SUBSCRIBE VIA RSSWe need your help! Many of you have already met Dory, and those who haven’t can read more about her here.
Ever since the veterinarian told us that Dory was around 10 years old, it’s really been irritating me that so many wonderful years of her life have been wasted. Being tied to a barn for the majority of your life is no way for anyone or anything to live.
Heather and I want to cram as many life experiences as we can into the years she has left because, as far as we’re concerned, her life begins NOW. As I sat awake wondering what we can do with Dory, it hit me. We’ll create a bucket list just for her, record her experiences, and call it Dory’s Bucket List Adventure.
For those unfamiliar, a Bucket List is a catalog of things you want to do or experience before you die. The idea is to lay on that death bed with no regrets…knowing you sucked as much fun as possible from the marrow of life (pardon the visual, but dogs LOVE gnawing on marrow).
Many people have emailed and commented asking if they could help with Dory’s care. While I find it extraordinarily generous that so many people reached out, I’d just feel too weird accepting monetary donations for a responsibility we welcomed into our home. That said, here’s how you can help!
We need to know all the wonderful things that dogs should enjoy before they expire. What do you do with your dogs? What should every dog experience? Is it chasing birds? Hunting down frisbees? Swimming off a boat? What? We want to comprise a long list and then share the photos and videos we capture of her tackling that list with you on this blog.
Understand that Dory has no expiration date, nor do we have a clue if she’ll pass next month, next year, or five years from now. All we want to do is make up for the 10 or so years she’s lost being neglected and forgotten.
Today, we kicked off Dory’s Bucket List Adventure with a playful day in the water. As a Golden Retriever mix, it’s a shame that Dory hasn’t enjoyed frolicking and running in water all her life. They’re practically born to do this!
Below, are the photos we took of Dory’s big day. Over the coming weeks and months, we hope to post even more experiences. For now, we need ideas…and lots of them!
Simply comment below and give us a few suggestions for Dory’s Bucket List. We’ll take the submissions and create a list to work from. No need to send money, this is how you can help. By sharing your suggestions, you’ll have had a part in Dory regaining…or finally achieving…happiness.
We took Dory about 20 miles from our home to Taughannock Falls State Park. It's a gorgeous park with river flats for walking, natural pools for swimming, waterfalls, hiking trails, and cascading ledges.
Dory took right to the water and happily walked side by side with Heather.
She would find a deeper part of the flats and just lay in the water.
You could tell that she was finally in her element.
When it came to the water ledges, she was up, down, up, down, and up again.
See what I mean?
She could barely keep her footing standing on the edge of the little falls,
but there was no getting her off of them.
Walking with the fam, strutting her stuff.
We reached the end of the trail and gave her a view of a lifetime. Far better than the rusty tools, dirt, and rats that comprised her whole world before.
On our way back home, Dory hit her stride and Heather struggled to keep up.
It was an absolute breakthrough and such an amazing thing to see.
I swear we didn't kill her. She's doing dog angels in the grass.
Yet another item on the Bucket List accomplished.
This. Is why we did it.
We so wish that we could have brought our other dog, Jackson, along for the excursion but his hips just don’t allow it. He’s good for about 1/2 a block, much like his male owner, and then he has to resort to heavy limping and dragging his back feet to get around. We keep him well embraced with love and attention though, as evidenced by Kamryn’s bear hug below.
If he had the hips for it, she'd be in a saddle.
Help Plan Dory’s Bucket List Adventure!
If you’d like to help us create a growing bucket list for Dory, please post your suggestions below. I don’t care if it’s as simple as chasing a tennis ball or sitting by a campfire. Bear in mind, Dory is 10, so anything involving surfing, hang-gliding, or sky diving is out. Especially since I’d have to go with her. Let’s keep the list relevant to typical dogs, not “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” dogs, okay?
So let’s hear ‘em! I can’t wait to see all of your ideas.
Dory’s gonna love this.
