Brodie
Brodie went to his
forever home in Alabama on Sunday Sept 10th, 2006.
Update from his new
mom on oct 3rd, 2007:
Hi Judy,
Thanks for the newsletter. I can't believe it's been a year since
Brody came home with us...and I still haven't sent a picture. One
of these days. He's fine, still a clown and still likes cats. His
only annoying habit is that he likes to tear up sheets and quilts.
Not always, but he'll still do it. And of course NEVER can I actually
catch him, so it's going to be a hard habit to break. We've solved
it by putting only old sheets and blankets on his queen size bed...it
was once mine, but now it's his, so if he rips them up it's a no
harm/no foul situation. I moved to Herb's bed after he recovered
from his dementia following his by-pass surgery and while we planned
on having Brody sleep in the bedroom with us, but on a dog bed,
he was insistent that he deserved a human bed, so now he has a
whole bdroom and bed to himself which he shares only with a couple
of his favorite cats at night, and that seems to suit him just
fine. He's just too big to share a bed with us and several small
dogs, so until we break down and get a king size he'll just have
to get along with his own queen. He has one particular cat friend
who sleeps with him every night.
He's typical Golden for personality. He's never met a person or animal
that he doesn't like...although he's not all that fond of the kennel
dogs...there is some good reason why they are behind that fence instead
of in the yard with him, so the sight of them sets him chasing and
barking. Again, no harm/no foul as the kennel dogs also appear to
like the chase around the fence routine. He is altogether a handsome
(although sometimes muddy) and loved addition to the chaos here.
He has a wading pool and thoroughly enjoys lying down in it and then
roling in dirt so he needs frequent wiping down. We remain grateful
to you and GSGRR for him.
He finally quit chasing cars going by on 98, (I suppose because no
car ever stopped) but if some pedestrian walks by or comes to the
gate we certainly know about it. That's a good thing as far as I'm
concerned because he certainly isn't a "hobby barker" so
if he sends up an alert there is a reason for it. I have no idea
why we continue to pay for a security system because we certaily
don't need it.
We've been to Louisiana twice in the past 3 months for cat shows,
once to Mandeville and once to Gonzales, and I always think of you
when we are there. Brody doesn't accompany us to cat shows because
even though the RV is air conditioned and he'd be comfortable he'd
be left alone for too long and we wouldn't have any sheets left when
we returned. We have a friend who lives here while we are gone for
the weekend, so the dogs still have a person with them. We're doing
a two week trip to Europe in November and the animals have never
been left at home for that long, but I'm hopeful that none of them
will react too badly.
Again, thanks for the newsletter. We don't get it...so I guess it's
time for a donation. We love him and it was a good placement.
Brooke
This dog is hysterically funny. If his previous owners
had just taken the time to take him to obedience they would have
had the perfect pet. He is extremely smart, which can work to our
disadvantage. His most recent discovery: we have been encouraging
him to sleep in Herb's office which is a converted porch right off
of the family room, complete with couch for him to sleep on, so there
shouldn't be a problem. Last night I had no sooner put him in there
(he goes without protest because that's where his big chew bone is)than
he reappeared in the kitchen. I checked and the door to the office
was definitely closed. Back he went to the office, only to reappear
moments later, but this time I had heard the scrabbling. What he
does is to first climb on to the printer table, an old washstand,
and from there to the sill that is the base of what once was a window
between the porch, now office, but is now just a finished opening
between the office and the family room...and from there, an easy
four foot drop to the floor! So last night he got to sleep in Herb's
bed. There is no chance at all that we can keep him in the office
again. He was a good bed sleeper with the exception of grooming Herb
every few hours.
We camped last weekend and Brodie thought that was just fine. In
the RV he slept in our bed on Friday, but Saturday night he was content
with the couch. Probably we kicked him too much on Friday, without
meaning to, of course. If all Golden Retrievers were as entertaining
as this one there would be no need for a Golden rescue group. We
are enjoying this dog tremendously. (And there is one in obedience
who is just plain aggressive toward other dogs, not the least bit
socialized, and that's a trait that would make me nuts.)
update in sept.
He is doing very well. We are still working on NO
JUMP with some noticeable improvement. He will even sit on command
but only when he knows I have a liver treat in my hand. Chloe, the
barking Griff who had not been a barker pre-Brodie, has decided he
is not a threat and barks only when he startles her. So that's fine.
He's got car training down pat and will ride contendedly in the back
seat...with his head resting on one of our shoulders. He doesn't
try to get out if we stop, so that issue is already over. He loves
to play ball but doesn't have the sense to bring the ball back, so
it takes a whole lot of balls to throw for him. We are arranging
to go to obedience with him. I think he will take to it because he's
so anxious to please. He certainly doesn't qualify as a calm Golden,
but he is so entertaining and such a clown that he can remain a puppy
for a few more months. Or years. For all I know his enthusiasm is
just his personality and he may never grow out of it. As long as
we can get him to not knock us down that will be fine.
