Happy Posts Please!

[Kathy and Sam]

I am a new member and will be bringing home my first DOOD puppy at the beginning of September. It has been great reading about doodles on this site and I am grateful for it. Sometimes though, I read sad and/or disheartening posts concerning illnesses and behavior problems. This leaves me nervous and wondering if I am reading too much about the negative aspects of owning a doodle. I trust my own instincts about my decision to own and love a doodle, but some discussions are unnerving. With that said, I was wondering if it would be possible to post only positive replies to this discussion. What has been one of your happiest experiences with your dog? If you groom your dog yourself, do you enjoy it, and does your dog love it too? What characteristic or personality trait about your dog do you enjoy the most about your DOOD? How has your dog enhanced your life? What do you miss about puppyhood now that you own an adult dog? What do you enjoy most about your dog now that he/she is an adult? Please describe your positive experiences! For extra fun, please post a picture of your wonderful DOOD. I thank you so much!

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Hi Kathy ~ Welcome to Doodle Kisses!  I read your bio and want to express my condolences for your losses!  Five years ago, we had similar circumstances.  We had lost our grandson in June and then our beautiful standard poodle Wilbur passed in December and my husband and I were heartbroken.   Our home became too quiet and sad, and in January I started researching online for non-shedding breeds and came across the Australian Labradoodles.  Long story short we found a WA breeder that had a litter that had been born on the day our Wilbur had passed  I thought it an omen, my husband thought it too soon!  On Valentines day 2010, we drove up to pick up our beautiful boy and we named him Charlie Brown. Charlie was the dream puppy - laid back, sweet,  intelligent and off the charts easy to train from the very beginning.  He was always by my side and looked to me for guidance and still does.  He helped to heal our hearts and bring joy back into our lives.  I have always felt he is my heart dog!  When Charlie was 2 I thought he needed a playmate - we brought Beau home from the same breeder (they have same father but different mothers) but a total different personality than Charlie.  Beau is a comedian and there is no doodle sweeter.  I cannot keep track of how many times a day he makes us laugh out loud!  Do they require off the charts maintenance than other breeds - yes, but I am retired and love every minute of it!  Brushing heads and tails first thing every morning is great bonding time and they love it.  Do I miss puppyhood? Yes, there is nothing like puppy breath and they are just so sweet and innocent even when they are hanging from your leg 12 weeks!  I even mentioned to my husband the other day maybe we should get a third!  We are no longer empty nesters that is for sure! Haha.  Charlie will soon be 5 and Beau 3 and not a day goes by that I do not thank my lucky stars that we have these boys in our lives!  My husband has recently had some health issues, but he still is out there playing ball with the doods several times every single day and for that I am also thankful!  I think they keep us young. 

I am looking forward to seeing homecoming photos of your sweet girl and hearing about the adventures with her.  Enjoy the puppy stage - is so much fun and passes all too quickly.  I truly believe if you spend quality training time with a puppy and treat it with kindness and love, you will be rewarded ten-fold down the road!  

[Kathy and Sam]

I waited to respond to your post because I wanted to absorb and digest your beautiful words.  Your boys are so gorgeous!  I believe my decision was a spiritual one and everything fell into place for me.  I love the breeder and feel very confident about my future dog's health and early beginning.  I am so sorry about the loss of your grandson and Wilbur.  Your post is proof that life continues and that there continues to be joy despite our losses.  Thank you.  Best wishes for staying young with those boys of yours.  

[Amy and Annabelle]

So sorry about your grandson and Wilbur. I too lost a grandson in May 2011. I can't imagine losing a beloved pet so soon afterward.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Thanks for asking for positive posts.  This has been so fun to read.

Roo and Tigger are wonderful companions. They are great at making me take a walk. I don't know how I would live without them.   Roo has had Addison's disease since he was one and a half, but it is not a sad part of him and after the initial shock it never has been.

