Dog Ranch Rescue

Gargon

Adopted!
New Name: Farley
Age: Adult
Sex: Male
Breed: Dogue de Bordeaux
Weight: 122 pounds
Current Location: Arlington, TX
Adoption Date: January 31, 2026
Adopted by: Melissa & Greg Swindle
Latest Update:

I will close the night with this adoption because it’s pretty fabulous.
This adoption story is a little long, so hang in there with me.
Gargon and Nellie came to us from a terrible situation a few months ago. Their owner was in prison, and his mom was feeding them. The mom reached out to animal control to see if they could help locate homes for them. They loved these dogs, but knew they needed help to give them a better quality of life than living outside on a chain in the very cold and hot weather in Oklahoma. We were happy to take both of these sweet Bordeaux’s into our rescue.
Flash forward to a few days before Christmas and Laura (I’m writing this) got a text from a previous adopter who was on a big family cruise. This adopter is a pretty special family to our rescue as they have adopted from us multiple times and have supported our rescue in so many ways. It was pretty exciting to get a message from Melissa and Greg Swindle from Arlington, TX. Our relationship with this wonderful family dates back to 2018 when they adopted a Frenchie from us that we called Glory – her name now is Maci Mae, and she is 12 years old now. Then they adopted a Bordeaux from us named Mummy – named Maggie Lou, but she passed this past September. They also adopted Scout and English Mastiff female from us, and she is now 9 years old.
The whole family including their daughter Maddi and her husband were discussing Gargon on the cruise and decided to reach out about him. When I spoke to Melissa, I let her know that if they might consider adopting Nellie as well that we would be thrilled because these two dogs are bonded in a very healthy way and just love each other. Melissa told me that right now they just didn’t feel like they could take on two mastiffs at one time and I completely understood that. It’s a lot to ask in taking on two giant breed dogs.
While they waited from December 22nd until January 20th for Gargon to be ready for adoption they continued to watch the page and follow the progress of Nellie and Gargon and they saw that there was still no family for Nellie. Cue the HUGE TEARS now…… On January 20th I again got a special text from Melissa letting me know that their adult daughter and husband who live just down the road from Melissa and Greg wanted to adopt Nellie! I think you could hear the loud cheers from all of us into outer space. A few days ago, the family drove out to the Sanctuary to bring both dogs home and now they will always be together. Gargon is now named Farley and Nellie will always be Nellie. There’s just nothing like a happy ending is there?
Goodnight everyone
About Gargon:
So a little story about these two dogs if you want to pull up a chair. We were contacted last week asking if we would help, these two dogs a male and a female have lived their entire lives outside on chains. Their owner was in prison and I’m told his mom fed them. The mom reached out to animal control to see if they could help locate homes for them. The words used to us were they loved them so much but wanted better for them. We said yes, we will take them, the shelter staff was elated, they have spent time with these dogs and knew they were wonderful dogs that deserved so much better, they even provided them with dog houses because they didn’t have shelter an din Oklahoma that is a terrible thing. Living outside on a chain in the heat, and the cold and the storms is just about more than any of us want to imagine.
Very shortly after we said yes the mom told the shelter that the son was released from prison and he said no, the dogs aren’t going anywhere. As you can imagine the shelter staff was devastated, their hopes quickly disappeared and the dogs were doomed to stay on their chains.
Ricky was pretty upset about it and lost sleep thinking about it, in the morning he called me with an idea. He said you know this guy just got out of prison, perhaps we offer to buy them, I said great idea, offer 500 bucks for each dog and see if he can turn that down. Ricky reached out to the shelter staff, and they acted as intermediaries and made the offer. Surprise, surprise, the “love” they had for them only went so far, and cold hard cash they would love more. The staff told him to bring them to the shelter and sign over surrender papers and Ricky would be there this morning with the cash, and they could come pick up the money at the shelter after the dogs were gone.
This was how excited the dogs were when Ricky came to come and get them and drive them to Texas, looking at their chains in the rear view mirror. Sometimes you have to rescue in unconventional ways, and I don’t give a crap about giving an ex-con some cash to get these dogs out of there.
We are told that she is spayed, and is 3-4 years old, she has already had two litters, all the pups born dead. He is not yet neutered and is 4 or 5 years old.
We welcome to Dog Ranch Rescue Gargon and Nellie.
Tonight they sleep inside, on soft beds, clean blankets for the first time in their life.
Your donations are the reason these dogs are safe and happy tonight

Looking to adopt a friend of your own? Visit our Available Dogs