6/18/2016 updated: Our sweet pair have been adopted and living happily ever after!!
Two are better than one and twice the fun! You may have seen our bonded pair Jasmine and Zeus on our Available Goldens link. Pictures do not do this sweet pair the justice they deserve. Their personalities are precious and they are so loving to humans and to each other.
In the world of dog adoption, the term “bonded pair” indicates a duo of dogs that, for whatever reason, are strongly attached and need be adopted into a home together. There are many ways for GRRMF to know if a pair of golden’s is actually bonded.
GRRMF assesses the dogs during their time in foster care. When a pair of dogs are strongly connected is allowed to continue to live together, the chances of them thriving and achieving happiness in a “forever home” setting may be exponentially higher. After all, in being adopted as a duo, the dogs already have a piece of comforting familiarity in an otherwise totally brand new and quite daunting atmosphere. They have each other to help with the transitions to their foster family and eventually to their forever family.
Separating a bonded pair is liable to lead to anxiety issues in one dog or both, which leads to a difficult transition for both golden and family, which is not a good way to start a relationship. If they are in fact bonded, GRRMF tries to adopt them together. Dogs that are bonded often depend on one another to handle new and uncertain situations. They can rely on each other as well for comfort in frightening circumstances — think of the drive from the rescue to a new home, a trip to the veterinarian’s office, or a thunderstorm. When around a familiar friend, they can rely on each other to help with social and interactive behavioral stresses.
When you adopt a bonded pair you’ll see the benefits of the dog’s instant friendship, which leaves you more time to enjoy the things you love. Older pairs are as trainable as any golden! It’s easy because one dog follows the other. It is generally not an issue integrating a bonded pair with other dogs you already have as we have seen with Jasmine and Zeus since they came into rescue. It is very fun to watch their antics, and, they are entertaining. Being together all of the time can provide nonstop enrichment for both dogs. They become constant playtime companions of sorts. There is plenty of fulfillment and twice the affection!
When you are thinking of adding a dog to your home, we hope that you’ll consider the benefits of fostering or adopting a bonded pair of dogs. As the saying goes, they are “Double your pleasure and double the fun!”
If you are ready for a pair of sweethearts, apply today!
