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A Treat from Turkey! Introducing Fitzpatrick

33K views 518 replies 38 participants last post by  Peri29 
#1 ·
3 weeks from application to adoption day! Treat arrived from Turkey on Thursday and we brought him home today. Since we got the call about him at my husband's grandmother's house in Illinois and that is her maiden name, we decided to call him Fitzpatrick - Fitz for short.

I will post more later, we are still settling in and I have to remove a few large mats from his ears. He has a small ouch on his belly and a bigger one we saw this morning on his back that we have to watch. I can't imagine what this poor thing has been through. He is mostly shaved because he was so matted. The vet and the adoption folks think he is going to be a full coated beauty when it all grows back. I think he already is a beauty.

But for now it is forgetting about the forest in a soft cushy bed and hopefully taking a nap. He's in a confined space where no one can sneak up on him from behind - not that we would do that to him, but he doesn't know that and he needs to feel safe. He already seems to trust us somewhat, he spent the entire ride home touching me.

Welcome home Fitzpatrick. You don't know it yet, but you will never have to worry about your next meal, or where to find water to drink, you will never have to dig a hole in the ground to sleep in so you can feel a little safe, heat and cold will only be a minor inconvenience when you have to go potty outside - not a threat to your survival. You are safe now little boy, I hope we can give you the gift of just being a carefree, cherished family pet.

Unpack those bags baby, give all your baggage over to me.

He's sleeping, I consider that a good first step.
 

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#2 ·
This was the first photo we received of him, he is still in the shelter in Turkey in this one.

We were told that the "shelter" is basically a room of 50 or so dogs. They do the best they can with feeding them but they have so many dogs to feed they just throw the food down on the floor and they usually get fed only every other day or so.
 

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#4 ·
He arrived on Thursday the 6th with another Golden - neither dog had names so rescue called them Trix and Treat. Trix is the female and she is in the back, Treat is in the front. They estimate him to be bout 3, Trix is only about 1.5 years old. We got to meet her today too, very sweet as well.
 

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#5 ·
He spent the first night in the USA in Ossing, NY at the home of the volunteer who arranges for many of the turkey dogs to come over. We were lucky enough to meet so many amazing people during this process. Golden Retriever Rescue Inc - NJ is who handled the adoption. Trick and Treat and another little 5 1/2 month old small gray mix puppy were brought over by volunteers who were coming to America to visit relatives.

They couldn't believe the boarding facility where they house the dogs coming in from Turkey - it is a lovely kennel but to the Turkish volunteer it was the Taj Mahal.
 

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#7 · (Edited)
In Turkey they don't get much time in the grass. He came form the forest which from the description doesn't have much grass and neither does the shelter.

Some volunteers feed the dogs in the forest - they strap a bag of food to their back and cut it open and run through the forest so the food spreads out and they can feed more dogs that way, it also means the dogs don't all collect in one area and fight over resources.

They sent me these photos yesterday of him in the grass, he loves to roll in it!
 

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#10 ·
Shortly after our first few minutes of meeting him. He immediately threw himself down on the ground for love.

He is shorn like a sheep! They had no choice, when the volunteers pulled him from the forest to get him in the shelter he was so matted they had to take all his feathers and chest/belly fur off. He also ended up with fleas (which they successfully treated when he arrived and I'm guarding against any larvae), so that didn't help the coat situation any. He has a small horseshoe shaped cut on his belly and then my husband found a larger bite on his back. We cut down the fur around it (poor thing is going to be a hairless soon) and we will keep an eye on it. I'm also going to make a vet appt for him later in the week. I just want my vet to get her hands on him. He also had an ear infection, but otherwise his vetting result was quite good.

Even though he had a bath at the boarding facility I also found a few big mats behind his ears that I cut out a few minutes ago.

His initial vet report:

Treat is such a gentleman. He walks so beautifully on a leash and is so gentle. He doesn't like getting in the car, he has to be lifted in by his harness, but once he's in and seatbelted, he sits so that his head is between us for petting. He weighed 82.2#. He needs to lose about 10% of that, so about 8-9#. He has a gorgeous head. Dr Z said that if he could stand golden retriever fur he'd take him home now. He has a mild ear infection in his right ear so it was cleaned and he'll get Mometamax in it for the next couple days. He had fleas so last night I gave him Capstar and this morning Nextgard. No more fleas. Dr Z gave him Drontal Plus because he said fleas can generate tape worms so we're being proactive. He has a small horseshoe shaped tear on his left underside that needs to be watched. It's superficial and not infected. We did CBC/Superchem, fecal, urinalysis, SNAP 4DX. He is nervous and had some mild stress colitis so I told the kennel to fed him ID. Dr Z estimated he's 3 yrs old.
 

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#11 ·
He's got that a little bit lost, not connected yet, look about him. There's going to be a moment that he looks up at you, and the light in his eyes will shine when he realizes "I'm Home". He doesn't quite know it yet, but it will be magical and you will know it when it happens. His happy life has just begun.
 
