The Bond of Two Dogs!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Vern has this thing that he does every time we go to leave in our car.  It starts as I open the front door.  Vern charges outs and spins around to prevent Fudge from getting out the door, unless she wants to wrestle her way out.  Sometimes, Fudge is able to slip past him and leap to her freedom and then she dances off with him in hot pursuit.  Next, Vern jumps in the car and does the same thing from inside the car.  He guards the van sliding door and admission for letting Fudge inside is one quick toss about as she gains entry.  Sometimes, Fudge runs around the car and taunts Vern as he goes from window to door to back of the car as she happily goes by.  Lots of times, I help her out by opening another door for her to catch Vern by surprise, but even though this method worked in the beginning, he has caught on that there are multiple entry spots for Fudge and he has to stay on his toes to keep her out. It seems he has wised up about this, but just in case you think this smartness has carried over to other things, the second thing he does after finally allowing Fudge access to the van is to look around for Kleenex to eat.  The other day John told him to knock it off and I said, “It is their thing.  They enjoy this little game.”  I know it is breaking every training rule imaginable to let this go on and sometimes it does pluck at my nerves, but mostly it makes me smile at how much fun two dogs can have just trying to get in the van.  Over the years, I have been less inclined to sweat the small stuff and my kids will tell you I was never as amused when they raced to beat each other into the car to get in the front seat. In those days, we had left and right day, front and back day, and a whole lot of mommy wishes she had been more diligent about birth control days.

 

The thing I like about my dogs is there is no squealing, “Mom, she is in my seat,” but rather they work it all out with very little interference from me and I appreciate that more than I can say.  Unlike my dogs, my kids always seemed to involve me in their squabbles and never seemed to catch on that solving it amongst them would be a better option.  My parenting style was that I sided against the person who made the most amount of noise for no other reason than I wanted the noise to stop and cries of “that’s not fair,” fell on deaf ears, or in my case, ears that needed a rest.  Dogs are just different. Vern knows he has no chance of keeping a ball in his mouth when Fudge is around and Fudge knows to let Vern eat first so she can have her private eating time later. Vern can toss Fudge around like a rag doll, up to a point, and then when Fudge has had enough, she does something to make him stop and usually he freezes himself in one place to let her know he got the message.  Sometimes, they will both just look at each other in a funny way and just like that, a romp is on and they will take to leaping and flying through the air in hot pursuit of each other and then as quickly as it started, it is over.  I really can’t imagine one dog without the other, although I feel Fudge would fare better as an only dog, although when Vern is gone she is out of sorts by the end of the day.  Vern, on the other hand, needs Fudge and I really believe if something ever happened to Fudge, Vern could not be an only dog. 

 

I believe dogs form strong relationships with other dogs and whenever I hear of a bonded pair in rescue getting separated, it keeps me up at night.  I also know that dogs ending up in a rescue situation are at the mercy of the rescue organization who sometimes have to make hard decisions in order to get both pets adopted, but in a perfect world, I sure wish it did not happen.  My perfect world also has dogs staying in one loving home for the duration of their lives and never having to know what confusion, fear, cruelty, or what being unloved and unwanted feels like. My perfect world also has me being thin and able to eat anything I like without gaining a pound, but that is a whole other story. I keep going back to luck of the draw and how unfair life can be for dogs sometimes and how lucky dogs like Fudge and Vern happen to be.  It really is just luck of the draw and most of our dogs got lucky.  Right now, scrolling down the front page are Sadie and Shadow, and everyday I wake up and hope to see pending or adopted under their names and hear that someone adopted both of them together.  I want to think that even though they have lost their home, they won’t lose each other. Just like Fudge and Vern, I bet Sadie and Shadow have those things that they do to each other for fun, a silent means of communication, and a sense that life is right when they wake up and the other one is there.   I just keep thinking there is someone out there who can adopt these dogs together and find out what those of us with two dogs already know……that life can be very sweet with two dogs.  In my perfect world they will soon be together in a great forever home.

Let's help them any way we can!

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

They say a picture says a thousand words...

[Doris, Knox & Flash]

Laurie, I haven't been getting on DK very often lately but I have seen this pair on FB and they have been pulling at my heartstrings too.  Over the past eight months I have witnessed a bond grow between my two boys that seems to get stronger every day.  Sadie and Shadow are litter mates and have never been without the other and I can only imagine how strong their bond must be.  To separate them would be so sad and I pray that there is a wonderful family out there that will be coming for both of them soon. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Sadly I am of the, I'm one doodle short of being a crazy doodle lady" school of thought people. The judge might even believe my kids : )

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Jane! Mine are a pair, too, and I love to watch them interact. Hopefully it will all work out for Sadie and Shadow.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Laurie, I know exactly what you mean....and you've said it so well.  I feel the same way about my boys.  They have an intriguing way of communicating with each other with just looks and little movements.  They annoy each other at times, but they are truly "a pair".  I pray that Sadie and Shadow can find the right home and they can stay together.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Karen, Thank you and what a nice thought. If I were a dog, I hope I lived the life that most of our dogs here on DK know. I keep hoping that person shows up and I would be happy to contribute to any Sadie and Shadow fund to keep them where they are until that happens.

F, Don't you think you could handle four dogs? I know I wish I could, but your dogs are better with other dogs :) Thank you!! I really want them to find a home together.

Camilla, Thank you! We have to just keep hoping someone perfect is out there for them. Too bad you can't fly there and take some of your great pictures to show them off.

Sheri, I know you know these two Doodles, so this has to be extra hard for you. I want all the same things you do for those two sweet dogs. Someone is going to get very lucky if they just take a chance. We just have to keep getting the word out until it happens. Thank you for helping them.

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

Every time I log in to my e-mail (which is probably 20 times or more a day) I pray there will be an app for Shadow and Sadie!  I so want these guys to have a real "doodle" life.  I want them to be able to sit on the sofa at night and just get to snuggle with their people.  I want them to get to sleep indoors when it is cold (and hot) and have a whole box of toys to choose from.  I want them to know the feeling of racing for the car and fighting for the best seat.  I want them to have their photo taken 700 thousand times in an effort to have their picture in the GoldenDoodle Calendar.  I want them to have a family that wants them to have only the best food and treats, made in the USA from USA sourced products.  I really want it ALL for them.  I just can't help but think that out of all of us on here, SOMEONE knows someone that could give these doodles the home that they deserve.  Please share with everyone you know and ask them to share as well.

[Charlotte and Bo]

Here's hoping they find their perfect world.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Laurie, I love this blog. having seen them in action first hand I really can see how close they are. They are so much like a brother and sister to me, the way they tease and irritate but deep down just love each other.  :-)

My heart is broken over the idea of Sadie and Shadow being separated, I think of them every day and I'm hoping for them to find the perfect home.

[F, Calla & Luca]

What a nice blog for your duo and Sadie and Shadow. I do hope someone needs two dogs and realizes it from the get go. It took most of us two doodle owners a while to get the second and that works. But with this pair you get the perfect number of doodles already guaranteed to get along, something I am sure most of us worried about.