I finally got my Golden Retriever today! I'm dog tired, so I'll just leave
you with this for now:

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the...Hendrix/photo#
5084650269539333362

You can also see his litter mates, he

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.../MelodySLitter

--
Lynne

So Hendrix comes from Golden Retriever rescue. I got frustrated in my
search for a GR pup. My breeder's last attempted litter of the year (he
does 2) didn't take, no one he knew was having puppies in the summer, and
I found myself mooning over shelter pups. Thankfully, I have kept in
touch with this wonderful rescue through it all, and they had this very
interesting litter. The mother was pulled from a shelter on May 10 and
gave birth the next day in the foster home. This family raises most of
the litters of pregnant Goldens for this rescue. They socialize them
right from the start, to their 3 dogs (+1 other foster) and 7 cats (!!)
as well as lots of people, including their own 4 children and their
friends. Add to that the mama dog has a very sweet temperament, some
advice from dog folks (you know who you are--thank you!!), and that was
that. I finally found my pup.

GR rescue told me that people who come to them want something that at
least sorta resembles a Golden. They thought the shockingly dark pup
might be hard to adopt out. I met the pups at 3.5 weeks, had first pick,
and picked him, the minority child. The name was given to him by one of
the children in the foster family. I think it's perfect (he's named
after Jimi).

We brought him home yesterday. He met both cats and Roxy, who were all
very curious about him. Roxy and Rudy (cat) were all over him as soon as
we brought him in. Hendrix was a bit overwhelmed by all the attention.
So we took him and Roxy outside and he was still a bit nervous, but after
about 20 minutes he realized Roxy is cool and he started relaxing and
enjoying his new digs. They have both initiated play with each other at
this point and it's really cute. They haven't gotten completely wild
like I know they will. Roxy, by the way LOVES him, just as I knew she
would. She's being very gentle with him, also as I knew she would. She
even sat nicely while I did a some training with him, though I will
mostly do that with each of them alone.

Hendrix has so far only had one accident in the house, on my daughter's
watch (and on her bed, haha). Hopefully, if we do our jobs right, that
will be the last. He has already learned to sit nicely to be fed by hand
(we're following Dunbar's advice all around), and he was very gentle
taking his food. He is very, very focused on me, too, so he's going to
be a blast to train. He also already learned to navigate the deck stairs
I built for him earlier this week! He had several naps in his crate
yesterday, but boy did that fella cry last night (I never knew a pup
could cry continuously for that long!).

Yesterday he met all kinds of people. He loved them all of course. He
also met our neighbor's 4 month old Yorkie puppy and they played their
fool heads off. He had a great day, got a big bag of toys (loves the
rope chew most), and a little puppy swimming pool, too (to be tested
today). OH! I almost forgot, he also already retrieves! All on his own,
and he's really cute and excited about it. He prances and pounces on his
ball or toy and brings it right back to us!! I've had to train my last 3
puppies to retrieve so this is very exciting stuff for me! I'm not sure
if his daddy was a Lab or a Bassett Hound or what he will look like when
he grows up, but we're all already in love so it doesn't matter. I
*think* his little feet are webbed, though. I'll have the vet verify.

Fun fun!

--
Lynne

"Lynne" wrote in message
. 97.142...
snip
OH! I almost forgot, he also already retrieves! All on his own,
and he's really cute and excited about it. He prances and pounces on his
ball or toy and brings it right back to us!! I've had to train my last 3
puppies to retrieve so this is very exciting stuff for me! I'm not sure
if his daddy was a Lab or a Bassett Hound or what he will look like when
he grows up, but we're all already in love so it doesn't matter. I
*think* his little feet are webbed, though. I'll have the vet verify.

Fun fun!

--
Lynne

He's adorable! I don't know what bassett puppies look like, but he sure
looks like a labby puppy to me! Your single pic - all chocolate lab face.
(Ms. Labby Atty agrees). The whole litter looks labby. If I hadn't seen
mom, I wouldn't guess there was any GR in them. Ya, and that retrieve
thing - not a bassett trait, is it? I vote daddy was a big strong lab.


Send puppy breath......................
Sue and Atty

on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 13:50:27 GMT, "Sue and Atty"
wrote:

He's adorable! I don't know what bassett puppies look like, but he
sure looks like a labby puppy to me! Your single pic - all chocolate
lab face. (Ms. Labby Atty agrees). The whole litter looks labby. If
I hadn't seen mom, I wouldn't guess there was any GR in them. Ya, and
that retrieve thing - not a bassett trait, is it? I vote daddy was a
big strong lab.

Yeah, I am thinking Lab, too, but it's still fun to wonder what he'll turn
out like. It's even more fun to hear the reactions when I tell people he's
a Golden Retriever.

He's so damn cute I can't stand it. I was outside training him last night
while some neighbors were setting off fireworks (*sigh*) and he didn't
notice the noise at all. The boy has some major focus and food drive!

Today's plan is to nap when the pup naps. Hopefully our visitors won't
mind.

Send puppy breath......................

Boy, if there was a way to bottle this stuff up I'd do it and send you some
in a heartbeat. So much heaven!

--
Lynne

on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:29:48 GMT, Rocky wrote:

Do you think that'll fade to red? I like red.

Maybe with a little photoshop!

I just added more photos for anyone who wants to click around. So much for
napping when Hendrix naps.

--
Lynne

on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:35:58 GMT, Lynne
wrote:

I just added more photos for anyone who wants to click around.

By the way, that grass is WAY too tall for a lil pup. His legs aren't as
short as they look!

--
Lynne

on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:02:46 GMT, montana wildhack
wrote:

He'll need a tie-dye collar...

That'd be perfect! We still have the green collars meant for Cash, though
(and the purple one the rescue puts on all their dogs when they get
adopted), so he'll have to live with those. Hendrix is already abused,
clearly.

On the way home with him yesterday, Jimi Hendrix's version of the Star
Spangled Banner came on the radio, the one that pissed off the mayor of
some city many, many years ago. My daughter was even psyched at the
coincidence and so I cued up some more Hendrix on the iPod for her. She
liked "Hey Joe" and doesn't mind anymore when I sing it to the pup.

--
Lynne

"Lynne" wrote in message:

I finally got my Golden Retriever today!

I don't know if anyone's told you yet Lynne, that's one funny looking GR.

Congratulations on the pup!

Suja

Lynne wrote:
I finally got my Golden Retriever today! I'm dog tired, so I'll just leave
you with this for now:

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the...Hendrix/photo#
5084650269539333362

You can also see his litter mates, he

http://picasaweb.google.com/what.the.../MelodySLitter

What a cutie! Love his expression. What makes you think he
might be part Basset? Likely proximity of a basset to mom?

He does look very Labby to me.

FurPaw

--
It will be a great day when our schools get all the money they
need and the Army has to hold a bake sale to buy a tank.

To reply, unleash the dog.

In article 42,
Lynne wrote:
on Sun, 08 Jul 2007 15:02:46 GMT, montana wildhack
wrote:
He'll need a tie-dye collar...
That'd be perfect!

I'm waiting for the puppy Afro. He's awfully cute.
--
Melinda Shore - Software longa, hardware brevis -

Prouder than ever to be a member of the reality-based community