Hello all,

I've been lurking around here for a bit, first during my puppy search and since we got our new dog. I'm sure I'll have tons of questions, she is my first golden, and a lemon, but I wouldn't trade her for the world and it's only been a week. As usual with sick dogs, she came from craigslist.

I posted a golden wanted ad on Craigslist, because due to the fact that I rent, rather than own, Golden Retriever Rescue of Michigan wouldn't adopt to me. We were looking for a high energy 1-2 year old dog who can keep up with our boxer/lab/pit mix. I got a seemingly perfect response from a woman claiming to be a vet tech. She had a golden she'd found, posted lost, etc and needed to rehome. The dog was underweight, had some skin issues, recently had pups, but was sweet. The 'vet tech' had had her treated for her skin and it was clearing up, she was also on flea prevention and had had her 1st DHPP.

After many emails, we went to meet/pick up the dog. There was a $150 fee to help cover food/vet I figured it was reasonable. She was very skinny, sweet, well behaved. She was wet because she'd just been given a bath. I didn't recognize the flea shampoo smell, although I should have after working in vet clinics for 5 years. The woman tells us she gave the dewormer & vaccine herself and couldn't find the paperwork from the vet visit. That should have been a red flag, but we brought her home anyways.

I leave for work and my girlfriend gives her another bath, since she stinks and we assume it's cheap shampoo. Nope, it was flea shampoo, she was crawling with fleas. $40 and a 1am trip to Walmart later, we have flea area treatment and extra flea treatment for the dog & cat. The next day we take her to the vet for a checkup. My girlfriend uses Banfield, I don't like them, but the health plan where you pay monthly and it covers a lot of stuff is nice. $167 later, we have enrolled her in a plan, got her rabies, full bloodwork including a hw test, a skin scraping, deworming, ear swabing, and exam. Diagnosis: yeast skin infection on her neck & stomach, mange in her armpits, eye infection, bacterial ear infection, probable flea allergy, extremely underweight(42 pounds, a 1 one the scale), 3-4 years old not 1-2, and had puppies within the last 3-5 months rather than year like we were told. Some pred, cephalexin, eye ointment, ear cleaner, and ear medicine later we head home.

After some research on the woman the dog came from, which I should have done first, I found she's a backyard breeder. She told us about these small dogs she rescued, but I found ads listing mixed small breed puppies on ebay classifieds with her number. I also found a golden retriever stud wanted ad from about a 10 months ago posted by her, which would be about the timeline our girl had pups. I figure after she had the puppies, mom had skin issues and whatnot so instead of vetting her, she just sold her to a sucker (me!).

Since the original vet appointment, we've added a $30 medicated shampoo, tapeworm de-wormer, heartworm preventative, more ear medication, $60 high calorie dog food, $45 unspayed dog liscense, lots of chicken and rice later, we have a dog. We named her Pandora, since she brought the plague of fleas into our house.

While at the vet the Blue Buffalo lady came over to us and told us she is a purebred Field Golden. I've never heard of a Field Golden before, I've read a bit on here, but I've gathered they are just smaller, less fluffy, and usually red? Anything else we need to know? My girlfriend has lived with a golden prior, her ex's dog. She seems like a super friendly, happy dog. She's very trusting, finally is starting to run and play at the park too. She usually trots, it reminds me of a Standardbred horse, but occasionally will break into a run. She acts like she is constantly starving, which she was, but man, I want to eat in a different room from her because I feel guilty the way she looks at me. Hopefully that goes away after she realizes we will keep feeding her.


Belly & Neck Shot


Sisters

I'm just glad she's in a good home. Her weight - judging by the second picture, I don't think you need to put too much weight on her. Looks like she's a little thing and probably should only be between 45 and 55 lbs. No heavier.

And I do think that with a little loving care and time that she's going to be gorgeous. She already is a pretty thing, even though she's out of coat because of the puppies and her infection.

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She's a beautiful girl and I am sure will show you so much love since you rescued her!! As for field bred there are other threads on here that talk about it but what I've gathered is that they are *usually* leggier, more red, and more active than your typical confirmation golden. Do a search for field bred Goldens and you'll find tons of threads discussing this! Good luck to you and congrats on Pandora (great name btw ) !!!

Thanks for the replies, that's what I had gathered about the field goldens. We are going to have to get her one of those slow down to eat bowls, cus she barfed up her whole dinner tonight. Literally like 3 inches from the easy to clean vinyl floor, on the carpet. It's a skill dogs have, to barf in the hardest to clean up places. She already listens better than our two year old, and comes when called at the park. The vet said 2-3 months and she'll be back to normal and we can spay her then. She does have little peach fuzz starting to sprout places which is nice, because her belly and neck are kind of gross feeling.

It's amazing how sweet she is, it's like she hasn't had a bad day or person in her life. She loves everyone she meets and wags her little rat tail (with one curl on the end) constantly. I'm excited to give her the life she deserves.

She has a very sweet expression. She will be a great dog.

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Dave

She is gorgeous now so I can only imagine what she will look like in a few months or my this time next year.

Welcome to the Group! Thank you for doing what you did! You have given Pandora her Hope!

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I do what I like and like what I do. Yorkies- Cozy (4/1/06), Roxy & Zoey (2/11/08), Lucy (4/6/09); Golden- Buddy (4/13/09- Rescued 12/11) Maine Coon cats- Mika (1998) and Tallulah (2000)

Lucky Pandora to have found you. I hope you'll come back and keep us posted on her progress. She's going to be a beauty. You boxer mix is a good looking dog too--are they getting along OK?

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Kathleen, mom to one human, age 17, three canines, and a bunch of fish.

Thank you for taking her and getting her the proper care. She will repay you a hundred times back! She looks like a golden to me and I agree more the field type. Please keep us updated on her progress! Congrats on your new dog!

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Alison and 2 Furry Kids and 2 non furry kids

Lilly- Golden DOB 1/28/11
AKC name: Goldridge Lights Action Lilly RN CCA
http://k9data.com/pedigree.asp?ID=433352
Sanford- JRT DOB-9/5/06

Bridge dogs
Toby-Boxer 10 yrs. old (rescue) 9/17/2002-11/1/12
Charlie- Boxer (1st "child" together)2/19/02-3/18/12
Julie- golden retriever ( my heart dog) 5/6/96-3/3/07
Ruby- terrier/chow mix (my 1st dog) 8/1/90-1/15/05
Rusty-shih tzu (million dollar dog) 2/5/99-1/20/04

Pandora is a WONDERFUL name and she is a beautiful dog!!
God Bless you for rescuing her and please keep us updated on her.
We'd love to see more pics as the time goes on!
My hubby and I adopted our Smooch from Golden Ret. Rescue many years ago, she is now at the Rainbow Bridge. We were told she was a Field Golden.
Smooch had sort of wavy hair and was all colors of gold and some really light blonde in their, too!! She LOVED people and would get really excited when someone came over!!
I am so glad that your saw that Pandora needed a GOOD HOME and you rescued her-she will repay you tenfold!!

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[IMG]http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii215

Tonka & Tucker

SNOBEAR at the Bridge
Dec. 23, 1999-March 27, 2010


SMOOCH at the Bridge.
Feb. 14, 1999-Dec. 7, 2010

Thank you for rescuing Pandora. She'll now have the wonderful life she so deserves and will reward you ten-fold.

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**Fraulein "Maggie" Louise 8/2/95 - 7/20/09**
*At Rainbow Bridge but Forever in Our Hearts*