GoldenGram - January 2026 | | |
Greetings Golden Lover!
Happy New Year from your friends at Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue – we wish you excellent health and much happiness in 2026!
It seems like the holidays came and went in a flurry, and we thought we’d check in and see if anyone is looking for a new family member or two. The rainy weather is bringing us Golden gifts in groups of two – that’s a bonded pair with at least one Golden and their bestie. If you’re looking for an instant family, adopting a bonded pair could be a fun way to kick off the new year! There’s more info below on a bonded pair currently looking for a home, and we may be getting another pair or two. And, of course, we have an update on Junior, who had his MRI in December.
Please check out our website for information on all the dogs we have available.
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Double the Love and Joy:
Gorgeous Boys Ready to Be Yours
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Our delightful Golden brothers Jago and Cheerios were surrendered in December, got all caught up on their vet care (neutered, dental cleanings, and baseline blood panels), had a fabulous holiday with their foster family, and now are ready to be part of your pack and quite possibly, your new best friends. Jago is an 80 lb., 9-year-old cream Golden, and Cheerios is his “little” 72 lb., 5-year-old red Golden brother. These two fellows are attached at the hip and absolutely adore each other. Although they started out as backyard dogs, they've made a smooth transition to indoor living. They love kids of all ages, and Jago is especially fond of cuddling up on the foster’s bed! At night, they sleep in crates (though they'd happily snuggle on the bed instead). They’ve mastered ignoring the bunnies outside and are curious but untested with cats. Heads up: Jago can get a little car sick, so some planning helps. Cheerios is Jago’s shadow – he doesn’t let his big brother out of sight. Cheerios was not socialized much outside the home prior to rescue, spending his time mostly in the backyard with Jago, and he needs work on interacting and socializing with other dogs.
These two are a fantastic, fun-loving pair at a great age and must be adopted together. If you’re looking for double the love and double the joy, Jago and Cheerios are your guys!
Check out our website for available dogs and those being evaluated, and for other bonded pairs coming soon.
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We’re delighted to share that Allie and Dexter, a 5-year-old bonded pair of a black lab and Golden, found their forever home in Sonoma – hurray!
| | | Junior, Special Needs Boy, Gets an MRI: Looking for Forever or Foster Home | | |
If you saw our last newsletter, you know that Junior came into our rescue in September and had a variety of medical issues that sent him to a neurologist who recommended an MRI. Before we get into that, though, Junior just met a trainer who has an 11-month-old red Golden girl. You would not believe the way they ran around the foster's backyard, as if they had known each other forever and were best friends. The second photo is from their meetup. All we can say is this little guy is truly amazing, and he is looking for his special family.
Back to the MRI results... Junior is indeed missing part of his brain. As a result, he cannot see and has an odd gait at times. Neither of these impact his ability to enjoy his day-to-day activities that include wrestling with foster brother Remy, running around the backyard and through the house, getting his lunch from the treat ball, etc. He enjoys getting out of the house but is frightened by car noises – we are working on leash walking and appropriate dog-dog interactions with a trainer.
Please take a moment to read all about Junior here. Even if you're not up for a special needs pup, maybe you know someone who might be, or maybe you know how to share his info more widely? He’d be best with an adult home most of the time, ideally a single story home without a pool. He’d love a dog sibling to play with and who can show him the ropes. If you need some puppy snuggles, he’s your guy, especially in quiet mornings or evenings. Please think about meeting him if you’re a possible family for him – either a permanent home or foster. We’re happy to support training for him. Junior is being fostered in Walnut Creek and his foster mom would still love to tell you more about him!
Do you have a place for Junior in your home? If you do, please contact us.
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Looking for A Second Chance:
Solo Dogs Looking for Loving Families
Some dogs love other dogs and some prefer to be the only pet in the household. We still have two young dogs in our program who are looking for their special families, Sammy and Bonnie, and they each need their own family and to be only dog in the home. They both would be wonderful companion dogs for experienced families without another dog or cat.
Please help us find a forever home for Bonnie and a forever home for Sammy.
