Rescuing Golden Retrievers & Golden Retriever Mixes Since 2003
Pictured above: Tuna (Formerly Orleans) Read all about Tuna in our newly added "Pupdate" section below!
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Follow us on Social Media |
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Looking to celebrate March Madness with your furbaby and friends? |
Check out this easy, 4 ingredients, recipe to include your furbaby in treats too! This four-ingredient dog treat is super simple to make and great for pups with gluten allergies. The sweet potato gives these treats a natural orange color and they actually puff up while cooking! Perfect for resembling little basketballs for March Madness!
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AGA Meet and Match Day
March 5th, 12-1:30 p.m.
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Come mix and mingle with our adoptable and loveable Goldens at our next
Meet and Match Day at Zoom Room Sandy Springs Sunday, March 5th from
12:00 pm -1:30 pm.!
Want a sneak peek at who will be there? Check out our current Goldens looking for a home just like yours here!
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Location:
Zoom Room Sandy Springs - 220 Sandy Springs Cir Suite 155, Sandy Springs, GA 30328
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10 Simple Things That Could Add Years To Your Dog’s Life
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All of us wish our dogs would live forever, but their life spans are much less than we have as humans. While they will never live as long as we do, there are a few things we can do that might help them live a normal canine life expectancy. Check out this
"10 simple things that can add years to your dog's life.".
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Orphan of the Month:
Meet Denali!
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I ended up in a shelter after someone found me tied to a fence. That was a mean person that did that. I don’t know how to untie things!!! I knew things would work if I kept on smiling and being my sweet self, and it did! The shelter where I was waiting called the people at AGA and they said, “Come on sweetheart, let’s find you a new home!"
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You can follow Tuna and all of his adventures on Instagram! @tuna_thegolden
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When we asked you all what you'd like to see in our newsletters, we got a ton of responses about one topic in particular... PUPDATES! Specifically, many of you were curious about how our rescued Goldens are doing these days.
So, I reached out to our awesome community, and guess what? I received the most heartwarming story about a gorgeous Golden named Tuna!
His mom is absolutely smitten with him and couldn't wait to tell us all about his journey from being rescued in Louisiana to living his BEST life in sunny Florida. It's sure to put a smile on your face!
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Totally Tuna! (formerly Orleans)
When I told my friends that I was asked to write about Tuna’s story, they all had the same reaction. Does AGA realize how much I would have to write about him? And, how would I narrow down which photos to share with my update? I easily have thousands and thousands of him in the nearly three years that we have been together.
I’ll try to keep it as short as I can with his story but I don’t want to exclude any details because it is amazing how much he has come out of his shell. I could truly go on forever about how much I love this dog and how proud I am of how far he has come! It feels like it’s been such a long time because Tuna fit right in and it feels like he’s been here for longer than the short amount of time we’ve been together.
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How I came to adopt him
Introduction.
In January 2020, I was talking to a friend after losing my golden retriever, Marley, who had been with me since she was a puppy. My friend mentioned that she knew someone who adopted from Adopt a Golden Atlanta and that I should look into it when I was ready for another golden. I live in Tallahassee, Florida and there aren’t any golden retriever rescues that service this area. I immediately began working on my application when I found out that AGA adopted out of state and in February 2020 I drove up to Adoption Day to meet some dogs while my application was pending.
Adoption Day and beyond.
I met so many dogs that day, most of the dogs there were recently flown over from Turkey, and some of them were recently rescued from Louisiana. I remember seeing the sweetest, smaller boy named Orleans laying down next to his foster mom at the event. He was so calm and quiet and seemed a bit overwhelmed by all the people stopping by to see him. I remember falling in love with this timid little dog and still have a photo of him from that first day with his little bandana that said, “Orphan” and a stuffed animal. I knew that he was the one, that this dog was my son. I put him as #1 on my list of the dogs I met that day and drove back home.
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Back then he was going by Orleans because he was one of several dogs rescued from the bayou in Louisiana. According to a Facebook post, a lady passed away on Christmas and left behind several dogs who were in danger of being shot, or eaten by gators.