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My 5th old daughter said: playing catch, a dog race, and hide and seek. I think that was more like what she wants to do with our dog. I say a trip to Petsmart…the only people store dogs are allowed to go to. Or chewing on one of those ridiculously huge bones like royalty.
A walk with the family in Geneva by Seneca Lake-especially when the sailboats are out! Also, they have doggie ice cream treats at the little ice cream stand near the Ramada–that’s a must after a great walk by Seneca Lake!
I love this idea. As one fellow dog-lover to another, kudos to you!
1. Have her own birthday party
2. Boat ride
Sock tug-of-war
A trip to Texas lol
Sounds Great!!
Chewing on a huge marrow bone. Play hide and seek with her in the house – you hide and call to her and she finds you and the treat you have. Boat ride for sure – what dog doesn’t like the wind flapping in their ears. A romp in the snow. Eating doggie ice cream. The tennis balls that squeak. Running on the beach. Being let off leash in a field of new spring grass. Long car rides (depends on the dog – my Bernese Mountain Dog hates them). That photo of her huge smile at the end made me well up. I am so glad you are giving her the quality of life she deserves.
Hmmmm, I don’t have a dog but…..these thing seem fitting
1. the birthday party idea definitely…..with all the trimmings, birthday hat, birthday cake etc.
2. chewing on the bones from turkeys, hams, etc. As long as they are safe (i know bones can split really easily.
3. fed table scraps without too much begging ( as she certainly deserves some treats after all she did need to share her food with rats for a bit)
4. toys, lots of toys. Like the other poster stated, petsmart is a great place for animals. Purchase a Kong and fill it with treats, playtime for hours.
5. trip to central park, as it would just seem like a fun place to run around as a dog.
6.sledding with the kids. It’s snows so much it should definitely be something exciting to do.
7. have Dory be the mascot at the school….hint hint, she’d be a great fun at activities and i bet the kids would love her.
ok…i ramble just a little. Hope some work and the bucket list idea is great! Can’t wait to see pictures and videos.
Peanut butter! Fun for Dory; even more fun for you to watch.
What a beautiful time it seems like you have had!
Christmas! That should be a lot of fun and I’m sure she will never have had a Christmas like you will give her!
Have Dory march in a parade!
I can’t think right now but I’m sure everyone will have some great ideas! Can’t wait to watch Dory’s adventures!
Bacon Bacon Bacon
Our town has an annual dog parade, maybe you can find one near you.
Trick-or-treating with the family. In costume.
Photo on Santa’s lap
Chasing the kids around the yard
Our Chesapeake Bay Retriever is a water dog that hates boats (go figure) so don’t be surprised if that one doesn’t work. What send our girl into oblivious happiness? Finding the biggest stick in the yard and having it thrown for her – repeatedly…ad nauseum…until mom and dad are both begging forgiveness. Of course she is only 4 maybe a 10 year old will only burn through one of you per stick throwing session. …oh, and getting her Greenie – HUGE treat and happy time.
Doggy massage! You can get a couples massage for pet & owner – now that’s a win-win. Definitely playing in the snow. Running off-leash through a field. Sleeping on the humans’ beds. Lots and lots of trips to the lake for swimming! Scrambled eggs in the morning (will make her coat soft and shiny, too)!
Good luck and have fun!
Our rescue’s favorite things are swimming in the lake, Sock-tug-a-war (he hates toys.. loves old socks.. I’m not sure!) and peanut butter which he does get almost daily as his treat (with his medicine)
A dip in the ocean! For a dog that seems to take to water so well, this just needs to be experienced. Not only does she get the pleasure of the water, but the intense smell of it (as dog’s keen sense of smell will go wild for it) and she gets to eat all the dead fish on the shore (which is repulsive to me… but they seem to like it greatly hehehe)
Yes, the beach-water, waves, dead fish, and seagulls to chase. My dogs love a ride to the local ice cream place that does dog ice cream (small scoop of vanilla with a biscuit on top). Also reindeer antlers to chew on (local pet store has them). It looks like just spending time with your family is making her very happy-I think her bucket list of “find a family to love me” has been satisfied.
