Valentine
Valentine, age 8
AVAILA
#12-018 Valentine, age 8 1/2
Weight: 56 pounds
AVAILABLE
Valentine first came to GRR nearly one year ago, confiscated by the
police department in a case of neglect. At that point she weighed a mere 28.5
pounds: she was just about a walking skeleton, with dull, short fur stretched
over her jutting bones. But what sparkle! She was bright, perky and friendly
from the start. After a few months of good food and good care, she was adopted
by a wonderful couple. They gave her a new name (Gracie), and she settled
happily into her new home.
Well, life isn’t always predictable… and less than six months
later, the couple’s situation turned topsy-turvy. A short-notice move forced
Valentine’s new folks to return her to GRR—but THIS time, she arrived as a
well-loved, well-cared-for Golden with a beautiful thick, wavy coat and maybe
even a pound or two of extra padding!
She has gone back to her original foster home, and here’s the
latest report:
“She’s so soft!” That’s what
lots of folks say when they meet Valentine. And she does have a wonderful fluffy
coat to go along with her cheery, outgoing disposition.
Valentine is a velcro pup who wants to be with you all the time,
although she will nap on the couch now and then. She’s sleeping in the doorway
to my office right now, and would gladly come on in and curl up behind my chair.
If you’re in the kitchen, she especially wants to be right there, but she
doesn’t beg at all.
Valentine guards her food bowl, which is understandable given her
history. I feed one of my dogs in the living room, one in the kitchen, and
Valentine on the enclosed back porch, and I keep the pups separated until
everybody is finished. Then I pick up the bowls until the next mealtime. This
system works fine.
On the other hand, she takes treats very gently and loves any kind
of dog treat, as well as popcorn and canned cheese. She sits by the other pups
and waits her turn, with no attempt to take anyone else's treat.
She loves children and sometimes gets so excited she forgets not to
jump. She’d be too much for toddlers and small children. Larger kids would be
fine—but in her new home, both children and parents will still need to be
dog-savvy. They’ll need to understand that Valentine’s occasionally
too-exuberant behavior is just a sign of her outgoing personality! One effective
way to discourage jumping is to just turn away from her and give her a mild
verbal correction like “Valentine, no jump.”
She loves her walks and gets very excited when she sees her leash
come out. Once we’re out the door, she wants to investigate everything on her
way. She really likes to stop and check out different smells, so a walk with her
will be more of a stop-and-go affair than a continual stroll. She doesn’t pull
hard or lunge; she’s more like a puppy wanting to check out everything, which is
another reason that people usually think she is much younger than she is.
She likes to get rowdy when she plays, but all those noises are
just in fun, and she loves it when another dog does the same. She keeps her two
GRR sisters tired out, so at least one other playful dog is a must—and two would
be even better, so that one dog can take a break while peppy Valentine moves on
to the next partner!
She’s achieved her goal weight of 53 pounds (just about double what she was in February, when she came to rescue at a skeletal 28 lbs), and now this little sprite is ready to bounce her way into someone’s home & heart and become their permanent Valentine.
Valentine seems so much younger than her eight years! Her
petite size, enthusiasm, and general zip make many folks think she’s just a
youngster; the only give-away to her age is a sprinkling of white hairs on her
nose. This active girl just loves to play, and tends to lie in wait for her
doggie housemates, ambush them, tease them with a toy, and generally not let up
until they give in and succumb to a game of tug or bitey-head. Another favorite
game is chase, and Valentine bounds
across the backyard like a colt, kicking up her legs, barking and growling and
trying to entice one of the other dogs to play with her. She sounds really
tough, but it's all in fun. A playful dog in her new home is a must!
One thing that’s impressed everyone about Valentine right
from the start is her upbeat, positive, happy outlook on life. Even at her
weakest she was never without that big smile, and always ready for her next
adventure. She loves going visiting (she is a super car rider) and loves to go
for walks—even pulls on the leash a bit, wanting to investigate everything and
meet everyone.
Valentine is trustworthy loose in the house, though she
does like to shred stuffies if she gets the chance.
When Valentine was first in foster care, she had the
occasional accident and needed to go out in the middle of the night pretty
regularly. Several vet visits have confirmed that everything is perfectly
normal—she doesn’t have a bladder infection, or stones, or anything physically
wrong—and in fact she’s done respite-care stints at other homes and been
accident-free all night long. So – it’s safe to say she’s housebroken, but we’d
just caution her new family to give her a little time to get into the routine,
and be sure to take her out last thing at night and first thing in the morning.
And to be understanding if there is the occasional “oops” now and then.
True to her name, Valentine is a loving dog. She snuggles and cuddles, loves to be petted, brushed, & scratched, and uses her nose to work her way under your arm for extra attention. During cold weather, she slept on the bed a lot, but now that it's warmer, she usually sleeps on the floor or a dog bed
Valentine should go to a home with at least one other
playful dog, and two play pals would be even better!
Dog-savvy children are also a plus, meaning that neither the children or
the parents will get upset if the child is accidentally knocked over during
vigorous play! She’s highly social, so she’d love to accompany you on errands
and visits to friends, too.
This little gal has come so far in just a few months, and
now she deserves the perfect family to call her own.
Update 3/27/12
“Well I just delivered the sweetest Valentine ever. For
being so terribly neglected she was the most amazing girl ever. Not afraid,
aggressive, or shy... she just trotted out of that shelter like, ‘Here we go! a
better life for me.’ When I could reach back in the car and pet her behind the
ears she just closed her eyes like I was giving her the best massage money could
buy.Whoever gets this one is gonna love her.”
Valentine had to wait about 6 weeks past New Year’s Day
for her new life: it began on February 11th, when she was seized by
the police department in an animal
cruelty case. On her intake exam at the shelter, she weighed a mere 28 pounds –
probably less than half of what she should. The shelter scores an animal’s body
weight from 1 to 9, with 4 or 5 being ideal; Valentine’s body condition score
was 1/9. “Emaciated, appears depressed,” read the vet notes. “Ambulatory but
weak. Vomited some undigested food. Lots of bloody diarrhea in kennel and out in
exam room. Nails are excessively long. Teeth have moderate to severe
tartar/debris. Will try feeding gruel; syringe feed if necessary.”
It’s amazing what good care and plenty of groceries will do! By 2/13, “Standing up and wagging tail today. All canned food in cage has been eaten. Okay to discontinue syringe feeds.” And on the 16th, Valentine got her discharge papers. Amazingly, she is heartworm negative. Her treatment plan includes nutritious food and plenty of it, antibiotic treatment for a bad rash on her chest (likely related to the conditions in which she had been living), and lots of L-O-V-E.
Meanwhile, first impresssions are proving to be right on
the money. “Wags her tail like there was no tomorrow,” reports her foster dad.
“She sleeps on the bed and loves to snuggle. She’s playing with stuffed toys.”
Valentine also took a field trip to another GRR foster home, where she was
excellent with five Goldens & one Great Dane. She was happy & silly & having
fun… and that’s the way we’re determined it’s going to stay!
In connection with the cruelty case, GRR has been asked
to document Valentine’s weight every two weeks, so we are hoping to have regular
photo updates for you. In the pictures you see here, she is already up to 37
pounds: still skinny as a rail, with every rib showing, but looking better than
she did. (Imagine her nearly ten pounds skinnier.) That smile says it all!
Updated pics from 3/14/12! Up ~ 4 1/2 pounds in one week, rounding out nicely, and still smiling!
Updated pics from 3/27! Valentine has found a playmate in GRR Babe!
|
Hotline: (512) 659-GOLD |
Last Updated |