Happy Tails

Photos and notes from our Golden Retrievers in their new forever homes...
If you would like your new Golden to appear on this page,
please send photos and info to Lisa at RJLPH@aol.com

Just wanted to report that our little Jake is our new dear friend. He is doing well and loves all four of us. We are all doing puppy classes with him. He loves to run in our big fenced in back yard. He has lots of energy. He follows us everywhere. When he is tired, he has alot of lounge places. He is crate trained very well. He does have an accident in the house at times, but are working on that. He is a handsome little guy, and we love him and he sure loves us. Thank you for giving us our little Jake. We have not changed his name because it fits him so well. Thank you again. Judy, Chris, Jessica, Alex

Rocky
Thank you again for working with us and for placing Rocky with us. I am in love with our new friend. Rocky is gentle, sweet, affectionate (he even purrs when I scratch his ears), loving and very well behaved. We pretty much give him the run of the house and have had zero issues. He has only barked once -at a local boxer - but the sweet sound of his baritone bark was beautiful. He could start his own band, he's that good. Rock is also a ladies man. He follows me everywhere I go and patiently waits for me to rub his ears. As you can see, I am smitten with him. The children adore him and Rocky and the boys seem to be developing a relationship of mutual respect. The boys introduced him yesterday as, "our dog." so cute! David is impressed with Rocky, too. We are very proud of our new friend and feel like we are going to get his best years. He is my secret canine Lebron James! Thanks again for everything!
Renee

Joey has settled nicely into our family. He is such a sweet and wonderful dog. Its like he was meant for our family. He follows me and the girls whenever we get up. He and my husband now love each other as well, although he wont admit it. Kaitlyn and Sophie still fight over whose room he will sleep in at night. So he just takes turns and spends a little time with each of them. He is just awesome. He was seen by his vet about a week ago and they said he was in great shape. He weighs 92lbs so we have to work on getting him to slim down a bit. We take him out for frequent walks and I cant wait for the weather to cool down so that he can go biking and on longer trips with us (now I think its just too hot for him). Sophie is no longer scared of him. She now lays next to him and loves him to death. I wanted to thank the family who had him previously who took such wonderful care of him. I also wanted to let them know that we will always love him and treat him like our family member.
The Reyes family

In August 2009 Carol was on her way into the pound when she saw a woman dragging a skeleton with a Golden coat. The dog was beyond thin. He had all but wasted away! Carol approached the woman who said she was surrendering him to Miami Dade pound. She said he ran away. Carol explained that if she brought this dog into the shelter...he would be dead in a matter of hours. So, fortunately, she surrenderd the dog to Carol.

When we got him to our vet, he weighed 35 pounds. Believe me, he was not a small dog!

In any case he was fostered for about 1 month and got on his feet and starting gaining weight. This poor boy was no "spring chicken". We doubted any one would adopt him...and THEN miracle of miracles, a young couple called and said they wanted to make Cooper their forever dog. Talk about kindness and generosity!

Well below are the before and after photos! Cooper is aroun d 12 years old and still has so much to give. These photos will make you weep at what he looked like and smile at who he is now.

Don't pass them by when looking for a wonderful Golden friend!

I thought you might enjoy seeing pictures of Bailey after week one. She is a treasure and Dan and I are thoroughly enjoying her. Thanks for our new family member.

We have had Paddy now for about 4 months or so now and couldn't be happier. He is still getting used to loud noises, but seems to be adapting better every day! He and his brother Buddy became fast friends and have become inseparable. Paddy follows Buddy around the house and outside just like a real younger brother. They are constantly at play, and love to take walks together. Paddy seems to have thinned out a bit, as he may have eaten more than his share before we got him (when no one was looking, as he seems good at that). He didn't run much at first, but now he has become a little speed demon! Buddy will come running to us if Paddy tries to eat out of his bowl. Quite the little tattle tale. I have attached a couple of pictures, and I hope you don't mind that he has become a die hard Blackhawks fan.... Thanks again for this little fur ball of joy!
John and Lisa

Largo (who once was Yellow) and Heidi, the little deaf girl we rescued joined Kasey and Haley in their wonderful forever home with the Powers. Here is what Lori has to say:
Haley is fine and Kasey had a leg operation. Largo is a big baby and so loving. Heidi is so special she was the most excellent addition to our big family, the smartest idea to have her in a group. She doesn't even know she's deaf. She's filling out slowly. Heidi's goal in life is to make you smile. She is always smiling, if she sees that you are sad or had a bad day, she simply won't let you hold on to an unpleasant mood. She smiles all the time.