As a dog trainer and a rescue nut (I have six mutts of my own), I am reading your blog for the first time and crying all over my iPad. So, you know, thanks for that. As for Dory’s bucket list, here are some thoughts…
Dogs live in a world where each smell tells them an encyclopedia of information, and she was deprived, so find her the most interesting things and places to sniff. Let her roll in goose poop and on your clothing (not at the same time). Give her rope bones soaked in chicken stock, and kongs stuffed with wet food and frozen solid to make them more fun. Also, a visit to the beach would be nice. Maybe she will find some nice dead fish to roll on.
Most importantly, though, just keep loving the holy bejeebus outo f her, and thanks for being you.
Sincerely,
Kris and six obnoxious dogs
Thank you for rescuing her! We adopted a boxer through a local rescue several years ago and I remember how sad it was when we learned he was closing in on 10 years old. He carried both physical and emotional scars from his previous existence. I can’t even call it life, because what he had to have gone through was not life.
We only had 2 short years with him before we had to make the decision to put him to sleep (he developed Cushings disease as well as degenerative myelopathy), but our consolation is that at least the last 2 years of his life were full of love. He was skin and bones when he came to us, maybe weighing 40 lbs if that, hair coarse and falling out, horrible breath from neglected dental care, all this on top of a constant fear he was going to be beaten for breathing wrong. After only 2 months of living with us his coat was shiny and soft, he took his time eating instead of horking it all in one bite, and he insisted on letting the kids lay all over him, kiss him, and dress him up in whatever they could find. He also weighed almost 95 lbs, all muscle. He definitely became a member of our family and loved us unconditionally. I still miss him terribly.
Ohhh! When it snows she will want to play in the snow!!! And catch frisbees! But I would only do one at a time.
We adopted a very-senior dog two summers ago, older than Dory, who had been a victim of the foreclosure crisis…tied up in a yard and abandoned for good when his owners had to leave. He had arthritis, was nearly blind and also deaf. Even so, he had a lot of love to give (and get!) for his remaining time. We just used common sense as far as his bucket list……we assumed he would love any activities that any other dog loved, but also we were allowing for his age and condition, of course.
He loved car rides and to put his nose near the window, to smell all of those things that dogs love to smell in the air around them. He loved his little kiddie swimming pool in the back yard; he would roll in the water and was in heaven. Because his teeth and gums had been neglected and his mouth was sore a lot, he wasn’t so hot on chew toys or bones so we stopped offering those. He loved trips to the forest preseve where he could walk around, sniff everything, walk in the creek bed and feel the soft grass on his feet. He loved the snow and would run around like a puppy on it. Simple pleasures are my advice. Have fun and treasure all of the moments. Take lots of pictures. It looks like you are very much on the right track! Best wishes…..I promise that you will not regret your decision to have her in your lives. Having Jake in ours was one of the most rewarding things we have ever done.
Frisbee! And get her her very own kiddie pool to hang out in. Google Carrot Cake for Dogs and bake her up one. A trip to the dog park to sniff as many butts as she wants.
Nothing makes my dog happier than burying a bone in the backyard (so cartoonish, I know) but when he’s especially good, we’ll give him the bone off of our t-bone steaks to gnaw on (with a little meat still attached).
I also LOVE the birthday party idea! They’ve got doggy cakes you can give her and I bet she’d feel like a princess!
Oh and take her back to the house she came from with the barn and let her poop on the front porch as much as she wants.
Teach her how to go up and down the children’s slide at the playground.
Aww Greg, these stories about Dory are so touching. It is so cool that she is running around with “happy face”! God bless you and Heather for rescuing her!
I just want to hug you and your family for taking this dog in and putting that big, fat smile on her face. I always say everything happens for a reason and life happens the way it’s supposed to and this dog was meant to be yours. I hope you have a lot of years with her. My last dog, Gracie was 4 when I rescued her and I had just 4 short years with her before cancer got her. Now I have Roxy the devil dog…lol…term of endearment. She is a love. She’s everything rolled into one, but I do love that dog.
