Hello all!
Where to start... Hi my name is RJ, today I got off the phone from my sister with bad news. Iowa golden Rescue will not be taking my mothers Golden Retriever Prince.
So I immediately started looking for more info on how to save him and ran across this site.The first post that I read was "He needs a good home" by MAttM. My predicament is very similar.
The story began 3 years ago when my Grandfather (Moms dad) passed away suddenly. She was grieving and had come to the conclusion that she wanted a golden. Her father had given her a Golden named Prince when she was young. Only to have to see him givin away due to moving =(
Many of us were against this, as she and my father already had 4 little dogs. 2 Dachshunds and 2 Pugs. all 4 in upper age. But she said that she would do everything to take care of him properly. We gave in hoping that this would give her some comfort from losing her father. ( we have always been a dog Family) 3 the of the dogs were takin in when others could not care for them any longer.
So entered Prince, They got him at a golden Breeder. And brought the little pup home. He fit right in with the other dogs. The only problem was he was growing and becoming much larger then the other 4 dogs. I think that is were his dog aggression started. He was in a situation were they would get in scuffles with the other dogs that had set there ways over a toy or bone. Which was fine because he was so small as a pup. But as he grew I don't think he noticed how much stronger and dominant he was over the other 4 now. His alpha ways spread to aggression with other dogs. Mainly over a bone or toy. He would get in scuffles.
About the age of 1.5 years old, Prince had grown to a very strong Alpha drivin Golden Retriever. Extremely loving and wanting to play. Something the other dogs did not want to do. Then Suddenly my father passed away in NOV 2011 at age 56 from a blood clots in his lung. :--sad: Our worlds were flipped upside down. My father was the main dog provider, they listened to him well and recognized him as the alpha of the house.
I stayed at the house for a few months to help my mother, I knew Prince was confused that his main care giver was gone. Yet he was a great dog just lacking the training of a young dog. about 2 weeks after I had gone home. I got a call from my mom. Prince had bitten the neighbor..
I came over right away and asked what had happened. The neighbor had come over at night and knocked on the back door. It was dark and he had a coat and hat on. My mother held Prince back as he was wondering who was outside. As my mother was speaking to him he noticed Prince trying to get by her to see what was going on. He put his arm out and Sarcastically said " Oh no dont bite me Prince!" a few times. That was all Prince needed to think something was wrong. He got by my mother and bit his arm.
The neighbor had to get some stitches. He did not want to do anything to Prince. He said that it was his fault and should of never done what he did. Either way it is reported at the hospital as a dog bite. Prince was on house arrest for 3 weeks.
Fast forward about a month were we lost Betsy a loving 15 year old pug to kidney failure and also Duke a 14 year old Dachshunds. Mind you I had taken 1 of the other dogs (Baily Ray, Black pug ) home to be with me and my Black lab so My mom would not have all 5 dogs.
As confused as Prince was by losing his Dad and 3 of the other pups. He stayed by my mother comforting her and being what we all know golden's to be. A angel. about 6 months later we got more bad news. My grandmother (moms Mother) took a turn for the worse. She had been diagnosed with cancer around the time my father had passed. And did not have much time left. She went to be with the lord in Sept. 2012
My mother felt lost. The main thing that kept her strong threw losing her father and mother and husband was God first and second Prince.
In Nov of 2012. My mother was diagnosed with angiosarcoma breast cancer. Yet another blow to her and the family. She started chemo in Dec. we also lost Dixie Doodle the 2nd Dachshund this month.
Christmas eve. My sister and I decided to have Christmas eve like we always did before the passing of our loving family members. So much had gone wrong in the last few years that Holidays were not what they use to be. We had the whole family over like old times. 25 plus people! that night as my sister and brother in law were cooking and cleaning. Our cousins showed up a bit early. no one was at the door at the time and they came in like everyone does on the holidays. Prince was already confused by what was going on and Dixie was barking like crazy as always. Prince noticed them coming in the front door and bit are little cousin in the face. there was no tearing just puncture marks threw her check.
I am telling u the whole story not to defend Prince with his biting. But to explain what all he has been threw. He has had no training, as my mom just has not had the time or energy from all that has happened to do so. Prince has taken over as the alpha of the house and I know he bit my cousin by protecting his home. Is it right what happened? no. but is it Princes fault? I do not think so. He is one of the main reason my mother is able to keep going everyday. He is by her side all the time. loving and playful. He is only 3 years old.
My mother realizes even though it breaks her heart to Let him go. She has to find another family for him. With chemo and radiation she will not have the strength to take care of Prince properly. She feels terrible that she was not able to train him. She also realizes she should not of brought him into a family with 4 little dogs. He needs a family were he can play outside and be trained the way he should of a few years ago. We had contacted the Golden Rescue of Iowa. They came out and looked at Prince.They liked him allot. It took my sister emailing 3 times over the last 3 weeks to get a response finally that they could not help us because he had bitten someone.
I do not blame them. But I have to try else were. Prince is a loving dog. very playful. and loyal. He has never bitten or gone after someone inside the house. And I can not bring my self to have him put down. Its not fair to him. He needs a chance to shine.
Please if anyone can help point me in the right direction I would be so grateful!