Peanut, now Susie is making herself quite comfy in her new home... including a sleepover with a grandson!

Riley is doing extremely well. He adjusted immediately and started responding to his new name within 24 hours (very smart dog). We registered his micro chip, and have been to our new vet (who said she would have taken him in a heart beat!) He has slowly been meeting all our family and friends and only gets the most amazing compliments. They can't seem to believe how big he is, or better yet how we were able to come across such a gorgeous AND trained dog in one! Everyone loves him and welcomes him back (if we are visiting them). We feel so lucky to have him.

Every day Riley and I get our exercise by either going to the dog park, running, visiting friends with other dogs and big yards, playing ball (boy does he have a ball fetish), etc. The weekends are the best.. he comes almost everywhere with us! We can not imagine life without him now :) Thank you again. You were right, the perfect dog would find me! Attached are some pictures of Riley and his friends. There is even one with my neice (she is almost 1). She loved him, couldn't stop giggling. And best of all.. he was gentle with her! Thanks again Cara, Joe and Riley

Maximus is doing so well in his new forever home. We already can’t imagine life without him. He loves to go to the park, play fetch, visit people’s houses and even walk the neighborhood kids to the bus stop!! He rarely needs a leash and constantly tries to please us. He has finally figured out that he can’t swim every 10 minutes only when “mommy and daddy” say it is ok. The first picture is Max playing fetch and the second picture is how he spends most of his evenings at home. As you can see, he has adapted really well and we are so grateful to the rescue for matching us up and filling our lives with such love and joy!!
Heather and Steve

Here is Lady (now Layla) exploring in her new garden. Bob and Sue, her new forever parents JUST LOVE HER!!!

Here are some pictures from today. They played so much they are now passed out on the bed. Thanks, Michael and Nikki

Dakota, aka Miley, has become a true friend and a treasured family member. She never argues, yells or complains! Thanks to Golden Rescue for every precious moment.

Makani as a puppy and now at one year old eating ice cream on his birthday....
What a handsome boy!

These are the 3 Thacker Goldens...Mary wrote to us in response to our paragraph about rescue dogs on the available page. Read her letter on the News Page and meet her Goldens below

This is Ashley, the one we picked up from you in Ft. Pierce last June. In spite of her tongue problem, she eats well, and even handles "doggie ice cream" in "her own way." She can't lick it very well, so she chews the container until the frozen mass drops on the floor. Then she eats it. She overcame the traumatized tongue in her own way, and is a healthy sweetie that has put on weight since you last saw her. She's overcoming her fear when we feed her. She definitely was mistreated in her former home and shies away when you put her bowl down. She's truly an "underhanded" dog. If she isn't under your hand, she's not happy.

This is Kady (formerly Lady). We picked her up from you in Ft. Pierce about three years ago. What a gentle, loving Golden she is. Her mask is getting gray, but she's a youngster in all other ways. She had a lonely past and came from a broken home. Then she was given to someone who evidently paid little attention to her. We were told she climbed the chain link fence in that person's yard so she could roam. Now, she hates to go outside and would rather lounge in the house where the a/c is cool. She's been checking out the pool lately, knowing it's about time to have fun swimming.

Ashley (left) with the tongue hanging out, and Kady (right). Today they are buddies that love to play together and run full speed in the back yard. Kady rejected Ashley when we first got her, and wouldn't even share the back seat of my truck. Kady opted to lie on the floor while Ashley got the seat.

This is Kelsee. We rescued her from an animal shelter in the Keys when we lived there. Graying and having a few problems getting around, she ignores her two sisters and would rather just sleep all day, and not be bothered with playing silly dog games. She always wakes in time for morning and evening feedings, and a special soup bone every Sunday morning. She can tell time and count days, and if we are not punctual, she barks to show her displeasure.

