Ramblings of A Labradoodle Owner

Rainbows: something not too common, seen throughout a lifetime, to be admired, savored while you experience its magnificence and go back to what you were doing when it fades away. The memory of a rainbow lingers in one’s mind waiting till the next time it might happen again. Some are lucky enough to capture the brilliance of a rainbow showing its sheer beauty via a picture. However, whether the picture is on paper, on your computer, or in your head it remains a pleasant memory to be recalled at any given moment. So while a rainbow may last a short time it leaves an everlasting impression inside you.

One day in late October, Dave and I were coming home from work. He was traveling east and I was traveling west. A magnificent rainbow occurred causing us and others to stop and pull off the road to admire the beauty on a cold fall day. We were supposed to bring an Xpen to my breeders but somehow we got busy, it got later than we thought, and well the day turned into night. I called my breeder and asked if I could bring it the next day to her as Dave and I had just enough energy to eat dinner and head to bed early. I failed to mention the rainbow that seemed to arc and end at her barn. The following morning Dave mentioned to me he had captured a picture of this rainbow on his camera. As we left for work, Dave now was traveling west and I heading east with the sun about to rise. The colors were almost as awesome as the rainbow but with a softer yet stronger tone to it. Colors on pinks, yellows, and other muted colors contrasted against the true blue sky and big white fluffy clouds that almost look as if they’re ready to burst with the season’s first snow. Once again I didn’t realize Dave and I had pulled off the road to admire the beauty of nature as were traveling to work in opposite directions. Later on that night, we were tired like usual but kept our promise to go to my breeder’s barn. On the way, I was telling Dave about this one deep red Goldendoodle puppy that was the last one left. We were just making conversation at this point, as already have 1 Labradoodle and 1 Goldendoodle at home.

For some reason when we entered our breeder’s barn the next day, this puppy and Dave lock eyes immediately. Before I know it, I feel like I am in movie watching “love at first sight”. I know the look, don’t ask me how, I just do. My breeder starts to laugh as she too gave me the head tilt and a big smile with that look of “uh oh, here we go again Annmarie?” For some reason this 14 week old Goldendoodle puppy came to life when he laid eyes on Dave whereas till then anytime someone came to pick out a puppy, this little red guy would grow quiet and sit at the back of the litter. My breeder says with each litter it seems like the last one to be picked acts this way until the very right person comes along.

Whether it’s coincidence or not isn’t the point, what happened next was within 24 hours we had our third doodle in our home. Dave named him Beau Regarde as he was beautiful along. Moreover, he had the mellowest temperament I had seen in years. Dave doesn’t ask for much as he likes to live life simply, lovingly and harmoniously. And we work as a team daily with dogs, kids, shopping, cleaning and so on. So bringing Beau home was a no- brainer, I saw the deep love between a man and a dog, yet Dave stated it would be my decision since I am the sole trainer, feeder, etc, But Dave is the best dog walker on earth: never a complaint if we are having single digit Artic Tundra temperatures, pouring rain, time of day or night doesn’t concern Dave either.  I figured that since Max, our Labradoodle, shadowed me 24/7 and considered a mamma’s boy, and Peanut, our Goldendoodle, seemed to at times favor my 16 year old son that Beau would be his dog.

October 28, 2007 was the day we brought Beau into our home and hearts. Beau was even easier going than Max; crate trained immediately and was housebroken within one week. Is this dog for real? ( Max and Peanut trained well and easily but not that quickly) . However, as sweet, laid back and submissive that Beau is to this day, he did seem to have dominance issues with Max. I passed it off as puppy hood and also the fact that Beau was with his mom and dad for 2 weeks with all littermates in their new forever homes as a possible cause. Dogs are pack animals that establish their place within a pack which also include us humans.

Beau, a deep true “gun dog” red colored Goldendoodle with a heart of gold and desire to be lavished in love while giving his heart and soul to us at any given moment. He also has that sad “Hush Puppy” eyed look which could melt the coldest of hearts in an instant. His coat was unique: silky with a slight wave forming and a definite wispiness to it but appeared to be non-shedding. Little did we know how unique Beau would end up looking: like an Irish Setter and loose 4 inch curls going down his whole back while his red deepened as each month passed by.

Peanut who was a little comical and goofy terror at times was 11 months old and grew up instantly playing the role of a big sister to Beau. Max appeared to be curious, gentle and very patient yet didn’t bond immediately which is normal. In life whether it is humans or animals, bonding takes time, thus  daily life changes with 3 doodles ages 4, 11 and 16 months old. Heck, I had 3 children in 4 years so I figured having 3 puppies in 1.5 years was equivalent: chaos, laughter, training, and make sure I didn’t blink more than 3 seconds and much love to be shared.

Everyone thought I was nuts. Like I say jokingly, ” I have lost my mind but am having too much fun NOT looking for it”. Besides, my children are now ages 16, 18.5 and 20 years old. I am used to noise, spontaneity, confusion, repeating myself numerous times, being persistent, laughing when wanting to cry or scream and knew that dogs mature faster than children. Besides, having a quiet home, time on my hands, being able to have no schedules or time restraints, one teenager in college, was something I didn’t think I could handle easily.

For the 1st month things are going fairly smoothly with all 3 doodles and I found it actually easier having three doodles than two. I know that sounds crazy but it’s the truth. Peanut teaches Beau how to play tug-of-war, Max tries to teach Beau how to share toys as well as how to be a partner in crime stealing socks whenever anyone isn’t looking or leaves a bedroom door open. Life is great, we’re all happy.

Okay, how did I forget what happens when a puppy turns 6 months old and comes to life? The stage of jumping, chewing due to teething, forgetting simple commands like sit or stay, and the list continues. At puppy at this age is like having a 2 or 3 year old again and yes naps come into play so Beau can grow properly, recharge his batteries for the next round of playtime with us, and so I get a break to keep my sanity—the little that is left.

We enroll Beau in Obedience Training classes on Saturday mornings and Max back in for a refresher class on Wednesday evenings. Both do well even though I now will admit it was a ton of work doing two dogs for 8 week classes and trying to do “in-house” obedience training with our 3rd dog Peanut. Yet with daily training all 3 doodles begin to become better mannered in many ways but one: Beau cannot tolerate Max being number one in the pack.