Anyway, I’m rambling. The bucket list.
1) big fat juicy steak…you guys can do hot dogs…lol
2) spoil her rotten…she deserves it
3) I agree…take her to the shore…let her frolick in the ocean
Pretty much…just let her do whatever she seems to enjoy (within reason). Let her experience all the things she never knew existed and YES make every occasion a Kodak moment.
Dory looks so happy in these pictures! I’d swear she’s smiling. You’ve already given her so much just by providing love. As for her bucket list, I have two basset hounds who seem to get the most pleasure out of cuddling with my husband and I, so the things that make them happy are pretty simple. I do find that sometimes the simplest things provide the greatest pleasure. Here are some of their favorite things:
1. Home made doggy cookies
2. Raw marrow bone
3. Bully sticks
4. Kong stuffed with peanut butter or yogurt (the latter should be frozen)
5. Sleeping on our bed (a rare treat – they sleep, we don’t)
6. Getting carrots, cucumbers and lettuce as I make a salad
7. Apples
8. The occassional bits of raw beef
9. Cuddling up on our laps and taking a nap (often while I knit!)
Riding in a convertible with the top down and the wind in her hair (just make sure she is buckled in). Also, buy her doggie treats and wrap them up as gifts. She’ll be able to smell the treats and will rip open the gifts like a child on Christmas morning. Take her fishing and camping, complete with a bon fire.
1) Ice. Dogs love ice.
2) A nice ride in the car with her head hanging out. Ahhh the wind
3) Tug of war
4) Puppies. I don’t know, for some reason an older dog playing with a puppy is so cute! And since she’s a girl she could pretend to be a mommy for a little while.
5) Sprinklers (especially the ones that move)
Oh I just thought of another one . . . spending the night at a dog friendly hotel, complete with room service.
On one of your adventures with Dory stop at a Sonic Drive-in. While the entire family enjoys their treats Dory can enjoy her own FREE doggy cup of vanilla ice cream. The Sonic’s in Kansas do it, hopefully they do it in your area as well. You wouldn’t want to feed a dog ice cream very often, but one tiny cup is such a treat…plus it looks so dang cute when it winds up on the tip of their nose. Bless you and your family for loving Dory.
This is geat! My suggestions based on stuff my two rescue dogs love (except the water parts, they hate the water).
1. Romping in the snow! I have never met a dog that doesn’t love this, and seeing them bunny hop is hilarious.
2. Going to the beach. My dogs would hate this, but I bet Dory would love it.
3. A speed trial. At a local doggie fest the greyhound rescue organization set up a speed course. It had a track with a plastic bag on the end that got whipped around. Holy cow my boxer LOVED this thing.
4. Playing in sprinklers. My dogs both LOVE to snap at sprinklers. They generally don’t like water, but this is the major exception.
5. Homemade doggie treats.
6. Bully sticks. Boy can they smell nasty but my dogs can’t get enough of those things.
7. Walks in the forest or other areas with tons of smells.
8. Learning some tricks, like balancing a treat on her nose. My boxer loves to show off her mad skillz.
9. Playing with another, younger, dog.
10. Getting to sleep on the bed. We rarely let our dogs on the bed, but every once in a while we invite them up and it’s like hallowed ground.
1. Camping in the mountains
2. Playing in the snow.
3. Lots of meals out at dog-friendly restaurants where she can be fawned on by wait-staff and patrons alike.
4. Camp-out in the living room. Getting up on an inflatable mattress should be easy for both dogs and lets them sleep with you without having to get on a bed.
5. Doggy day-camp for socialization
6. Trips to the dog-park.
7. Car rides to nowhere, head hanging out the window.
This is the first time I have visited, and I am already a HUGE fan. What a gift for beautiful Dory to have found such an amazing family to live with and love in her final years. I have tears just streaming down my face after reading Dory’s story, and I love the idea of a bucket list. The smile on her face tells me that she knows how loved she is.
God Bless you all.
