Name: Apollo
Sex: Male
Breed: Chesapeake Bay Retriever mix
Age: 10-12yrs old
Level of blindness: Almost complete - sees some shadows.
Cause of eye issues: Cataracts
Health issues: None
Weight: 82 pounds
Good with dogs: Yes
Good with cats: Yes
Good with kids: Yes
Currently being fostered in: Tennessee
*BDRA will transport the dog a reasonable distance, to an approved adopter, at no extra cost, even if out of state.
October 29 2011 - When we brought Apollo home, he moved extremely slowly, like his joints were tight. He was very thin…you could feel his bones through his fur. He is blind (but he can see some shadows) and was very hesitant on coming up the deck stairs outside (3 steps), but he did it. He met the other two dogs and was not really too interested in them. He just wanted to lay down and relax. He ate very well and drank a lot. I kept him separated from the other two dogs until he was comfortable and after a short 1 1/2 days, he was ready to join them. So I took the gate down and he just ambled over to them and started hanging with them as if he's known them his whole life. Apollo is so easy - no food aggression, no toy aggression, no aggression towards anyone or anything! He's awesome. The cats will walk by, and he will acknowledge them, but that's about it. November 2011 – We've had Apollo 2 1/2 weeks now. Apollo is such a sweet, gentle soul. Nothing upsets him, not dogs, cats or kids. He goes along with everything. He’s gained weight and is now looking very well. He has a lump, about the size of a very large pea, on his back. We had a biopsy done and there are no signs of it being cancer! He is on glucosamine and is starting to move a little bit better. He actually trotted a few times out in the yard with me. It looks like he may want to play with the other dogs – not a lot, but he is showing interest. He likes to play tug of war, but we haven’t had a full blown tug yet. He loves to be petted and he loves laying close. If he gets lost in the house, he’ll whine a little, but all I do is call him or make a noise and he follows the sound to me. He knows where the steps are now and maneuvers them very well. He is a big boy (very long). I pulled on his collar once to have him follow me. He cried. Ok so, I haven’t done that again. If I want him to move, I’ll put the leash on him and just give it a tiny tug and he gets up and follows me, and that's only needed if he is in a deep sleep. He walks great on leash, his head is right by my knee, and he likes to walk on the right side. He's not a clingy dog but will follow me from room to room. Once he knows where I'm at, he'll wander into another room. He loves his food, treats - loves, loves, loves to drink water. He hasn't barked yet - he leaves that to the other two dogs, but when I come home, he's at the door to greet me with the other two and today....he was moving around, like he was excited to "see me". The other two nuts jump up and down and wiggle all over the place, and Apollo was moving too. Recently, he'd come to the door to greet me, but just stand there while the other two did their usual antics. Today, Apollo was joining in with them. He is definitely feeling and moving better. He is such a wonderful guy with a personality that is just perfect.
December 26, 2011 - Apollo enjoyed his first Christmas with us. He is becoming more and more relaxed and at home. His ears are almost always up now and his tail wags often. He is playing more and more...not rough as he is an older pup but defniitely playing with us and the other dogs. His movements are more fluid now too and he is getting up off the floor easier since he's on the glucosamine. He looks at us with such a sweet expression on his face. He likes to trot outside - not for very long - but he does enjoy it for a short distance. He loves his walks and once he knows the area, he'll explore. He met a small dog the other day and he was very excited to "see" him. He got along great with the little guy...almost like a big brother. He is so easy going with everything.
January 15, 2012 - Last night we had the fireplace going. My boxer Bear, loves heat. I had moved Apollo's bed over in front of the fireplace and Bear snatched up the spot. Apollo walked around the living room looking for his bed, so I guided him over to it and booted Bear from the prime spot. Apollo was very happy he found his bed, but here comes Bear back and plopped himself in the bed with Apollo, (they are both nice size dogs so it was crowded) Instead of Apollo having something to say about it, he just got up and moved over by the couch and stretched out. This guy goes along with everything. Nothing seems to faze Apollo, he is always pleasant and always ready for some lovin and treats. He is jogging more and more when we're outside. He stops and listens to the sounds of the woods and birds when we're on our walks and he leads many times now. He never pulls on the leash, just moves ahead of me and we explore wherever he wants to go. We live on a farm, so there are alot of things for him to check out. He has a favorite spot a good distance from the house that we walk too often. It's up a little hill under the trees and he guides me to it whenever he can. He takes in the sounds, the scents and everything he can see, then we move on with our walk. He's comfortable with the house and moves around confidently. He'll hang out in different rooms of the house by himself but will check to see where I am every so often. Apollo is such an easy pup to have, good food, treats and love, especially love and he is one happy dog!!
If you would like to donate to Apollo's care, please send to:
BDRA
PO Box 63401
Philadelphia, PA 19114
Or donate via PayPal (below):