Winter has set in and so has single digit temperatures, ice, snow and other times rain. Beau is getting much bigger as well as challenging Max almost on a daily basis as to who will be the dominant dog in our home. Max tries his best to ignore Beau’s puppy ways but at times tries to put Beau in his place. We also talk to our dog trainers and work with this “dominance” issue which is getting worse as winter continues its long cold days with darkness that sets in too early. On and off Beau and Max bond, nap and share toys together but they also have their daily to weekly disagreements. Peanut is the peacemaker of the group but is unable to help them settle matters. Nor am I  or other members of my family. We decide to let them work it out unless it gets really bad.

As time flies by, Beau develops into a tall, lean, gorgeous, deep red Goldendoodle that has the sweetest disposition. He weighs 60 pounds but looks more like the scale should read 45 pounds. When Beau leaps it is like watching a graceful ballet maneuver as he glides into the air and silently lands on his feet. Catching snowballs in the air at heights of 5 to 6 feet become easy as pie for Beau, who tries to compete with Max on every level. Even Peanut, who is built like a tank, now tries to get airborne when food or snowballs are tossed into the air yet only reaches a 3 foot height. Like we say, ” She gets an A for effort and enthusiasm.”

Everywhere we go or anyone who meets Beau falls in love with his calm sweet demeanor. Many mistake him for an Irish Setter possibly due to his color and type of coat; doesn’t matter though as Beau is just our little Beau Regarde inside and out. He is also our little born comedian with a happy go lucky, not a care in the world attitude. All Beau cares about is getting loved with daily hugs, pets, playing fetch whenever possible. OH, there is another thing Beau lives for: to fall over from a standing position to the ground, never hurting himself though it sounds like it should, and do what we call “snow angels” on the floor. He even plays tug of war in this position, with Peanut slowly dragging his body across the tiled floors.

Having three doodles is similar to raising three small children close in age. Oh wait, didn’t I already do that? As my 3 children are now at heights of 5 ft 3 in (petite 20yr old daughter) and 2 sons that are 5 ft 11in tall , being 16 and 18 years old presently.

How are 3 doodle puppies all under the age of 2 years old comparable to toddlers? Both try your patience, need much loving guidance, training and reminders along with laughing over “stuff”. Stuff being the things you don’t want ripped, chewed, broken, borrowed without permission, and the list continues. You have to have eyes in the back of your head too. But if one steps back for a moment to realize the love that exists, waiting to be unleashed it warms the heart and puts a smile on your face. Nothing in life is easy or let’s say when you work on something getting to good results, there is a deeper appreciation that occurs. Whether it be seeing a son succeed in college, a daughter that gives you a hug and says, ” I am so glad your my Mom, I Love you”, or a dog that comes over to sit and give you a kiss for no reason other than to do it. All the past “stuff” fades away leaving only a feeling of happiness and fond memories filled with love.

Things in our house shift a bit and take on another path that was not intended but we tried to prevent. The hard, cold, eye-opening reality that Beau and Max are not a good fit, as Beau grows up, sets in. They begin to tolerate each other more than bond with each other. At a moment’s notice a disagreement can erupt like a silent volcano that needs to spew out its hot lava for an indeterminate amount of time. It breaks my heart to see this in my home. I see a change happening in all 3 doodles personalities, type of play and more.

So back to square one : we decide to let the two of them, Max and Beau, settle their issues not breaking it up unless necessary. However, Peanut does try to at times without success. Next is more training to no avail. After 4 + months, my family and I are now beginning to feel a bit stressed as our Doodles are as well.

Many people may think this is being dominant, aggression or in a negative view. This is not the case, as much as we love our 3 Doodles, in reality they are dogs which are pack animals. While a dog may look to one of us humans as their Pack Leader and for direction, they also try to establish an order amongst themselves. Yet for some reason, Max who really doesn’t want to be top dog is challenged almost on a daily basis now. Sounds ironic but when pushed far enough, Max will finally give the “I’ve had all I can take” attitude and give it back but not with all his might and soul. Beau stands his ground yet at times backs down only to try again at a later time of the day.

In my household we try to make family decisions in situations such as these as everyone is affected by it. Okay in the end there are times when everyone states their opinion and advice but will leave the final decision to me. I can honestly say this is one time I didn’t want the final say as it hurt too much and felt very heavy making my heart weary and sad. So for once, I stated that I needed help and we had to agree as a whole, together as a family. The outcome as that we would do our best to find BEAU the best possible loving home, hopefully with a family that had or has a Doodle, really would love Beau tremendously, and more. The requirements I had almost made me think that we were the best home but deep within I knew there had to be someone out there and it would take time.

I had quite a few inquiries at first. One wanted only a chocolate dog–OUT! Another person wanted to give him away to a friend that was a hunter—yeah right! Another family had an older dog, many kids of various ages, and said, “well I guess he is cute, ok we’ll take him”—I don’t think so! Then a woman many miles from me seemed to fit the bill, that is until the time came to ship Beau via airplane. Everything that could go wrong—did. Then I had that uneasy feeling inside which would not go away, thus I made a call to making a woman sad by stating Beau was staying home with me and my family.

By now I was working harder to getting harmony to exist between all 3 Doodles wondering if I should just give in and say this is the way it was going to be: 3 Doodles with 2 not getting along. But at the same time I could not bear to live this way for 10 to 15 years (their life expectancy) as well as continually watch my family feel the stress too. I was at crossroads, had shed many tears, but refused to give up hope: someday I was going to find Beau’s forever home that was aching to love him.

Ever hear you find things when you are not looking or when least expected, the unexpected happens? I am sitting here now smiling and giggling softly because that is what happened next. A family that lives about 460 miles away really wanted Beau from the first time they read a posting about why I had to sadly find Beau another loving home. Many people also felt that Beau going to the original family wasn’t going to happen, even those that are scientific and don’t believe in bad gut feelings—they did now. Before I knew it I was talking to a wonderful woman who had 3 small children close in age like I had, was from the South like me, had a chocolate doodle puppy, along with really loving husband she adored and respected. Wait, stop! Okay I need time to think this over as I could not go through the tears again if this fell through at the last minute.

But for some reason this woman put me at ease, I heard much laughter in her household when we talked at various times of the day or night. We had similar views on life and much more in common that I realized. However, this time I was going to fully weigh all factors before saying, “Yes”. After a week we all agreed that Beau could be a good fit in their home but then I was asked if we could wait 5 weeks before they came to get Beau. Why? This is where time at first seemed to be in slow motion not speeding up until the last 2 weeks of their arrival.

