Max came into our home on Valentines Day 2009. We changed his name to Cosmo Kramer as our nephews name is Max. He has one big brother Wabo who turn 10yrs old May 7th. Kramer took off the first day,has counter surfed and had a few trust issues that are all but gone. He has only 1 more obedience class to attend where often he is referred to as a "fine boy". We are contemplating advancing to Good Citizenship to be able to go to assisted living and retirement communities for Senior Citizens. He loves his big bro but Wabo and they wrestle every night between 7-9pm where nudges Wabo then lays on his back until he gets love bites--he seems to LOVE it!---- still Wabo has some reservations but is never out of his sight. Kramer loves everyone--dog child-humans and my socks!--he is Mr. Social. He also is 100x more playful then my other dog he wants to play with toys 24/7! He loves his backyard as I was told he was kept outside a lot and he refused to come in-that is one reason we went to dog school and he loves to go on walks. Kramer is all in all a love bug and a good match and addition for our family!

--- Alicia, John, Wabo and Kramer (Illinois)

In November [2009] our family adopted Jr., a 1 1/2 year old golden.... He came to us as an early Christmas present fully with a big beautiful red bow. He is such a perfect addition to our family! We love him so much. I call him my "velcro dog" because he is ALWAYS at my side. We live in a 2 story house, and if I go up and down the stairs 20 times/day, there's Jr! Scared he's going to miss something! My twin daughters have given him a "voice" and they talk for him in a silly deep voice---Jr. seems to have an opinion about everything! He is the most loving dog I've ever seen. He puts up with a lot from the girls, as they dress him with pink bows and such, but you can tell he LOVES the attention. He also has a "girlfriend" yellow lab "QT" that is the same age and lives across the street. They are so cute together, whenever he sees her he "Struts". Thanks Gateway Golden Retriever Rescue for making our family complete!

I recently went to the GGRR website and saw both Honey and Hannah's stories. I have their sister, Fawn now know as Lily (right). Lily is happy with her new family as well as her Golden sister Lulu. The two are attached at the hip. I take them on hour walks every day. They are both very friendly with other dogs that they meet on their daily walks. They both enjoy going to the dog park where they get to go swimming and play with other dogs. Lily is very loved. I would enjoy a e-mail^click from Halley and Honey's parents.

Just wanted to update you and thank you for Hannah (we have since changed her name to Halley). We have a niece/cousin named Hannah so we thought a name change for the dog was in order. Halley is a wonderful dog, very smart, very affectionate. We know how very lucky we are to have her with us. There is no shortage of love for her here as you can see from the picture of her with the kids (age 16-6). We were glad to see that both her sisters have gone to new homes. If the sisters are anything like Halley, those people are very lucky too. Thanks again!

Dear GGRR,

Thank you so much for helping me find my forever home! I have been there since Sept. 07. Sorry it’s taken me awhile to write you, I have been very busy. My new family; Bryan and Suzanne love me so much and they spoil me a lot! I go everywhere with them. I love car rides and shopping at the pet store. I wanted you to know that I have graduated from puppy school and am now in my intermediate class. I was one of the best students and I seem to learn real fast. I know you thought I may only grow to approx. 45 lbs but I am a whopping 65 lbs of pure muscle! I go on lots of walks and I am starting to run with Suzanne, we have a great time. We played a lot in the snow this winter but can’t wait for summer to swim. I love playing with other dogs and have been told by my teacher I am very good at meeting new friends. I have also been so good at home that I now get to sleep out of my crate at night and sometimes I even sneak up on the couch after everyone goes to bed. I would love to see my sisters if they found homes close to me. I think we would have a good time playing. Our picture is still on the website from when we came to GGRR. My sisters were known as Hannah and Fawn but they may have new names now. Please let me know how I may be able to get in touch with them. My new family loved my name so I am still Honey. Thank you for taking care of me until I found Suzanne and Bryan. They love me so much; I am a very happy girl!

