Bob Marley

INTRODUCTION As written by Bob Marley

I don’t know why I was named Bob Marley. I hear he was a singer who touched many hearts. Apparently one of his songs was titled, “Could You Be Loved?” The first line is, “Could you love and be loved?” Well, I sure do believe the answer will be ‘Yes” for me!

I’ve had some hurdles in my life. Foster mom and As Good as Gold are trying to help me either overcome or handle them.

I was discovered emaciated and fearful in the streets of a Puerto Rican city last year. Some kind people rescued me, and I found myself on a plane to the United States and As Good as Gold. One of my first stops after I arrived in Illinois was the vet’s office. My blood work was good! Then came a tooth extraction and neutering. Vets discovered that I have a skin bacterium, ehrlichia. It’s kind of itchy; I receive a medication that should heal it in time.

My eyesight is extremely poor. In fact, I’m basically blind now. Learning to live with that is a work in progress as my sight continues this downward progression. I’m also dealing with the emotional changes of learning to live in a home. I greatly appreciate being rescued for sure, but I’ll bet you’d understand these are big changes to deal with for a 5-year-old golden!

I find comfort being near my foster mom and can sniff out her location for petting, touching and treats! Foster mom says I’m very affectionate with her, and I do enjoy being petted by her. You might say that I’m often her shadow. I like that. Though I start off timid when I meet new humans, I warm up relatively quickly — even the vet said so! Foster mom had some friends over recently. She was pleased to see me greet each person (after my own little assessment) and then lie at her feet while they ate.

It’s hard for even me to know why I’m not comfortable with other dogs. Might be a combination of dealing with them on the streets in my previous life; it might be because I can’t see them in order to assess them visually. I can become reactive toward barking dogs while on walks. I’ve growled at them, but have never raised my lip, snapped or bitten another dog. I might also pull on the leash. I become anxious when I hear dogs barking outside while I’m inside the house, so I bark.

Our walks go well because foster mom avoids dogs and usually people too, as I can get spooked when approached by people I can hear and smell but not see. I wear a chest harness and a double leash, just in case. Foster mom often tells me I’m a “good boy” during our walks because I walk on her left and follow the instruction “heel” when she changes direction. I don’t pull unless excited or anxious.

Additional information about me can be found below, but I would like to wrap up my comments with more lyrics from that Bob Marley song.

Could you love and be loved

The road of life is rocky
And you may stumble too

Plus I added my own verse:

But I want to love and be loved, will it be with you?

BEHAVIOR

• Bob does not countersurf, chew inappropriate items, dig or hump; he’s not mouthy.
• Understands to “wait” while his food is prepared.
• Knows sit, off and shake. Working on leave it, sit/stay and drop it.
• Bob always handles his bowel movements outside. He generally pees outside, but still has the occasional accident. Foster mom thinks he might be marking when he pees inside, as when she’s cleaned, he’ll come back into the room and mark the area again.
• When alone in the house, he’s confined to a certain area. After many weeks, foster mom was pleased to find that he played with a treat-filled snuffle ball while she was away, eating every single morsel!

HEALTH

• Eye health and care: Bob has been seen by a veterinary opthalmologist. He has retinal degeneration in both eyes, a corneal ulcer in the left eye and a cataract in the right. Ocu-Glo eye drops have been prescribed.
• The doctor does not believe Bob is a good candidate for surgery as there is a very small chance of improvement in his vision. She said there is absolutely no movement in the retina in his right eye and his left eye isn’t much better. She added that Bob has the potential to develop glaucoma in both eyes, so he needs pressure checks every three to four months. Glaucoma can be managed medically.

ADDITIONAL INSIGHTS

• Doesn’t readily get into a car, but rides well once settled in. It’s possible his compromised vision complicates getting into a car.
• Bob hasn’t been in a crate since he’s been brought to AGaG. At present he sleeps on the floor by foster mom’s bed.
• Bob’s foster mom believes that an owner with lots of training experience could help Bob blossom and possibly even help him become comfortable with the right dog buddy.