This great family needed to spay their Doodle first. Also the new fence, as her husband stated with two Doodle dogs a fence was a necessity. Lastly, was that they would drive to our home during Memorial Day weekend and leave their 3 little boys home with their parents. Wow, 5 weeks is a long time to wait and what if someone changes their mind? Then the worries set in as us women think and think and think even more exploring every situation that our brain can conjure up. Perhaps men do this as well, but if they do they’re silent about it acting more practical and less emotional. However what is about to unfold is like a fairy tale with a happy ending.

Wow, today is D-Day! This sweet woman and her great husband left at 7pm to do an 8.5 hour drive to my home with their 5 month old doodle. By now we had numerous conversations so we were feeling less like strangers and more like friends. I was excited, nervous and cleaning my house like a mad hatter! Poor Dave he could not rest as I kept finding more things to wash, clean, replace and keep us busy. Or was it because I didn’t want to sit down and think of Beau leaving us? I say it was a combination of making sure my house was clean as they were staying from Friday till Sunday morning and not to let the reality of Beau not being here ,bouncing up and down with his contagious joy greeting us every morning this way, sink in just yet.

It is 3 am and yes they arrive. Dave and I wake up to greet them. And if I had only known how well things were to go, all my fears, worries , concerns, questions of what ifs would have never been in my mind. Beau and this little mini-Doodle, Cacao, meet and within minutes seem to be bonded already!?! WE let them have an hour together alone and just observe two dogs having a blast. Now we let Peanut and Max out. Ever see 4 dogs of the same breed play together at 4 am? You should try it sometime as it’s definitely a unique experience to be awakened by yet filled with laughter and smiles had by all.

It is now approaching 5 am, everyone but our dogs appear tired. I called Beau over to me as I was putting him to bed first. For the first time Beau didn’t run over to me or Dave, rather he went straight into this man’s arms and cuddled up as best he could. Beau is not usually one to take readily to a complete strange yet he did as we all stood with shocked looks on our faces and then did the “aww” sound. We all managed to awaken by 8 am. Our eyes were not fully open on 3 hours sleep but our doodles were raring to go—go outside and play!

So coffee in hand to caffeinate our brains into think mode and keep our eyelids open, we all take a walk to the creek at the end of my yard. To watch 4 alert, agile, energetic and happy Doodles romp, run, just have fun being a dog on 6 acres is a heartwarming sight. What a great way to wake up and start our day! Oh, this wonderful woman helped me eat chocolate dipped strawberrries for breakfast BEFORE our walk, never complaining about calories either! Which only added the happieness level that existed at the moment. My kind of friend, a carpe diem attitude and all diets go off duty when visiting friends.

Rather than go into all the details, I’d like to state that Beau and Cacao were like a scene from Romeo and Juliet neither one wanting to apart from the other for more than a minute or two. Max was so gentle with Cacao, Peanut played exactly like Cacao so they got along infamously as well, and Beau was the protector growling if Max got within several feet of Cacao. It was like you could hear him say, “She’s all mine, Max.” However, all 4 Doodles got along great, wore each other out that they actually napped and later were quiet in my house at nighttime. I’d say the roughest time we had was for Dave and I stand back letting this woman and her husband be with Beau, taking him on a 2 hour walk with their dog, and start to correct him if he wasn’t listening and just act like Beau’s parents. And the did great! Dave and I did too as we prepared for this day along with my having fostered dogs for many years, you can love a dog dearly but you have to let go quietly no matter how much it hurts or saddens you at that moment because deep inside when you see a dog truly happy being with another family there is a mixed emotion. All positive as finding the right family, well how can one deep down be sad?

Sunday morning I bathed Beau and Cacao as there was some mud to rid their bodies of and send Beau off with his new family smelling fresh and clean. Dave and I each that morning managed to sneak away privately with Beau saying our goodbyes the best we could, giving him the loving hug, holding him dearly, the mind momentarily devoid of all thought except the love we feel and how much we were going to miss Beau. Beau doesn’t understand he is leaving with his new family so I help encourage him to get into their van with ease. I keep saying to myself, “Annmarie do not cry until they’re gone”. It didn’t work as before I knew it the warm , silent tears were bursting out of my overfilled misty eyes yet I tried to muster a smile while waving good-bye praying the tears were not visible in the bright sunlight.

Rainbows, they come and they go. They can bond people unfamiliar to each other due to their nature. But this is one time the unfamiliar people are staying our friends and not getting in their car to drive off and never be seen or heard from again like the rainbow fades from our sight. This time is different, very different. Beau, like a rainbow, was in our life for only 7 months but his memories will last a lifetime. At any given moment my family and I can brighten up our day just by thinking of him. Moreover, this loving, caring, sweet woman and her husband opened their hearts and homes not only to Beau but to us as well. Some will say this is what my family and I did. So I guess two families took a chance and had the “winning lotto” ticket in life but paid with love instead of money as money doesn’t buy happiness. In this instance, Beau a red, sweet, 11 month old, well mannered, Goldendoodle helped all of us live, laugh and love. Little did I realize when I learned there is a time to let go, it didn’t mean just with my almost grown children. That one day it would mean letting go, and my family too, of a dog we loved dearly we held preciously in our hearts and would let another family do the same.

So please, read this story more with an understanding and feeling of good things in life happen, paths change and cross in life when least expected, and just maybe things do happen for a reason. Beau, our little Rainbow of happiness still shines in our hearts and now is shining his love with a great family and a new buddy, Cacao.

So what started out with true happiness when we brought Beau home, ended the same way [here] and has started all over again with his new forever family.

How can one be sad when you know deep in your heart Beau will never be forgotten and is happy making new memories as well as a life long bond with 3 little boys, a mother and father and one cute little 6 month old mini-doodle, Cacao.

Instead of one door closing and another one opening; No Door got closed, instead all doors are now open letting a nice breeze sail smoothly allowing a freshness to be felt when let in as we await Beau, Cacao’s and their family to visit us again down the road. Once again Doodles have a way of letting you experience love and serenity of thoughts rather than dwell on sadness. Their attitudes shine as bright and beautiful as a Rainbow but never fade.

Beau…we are so happy for you. To Beau’s new family: we thank you. 

To Dave and my children: thank you for helping this be a family decision and finding Beau the right home. As I learned much from this experience: happiness does come from within while being giving when you want to hold on and not let go,really is true love. We are a close family and I feel truly blessed.

