Waldo

#13-057 Waldo

age 4-5 years; weight ~55-57 lbs. (very thin)

Heartworm Positive

AVAILABLE TBD

Though this four legged canine looks nothing like his namesake (the red and white striped cartoon globetrotter), they do share one common quality: their desire to travel!  Coming into the shelter wearing two collars and a broken leash, his previous owners probably often asked, “Where’s Waldo?”  And though Waldo’s life before GRR was filled with scaling cyclone fences and burrowing towards freedom, Waldo has finally settled in to a life of luxury living with the prestigious title of a designated Gold Ribbon Rescue dog.

Thought to be an outside, country dog, Waldo came to the shelter quite bony with his ribs and hips visibly displayed.  But at the shelter, when the GRR volunteer showed up, Waldo sensed he was headed for a better future.  Ready to leave behind his old adventure-seeking ways, when the GRR intake volunteer opened his car door, Waldo leapt into the vehicle without command.   And as they headed for the vet’s office, Waldo rode calmly in the back seat—he was simply fascinated by all the scenery passing him on the road. 

When they finally arrived at the vet, Waldo tried to nudge the car door open as if he was saying, “I can’t wait to explore this new place!” As soon as the volunteer let him out, Waldo jumped out and began his dance—spinning and swirling in celebration!

And you’d think this adventurous boy would be quite the loner like his cartoon character pal—wanting to explore the world around him, blending in to his surroundings.  But not this Waldo.  He’s actually quite the social butterfly!  At the vet’s office, Waldo greeted and sniffed the other pups. 

At his foster mom’s home, Waldo can’t get enough love from his foster brother Rodeo.  His foster mom states, “Waldo is so smitten with Rodeo, however his ardor has not been returned.”  Rodeo, fed up with Waldo’s affectionate nuzzling and nudging, snarls and snaps at Waldo—but Waldo can’t seem to help himself!  He keeps coming back for more of Rodeo!

Because he was an outside dog, Waldo’s foster mom is working with him on the basics of being one of the family.  His first two days in foster care, Waldo exhibited a bit of marking—probably due to his pre-GRR life of freedom exploring the fields as a country pup. But Waldo quickly fell in line with his foster mom’s other two goldens, and now he is trusted to roam freely—even when there’s no one at home. 

While leash training, foster mom says, “At first he pulled quite a bit, but he quickly settled down and was really enjoying the new smells.”  Waldo’s also picked up crate training quite easily by being enticed with special treats.

And as if taking advantage of time lost, Waldo has also discovered the perks of being an indoor dog: #1—

the tennis ball. Fascinated with this round, green thing, he loves to chase after it and bring it back. #2—sleeping indoors free from the terrible Texas heat.  At night, he sometimes wakes his foster mom up with his moaning and groaning—the happy sounds of one pleased and comfortable pup!

Though he’s been a flight risk in his past, Waldo’s escape artistry should not scare potential adopters off; both the intake volunteer and his foster mom feel he is a very intelligent dog who seems to crave human attention and longs to please his owner.  His foster mom states, “I suspect that with more food in his belly and ample love and affection, he’ll easily become a Velcro dog.” 

And as a bonus for adopting this loveable pup, his adoptive family will never need to guess what his next Halloween costume should be…a golden retriever with Waldo’s signature black-rimmed glasses, red and white striped sweater, and bobble hat seems like the best bet!