I am in tears reading this. Dory is blessed to have been found by your family and you are blessed to have her. Make sure she gets a chance to ride in the car with her head hanging out the window, feeling the wind on her face. That was my Golden Retriever’s favorite
Just the love that you are giving her will make whatever time she has left worth living.
After reading your post about Dory’s life before you adopted her, and now seeing how happy she looks in these pictures, I’m tearing up (which is embarrassing since as I’m at work). Anyone who mistreats and neglects animals as Dory has been mistreated deserves the same treatment–I say the previous owner should be chained up in a barn for ten years, Geneva Convention be damned. (Psh, no, I’m not crazy. Not at all.)
As for the bucket list…
1) I’m not sure how this will work for a Retriever, but my beagle loves going on walks where she can sniff and smell and wander wherever she wants, and we just follow and don’t lead.
2) A trip to the beach!
3) Camping/a picnic
4) Many, many cuddle sessions
5) Playing and frolicking with other dogs, if she’s socialized enough
6) Kongs filled with peanut butter, biscuits, and other treats
7) Games of hide-and-seek
8) Occasional dried pig ears and/or big rawhide bones and/or bacon
Have fun! Dory is so lucky to have you.
I am so glad Dory has a wonderful home now! I had a similar rescue situation with my little Taz, who spent over 4 years on a chain 24/7 in North Las Vegas, NV, before he came in to my life. TANSTAAFD is short for “There aint no such thing as a free dog”. Taz was in rough shape when I got him, 7 extra pounds of fur/mats on him (he was a pekingese), barbed wire wrapped in his fur on his stomach, a hernia, teeth so badly decomposed/covered with tarter they had to be removed, toenails in quadruple spirals on all 4 paws… $1500 later, I had my “free” dog – and I’d gladly have spent 10x that to give that little guy a healthy start to his new life.
He was with me for 5 years before he passed – he never spent another moment on a chain from the time I picked him up, he slept in my bed every night, traveled with me, was spoiled rotten till the day he died, as it should be~!
Now, for Dory’s bucket list – There are farms that will allow dogs to try their hand at herding sheep – I don’t know how much of herders Goldens are, but she may enjoy it!
I think the number one thing on her bucket list she already has – a family that loves and cares for her! Thank you for being so wonderful to her!
a doggy bucket list, eh?
we used to give our dogs the rib bones from when we had bbq ribs.. and they always loved that.. except the time my Siamese kitten stole the bone right from under our dogs nose.. which was funny for us.. not so much for her…
what else….
1. beach trip .. my sisters dog just LOVES to run around on the beach.. but definitely bring a towel.. wet salt water dog is MUCH worse than wet freshwater dog.
2. camping trip… I’m sure she’ll love all the new smells and things to explore
3. playing with other dogs in a dog park is always good fun… throwing balls and or sticks
4. playing in the snow.. don’t know if the area you live in gets snow… but if so, snow time is a definite MUST.. my sisters dog loves to dig big holes in the snow piles that the plows leave behind
5. going to a lake to go swimming… always fun for dogs
6. playing with sprinklers.. my dog loved chasing after us when we ran through the sprinkler and would try and bite the water coming out of the sprinkler… hilarious
those are just some of the fun things I’ve done with my dogs over the years… have fun with Dora.. she’s so lucky to have a family like yours!
1. bone from a butcher.
2. Her own Christmas stocking
3. a family portrait
LOVE the family portrait idea!
Wish there were more ppl like ya guys
I have 4 rescued fur kids. Hiking. a family bike ride she can run along side since she seems to have the energy for it. doggy park day. a doggy massage. visit a pet parade (maybe be the grand marshall for it). love the birthday idea. Have a stocking just for her for the holiday 
do an agility class. have doggy playdates she can have lots of fur friends. a kiddie pool just for her. have her and the kids do a lemonade stand and donate the $ to a rescue shelter in her name. visit a local nursing home that allows dogs to come and cheer up the shut in. Have fun with her!
