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Hi from Atlanta, GA!!!!

1K views 20 replies 16 participants last post by  IrishTiger 
#1 ·
Hi all - I just wanted to stop in and introduce myself! :wave:

I'm Ryan, I live downtown Atlanta right near Turner Field. I'm 28, I'm a pilot (although I'm currently laid off and doing other work now), and I just got my second Golden this week.

Jake was my first Golden. We (Mom, Dad and I) got him in 1997 when he was a year old. Since I was the only child, he was pretty much like my brother. He was treated as a human member of our family, and will be remembered as such. He had cancer in his lymph nodes when he was 7 or 8. He went to the University of Georgia and got treatment and was just fine after that. Later on in life, we started seeing his hip dysplasia kick in, maybe when he was around 12. He would get his front legs up off the hardwood floors, but his hind legs kept sliding out from under him and he would usually give up. It was heartbreaking. Finally the day came when I felt the tumors coming back in his throat and I knew I had to make that phone call that I'd been dreading for years. So that's the quick version of Jake's life which peacefully ended on 5/5/2009.

Fast forward to this week - Monday November 26th, I picked up Max who is a purebred Golden that was at a local Atlanta rescue. He and his brother came from a family that would keep them in the basement and let them go in and outside as they please. Finally this couple had a kid (I think that's what finally prompted them to make the right call) and realized they couldn't give the brothers the attention they needed. They were never allowed upstairs anyways... which I find very odd.

Anyways, his brother was adopted the weekend before Thanksgiving, and I saw Max on Tuesday before Thanksgiving. He was the first dog I went to meet after joining two local rescues. I thought it may take a while to find the right match for me - but as soon as I saw him I knew it. He's perfect.

Because he was never allowed in the house, there are many things that are new for him. He isn't sure of a lot of things, especially objects that are freestanding, such as my 5 gallon water dispenser.... and especially my Dyson vacuum. He's not amused by that at all. He's terrified of it, and I haven't even turned it on yet!! hah! I'm working with him very slowly, showing him what things do. It's all new for him.

He's so well behaved, he's a very sweet, kind and gentle Golden. I've never heard him bark (and my Jake only barked TWICE in his entire life... Twice! I thought he couldn't bark!). He's got a very inquisitive personality. He likes to explore and check things out. It's adorable. I mean he even watches TV with me, and I mean literally watching the television!

Anyways, that's just a little bit about myself, my old 4 legged brother Jake and Max, my new special companion. I've already read a lot of great info on here, and I look forward to participating in the future!!!

-Ryan and Max :D :wave:









 
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#8 · (Edited)
Welcome Ryan, congratulations on Max, he's absolutely gorgeous, great pictures.

Did you get Max through AGA or the GR Rescue of Atlanta? Both are great groups- I use to help with a GR Rescue in my state and worked with the Intake Coordinator from AGA some. My group closed down almost 2 years ago unfortunately, really miss being involved with a group.

So sorry for your loss of Jake. My first Golden I got for my son so he would have a dog to grow up with, very similiar situation as yours , as he is an only child too. Taz lived to be 15.5, he passed in Feb. 2011. My son is a little younger than you, he lives in the Franklin Park area. He travels for his job and is rarely in Atlanta though.

I have tow Goldens, my girl was adopted from CFGRR, that's the group I use to help. She will be 8 next month and I have a 3 yr. old boy that I found at my County Humane Society-I am the lucky one.

Enjoy your new boy, hope to see more pictures of Max in the future.
 
#11 ·
Thanks all! He's still doing very well, and is adjusting to his new home well.

Today was a new experience for him - I took him to the groomer! He had several mats that needed to be brushed out or clipped, and he needed his nails done. Knowing how easy it can be to cut their skin when clipping, I prefer to let a professional do it - I know the owner of this place and all of his groomers are top notch. He needed a bath too. We had to get all that "outside dog" off him.




Thanks! I got him from Golden Retriever Rescue of Atlanta. I applied to both here including "Adopt-a-Golden." GRRA just had more dogs so I set up a meet and greet and it only took one time! Once Max gets settled in and knows this is his home and he's done "moving" I'll think about volunteering because it's something I'd like to do as well.

I was lucky with Jake as well - I found him in the animal shelter in the suburbs of Atlanta. I believe we only had to pay $25 to adopt him and he was great. Finding a dog like that in a shelter is usually rare. All of the shelters around here seem to be pretty good about letting the two rescues know when there's a golden in, and someone will go take the dog out of that shelter (thank goodness).

