When did you get your Doodle?

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Share with us when and why you got a Doodle now - at this stage of your lives.
Write as much or little as you want with no apologies. We have been around awhile
and have lots to share.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Samantha entered our lives when our HK had been out of the house 5 years post college. We had been without a dog in our home for the past 7 years. We had been talking about getting another Bearded Collie for over a year. I even put in an application with Beardie Rescue Group, attempted to contact my old breeder and look onlline for a new one when he didn't get back to me. But didn't really push it. Now I understand why - our Maggie was a phenomenal dog - so smart it was scary. In hindsight, I believe that I was concerend that I would always compare the two and I was afraid of that. SO one day, on the way to Home Depot and Costco with younger daughter I told her that we were talking about getting another dog. She thought I was making it up since we had never mentioned it to anyone. I made her stop and look in the pet store we were passing. I had been there once before and they had a huge GD. The place is very clean and the staff seemed to be very nice and very caring (I didn't know about BYB at the time). I saw this bundle of chocolate sleeping on her back and kept going back to see her. While I was standing there, something woke her up, she flipped her head, looked at me with those gorgeous eyes and I was hooked! DH came to see her, we played with her and she came home with us - all under two hours. I don't regret one second of it!! Oh, we never got to Costco!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

We have been busy here in the Matzkin household. We decided to become foster parents and put in an application with IDOG and The DRC. We were approved by both. I got an email about Mickey, went and picked him up and the rest is history. He is going to his forever home with my daughter & SIL next weekend.
We loved having a 2nd doodle in the house and Samantha it turns out is a wonderful sibling. I put in an application to adopt a little girl from a rescue - yesterday we got the word that we were the chosen family. Within 4 hours I was on a plane to Detroit, rented a car and drove to Toledo to meet & sign the papers to make it offcial. Charli is ours!
Within 24 hours of that email, I was back here in my yard with 3 Doodles. She slept soundly last night but needless to say I didn't. She didn't make a peep so I had to make sure she was okay. 4am I woke her up for our 1st morning walk. Our first of many to come.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

This is so neat. I envy you having more than one doodle.

[Adrianne Matzkin]

It's been 2 weeks since Charli came into our home. She is a great puppy and the full package of puppyhood. We didn't have that with Samantha or Mickey since they were older when they came to live with us. I got back 4 days ago from taking Mickey to his forever home. It feels like the first time I took my oldest daughter to college. The heart hurts. We miss the clopping sound of his huge feet and that magnificent face. He is happy in his new home but he misses the girls. Getting into some puppyhood trouble (chewing the rug) but they love him anyway and he is happy.

I miss having 3 doodles - I must be nuts because I never thought of having 3 children! Two always seemed the best for us. Maybe just missing the sounds of my human girls around all the time.

[Louise and Toby]

This might be a little long - sorry! For me, life is just not right without a dog and a cat. My DH had never had a dog except for a year or so when he was a preteen (they moved and gave the dog away) poor thing. But he really likes dogs! So we got moved into our nice new house and were ready for a dog. My very best friend was needing a dog too and we both wanted a large dog so we started looking at breeds and we both decided on goldendoodles (DH was good with that) and we put deposits on siblings. But, here's the sad part, my puppy did not survive and at the same time I was diagnosed with non-hodgkins lymphoma and needed 5 months of very nasty chemo. My friend did get her puppy, we had to wait till the chemo was over. But, a good part, she decided on another doodle and so once my chemo was over we got siblings after all! We live about 4 hours away - so sad! But we get together now and then and talk on the phone all the time comparing our doodle stories (among other things). You'll see pictures of her and Gypsy Rose on my page in the photos. That's how it all happened, my DH is great with it all and we couldn't be happier!
PS I am open to another but so far he's not :(

