Groovy

Groovy, age 10-12 mo.

AVAILABLE SOON

Update 8/27/11

It’s not all groovy yet… but it will be! This little fellow is one tough cookie. No sooner had he moved into his foster home & started to feel like a regular pup again, than he had a bout of vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy that sent his foster mom speeding him to the vet’s. Blood tests revealed NO  parvovirus (huge sigh of relief), but little Groovy is anemic (no surprise, given all those fleas) and will be getting vitamins + iron. Vet’s best guess is that he has colitis and may also be fighting off some other infection picked up at the pound. The prescription: a bland, easily digestible diet, antibiotics, and probiotics too. And he’ll go back to the vet for another blood test next week. Meanwhile, he’s already battling through this latest challenge and perking up again. “He ate and kept his dinner down last night and ate his breakfast. His energy level is MUCH better and he is wrestlig a bit with the other dogs right now.” Go, Groovy!

By the way, Groovy isn’t just little in age – he’s little in size, too, weighing just around 30 pounds at around one year old. So he won’t be a standard-size Golden when he’s all grown up, but, “I don’t see any other breed that stands out,” says his foster mom. “He is definitely underweight, and he has fairly long legs and decent paws for his size (who knows what kind of  nutrition he was getting?!). He has a longish snout (but then so does my  registered Golden). His fur and pantaloons and tail feathers look Golden (he is very light-colored). He may be one of those ‘mini’ Goldens, but he will look so much better with some groceries on him & a healthier, thicker coat.”

More news to come…

Update

How will Groovy get his groove back?

By living in a real home with lots of friendly dogs to mentor him! It’s already working like a charm.

When we met Groovy at the pound, we could tell his little life hasn’t been very groovy so far. He looked worried and acted shy & skittish in the extreme, either cowering at the back of his crate or trying to make a run for it (photos show him curled up in a ball or as a mere blur of golden fur!). When “get out of jail” day arrived, he was too scared to budge & had to be carried to the car. He was so discombobulated he hardly responded to being petted. Probably partly nerves & partly just not feeling tip-top… because… “Talk about fleas!” was the transport comment. “Thank goodness I’d been supplied with a Capstar. I gave him one at the pound & by the time we got to the hand-off point in San Marcos, hundreds of fleas were popping off him. Yes, I did say HUNDREDS.” Poor little Groovy! Vet thinks he may be slightly anemic, but good food and, if necessary, some vitamins + iron will help with that.

Groovy clearly needed an experienced foster home & some welcoming doggie pals to help him start feeling better and more confident, and that’s just what he  has now. After just 24 hours we got this fantastic report:

Great news! What a difference not even a day makes. Groovy and Freya, who’s about the same age, are best buds and he is a wiggly, playful pup again with a wagging tail. They are two peas in a pod at the same height... just different colors. He LOVES to wrestle! He is a little worried about petting, but he will lick our hands, and he wags his tail when he does come up to us. I think he just needs a little time to trust people. 

VERY worried about the leash going on over his head and freaks if you grab his collar and I have to get him in a small room to get him “dressed” (not sure if he was tied out or had a harsh upbringing or if Animal Control maybe used a catch pole???), but he is walking decently when the lead is on. We are going to practice twice a day putting it on and taking it off.

He is ravenously hungry and I think he may have some protective tendencies... wouldn’t be surprising if he has been foraging on his own… will check this out when he settles in a bit more in another day or so. Feeding him by himself right now. Loves treats but won't take it out of your hand, only off the floor.

Did GREAT in his kennel last night without a peep (I am sure he was exhausted)  and went in on his own for a nap this morning with the door open. I am sure he feels safe there.

I can’t believe he’s made such a great turnaround in less than 24 hours and I am sure he’ll improve even more over the next week or two.

Stay tuned!