Just wanted to share with you how lucky I am to have Wyatt. When I first got him last April, he was thin (50 lbs.) now he looks healthy and loved at 65 lbs; scared, and generally pretty upset. The first night he ran the yard for two hours straight. Now the yard is his domain to run in or just hang out in. He even walks out with me to get the mail with absolutely no leash on - he hates that leash. Wyatt also did not know how to play. So we have been working on that, and he is coming along nicely. However, he still doesn't know how to fetch a ball. The neighbors are getting a good laugh watching me fetch the ball - but Wyatt won't touch the ball. Wyatt is one of the absolutely sweetest companion I have ever had. Thanks. You have made both of us very happy!

Faith is doing great! She is such a great fit for our family and for Kyra. She has been swimming all summer. She is an instant natural and loves to be in the pool.

Thanks for everything!

Click Casey's pics for a full size image.

Thank you GGRR, for being such a caring organization and rescuing our Casey! We adopted Casey last spring; he is a Puppy Mill rescue dog. He had a rough first few months, he lived in a crate, not knowing what grass felt like, living in filth without nutritional food or any medical care. Then GGRR came to his RESCUE, you bathed him, fed him, inoculated him, chipped him, loved him and did I mention bathed him. We feel very fortunate, that we were chosen to be his adoptive parents. We are crazy about him; he adds a completion to our family. We now have two, two legged children (girl and boy) and two, four legged children (girl and boy). I'm always amazed at the different personalities of each Golden, and Casey is no different, he is a little more skittish than most, but has a very warm and loving disposition. His sole purpose is to play, play, play and please us. He always seems so appreciative of everything we do for him, even time spent outside, he seems to cherish…..When outside, he'll stand in the grass, lift his head, smell the air and slowly lie down, as if to say; life doesn't get much better than this.

Dear GGRR - In October of 2003, we adopted Beck into our family. Beck has been a wonderful addition to our family. The first couple of days were tough though. Beck escaped out of his fenced yard the first night and he caught a rabbit in the yard on the second day (the rabbit got away with just a scratch). He was just very excited to be at his new home. Since then, Beck has graduated from a 9-week course of obedience training and has become a very good boy. Beck loves to go for long walks and hikes with a nice relaxing nap afterward. We have formed several nicknames for Beck such as “Snickers”, “Snicks”, “Mr. Schmoops” and “The cuddle dog”. Beck loves to cuddle with us in our bed or on the couch. He is everything we could have asked for in a dog and we are very happy that we were able to adopt him. Thanks for everything GGRR.

Dear Ann- As I am sitting here writing this letter, my new best friend Jake is laying here beside me having an afternoon nap. Jake has been a wonderful addition to our family- I can't imagine life without him and it's only been a few weeks! Jake has been so wonderful with our daughters who are still so very young at 5, 3, and 2 years old- he is so patient and loving to them even when I'm sure they are getting on his nerves! So far he has been used as a pillow, a very large "doll" to dress up, a companion for a tea party, and a customer at a beauty parlor- he is such a trooper! As for me, I finally have my running buddy and Jake is always glad to go for a walk or jog anytime. I am so glad we were chosen for Jake- I really can't imagine how anyone could give up such a wonderful companion. He is everything we could have ever asked for in a pet and I'm so glad he's ours! Thanks again for all your help- we really appreciate everything!

My family Adopted Scooter in Nov of 03 and our newest addition Ranger in April of 04. Both boys are doing great! Ranger has a love for the outdoors and chasing squirrals that come into the yard, while Scooter likes to take it easy on they inside. They both now have a habit of laying with their heads on the window cile and watch the cars go by. Scooter is a "momma's boy", while Ranger will follow anyone that is up and moving around. The boys are a joy to have and bring so much fun and joy to the house! Thanks again!!!