Also - that is so cool that you are a pilot! How did you get into that?
Well, I'm the only one in the family that does it. No one else has ever flown. I've just always loved airplanes, ever since I was a toddler. It was my dream to be an airline pilot, and I took my first flight lesson at 13. I achieved my goal of being an airline pilot when I was 23. The industry is just really, really crappy right now - but a few years down the road, I'll see what's going on. I'm certainly not done flying, I just think of this time as a hiatus. ;)
 
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#18 ·
Oh I'm very much a fan of adoption. Well, first of all - I don't understand for the life of me why people would get two purebred golden brothers from the same litter, and have them live in the basement and outside and never let them upstairs in the house. They'd go downstairs to see the dogs. I just can't understand that. I don't consider it animal abuse, because we've all seen what that can entail - but I consider it animal neglect, or GR spoiling failure!

I can tell he's really happy to be be part of the family (which is just him and I) but it's plenty for him. He really doesn't leave my side, and that's fine with me. I just don't get people. At least they FINALLY made the right call and gave them up for adoption.

My old Jakey came from an animal shelter directly, so both of my Golden's have been adopted.



I had no idea such an organization existed!! Actually Max's foster dad is a retired Delta Air Lines pilot and owns his own plane. I know he's flown and picked up a dog or two before, but I'll ask him about this and see if he knows more about it. I'd love to get some golden hair in the air! haha!

Congratulations, Ryan, on your handsome new family member! I'm sorry that your Jake got his angel wings; it's one of the hardest experiences to lose a beloved animal friend. I echo what someone else said, don't get too complacent about Max's habits....they'll change as he settles. I will admit that my rescue boy Finn has only barked about 25 times in the 7 years we've had him, but when he does, it scares the daylights out of everyone:) You and Max have fun learning about each other!
I've learned that while I can usually predict what's going to happen - you're very right and things can change rapidly!!! Hopefully he'll stick to his quiet side. I love that about him.

Congrats on your new addition! I volunteer w/ GRRA and my last 2 goldens were foster failures from them. Once Max gets settled, please do consider volunteering.
I certainly will. I became quite fond of GRRA - I felt they were really professional and they went out of their way to help me in any way they could. Hopefully I can do the same for others too someday. :D
 
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#13 ·
Congratulations and welcome to GRF! :wavey:

It sounds like the two of you were meant for each other. He certainly looks at you in the pictures with great adoration!

I recently adopted a one year old who'd lived in the back yard most of her life. It took her a day or two to realize she really was welcome inside the house, but once she got the idea, she's been very happy. I got her as a companion for my other Golden, who we've had since he was a puppy. They do very well together. I've found Bella ( the new dog) is a bit needy, but I attribute that to her being so excited to have humans who pay attention to her and who want her around.

Hope you'll stick around and show us more of Max! :D
 
#16 ·
Congratulations, Ryan, on your handsome new family member! I'm sorry that your Jake got his angel wings; it's one of the hardest experiences to lose a beloved animal friend. I echo what someone else said, don't get too complacent about Max's habits....they'll change as he settles. I will admit that my rescue boy Finn has only barked about 25 times in the 7 years we've had him, but when he does, it scares the daylights out of everyone:) You and Max have fun learning about each other!
 
#21 ·
He's actually done better than I expected him to. I first vacuumed myself (LOL) to show him that it wasn't hurting me. Then I brushed him with it while the vacuum was turned off, then I hit the on button and just kinda held him there while I gave him two brushes. After those two he quit squirming and kind of had the "I still don't know what the heck it is and I don't like it, but it feels good so keep doing it!!!" look. haha. Then I just pretend it's no big deal and when he's sitting on the bed or something I'll just putter around and vacuum the floor so he can get used to the noise. I've been able to use the Dyson tool on him 3 times this week. He's coming around! :dblthumb2

Welcome to the forum from one new member to another!!! Love the pictures!! I too had a golden during my whole childhood (from 10 years old till I was 27) She passed earlier this year so I'm in the market to get another golden soon. I hope to find a great partner and get that compaionship that you have with Max.
I do know the feeling. It's surprising how quickly he's become so attached to me. If you start looking around, you'll find the right match for you too!
 
#20 ·
Welcome to the forum from one new member to another!!! Love the pictures!! I too had a golden during my whole childhood (from 10 years old till I was 27) She passed earlier this year so I'm in the market to get another golden soon. I hope to find a great partner and get that compaionship that you have with Max.
 
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