CAUTION: Chicken Jerky Treats

The FDA continues to warn pet owners about illnesses associated with certain chicken jerky/strip treats.  There has been an increase of illnesses associated with feeding dogs these treats.  Warning signs include decreased appetite; decreased activity; vomiting; diarrhea, sometimes with blood; increased water consumption and/or increased urination.  If you dog shows any of these symptoms after being fed one of these treats, please consult your veterinarian.

The FDA has been warning pet owners about these treats for over three years now.  A rise in illnesses has prompted them to re-release these warnings.

The FDA press release can be read here.

Dancing with Goldens

Start your weekend with a smile!

Golden Retriever goes fishing!

We came across this great newspaper article regarding Becky, a five year old Golden Retriever from Suffolk who went swimming and ended up with the catch of the day!  Click on the picture below to read this great article!

Tony Smith, 71, and his best friend, Becky.

Membership Drive!

In 2011, AZGRC was able to help out 80 Golden Retrievers - this includes, rescuing, caring for, and finding "forever homes".  This wouldn't be possible without our members!  October is the time to renew your membership, or if you want to be part of rescuing a special pup, becoming a first time member!

This ottoman made possible by the people who love me!

Becoming a member has never been easier!  Follow this link, AZGRC Membership, and enroll on-line.  2012 promises to be a wonderful year for AZGRC!

A special gift...

Mom, Dad and two handsome, kind-hearted boys.  Add a golden retriever plus a house with a big yard, a pool and lots of grass.  That may sound like the ingredients for a perfect American family.  But it just gets better.  Mom, Shannon, is a pilot for US Airways.  Dad, Dennis, is a flight crew training instructor for the Airbus aircraft – the same plane that Shannon flies.

Two remarkable young men make it an even better story.  The boys are Benjamin, who turns 6 in September and Timothy, who turned 8 in July.  They’re Cub Scouts who love Legos, Matchbox cars and golden retrievers. 

For several years, Benjamin and Timothy have been enjoying a shared birthday bash in between their birthdays.  This year, they asked for donations to Arizona Golden Retriever Connection (AZGRC.org) instead of gifts. 

Why?  Timothy said it’s because they have a Golden Retriever, Casey, who is really neat.

How neat?

“Casey is a search and rescue golden,” Benjamin said.  “We take her to training, we go camping and she goes on missions.”

They just got back from a training weekend.  Timothy and Benjamin make their rounds walking and playing with the dogs when the dogs are not in training.  They each had lots to say about some of Casey’s canine buddies.

Dennis, the boys’ father, originally got Casey to be his duck hunting partner but she liked to play with the ducks, not retrieve and release them.  Sensing her keen desire to work and be rewarded, Dennis started working with her in search and rescue training.  In addition to being a flight crew training instructor, Dennis is a Qualified Armed Posse Volunteer with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office.

Casey has two specialties:  air scent training to track and trail a missing person and cadaver training to find a dead person.  Now 11, Casey has celebrated several “saves” and “finds” and she shows no signs of slowing down. 

“Casey is the only golden retriever on Dad’s search and rescue team,” Timothy said.

Shannon was flying on the day we met to learn more about the boys and why they opted to sacrifice the usual birthday gift bonanza and asked for donations to AZGRC.

“For the past 3 years they have decided to ask their friends and family to donate to a cause they enjoy instead of bringing gifts,” Shannon said in an email.  “They are two very lucky boys who have a much greater need to help others than to receive another toy – and they know this.”

“This is the first time they have chosen Arizona Golden Retriever Connection but we have supported your organization for several years, purchasing your calendars and giving them as gifts.  As a family, we truly believe in AZGRC, but have been thus far unable to foster or adopt one of your dogs,” Shannon explained.

About 30 kids and several adults attended Timothy and Benjamin’s July 23 party.  There was a Lego piñata, complete with candy and Legos.  They also held a prize contest to guess how many Legos were in a bucket (more than 900!) and enjoyed cake, goodies and lots of splashing in the pool. 

Why did they choose AZGRC?  “Because a lot of people don’t know about golden retrievers,” Benjamin said.

“We have a lot of toys already,” Timothy added.