We love our goldens and certainly appreciate all you and the others do to rescue these dogs and get them a new forever home where they can run and play and share their love.
John and Mary Thacker

Jenny and I want to thank you and GRSF for bringing Shadow and Bear to us. Although we started out as Foster Moms, it only took fifteen minutes to sign Shadow's adoption papers. After a couple of days with Bear, we knew he wasn't going anywhere without us. When we lost Phoebe to Lymphoma at such a young age, I didn't think I could ever love another dog like that again but I know it was Phoebe that sent Shadow and Bear to us knowing how much love they needed and how much we still had left to give. I sometimes think the boys helped us more than we helped them. So we have five dogs and a cat. It was a little scary the first day with Bear meeting a cat but now they cuddle and kiss. We all enjoy Sunday mornings at the "Little Dog Ranch", it feels like family.
One BIG HAPPY Family..... Lisa, Jenny, Shadow, Bear, Jack, Harley, Gaffney and Kenya

Duncan now Bailey is just loving his huge wading pond. He is doing so well and we are really enjoying him. He is completely through his heartworm treatments and is now exercising and having so much fun. Thank you for letting us adopt him!! This is one happy dog!!

Maggie Miller with Jeff & Sharon at the beach and on a boat trip, enjoying life!

Bailey and Bodie (who was Simba) rocking in the waves. Ah...a rescued Golden's life in Florida!

Chevy, now Duke has settled in quite nicely in his new home with Jim and Eileen!

Noah
Noah is doing great. We're doing some dog training with basic commands & trying to instill trust in him toward other people. Improvements are already evident. Questuio

This is Jasmine (who was named Lucky....but was not one bit lucky until she got adopted by The Goulds) It looks like LOVE!

Max adored my brother Tom, who has a golden at home. Yes, I allow Max to sit on the leather couch. He's a cuddler. Max is settling in well. Uses the dog door as if he's always had one; walks nicely on a leash, seems to be thriving on a good diet. The vet suggested giving him baby carrots for snacks, but he only eats them if they're microwaved for a minute to soften them up. He is adorable and so far loves all the people and dogs he meets in the neighborhood......
Further update on Max- he is doing great. His ears and skin are cleared up, the hookworm treatments are over until the three-month followup, and he's acting more and more like a happy dog. He barks at the neighbor's dogs and at the sounds of doorbells and Dog Whisperer's dogs on TV. He has discovered squirrels, scanning treetops to spot them and occasionally trying to climb a tree to catch one he finds particularly annoying. A friend's female German shepherd is giving him how-to-play lessons, and he's catching on. He's walking about 45 to 60 minutes a day and has lost four pounds. He is the sweetest, gentle and loving fellow, and makes friends with everyone we meet. Above is a pix of Max with his playdate pal Ireland.
Sally

Charlie was rescued from someone's backyard. They left him out in the rain and cold. Now, he's in the house with his 2 teen age boys and Mommy. He meets and greets all of Terri's friends. He love to walk and loves the water. They love him!

Handsome, now Sam is obviously quite happy in his new home with Peter his new forever Dad and Molly his new forever "sister"

Cooper
Here is Bahama, now Cooper snoozing with his new "brother" Churchill.

Molly is a sweet, smart, incredible girl and I cannot thank GRRSF enough for a true blessing in my family's life as well as my special needs students' lives! She reminds me daily of the importance of patience and acceptance with her kind face and knowing eyes. Truly an amazing spirit! There are not enough words for me to thank you and GRRSF for giving me such an amazing gift!

Lacy and Taylor, both from the same litter (Godiva and Colorado) couldn't look any happier in their new home with Luanne & Gordy

Max has done real well with us. Where ever Isabella goes he goes, 100% her dog!!! He is very smart and super sweet. Zsa Zsa (Vito's mom) made him rice and homemade chicken broth and he is eating it like crazy. Thank you again for thinking of our family and allowing us to bring this precious creature into our family.

Shadow who is now Paddy is just hanging out with his new brother Buddy. Looks like life is good!

