| Why
would anyone ever want to give up a Golden? |
This
is still something of a mystery to us. We get dogs for all sorts
of reasons. Some of them come from families who are moving and
can't keep the dog, or from couples who get divorced and have
to move into an apartment. We get dogs from people who buy this
cute, "little" puppy and don't realize how big he is
going to be. Some of the dogs we get come from the SPCA or Animal
Control Shelters. We do sometimes get dogs that have been neglected
or abused. The majority of our dogs come from loving homes that
for one reason or another cannot keep them. |
| Where
do the dogs stay while they are in GRREAT? |
All
of our dogs are placed into foster homes and stay there until
they are adopted. The foster home provides us with a chance to
fully evaluate the dog's behavior and temperament. This allows
us to make sure the Golden goes to the best home for him. We
try to expose each dog to as many different situations in the
foster home as possible, such as interacting with other dogs,
cats, and kids. Being in a foster home also allows us to determine
what their energy level is, if they are fence jumpers, if are
they afraid of thunderstorms, or whether they are housebroken. |
| Do
you get many puppies? |
No,
we don't generally get many puppies. Most of the Goldens that
we get are about 10 months and older. This is generally when
the puppy needs a lot of attention and training. Homes that aren't
willing or cannot provide the time needed to train the youngster
tend to give the dog up at this time. Most of the Goldens we
get are within the ages of 1-3 year old. |
| What's
wrong with the dogs? |
Generally,
nothing is wrong with the dogs. Most of the dogs that we get
are with us through no fault of their own. Some just need some
training and lots of love. We do get some Goldens that have had
a rough start in life, but generally they bounce back to their
loving Golden nature in a short period of time. |
| I
have another dog already at home, can I still adopt? |
Yes,
we often work with families that want to add another canine member
to their family. We will work with them to get the dogs acquainted.
We usually start on neutral territory first. Then work our way
into having the dogs playing in the backyard together. Some dogs
get along great the first day, others take a little longer. |
| Once
I've been approved, how long will it be before I have a Golden
in my home? |
Each
case is different. It really depends on the dogs available at
the time your home is approved. We always consider the needs
of each dog and then match their needs with the type, activity
level and age of dog you are interested in adopting. Because
the list of available dogs changes daily, some matches are made
in a short time or it may sometimes take a while to make the
perfect match. |