Sammi (AGA Fiona) Takes a Drive

Don't worry! I promise not to text and drive!

Nilla Sends a New Photo

Whose turn is it to throw me this ball?

Rusty (AGA Marmaduke) Attends a Thrashers Game

Clearly, I have a way with the ladies. This Thrashers girl was soooooo nice!

A bunch of us goldens and our parents went out to watch a little ice hockey and raise some money for AGA. I had a fantastic time! It was easy getting people to buy raffle tickets from me- I just turned on the charm! In addition to money they gave me lots of snuggles, pats, chats and love.

I also got to watch the game from the stands! Shout out to the Budweiser beer guy who gave me 2 cups of ice to crunch. I made sure to show my appreciation by keeping the area around our seats nice and clean of any stray popcorn.

Banjo (AGA Mr. Bojangles) Turns Seven!

It's supposed to be a secret but I heard Dad say we're having hot dogs for dinner to celebrate my birthday!!

Brodie Writes AGA a Letter

Hi AGA,

Thanks for my forever family! Every day my Mom & Dad tell me how beautiful I am and that I am a very good girl. The last seven months have been great. I also have three older brothers - who I love. I get so excited when they come and visit me. My brothers say that I am crazy – but, good crazy. Every night, I wait in my bed for my Mom & Dad to fall asleep, and then I quietly jump into their bed and snuggle with my Daddy – What could be better? – Nothing!!!

I am so happy - I am also an AGA volunteer! I help other Orphans, like I was – who need guidance and support as they search for their forever families. Tillie (formerly Gucci), Ben and Ginger came and stayed with me as they looked for their forever families. I helped them find great homes. Tillie was only with us for a short time – she was a lot of fun – she was my first foster sissy. Then came Ben. Ben was so smart (and handsome too!). One time he ate a whole bag of rolls – and he didn’t even get in trouble – I call that smart! Ginger helped me learn to share – she slept in my bed and played with my toys – and I was okay with it, I knew it would help her become Golden like me. I can’t wait to meet my next foster sister or brother.

I have also visited many families and it was my job to give my paw of approval and make sure it would be a great home for one of my Golden friends.

This week I am going to the Thrasher Game to sell raffle tickets – Dad & I will have a lot of fun.

I am proud to be an AGA Alumnus & Volunteer!

Love & Puppy Kisses,
Brodie

Coby (aka Hoover the Presidential Pup) And His Boys

Just hanging with my boys.

Little Sampson Snoozes

I hope I don't snore.

AGA Founder Goes Shopping

Some women buy shoes. Lauren stocks up on dog toys. Thanks for starting this great organization and saving so many pups!!

Troop Writes AGA a Letter

Well, I gotta tell you. This sure beats being tied to a tree! I'm writing to tell you how happy I am. I sleep in the big bed with my human and my new brother Champ (he's the one on the right in our Valentine's picture -- I've never quite figured out what it is he looks so worried about.)

My favorite thing is trips to the dog park several times a week. I hook up with all sorts of other dogs and run and wrestle and play and then go slobber on a human. What a hoot! I get to chase a lot of balls and would love to chase that purple frisbee but that big gray pit bull hogs it the whole time and who's gonna argue with a pit bull? Not me! I do like the humans a lot. I have this really charming move that I do, running right up to them, immediately sitting at their feet and looking up adoringly. So far, nobody's been able to resist so I get a lot of hugs and kisses (not big, wet sloppy dog kisses - the soft kind that humans give - but a fella can't complain. They mean well.)

Anyway, I just wanted to write and tell you how sweet life is for me now, and for my new brother and my new human, too, since they can't imagine life without me. And to thank you for finding me and saving me and making sure I had a good home to go to. I don't know about all the different kinds of humans, but I do know this -- you humans at AdoptAGoldenAtlanta are angels.

Your friend,
Troop

Danny's Snow Video: Take Two

Oops, we had a bad link - try this one to see all the fun!

Champ (AGA Prince) Gets a Little Rest

I'm just gonna stretttttttch out on the sofa for a little snooze.

Danny Boy and Daisy Mae

Just put one paw in front of the other, Daisy. It's easy!

Jasper Thanks AGA Volunteer of the Year

At our super successful Golden Gala last weekend, Carolyn Waters was announced "AGA Volunteer of the Year." On behalf of all the orphans and adoptees, we thank you!! Here's what Lauren said. The rest of us just wagged our tails. Really hard.

"I want to take a minute to recognize a special volunteer who has worked tirelessly for us. This is a woman who is the first to go look for a lost dog, she will drop everything to get a dog out of a shelter and safely to a vet. She will take a dog to a foster who is unable to pick up their foster dog before a vet closes just so that dog can get into a home one day earlier. And, if a dog is waiting for a foster home to open up and is in boarding, she is one of the first to go visit the dog, give it a walk, bring it a toy and then spend another hour brushing the dog. She also opens her home to foster our dogs and has adopted 3 over the years. When we have a transport coming from a puppy mill in Missouri that arrives at 4 am in an empty Walmart parking lot, she is the one who is there and is the one who talked everyone else into showing up. She is the one that deserves the first ever AGA Volunteer of the Year Award… She is Carolyn Waters. Please join me in thanking her."