Karma has become a member of our family very quickly. She is such a sweet dog. All of the girls love her and it did not take very long for my husband to become attached. I found him curled up on the floor asleep with her the first night she was with us. Karma is doing wonders to heal the broken hearts in our house after loosing both of our dogs. Thank you!

Ben is doing terrific. He is always so happy to see us, he really loves all the attention the girls give him. He is sharing his affections pretty equally these days, now that he has figured out that we all come back every time we leave. He loves to play catch with the ball, and walks great on the leash. He know several commands and just requires reinforcement, he'll respond the first time you tell him to sit but then in a couple seconds he'll test to see if you really meant it. The girls have had him in the front yard off the leash playing ball and he has no desire to go anywhere they are not. He has met other dogs and is perfectly fine with large and small dogs. We have not had a direct encounter with a cat yet but he isn't bothered by cats when we are walking.

Finnegan
What a wonderful boy! We adopted Finnegan (Dexter) in July as an 11 week old puppy after suddenly losing our wonderful and perfect Golden, Barkley. Finnegan has helped to heal our hearts. He is an equally great dog, so full of energy and a wonderful personality. He loves his squeaky toys and sings along with them when they squeak. Thank you Golden Retriever Rescue of South Florida for being so wonderful and for doing what you do. We love our Finnegan! -- Ruth

Jackson graduating from puppy training
He's doing great! We all love him so much. He's such a lovable, open, friendly guy (I can't sit down anywhere without him climbing into my lap, or walk anywhere in the house without him trailing right behind...). He just needed a little discipline and guidance, which we have been happy to provide. He's better behaved now than the female Golden we've had since she was a puppy! Jackson just graduated from "puppy training" and took first place in the class. Did I mention he's incredibly smart and eager to please his new family? He and Lilly are inseparable, and they love to run around a play chase out in the backyard (and in the dog park!). Thank you for bringing him into our lives; we're all so much more full of laughter and love since he joined the family. I attached a few photos of him at "graduation". As you can see, he's still not perfect. But he's getting there. :-)
Sincerely, Tina

Savannah
As you can see from the photographs of Savannah, she is getting no less attention. Although Savannah is technically the family dog, she has become Charlotte's through and through. Everyone we meet loves her. She is so good natured and fun. She is very social and gets depressed if not in the center of everything :). She goes with me in the car all the time. She plays out in our cul-de-sac when the children are playing and she never leaves our side. She barks when anyone is at our front door and when the lawn men are mowing (we appreciate that). She sleeps with me. Sometimes she'll get on the bed but she prefers the foot of the bed on the floor. She is so easy and we just lover her to death! Thank you so much for bringing her into our lives

Bear
Bear is doing great and we all think he is just the sweetest thing. He is one great big teddy bear. We all love him and thank you for bringing him into our lives.
Kristin, Brian, Alex, Gabriel, Beau and Bear

Abbey
Sweetie, now Abbey, in her new home with Don & Jane (ouch, Jane is recovering from surgery!)

Marley
Marley is loving life here with us. She is incredible! We just adore her! What a wonderful addition to our family she is!

Jack at the office, playing with friend Lucy
Just an update... took us 2 days but Jack is finally using the doggie door and loves the backyard. So far no attempts to go over or under the fence. Had a couple of miscues in the 1st couple of days but now he goes outside regularly. He got away from us yesterday for about 2 minutes but his natural hatred of cats led to his capture quickly. He ran to the neighbors, tree’d a cat, and I walked over and put a leash on him. He is a big doofus, goofy guy, can tell he is still not used to furniture, houses, etc but he is adapting. He sleeps at the foot of the bed, will climb up on the bed when I go to bed but eventually slides to the floor. At work today because I have a painter at the house and could only imagine disaster with Jack and an open paint can anywhere within 20 ft. So Jack is in the office chewing a bone, and drawing lots of love from the staff.