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Bonnie is a beautiful 4-year-old spayed female Golden Retriever. She weighs 65 lbs., is house-trained, and sleeps in a crate. She really bonded quickly with her foster family and then her trainer's family. She's very excited to welcome new people into the home and is working on not jumping up. She does not fetch, but she loves to play with a pull toy. She is a plush toy destroyer!
Bonnie is energetic and thrives with active, engaged adopters who can match her lively spirit, which can help her feel fulfilled and secure. She is currently in a board-and-train program because she has lived with a female beagle, with whom she was constantly fighting since she was a young puppy. Her trainer states she is terrified of all dogs. She is doing much better on a leash. She was diagnosed with anxiety and is taking Zoloft to reduce her stress. We are looking for an experienced family without any dogs living at or visiting the home. Bonnie is being fostered in San Jose.
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Sammy is an amazing and resilient 3-year-old Golden Retriever. He is very loving to those who know and love him. Sammy is currently enrolled in an extended board-and-train program designed to help de-escalate reactivity with dogs, address home barriers, and manage interactions with strangers. He has really done well after 6 months, building confidence and reducing his reactivity to men and dogs.
Sammy now has a pack of five doggie friends he plays with regularly. We have weaned him off Reconcile, and his Golden personality is really beginning to shine through. Sammy's extensive training is really showing what Sammy's potential can be when loved and cared for daily. He will need an experienced owner who can provide consistent reinforcement and meet his needs. If you are interested, we can coordinate a call with his trainer to learn more. Sammy is being fostered in San Jose.
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Thanks from Donna and Skosh
Donna shared this adoption story with us... thanks Donna, and we're so happy Skosh found you!
"We have adopted three amazing Goldens from your organization - two seniors, and one, well, we requested a senior, but this little one-year-old, Nova (who now goes by Skosh) needed a home. She was surrendered (actually, left in the weekend box at a shelter in the Reno area), and you reached out because we were geographically close, and we naturally said yes.
On her first evening here, she jumped in the shower with me and subsequently got all the “shelter” off of her. She absolutely loves her McNab border collie rescue sister, Millie (named after the second senior we adopted, who sadly passed shortly after we got her), who was also just a year old at the time.
Skosh has become one of the family favorites and all of our friends fight over who gets to sleep with her when they visit! Whatever horrors she went through to end up with your organization, and now in our home, she has overcome and is, simply put, a delight. She is living the life in Truckee, and occasionally hangs out in El Dorado Hills.
Thank you for all you do for these amazing creatures."
| | Big thanks to everyone who sends us updates on their gorgeous and goofball Goldens, including the fabulous photos. We love seeing these pups in their homes with their furry siblings and friends, including various types of canines and felines! | | | | |
2026 Calendars Are Going, Going....
Check out the Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue Store!
| | Thanks to everyone who's purchased a calendar from our Store – we still have some left, and we have lots of other SWAG for you, including a cozy fleece blanket, fleece vests (red, gray, blue and black), green embroidered hoodies, bandanas, etc. Maybe show someone your love with a red fleece for that February 14 holiday? | |
| Connect with Us on Social Media | |
Max is on his way to a new home, and as you can see, he's a super helpful navigator. He now rides in the back of the car, thankfully!
Visit us on Facebook and Instagram (links below) to see all our adoptable dogs, and learn how you can help by fostering dogs that come into our program.
| | | Remy turned 7 in November and likes to celebrate any opportunity he can | |
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Talk to Us:
Send Remy A Note!
Remy came to us through a Craigslist ad in 2019, after having two homes already at the age of 6 months. He was "just right" for his third home and forever family. Now, he fills his days serving as a foster brother helping to socialize many of our pups and teaching them how to alligator wrestle. IYKYK. Send him a note if you'd like to share an adoption story or photos for a future newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you.
Remember, an instant family could be yours with a bonded pair!
Your friends at Norcal Golden Retriever Rescue
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Phone: (650) 665-0964
Address: 405 El Camino Real, Suite 420
Menlo Park, CA 94025-5240
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