10/11/2026
A special Golden Puppy needs a special home! Meet Sundae 🍨 Location: California https://scgrrescue.org/availability/sundae/
Sundae
Sundae is as sweet as her name, with a cherry on top! She is an adorable Golden Retriever puppy born April 17, 2026.
At just over five months old, she is a joyful, affectionate little girl who loves everyone she meets. Her foster family has raised many puppies, and they say Sundae is the cream of the crop! She has an amazing temperament, and they truly can’t say enough good things about this puppy. Of the nearly 50 pups they have raised, Sundae stands out as one of the very best. She is incredibly cuddly and loving, yet playful and silly. She is smart, obedient, eager to learn, and wants to please. She has an independent spirit, but she is also quite Velcro and loves being close to her people. She is fully housebroken, crate-trained, and leash-trained. She is simply a very good baby.
Sundae is not especially brave, which actually helps keep her close to her people rather than off looking for mischief! She may be a little timid when experiencing something new, but she quickly relaxes when reassured by her people. She is not much of a chewer and can be trusted inside the home for short periods of time. She lets herself out to potty through a split screen door and obediently comes right back inside after taking care of business. She gets along beautifully with everyone she meets and is an affectionate little love.
Even though she is a fantastic puppy, it is important to remember that she is still a puppy and is still learning how to grow into a fantastic adult dog. Although she is housebroken in her foster home, there may be a learning curve when she moves to a new home. She will need continued positive-reinforcement training, consistency, patience, and guidance to become the best version of herself.
Sundae was surrendered by a golden retriever breeder when she was six weeks old and weighed only four pounds. She was failing to thrive alongside her littermates, so they entrusted her to SCGRR in hopes that we could help. With the care of an experienced puppy raiser and supportive veterinarians, Sundae began gaining weight and continued to grow. However, it soon became clear that something was not working properly because she was regularly regurgitating her food and water. After a barium study, Sundae was diagnosed with megaesophagus, often called ME. In dogs with megaesophagus, the esophagus does not move food and water efficiently into the stomach. To allow gravity to help, Sundae needs to eat in an upright position and remain upright afterward. She is currently kept upright in a Bailey Chair—a specially designed upright feeding chair. She is fantastic at this- she gleefully jumps into the chair and closes the tray when she is hungry. It is actually super adorable, and it is fun to feed her meatballs in the chair! She loves to eat! She also needs a thickening agent added to her water, and it is very important that she is kept away from any other sources of water in the home as liquids do increase her chances for vomiting.
With proper management, Sundae’s vomiting has drastically improved. Other than that, she is your typical golden puppy and can do all of the golden things most puppies enjoy. Keeping Sundae healthy does require diligence. She needs to be fed three times per day in her Bailey Chair and remain entertained in her chair for an additional 5–10 minutes while she works her food down into her stomach. She eats a prescription canned diet and receives medication twice per day. It is all very doable, but the costs do add up. Her adopter should be prepared for her ongoing care and maintenance to be more expensive than that of a typical puppy. However, they will likely find it all more than worth it when Sundae rewards them with one of her cheerful Sundae hugs and happy grunts! Sundae’s adopters will also need to watch for changes that could indicate a problem. Megaesophagus can be serious because regurgitated food or water may accidentally enter the lungs and cause aspiration pneumonia, so careful monitoring will always be important. Sundae has had one bout of pneumonia while in our care, and she recovered very well after a course of antibiotics. She is currently under the care of a veterinary specialist team who has ruled out a variety of potential underlying conditions and determined that Sundae has congenital megaesophagus and an intestinal dysmotility disorder. Her veterinary team sees no reason why Sundae cannot live a fairly normal life with the proper supports and management in place. She does vomit some due to her condition, so patience and understanding are very important for her adopter to possess. There are days when you might almost forget that Sundae has a medical condition because she is doing so well.
While she may not be the right fit for every home, she will be an incredibly special addition to the right one. Some very lucky family is going to get to love this sweet girl.
My Ideal Home
Sundae’s adorable face is easy to fall in love with, but her adopter must also be ready to embrace the additional care, commitment, and costs that come with megaesophagus. We are looking for a family with the time, patience, financial ability, and dedication to continue helping Sundae thrive and live her best life. Previous experience with megaesophagus would be wonderful, but it is not required. The right adopter will be willing to learn, follow a consistent routine, work closely with Sundae’s veterinary team, and adjust her care as she grows. Applicants should thoroughly research megaesophagus before applying. An excellent place to begin is Canine Megaesophagus Info: https://caninemegaesophagusinfo.com/. She currently lives with three dogs and absolutely loves playing with other dogs. However, a multi-dog household will require careful management to ensure she cannot help herself to another pet’s food, water, treats, or chews. Her foster family is happy to provide guidance and help her adopter learn the routines that keep her safe. Additionally, she may have too much puppy energy for older dogs. She appears to be cat-friendly.
Because dropped food can be dangerous for a dog with ME, a home without toddlers or very young children would be best. Sundae currently lives with two older kids and absolutely adores them.Her family should also be home enough to provide her meals, upright time, supervision, cleanup, and monitoring throughout the day. Her medical routine requires commitment, but the puppy herself could hardly be sweeter or easier to love. Sundae is looking for a family who will provide the thoughtful, consistent care she needs while enjoying everything she has to offer: affection, companionship, an eagerness to learn, and the devoted love of a very special little Golden.
Want to Adopt me?
If you believe your home is the perfect match for me, please make sure you have first submitted an adoption application and completed your home interview with a SCGRRescue Volunteer. Then, tell my personal representative (aka Rep) more about why we are a great match by clicking the link below.