If you know anyone with a boat …. I bet she would love it. Maybe throw in some fishing with it. Dogs can get really excited to “watch that fish come out of the water”
This is such a great adventure !
“Elvis Kong Treat”
Make sure her teeth are in good condition (Kong does have a “softer” senior kong toy).
Mix peanut butter, sliced/mashed banana and crushed biscuits together.
Put into the Kong. Place in freezer for a couple of hours.
Present to the lucky pup.
Let her chase squirrels in Central Park.
A trip to a dog bakery is a must.
Pet store trip to let her pick out her own bed and treats.
Hide and seek is always a blast- make sure there are lots of treats and belly rubs when she find you!
Dining out on the patio of a dog friendly restaurant with the fam.
Visiting a nursing home is a great suggestion!- It’s a win-win situation. People who often feel forgotten receive love while she gets it right back. It’s a chance for her to spread the love a little further.
You guys are doing marvelous by the looks of it. Congrats on the new family member!
You or one of the family members sitting comfortably on a couch. Snuggle with the dog, murmuring how much you love them and are happy they are in your family. Until the dog jumps down and not sooner.
1. Find an open bow boat. Sing Fly like an Eagle. Go Titanic with her.
2. Ass scratching. Repeatedly. Try to make her two-step.
3. Find an open field. Run. Dory. Run. In all seasons.
4. Volunteer – find a nursing home. Free love for all involved.
5. Holiday dish washer.
6. Let her hog the blankets.
McDonald’s Drive thru: Ice Cream Cone! My dogs love the ice cream and the adventure of all those nasty fried food smells:)
We have the world’s tiniest golden retriever and she happy smiles just like Dory. Had to sit on the floor and have cuddles after reading Dory’s story. Sadie loves it when you sit on the floor and she rolls on her back between your legs and gets tummy rubs.
Sadie also loves:
Long walks with her entire pack
Riding in the car with the windows down
Peanut butter or cheeze whiz in a kong
Toys that squeak (man I hate toys that squeak)
Rawhide chews
Frozen peas, ice cubes
I will watch her the next few days and try remember more of her favourite things.
What a sweet story! I would add – doggie ice cream. There is a brand in the freezer section called Frosty Paws. Dogs love it!
We have two Golden Retreivers and one of them is a rescue also. They love people, so if Dory is the same, let her socialize with people alot. Ours also love carrots and tomotoes and those are healthy treats too; the baby carrots are perfect treat size, but they look awful cute with a whole carrot hanging out of their mouths like a cigar! Thank you for your kindess in rescuing Dory; she is beautiful.
swimming in a pool? tennis ball? trampoline?
what about a visit to a hildrens wrd at a hospital
Rolling in a big pile of her people’s dirty laundry.
I love how Dory is smiling in every picture since she’s joined your family. Awesome.
Dear Dory,
My name is Maddie, and I’m a rescue like you. Mom showed me your pictures, and I think we must be long lost cousins or something! Anyway, first thing for your family to remember is that now that you have a home and people to love you don’t even need a bucket list. All of your hopes are fulfilled!
But, if your people insist on doing fun things with you, who are you to complain, right? I like doing lots of things with my people, but some really fun ones:
- Go to the snow. It’s so awesome! You can roll around, and play in the powder, and you can smell all kinds of neat new wildlife that lives there.
- Ride a train. Where I live (Oakland, CA) there is a neat mini steam train that goes through the woods. The cars are open, and I like to feel the wind in my fur. It makes me feel like a hobo dog. It’s supposed to be for kids, but even better, dogs ride for FREE!
- Come to CA and go to Carmel. It’s a completely dog-friendly town. I got to stay in a hotel where they gave me treats when I checked in. You can shop in all of the stores, and eat out at all of the restaurants. And the best beach in town is just for you. It’s heavenly.
Enjoy your list, but I know you’ll be like me, and just enjoy every day you have with your very own family.
Love your friend, Maddie
Wanted to extend a big thank you to all of you for your wonderful contributions to Dory’s Bucket List. I’ve taken your suggestions and created the list we’ll work from.
