Golden Retriever puppies and dogs in Windsor Heights, Iowa

ORLA (gaelic for golden princess) RETRIEVER mix - born 07/2019 - 41lbs Orla is a sweet, friendly, smart, energetic dog who loves to play fetch & splash in a kiddie pool. She walks well on leash & knows no stranger. She knows a few commands: sit, stay, wait, & come. She has been diagnosed with chronic dry eye (eyes don't produce tears) & receives daily eye drops.

Meet Truffles! Truffles is an adorable & exuberant 7 month old puppy with huge stick up bat signal ears. When not receiving transmissions, her giant receivers crisscross atop her head. She loves long walks on her leash, zooming, playing with balls & stuffies, tug-of-war and of course, cuddling. She has a genetic condition that requires a bit of extra time & special steps at meals. She has a custom chair that allows her to eat in an upright position. Truffles eagerly gets into her chair as she is quite food motivated. She is intelligent, active, affectionate, and eager to please. She is ideal for an active family or individual. Local adoption fee is $250 (in TX) Out of state adoption fee is $500 (includes transport to your area - $50 Temporary Fuel Charge will be added)

My story is a tale of woe and of WHHOA!!! I was lost and now I am found..... and rescued :) Now I am catching up with my own life, I am still a little shy when I meet new people, but I know that each new person I meet puts me one step closer to THE ONE, who will change my life furever!! I am a sweeeeeeet girl, likely a lab/great pyrenees mix but won't be nearly as big as either. I have the most beautiful eyes that LONG to gaze into my forever love. So if you want a semi- furry pup who will think you hung the stars and moon... look no further ;0 You have FOUND ME!!!! NOW, ADOPT ME!! Local adoption fee is $250 (in TX) Out of state adoption fee is $550 (includes transport to your area)