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have lived with dogs non-stop since the age of 6 and I really don't think I could live without one. My last dog, a miniature poodle died in Sept. 2005, just before I moved into my current home. After the painters left & we were all settled, I started looking for a dog. I did not want a puppy, and since I had become involved in rescue, I felt the right thing for me would be to adopt a young dog who needed a home. I was looking for a small to medium size poodle mix, and filled out applications for two different dogs with a rescue group & a shelter in the area. I lost out on one, and the other turned out to be a bad match. (Cat killer!) But then the shelter called about Jack; he had just come in, and they thought he might be a good fit for me.
He was not at all what I was looking for; much bigger than I wanted, light-colored, and he did not have the poodle coat. I had to think very hard for several days about whether he was too much dog for me. But he was clearly meant to be mine. He came home in January of 2005. He is too much dog for me, lol, but I can't imagine life without him. He is my best guy.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jackdoodle came to me in January 2006, not 2005. Oops, a senior moment!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

Hey Senior,
What is Jackdoodles birthday - month and year?
My mother calls that CRAFTS - can't remember a f---n thing!!
From My mother who never said the work damn until she was 70!!!!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Jack's birthday is November 28, 2004; he was almost 14 months old when I got him.
I love your mother's acronym...I think we need to add it to the DK acronyms list!

[Adrianne Matzkin]

I love that one. You don't have to be 'old' to have a CRAFTS moment!

[Susan, Zeke. Lily & Jasper]

If I'm truthful with you and myself getting my doodles was a mid-life crisis rebellious act. I had been feeling unloved, unappreciated, and generally usless. I had discussed with DH the possibilites of getting a dog and as usual his first reaction was no. So as usual also my reaction was if I want to I will. I first learned of Labradoodles from my sister who lives near Boston ( I'm in Georgia ). I've never met her Zoe in person but have seen darling pictures and decided to research the breed. The more I learned the more I knew this was the dog for me. At first I thought a medium maybe even a mini would be the best size since our home is small but I had the opportunity to attend a doodle romp where there were about 30 doodles of all sizes and totally fell in love with the big guys. While doing the research I had been watching a few breeder sites for puppies due to be placed in homes early summer 08. After the romp in April I contacted a few breeders and found the perfect fit. She had posted pictures of individual puppies and when I saw Zeke I knew he was exactly what I was looking for. DH said there was no way I could afford to get him. I promptly cashed in a life insurance policy that took care of all the expenses. I should have named him something to commerate this because he has been a new lease on life! Zeke was delivered to us In June 08 at age 12 weeks. He is a joy, so smart and intuitive. At about age 6-7 months I realized that he was treating DH as another puppy ( mouthing, jumping, agressive play ) so I started considering a playmate. I didn't have another insurance policy so I started looking at rescue and rehome possibilites. A 7 month old female popped up on a site located within driving distance. I could'nt believe how much she looked like Zeke, she was perfect. I adopted her Dec 08 to the delight of Zeke and everyone who meets her. Lily completes our family very nicely. By the way DH is totally in love with these dogs! You would think after 36 years he would trust my judgement and would have learned when he says no you can't, I say, oh stand back and watch me!

[fergie11]

You have such a great story. I have horses which my DH is not happy about. We decided to lease out one of them to a very nice lady named Diana decided to lease her for her grandaughter so the money from that went to buy Fergie. That's how she got her name because I figured I should name the puppy after the lady that paid for her but I didn't like Diana which led to Fergie which is so perfect for a doodle with red hair who is just a little naughty.
OK then the subject comes up of another. I said if I sell a horse can I get another dog. Sure enough Diana decides to buy the horse which is a great thing to happen anyway. Tomorrow I go pick out the new puppy. The horses name was Fire so I can't name the puppy Fire - Bad thing to run around yelling in the neighborhood when I want puppy to come. My husband will love "Ginger" as much as Fergie. We've been together 32 yrs. and you are so right. You'd think they'd learn never to tell us we can't do something.

This is a picture of Fire and Fergie (and friend) trail riding. Fergie was only 6 months and she did just wonderful.