescue. Anyone interested in adopting Golden needs to live within a 45min radius of Cambridge and be able to drop her off the morning of her spay and then pick her back up later that evening. She will be adopted out on a contract that enforces this mandatory spay return. We just feel that it’s time for Golden to find her forever home and waiting an extra few months in foster care until she can be safely spayed will only delay her happily ever after. Otherwise nothing has been noticed in terms of Golden’s health and she seems to be in great shape.

Golden’s forever family will need to understand that while she is extremely well adjusted for a recent mill dog that continued patience and work will be required to help Golden and incorporate her into their family. That being said, Golden has already made so much progress in the short time we’ve had her that we know in her perfect family she will fit in right away and start enjoying her new life. Adopting Golden gives this angel the new chance at life she deserves and gives your family the most special new member. Golden will repay your kindness with love and affection for the rest of her life.

In summary, Doodles are mixed breed dogs and therefore exhibit a spectrum of behaviours that are present in the breeds of their parents, however there are some behavioural characteristics that are very common that people should make note of. First, Doodles tend to be very social dogs that do much better with their people around and engaged with them more than not. A Doodle that is left alone for long periods of time regularly can develop depression, anxiety, become obsessive about certain activities and these can result in other destructive behaviours. Doodles are also high energy dogs that need an abundance of mental and physical exercise, especially as they are growing into adulthood. These are not couch potato dogs that are content with a few short walks a day. If you have a more laid-back lifestyle and are a homebody, a Doodle will not likely be a great match for you. They are very intelligent dogs who like to work, so taking them beyond basic training is highly recommended to help them live their best life. They like to push boundaries and challenge you and many Doodle owners have claimed their dogs are always two to three steps ahead of them. If you are committed to advanced training, lots of exercise and exploring, if you have a goal of learning dog sports, then Golden might just be the girl for you!

Golden is an amazing girl. She has a fun and playful personality that will light up your whole life and she is truly a pleasure to have as company. Her forever family will be incredibly lucky to have her.