If you’ve been following along on social media, then you know that my husband Brendan and I rescued a golden retriever a month ago on July 22nd! His name is Odie, and we couldn’t have asked for a better dog! I’ve gotten a ton of questions from you guys about Odie and how we rescued him, so here ya go 🙂
About Odie:
Odie is such a happy dog and is always down to do whatever you want to do. If you want to go on a walk, he’s ready to go, and if you want to just chill, he’s content with that too. He’s a velcro dog so he stays by us which is super cute. Since I work from home, I am usually working on my laptop at our table or cooking/baking in the kitchen. While I’m working, Odie either sleeps or sits next to me.
He is constantly smiling with a massive grin – you can’t be in a bad mood with him there! Also, Odie loves to be touched. You will be his best friend if you massage him or give him any attention. Odie is on the smaller side for golden retrievers – he weighs 55 lbs. Most people think he’s a puppy but Odie is turning four years old on September 21st. He’s a bit smaller like me ha 🙂
Our Active Family:
Odie loves to play with his tennis ball. We bring the tennis ball with us on our long walks. The second Brendan takes the ball out of his pocket, Odie is PUMPED! His catching skills are true to his retriever name. It’s hysterical to watch him sprint for the ball, catch it perfectly, and then bring it back to you. He nudges the ball with his nose, asking you to throw it again. We’ve also taken Odie hiking with us and to a nearby dog park, which are fun for all of us.
On our way home from Laguna Beach a couple weeks ago, we stopped by Huntington Dog Beach. We were told that Odie loves the water, and we brought his tennis ball so you can only imagine how excited he was about that 🙂 Later that day, we gave him his first shower in our apartment which was definitely an experience. It seems that Odie loves any form of water except the bath/shower! Brendan cleaned him and then I was supposed to dry him but he got away from me and shook off alllll the water inside our home. Can’t wait for his next shower 😉
#AdoptDontShop:
We found Odie at Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue which is an amazing organization. SCGRR is the third largest golden retriever rescue in the country. If you know that you want to rescue a golden retriever, I definitely recommend going to a golden retriever rescue. All of their dogs are in foster homes and are never kenneled. The dogs are socialized and vetted prior to adoption.
Match-Making:
I appreciate that SCGRR works hard to find the perfect home for each dog. Placements are made according to what’s best for the dog. The more flexible you are about the type of dog you are willing to adopt, the less time the process may take. It is geared toward which family is the best match for the dog, rather than a first-come first-serve basis. I think we ended up being the best match for Odie since SCGRR said he needed an active family and shouldn’t be left alone for the whole day. Brendan and I go on long walks daily, and I work from home so I believe that those elements made us stand out. If Odie was at a general shelter, he would have been claimed right away. There wouldn’t have been an interview process so Odie wouldn’t have necessarily gone to the best match.
Application Process:
The first step in the application process at SCGRR is to fill out the online application here. The Placement team reviews your application, and then a volunteer gets in touch with you to schedule an in-home interview. There’s a minimum $25 donation at the time of the interview.
Once you complete the home interview, you can look at the Available Goldens and email the contact person, writing why you think you would be a good home for that particular dog. This list updates daily as there are new dogs waiting to be adopted and then other dogs who found a home.
Each dog is different. We applied for a couple dogs before Odie, and I can now understand why we weren’t the #1 match for them. For example, the demand for goldens with child experience is high so they’re going to match a child-friendly dog to a family with children.
There are more applicants than dogs so not everyone who applies will be selected as a match. If you end up getting matched with a dog, there is an adoption fee. The fees vary based on the age of the dog. Here are the current fees:
- $600 for dogs 0 to 1 year old
- $500 for dogs 2 to 4 years old
- $400 for dogs 5 to 6 years old
- $350 for dogs 7 to 8 years old
- $300 for dogs 9 years and older
Dogs coming in from outside the US have higher adoption fees to help cover the costs of travel. If the dog is under the age of 1, the fee is $800. If the dog is over 1 year old, the adoption fee is $600.
Rescuing Can Be Easier:
Most rescue organizations make sure that their rescue dogs are already spayed or neutered, fully vaccinated and microchipped, and have a sound health examination. The dogs’ temperaments are fairly well known as the dogs have lived with foster families. Odie was with his foster family for a month. They put Odie in a variety of situations to see what he was like which we so appreciate. When we had our first meeting with Odie / final step in the interview process, we saw how attached the foster family was to Odie. This family has fostered nearly 50 dogs, and they said that Odie was the hardest dog to give up. He’s such a sweetie!
Odie is already house-trained which is one of the pluses to rescuing a dog. Since we live in an apartment, we go downstairs and escort him to relieve himself each time rather than just letting him go on his own in a front yard. We run/walk to a grassy area four times a day. With just going to the bathroom those four times, Odie gets 2.5 miles of walking in. And then we do a three mile walk at some point in the afternoon/evening. He’s an active dog, and we’re an active family, so it’s a perfect match 🙂 It’s funny how people react to him when we’re walking. Many people immediately smile at him or stop to pet him. I love how dogs make people happy – we can all use that in our lives!
Odie’s Rescue Story:
Odie was an owner surrender because he didn’t get along with the other dog the owner owned. It’s hard for us to picture this because Odie is great with other dogs. But I’m glad that this happened since now he’s a part of our family!
There are many dogs out there who don’t have a home. I would get teary-eyed reading their stories and wanted to help them all. I’m so glad that we were able to rescue Odie! If you’re interested in rescuing a dog, I definitely recommend it. I hope you find your “Odie” – we love you, Odester!