We adopted our boy, Tanner, last fall. we are thrilled with him. He has just passed his Canine Good Citizen test! We now plan to enroll in the Visiting Pets training program so we can visit nursing homes and schools. He has such a wonderful disposition and is so well behaved that he'll be great at it, I'm sure. We're lucky he became part of the family.

On September 12, 2003 we adopted Emmy (formerly known as Emily) into our family. Emmy joined our other Golden Retriever named Bailey. Emmy is currently 1 year and 8 months old while her new sister Bailey is 1 year and 10 months old. They get along like sister and sister! Emmy is possibly the sweetest dog on the planet. She's much calmer than my other Golden and has a very mild temper. It was apparent that she was missing a little love in her life and is enjoying the attention she now gets. She has never met a stranger as long as they will pet her!

This was our first rescue puppy and it was a huge success. I am convinced that Emmy received a thorough examination and top notch care while she was a foster pup. GGRR was great throughout the entire adoption process. It was clear that they had Emmy's best interests in mind and we appreciated that. We now recommend adopting a dog through the rescue organization to all of our friends and family considering adding a four legged family member. We have attached a couple of pictures, and hope they depict how happy Emmy is now that we have adopted her! Thank you so much for providing us with a friend for life!

Rocky was adopted by our family in November, 2001. His name was changed to Sully. He adapted to us as quickly as we all fell in love with him. Sully had to adapt quickly because we remodeled our home soon after he arrived. He loved the workmen who came to the house. He would sit down with them for lunch and was very curious to see what was going on throughout the construction. When he arrived he had minor chronic health issues which have all been dealt with successfully and Sully is a healthy, happy dog today. He loves walks, riding in the car, and will do anything to chase the reflection of a flashlight or any shiny object!!. He has been a welcome addition to our family!! We thank the Golden Retriever Rescue for letting us adopt Sully. We share our story with anyone who seems interested in adopting a terrific pet like Sully. So far, two of our friends have adopted Goldens through the Golden Rescue. Thank you so much for your labors of love so that we might have such joy.

Sorry this has taken so long! We adopted Zoe, now Hailey, last November, 2002. After a few nervous days with her new pack, Rocky (our four-year-old golden) and Anna, John and Chloe, she settled in and has added a zest and energy to our household that makes each day a gift. She is a true golden and has been very willing to attentively listen to her new mom. We worked hard together to correct some, shall we say, irreverent habits. She no longer barrels through the door when it's opened, but waits her turn; she greets her family and guests politely by wagging her tail and smiling rather than jumping up; she sits, stays, has learned her bounderies within the electric fence (we're still working on heal); she doesn't rush her food but waits like her brother nicely; and best of all, she will bring in the newspaper for me! She is a blessed gift and has brought more joy into our household. When people say you have two goldens (my they're big) incredulously, I smile and say yes, it's ten times the love and a whole lot more fun! A special thanks to Shane for bringing us this wonderful child (oops, I mean dog).

We adopted Champ in Feb and. wanted to say thank you. He has been a wonderful addition to our family. Champ is our 2nd golden rescue. We also have Big Mac from the puppy mill rescue 2yrs. ago.Champ and Mac get along great and love to go for long walks. Champ loves to get all his toys out of their basket and leave them all around the house. He even got Mac into the habit of it. We love them both and our so happy with the work of Golden Rescue.

In April of 1998 my husband and I were adopted by Trouble. The minute we layed eyes on her beautiful face - we knew she was meant for us. Her previous owners had a baby and the child was allergic so Trouble spent time cooped up in the basement. She was about twenty pounds overweight as well. Our lives will never be the same. She has an unending amount of love and sweetness. I have sent along picture of her and her brother Bullet, as well as her curled up on the couch. She is getting the white around her eyes but she is still our little girl. Thank you for helping us meet.

