My good dog!

Hi All,

I thought it would be nice (for a change) to tell about the good things
about my dog (Chloe). Dogs are such amazing creatures and I love
watching them think.

For instance, my 4 yr old golden really likes her crate. She didn't
care for it as a puppy but she started liking it at about 9 months of
age. I never forced her in there; I used it to help housetrain her,
which happened so quickly. I keep her crate in my bedroom and recently
took the door off to create extra walk-around space in my BR. She
crawls in there for part of the night (when she's not in the bathroom).
I don't require her to be in her crate (she has the run of the house)
but it's so cute to see her cuddle up in there and how much she LIKES it.

When she was a young pup and I had to leave the house, I used an
exercise pen in a big half circle in my LR with direct access to her
doggy door. She could be inside within the exercise pen area with a bed
and toys and/or go outside in the fenced yard (while I was out of the
house). It was a great way to give her more space and keep her safe
while I was at work. I never had damage to furniture, shoes or
anything. She has the run of my entire place. When I'm not home I play
soft jazz music for her (she seems to like that best).


I'm constantly amazed at the vocabulary my girl has amassed. She knows
so many words. The other night she was telling me that she wanted me to
go to bed. I wasn't ready to. She stomped her foot and whined. So I
pointed to the stairs and said to her, "Chloe, you're a big girl, you
can go beddy-bye on your own." And at that, she went upstairs and went
to bed. I hadn't expected her to do that, but she listened and then
went upstairs on her own.

She knows the "go potty" command from the time she was a little puppy
(accompanied by excited "good girl!" whenever she goes). She now goes
on command. This is very nice when I'm ready to go to bed and it's cold
outside (or if I have to leave home for a bit and am in a hurry). I
still make a big deal of her going using the "GOOD POTTY" praise I've
always used. It's just so nice and convenient for her to know this and
do it when asked.

Aside from the basic obedience commands, she knows the words "WAIT,"
"Momma," and the names of various toys. She knows "car," "home,"
"outside," "walk." She learns people's names so quickly. She knows
every conceivable word that has anything to do with food!! She knows
the words, "beautiful," "smart," "pretty," cause she hears me tell her
that every day (and strangers too). Let's just say if my dog suffers
from any low self-esteem, it isn't from a lack of attention or a lack of
being told how wonderful she is!! LOL. She's a confident, happy dog.

I socialized her early and often and she is wonderful around other dogs.
She actually has no interest in other dogs, for the most part. They
like her and she tends to ignore them. She prefers people, especially men.

I love her more each day than the day before (I tell her this too). I
waited FIVE years to have my own golden (I wanted just the right
environment before getting a dog and used to live in an apt in a city
with no yard). I knew Chloe's breeder for years before I was ready for
my own. My breeder would let me visit and help socialize puppy litters
when I needed a 'puppy fix.'

I feel so lucky to have this golden girl in my life!! I am taking time
to enjoy her every day I have her.

--

Mom2aDog
(see the world's most spoiled golden retriever
http://www.geocities.com/natgold/chloe)