Roo, I swear, was born with a rubber bone in his mouth.  He has the heart and soul of a retriever and the body of a poodle.  He has never met a person he doesn't love and want to "kiss and hug'" (lick and jump on).  Roo would be happiest if he could climb inside your shirt and walk right beside you. He is my darling and companion.

Tigger will retrieve, but he is really a poodle at heart and a just about perfect doodle in body, yet he is a full brother to Roo.  They are both multigen Australian Labradoodles.

Tigger is kind and friendly to everyone, but not in need of constant attention. He is easier for young children to meet as he does not overwhelm them.   He is my dog who is most apt to say "just a minute, mom" when asked to do something. 

I have been fortunate to love a English Springer Spaniel named Auto, a German short-haired pointer named Chan, a Siberian Husky German Shepherd mix named Ivan, a Siberian Husky named Czar, a Goldern Retreiver named Sunny, another Siberian named Storm, and one more Siberian named Thor.  Now Roo and Tigger, two ALDs.

I also raised a Rottweiler mix named Mabel, and babysit, once a week, (gardener day at their house) a Siberian named Blue and another named Ice, until he was an old man and died another Siberian, Czar accompanied the last two.  With five dogs to watch, Czar was always "the Sheriff"  and I could count on him to help me keep order.

Every dog has brought me joy beyond measure and of course some pain. Auto was the best dog an eight year old could have asked for - I could dress him up in baby clothes or play "chase" with him for hours.  Yet he had terrible allergies that gave him constant ear infections; he was my dog so the vet taught me to give him cortisone skin "pops" (under the skin injections) to help him  through each summer. 

Chan went everywhere with us without a leash ( no leash laws in that time and place) including wherever my horse and I went, and slept on my bed, and died quietly of old age.

Ivan was a stray and we were his third home.  At one and the same time the stupidest and smartest thing I ever did. He was three when I picked him up from a home who could "no longer keep him".  We were sitting on the front lawn of our first home, two thousand miles from our Midwest heritage.  We had a ten month old daughter,  the clothes on our back, some dirty laundry and nothing else.  Furniture etc was en route somewhere.  That first year so far from all I knew with my first child was a doozy for me.  Ivan graciously helped me through it.  He was awesome with children and adults, other dogs, cats and generally life.  His actual only fault was it took us three years to figure out how to keep him home.  As long as one of us was home, he stayed home.  If we all left, he left,.  Over increasingly tall and wide fences.  He always returned the front porch to wait for us to come home.  Except for his eating of anything not nailed down, he was a wonderful dog and lived to nuture our children and many many neighbors children.  Who brings and unknown dog into a house with a 10 month old. - me.  They say God loves fools.

Tsar took seven months to housetrain.  Seven months of scrubbing that darn laundry room floor every morning. He brought new life to an aging Ivan and laughter and learning to our now 2 and 7 year old children. 

  Sunny was the easiest puppy imaginable in every way. She never, ever had a  potty mistake.  She housetrained Storm and mothered her as if she were hers.  Every time her Storm was returned home through the gated fence she gave her a stern talking to, but  to no avail.   Sunny knew in her soul that you stayed home with your people even if the gate was open and the earth was shaking hard.  She had hip dysplasia, but lived until 16, the last six months a happy smiling old lady on three legs. 

Storm was an enormous handful for the first three years and then reigned for 12 years as the most gracious princess and then queen. She had enormous presence and personality, and often let herself out of every gate and lock we devised to stroll the neighborhood.  My heart hammered in my chest every time until I got her home.  She let herself out the last time at 15 years old to stroll down the street to the garage sale and say hi to everyone.  Then she got thirsty, hot and tired (being somewhat along in years - royalty does not get old) wandered in the house to get a drink and rest. 

Thor was to be our "showdog", but ended his not very illustrious show career when he developed epilepsy which was easily managed for seven years and then not so easily managed at all. But he never left the bedroom, except to potty, for the nearly a year I was in bed with what became chronic sciatica.

