ADOPTED
“Without friends, what are we surviving for?” (from Nori Brandyfoot, Nori’s namesake) Nori is a joyous 6-7 year old golden retriever who found her way into rescue after surviving a puppy mill. She is ready to wander and see what adventures lie in store!
Nori loves all people, and will often quietly walk up to strangers to see if they want to say hello to her and give her a pat! Her tail never stops wagging, and people always remark that she is always so happy. She has grown in her confidence but will still often hold her head low to the ground when she greets people, but there is no doubt that she loves humans! She would likely do well with children around the age of 8 and up, only because she occasionally gets startled by sudden household noises (garbage can opening, things being dropped) and the liveliness and noise that surrounds young children may be too much for her. Otherwise Nori has been gentle and sweet with people of all ages and genders.
Nori lives with two medium-sized dogs and two cats. Being a retired mama, she is very tolerant of puppies and younger dogs as well. Nori seems to enjoy the company of other dogs and does like to sniff them to say hello, but has not shown signs of wanting to play with other dogs yet. She would be happy in a home with another mature, calm dog or as an only dog where she gets to visit other dogs from time to time. Nori has been very gentle with the cats, showing only mild curiosity in their presence. As long as the cats in her new home are comfortable with the presence of a larger, wiggly dog, they should coexist well. She never pesters or insists on attention from our cats.
Nori is very quiet in the home. We have not heard her bark yet, but she will whine in the morning if she sees us take our dogs out first and she is left behind for a few moments. She loves to be included. She tolerates her crate very well and enters without issue, and sleeps quietly overnight with the occasional soft snoring. She is crated overnight and for short periods in the day to encourage confidence in being alone. Nori is capable of staying in her crate for a typical workday if needed, and rests quietly if you are not in sight. Otherwise, she may pant and whine for a few moments. She is low to medium energy, and will spend most of the day napping if allowed.
Nori is taking some time to become acclimated to life indoors, in the sense that she is not sure where she should be. She often prefers to stay near her crate if she is not given guidance, and we have been walking her to other areas of the house to give her practice at learning how to relax in different areas of the home. She is improving and learning it is okay to lay down in different rooms, and this will be an ongoing adjustment for her.
In terms of car rides, Nori is somewhat stressed. She needs assistance and patience entering the car, but her drive to please people motivates her to try to get in on her own, but she is still unable to enter without a boost. Nori tends to stand in one place and pant during a car ride. In the early days of her foster time, she would use her weight to avoid being lifted to enter the car, but with patience and repetition she is slowly learning that the car brings her to places where she gets to meet more people, and she tries her very best to get in! Anyone considering Nori will need to be able to manage her weight when it comes to things that require boosts.
Being a golden retriever, Nori is relatively high-shedding and will require deshedding approximately twice yearly, and weekly (sometimes daily) brushing to keep her fresh and tangle-free. Her first brush-out resulted in several tumbleweeds of fluff, which will make all the birds in your neighbourhood happy! Her fur is still quite thin from poor nutrition and should improve with ongoing quality nutrition. In tune with her retriever roots, Nori also enjoys picking up objects (usually toys, but once a muffin wrapper!) and will need reminders of appropriate objects to hold in her new home. She has not been destructive in our home.
Regarding her weight: Nori was grossly obese at the start of her foster time. She is 77lbs now and still has a ways to go. Care must be taken to reduce her weight in a safe manner to help her build strength and endurance. She will require a weight loss plan and diet, and your veterinary team can support you in these efforts. Nori has already lost about 9lbs and is on the right path. She generally eats well, but prefers to eat in areas where she is comfortable (near and sometimes in crate). As she gains strength and endurance, she will happily walk about 30-45mins in the cooler weather in one session, but initially when we started walking her she would become tired and winded after short walks down the street. Nori loves to walk and in time will definitely enjoy longer suburban city or trail walks.
Nori generally walks well on leash, and is walked on a martingale for safety to prevent the leash from slipping off in her uncomfortable moments (passing garbage trucks)! If she feels she knows the way however, she may try to pull in the direction. She does not do this every time. She has been doing well when her handler stops moving and has been returning to her handler’s side instead of continuing to pull. Nori is constantly looking for you while on leash so with continued training should improve her manners in time. Nori also loves to burst through open doors, and will try to squeeze through the smallest crack to get to the next destination if she thinks that is where she should be going, so her new home will have to be mindful of continuing to build on her threshold manners.
Overall, Nori is a very happy dog who loves all people. Nori would do best living in a quiet suburban setting or rural area where she can continue to meet people, as she is somewhat troubled by larger vehicles like garbage trucks and dense traffic passing directly next to the sidewalk. She would love to continue to make new friends and is a joy to live with. Please adopt Nori!