Shortly after adoption day, I heard from the volunteer on the applications team whom I was emailing/texting about available dogs. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a match because Orleans was heartworm positive and they wanted someone to foster to adopt so that he could undergo treatment. I was upset but understood the reasoning behind it and we continued communicating about dogs and the adoption process.
The original person I was working with was either leaving or going to a different role, so Linda Maddox took over. I had met her at adoption day and coincidentally, her sister Allison had Orleans. Linda and I had some back and forth in March 2020, where she floated the idea of Orleans finishing his treatment and if possible, I could come pick him up a few months later. As we know, March 2020 is also when the COVID-19 pandemic shut pretty much everything down so that threw a wrench into the process.
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In April 2020, Orleans went to a new foster home where he was a few weeks into the heartworm treatment and doing well. Since I was still very interested in him, Allison and Linda passed along my application and information to Orleans’ new foster to see what he thought. In the beginning of May 2020 I received an email asking me to confirm that I was still interested in adopting from AGA due to the shortage of orphans and the number of applications. I think it was maybe 20 dogs for something like 200+ applicants!
A few weeks later I was told that Orleans’ foster was reading my application and thought that it may be a good fit. I confirmed that I was still interested and we set up a call with his foster to see what he thought. After my call, things moved very quickly! He let AGA know he felt comfortable with Orleans coming home with me and I quickly made arrangements to come to pick him up after I received the email with the next steps. On May 30, 2020, we made it official!
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What’s in a name? The story behind his name: I named him Tuna for a few reasons. Tuna is one of my favorite foods whether it is in sushi, poke bowls or tuna salad and I always wanted to have a pet named Tuna. I think it’s fun when dogs have food names or are named after animals (like a dog named Moose or a cat named Minnow). Tuna happens to fall into both of these categories. And it turns out he is my perfect catch! Initially, it didn’t look like we’d be a match but after a few months, everything seemed to fall into place which ultimately allowed him to come home with me. Because of the history behind our adoption story, I knew Tuna was the perfect name for him. Today he responds to his name, but also has several nicknames that his fans, friends, and family call him such as Toony or Toonz. My favorite is the name my grandpa gave him: he speaks Japanese and calls him Toro (fatty tuna).
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How he’s doing from where he started...
The early days.
In the early days, Tuna was very timid and skittish, but I had my parents’ golden retriever staying with me and my other rescued dog, Jessie. Having two other dogs in the house during the early days helped Tuna settle into his new routine and acclimate to his new life.
I was told that he is really food motivated so I made sure to have an assortment of treats around. At first, he would sit close by but would not really let me pet him or love on him, but he would quickly come to sit by me when I was preparing his meals or if he heard the treat bag open. On the 4.5/5 hour car ride home, we stopped for a walk at a rest stop and I shared a small piece of my chicken tenders with him so we could bond. We became fast friends and it quickly became clear to me that I was his favorite person.
Because it was early on in the pandemic, I wasn’t able to take him out to socialize as much as I wanted. When my mom came to visit, he wouldn’t even look at her or let her pet him. I would take him on car rides with me to pick up prescriptions, or through the Starbucks drive through to get pup cups (whipped cream) to try to get him used to being in the car. Eventually when things opened up, I would take him with me to pet friendly places such as the art supplies store and the home improvement store to walk around and pick up some supplies for projects. In the beginning he would hide behind me whenever somebody would approach us to say hello or ask if they could pet him.
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Today, he enjoys going out in public and will approach people who walk by us and will sniff them. He can still be a bit skittish with strangers but he will make eye contact and doesn’t scamper away to hide these days. I will bring him with me to my friends’ houses and it is remarkable how comfortable he is around people he’s visited with on multiple occasions. Recently, I noticed that he’s even started to let others pet him! (Still no to strangers at the store though.)
Tuna is an incredibly happy dog who knows how to ham it up for a treat. He’s great around other dogs and has made a lot of new friends (dog and human) since coming home. He is very observant and loyal and loves car rides.
