Due to Bobby’s dire circumstances, his Bali-based owner consented to give him up, which, thank God, he did. We had assumed Bobby was a golden retriever from the start, but it was difficult to determine because he was skin and bones and had significant amounts of fur gone.
Bobby was taken to the vet, where it was discovered that he had a blood parasite, which explained his skeleton built, and a very unpleasant skin condition. The foster caregiver assigned to this sweet boy tried to make him overweight.
His fur began to regrow slowly but steadily, and he began to resemble the stunning golden retriever. Bobby still experiences his skin condition today because it does not completely improve. It is because the climate in Bali is inappropriate for many dogs of western breeds. Although the weather is pleasant here for people, it can be uncomfortable for dogs and a breeding ground for bacteria. The native Bali dog is a hardy breed that has evolved.
We also got in touch with Bobby’s owner to learn a little more about the dog’s character.
“Bobby is the most mellow dog who loves the beach and rolling in the sand. He’s starting to become more confident and explorative. You can tell he’s had a rough life – he’s slow to warm to people, dislikes busy streets, and sticks close to my side whenever we’re outside.”
“But more recently, he’s started to have moments where he acts/looks like a young dog. He’s started to sniff around more, to run a little further on the beach from me. Above all, he’s just a mellow dog who loves a rub and is happy at home.”
We also wondered if Bobby was the only dog in the residence or if the owner had other animals.
“Bobby is the only dog I have (although I wish I could get him a dog sibling) and he is actually my first pet. While I’ve lived with roommates who’ve had dogs, I’ve never had one of my own. I’ve learned so much about dogs, dog care, and myself in adopting Bobby.”
We were curious as to why Bobby’s owner chose him out of all the pets she had the option of choosing.
“The pandemic has been really hard for everyone in Bali, but particularly difficult for dogs who have been abandoned at an unbelievable rate. Months into the pandemic I rescued a little puppy out of a drain in front of my house. While my neighbor went on to adopt the puppy, I felt bad knowing that I could take a dog in now because I was working from home. Bobby caught my eye on Mission Paws’ible’s Instagram account because he has these sad, loving eyes.”
Bobby was eventually adopted by a kind woman who lived close to the ocean and found him forever home. Bobby is now happily trotting over Bali’s beaches with his tail wagging.
We invited the owner to share some entertaining tales about her dog because Bobby is now enjoying a great life.
“Despite living in Bali, I think Bobby had never been in the ocean. Although he is a golden retriever mix, he’s a bit afraid of the waves/water. On our third or fourth trip to the beach, we were playing in the sand and I ran into the ocean (ankle deep) and he ran after me. When he realized what happened, he grabbed onto me and wouldn’t let go, so I had to carry him out of the water. It took me months to get him back into the water. While he’ll never be an ocean swimming dog, he now loves a stream, tide-pooling, and rolling around in the sand!”
Being the smart dog, Bobby, we also wanted to know what his owner liked best about him.
How kind and compassionate Bobby is, it is impressive that he can still offer and accept affection after having received bad treatment in the past.
We questioned the owner about how she felt about Bobby’s story being popular online.
“I’m surprised that so many resonated with his story. He really deserves a better life than when he was found and I hope that I’ll be able to give him that!”
