McHarley

Updated 1/5/11

McHarley....what a gorgeous Golden!    At just 18 months old,  he has a thick, wavy coat and is a quite a looker. 

 
This Golden boy came to GRR from loving, attentive owners who’d acquired him as a 4-month-old pup in sad shape.They helped him recover from his truly awful skin problems and ear infections, and several months down the road, he had all the zip and bounce a young pup should have. But then their schedules changed, and McHarley found himself crated alone in the house for many long hours each day. That’s no life for a very young dog, and the puppy began to suffer from separation anxiety and stress. Desperate to help him, his owners first tried sending him to a trainer, then put him on anti-anxiety medication… but they finally realized that what he really needed wasn’t meds, but a different home with more companionship, more socialization, and more exercise. And that’s how McHarley came to GRR. He’s making a great new start!
 
First order of business was to wean him off the anti-anxiety drugs and help him feel secure in a new home where his people—sometimes Mom, sometimes Dad—are home almost all the time. With love and patience, McHarley has made tremendous progress over the past three weeks, and he’s having the time of his young life.   He immediately bonded with his Golden foster brother, Sherman,  I and the two spend lots of time racing around the backyard or just curled up together for a nap.  A tired dog is a good dog, as the saying goes!

After spending so much of his life crated & indoors,  he is curious but cautious (& sometimes terrified) about the big world outside.    He loves playing in the yard, but only if the door to house is open & he can make a dash back inside.      Things like the garbage truck going by or children walking to school make him very nervous, but once he has his " woobie" (his stuffed toy) in his mouth,  he is ready to conquer the world! 
 
His foster mom has nothing but praise for him & reports, "he pays attention to things more now that he’s off the medications and is experiencing  the world in glorious Technicolor. Has lots and lots of energy.  The doggies wrestle almost constantly.       Every day he is learning to be a little more secure.  Today he was  in the yard with us while we did yard work.  He would play but then run  back to the door because it makes him nervous to be free."   He's getting better & better every day.    

He's learning to walk on a leash,  but the wide open spaces are still a bit scary for him: "He runs into you, darts, reverses, etc. with no warning.  The most random  things are very scary for him (street drains, trash cans, bushes,  fences, people, cars, etc.).”
 
 For now,  McHarley is learning to explore,  and learning to enjoy life.   He has such a sweet & loving personality and is gets along beautifully with cats and other dogs.   The perfect home for McHarley would be one where he is not left alone for long periods of time or EVER crated again.    His new owners will need to realize that for McHarley, new things can be a bit scary. Slow introductions are the way to go.  Oh, by the way, he's great with kids but does get a little freaked out when they dress up in costumes!  
 

Adoption Procedures