You can view it here: http://www.tellingdad.com/2011/dorys-bucket-list/
Of course, you can expect photos, videos, and blog posts as she meanders her way through it. It’ll be slow at first, as we’re still trying to help her regain strength and stamina, but it’s going to be a wonderful ride. Thanks to you!
I’m a new visitor from Heather’s blog, but wanted to say WOW and I think it’s so wonderful you’ve taken Dory in. Also wanted to send greetings to Jackson from our 6 year old Swissy, Fenris. We’re consulting about what else to put on Dory’s bucket list, and I’m adding a few suggestions to the official BLP (bucket list post).
Our rescue dog LOVES chasing the little red dot on my hubby’s laser pointer. And our 7 year old is amused for hours doing this for her!
Dory really should see one of the Great Lakes. There are certain beaches where it is OK to take dogs along Lake Michigan’s shoreline. Lake Michigan is also famous for its pristine sandy dunes.
–Be spokesdog for a rescue group–or the face to help raise money for one
–A trip to a pet store to socialize and pick out her own toys
–Get dressed up for a Halloween pet parade
–”Help” make dog cookies
–Chase two Zhu Zhu pets around the kitchen
Our dog loved fetching sticks that we would throw into the river for her. It is a small river that we own property on and so she could be off leash. Most of all she liked “getting lovins”. OK and air conditioning.
Some of these ideas are going on *my* bucket list. Especially the one about bacon.
Seriously, Dory is awesome. And you are awesome people for giving her a new life.
I’m off to find the Pledge. Awful lot of dust in here.
We have 3 rescues. What a great story. My suggestion would be to introduce her to as many kids as possible. They will find as much joy in her as she will in them. Tell them about her past and your rescue story. Hopefully, when they want a new dog they will ask their parents to adopt from a shelter or rescue.
PS My first rescue Jake just pawed me while I was typing. Need to go for a bathroom walk!
I’m loving all the stories about everyone’s rescues. Dory makes our third unless cats count, then it’s like twelve. Unless you count their kittens, then it’s like forty. God help us if a horse shows up on our doorstep.
The end of Sept/beginning of Oct. there is a HUGE dog show in Romulus at Sampson State Park. Huge. Four days of every breed imaginable. It is four of the most perfect days imaginable, at the top of the hill, vendors and enthusiastic dog folk alike, surrounded by wine country and autumn foliage, and the sun beaming down in that ultra bright “gotta get it in before the next nine months of utter despondency” way that only Upstaters know. Unless it rains. Then it sucks giant balls of earwax.
Ithaca has a great dog park as well, back behind the Hangar Theater, fenced- great for off leash romps.
I just wanted to say, even though you said you wouldn’t – call the cops on the guy you got the dog from. Justice must be served so no other animals end up like Dory. Next time there won’t be anyone like you to save the next one.
@Emily – We’re as good as there, thank you so much for mentioning it. Will you be there?
@Gary – I hear you, I really do, but Dory was the only dog on his property other than the one that was in his house and treated much, much differently. It’s a difficult situation and while I understand your point, I also don’t want someone to be afraid to allow a rescue for fear of retribution. I’m just glad he agreed to let us take her.
he treated one dog good and the other like THAT? was there some sort of explanation for why??? even if he didn’t agree i’d have taken her anyway, but that’s just me
Yes, isn’t that crazy? The only reason is because it was his daughter’s dog and she left her there after leaving her husband. I don’t know why Dory was treated this way because she is a total sweetheart. Heather would have called it in if he said no but we want to honor our promise as difficult as it is.
She is so happy and her personality has really started to emerge.
Thank you for your comments and sincerity!
Running alongside someone riding a bike/scooter etc. Our pup LOVES that.
I am trying to think what my dogs like.
Since she needs love … and she’s old (LOL) I’d say:
1. a nap on the couch
2. a snuggle in a bed
Or how about:
3. a drive-in movie with the family
4. a walk on a dog-friendly beach
for the holidays:
5. visit a pumpkin patch
6. picture with santa
7. trick or treating
8. her own stocking from santa
I love how you adopted her. 10 isn’t old for every dog. My boxer is ten and she still jumps fences.
