Meet Roxy the golden retriever

[Steve Foss]

We adopted Roxy last night from over by Aurora. She's five years old, and has been in quite a few homes. A couple of those so-called "adoptions" only lasted a day or two.

I used to breed goldens, and my spouse, Lisa, had one many years ago. They are one of our favorite breeds.

Roxy has spent a lot of her life on a rope or in a kennel, but that's over now. Chip at the Ely Vet Clinic gave her a thorough check and gave her an A- this morning. Everything great but the 10 pounds of excess weight she's carrying, and she went on a weight-loss regimen as of 20 minutes ago.

She has one problem. She is easily excited. That was enough to get her passed from owner to owner. The folks we got her from obviously are caring, good people who loved her and had a hard time letting her go, but they are simply too busy with two young boys and full-time jobs to care for Roxy the right way, and they had the sense to know it.

She's a purebred golden with AKC papers and shots that are up to date, but those are just details. She's a great dog, and a structured life with two calm people and another calm dog (our Maggie), as well as about six months for the change to actually sink in, will work wonders.

She's already a lot more calm after just one day.

Here's a pic of Roxy (just back from the groomer, since she was filthy when we got her), as well as a pic of most of Maggie. Maggie was a stray we picked up along Hwy. 2 as it passes between Cass Lake and Pike Bay. She was just sitting there watching traffic go by. She looks for all the world like a miniature golden retriever (25 lbs to Roxy's 76 lbs), and Lisa has nicknamed them The Golden Girls. Maggie had to snap a few times to let Roxy know her, ah, enthusiasm, wasn't fully welcomed, but they are settling in well together.

Sure is great to have a golden again.

[finnbay]

Ahhhhhhh!

[Steve Foss]

Ahhhhhhh!

It took an HSO post to solve a Facebook mystery for ya, eh?

Just ribbin ya, buddy. We just got one darn fine dog in the house. I can't even picture a life without dogs. What would be the point?

At this moment, Roxy is snoring contentedly at my feet. Chili is bubbling on the stove, a fresh loaf of sourdough is cooling on the counter, we've ordered a DirectTV movie for 7 p.m., and the wood furnace is pumping out wonderful heat. This is all good. With dogs, it's all MUCH better!

[Spearing Machine]

Great story, Steve! Looks like a great addition to the family and I am sure you will be great "parents"

[GFNER]

Life sounds good!

[caseymcq]

Now you just have to teach her to take her dumps on Finn Hill or in the parking lot adjacent to Mike's Liquors...

[Finns]

Has Maggie listened to Move It On Over by Hank Williams or George Thorogood?

[finnbay]

Quote:

With dogs, it's all MUCH better!

I hear ya. Gonna be a tough decision to make when our last of 4 great dogs is gone. Would love to have the freedom to take off for a week without having to have someone from Ely come down to take care of them but life without them is not the same.

[chucker1101]

Steve -

It takes a caring, dedicated family to take a rescue dog, and it's heartwarming to know that there are people out there who care enough to take dogs like this. We've got a six year old English Shepherd, a high-energy working dog, after it had worked its way through four homes, and wouldn't change a thing. Letting him run free in wide open land is what he needed.

[Xplorer]

Steve,

Congrats on the new "pup"!! The 2 look like a great pair together!

We too adopted our "Winnie" 5 1/2 years ago. She was a half-starved, tick infested (over 400 were taken off by the vet when she was brought in) mess that was running with a wolf-hybrid for the previous year near Sturgeon Lake. The shelter called her owner, who told'em to keep her he didnt want her anymore.

