Golden Retriever puppies and dogs in Iowa

Norman has been part of our family since he was a puppy. He is incredibly smart and loyal. He does well in 4-H and well behaved around children and other dogs OUTSIDE of our home. We have realized that Norman’s biggest struggle is territorial behavior in our home. He becomes growly and has had 2 incidents of aggression to people coming into his home without introduction. Unfortunately, he bit a kid who reached into his mouth while he was growling and a nip incident when a neighbor unexpectedly let themselves into our home while we were away. With our three children and frequent people coming and going, we no longer feel we can realistically manage every interaction safely. We believe Norman may thrive in a home where new people can be introduced appropriately. We love Norman very much, which makes this decision incredibly difficult, but we feel rehoming is ultimately the safest and best choice for him and our family.

9/2/26: Murphy is ready to find his forever home! He is a 9-year-old Golden Retriever. CHILDREN: May live with children, age 5 and above. Murphy is a big dog who does not know his own size (approx 95 lb) and would tend to knock down smaller children or not be able to get up from a lying position to get out of the way of toddler walking walkers/rompers, etc. Murphy’s surrendering family had a small toddler learning to walk with a bouncy device. Murphy could not get out of the way of the child and would become frustrated and growl. It never went further than this and is a reason for slightly older children. OTHER DOGS: Murphy would be a great only dog. Not ruling out living with another dog, but Murphy loves being the center of attention. Any living with other dogs would need proper introduction. Murphy gets along with his foster dog brother by mostly ignoring each other (coexisting), except for walking parallel during walks. CATS: In his previous home, his best friend was their cat, and he helped raise two foster kittens. Would need proper introductions. FENCE: Murphy loves to play ball, but is not off-leash trained and should have a fenced yard, along with regular walks to help him lose weight. He is about 20 lbs overweight, and with regular play in a yard and walking, he could lose at least some of it and help his joints. Murphy does not have a high prey drive and does not tend to chase animals on walks. ACTIVITY LEVEL: Moderate activity level HEALTH: Murphy has arthritis in his hind legs. At this time, it does not seem to be slowing him down. With some weight loss and just started taking supplements (Cosequin) recommended by vet, he can continue with normal activity. Murphy does not do well with loud noises, like thunderstorms and fireworks. He has a prescription for Trazadone which can be given and would be ideal to have his humans there to soothe him. It would be ideal to not have him outside during the loud noises as he would be a risk for running away, if not leashed. Murphy does need regular grooming of his coat to keep it tangle-free. Ideally, would be at least every other day brushing and regular cleaning of his ears, trimming his nails and tending to any hotspots. BEHAVIOR: Murphy takes treats nicely and allows foster to take toys from him with no growling or guarding behaviors. He does like to play keep away sometimes and will run away with the toy versus giving it up and thinks it is a game. WALKS: Murphy would benefit from someone who loves to take walks and would take him along. For a dog of his size, he walks amazingly well on the leash. Sometimes in the morning he has this hoppy dance he does as we’re starting out on the walk and can pull a bit, but it is really his excitement and not trying to pull the human. A couple of times he did pull to explore a tempting smell or to get to another human he thought would pet him. Murphy has a harness and leash built for his size. He willingly goes into it and has no issues walking with it on. He also has a Martingale collar on and has gone outside for the last potty trip out with leash attached to the collar and does fine. Would recommend a harness for regular walks. ADOPTER: Because Murphy is a big golden and already a bit over 9 years old, he is looking for a family to live out his golden years. No specific age of the adopter, but someone used to handling a big dog. OBEDIENCE TRAINING: Murphy does know basics such as sit, down and is working on “wait” with his foster, otherwise he tends to just barge ahead whether that it to get the food in his bowl or to go out the front door. With regular practice, he is learning this skill. HOUSETRAINING: Murphy is fully potty trained, and sleeps all night on the floor in his foster mom’s room. No issues when being gone for periods of time, though he does need to go out when humans return. TRICK TRAINING: Murphy knows how to “shake” and does seem interested in learning. He’s a smart boy. PLAY: He likes playing with foster mom when she gets on the floor with him. He likes a couple of toys that came from his surrendering family and will carry them in his mouth. Though there are plenty of chew toys, he is not very interested in chewing on them. BARKING: Murphy does not bark excessively but will bark when excited or anxious. He will sometimes growl or bark with his toys in his mouth, but the growl is not meant aggressively. He also whines, especially as walks start out or when anxious. If removed from the place causing anxiety or continues on a walk, the vocalizing reduces. It is kind of cute, but could be distressing if you’re not aware of his quirks. FOOD/WATER: Murphy is currently on Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach, no fish oil base dog food. He eats a cup in the morning and a cup at suppertime. He is not super messy with water when drinking, but he does drink a fair amount of water, so he needs to have the water bowl filled regularly. CAR RIDES: The only car ride was to the foster’s home, and Murphy lay on the back seat of the car and seemed to travel well. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Murphy has growled and snapped at another older dog in his home prior to surrender. In his foster home, he has growled a couple of times at his foster dog brother, but there have been no issues and with a very firm “knock it off,” there were no further issues. *Not mouthy, but can be jumpy when very excited. *Murphy shows no resource guarding of his toys, food, water, or people. *Murphy has never been crated, but has worked well gating him off in the kitchen, when leaving the home. Murphy does not counter-surf (he’s never had people food) and does well with a Kong stuffed with dog treats; sealed with plain Greek yogurt, then frozen. It would be ideal for his new family to not be gone for long stretches every day. Longest left so far was 7 hours. *Murphy does exhibit anxious behavior such as whining, pawing at the door, and panting and pacing at times. Not always related to the humans leaving. With Foster human, we have worked on the pawing at the door when we went to the vet, and Murphy exhibited the behavior. Foster was able to offer a correction and a reward of touch when he ceased the behavior. If you are interested in this awesome guy, submit your application today!

