Good thing I have a ShopVac...

I didn’t grow up with a pet. We joke in my family that dad was the dog; you’d come and he’d be all excited and wiggly, saying “hi-howareyou-wannaplay-what’sfordinner-howwasyourday-wannaplay-whatsfordinner-dinner?”

Until two years ago I viewed dogs as such young-adult things. And then, I don’t know, something shifted, and I wanted a dog. Someone to pet, and go for late night walks with me. Someone to make me giggle, and run and play with.

DJ is a good substitute, and he does shed less. But he’s not always willing to go for late night walks with me.

After dog-sitting for Ava, the Bernese Mountain Dog (a breed forever known as the Ava-Dog), I wanted a BMD, BAD. But the research proved Berners to be A) expensive as pups, and B) sadly short lived. These two factors pretty much rule out the Ava-Dog for us; I’m too big of a softie to handle a short-lived dog.

Then last summer we were out at Jeff and Suzy’s, and this little girl stole my heart.

She was sweet tempered. Good with a lot of people. Playful, and beautiful. And I wanted a golden retriever from that point forward. They’re good family dogs, they’re gorgeous, active, trainable, great therapy dogs (stress relief?) and generally mild mannered. And oh my god, can we talk about puppy cuteness?

Especially at this age, when they're still fuzzy furry.

Source

Source

But I'd resigned myself to not getting a dog until next fall, after El Weddingo. But I kept wanting one. Pestering Harassing DJ about getting one. Then last week something serendipitous happened; there was an ad in the classifieds for American Kennel Club registered golden retriever puppies.

I called. DJ and I had an actually discussion about it. I bought A Complete Idiot’s Guide to Golden Retrievers. And we called around; vets, other breeders, friends. Are we insane for getting a puppy five months before El Weddingo?

And in the end, I think tonight DJ agreed to get one, saying that one thing he loved about me was that I pushed him to take a step he wanted to take, but hesitated on. We’re not 100% there yet, buuuuttt… aren’t they cute?

Ours is the girl on the left. : )