She's been a wonderful dog for our son to grow with. We figure that they're about the same age (8 now). As a husky mix (golden, lab and maybe spaniel mixed in) it took some time to break some bad habits like bumming and chasing cars, but worth every second. Now she is as much a part of our family as a dog can be. Never ceases to amaze me. Like last weekend. I've taken her grouse hunting a few times before, resulting in a few "suprise" flushes. Last weekend my son and I had a cast and blast MEA weekend planned, and a pheasant hunt was part of it. I decided I'd give Winnie a chance and see how she did. "Unbelievable" is all I could say after the hunt. She not only worked the cover hard, flushing birds, she ran down one wounded bird, and by the end of the day actually retrieved my last 2 roosters back to me, dropping them at my feet. No training, just instinct and watching the older golden do the same for her partner.

Anyway, didnt mean to go off topic Stevo, I just get what you are saying to a tee Enjoy your newest pooch!!

[pushbutton]

would also like to express my congrats on the pup! almost every dog that has made its way into my home has also been rejected by at least a half dozen other people. that just seems to be the litmus test for compatibility!!!!

[R. Miller]

Congrats Steve! Roxy looks pretty happy in the photo!

[Grainbelt]

Roxy looks to be very happy with her new owner!

[Steve Foss]

Thanks, everyone. Roxy has gone from being a 7 out of 10 to a 9 out of 10 in only a few days. Smart, attentive, eager to learn even in middle age. Typical golden.

[fishinfey8]

Thanks, everyone. Roxy has gone from being a 7 out of 10 to a 9 out of 10 in only a few days. Smart, attentive, eager to learn even in middle age. Typical golden.

Soo true. Probably the most mold-able dogs out there. They strive to please their masters, and that makes for great companionship. Congrats to the both of you. Any chance she'll be a hunter?

[Steve Foss]

Probably not a hunter, though she has a lot of energy and a very busy nose. No time to train her or to hunt her.

[fishinfey8]

Ya I hear ya...looks she'll be a great addition to the homestead! Many memories will be made i'm sure.

[upnorth]

Probably not a hunter, though she has a lot of energy and a very busy nose. No time to train her or to hunt her.

Nothin wrong with having just a pet.

[Steve Foss]

Nothin wrong with having just a pet.

That's how we look at it, too.

[fishinfey8]

No one said there was! Didn't mean to seem like it was a waste to not hunt a golden, just simple question...if i'm reading/taking it the wrong way then my bad!

[Steve Foss]

No one said there was! Didn't mean to seem like it was a waste to not hunt a golden, just simple question...if i'm reading/taking it the wrong way then my bad!

No one's worried about it, my friend. We're just talkin'.

[fishinfey8]

It's been one of those weeks - forgetting where I put my keys, which makes me late for class, of which I have a test in, of which was on the material that I didn't study as hard as I should. I'm reading posts wrong since i'm a little po'ed...ya know those weeks? Well anyways a roxy would be nice about now in my life, but a dog will come soon. Thanks for sharing, gives me motivation to move on to the next step in life (marriage, dog, career) after I graduate!!

[upnorth]

Yeah.. no issue, just that some folks figure it is almost a waste to have a hunting dog as a pet. I have Siberian Husky and have more than a few folks try to talk me into Ski Joring (sp?) or something of that nature.

[pushbutton]

gives me motivation to move on to the next step in life (marriage, dog, career) after I graduate!!

make sure you go career first, then dog....and years later worry about marriage

[Steve Foss]

make sure you go career first, then dog....and years later worry about marriage

My thoughts exactly. You've got the order just perfect!

[Northlander]

Congrats Steve! Every dog we have brought into our house has been "rescued" in some manner. Sandy the Fox terrier we have now is high energy at times but at others loves to just lay around and demand pets and treats. Having no kids its easy to spoil her. I agree having a dog in the house makes life a lot more enjoyable.

[bturck]

Steve my hat goes off to you and anyone else who elects to adopt a dog and give them a good home. It seems that its just to easy to let them languish in a shelter and then the end result is never good for the animal. Hope you have many years sittin by the fire with her head on your lap......

[sunniewally]

ahhh yess those goldens are just great at knowing how to munipulate the human race!! we just love ours.