How has your labradoodle or goldendoodle changed your life?

[Adina P]

Jacquie started an interesting post in her Single Chicks group about social life and doodles. So I thought I'd throw it out at the rest of you non-single or non-chicks =)

I've been amazed at how having a dog has opened up my social life. But throw the labradoodle particulars on there and it's been so neat! Of course there is the random strangers saying hello on the street, downtown, etc (what better ice breaker!?) just to meet my dog or ask about him.

When Rosco was about 5 months old I learned of a dog park committee and joined immediately. That brought all sorts of new friends into my life as we met to plan our local dog park. People at work who never really talked to me before started visiting my office to chat dogs...or see Rosco.

If I had had Rosco while I was single--WOAH! ;-)

So remind us what type of doodle you have and how your doodle has changed your life (social wise or not).

[Susan Maurer]

Everybody that sees Ruby says "Oh look at the cute Puppy!" Always Puppy~not dog! Everyone asks "What kind of dog is that?" Great conversation starter! Sues

[Belinda Stevens]

Stella has totally changed my life. From going out to obedience class to agility class to making to doodle owner friends. It is really a life style. I am sure not for everyone but like I have said before... owning a doodle is like being part of a club. Just like jeep or motorcycle owners. You just have an instant connection.

[1v200f3rbrnxk]

MY doodles brought my family closer together and also for some reason more trust and honesty as well.

I've had some great laughs with friends who are amazed at their agility and some swear they're half human and can "think" like humans :)

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

As I have posted before in other forums...when people approach me and ask about Blake and I tell them the short version story of his adoption, they will always say.."Oh how wonderful that you saved his life" my response is always the same. " No actually he saved mine..." and it's true.....

As a typical work-a-holic, single woman over 40 with no children, I was coming home in the evenings to an emtpy house and any down time I had was divided between chores, errands, obligations, the same small group of friends and one horrible date after another.....I felt limited...uninteresting.... unsocial.... perpetually exhausted...and like my soul purpose was to work and be successful...I was beginning to feel an emptiness..a void...as if there was no one I needed or who needed me....

After ghostwriting a book for a wonderful woman who rescued over 200 dogs in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, I became very interested and involved in animal rescue. Simultaneously, my sister began working for the Humane Society in Washington DC and I became more involved through her...Thanks to her, I was able to rescue and adopt this wonderful little guy who has brought nothing but unconditional love and happiness into my life......

I am a more centered and happy person because of him....I make time to enjoy him and life in general...It's because of him that I have my own business choosing to work from home to be closer to him....I am more physically active, more socially active and more passionate about life because of this special little soul....I have not only adopted a great dog I have adopted the carefree and inquisitive Doodle personality!.....It's contagious!.....As part of the Doodle community one feels like you are part of a special family that doesnt want to keep the joy of Doodle ownership to themselves but instead wants to spread the word about these wonderful dogs....I meet new and interesting people and form new friendships on a daily basis and it is all because of Blake....I'm grateful ti have him in my life....

[KJ]

well it opened up a whole new world of DK :)

but it also has made my life happier, I've wanted a dog for sometime and wanted a partner to run with, to sit with me while I scrapbooked, to be a part of the kids life and he totally fits the bill...plus I think we changed his life :)

I look forward to training classes and getting into that part of the puppy/dog world :)

[GBK]

I have met so many fantastic people since Kona and Buddy. It was really pretty lonely for me till they came along. Now I have finally started meeting really nice dog people and have found my niche.

Hubby has started interacting so much more since Kona has come. He has even gone to obedience with us, and uses his knowledge at home. He doesn't want to leave on vacations without them, and if we have to leave them won't stay away long. It has brought us all closer, and they are the best dogs!