Requirements: *Another medium to large, confident dog in adoptive home *No children *Physical fence required *Cats unknown *Cannot be crated *Date of birth: 9/21/22 https://grroiowa.org/pet/rio-23-020/ 8/20/24-Foster Update: Rio has had quite a summer playing with his foster family, still leaping for frisbees, and loving walks in the park except when we encounter new dogs and people that we don’t know… Helping a dog with special needs is not always a straight path. It’s often a two steps forward, one step back dance. Rio shows difficulty in new situations. He wisely doesn’t trust all people or dogs and can quickly become overstimulated. His anti anxiety meds help but he doesn’t make transitions easily and we are working to expose him to new environments. With this in mind, we ask prospective families to be willing to meet multiple times with Rio so he can get to know you and your dog in a gradual manner. Once he knows you’re trustworthy, he’s a great companion but you need to earn his trust. He will do best in a permanent home with one dog companion who wants to play hard and even wrestle at times and folks who are home quite a bit. He loves the company! We currently leave him home for several hours with our dogs but do make sure that we put away anything that might look tasty before we go. While we share his challenges with you, you should also know that he has a heart of gold. He hates being scolded and wants to make us happy but sometimes it’s just hard for him. He is the happiest pup every morning upon waking and thrilled to see us come home each day. He lives for the possibility of going on a walk through the park or just a car ride where he can sniff the world as it goes by. He now runs to the door instead away from it when he thinks we might reach for his leash. He will make a wonderful best friend for the right person! 4/17/24-Foster Update: We always believed that April would be the time that Rio would be ready to find his forever family! He is growing in confidence and now walking city parks with enthusiasm! We get an occasional bark when a scary dog might be approaching but Rio can be redirected and told that everything is fine. Bikers, skaters, walkers- all okay! (He doesn’t want strangers petting him though.) Rio does walk with his support foster brother but is not glued to him. Hopefully we’ll get a photo soon of his newest accomplishment- he’s starting to put his head out of the car window on rides to the park! Are you the family he’s been waiting for? 3/24/24-Foster Update: Look who’s going for leashed walks now! Yeah, Rio! And he jumps into the car once he figures out that it’s time to go to the quiet secluded park where we walk. This doesn’t mean it’s simple but he is making progress every day. He now lets his foster mom know when someone else is getting more attention than him and he’s tired of waiting for his turn. Things he loves- belly rubs, any kind of dog treats, his favorite rubber ball, his foster siblings. Things that concern him- fast movements, people he doesn’t know yet as not all people have been kind, waiting for dinner when he can hear food being prepared, those darn deer that lurk under our bird feeders (they just don’t belong there!) And waiting for his forever family to give him a chance. Rio does need an experienced patient family who can continue to help him heal and move forward. He needs support to reach his potential but he is trying every day! 2/26/24-Foster Update: Rio is looking for his forever family! We know he has special needs but are convinced that he will flourish with the right family. He does need support though. Since our last update, Rio has started on anti anxiety medication. It has decreased his barking by 75%. Now he mainly barks to alert us when anything is happening in the yard including the persistent presence of his archenemies - white tail deer and Amazon delivery trucks. The meds don’t decrease his ability to leap for frisbees or chase his foster brothers but they help make scary experiences a little easier. And Rio has begun walking on a double leash alongside his foster brother in our rural setting. It’s not easy for him but the beginning of the walk is the hardest. Once we get moving, he will investigate the new sights and smells. But he’d really rather stay at home. Rio is most scared during transitions and will accept a change in situation as long as we stay calm and keep moving forward with whatever needs to happen (including baths!) He will need time to transition successfully to new people and new activities. But the investment in him will be worth it. He is affectionate and sweet once he gets to know you. Rio is looking for an adult only setting where people are home most of the day. He needs a fenced yard and a good frisbee. And his family needs to be patient. He does not crate except at meal times when he will now assertively bark to be put into his crate to eat right away! He respects baby gates and needs another confident dog with him. He cannot be an only dog. He sleeps loose in his foster parents’ bedroom and but would prefer the bed to sleeping on the floor. He wants to be with people who love him. If you have room in your family for a loyal but anxious companion, Rio might be the friend that you’re looking for. ************ Meet Rio! He’s a 9 month old purebred golden retriever who came to GRRoIowa from a breeder. He was the last in his litter and gifted to a family friend, but after a few days, he was surrendered back to the breeder. We’re not sure what happened during those few days, but Rio came back fearful and skittish. The breeder asked if we could take Rio, help him learn that humans aren’t so scary, and find him a loving home. We don’t know much about Rio other than his fear, but we will continue to update as we learn more about him and work on his confidence and trust. Update 12/29/23: Gorgeous Rio is enjoying the holiday and is working hard at getting braver. He is inching forward but honestly, he has a distance to go before he can enjoy life fully. He appreciates his foster parents and loves his foster siblings. But his world is small still. He loves playing in the back yard but going out the front door (in a semi-rural neighborhood) is much too frightening. Going to the vet is very difficult despite the vet staff truly understanding his challenges. Car rides cause tremendous stress. Rio is very happy with his small world but his foster family is working on trying to expose him to new experiences despite his preference to just stay safe and secure. Potential families have inquired about Rio but haven’t been the right fit. Rio has specific needs at this time. Due to past experiences, Rio panics when crated. This shows in him becoming very assertive that he is not going to be crated. His foster family doesn’t know what caused this in the past but are working with this reaction and Rio can be crated during mealtimes now. Rio has roam of a few rooms while left alone with the other dogs and behaves well. Rio cannot go for car rides or leashed walks yet but he loves playing in the yard with his family and wrestling in the house. Rio cannot be placed in a family with young children. Only experienced people who understand abused dogs can be considered as Rio needs time to trust. He can adapt though if he likes you. He chooses who is safe and who should be avoided at this time. Please watch as Rio continues to grow. Update 11/17/23: Rio is ready for the right family who can help him continue to heal. Rio needs an experienced compassionate family who will understand that he’s been hurt before and you must earn his trust. He loves a good hard play session and has amazing frisbee skills. New experiences still scare him a lot though. He is not the right pup for doggy daycare or dog parks but he loves racing in the back yard and then sleeping at his foster parents’ feet while they work. He’s a smart dog and will make someone a wonderful best friend but right now, he needs a patient owner and a confident second dog who can continue to support him while he expands his world. Update 10/29/23: Rio is enjoying the fall season and loves rolling in the leaves! He is definitely the dog who wants us to go outside and play with him every hour! Rio is an active, athletic, smart dog who is going to make someone a superb companion when the time comes. I can see his pride when he struts about the yard and tells our other dogs that they are not following the rules. He has the traits of a natural leader within his own small world. He is still working on building confidence outside of our house and yard. This week’s first attempt to leash walk was not completely successful as a walk the length of three houses was filled with anxiety circle walking and pancaking on the ground in fear. But for Rio, allowing the leash to be put on and simply walking that far was quite an accomplishment and we feel optimistic about how this is moving forward. And he did take notice of the scents in the neighborhood. It’ll just take time for Rio to unlearn what has happened to him in the past and to realize that there is happiness to be found beyond our fenced yard. Until he learns this, Rio is not a candidate for dog day care or dog parks. We are expanding his world a little at a time. And he’ll need a fenced yard to run as well as a confident dog sibling who likes to play. Update 10/09/23: Wow! Rio is celebrating an exciting milestone. Ten days straight without a housebreaking mistake! Yahoo! Mission accomplished! He’s got it down!

