Honey, I Found Our Dog! Huh?

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

 

Well, it seems everyone has 15 minutes of fame.

 

Last weekend when friends and I went to a large horse show and country fair.  Finnegan happily tagged along.  We go every year, but this time it was really crowded and I think Finn found it stressful to be lost in a sea of knees, Jack Russell Terriers and Labrador Retrievers.  A number of people stopped to say, “What a beautiful dog!  A Wheaten, right?”  Not one person guessed “a doodle!”  Not one!

 

There was a shop where you could buy cute little flat shoes and/or pocket books with a gold charm that had a picture engraved of your breed of dog. A salesperson offered to help me, and I asked where are the labradoodles?  She said the AKC licenses their shoes and wouldn’t let them sell doodles. OK, I wasn’t seriously going to wear dog shoes anyhow.   

After several hours of watching the show and more pats on the head than Finn could count, we decided to leave.   Standing near the exit gate, a woman came up to us and asked “What kind of dog is that?”  I was going to give in and say “a Wheaten Terrier “– I mean why not just go with the flow?-- when she added, “a Labradoodle?”  She said she was looking for one and asked where I got him?  It turns out she had been doing a lot of research and had already contacted Finn’s breeder.

She asked his name? Well, when I said Finnegan you would have thought I said Brad Pitt!  She got so excited and called her kids –2 adorable little boys – “Kids, come here, I found OUR dog. It’s Finnegan!!!  The two little boys were just as excited and asked to pet him and before I knew it, they were lovin’ on Finn who was loving them right back and the one little boy kept asking, “Mommy is this really Finnegan?  Is this really our dog?”   Huh??  Obviously, they knew Finnegan!

Then she yelled to her husband across the way buying hotdogs – “Honey come quick I FOUND our dog!!” And he asks me –is this REALLY Finnegan?  Yes, it is but WHO are you?  Does Finn have a secret life I don’t know about?

By this time a small crowd of people was gathering around us probably thinking I stole HER dog!  She even had me confused but I figured if she tried to grab the leash, she’d be trying drag 50 lbs of one super uncooperative doodle away.  Then again, he really did like those little boys…

Turns out they were really a lovely family and in her research she had looked through all the pictures on the breeder’s site and had decided they wanted a little Finnegan.  They couldn’t believe they were meeting him in the fur!  And Finn was surprisingly charming amid all the craziness and hugs! How “random” and funny!  When we got it all sorted out, I guess we made their day and I know that one very lucky doodle pup is going to get to call this family his!  I hope they find him soon.

And best of all -- at the end of the day, Finnegan is still mine!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

What are the odds this would happen!  Awesome.  Ned was in the paper once and I had two phone calls from complete strangers who, when I answered the phone, asked me if I was Ned's owner.  Each one wanted one 'just like him' and, after getting the information, bought one from his breeder.

[Linda, Charlie Brown and Beau]

Finnegan is one handsome dood - no wonder they wanted a Finnegan! Great story!

[Traci -Bexter & Maggie]

This story is hilarious!  What are those odds?  I really would have started getting worried there for a while.  I'm glad they didn't try to steal Finn! 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Cheryl, What a great story! Of course, they wanted their own Finnegan :)

[Bonnie and Kona]

What a wonderful encounter! I can just imagine their excitement. I know if I saw any of the doodles I have come to know and love on DK I would be as excited as this family was! Finnegan deserves to be a star. He is just gorgeous! I am especially happy you got to home with your celebrity. 

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

What a great story and what a coincidence.  I know they were just over the moon to actually meet "The Real Finnegan"!

[F, Calla & Luca]

No wonder they wanted a little Finnegan, who wouldn't.

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

What a cute story. Thanks for sharing.

[Diane, Baker & Oskar]

What a cute story...imagine how they'll tell this story for years to come once they have their puppy !