We are the family that adopted Rocket. It seems like we have had him forever, but I believe it was in May he became a part of the family. He is best buds now with our other golden, Rusty, and our cat Beau. He is so smart, he learns very fast, all though he can be a bit stubborn. He is still a little skittish sometimes, I'm not sure what might have happened to him in his past, but, he is getting better. He is truly one of the family now, and we are so happy to have him. I am sending some pictures of him and his new family...........

Just thought I would update you on the status of one of your placements. We adopted Mae (3 month female Golden) back in September. She is doing great and we re-named her Angel. She has grown from 30 to about 45 lbs, is fully housebroken, is in obedience training and is very intelligent (mastered sit, stay, down, leave it, etc....and is working on heel and greet).She won first place in the "sit" contest in her last session. She is a beautiful girl with lots of energy and spirit.....a little headstrong, but thats pretty normal for a 5 month old. We plan to have her spayed shortly.

Thank you for providing such a great service !!

Dear GGRR:

A big thank you to Nancy S. for talking me into fostering Asher. My husband & I have always had two goldens, but because of schedules and a reluctance to upset the status quo, we only had one 3-yr-old golden named "Doodles". I did an initial dog visit with Nancy and knew that Asher was a sweetheart that was extremely overweight. I forgot about him until Nancy sent me an email with news that Asher needed to be placed in a foster home immediately, as the owner had been transferred. Asher came home to his "foster home" that night. It became his forever home within 12 hours! He is the most laid back and loving dog I have ever had. I will never consider anything but a rescue dog from now on.

I hope people read this story and think that maybe fostering is the right thing for them. If you are thinking about it, give it a try. As Nancy says, "it's a win win situation".

Dear GGRR:

On the one-month anniversary of Angel and Cupid joining our family, we wanted to thank you for placing them with us. They are a constant source of joy to our family. Angel is forever happy and wagging her tail, and Cupid is our athlete, always wanting to play ball. We expected them to be more of a challenge, but they have adjusted so easily that you’d think they had been here forever. It must have been hard for their other family to give them up, but we are so thankful to have them. They are both so loving to the children, and are wonderful playmates. We have workers that have been working at our house, and they all have liked them. Angel and Cupid have loved all of them, too. Cupid has become used to going out and picking up the newspaper in the morning, and then Mom and Daughter usually play a game of tug-o-war. During the day, while Cupid incessantly wants to play, Angel usually takes a nap or two. Angel’s main talents are her ability to speak, and also “stop, drop, and roll. At night, Cupid finds a people bed to sleep on, while Angel spends the night right next to the bed. We could not be happier with these two, and after having Midas for 14 years, we are thrilled to have two more Goldens to pet, play with, and love.

We took the girls to Dr. "Jim" at KAH. He thought they were just beautiful (as if we didn't know that). They are of course healthy and fit and since Mommy burshed them to a beautiful red golden color, they were as soft as silk. They were a little depressed in the car, you could see it in their eyes, but when we got home and pulled in the driveway, they perked up and ran for the door, looking at each other as if to say...'We are Home!!!'

They are doing so well, you wouldn't think they were the same dogs. This is their home and I think they are really beginning to believe it now. Cheyenne goes and smells the roses every morning. One morning she had her paws on the wall and her nose to this Big rose ad I so wished I had my camera, it was a perfect picture...but after all, it was 5 AM...and cameras were not a part of my attire, no pockets in PJs, ya' know.

These little girls are just so loving and sweet, I cannot imagine anyone wanting to give them up, or hurt them, sigh!

You know I've had a lot of animals and every one of them leaves pawprints on your heart. These little girls do not have to fill those prints, they have only to make thier own for me to keep...they shall and I will :-)

We want to thank you for bringing Jeff to us. Below are two pictures of our fellow just the day after we brought him home. He is extremely affectionate and loving, a fast learner, a very good boy. He has fit right in and loves to get (and give) hugs. We feel very lucky to have been able to adopt Jeff, and thanks to Golden Rescue for helping us. You are a great organization and everyone was fabulous. We love Jeff!!