9/1/26: We are currently seeking a dedicated home for one of our latest foster dogs. She is a beautiful, intelligent princess who requires a structured environment to truly thrive. Could your home be the perfect match for her next chapter? The Ideal Setup: Solo Pet: Must be the only dog or cat in the household. She wants to receive all of your love and attention. Secured Yard: A physical fence is strictly required for her safety and exercise. Family Dynamic: Suitable for families with older children only (ages 10 and up). Environment: A consistent, predictable daily routine is highly recommended to help her feel secure. Personality, Quirks, & Overview: Breed & Age: 5.5-year-old Golden Retriever (weighing approximately 65 lbs). Activity Level: High energy. She thoroughly enjoys long walks, structured playtime, and mental stimulation. Activity: She is highly vocal and will bark at other dogs while on leash. However, she is making excellent progress and currently crushing her distraction training. Toy Connoisseur: She loves having her toys out of the toy box and accessible at all times. Alert System: She is vocal, but she settles down quickly. Human Hugger: She is working hard on her manners and learning not to jump or hug humans when excited. This sweet, active dog is ready for her next chapter. She will make an incredibly loyal companion for an experienced handler who can provide the structure and training consistency she deserves.

Our girl chloe is an energetic loving goofy golden retriever who would be perfect for a family that has no other animals and the time to give her lots of attention and love. We have had her for 4 years but unfortunately she has grown some resentment torwards one of our other dogs there have been some altercations and we think she would be best suited for a family with no other animals. She loves to play ball outside and run around the yard. She is great with people and children just not other animals.

Our Adorable Little LOWRIDER! Mint is a handsome, happy, playful boy who got a second chance thanks to a kind Samaritan who found his mama living under a tree. Mama had even dug a little hole to keep her babies safe—and that’s how this sweet boy got his gardening-herb name! Mint’s foster mama says he is a sweet, high-energy love bug who is always ready for fun, playtime, and cuddles. He loves everyone! Kids, other dogs, toys, and adventures are all totally his jam. His mama appears to be a Lab mix, but since Mint and his siblings look a little different, we’re not exactly sure what breeds make up this adorable crew. We do have a pretty good suspicion that Mint has some Dachshund mixed in! This little guy is wonderfully low and long, giving him that irresistible lowrider look. Whatever his mix may be, one thing is certain—Mint is ridiculously cute, full of personality, and ready for a forever family! If you’re looking for a fun-loving pup with a big personality and an extra-low ride, Mint may be your guy! Local adoption fee is $350(in TX) Out of state adoption fee is $650 (includes transport to your area)

Lyla is a very affectionate Golden Retriever mix who was born in December of 2018. This girl is looking for a new home with no children.  Lyla does get along with other dogs, but because she does NOT like to share her food or toys, she needs to be an only dog.  Lyla LOVES to spend time outside on nice days so a fenced yard is a must! Lyla has made a lot of progress in foster care.  She does still guard high value objects on occasion, but she is easily persuaded to drop the item if a treat is involved!  Lyla is very loyal and loves human attention to the point she sometimes has to be told to go lay down.  She loves car rides and is very well behaved in a car or in the house.  The ideal home for Lyla would be an adult only home with no other pets.  If Lyla has to work on anything - it would be walking on a leash because she gets so excited to explore new places that she does pull.  With a bit of free training from Muddy Paws, we are sure she can be loose leash walking in no time! Lyla is very attached to her foster mom, so will require a few visits to transition her into her new home. Lyla was diagnosed with Addisons Disease caused by decreased hormone production from the outer part or cortex of the adrenal gland.  She is on prednisone daily which costs about $20 per month.  There is a possiblility that in the future she may require a shot every 25 days, which can be given at home or by a vet.   The suggested adoption donation for Lyla is $365, which is TAX DEDUCTIBLE, and goes toward providing supportive services to animals in the home, as well as the high cost of vetting our dogs in rescue.  If you would like to welcome Lyla into your home, please begin by submitting our Adoption Application.  The adoptions for all of our dogs will take place in the Omaha, NE area and must be done by the adoptive family in person. We do not ship or deliver the dogs.  If you would like to learn more about Muddy Paws Second Chance Rescue, or donate to our dogs, please visit our website at MuddyPawsSecondChanceRescue.com.  We invite you to visit our Facebook Page, and when you visit, please don't forget to Like our Facebook page so that you won’t miss any information about our dogs and events! ##445685##