Gator may seem like an odd name for a dog, but the American Kennel Club lists “Gator” as one of the top 150 names inspired by dogs that have taken part in the AKC sports events over the years. And, although the moniker is a bit aggressive and masculine sounding, I am sweet, calm and all girl! I love to nurture the kittens that my foster mom also fosters.  I gently nudge the kitties back to their safe place when they stray and even share my toys with them. Along with cats, I also get along well with other dogs. Even though I may bark at them occasionally, that is my way of greeting a new friend.

I love being with my humans, but I can’t say that I am a cuddler. I don’t need to sleep on foster mom’s bed to get a good night’s sleep, but am happy to snooze on the floor near-by. The jingle of keys is music to my ears. I get very excited at the prospect of a car ride and sit calmly on the back seat during our travels. When I was relinquished to As Good as Gold, I was diagnosed with Heartworm disease which is transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. I was immediately started on antibiotics and Heartworm preventative medication. I was then given a series of three intramuscular melarsomne injections over a one month period.  Ouch! Those hurt and I felt down and out for a few days afterward!  During my four month treatment, I was placed on exercise restriction. No running! No jumping! No chasing! That was really boring.  The good news is, tests show I now have a healthy heart and I can return to an active golden life style. My forever family needs to promise to give me Heartworm preventative medication every month all year long forever.  I now enjoy long hikes while keeping a loose leash and staying close to foster mom’s side. I love my tennis balls and am allowed to chase them instead of passively rolling them like I had to during treatment.  Slowly, I am losing some excess weight that my sedentary months have caused me to put on.  Soon I will be strutting my stuff showing off my new girlish figure.

UPDATE:  When going in to check a lump on my back, x-rays showed that I have severe arthritis in my spine.  That explained to foster mom why I had a hard time getting into the car.  I am taking pain medication now and I feel much better, but my new family needs to know that my back might be uncomfortable sometimes.  I also get these funny things called Cysts.  They don’t do any harm, but I have a few lumps and bumps.

Female

7 Years Old

Adoption Process
ADOPTION REQUIREMENTS, NO EXCEPTIONS:

  • Be at least 23 years of age

  • No children under 6 years of age living in your home

  • We primarily adopt goldens to families living within Illinois, Northwest Indiana, and the southern most counties of Wisconsin

  • If you do not own your residence or live in a condo, you will need a letter from your landlord or property management company

  • Provide excellent vet care for your dog(s)

  • Do not use an invisible fence

  • Are not over your town/county's pet limit

  • Have the knowledge and agreement of all adults living in the household

  • Be prepared to make a lifetime commitment

  • QUESTIONS ABOUT OUR POLICIES? All your answers in our Frequently Asked Questions section.

If interested please fill out our online adoption application form; please make sure you fill in every required field/question or your submission will not go through. Please note that we take time to learn as much as we can about each dog in our care and our bios are our current observations; we are unable to make any guarantees on the future health or temperament of your adopted dog. Most dogs in our care come with unknown pre-rescue history and as such breed and age estimates are an educated guess.

Available Goldens for Adoption