Both boys seemed genuinely surprised that their generosity would be inspiring to others.  It made perfect sense to them.  And it makes perfect sense to the dogs who will benefit from Timothy and Benjamin’s generosity.  To date, the boys have raised enough to microchip about 20 new intakes.

AZGRC's Forever Golden Estates Winery

This is your last chance to help your 'top' dog become an AZGRC's Forever Golden Estates Winery dog.  Voting will close at 12:01 am on August 16th so you need to hurry.  6 of these 'top' dogs will be on our labels for the 2nd edition of AZGRC's Forever Golden Estates Winery wines in October 2011.  The 6 finialist will end up as our Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Malbec "stars".

Click here to cast your vote!

   

NOTICE - Merrick Pet Care Recall

Merrick Pet Care, Inc. of Amarillo, Texas is recalling a single lot of its Doggie Wishbone pet treat ( ITEM # 29050, UPC # 2280829050, Lot 11031 Best By 30 Jan 2013 ) because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella. Merrick Pet Care has made the decision to recall the Doggie Wishbone pet treats in the abundance of caution. 248 cases of this lot were manufactured and shipped to distributors in 10 states. Those distributors have been notified.

To read the full article, please click here.

Bowl-A-Rama Time!

Tomorrow is the big day for AZGRC's annual Bowl-A-Rama event!  If you can, please visit AZGRC and click on the Bowl-A-Rama link to make any donation you can.  We are only halfway to our goal! Any and all help is greatly appreciated! 

 

Tomich, Scotland - The History Of the Golden Retriever Part 1.

Tomich, Scotland is very important in the history of the Golden Retriever.  In a sturdy kennel nestled in the fields of this quiet town, puppies were born that would become the stepping stone for our beloved breed.  There is little on the internet about Tomich, but one gets the feeling that it has quietly been swept into the surrounding towns, holding on to the little bit of autonomy it can.

The history of the Golden Retriever is colorful. 

"In 1865, Lord Tweedmouth purchased a yellow retriever "Nous" from an unregistered litter of otherwise black Wavy-Coated Retrievers. Nous was later bred with "Belle", a Tweed Water Spaniel, and the resulting litter produced four bitches that were instrumental to his breeding program. One of them, "Cowslip," he bred back to for over twenty years. Over the years, several outcrosses, to black Wavy Coated Retrievers, an Irish Setter, and later a sandy-colored Bloodhound occurred as he sought to improve and fix his new breed. The coat textures of the Goldens of this time reportedly varied, as did the color, which ranged from fox red to light cream." (Text provided from K9Web)

Lord Tweedsmouth Estate, as seen today:

Oddly enough, the kennel buildings are in good shape!

An article on the Golden Retriever Club of America's website allows readers to see this grand estate and surrounding villages as it is today.  Click here to read the article.

We will continue the history of the Golden Retriever in following posts! 

Winners!

The winners have been announced in the People Saving Pets™ "My Magnificent Adopted Pet Online Contest."   AZGRC's Polly has been awarded 2nd place!  Click here to read all about her.

Golden's Explain Math

Bowl-A-Rama

When:  Saturday, August 6th 2011
Time:  AZGRC will be bowling from 8:30 to 11:30am
Where: 

AMF Scottsdale Lanes
7300 E Thomas Road
Scottsdale, AZ  85251

What is Bowl-A-Rama?

From PACC911 Website -  

PACC911’s Bowl-A-Rama for Animal Rescue has proven to be a fantastic and much needed fundraiser for the animal community. This one-of-a-kind event, conceived by board member Eileen Proctor, allows the individual groups with limited resources, a chance to raise “big bucks” at no cost to them! All money collected by each group remains with that group! At the same time, PACC911 solicits for sponsorships for the event, thus supporting our Emergency Medical Fund! Together over the past 8 years, over $1 million has been raised to help the animals of our community.

PACC911 is committed to continuing this high-energy event on the first Saturday of August for years to come! In fact, the first Saturday of August is officially Bowl-A-Rama for Animal Rescue Day, as proclaimed by the Governor of Arizona, and the Mayors of Phoenix and Scottsdale.