Chloe is doing really well. We just love her and she is bringing so much fun and joy into our lives. Her training is going well and she listens really well except for the "come" command. She knows it, just likes to pretend she doesn't hear. She is really getting good at chasing the ball and bringing it back, over and over and over...loves to go for her walks each day, morning she and I go and then Rick takes her in the afternoon and then we take her together at night. She is so sweet, she will bring her ball and place it on my lap and look at me with her eyes saying "please throw the ball".
Chloe loves the cat. Actually was licking her back last night while they were laying over by the door. Her favorite position is laying on her back with all 4 feet in the air. It is so funny. Anyway, things are going well with Chloe and she is very happy in the neighborhood. I'll stay in touch!
Chloe says HI....thanks again LeeAnn and take care. Have a nice week. janie and rick!

Maggie and family
We just wanted to thank Golden Resuce South Florida for finding us the perfect dog! Maggie is such a joy, she cuddles and loves to swim. She has done great with obedience training, the trainer is running out of things to teach her besides tricks. Thanks again!

Codi, now Jake
I just wanted to send you a couple pictures of Codi, now Jake and his sister Maggie :) He is doing great, and we just LOVE him. You were right- he loves to cuddle and it's clearly illustrated in the pictures.... from Ashley

Shiloh writes:
Hi Lisa and Bob! Thank you for taking me from the pound and giving me love and attention! I really miss all of you and the CHAOS!! But my life up in Melbourne is pretty sweet too! I've been going on walks twice a day with Heather and today we played fetch the ball in the pool and I did really really good! She had to help me with the stairs at first but Im so smart I figured out how to tackle them on my own. I love my tennis ball and prancing around the pool with it in my mouth!
I didn't much like eating when I first arrived because I was a little stressed out and Heather thinks that I was never given kibble! But I am eating kibble now and I like special applesauce on top. I'm looking forward to meeting Heather's "man-friend" Chris when he comes home! We're going to do guy stuff together! I am just a happy boy over all.
We are going for a car ride this weekend while Heather does a biology report and I get to ride shotgun! Well, maybe not shotgun, but I have the whole back to myself! I sent you some pictures so you can see how well I am doing! Thank You again for taking me in and finding me my forever home!! Lots of tail-wagging and smiles! ...Shiloh

Domino, now Libby
We are having a wonderful time with her. She loves car rides....we can't wait to take her on the boat. She loves going to the "doggie" stores to meet other puppies to play. Not only is she beautiful, she is brilliant, and funny. She is just perfect. Already, we can't imagine life without her....... Will, Wendy & Kai.

Jenna
Sandy, Jenna's new mom, says, "I have never had a dog that is this good. I love it when she comes running to me as if she hadn't seen me in 20 years!"

Emmy
Emma Louise, now Emmy and her new "big sister Jillian" met and fell in love. So, off Emmy goes to her new forever home.

Goldie and family
She is sweet and loving and playful. My kids love her like crazy. She is getting better about jumping on everyone that walks in and about snatching food off the counter. It was funny one night- I cooked a Caribbean meal for me and my husband, left it on the stove cooked but turned off. I went upstairs to check on the kids before we ate dinner. When I got downstairs, Goldie had enjoyed our dinner from the pots and pans! I now cover them with lids! At least we know she has good taste!

Bella
Here is Bella following her new big brother Captain... Jim and Marley love taking them to the beach. Ivy, everyone's human Mom took the photo. What a life for a Golden!!!

Beethoven
Beethoven with his new forever family, Katharine, Romeo and Lindsay!! It was love at first sight!!

The day after the K's welcomed him into their family...Beethoven got terribly ill. Fortunately they realized he was in big trouble and rushed him to the emergency vet. After a night there, he was transported to their vet where he stayed for 5 days. Even though the family had not even had Beethoven for 24 hours, they were there day and night for him. They went and visited him every day, many times a day. Finally the day came when Beethoven could come home again. His recovery has been slow, but steady. Below are some photos of Beethoven and Lindsay. And some wonderful words from Beethoven's forever Mom:

Please know that the Rescue has paid all of Beethoven's vet bills. His new family had much work to do as well, making sure the house was ready for Beethoven to come home. I mention this so that once again people can be aware of the monumental amount of money we are spending to save deserving sick and old Goldens. And, once again, any donations will be immediately put towards our ever growing vet bills.

