Is Your Doodle More Social Than You Are?

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Seems to me that sometimes Blake has more fun meeting new dogs and people than I do! He's a social butterfly who's name is never forgotten while I'm always referred to as just "Blake's Mom"!...lol....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

This is long, but it's a great example of how a "social dog" can change your own social life.
I had only been living in this house for a few months when I adopted Jack, and as a single "older" woman in a neighborhood of empty-nester couples and young families, I felt a little out of place. I didn't know anyone, and no one went out of their way to introduce themselves or make friends. After Jack came, I had to be out walking the neighborhood streets at least twice a day. There are a lot of dogs here, and Jack made some friends. Eventually, when we walked past the homes of some of his friends and they (dogs & owners)were out in their yards, Jack would run over to the fence and be invited in to play. I was included by default, lol. This is how I got to know some of my neighbors.
Not long after, my mom was diagnosed with AML, and I sometimes had to be at the hospital for long hours. The parents of Jack's two lab girlfriends (he's such a player!) offered to come by the house, feed Jack, and take him back to their homes until I got back in the evenings. You can imagine what a Godsend that was! When my mom died a few months later, my aunts and uncles were all in their 80s and 90s. Although we only had graveside services, these elderly, physically challenged people would be driving quite a distance out to the cemetery, and I didn't feel they should have to stand in the heat at the cemetery for 20 minutes and then turn around and make another hour long drive back home. I wanted to invite them back to my house after the service (I live very near the cemetery), but I had a big dog at home who was afraid of strange men and reacted by jumping, lunging, & barking.
Jack's friends' parents solved everything. They came to get him that morning, kept him until the last of the relatives had gone home, then brought him back, and for good measure, helped clean up the house for me. Some of them took part of the day off from work to do this.
I now have some very valued friends in my not-so-new neighborhood...and all because of a goofy, "designer reject" dog named Jack

[Jacquie Yorke (DRC)]

Karen, I'm sorry to hear about your mom...AML is a tough one....but I love the fact that Jack was instumental in establishing your doggie social network....I know what you mean...I've had a similar experience with Blake's friends and my neighbors...