Rose

Rose has always been a very special girl. She arrived at the sanctuary frightened, and that didn’t change much over time. She slowly worked her way up to offering a brave little approach for a quick pet before retreating again, but we knew she needed a home with patience, gentleness, and someone who would let her grow at her own pace.

Her fears made leash‑walking difficult, and she was so shut down that she held her bladder the entire trip back from the auction. We suspect she may have held it while she was still at the auction house too, based on how much she let go once she finally felt safe with us. It was clear she needed someone who understood her and could give her the quiet, steady love she deserved.

Nancy Newman reached out and immediately felt that Rose was the dog she was meant to help heal. Nancy had recently lost her Golden Doodle at a very young age and had been searching for a Golden Retriever. A friend sent her Rose’s information, and something just clicked. And in a sweet bit of timing, a wild rose bush had recently popped up at the front of Nancy’s house—something she took as a small sign that she was ready to open her heart again.

When adoption day came, Nancy’s son, JW, and his husband visited the sanctuary and FaceTimed with her so she could see Rose’s behavior firsthand. None of Rose’s fears deterred her.

Her new name will be Rosie, and she’ll live in Mobile, AL. She left the sanctuary wearing her new collar with her new name, and she’ll spend a few days in Dallas with JW before making the trip home to Nancy.

Happy life, Rosie. We hope to see your sweet face on Happy Tails very soon.