To Cacao: you instantly became Beau’s Juliet and he, your Romeo, thus a new beginning that shines with love, smiles, and fond memories.

Doodles, what are they? For hearsay, I am talking about just a Labradoodle and Goldendoodle though to-date there are numerous poodle mixes being coined as “Designer Dogs” in news articles, magazines, by pedigree breeders, and other organizations with set standard rules on form, structure, temperament, size, weight and more. 

So why does the term Designer Dog ruffle a few feathers or at times denote a negative image? If you haven’t tried it, don’t knock it, walk a mile in my shoes [with a doodle on the other end of a leash], or possibly do some research. Lastly, read articles, such as mine, and see why a Doodle was originally created and how they go beyond original expectations of the first breeding back in 1988.  

So why was a Doodle originally created? Simply put, to be a service dog for those that are allergy sufferers that need a dog with excellent temperament, friendliness, high intelligence, no shedding to very low shedding coat, good health, and even more. Thus comes the mixing of excellent breeds of dogs that have to-date shown good results with doing guide, service and therapy work to helping others out. With mixing a Standard Poodle with either breed, Labrador Retriever or Golden Retriever, a tendency of having a allergy friendly coat and high trainability for service work the Labradoodle and Goldendoodle began its new career to working towards helping those in need. Additionally, the ultimate result also revealed a great family dog good with children and other pets in a household. The term HYBRID VIGOR meant that in many cases the crossing of two different breeds could result in getting the best genetic mixture for a healthy dog as well. 

 According to canine history, in reality there is no domestic dog today that is 100% purebred. I see a few eyebrows rising and some head tilts along with a “what!” look in the crowd. Now before anyone forms any prejudices let us step back a moment and think about how many breeds came to be in present day. Could it be the infusion of breeding several types of breeds to obtain one breed of dog? YES. But my job is not to argue this point nor be a professor giving a lecture, rather my job is to tell you that my Doodles were designed just for me , they act like Mutt and Jeff at times and really are one of the best kept secrets in town. After fostering dogs for over 30 years, Doodles really are a godsend especially for those with allergies such as me and my family. And might I add one of the best dogs ever to enter my life!   Okay, let’s get down to real facts: what the big secret about Doodles?  

1. You have to have one living in your house to totally realize the secret. So those of you without a Doodle in your life, I am not going to easily share this secret. Instead keep reading to see if this is one time a secret isn’t meant to be kept private yet to be shared with one and all. 

2. I’d love to give you my definition of what a Doodle really is and not in a technical canine Webster dictionary style sense. Okay, Doodle is an abbreviated nickname for Labradoodles and Goldendoodles. Moving right along, the next thing to portray is that a Doodle is just that. A what? Yes a Doodle! When considering what we do when we doodle, such as scribbling a drawing on a piece of paper while thinking at work, at a seminar or talking on the phone, aren’t we using our creative side? Okay there is intelligence behind a doodle as well, as some type of thought goes into a designed doodle on a piece of paper. At that moment aren’t we trying to relax too? To this day I remember the Spyrograph where doodle drawings were made with enthusiasm by kids of all ages, sometimes adults got into the act. So normally when one thinks of the word “doodle” it conveys a happy, silly, maybe even goofy yet creative moment that later can evoke laughter or a an appreciation of a spontaneous creation and possibly just being yourself.  Getting back to a “Doodle” in the canine sense. 

3.  A Doodle has a beautiful, sweet temperament, with many creative and comical antics along with great intelligence. These Doodle dogs do go through many stages as any other breed of dog, however with a bit of twist to it at times. What do I mean by this? Well, if you keep reading I will reveal to you what I and others that have these Doodle dogs really are a hybrid of laughter, love, and much more. Doodles originally designed aka bred to create a wonderful guide/service/and/or therapy dog back in 1988 that somehow got noticed as being also a great family pet and companion in life.

4. My Doodles do guide me to their food bowl when hungry, or to their water dish when empty. They provide me with excellent butler service: announcing the arrival of visitors at our door by loudly barking, lick up all crumbs under the dining room table better than any vacuum I’ve had to-date, will eagerly clean plates when asked, pick up any clothes especially socks lying on the floor. However I have yet to teach them how to push the buttons to activate the dishwasher, serve me afternoon tea, or ring a bell when dinner is ready. The therapy I obtain from my doodles is better than lying on a couch and talking to some therapist for $80 or more an hour. Rather, I talk to my doodles daily for FREE; they listen intently, and afterwards give lots of kisses. They also provide unconditional love 24/7 unless they are asleep, snoring louder than my dear fiancé, Dave.

5. Doodles have an unbelievable nimble agility to their movements when running, jumping, and even wrestling with each other. At times they can easily jump over our legs resting on a coffee table; sail through the air sideways at eye level yet when watching something of this nature their movements can be as graceful as a ballerina. Yet I have to admit while their paws barely touch the ground as if there were layer of air supporting them as they glide and prance about the house, there are times that surprise you with sounds of teeth clicking wars. Getting a picture of this in motion makes them almost look ferocious as a lion on a food hunt. But to this day, my doodles have yet to break or knock anything over other than pull out an electrical cord that manages to get in their way. Simply put, it’s almost like these doodles study the layout of your home, have a mental blueprint image in their head and can run faster than a speeding bullet missing all breakables, jumping over chairs with ease and elegance, but come to a swift, silent screeching halt if food is being prepared in the kitchen.

6. Training a doodle is done with positive reinforcement, a soft voice with gentle correction, much praise and very few treats. I tried treat training my doodles when little puppies at potty time outside. That ended on the first day when Max faked pooping and peeing just to get a treat. Back to basics to training Max with love, praise, hugs and acting like I had a winning Lotto ticket when he did “business” outside. Peanut, my other doodle, took a bit longer as she knows how to do something but would rather find just the right spot which can take numerous paces, sniffs, and about 15 minutes or more at times. Regardless, they train easily if given enough attention and love.

