Barkley

Age: 2

Updated 9/28/10

Boy, was Barkley happy to leave the shelter after that “stray hold”! He hopped right into the car and was a good passenger.  He loves  car rides, and he’s small and light enough to be lifted in if it’s too high for him to jump. In fact, he’s so delicately built that he almost seems to float as he lopes along. He’s still favoring his hind leg a bit, but it’s expected to heal fully from a hairline fracture in the hip. Until then (a few months down the road), he just needs not to overdo it on the running, racing, and wrestling front. 

He’s been left alone with his buddy, Ryder, during the day, free to roam the house.  No problems there.

Barkley hadn’t had leash training in his past, so he still tugs on the lead. I’ve also discovered that he’s a bolter, so beware at the front door! The one time he got out he visited a few yards, staying just out of reach.  Finally, when he was ready to quit roamin’, he just sat down and allowed himself to be coaxed back inside.

You can tell Barkley is very smart and I know he’ll be a quick learner. Right now, he lies on the floor and rolls over when you try to teach him a command. All in good time!

He’s a very sweet and happy dog—and a pretty boy, too, with his beautiful silky blonde fur! He’s not the least bit jealous or aggressive, nor is he protective of his food.  He loves to play—does his cute play bow and dances around.  I think he’d be a good companion for another dog, and because he’s so small, he’d do well in a smaller home, too. Be aware that he loves to lie on the sofa! That’s where he prefers to relax.

Update: 9/17/10

The little blond Golden just showed up in a nice lady’s yard one day – very young, very skinny, and limping. He wore a rabies tag, which led back to a clinic all the way across town – but  attempts to contact the owners led to disconnected phone numbers and a vacant house.

Where did his family go, and how did Barkley come to be so far from home? How long had he been wandering? We’ll never know… but what we DO know is that, after some hard times, this little guy really got lucky. The lady who found him had a wonderful friend who was determined to help. “He is a great dog, extremely friendly and sweet,” she wrote. She took him to her own clinic for a bath and shots,too—and even personally drove him to Austin.

The vet  gave us some good news: Barkley is heartworm negative, and his limp is due to a tiny hairline fracture in one hip socket (maybe a very glancing blow from a car?) which will heal on its own in a few months. And of course, the best news is that he’s safe at last! More news as he settles into his foster home.

Adoption Procedures