Day 2 Puppy Choice

Image by GillBates via Flickr

Hi again.

Well, that wasn't so difficult so I guess I will try it once more.

One thing you really have to keep in mind when you are looking for a new canine member of the family. Never. Never. Never go to look at Labrador puppies unless you are pretty darn certain that is the breed you want in your home. One look at those little puppy eyes and after watching them roughhouse with their litter mates and all is lost. Just look at those little guys. What's not to love? All of a sudden you will find yourself chosen by a puppy.

If you will note the title of my blog, Labs are Golden, you will begin to see how this twig has been bent. My husband and I had decided that it was time to get our 12 year old daughter a dog of her own. Our son still had his old "Trooper" who was a mixed breed (he has a story all of his own maybe to be shared at a later date).

Both of us were leaning heavily toward a Golden Retriever(they are really great,too). My husband, Richard, found an ad in the paper for puppies which were half Lab and half Golden Retriever for $25.00. That was great. So off we went to have a look see. We thought that we would be able to find a puppy that looked at least a little bit like a Golden Retriever out of this litter.

When we got there, we found all of the yellow ones were gone and only the black Lab-look-alikes were left. What had happened was this. A young boy had started a 4H PROJECT in which he planned to breed pure Goldens. Well, it seems the neighbors Black Lab had gotten loose and came to visit the young couple (as in canine). One thing led to another and a match not necessarily made in Heaven, but close as far as I'm concerned, occurred. So much for the 4H project.


Anyway, by the time we got there all of the Momma's characteristics were missing and the Daddy's genes were running and tumbling all over the place. Of the five or six puppies that were left, one of the little males came over and ran around our feet and finally sat down on our daughter's foot. We had been chosen. That is how Shadow came into our lives. I really have to say we never regretted it once for the next almost 17 years.

So, beware, if you are looking for a dog for the family, do your research online before you ever go to meet the puppies. Once you've met the little charmers the choice seems to have already been made for you by a little four-footed furball.

See you next time. Bye