Dusty

Dusty: 3-year-old male golden, 90 pounds

Must haves: Fenced yard; no dogs, cats or young kids

Do you like to throw balls? Then I’m your guy, because I will chase them until your arm falls off from throwing them. That’s what my foster dad says anyway. I really like my foster parents because they tell people that I’m handsome, sweet and affectionate. And they let me run, run, run in their fenced yard. And they’ve been teaching me things like sit, down, come, off, leave and shake paw, and I like to learn.

And oh yeah, once I’m inside, I settle down nicely and will keep you company if you do that work-from-home thing like my foster dad does. I just like to be by him, or my foster mom when she is home.

I do weigh in at 90 pounds, and my foster folks say I’m a strong boy. Because of this, we practiced leash walking in the yard before we hit the sidewalks. I do like walks, but I still pull a bit and I get worried when I see other dogs, so foster dad does his best to put lots of distance between me and them. We might cross the street or change direction to help keep me calm because if I get too close to other dogs, I bark and pull.

Foster dad recently tried introducing me to a friend’s dog through a fence and that did not go so well, so he thinks the best place for me is a forever home with no other dogs (or cats for that matter). I may just be one of those dogs who will never be comfortable with other canines. The folks at As Good As Gold believe working with a positive reinforcement trainer who specializes in reactive dogs would be beneficial (they can make recommendations), and taking positive reinforcement training in some format (private may be better than group) will be a requirement of my adoption.

As you can probably tell, I am a bit anxious, so I takes an anti-anxiety medication with dinner to help calm me. I also have a sensitive stomach and was prone to diarrhea. My foster parents found a food that works for me, and I also get a probiotic supplement, Bernie’s Perfect Poop, to control the diarrhea. I have been right as rain since they found this combination.

I don’t like being crated but I’m OK confined to a room via a gate. However, my foster folks have not needed to do that. They say I am trustworthy. I do not chew or destroy things when they are gone, nor do I have accidents in the house. Oh, speaking of housetraining, one of my quirks is I really like my foster parents to be outside with me when I go out. I guess they just make me feel safe. I also don’t like storms and startle when I hear loud noises, but it’s possible I’ll get used to these things over time.

So, if you’re looking for a guy who wants to be your best bud, make a date with my foster parents to meet me. I might just be your forever dog.