Dog Fostering | Gardens For Goldens

Look Up

May 17, 2020 by Ogee

My preference for a packed garden has led to some thuggery. I spent the day cutting back prized but overgrown California fuschias, cerinthe major (honeywort), and even California poppies to allow the verbascum, sea holly, and blazing star see the light of day. It’s a happy garden that grows so vigorously that it needs to be edited in May! Sometimes, gardeners get tunnel vision; all we see are the weeds and work. The same with rescue; the sad stories and […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Dogs, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Pets, Puppies, Rescue • Tags: Dog Fostering, dog rescue, Foster puppies, gardening, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Look Up

Perspective

April 5, 2020 by Ogee

A carrier pigeon arrived in the garden in late February. It spent the better part of the day just watching. It was not carrying a written message on its banded leg, but perhaps it foretold what was about to unfold. The ducks and geese mock us now. Public use areas have been closed due to COVID during the remainder of hunting season. The birds have found plenty of places to feast and fly – unmolested. We envy their togetherness. The […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Dogs, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Humanity, Nature • Tags: COVID VIrus, Solitude

The One That Got Away

December 30, 2019 by Ogee

On Christmas Day, I returned to the garden. It has been about a month since I have spent any real time there except to rake and do light cleanup. That’s what happens when foster puppies come to call. Little Daisy—now Gabby—was with us for a month. Arriving at only seven weeks, she had already been passed around and surrendered for the birth defect on her eye. At 11 weeks, she was healthy and fat and strong enough for her surgery. […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppies, Volunteering • Tags: Dog foster, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Memorial Garden, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Lily, Puppy Foster

A Legacy of Faith and Hope

September 21, 2019 by Ogee

From a certain angle, you would never know there is something different about these two girls. To me, they could not be more special. As puppies, they set me on the path to puppy fostering. Surrendered by a breeder, they both had a congenital abnormality called Megaesophagus. The esophagus – which connects the throat to the stomach – is enlarged and lacks the elasticity or motility required to move food and liquid down to the stomach. Unless gravity is employed, […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppies, Rescue • Tags: CNM Labrador Retriever, dog rescue, Dogs Megaesophagus, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppy rescue

Camp Yogi: Temporary Closure

September 15, 2019 by Ogee

This is Yogi taking a forced break from puppy fostering. It has been nonstop since the beginning of July. GiGi’s litter: Garrett, Gabe, Griffin and Gracie. Beau Dude and Conway. Before them, Rose, Ty, and Nutmeg, Anna, Sara, Lily, and Noah. Fourteen puppies in eight months. No wonder Yogi is exhausted! He’s such a great sport and expert puppy raiser, entertaining them, teaching them boundaries, watching over them, and generally allowing them to torture him. It’s that later part that […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Dogs, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppies, Rescue • Tags: dog rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppy Fostering, Yogi

Outtakes

July 28, 2019 by Ogee

The last puppy is home! Garrett stayed with us for an extra week until his new mom came back from her vacation. He was a joy to have. Smart. Funny. Playful. Sweet. A bit of a baby who gained some much-needed confidence with the big boys away from his littermates. He has taken to his new family like water…forgetting all about us like yesterday’s news! The thermometer topped out at 106 so the weeds were allowed to continue their march. […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppies • Tags: Dog Adoption, Dog Fostering, dog rescue, funny dog faces, Puppy Adoption

The Rules of Engagement

May 26, 2019 by Ogee

Most of our foster puppies promise to remember us always and then quickly forget when they find their forever homes. How do I know? Many come back for class or reunions. I may get a passing hello, but they are much more interested in playtime with the dogs than visiting with me. An exception: Baby Sara – now named Jessie. You may recall from a past post, Jessie is the offspring of a Golden mom and a dad of many […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Pets, Puppies • Tags: Dog Fostering, Dog socialization, Foster puppies, Puppy socialization

Blossoming

March 17, 2019 by Ogee

The gardening is waking up. After a long, wet winter and many false starts, there are signs everywhere signaling spring’s arrival. But the bulbs and trees are not alone in their blossoming. Sara is an adorable little black and white hot-dog of a puppy born in a field to her Golden mom. First noticed around Thanksgiving last year, a kindly neighbor began leaving out food for mom and her dwindling litter of pups. After several months, only Sara remained. She […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppies, Rescue • Tags: Dog Fostering, dog rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Reriever Rescue, Puppy Fostering

All I want for Christmas?

December 24, 2018 by Ogee

I wasn’t exactly looking for a puppy for Christmas, but when one arrived about a week before, how could I not bring it home to foster? Surrendered at 14 weeks, Leo is an adorable yellow Lab puppy. His people purchased him and figured out within a week’s time that they were not cut out for puppy raising. Having a really bad feeling about the breeder, they thankfully brought him to Homeward Bound instead of returning him. He checked in on […]

Categories: Dog Fostering, Dog Rescue, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Puppies • Tags: Christmas puppy, Homeward Bound Golden Retriever Rescue, Labrador Puppy, Puppy Foster