Amber (21 March 2003 – 2 April 2014)

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Amber came to us through Golden Retriever Rescue Inc (GRR) Sydney NSW Australia when a workmate showed me an ad in the Qantas Bulletin Board. Our first Golden Retriever (GR) Chelsea was getting on with age and we needed to implement our Succession Plan.

For five years we had Chelsea the ‘Wonder Dog’, Jackie our ‘Other Dog’ and Amber the ‘Underdog’.

Amber was one of three rescued from a puppy farm by GRR’s Wendy and Trisha. Of the three rescues, Amber was the most abused and traumatised but she just accepted her lot with introverted fear, never showing any anger or bitterness. She just suffered quietly.

Wendy told us Amber was not likely to become normal because of her past, and that if we were disappointed, to return her to them so they could reassess her needs. GRR were solely interested in Amber’s wellbeing. We hung on to her though she was always nervous, chewed many dog beds, and never really played nor showed doggie affection. Amber moved around like she was invisible, always looked apologetic, and never drew attention to herself even if she was fearful of new people, sounds and sudden movements. For a long time she couldn’t gain weight because of her constant shaking and her continuous pacing backwards and forwards in the back yard. She was 10 kgs underweight when she was rescued.

Wendy says Amber’s case is the worst she’s seen in all her years of rescuing golden retrievers.

Amber immediately became close to our Jack Russell (Jackie). Chelsea the matriarch was just ‘cordial’ to her. After more than 5 years of gentle caring by Greg she became more trusting, and eventually started to slowly approach people for a feed, or a pat.

When she was diagnosed with a mouth tumour last year we decided against intrusive surgery and treatment. We gave her more attention and decided it was time for a Succession Plan. Once more we called up GRR and after months of waiting we got 20-month-old Evie. The three dogs hit it off swimmingly.  Evie’s arrival did wonders for Amber’s demeanour. She ran, played and cuddled with Evie, but unfortunately the tumour also developed further.

She’s not your average dog but Greg and I and the rest of the family loved Amber. Sabine and Gaby even wrote a song in her and Chelsea’s honour called “Stupid Tumour.”

Thank you Amber for 10 years of unequivocal gentleness, patience, kindness, tolerance and ‘unbarked’ love that we could only see in your gentle, if sad, eyes. Rest well.

Linda.