Congrats, Carolyn! Woof woof!

Tissue Alert: Loving Mom Tells Us About Her Abby

I am just now writing you because it has taken me a few weeks to pull myself together.
I would like to share some of Abby's life with you. Also, I found this place online, and created a little website with pictures for her. If you'd like, you can light a candle for her too! I'm sure she would have loved that. :)

http://www.finalgift.com/petmems/memorials.php/dID/294960

I brought Abby (formerly Abbey Road) home on April 1, 2007. I had just moved here from out of state the previous fall, so I didn't really know anyone. I was at a dog park one day, and there was a lady carrying an AGA bag, so I asked her if she was with the organization. She told me no, but that she got her Golden there, and that's where it all started. Funny, I was going to the dog park, dog-less, just to be around the dogs. :)

When I got Abby, AGA thought she was about 7, and my vet said about 8. So, I decided we'd say she was 7 and a half. 6 months from the day I got her was her made up birthday. So this past October (09) she "turned 10"!!! Abby wasn't like most Goldens that loved to chase a ball or play with toys. I used to make a joke that she wouldn't even chase a tennis ball if you wrapped it in bacon! She did have a toy with little holes in it and would push it around with her nose until the kibble came tumbling out! That was the only "toy" she ever played with.

When I brought her home, she had her AGA bunny and I had gotten her a few other things as well. I ended up giving most of her toys away, because she had no use for them. Every once in a while, if she particularly needed or wanted to get my attention, she might pick up a stuffed toy and toss it in the air. As soon as I looked at her, she had this look on her face like "where'd THAT thing come from?" I'd try to play with her, but she just wasn't having it!

I soon learned what she did like. Ear rubs, slow walks, sniffing the air, chew bones and treats among many other things. She had the biggest heart I have ever seen in a dog. She loved with a hard and steadfast love.

Every morning when I got up, I would get on the floor with her for a few minutes and we would have "floor time". I tried putting her on my bed at night, but quickly learned that she would rather sleep on the floor. I was a little taken back at first, but quickly reminded myself that rescuing a "senior" was about her comfort, not mine. I got her a big fluffy bed for the bedroom, and made a special one for her for the living room. Two years later, she hardly slept on any, silly girl. She did however like the couch, which I didn't completely understand.

Abby liked to go with me to the park and walk around to sniff out adventures! She liked going to the lake and swimming and digging and panting! She liked sleeping on my foot until it was numb. I miss all these things. She would follow me from room to room, where she would finally get tired of chasing me around the house and just settled for one spot on the floor.

In the last 6 months or so, Abby's hearing had started to show significant signs of fading. I would come home every day at lunch so we could have some girl time, and she wouldn't even hear me come in the door! But once those eyes opened, she was right there by my side.

Abby was always a panter, and a heavy one at that. I recently discovered that it was the mass on her brain that made her think she was always hot, and that's why she panted all the time.

In early December, I noticed Abby was urinating in the house. The urine had a bad odor. I took her to the vet and my suspicion of a UTI was confirmed. Her behavior quickly started to change....she was anxious, confused, had her days and nights mixed up and started to become very aggressive. I had her on antibiotics for almost 4 weeks with little to no improvement.
When we went for her checkup on Thursday, January 28, I found out that she had a brain stem lesion. The lesion had moved upward and created a mass on her brain. Her body had been compensating for the behavior that the mass has created by applying pressure to a certain portion of the upper cerebral cortex. The doctor told me that even if we tried to treat it, that it would only buy her a few months. She was not a happy girl and declining very quickly.

After what seemed to be hours of conversation and crying, I decided to give her back to the one that gave her to me. It was the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make. I miss her so much that it hurts.

I am getting married on May 1, Abby was going to be my ring bearer. After I get back from my honeymoon, we would like to welcome a puppy into our new family.

I will never ever forget all of the fabulous times Abby and I had together. She was my rock when I was alone. I shared with her all of my secrets and my dreams. She was my comfort and my sweet little girl. She will be in my heart forever.

I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to read this. Thank you for letting me write this, and for listening. I’ve gone several days now without crying. I look forward to having a new baby to love on.

Danny Boy At His New Home

My very own bed! I'm soooooo happy - thank you AGA!

Max at the Tennis Court

Next stop: Wimbledon!

Toby and Cajun Caught Napping

So that's why they call it "dog-tired."

Hello from Gracie (AGA Angel) From Her Brand New Home

Sometimes I let them sit on the couch too.

Bella (AGA Valentine) and her Cousins

Who says three's a crowd?

Jack Spends Time As A SuperModel

Um, this is boring. Can I go play now???