You and your family are amazing and I’m close to tears reading about Dory. I hope that she has a lot more amazing and happy moments ahead of her. One of the things my pups love is tangy froyo. We have a place here called Berryline (think Pinkberry) and I’m fairly certain they think it’s Heaven. We get them a medium froyo to share and they really love it. It’s fairly good for them because yogurt aids in digestion and the tangy kind has less sugar. I think part of the appeal for them is that they get it in the same cup as humans do and so they know it’s something really special and wonderful.
I think Dory would like it too. I’m not certain it really is bucket list material but I know that there are certain foods/dishes that are certainly on my list!
Thank you for sharing this experience with us all!
1. corn on the cob (usually after my dad cut his kernels off) OUTSIDE!
2. 2nd bully sticks
3. 2nd peanut butter in a kong
4. Primal Pet foods food & treats (google it, it will possibly save both dogs lives) just a witness, not a sales person but Jason there is awesome
5. lots of tummy rubs, well rubs all together, starting at the ears and going to the rear legs – aka “morning ritual massage”
(don’t all dogs sleep on their people’s beds?? hmmmm, where else would they sleep? stumped)
Going through a bank’s drive-thru to receive a dog bisquet while the kids get their lollipops or stickers. Also a carwash if she isn’t too scared.
Bless you!
Every dog, including Dory, needs to experience a lake with ducks on the family picnic outing. Since she seems to be Golden Retriever, at least in part, her birding/retrieving instincts will be fulfilled…even if all she does is watch them curiously.
Wishing your family and Dory the best.
My heart is full of joy knowing Dory will have her final days with love and caring humans. Our son is allergic to dogs so we got bunnies, but I still miss the warm companionship of a dog. One thing I did with my dog and with the bunnies is offer a small amount of chunky peanut butter. I think it’s fun to watch them try getting it off the roof of their mouth, and they LOVE the taste. How ’bout letting Dory take a ride on your back, you getting on all fours and letting her trust you to give her a ride. My son does it to the bunnies all the time. I read dog stories because I so want to rescue a dog, but now, they would be a natural enemy to our pets. Keep up the love and caring for Dory… I will follow her progress. Thank God there are people like your family in this world! Dory is finally home!
What a great story!! Kudos to you and your family…..Give her lots of love and attention, which she has miss out on over the last ten years..
play at the beach she loves water obviously
Maybe she’d like a treasure hunt with special treats hidden or buried for her to find?
My dogs favorite thing in the world is doggie daycare.
A definite is to take her to the beach. Oh how they love all that sand.
My dachshund, Calypso (who is also on Facebook as “The Most Interesting Dog in the World”) loooooooves stand-up paddleboard rides on calm days… will Dory go for that?
Also, rolling in dead fish or bird leavings on beach. It’s a doggie must.
This is an extraordinarily wonderful idea. I’m actually sniffling. You’re lovely people.
I’d like to contribute, but everything I’d think of putting on the list is already there. It’s a very full bucket
This is great. I’m so happy for Dory
My husband and I rescued a 10 year old German Shorthair Pointer back in 2006. She was found in a field in Georgia, shot, heartworm positive, and emaciated. She had also been bred almost to death. When we adopted her, she immediately had to have a radical mastectomy for malignant mammary cancer. The vet gave her 6 months, but she lived for another 4 years. She’s been gone 2 1/2 years now, and while I miss her terribly, I know that she had an amazing life for those 4 years. We just found out yesterday that our dog Jimmy who has been a part of the family for 8 years (adopted at 2 back in 2004) has an aggressive form of cancer. He had surgery last Friday, but the vet is giving him less than 6 months to live now. I started researching a “bucket list” for him (I know what he likes, but thought other people might have some unique suggestions). I love seeing how many other people out there truly treat their dogs like members of their families. Dory is so incredibly lucky to be with you guys! I hope she has a long, happy life 