7. Doodles love having a task to do and learning ‘words’ or sentences. Maybe it’s a game to us but to them it is serious business to be devoured like a great mouth watering Thanksgiving dinner. They sometimes as puppies start out as the class clown in obedience training yet seem to rise to the head of the class after they’re done socializing and pushing your buttons. As they mature, Doodles have a way of sensing depression/sadness, illness, stress, injury and will lie faithfully by your side offering both their companionship and assistance when possible. How so? Maybe I should say SOME Doodles are like this but for me I have witnessed our Max assist my daughter when she had knee surgery and offer support by leaning into her good leg and waiting for her to rest her hand on Max’s back for support. I have also seen Max run and break my fall once when I was running a high fever and was very unsteady. I was falling face first into the coffee table but somehow Max managed to have me fall on top of him instead. Maybe to some these are silly examples, but for me and others that have Doodles we have all at one time or another seen and felt their instinctual caring helping and loving ways in times of need.

8. I may joke around much about Doodles comical antics yet there is intelligence behind their attention getting ways. Or as some say, “a method to their madness”.  Peanut, a goldendoodle in reality, is now called our Golden Pocket Theiver. My son has more homework eaten and been corrected for leaving his homework out where a doodle can find it. But my son didn’t leave his homework out! His homework was safe and sound or so we thought till we discovered Peanut unzipping his book bag and politely teasing out papers that just happened to be a 3 day project he just completed. This past winter somehow the receipts I need for my taxes were ending up inside the roof of Peanut’s mouth as that is the first place we now check when she wears a Cheshire cat smile. What happened is Dave and I both one night watched in disbelief as Peanut would walk around our dining room table, sniffing each pocket on the coats that we place on our chairs. We were in shock as Peanut, the cute little princess that she is at 55 lbs and 22in tall, every so gently uses those tiny front little teeth to quickly unzip our pockets and in about 2 seconds flat either inhales or licks or teases out a receipt. If caught, she blinks those soulful eyes while picking up one of her toys and feigns complete innocence. In our house the “Black Hole” truly exists as this is where her thievery stash is kept: inside her mouth behind a toy she’s supposed to play with. If you ask me, that takes a certain amount of intelligence and dexterity.

9. I could probably list more than 50 reasons of why Doodles are a hybrid dog designed to be the best kept secret in town. For my family, friends, and myself or should I say anyone who lets any doodle into their homes and heart no longer will try to classify this type of dog and as time goes by is affected less by adamant remarks as to a Doodle is less than other kinds of breeds of dogs presently classified according to strict standards. Most doodle owners are strict about the standard of living their Doodle receives, realizing they are a “people” dog needing to be part of their family. And come to think of it, what dog doesn’t deserve that as well as need it: to be loved as part of the family. So while all opinions and articles will have differing views, my view is that I could not, nor would not turn back the hands of time before I had Doodles. Yes a Doodle, or any dog for that matter, will take up your time, test your ability to laugh when they’re sitting with a $20 bill have eaten in their mouth, perhaps may taste a sock or shoe, need vet visits, feeding schedules and more. Then again what you receive in return money cannot buy: unconditional love from a Doodle that teaches you how to live a fuller life, take time to stop and smell the roses, laugh more often and enjoy those you love. In my case, my Doodles are included as being a part of my family and shared with my closest of friends.

I just told all of you one my best kept secrets. Can you keep it a secret or will you share this one? 

The contents of this blog site are copyright (c) 2008, Annmarie Sparks. All Rights Reserved                             

Technically, many written articles state that Labradoodles and Goldendoodles live on the average about 12-15years.

I say Labradoodles and Goldendoodles, as I have both types of doodles sitting at my feet this very moment, will ONLY live 15 years with a human family that will exercise a sense of humor on a daily basis! So if you are not feeling very humorous in life, I highly suggest getting a doodle. Believe me; you will discover a possible hidden or lost sense of humor while growing OLD together. For now those of you who think they are or have been called “born comedians”, think again! Doodles are the best stand up comedy act in town, outperforming you many times over and over and over again. Though you may be able to be quite the comedian when at a social event alone, without a doodle that is, retelling what antic your doodle did in the past. Otherwise, doodles take first place and you come in as a close second. If you have multiple doodles, then put it this way: you are last but think of laughter as the best medicine around and your doodles are keeping you very healthy. As they say, “He, who laughs last, has the best laugh”.

So how did someone determine the average age of Doodles? Did they refer to Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever and Standard Poodle history for their age along with temperament of comedy and love? For now, humor me as we go and look at what they say about the canine genetic mixes in a Doodle.

First a Goldendoodle , in general, is started by breeding a Golden Retriever with a Standard Poodle. The Labradoodle uses a Labrador Retriever bred with a Standard Poodle.

Golden Retrievers are known as a companion dog that is very friendly, eager to please, happy disposition, responds well to training, peaceful towards other animals, seems to be everyone’s friend in the family and while energetic as puppies, they do tend to calm down a bit in adulthood by 2 years of age. However, there is the exception to the rule and some golden retrievers can take up to 3 years to mature.

The LIFE EXPECTANCY OF GOLDEN RETRIEVERS :12 to 15 years.

The Labrador Retriever is known for its easy going, friendly and faithful nature as well as being excellent hunting dogs. This type of dog also responds well to various types of training (guide, service, therapy, rescue, etc), love attention as well as giving it to their family.  

THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF THE LABRADOR RETRIEVER: 12 to 15 years.

 Now let’s move on to the Standard Poodle. Originally created to be a water/hunting dog, with a no shedding coat, playful and comical personality, very high intelligence, quite agile, possible watch dog in maturity, and easily trains well.

 THE LIFE EXPECTANCY OF STANDARD POODLES: 12 Years.

 According to the general public and articles on the internet and in books now, the average life expectancy of Doodles is anywhere from 12 to 15 years. For hearsay, I am going to state my doodles will live 15 years to make sure I fully develop and experience a healthy sense of humor laughing for years to come.

 Max now a 22 month old jet black scruffy but cute looking Labradoodle was almost the perfect puppy with only a few comical incidents, however around the age of 15 mos old he decided to release the Lab side of himself. Prior to 15 mos old my family and I had seen mostly the Std. Poodle side of him. Max can easily jump 6 ft in the air and do a butt wiggle and 360 softly landing on his feet. This has caused non-doodle dog owners to have their eyes pop out of their heads and stare in disbelief for a few seconds before they pick their chin off the ground as ask, “Does he always do that?” Or I love the sideways flying through the air at eye level of a person I am talking to that Max thinks is boring and he should be noticed immediately. Once again, I act nonchalant and confirm the black blur at approximately 5ft 3 ins high indeed is my agile, nimble, comical, and mischievous doodle Max. At that moment Max still has a lifespan of 15years since laughter erupted and no harm was done.

