I found the toybox!

Inside I found lots of things that I love to carry around the house. I get to take the tennis balls outside, chasing them is so much fun!

This type of play is very new for me. I just learned about playing from my furry foster brother. He teaches me a lot about life. When I get to my forever home, it’s very important that I have an active furry sibling there too.

I am retired from breeding and now I can learn how to live in a home.  Some nice people greeted me, and then a nice dog greeted me too! I felt lots more comfortable with another dog. I followed him around and we became quick friends. Playing with other dogs is one of my favorite pastimes.

Being with my foster family is as thrilling as the toy box—in a different way. My foster mom patiently and kindly teaches me how to be a nice pet. She highly suggests that my forever family be people who will continue this kindly teaching and be patient with me.

Foster mom believes I’ve made her job a bit easier for several reasons. One, I’m housebroken, “Never a problem there,” she says. I also come when I’m called. I learned “drop it,” very quickly too! I’ve never torn up anything in the house, and I’m not a counter surfer. (Perhaps I don’t counter surf because I’m too small to reach the countertop; I’m only 54 pounds.)

Outdoor freedom is new to me, so as much as I enjoy being outside, and am even willing to be on a leash at times, a fenced-in yard must be part of my forever home.

When my foster family is away and during the night, I get to sleep in a fabulous space: the sunroom! When I’m not sleeping, I get to observe the activities of nature that are happening right on the other side of the windows! It’s a thrill for me!

Today for the first time I followed my foster mom up the steps and into her office. That’s where I’m lying right now as I think about all of these wonderful changes to my life. I was eavesdropping too. I heard my stepmom say, “Nellie is a very sweet girl. I love it when she comes to me and rests her head in my lap waiting to be petted and wanting to be near me.” I might be skittish around some new people, but thanks to my foster mom, I’m realizing there are many nice people in the world.

My life has taken a positive turn in recent months. And, you know, I’ve discovered that life is like a toybox, you never quite know what you’ll find next. I’m hoping to find my forever home.

Female, 5 Years Old

MUST HAVES IN MY FOREVER HOME:

ANOTHER DOG, A FENCED IN YARD

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