The goal of Bowl-A-Rama for Animal Rescue is two-fold. Not only is a much needed fundraiser for the local rescue community, but also an opportunity to raise much needed awareness for important animal issues during the summer heat when it is virtually impossible to conduct outdoor activities. Despite raising over $1,578,000 in its first 8 years, (over 95% of which went directly to the participating animal welfare organizations, as well as to the EMF Program for emergency veterinary costs for animals in their care) the need for Bowl-A-Rama is greater than ever.

On behalf of the animals that will benefit from 2011 Bowl-A-Rama, we ask you to make your most generous contribution. Help us achieve our goals! Do it for the animals! What can you do to help?

AZGRC still needs help of reaching this years goal of $13,000.  To lend a hand (or a paw!), simply click on here and choose one of this years Bowl-A-Rama Goldens.  Authur, Homer and Simon need your help.

Celebrate a Safe 4th of July

July 4th is a time to celebrate with parties, fireworks, friends and family; a great time to enjoy all the freedom we so enjoy. While we are celebrating, many of our pets are panicking. Even the most stable, social dog can be sent into mild anxiety or into a full blown panic attack. From home fireworks, to professional fireworks and here in Arizona...lots of gun shots; our pets are under attack (so it feels like to them).
There are more lost dogs and cats on the fourth of July than on any other single day of the year, rescue shelters report on average a spike of three times the amount of lost pets on this holiday. Many of these pets are never reunited with their families again.
Here are some tips to help your pet with this stressful holiday:
-Easiest and simplest thing to keep them safe is to keep them indoors
-Play soothing music or have the TV on to provide a buffer to the outdoor noise
-Be sure that your pet is wearing correct ID tags
-Be sure your pet is microchipped
-Do not take them to a fireworks display
If this is your first 4th of July with your dog we recommend foregoing the fireworks this year and celebrate with your pup at home so you can observe how he/she responds to the noise.
If your dog has already showed signs of severe anxiety to loud noises or on previous 4th of July holidays, consider consulting with your veterinarian regarding anti-anxiety medications.

Why we love Golden's!

Some of you may have seen this video already, but it is good enough to see again!

Wag & Walk 4 Life

Want to try something new?  Then sign up for Greenies Wag & Walk 4 Life.  You can read more about it here, but it is a great way to commit to get out with your favorite pup (you can sign up multiple dogs) and earn fun badges!  Click here to like their Facebook page, and then click on the link on the left hand side to join in on the fun!

Bowl-A-Rama pups - Meet Simon!

Hi!  My name is Simon.  I’m one of this year’s AZGRC Bowl-A-Rama spokesdogs.  You might have read about me on their website:

Simon was lost and alone at the Westside shelter when he was rescued by AZGRC. He was a laidback, too laidback, 18 month old beautiful Golden boy. He wanted to play but seemed to tire out quickly. When Simon’s blood work came back, he was positive for Tick Fever (Ehrlichia), Valley Fever (coccidioidomycosis) and Heartworm.  All of these conditions are serious but treatable. Simon has started on medication for his tick fever and his valley fever. Once his blood titers (how the disease is measured) come down, Simon will be starting his treatment for his heartworm.

Heartworm treatment is expensive and requires complete kennel rest during and after the treatment. The drug that Simon will be treated with is called Immiticide. It’s an injectable, arsenic-based product. Simon will be given two or three injections that will kill the adult heartworms in the blood vessels of the heart. The safest way to treat heartworms includes an extensive pre-treatment workup, including X-rays, blood work, and all the tests needed to establish how serious the infection is. Simon has had the initial pre-treatment work-up but will require more tests closer to when he begins treatment. After treatment, the worms begin to die. And as they die, they break up into pieces, which can cause a blockage of the pulmonary vessels and cause death. That’s why Simon will have to be kept quiet during the treatment and then for several months afterward. Studies have shown that most of the dogs that die after heartworm treatment do so because the owners let them exercise. It’s not due to the drug itself.

As you can see, I’ve got some not-so-fun stuff to deal with right now.  That’s why AZGRC needs your help so they can help dogs like me get back to being the happy, healthy Golden loves that we are meant to be.