When Max shredded a 5ft by 7 ft tall Mexican plant down to 2.5ft by 4ft , I quickly hid the shredded evidence in the bottom of the pot and inspected Max’s mouth for further evidence. Next came pushing this canine pruned Mexican plant that blooms only one night every year into the corner. Under stress or was it the feeling of dread when Dave would discover his prized plant was downsized by several years growth, he might possibly freak out? Meaning Max’s life expectancy was no longer 15years, the way my heart was pounding, my mind racing on how to fix this problem in about 3 minutes, well I figured Max was down to 11.3years left to live or less. I’ve always prided myself at the workplace being able to perform well under pressure and greet challenges with enthusiasm. Here was my chance to prove myself as quick thinking Annmarie, savior of Max’s 15 year life span.

 Hmm… quickly analyzing after scooping up all the shredded succulent leaves that were in tiny pieces, I scan the area. “Where can I hide it for now and later dispose of it into the garbage container outside?” Remember, Dave is due to walk by any minute. A light bulb idea goes off and I feel I can save Max’s life. The plant is big and gangly leaning every which way, so why not rearrange the leaves and stems to appear bigger? Yes I have a plan of action. Moving faster than a speeding bullet I collect all the shredded  pieces trying to bury them in the soil of the large pot the plant sits in while pushing Max’s nose out of the way. Next I push the plant a little over to the left, extend the leaves and stems more to the right, and run downstairs with Max to sit at the dining room table behind my computer with Max lying by my feet. My heart is racing still, I am stifling a giggle or two when I realize how foolish I am to try to cover up Max’s curiosity. I should just tell Dave what happened and leave it at that. But this is real life and this is more fun seeing how long it will take Dave to notice and laugh after I tell him what I did to save Max’s life expectancy.

Dave notices about a day later. Whew, am I ever glad men aren’t as observant as us women. End result? Dave laughs so hard when I relate all the details and agrees Max has immunity thus living out his full life with us. Great and I love Dave even more for being understanding and roll my eyes at Max who tries to feign sheer innocence.
Later we have a 2nd Doodle named Peanut who is a Houdini, a devil, a princess, so sweet, and if she could she’d bounce off the walks and walk on the ceiling along with traveling the world happily with anyone who she meets. Friendly and curious with a wee devil is Peanut’s personality.

When Peanut tasted Dave’s steak sub one night on the coffee table , well her life expectancy went down to almost 9.4years but when I pointed out to Dave why in his right mind he would leave the room to get salt while a puppy was sitting at mouth level to his plate, he agreed it was foolish on his part. Besides the look of happiness and a wagging tail with the cuteness of her smile, restored Peanut’s life expectancy back up to 15 years.

 Let’s add in a 3rd Doodle named Beau who is as calm, happy go lucky and as sweet as a puppy can possibly be. On his own accord, he has watched our other 2 doodle dogs lose some years off their life and how they obtain back a full 15 year life expectancy. Yes, Beau is smart and a good observer too. Beau has mastered the Hush Puppy sad eyed look down pat along with the bowing of his head, tuck the tail down and look like he is going to cry when he does something wrong. Beau’s life expectancy goes up and down like a yo-yo. He has stopped playing quality assurance tester of rugs, shoes, mail or whatever he can slink off with in the blink of an eye. Yet when caught chewing my gas bill he eagerly drops it and waits for me to pick it up. Bingo…full life expectancy is restored at that very moment. And so is when he barks to alert us to Peanut NOT sharing a magazine she claims Max gave to her to read.

 So when I hear the words, very rarely I might add, ” I am going to kill that dog!” I then figure out a way to present a good sense of humor into action. When Max breaks free once a week tricking Dave or my son he will be good on a potty walk off leash and then runs 200 mph around the yard and house becoming a black blur having the time of his life, I then go to the back door and yell, ” BYE MAX!”. Whenever I say these words Max runs back to the front door where I wait and open it. Max then proceeds to go into his crate and punishes himself. I then announce to my household how GOOD Max is as he knows when he does wrong and gives himself a timeout whereby my household ends up laughing and letting Max out of his crate 5 minutes later. Little does Max know he keeps a full 15 year life expectancy each and every time he crates himself when he does something not good in the human view of right and wrong. 

 OH, and if you find yourself wanting to kill that dog when your best pair of shoes are eaten, remember it is up to you to teach them right from wrong while allowing them to fully live their life expectancy as a dog. As a child does not raise themselves nor does a dog. Whether a child or a puppy, both will have their quirks, good points, get into mischief due to natural curiosity that has its moments of correction along with a sense of humor applied at all times or should I say whenever possible?

If my mother and father killed me every time they said that when I managed to error in some way without allowing redemption via love, laughter, patience and further guidance, I guess I wouldn’t be writing this article today.

 So, while you ponder how long will my doodle live, ” 10, 12, or 15 years?” I no longer ponder this question anymore. By letting Doodles enter our home, hearts and life, I now plan on our doodles living as long as possible growing older with us daily. Add to that the great stories that can be told at future gatherings, laughter that has been had and yet to come, along with knowing that no one or nothing is infallible except God.

My doodles are going to live forever. As my doodles will always have a place in my heart, memories and pictures to revisit in my mind at any given moment, and love to feel any time I think of them or just have them lying at my feet waiting for me to finish typing this article and play some fetch with them.

P.S. I am glad to say all 3 doodles in my house have been granted lifetime immunity since writing this article and will live a full life expectancy.
 

The contents of this blog site are copyright (c) 2008, Annmarie Sparks. All Rights Reserved  

 What do dogs really do for us? I will agree I was a “NO DOG TILL HELL FREEZES OVER” person for the past 5 years. Come on, dogs stink when wet. Dogs stink when muddy. Dogs stink when they roll in deer poop. Dogs stink after they eat their food. Dogs stink when they fart. Dogs stink if you don’t bathe them periodically. All in all, dogs just plain stink. HOWEVER, most Labradoodles and Goldendoodles do not have doggy odor, thus they really don’t stink except when they have a ear/yeast infection or have rolled in deer poop like Max does if I am not careful when walking him on our 6 acre yard.