Reagan (formerly Bama)
Reagan in his new forever home with Steve AND COMPANY!!

Marley the puppy, now RJ
all settled in with his new family says "Hey, this isn't too bad after all"

Cassie
Just a quick note to let you know how great things are going with Cassie. She's a very happy girl, and everyone who comes in contact with her absolutely adores her. She's filled out nicely, is totally rid of Mange, is very well behaved (though we can tell she's still a puppy), and all three of our dogs have adjusted to each other. We'll need to send you a picture, and hopefully we can take her to play with your group very soon. She has many of the qualities of our dog Ali who passed away last year, and we couldn't be more happy with her. Thank you both for all of your assistance in helping Cassie to become a part of our family.
All Our Best, Ken & Robin L.

Cayman
Just thought you might like to see a picture of the way Cayman looks now. He is just a wonderful being. He is very loved and he loves his home and family. Hope all is well with you. Thanks again ever so much for getting the two of us together....Rick J.

Sidon
Sidon is doing great. He is resting with the boys in the family room right now. We had great fun in the back yard this morning. We LOVE him! Jim spent some time with him this morning. Sarah gave him hugs and kisses this morning. He returned them with a nice big lick! ...Jennifer C

Summer
Here is our 'family picture'. Summer is doing great and so are we. Thank you! Annemarie

Zena
Just had to send you this pic of Zena. We have had her 16 months now. As you can see, she is one happy little girl. Still has the orange ball but now it's more yellow!
Take care, Rhonda F.

Sonny
My "prince", Sonny Maxwell loves his toys! It is hard to believe you guys brought him to meet me 2 years ago! I was a first time dog owner and Sonny made learning so easy. He is just the best!!!
Lisa F

Bo
It has been almost 1 year since we picked up Bo from your house. Just wanted to show you how he has grown. He loves playing with sticks and is always bringing in stick presents from outside. We just finished 6 weeks of obedience classes and he did great!
Bo, Sallie and Hector

This photo was taken after Sandy's visit to the groomer. I think she liked her visit there & we will take her on a regular basis. You will also be glad to known that she is eating dry dog food & seems to love her new home. She has made a lot of friends in the neighborhood & seems to have an urge to chase cats! She was spayed on Monday & is recovering nicely. She has stolen our hearts! .... from Paul and Susan, Sandy's forever family

Grouper
This is Grouper. He just turned one. Carolyn adopted him as a young puppy who just "showed up in the pound" Can you imagine not looking for this gorgeous Guy? Well, that owner's loss is Carolyn's gain!! Above is Grouper relaxing in pool and with his brother, Smiley, the horse.

Bentley
This is Rose Marie getting really, really close to Bentley (formerly King) to welcome him to his new forever home ...and Bentley sunning himself ! Is this a happy dog or what??

When we got a call from Lisa that they had a beautiful 3 year old male available for us, we were ecstatic! We received a picture of “Sam” (formerly known as Kasam) and immediately fell in love with him. After spending time and money at PetSmart getting our new dog supplies, we received a call from Lisa with an update. It seems that our new little boy had a girlfriend, Lexie (formerly known as Linda). She told us that they had been together all of Sam’s life, had produced two litters together, and they really didn’t want to separate them, so, would we be interested in taking both of them. When we saw Lexie’s picture, we knew we were in for a full house! It was back to PetSmart to double up on our supplies.

In the few short months that we have been blessed with them, it becomes more evident each passing day that we made the right move! These two are inseparable! They go everywhere together – even to the vet when only one needs to go! They are truly an old married couple! They ride great in the back of our Mini and love to eat lunch out on the deck at Alabama Joe's each weekend. They even go to a doggie day care center on Fridays and have a blast playing with the other dogs. They both attended basic obedience training and Sam finished 1st and Lexie finished 2nd in their class! Sam is moving on to advanced obedience and will train Lexie after each class. We are very proud parents!

Thank you to Lisa and the Golden Rescue of South Florida for providing us with our beautiful, loving Goldens! They are absolutely wonderful and a perfect addition to our home!
Alan and Laurie K.