[Sandi, Jeff & Mickey]

When we moved here last year my husband said that this was going to be different and that we were going to get to know our neighbors. Well, because of walking Mickey, and because he's so "pretty", everyone wants to meet him. We have met all of the people on our street, so many great people on our daily walks, at the dog parks and the agility and obedience training participants have been great as well. We even take him up to the District, an outdoor mall near us, and everyone wants to pet him so we meet other dog owners and lovers that way as well. Vegas has a lot of dogs events and our community is one of the top 10 walking areas in the country so having a dog was a must! That's one of the reasons we wanted a Labradoodle, we wanted a dog that would be great with the other dogs on the walkways and the kids in the parks.

We have both trimmed down, as we walk him at least 1 1/2 hours in the AM and another hour in the afternoon.

People even yell out their cars "He's so beautiful" and "Is that Labradoodle?" or "What kind of dog is that? He's so cute! Actually, they quite often say she because he's a pretty boy. My husband says we have a Tom Cruise dog!

We stay more on a schedule because of him and we are happier and healtier because of him being in our lives. His unconditional love is sooooo wonderful!

[Sandi, Jeff & Mickey]

Oh,.....and I smile EVEN MORE than BEFORE! :) From him following me everywhere to his delite when he has learned something new, to the way he contorts his body every which way and one can wonder how he thinks that it's comfortable. To his smile and the look he gets and moves his feet, focuses his eyes and crouches when we say, "Ready"!?

To the way his tail goes up in the air and waves like a royal wave and he prances down the steet...and just seeing which toy he pulls out of his toy box is always a surprise! What a total bundle of joy he is!!

[Adina P]

I just have to say I LOVE ALL YOUR STORIES!!! Some of them are so sweet and touching and just FUN!

[Linda and Murphy]

Murphy is my Katrina therapy. We lost our 15 yr old Brittany about a month before Katrina. For the next 8 mos. post Katrina we were in such a fog...working all day then coming home to chaos and more work. I work for Tulane and the following December 180 professors (tenured or not) were laid off. One was my best friend. My son suggested another dog.
I had gotten used to no dog hair and suggested poodle. vetoed.
I did some research that weekend and found out about Goldendoodles.
For once, I had no preconceived notions about the dog and he was wonderful from the start. I convinced the newly relocated vet to do "daycare" for Murphy. We did obedience and more obedience and then tried agility. We still try agility, but for Murph it is a social event.
He loves swimming and retrieving so we spend hours at the lakefront on the weekend. (This past weekend, the lakefront came to us.)
I have met so many people because of Murphy. There are very few doodles down here. Most of the people that recognize him are visiting.
I plan to do therapy work with him. The youth group from our church wants to take him along on visits to the nursing homes and assisted living centers.
He has been a wonderful blessing in my life.

[2hl9mp3c2fuam]

Well I was w/out a pet for a few years until I got Mocha.... I have always loved animals and even more so when I was young. I'll admit when I had my daughter I was overwhelmed with animals and a baby at the same time. After while it got easier, but then not long after my precious Nikko passed. It broke my heart and still bring tears to my eyes. I'm very overprotective of pretty much everything in my life and the doodles are no different. What I love about a dog is the unconditional love they give...they always love you - no matter what and they pretty much never get mad at you. I'm happy to have this again...so much that I got ANOTHER doodle. I love seeing them happy and I love watching them play. I also love the fact that everyone loves them as well. I've never had so many complimets before and of course the doodles love them just as much. I swear they know how great they are...especially my pretty Mocha. She is one of a kind. I'm so glad I found this breed.

[2sforeqbpo84w]

Can't take a doodle out anywhere and expect to have a quiet walk. We are always being stopped and asked questions but it's fun.

We get more exercise and thus know way many more neighbors! As an added bonus, we can now find our way around our crazy neighborhood.

Not so much for Kim but for myself, I am working my hours as best I can around her care making sure she's not home by herself for more than 6 hours at a time. It's difficult being that Kim's schedule is not set from day to day and I'm on a pager and could be gone for a day or two at a time. So, I've been working less. I've had to tweak the type of clients (more birth and less postpartum) to keep the income the same.