Before I have to be in ‘”lock down” for this heartworm stuff, I wanted to head to the beach for a little R & R.  Turns out there is a Surf Dog Competition over in San Diego so my foster/forever family and I decided to drive over and check it out.  I thought you might like to see a couple of pictures from our trip:

  

               There were A LOT of people & dogs there                       

These guys were really rippin’ the waves!

I was going to try my paws at the waves too, but mom made me where this dorky life jacket and stay on my leash since it was my very first time at a beach L  The life jacket was hand-me-down from my new sister, CJ - she’s the cute blonde on the left in this shot

Mom said that as soon as I get well, we’ll come back and then maybe I can go swimming on my own.  I can’t wait!

I’m not looking forward to this treatment that I have to go through, but I know I’m so lucky that the great folks at AZGRC are the ones that pulled me out of that shelter.  If it hadn’t been for them, who knows what would have happened to me. 

If you can, please help out by making a donation to AZGRC Bow-A-Rama team.  In the meantime, I’m going to keep fighting to get better because CJ and I really want to go back and hang out at the beach!

Bowl-A-Rama pups - Meet Homer!

Homer

Homer, 2 Years Old

Homer was found as a stray and turned into the Eastside shelter. His eyes were so filled with pus that he was unable to see.  The shelter is a noisy, frightening place to a dog that can see; imagine how scary it is to a dog that is blind. The first day that one of AZGRC’s dedicated shelter walkers saw Homer, he sat in one place in his kennel and did not respond. On the second day in the shelter, he still sat in one place but now he growled. He was scared, confused and did not know who to trust. On the third day, AZGRC Shelter Coordinator, Lisa, went to assess Homer.  When she saw how bad his eyes were she asked the shelter to allow us to take Homer out on a medical foster. (A medical foster is when a shelter dog is released prior to the mandated 72 hour hold period) The shelter refused as they felt his eye condition was not life threatening. Lisa did not take no for an answer and worked her way up the chain of command to get Homer released. What was supposed to be a 20 minute trip to the shelter turned into a 2 hour trip but Homer was getting out of there.  As Homer was being walked out, he ran into a tree trunk, he really could not see. Homer went directly to Desert Tails Animal Clinic where treatment was started immediately. The next day, he went to Eye Care for Animals to assess his vision and for a diagnosis of his condition. Homer had keratoconjunctivitis Sicca, a long fancy word for “dry eye” syndrome. The really simple explanation is Homer was not producing tears that are needed to protect the cornea. He was started on 4 different eye drops that needed to be given throughout the day. Two days after starting treatment, Homer was chasing a ball around the yard. He could see again.

Homer has now started producing some tears on his own. He has a long road ahead of him but for Homer, “the future is so bright he is going to need shades.”

Homer and AZGRC need your help so that Homer can continue his new beginning in life.

Bowl-A-Rama pups - Meet Authur!

Bowl-A-Rama is coming August 6th.  Have you met this years Bowl-A-Rama Golden's? 

Meet Authur!

Arthur wants you to hear his plea!

Arthur had spent his life (10 years) living in the house with his family until a new baby came along and the family moved. He was then relegated to the dark, dirty garage with only a cardboard box to sleep on. He suffered his whole life with chronic ear infections and hematomas of the ear flaps which now had caused him to lose his hearing. He was also coated with grease from living in the garage. First order of business was a bath to get all the dirt off of his fur. Then he saw a specialist that recommended both ear canals be removed so that Arthur would no longer suffer from ear infections. While all his ear treatment was going on, his foster Mom noted that Arthur was always scratching at himself. After food trials, adding supplements to his diet and special baths, Arthur still was scratching. His next round of specialists was the dermatologist. He recently had a series of skin scratch tests to determine what he is allergic to. Arthur has started on injections for his allergies which we hope will finally give him some relief.

Would you like to help AZGRC give Authur a new leash on life?  Click here to give this good boy a  fresh start and a life free of ear infections and scratching.

Welcome!

Welcome to the new blog of Arizona Golden Retriever Connection!  What will you find here?  Stories, news, pictures - it'll all be here.  We want to include articles about available Golden's, adoption stories, vacation pictures, recall information. The list goes on and on. This is your blog - send us anything you find interesting!  Our goal is to make this a place you will want to visit often! 

We're just settling in, so please don't mind the dust.

Monty (Marty) adopted April 2010