Shilo

We are way past due for an update on our special needs boy. Shiloh is 3yrs old, and was born with a congenital malformation, and the forward left side of his brain is very small and never developed. The cells that are there are most likely dead. He has no vision in his right eye, and his left eye is a little smaller than the right. The frontal lobe that is affected, is important for personality, feelings, remorse and we were told he may never be predictable, and difficult to potty train.

Shiloh is very much like having a special needs child. He needs structure and routine, as well as supervision. It takes him a bit longer to get the hang of things, but he can learn. Steve has worked with Shiloh quite a bit and he is doing quite well!

 He is not a typical cuddly golden. We think because of the lack of sight in one eye, he does not like you up close and personal. When he was young, he had a hard time sitting still to be petted. He has gotten much better at that, and at times will sit by you for some affection.

Shiloh will need to be an only dog. He likes other dogs, but is food/toy possessive.
Shiloh is not a dog for someone at wants to take their dog off. Leash hiking or to dog parks. He does not process things like other dogs and many things can be stressful for him.

He needs routine and a stable environment. He does need exercise but will need to stay on leash for walks. He also needs a safe place to be. Shiloh does drink a lot of water, and needs to be somewhere that if he has an accident, it will be okay. He probably cannot be a dog that has free reign of the house, as he will have accidents.

Shiloh does not know he is any different, He is sweet boy, always happy. He is a chewer and may eat things, so extra supervision is needed. He is not a dog to be left alone, outside or inside, He needs to be in a good size kennel when unsupervised. He is also not a dog for young children. As his sight is not the best he tends to grab for things, if in your hand and he does not understand boundaries.
Shiloh will learn by routine and structure. It has been fun to watch him figure things out. He loves toys, especially puzzle toys. Even though he only has vision in one eye, it’s amazing to watch him track a ball! This boy needs more than he is getting here. He needs more interaction and stimulation, to work the part of his brain that he has. He does get bored in the kennel life, and chews the fur off his tail.
Shiloh will be a fun dog; he has one emotion - happy. We would love to see Shiloh in a home. He would thrive in the right setup.  We prefer to keep him local, and Steve would be happy to help build him a kennel and get things set up.

Life with Shiloh would be different than a typical Golden, but it would be rewarding to help him learn and blossom.

If you would like more info, or would like to meet Shiloh, you can email us at utgoldentails@cs.com