A wise volunteer told me early on in the adoption process, what better way to honor Marley’s memory than to provide a home to a dog that needs it and show them the same kind of love that I had for her? I can say that with time, patience, and endless unconditional love, Tuna has come out of his shell so much! Friends and family who notice this change in him will comment to me about how much more comfortable and relaxed he seems compared to when they first met him.
I’m so incredibly thankful that things worked out in the end. Tuna is the best dog! I’ve loved bonding with him and spoiling him. Whenever I’m asked about him, I love sharing his story and plugging AGA.
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Tuna’s Favorite Things: walks (and kicking up leaves in neighbor’s yards on said walks), car rides, sunbathing, snacks (chicken tenders), belly rubs.
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During the first month he was home. After I told him he wasn't old enough to drive. |
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You'll always be our
Valentine, Tuna!
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Blue Pearl Pet Loss Support Group |
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Our beloved pets are dear to us filling our hearts with unconditional love, companionship and joy.
When we lose them, it is very difficult. We feel a void, sadness, and grief. But we are not alone.
Blue Pearl Georgia veterinarian specialists understand and began offering a pet loss support group 10 years ago where we can gather with others and support one another.
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The group meets most Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:00 PM at the Blue Pearl Veterinarian Specialist location in Sandy Springs. There is no charge for participation. Reservations can be made by contacting Robin at 770-642-3665 or emailing rchisolmseymour@yahoo.com. She is happy to help.
455 Abernathy Rd, NE
Sandy Springs GA 30328
404-459-0903
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Show your love for AGA by shopping at our AGA
Golden Store!
100% of the proceeds go to helping our Goldens in need!
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Show your support with an AGA doggy bag for only $10! Walk about town showing the latest and best fashion - who needs LV when you have AGA
And why stop there? Check out more Golden Goodies while you are there....!
Check out our AGA Store today for one-of-a-kind items and if you're like us and love sale items, we have some of those too!
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Looking for additional ways
to support AGA?
Here are just a few ways
you can continue to help!
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If you would rather buy something specific that our dogs need,
look no further than our Amazon Wish List!
We've compiled a list of items like bowls, beds, and toys that our pups would love to have.
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Shop at Kroger?
Select AGA as your charity and Kroger will donate.
Register your card here using our NPO number 67180. From there, shop like usual to help support AGA (at no additional charge to you!)
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Walk your dog?
Don't just take your dog
for a walk . . . Take your
"Walk for a Dog!"
Visit wooftrax.com, download the app, and support AGA every time you walk your dog.
(Golden Retriever not necessary)
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You are the driving force behind AGA saving goldens. Honor a golden, memorialize a loved one, and help with Heartworm treatment; every dollar counts, and no donation is too small! |
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Other Ways to Donate:
Venmo: @AGARESCUE
PayPal: Adopt A Golden Atlanta
Check: Adopt a Golden Atlanta | P.O. Box 420256, Atlanta, GA 30342-9998
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Looking for a reliable organization to help care for your Golden? Look no further!
Visit AGA's preferred vets, dog trainers, and boarding facilities
through the links below.
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Dog Boarding: Your dog's home away from home.That’s why Pet Lodge Pet Resort in Alpharetta is Metro Atlanta’s top choice for dog boarding. Choose from various accommodation types and fun-filled activities for your pets.
Dog Daycare: Exciting indoor & outdoor play! Over 20,000 sq. feet of outdoor turf, obstacles, toys, and pools for your dog to play. You have to see Pet Lodge Pet Resort in Alpharetta with your own eyes.
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Tenasity is Atlanta’s leading Canine Behavior Specialists. We excel at improving owner/dog relations while directly enhancing the lifestyle of the dog owner(s).
With over 21+ years of training experience, we have identified key characteristics in normal canine behavior patterns that have allowed us to create and implement a system that entails practical training methods which we guarantee will produce lasting results.
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Our 24-hour pet hospital is located in Sandy Springs just off of Roswell Road in Abernathy across from the Sandy Spring Tennis Center.
We serve much of Georgia and the Atlanta metro area, including Roswell, Woodstock, Marietta, Smyrna, Tucker, Brookhaven, Dunwoody and Alpharetta.
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