Then came rambunctious Roo and easygoing Tigger.  and the story continues  I love Roo's dark eyes and his look that says "bellyrub please".  I love that he comes when he is called, and values treats and bellyrubs above all else. I choose to see his shenanigans as funny stories. 

I love Tigger's bright inquisitive mind,  I love his obsession with mealtimes, when he crawls in my lap starting at least an hour before dinner.  I also love that he asks Dad for breakfast at six in the morning with increasing urgency until his tongue is all over Dad's face.   I do wish he would come when called, but I am working on another technique, so it is only a challenge..

.Dogs make some people whole and I am one of those.  I will always want a puppy, a dog, whoever they turn out to be.

The point of all this rambling is that with joy and love come pain and heartache.  For most, including me, the joy and love triumph. 

 

 

[Kathy and Sam]

Oh, how I loved hearing your dog, love stories, but your last two sentences melted my heart!  Sigh.  Smile.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Thanks, you made my day with your response

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I love having dogs.  Puppy hood is an exciting time. I most miss the nightly zoomies.  Ned would suddenly leap up, race around - usually out the dog door, through the sprinklers, back in the dog door and through the house, jumping on and off people and furniture in vertical leaps.  What I love about mature dogs is their ability to go forever without needing potty breaks! Seriously, I love the adoration dogs give to you. No matter what, they are happy to see you every time you walk in the door.

[Kathy and Sam]

What a sweet looking three-some!  Thank you for reminding me about how happy our dogs are when we return!

[Joyce (Casey & Cody's mom)]

Hi Kathy, Welcome to DoodleKisses. Like many, I don't post very often, but read other posts frequently. I have 2 doods - Cody (black) and his littermate brother Casey (blond). They were 2 in March. They share our heart and home with 4 wire hair dachshunds. The doods weigh 55 and 57 lbs while the doxies weight about 12 lbs each. Needless to say, our household revolves around our dogs --- and we love it that way. My husband and I both have some minor health problems, and there is NO medicine any greater than cuddling with a dog - or two - or three. The doods are born clowns and make us laugh constantly. They are so smart, very sweet and are such a joy to have around. Just like with all children (both the 2-legged ones and our current 4-legged ones) baby doods need to have lots of love and training. Yes, they will pee and poop in the wrong place, they will chew up something that they shouldn't and make messes right after you have cleaned the house ---- but ok, so what. You use those moments as teaching times and move on. Eventually (hopefully) they will quit doing those things. However, I must say, Casey has "a thing" for the TV remote control and has chewed up several when we forget to put it away!! :) I digress ---I cannot imagine life without my guys and gals. How sad, boring and lonely it would be.

[Kathy and Sam]

Grateful for clarifying what really matters!

[Carrie king]

Even though I lost my doodle recently, which was the worst thing that has ever happened to me, I have NOTHING but positives to say about him and what he added to our lives. He was the most funny, silly little clown. From day one he barged into our house & changed our lives forever. He was a constant smiler, with a twinkle of outlaw in his eye at all times. He loved jumping and romping, playing, chasing and fetching. Just the perfect active little dood. He also loved to cuddle and give slobery kisses. He was outgoing and as soon as we took him anywhere, he was a star. Everyone thought he was just the most darling dog, especially us. He even brought our two toy poodles out of their shell, making them more playful. He loved to have his teeth brushed and didnt mind at all the groomings (except the dryer!) His tail was super curled. It was so curled that when he wagged it you could barely tell it was wagging :)) he was independent in spirit, but stuck to us like glue. He was the best decision we've ever made and I will cherish every moment we had with him for the rest of our lives. We are also getting a new puppy, this weekend :) Enjoy your new pup, its going to be a blast!

[Kathy and Sam]

I'm so excited for you! Today I am going to see the puppies with their mom. They will be 3 weeks old. Picking day is August 20th. I can't wait until the 28th when the pup comes home! Keep in touch!