“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.” Quote by Josh Billings | ||||
Golden Retriever (short coat) : : Female : : Adult : : Large Learn more about the Golden Retriever.
Sweet Savannah is a 1-year-old, 40 pound purebred golden who was rescued from a breeder. She does have some health issues, but her prognosis is excellent.
During her first vet check at the rescue, a heart murmur was detected. At the U of M Vet Clinic, an echocardiogram discovered she has a congenital SAS (subvalvular aortic stenosis), at a level 3 (scale 1-6), which is considered mild to moderate. Since I’ve had her she has never exhibited any typical signs of heart issues — fainting, lethargy, coughing etc.
The vet said surgery was not needed and it was recommended she be on a beta blocker (Atenolol) for the rest of her life, with annual echocardiograms to monitor any progression. They also said she’s not a golden who will ever do field work, hunt, or go on long runs, but she will do great as a family dog with an expected normal lifespan who goes on walks, enjoys games of fetch, and plays well with other pups and kids. (Cats unknown.)
As a breeder release, Savannah grew up unused to all the normal household and yard experiences. In the two months I’ve had her, she has made giant strides. At first I had to carry her in and out of the house and down to the yard and had to have her on a leash so I could get near enough to carry her back into the house. She was also very afraid of walking through doorways, loud noises, and anything that sounded metallic. Now she bounds up the deck stairs and comes and goes with confidence.
New experiences and situations still stress her and it takes awhile for her to learn how to deal with them, but with repetition and experience she’s learning how. She hates crates/kennels, but when gated in the kitchen she does very well, settling down quickly and quietly. She also sleeps on the bed and can go all night with no accidents. However, when she gets frightened or nervous, she will stress pee, but this is occurring less and less as she gets used to different activities and situations around the house. She’s good in the car, but has to be lifted in, and she just basically hunkers down until we get to the destination.
Because of all this, it would be best if her forever family had an experienced pup so she could follow him or her and continue learning how to be a dog. We’re working on basic commands, but it’s slow going as she’s only moderately treat oriented and right now will not look at you for direction. She doesn’t know how to walk on a leash yet. However, she’s very smart and with continued training, starting from the basics, she will learn quickly and I believe will be a very well-behaved pup.
Savannah’s future family will need a lot of patience and a commitment to training and to her medical needs, especially at first, but they will be rewarded with a loving, silly, snuggly, special golden girl. I mean, just look at that face!
Adoption fee includes: Full veterinary exam, alter, prepaid microchip, dewormed, Rabies vaccine, DAPP vaccine, Bordetella vaccine, 4DX , flea/tick and heartworm preventative while in rescue. Adoption fee: $850.00 More about SavannahGood with Dogs, Good with Kids, Somewhat vocal, Requires a yard, Likes to play with toys, Obedient, Playful, Affectionate, Eager To Please, Intelligent, Even-tempered, Gentle Other Pictures of Savannah (click to see larger version):
|
||||||||||
