Rosie

About Rosie

We are still looking for a foster with a view to adopt home for Rosie, who came to us recently.

Rosie is a 3-year-old Golden Retriever who came to us as she was struggling with the arrival of a new baby. She had apparently become very protective of the baby and was going for the other two dogs in the home if they approached the baby or her mother if she was holding the baby. Her family had consulted a behaviourist who had advised putting Rosie on anxiety medication, which hadn’t helped at all so they contacted us to ask if we would take Rosie and find her a new home.

Rosie has been with us for several weeks now and she remains nervous and anxious, though with no aggression at all. She is off the medication now, partly as she was just as anxious on it and partly because we didn’t want her to continue on it without trying to addressing the root cause rather than masking it with medication.

Rosie is coming out of her shell bit by bit every day. She is starting to show affection to her foster family and instead of them having to reassure her gently, she is seeking them out for cuddles and attention.

The problem is that this is such a slow process, that we don’t want Rosie to settle in and become totally relaxed around her foster family, to then be uprooted and have to go through the same bonding process again. She needs to be with a family who can gain her trust and be the home that she doesn’t have to leave again.

Her current foster family have been wonderful, as always, and we have all been torn on what to do but we all reluctantly agree that it would be kinder for Rosie to go to a foster to forever home. Her current foster home has already and wants to continue helping/fostering as many dogs as they can for the foreseeable.

Rosie has never shown even a hint of aggression to anyone, despite her nervousness around people.

We really don’t understand why she is so shy, but she is very much like the ex-breeding retrievers who come to us who have not been socialised or spent much time around people. We know this isn’t the case with Rosie and we will probably never know what has made her so fearful, but we need a patient home to work with Rosie and help her navigate through her anxieties.

She will need to stay local to Derby, Nottingham, Chesterfield, Burton, Stoke or Newark areas ideally, though her vet care is complete. We just feel more comfortable having her close by so we can be the safety net we need to be for Rosie. We would consider a home further afield if it is a perfect, experienced home for Rosie.

Here is her foster-mum’s UPDATED write-up…

“Rosie is still very scared of the outside world and sometimes inside. She has made so much positive progress in the last 3 weeks or so by coming to us and instigating fuss. She can be left a couple of hours but ideally needs someone at home full-time as she can get quite anxious.

Rosie has had no accidents in the house.

I have visiting grandakids aged 6yrs and 18 months and she is absolutely fine with them .

Rosie’s safe place is definitely being upstairs . Its her first bolt hole if stressed.

Rosie will eat when she is ready and mostly when you are at home with her.

Walking…….now this is where the work is needed. Rosie just wants to run away back home. She will force herself back to try and come out of her harness . To date we have made it to the field just twice!! We usually manage to get to the bottom of the drive before she panics so have spent the last 2 weeks just sitting there talking to her . Unfortunately Rosie isnt food orientated when out so we cant bribe her to walk with treats. Once we have got to the field she walks really well on the lead.

Rosie loves her fuss…..she will paw your hand and guide it to her belly if you stop the fuss! She likes to have a game of ball chasing once I come home and makes it known that she is so excited we are back”.

Rosie is in foster in Swadlincote.

As written by Yappy Ever After.