  Next, dogs jump up on you. They sniff you in areas I won’t mention but most have experienced to-date. They get your clothes wet and/or muddy. Dogs bark at nothing! Dogs want to play when you dead tired, or want to watch a movie. Dogs need walks or they will drive you right up a wall with their undying energy levels. Dogs chew things like eyeglasses, shoes, boots, chair legs, towels or anything you do not want them to chew. Dogs take over your life. They have to be fed certain times, let outside to relieve themselves, they need training, love, hugs, kisses, praise over and over again. Dogs just plain have as many needs as humans, maybe even more? Dogs do not let injuries, stitches, or wounds left alone to heal. Instead they lick, chew, bite them and can cause an infection or further medical attention. Dogs can bite sometimes by mistake while playing by your feet, other times when fearful. Dogs can talk back! Dogs can pee and poop on your rug numerous times no matter how much eliminator products you use. Dogs can cost more money than you can afford when bringing them to the vets. Or more than your kids did at the pediatrician. Good news, you can purchase dog insurance to help recover some medical costs.

  Let’s see if I left anything out about how much trouble owning a dog can be for us humans. Dogs can develop weird habits, not come when called, roam neighborhoods, eat things like chicken wings from your kitchen garbage, open screen and storm doors to run free, round off corners on coffee tables, defuzz any stuffed toy in minutes, eat non-edible items at a moments notice, test your patience almost 24/7, make your kids look like saints at times, and in general give you tension headaches for years if you let them or don’t exercise a sense of humor.

  So why have a dog at all? Good question! As this is what I used to think, feel and believe in until October 7, 2006. Now I would not go back to life BEFORE Max, Peanut, and Beau.  Not for all the tea in china, not for a million dollars! I can honesty say all three of my dogs are work.
  It’s plain and simple: everyone’s lives in my house have been upturned and changed indefinitely for sure. But what we have learned, witnessed, felt in our hearts at times, and experienced to date words alone do not describe the full benefits. There are days when a picture whether it is mental, digital and/or photographic in any way, is worth at least a 1000 words. Yet there are times neither a word nor a picture can really portray what one gets in life from a dog, it is something one has to just experience at one point or another in life.
 

 While writing this article, the realization hit me that perhaps Max isn’t as well trained as I thought earlier. He does know sit but at 9 months old sometimes you have to help push his rear end at times. Stay, well only if its dinner being served does he complete this command well. Come, lately when he feels like it is more the case. Counter surfing just became his new game of solitaire when left alone for more than 2 minutes. Heel only works great only IF you have a treat in your hand. Pulling on a leash was not a problem till 2 days ago. He happened to see his 1^st chipmunk and proceeded to ignore all commands to stop while dragging me along my gravel driveway and almost pulling my arm out of its socket. Oh there is more but I do need to save some face you know. Then Peanut our cute little , 4mo old, she listens better than him!

I then looked deep into my heart and pocket as I know the cost is $100 or more. Next I went on the internet to find a particular place near my home that years ago produced amazing results with a large, aggressive, beautiful, totally untrained Dalmatian I had for a short time. I read all the information and the following day called to see their availability for classes starting in a week. Wow, I was excited as there was one spot left. We went over the usual things discussed on the phone: age, shots, breed, etc. I did try to warn them that though Max is good yet has been known to become a wild mad dog with swirling eyes and an adrenaline rush to be envied by firefighters. Hyper is not the right word to describe Max out in public.  For some reason the vision of a cartoon with a person trying to hold a rocket back that 10 sticks of dynamite lit is really what comes to mind. I am told to arrive early at next weeks class so Max can observe all the dogs and settle down. Yeah right! I keep laughing every time I go over this in my head. Let’s say I warned them. This place is good and I haven’t ever heard of them kicking anyone and their dog out of a class. I hope we won’t be the first. Max’s friendly exuberance takes about 20 minutes or so to level out. This is why I am told socialization is so important for a dog and I should take him to places to learn how to settle down and be well mannered. Come on, besides the PetSmart and Petco, where does one take a dog? There are no parks around and besides I have 6 acres of land complete with a huge creek. OH wait, I have an idea. The local pizzeria loves Peanut, asking us to bring her in weekly. They are dog lovers to the hilt! Just last week, the owner said their brother’s favorite dog was Benji when he was a small kid. Guess what? Our Max looks like a black Benji and they did ask me to bring him in. Great, I now can start a crash course on socialization tonight. Dave wants subs and neither of us feeling like cooking. So off we go the 1 mile to the local pizzeria. Hey, it’s a start and Dave is coming in case Max the 60 lb puppy decides to get a tad over rambunctious.

Max was actually good! He sat still, didn’t jump on anyone, no barking, no drooling or panting, no begging either. Actually he patiently savored the aromas of freshly baked pizza and other Italian meals.  His nose was twitching 100 mph while flaring his nostrils wider to get the full aromatic effect. Could there possibly be hope Max can settle down in obedience training within 4 days? Only time will tell. I will say only the local locksmith took an interest in Max. He used to raise labs and said he could see lab in Max but not for the life of him figure out the other part. For once we didn’t get the strange looks or laughter when we said “Max is part Labrador Retriever and part Standard Poodle”. In fact, Dave and I had such a nice conversation with the locksmith while waiting for our food order to be ready for take out.

Three days later I have a surprise 50^th birthday party planned for Dave at our house with his family and a few friends coming over. This will be the first time Max and Peanut will be surrounded by a total of 14 adults and 4 teenagers. I dread thinking of what could occur and know they may need to be crated for half or the whole time. For the first time in history everyone arrives within 5 minutes! We open our door at 7:35pm as 2 couples arrive. Then at 7:40pm all of Dave’s family are trying to form a single, some were in double formation, line through our door. Max alert! He is 24 inches tall, approximately 60 lbs of sheer 9 month old teenage puppyhood that loves people. Dave, “Where’s Max and Peanut?” I almost scream in terror. Max surprises us with only 3 half jumps and calms down within 10 minutes. Peanut though is like a wind up toy stuck or had too many quarters inserted at once. There is no way she is going to calm down at any time through the night. I grab her leash and hold on dearly. Within a 15 minute period I realize this is not going to work, besides Dave just left to get the sheet pizza. A party complete with 2 cakes with tons of chocolate frosting, pizza and 18 people is not a good combination with 2 puppies, so I crate them both. Later in the evening Max and Peanut are released for short time periods. Max however really does surprise us by being rather calm. Peanut is jumping around like a Mexican jumping bean. Eventually this leads to someone spilling their beverage and so off the crate for the final time. I will let them out when all company departs later in the night. The next day I realize Max had two tempting socializations events which are not enough to prep him for tomorrow night’s training class. Max tomorrow for the first time will see 9 other dogs and I worry if we will be refunded our money by the end of the class. My half full cup seems to be spilling over a tiny bit. The once courageous, try till you succeed attitude I possess 98% percent of the time has allowed the other 2% of doubt to take completely over at this point. Outwardly, I appear cool calm and collect. Inwardly I think I need a valium to calm my nerves and stop the mental images that keep popping into my head. I pray I sleep well tonight as I start work at 7am and also remember how much these training classes wore me out years ago. I also worry my arm is going to be quite sore the rest of the week from holding Max the Mac Attack puppy back.  

