3/17/25-Update:
Bo has been with us for almost 2 months now. He has settled into our routine very nicely because he is a fast learner and he just wants to please. As you can see in the picture of Bo sleeping next to my chair, he doesn’t go far from me. In the next picture, he is lying near me, holding his chew toy with his paws. He just goes with the flow and is ready to do whatever I suggest, whereas my male dog has to think about it first.
I still let Bo outside with just one of my resident dogs who isn’t afraid of his size (he is a big boy). When they come in, the others go out because he scares them when he runs straight at them to play and then they don’t take time to go potty. After he eats, he lays quietly in the kennel until my dogs all come back in from their potty break; then he goes out. He is such a patient dog for a 2-year-old!
I don’t think Bo was allowed on furniture at his previous home because up until last week, he never attempted to climb onto the couch. My resident dogs are usually on the couch and chairs, so he always lays on the dog bed next to the couch. Last week he heard the UPS truck and put his front paws on the couch, but immediately looked at me for approval. When I told him he was OK, he jumped onto the couch for a better look. That must have been quite a sight from the outside because he is so tall that with his paws on the back of the couch, he looked to be 8 ft tall. Then last night I watched him curl up on the couch to sleep next to one of my dogs. With his head on the arm of the couch, his eyes pleaded with me to let him stay there. If I don’t want him on the couch (like when he is wet), he will get down when I tell him to get off. He is such a good boy!
Bo LOVES it outside! He loved the snow but was so happy when the snow melted last week because that brought a lot of new smells for him to check out. He is very busy keeping my yard safe from the active squirrels and the small dogs across the street. Those dogs bark at him and he stays focused on them until I redirect him or if they stop barking. The only time he barks is if someone is walking a dog in the street. I think he is telling them that he wants to go with them! Bo would love to go to training and that would help him a lot!
Since day one, Bo has never had an accident in the house because I let him out regularly (after he wakes up, after he has eaten, or when he stands at the door). I still kennel him at night and when I am gone because I don’t want any disagreements with my dogs. If he was an only dog, he could probably have free roam. He has never chewed on any inappropriate things; however, he did eat some fabric leaves off of an indestructible hard rubber toy, so he should be watched with soft stuffy toys. I never saw him remove them but found some colorful poop the next day. I am so happy to see him play with toys that my dogs were never interested in. It doesn’t take much to keep him entertained. One warning, when you start throwing a ball, be ready for non-stop throwing because he can have that ball back to you in no time!
Bo is such a sweetheart and will be a great addition to someone’s family! If you would like to meet him, please complete an application form on our website or let your Placement Advisor know.
2/12/25-From Bo’s foster:
Please welcome Bo 25-002, a very sweet 2 yr-old male Golden Doodle. Bo was surrendered to GRRoIowa in January by a Good Samaritan who found him on Craigslist. He was being given away because his owner received him as a Christmas present and decided he wasn’t what he wanted for Christmas. I’m glad he realized that so now we can find a home where he is wanted!
Bo has the face of a Golden Retriever with Doodle waves on the back of his head and ears. His fur is very soft and fluffy. He does shed so he needs to be brushed or combed regularly. He is a big dog with a long body and long legs so he can rest his head on my dining room table with no problem. We were told he weighs 66#, but at the first visit, our vet’s scale showed 75#. Then when he went to get neutered a few days later, he weighed in at 70#. He is healthy and was neutered last week, so he is ready to find his forever home.
When someone comes to the house, Bo gets very excited and jumps up for attention. We are working on paws on the floor so he doesn’t do it to me anymore, but loves new people so he gets over-excited. He needs training because he is so strong. He loves to go for car rides and walks, but really pulls on the leash and even with the harness that I have, so I think he needs a different kind of harness or gentle leader.
Bo has a high prey drive, so he shouldn’t live with cats or small dogs. He chased outdoor cats at the Good Samaritan’s home. A fenced-in yard would be ideal, but if his adoptive family will take him to training and work with him to keep him safe, then someone without a fence could be considered.
Bo is a young dog who loves to play. My dogs are senior former breeder dogs who don’t know how to play, but he keeps trying to engage them. He entertains himself with toys and Nylabones, so he doesn’t need to have another dog in the house. When I can’t watch Bo, he is kenneled and sleeps in the kennel at night. He is completely housetrained and either paces or stands by the door when he has to go outside.
Because of Bo’s size, any children in the home should be at least 8 years old so younger children don’t get knocked down by him. He loves to be by people, so he will follow me wherever I go.
Bo is such a sweetheart and will be a great addition to someone’s active family! If you would like to meet him, please complete an application form on our website.
https://grroiowa.org/adoption-information/
