Farmington Valley Golden Retrievers

Gabby is now fully integrated into our dog family. We are still a little sleep deprived due to her middle of the night needs, but her accidents in the house are decreasing. Yeah. She seems to add a few pounds and a few inches of growth every few days. Her walking with the pack is better, and she doesn’t sit down to rest as much. Just a little tougher keeping five leashes straight instead of four.

We’ve had a fair amount of rain here in Connecticut these past few weeks. Great for green fields and lawns, but not so much for keeping the dogs clean on their runs.

Solo seems to be the mud hen of the pack, but as soon as she is wet, everyone follows. Gorgeous grass for the dogs to run and play however..

Soon enough, we are home again, and time to get clean so they are allowed back in the house..

Then it is into the house and cool down time..

Here’s hoping they sleep a little better and longer tonight…

This month’s “Golden Retriever News” put out by the Golden Retriever Club of America, featured a photo advertisement of Gabby’s father. Here he is in all his splendor..

What a great brushing, posing shot he had for the photo. Having just given our four big dogs a bath in the plastic outdoor kiddie pool last night after they wallowed in a mud hole, I can appreciate a well groomed and clean Golden. Mud season here in New England is not a fun time, when these dogs just have to roll in every mud puddle they can find. And they usually spot it way before I do, so I have no chance to head off the mad dash for the first one in.

We are finally getting a night routine that works. We moved Gabby’s crate up into our bedroom, after a number of sleepless nights of her crying in the family room. She still gets up once or twice, but she does her duty, and then happily settles in her crate again. Hopefully the worst of the adjustments to a puppy are behind us.

With the central area in our kitchen being open, that is the gathering place for everyone after meals and exercise. You can see that she is getting bigger, and that she has found her way into the pack, though at the outer fringes still most times

She is being schooled in self defense and dog fighting techniques by Rocky. Surprisingly enough, she is the aggressor most of the time, though she is much smaller. The make believe growls by both of them sound real enough and at times the noise draws the other dogs to their feet to watch what is happening. At that point we stop the play before we have a full scale riot.

We have had a few young visitors which is always nice, for us and the young folk. Here Kayla and a friend are holding Gabby.

Flash back to 2006 when Kayla also visited us to hold a puppy.

I hope you enjoy these pictures Kayla!!

And now to sign off on our latest goings on here, with all of Dogville happily resting at my feet after an early morning run. The only way to get any work done around here is to get them good and tired with exercise. But they are wonderful company, one and all.

Gabby is going to live as a member of a multiple dog family, and needs to learn how to walk with the others. With her short legs, we have to go slowly, and not stress out her joints. So presently, we are taking her for a walk with one of the big dogs, who have already enjoyed their own run, so they are docile and calm with her. But we started with our daughter Kristen’s pug, Pearl, when they were visiting for Easter.

The other four were not happy, even though they had already had their fun time. When does a Golden ever turn down an opportunity for more adventures?

Today it was Lucy’s turn to take Gabby through her walk the block paces..

Walking a pack requires a certain amount of specialized attire. Besides the leashes, and collars, you have to bring extra leashes since it is not good if one or two of them snap when you are out on the fields. Being politically correct is your responsibility when walking a number of dogs who can be aggressive in larger numbers. And I have had the large metal clasps break of fatigue without warning during walks and runs. Second lots of poop bags which is obvious. Third:  tough gloves, so you don’t get blisters or dirt or other material on your hands when they run with their leashes on at the fields. And fourth, heavy duty boots so you can keep yourself from being pulled over when they all in total outweigh you by a few hundred pounds. Sneakers or light weight shoes don’t work.

And of course you need a whistle, to recall them when they run free on the fields. Most of the time they listen..

And after everyone has walked or run, it is time to chill. Here Gabby is sitting with Rocky on the back stoop.

A very enjoyable start for all to a Sunday morning.

Gabby has been with us only a week plus, and she is fitting in nicely. She has a very even disposition, and is very good at following the bigger family members with bathroom breaks. She has slept through the last several nights and has been dry in her crate. A very early and unusual  success for all involved.  We are very pleased with her progress.

Traditionally we take the new puppy for her first vet visit and then take her on a tour of our medical offices and hospital locations where she is welcomed lavishly. So the picture diary follows of her first week here with us..

First our visit to Dr. Steve Feldman, a real star in our book over the many years he has cared for all our animals.

Then it was off to my Avon and Hartford Medical  Offices.

She still seemed to have lots of energy, so we moved on to Saint Francis Hospital:  the OR area lounge, and Administration offices.

And after she returned home and had a nap, she returned to her favorite puppy activity which is chewing everything that might fit in her mouth..

The other dogs just watched and wondered what we had brought into our home..

They made their displeasure a little more forcefully known by taking my beeper off the table and chewing it up but good..

But Gabby was blissfully unaware of the negative energy, and just collapsed in her pen for a long nap after a very eventful day.

It has been a very busy weekend here in our home in Farmington, Connecticut. We started the weekend on Friday picking up our new female puppy. What a gorgeous girl from a gorgeous litter. Dodi and Walter did an amazing job whelping and raising their latest litter. Gabby had to have a last run in the yard with her mom Trude, before she said goodbye and started the journey home with us. (Please click on the photos if you  want to view in larger scale).

Saturday was our daughter Kristen’s birthday party. Her dog Pearl joined the party with our four goldens, and our newest arrival Gabby.

There were some initial growls and sniffing moments when our group met Gabby, but she is very self assured, and made herself right at home.

The other dogs are not as impressed, but seem tolerant enough at this point.

Easter Sunday started out with another crowd and dinner. So Gabby got to meet lots of new faces.. Still there was time to explore the back yard and make some interesting discoveries.

We tried some photos of Lauren and Kristen with Gabby to possibly update our home page for our website. Our daughters were in high school when those photos were taken. Time has moved along, but they still make an arresting photo in my mind! We will have to see what magic Celeste Rockel (our website designer extraordinaire) can do with these latest photos. PS Celeste, I am having some technical troubles to get the story line matching the photos in the composer program.. Please help pretty please, and pardon everyone for the way the story is displayed.

And at the end of this long day, man and puppy alike needed a little nap, as evidenced by our son Brian joining Gabby for some quiet time.

 
And when everyone had left, and the house was quiet again, Gabby showed she feels happy and comfortable in her new home, by just curling up under an end table, happy and at peace.
 

 
Thank you Dodi and Walter of Mardovar Goldens for giving us such a great puppy to rekindle the stories of  Golden life and love from Dogville.