Thanks, RJ
Where to start... Hi my name is RJ, today I got off the phone from my sister with bad news. Iowa golden Rescue will not be taking my mothers Golden Retriever Prince.
So I immediately started looking for more info on how to save him and ran across this site.The first post that I read was "He needs a good home" by MAttM. My predicament is very similar.
The story began 3 years ago when my Grandfather (Moms dad) passed away suddenly. She was grieving and had come to the conclusion that she wanted a golden. Her father had given her a Golden named Prince when she was young. Only to have to see him givin away due to moving =(
Many of us were against this, as she and my father already had 4 little dogs. 2 Dachshunds and 2 Pugs. all 4 in upper age. But she said that she would do everything to take care of him properly. We gave in hoping that this would give her some comfort from losing her father. ( we have always been a dog Family) 3 the of the dogs were takin in when others could not care for them any longer.
So entered Prince, They got him at a golden Breeder. And brought the little pup home. He fit right in with the other dogs. The only problem was he was growing and becoming much larger then the other 4 dogs. I think that is were his dog aggression started. He was in a situation were they would get in scuffles with the other dogs that had set there ways over a toy or bone. Which was fine because he was so small as a pup. But as he grew I don't think he noticed how much stronger and dominant he was over the other 4 now. His alpha ways spread to aggression with other dogs. Mainly over a bone or toy. He would get in scuffles.
About the age of 1.5 years old, Prince had grown to a very strong Alpha drivin Golden Retriever. Extremely loving and wanting to play. Something the other dogs did not want to do. Then Suddenly my father passed away in NOV 2011 at age 56 from a blood clots in his lung. :--sad: Our worlds were flipped upside down. My father was the main dog provider, they listened to him well and recognized him as the alpha of the house.
I stayed at the house for a few months to help my mother, I knew Prince was confused that his main care giver was gone. Yet he was a great dog just lacking the training of a young dog. about 2 weeks after I had gone home. I got a call from my mom. Prince had bitten the neighbor..
I came over right away and asked what had happened. The neighbor had come over at night and knocked on the back door. It was dark and he had a coat and hat on. My mother held Prince back as he was wondering who was outside. As my mother was speaking to him he noticed Prince trying to get by her to see what was going on. He put his arm out and Sarcastically said " Oh no dont bite me Prince!" a few times. That was all Prince needed to think something was wrong. He got by my mother and bit his arm.
The neighbor had to get some stitches. He did not want to do anything to Prince. He said that it was his fault and should of never done what he did. Either way it is reported at the hospital as a dog bite. Prince was on house arrest for 3 weeks.
Fast forward about a month were we lost Betsy a loving 15 year old pug to kidney failure and also Duke a 14 year old Dachshunds. Mind you I had taken 1 of the other dogs (Baily Ray, Black pug ) home to be with me and my Black lab so My mom would not have all 5 dogs.
As confused as Prince was by losing his Dad and 3 of the other pups. He stayed by my mother comforting her and being what we all know golden's to be. A angel. about 6 months later we got more bad news. My grandmother (moms Mother) took a turn for the worse. She had been diagnosed with cancer around the time my father had passed. And did not have much time left. She went to be with the lord in Sept. 2012
My mother felt lost. The main thing that kept her strong threw losing her father and mother and husband was God first and second Prince.
In Nov of 2012. My mother was diagnosed with angiosarcoma breast cancer. Yet another blow to her and the family. She started chemo in Dec. we also lost Dixie Doodle the 2nd Dachshund this month.
Christmas eve. My sister and I decided to have Christmas eve like we always did before the passing of our loving family members. So much had gone wrong in the last few years that Holidays were not what they use to be. We had the whole family over like old times. 25 plus people! that night as my sister and brother in law were cooking and cleaning. Our cousins showed up a bit early. no one was at the door at the time and they came in like everyone does on the holidays. Prince was already confused by what was going on and Dixie was barking like crazy as always. Prince noticed them coming in the front door and bit are little cousin in the face. there was no tearing just puncture marks threw her check.
I am telling u the whole story not to defend Prince with his biting. But to explain what all he has been threw. He has had no training, as my mom just has not had the time or energy from all that has happened to do so. Prince has taken over as the alpha of the house and I know he bit my cousin by protecting his home. Is it right what happened? no. but is it Princes fault? I do not think so. He is one of the main reason my mother is able to keep going everyday. He is by her side all the time. loving and playful. He is only 3 years old.
My mother realizes even though it breaks her heart to Let him go. She has to find another family for him. With chemo and radiation she will not have the strength to take care of Prince properly. She feels terrible that she was not able to train him. She also realizes she should not of brought him into a family with 4 little dogs. He needs a family were he can play outside and be trained the way he should of a few years ago. We had contacted the Golden Rescue of Iowa. They came out and looked at Prince.They liked him allot. It took my sister emailing 3 times over the last 3 weeks to get a response finally that they could not help us because he had bitten someone.
I do not blame them. But I have to try else were. Prince is a loving dog. very playful. and loyal. He has never bitten or gone after someone inside the house. And I can not bring my self to have him put down. Its not fair to him. He needs a chance to shine.
Please if anyone can help point me in the right direction I would be so grateful!
Thanks, RJ