Who needs to watch TV reality shows when you have teenagers and puppies? I am a survivor so far, I sing to my dogs and they are okay with it, we have real life death defying acts of craziness daily with no broken bones, furniture or hearts, I am not getting a million dollars for choosing Max as my canine companion, sometimes my dogs do jackass things just like my teenagers, I am not letting anyone other than my dog redecorate my home nor will I swap Dave for any other man for a week, I have my hands full as it is. Who needs a complete stranger to come here and tell me how to run things? Life is grand here and as they say, “If it isn’t broke don’t fix it”. I have come to learn “better late than never” does have its place with raising teenagers and puppies while adjusting to having a caring, kind fiancé of the male species which can think opposite of the female species. There are moments I think he may have come from Mars but I am not Venus, nor from Venus. So I say we get along just fine with a sense of humor applied at all times.

Why would I want to watch other people struggle on TV when I can just look at my own life every day? Good things in life though are worth struggling to have. Hence, no pain, no gain comes into play too. There are days I question my own motives and think I really am hedonistic deep down. Laugh Annmarie, laugh! My teenagers who box inside their bedrooms with boxing gloves on, knock a lamp over that has a glass shade. When I enter their room, they hide their gloved hands behind their backs with Cheshire cat smiles which are a dead giveaway to a mom! I look for the item that made a breaking sound and see a lamp that is devoid of a chunk of glass. My teenagers say almost in unison, “See mom it isn’t broken, it still works. Let me show you”, and they’re right. They turn on the lamp and it shines brightly.  I have to laugh as even though they really did break something their male logic is correct. Or I love when I hear the dreaded, “Mom help, Max has something and he won’t give it back”. I no longer wonder what it is that Max is holding hostage in his mouth, rather I prefer to challenge my state of mind and sense of humor. In a way, one can consider this to be a method of check and balance. Besides isn’t life’s experiences are supposed to round out one’s character? If true then I must be a plump circle by now. Instead of asking Dave do my jeans make my rear end look fat, maybe I should be asking him how rounded out I appear?

After analyzing my present daily life I now know I am living my own reality show. I am not being paid nor going public with it either. Why should I or is it I am scared of developing other people’s sense of humor at my own cost? Or is the real reason I would be committed by Dave and my teenagers and family? I think I’ll keep my reasons to myself for now and let you all have your own opinions. It is more fun that way. And while you’re at it, can anyone define what a normal life really means or really does exist? For me, I like the little things that happen and element of surprise my daily life provides as I never get bored. In fact what does bored mean as the last time I must have used that word was when I was about 17 years old? Genetic traits carry over as to this day I can hear my teenagers use that very same word but when I tell them I can help them out they seem to disappear like the invisible man.

Reality kicks in when you pay a mortgage, mow the lawn, work 40 hours, live with teenagers and 3 dogs, do wash, dishes, play the part of maid, chauffeur, cook, tailor, receptionist for ringing phones, landscaper, dog walker and trainer. I am sure I left out a few more jobs. However, when you add it all up reality shows you how to laugh and love life even if your dogs (and kids) give a good reason to say “poop happens”.  Saturday night live exists here weekly. Though I may not always have a crowd applauding I have earned the right to call my house Nutcracker Suite. And so have my good friends that are allowed to drop in whenever they see my truck in the driveway. My Dad sent us a sign we proudly hung in our house that says, “another day in PARADISE”.  Dad not only knows reality but has lived it and can now get a good laugh that is well deserved. Oh, he also gave us another sign, which is hung in my dining room; I now call Mom’s 11th commandment. It says, “Thou Shalt Not Whine”. My Dad’s humor has taught me reality and wisdom which is now proudly displayed on my walls along with fingerprints and paw prints.

Reality: real life, real people, real dogs, real laughs! Reality TV shows: something I don’t have time for as reality shows itself here 24/7 and it isn’t on TV.

The contents of this blog site are copyright (c) 2008, Annmarie Sparks. All Rights Reserved     

Christmas day is soon to arrive and my 3 doodle dogs have a heartfelt message to convey to one and all.We 3 doodles are not from the Orient. However we do bring gifts for all to bear. We are not aware of the true meaning of Christmas that humans have knowledge of and practice yearly.  So instead we would like to tell you what Christmas means to our 3 doodle dogs.

4 Nights before Christmas is when MOM starts to make holiday goodies:

Max, our 17 month old Labradoodle weighing in at 85 lbs.

“Oh boy! Oh yeah!! Hey Peanut you smell that? Where’s mom? Peanut stop chewing that bone and help me out please. Beau please go and find Dad.”

Beau, our 5 month old Goldendoodle weighing in at 42 lbs.

“Why should I go find Daddy, let Peanut do it. Remember I have the soft ears and sad Hush Puppy Eyes which makes my MOM melt and no longer works for you Max, ha ha!

Peanut, our 12 month old Goldendoodle now down to a svelte 55lbs.

“Uh, guys remember I am the boss even though I am sweet as pie and everyone says I am the cutest dog anyone has ever seen. Remember people say my coat is ‘to die for!” So guys, forget about trying to distract me as I may be blonde but I do have brains! How else do I always steal your toys and bones away from you? Heh, heh, heh.”

MOM , which is me, the mother of 3 dogs that lately feels like I have a 3, 6, and 13 year old instead of 3 doodle dogs.“Max, Peanut, Beau…OUT, OUT, OUT! Okay if you sit and watch by the doorway and be good you can stay in the kitchen with me”, is what I say to them. I now remind myself not to turn my back for a second, take inventory on all cooking ingredients out like butter, molasses, and cookie dough making sure I push it far back as possible on the counter top. “Dave can you put on some Christmas music please as remember I have all 3 doodles with me now and the