#17 ·
So true, but for his situation he is doing very well.

He is smart, we are keeping them apart and I took him outside for potty and he knew to come to the door to come back in. He is going to catch on very quick I think.
 

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#13 · (Edited)
In the car on the 1.5 hour ride home. He handled it like a boss! Relieved he doesn't get car sick like poor Georgie does. She loves the car but she basically turns green if the trip is longer than 15 minutes.

In addition to the boo boos he has from his bad experiences he has that pink scar on his nose. I can't imagine how hard his life must have been so far. But it's amazing how sweet he is, he just wants love. He was touching me the entire ride home, he didn't have to be, he had plenty of space to not have to touch one of us, but he chose to almost rest his head on my shoulder the entire ride home.
 

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#14 ·
This is just so heartwarming, congratulations and welcome Fitz to your wonderful new home and family!.
 
#15 ·
He was confused by the bed at first. But I got down on the floor with him and he figured it out, at first he was lying awkwardly - not sure if it was something he liked or not.. but then his head began to bob and he was fighting to keep his eyes open.

Oh and here is his passport. They really do get passports!!!
 

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#16 ·
Congratulations! What a lucky, lucky boy you are Fitz. You are a beauty.. How wonderful of you to reach out 1/2 way across the world for this pup.
 
#26 ·
Thank you all for the encouragement!

I really can't believe that this beautiful, sweet dog was left to fend for himself. So far he is smart, loving and very well behaved. No counter surfing (yet anyway), he wont take food from your fingers, you have to palm it, no accidents, quickly figured out where to potty. How is it possible that these beautiful Goldens are left to rot?

So far we know he grunts a lot - when he lies down, when he is falling asleep. It makes me smile because my "original 3" goldens (the trifecta of Bailey, Blossom and Belle) would lie under the kitchen table grunting as they fell asleep. He isn't sure about toys - doesn't really know what to do with them. He loves affection. I can sit down on the floor with him and he asks for petting. He has a crazy gentle mouth - a true golden soft mouth, he won't put his teeth on you, if you give him a treat and don't let go, he does. He does the same funny "jaw snap sniff" that Gunner does. He does the "golden arm nudge" that Blossom did and Georgie does.

He and Gunner are making strides, soon I think they will be BFF's and brothers. They know the pack is stronger together, Fitzpatrick just needs to know that this is his pack now. And that will come. He has been through so much, but he clearly trusts us for some reason - they say they're good with humans because they rely on the kidness of people to survive there.



KKaren, I really can't believe we have a dog from Turkey! It kind of blows my mind....
 
#19 ·
Thanks Charliethree, they really do...

I can't imagine what this poor baby has been through, but he's so loving and good. I still can't believe how fast this all happened. Belle definitely wanted him to come to us. We really expected to wait for months. I hope it's his dream too.
 
#21 ·
I think there is a part of us that 'knows' when it is 'Oh so right!' our heart skips a beat on sight, we just 'know' it is 'meant to be', and everything truly will be all right.

Fitz is a very lucky boy, to have found himself a 'perfect match' and an amazing forever home!
 
#22 ·
I was following your original thread and now read through this thread (with lots of tears of joy for you and Fitz). He is absolutely gorgeous and it sounds like it will not take long for him to adjust. I'm assuming he had a "home" at some point in time, but like you said who knows how long he has been on his own. I like his Halloween bandana!!
 
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#23 ·
This post is heartwarming. I look forward to reading many, many uplifting posts on this boys progression. Huge congratulations to Fitz and your family.
 
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#24 ·
Welcome home sweet boy!
What a special treat for Fitz to be part of your family, looks like he fits in from the moment you met him. :smile2:
Wish you have years of happiness with this sweet boy next to your side.

Love the family photo!
 
#25 ·
When I logged in to GRF your post was the first one I saw. What a wonderful way to begin my evening! Fitz is absolutely beautiful, even with his "crew cut". I have had many rescues over the years. Some abused and neglected and it has always amazed me that these dogs all seem to sense somehow when they arrive in their forever homes. It is almost as if they breathe a huge sigh of relief. They also seem to sense the love that is there for them. It is obvious that your beautiful boy KNOWS he is now safe and a very treasured member of a family at long last. I can't wait to watch him grow and thrive in his forever home with you. Charliethree is right. This was meant to be and his life with you is going to be so good for ALL of you. Welcome home Fitz. You are safe and loved now and forever:)
 
#27 ·
Thanks G-bear, his grunts that I describe above are so content. Maybe it is his sigh of relief.

And like Charliethree says I think he does know he is home.

Belle came to him in that forest - she told him it was going to be OK. "Go with the people who catch you, do what they ask of you, get in that plastic box and take that plane ride, trust and you will be rewarded." She sent him to help us find peace with her passing. They have the same eyes, the same soft "doggie cheeks".
 
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