11/6/24 Foster Update: Charlie is doing well. I don’t know what he currently weighs, but he has lost the extra pounds that he came in with. We are working with his pulling when he goes for a walk. I am using a gentle leader and/or a harness with him and that has helped, but he is still learning. He is very treat and food-motivated. He loves loves loves to play with his squeaky wobbies and he loves loves loves to play with the squeaky balls. However, some of the balls do not squeak anymore because he has played with them so much, but he still likes to play with them. He has learned to take a treat very nicely instead of grabbing it out of your hand. Also, he has learned to sit before he eats. I still have to remind him that he needs to wait, but he is doing well with it. He likes to nap in any of the crates. We just leave the doors open and he goes in whenever he wants. He is a Velcro dog and wants to be wherever you are. He is a big love bug. **************** Say hello to Charlie (23-060)! He currently is in a loving foster home in Iowa. Charlie is a 2-year-old Golden/German Shepherd mix that was surrendered because he needed an ACL repair. A generous couple covered his surgery and his foster mom and dad took him through his rehab. He is ready to find his forever home. Charlie is a typical young and vivacious Golden boy. He is smart, aims to please (most times), and has a big and funny personality. He has come a long way while in foster care but would benefit from a family home more than away, formal training, and lots of exercise. He adores his people and can often (always) be found underfoot of his foster mom and dad. He is what is called a "velcro Golden". He crates well and sleeps in his crate at night and when the foster family is away from the home. He is playful and always looking for a buddy to run and play with. That buddy can be human, canine, or feline, he really doesn't care as long as you play with him. In his foster home he lives with older dogs and he spent a couple weeks with a wonderful temp foster that has 2 senior dogs. He was persistent and a bit annoying in his attempts to get those dogs to play. ("Pestered" was the word used to describe his attempts to get them to play.) We feel he would do best in a home with a playful dog unless other arrangements could be made for him to interact with other dogs. If you have cats in your home they would need to be dog savvy. He lived with kids in his previous home and we feel children over 10 would be best, but it would be child dependent and how they interact with him. A physical fence would be best because of his love of running. Charlie is a loving dog who wants nothing more than to be part of a family. Submit your application today if you are interested in this sweet boy! https://grroiowa.org/adoption-information/

10/22/24: Max attended the Great Iowa Pet Expo last weekend and was such a wonderful joy to be around. He politely met other dogs, loved all the visitors who stopped by our booth and gave him pets, and met a cat that didn’t appreciate his sniffing and got a right hook! Attending an expo can be a lot due to all the noise and commotion, but he did great! He walked through the aisles, taking it all in. He slept in a hotel with his foster mom and went out to eat with all the ladies! While at the restaurant, he either laid down or sat nicely, loving the attention he was getting. He is the sweetest boy but due to his past, Max does have separation anxiety. His foster is working with him and getting him more acclimated to a crate while they are gone and now they can leave him for up to 3 hours. Any adopter will need to take that slowly and know that it is unlikely he will ever be a dog that can be left home for a full day. He also has a strong prey drive and he has no recall at all when in hot pursuit of a squirrel or bunny, a strong fence will be required for his forever home. If you are interested in Max and meet his forever home requirements, submit your application today! This handsome hunk is now available for adoption! His eyes sure are captivating! 8/10/24: Read below what his foster mom has to say: I'm happy to report Max is ready to look for his forever home. Max is a 1.5-year-old Goldendoodle. He looks all Golden, has the most beautiful eyes, and has the long legs of a standard Poodle. A DNA test proved he is 55% standard Poodle and 45% Golden. He was surrendered when the surrendering owner's husband found he caused his allergies to act up. Max does shed more like a Golden than a Doodle. Max could be the easiest foster we have ever had. He loves his people, never met a dog that he can't get along with, and puts up with the grandkids. Max is high energy, but he reminds us of a greyhound, he will run around and then crash on the couch until the next opportunity to run around occurs. He is very sweet and we adore this dog, but know there is a better situation for him. His only issues are that he has separation anxiety and a huge prey drive. We are working on the separation anxiety by very slowly increasing his time alone in the crate. Having another dog in the home should help, but it will be a work in progress. In the interim, the willingness to hire someone to come in and sit with him if you do not have someone home will be imperative. He will require a decent-sized fenced-in yard to run off his boundless energy. If you have bunnies and squirrels he will joyously chase them. Another dog of similar energy level would be best as sometimes he plays pretty hard. On occasion, we have to remind him he needs to settle down, but that could get better once he has a dog buddy to play with consistently. He does listen to corrections very well from other dogs, but a play buddy is necessary. That dog will also help him down the road when left alone. I don't think he would do well in a home with cats as they look too much like squirrels and he has been known to chase my son's cat and not in a way that says "I want to play with you". We have 4 grandkids ages 15, 11, 3, and 9 mo. He enjoys the 2 older grandkids and the youngest, but the 3-year-old can be a bit much for him. I think his kid requirement is more dependent on the kid's behaviors vs. setting an age. If there are kids in the home they should be relatively quiet and calm. Max is a wonderful dog, he needs a home willing to work with his insecurities until he develops more confidence. If you want to hear more about Max please fill out an application! https://grroiowa.org/adoption-information/ https://grroiowa.org/pet/max-24-014/ Forever home requirements: House trained - yes Dogs - an energetic dog is required in his forever home or access to other dog buddies or daycare Cats - no Fence- physical required, no invisible fence Kids - calm and quiet kids