Farmington Valley Golden Retrievers

Rocky (formerly Mr. Black) and I were meandering around our block earlier this week on a blustery fall day. I was reflecting on his return to health and his soon departure to his forever home with my son and his young family in Maryland. While Barb and I will enjoy the return to normalcy of only having five goldens underfoot, we will miss that boundless positive energy that we have enjoyed for these last extra weeks.

His curiosity is limitless. The simplest items.. an acorn, a twig, a beetle, take on the significance of life changing encounters. In trying to get around the block, detours were endless. It was then that I noticed for the first time how many fire hydrants there were on our walk. And looking more closely at each one, I realized that they were all in some way different. All red of course, but that was the only uniform detail. Some short, some tall, some bright red, others a faded pinker shade. And of course Rocky treated each one like there was a wealth of information scattered around their bases.

I always thought it would be neat to be privy to their sense of smell and how this helps them communicate. The fire hydrants probably represent our internet chat rooms where emotions of affection, happiness, anxiety, and dominance or submission are publicly displayed. We walk by these red way stations countless times, yet the messages posted beneath are below our notice or understanding. This post is somewhat tongue in cheek. Not every missive can have a life changing message written in fire across the morning sky. If you buy into the way of the dog though, the simplest activity can take on new meaning. Living in the present to its fullest, even a fire hydrant represents to their lives, hidden meanings and secret codes.

And that brings me to my real purpose of this blog. To invite other would be writers of golden stories to try their hand at composing a Guest blog. I have plenty of other stories bottled up inside me, but as our golden community grows here in Farmington, I think it would be special to have anyone with a tale or message to take a chance and send us their work. There are only three rules.. There has to be a least one photo/drawing of a golden retriever accompanying the story. The story must have a meaning that will help our readers face their daily struggle with grace, a smile or a tear. And because we are golden retriever lovers, our breed has to be the focus of the story. I will let Barb judge whether the submissions are appropriate. No age restrictions apply, so if a young golden lover wants to try a story we will give you an opportunity.. Step up and give it a try! Our website is becoming much less about selling puppies and more about learning to love and live as our goldens do.

It wasn’t so long ago that two of our clients and golden friends were debating whether to add a new puppy for companionship to their beloved ailing older golden. There are no real rules, but the reality is that just as we irresistibly are drawn to that puppy smile and energy, so are our canine brethren. So young “Rosie” from our 12/2006 litter went to be a friend to aging “Holly”. From the photographs you can see it was a winning combination.

Even at the end when Holly was ailing, I am told, Rosie wouldn’t leave her side.

So when our last litter arrived, Ken and Mary Ann were  wondering how “Rosie” would do as the now older mature leader in the household. Would she accept a younger companion in a definite reversal of roles. I will let you all be the judge…

Both Rosie and Autumn have the same mother and father (Emma and Mulder). With only a year and a half or so in difference in age, they should look very similar when Autumn is full grown.

I would like to give Ken kudos for his fabulous photographs. I am self taught, and use a very small digital camera so I can have it with me at all times. When Ken sent me this last photo, I finally knew why the resolution of his photos was so much better than what I have been getting. He has a cannon (not Canon) for a camera!

Thank you Ken for your help with adding so much life and color to our blog! You have captured the spirit and pure essence of our dogs so well.

Two houses down from us another of our puppies is finding companionship with an older buddy. Lion-like “Bo” has had his domain invaded by little “Minnie”. Bo has only three legs now following his battle with cancer. His spirits seem soothed by the presence of this little ball of love.

Thank you for your photos Barb. I just noticed though the date is off on your camera screen.

Another of our puppies has landed in a family with much younger folks. “Lola” is not quite sure what to make of sharing her space with a larger Niko..

But I am sure she will find plenty of excitement going forward.

Thank you for sharing Shayna. Lola is the first golden yellow jacket I have ever seen.

Then we are back to dog ville here and the last week of “Rocky” before he travels south to be with my son’s family. Our pack is more accepting of him now, but they can be an intimidating bunch. His convalescence with us helped Emma adjust to the loss of her pups. And that is the lemonade from his lemon of a surgical adventure.

Growing up in the 1950’s was a very different time from the chaotic, frenetic, multitasked world of today. The only thing that required batteries was a flashlight. The only way you kept time in those days of simple childhood days was that you had to be home when the street lights came on. There were no parents hovering just out of eyesight or cell phone contact, because there were no gadgets, and your parents were too busy working their two jobs just to put food on the table. One of my first means of transportation was a “little red wagon” that everyone in the neighborhood had. These were the days before you were old enough to have some real freedom with a bike. I have clear memories of my sisters pulling a red wagon filled with their dolls going to visit their friends down the street. I remember myself piling my few possessions of metal trucks and tin soldiers and bringing everything to the sandbox at one of my friend’s home. So whether your wagon was a red American Flyer model with a metal platform with big black wheels like mine, or like the wooden version above, for us older folks it is one of those enduring symbols of a simpler and very innocent time.

So I was moved when one of our prospective clients came to visit our puppies with this special photograph.

Every family that visits our home looking for a dog has a story. Some stories are more compelling than others, but each has merit that is listened to and respected. This mother and her now teenage son told the story of recently losing their best canine friend. After years of friendship, their “Lexy Girl” had passed on leaving a huge hole in their lives.

From that first photograph above you can see that she had an elegance about her with an especially beautiful coat. They were hoping to find that special puppy that would most likely have her look.

Now if you are a Christian, you probably go through that ritual at Christmas time where you go to find that “perfect Christmas tree”. When your children are still at home, the task is more arduous because everyone has to weigh in. What starts out in your mind as a warm Jimmy Steward adventure, ends up usually with everyone cold and squabbling. Even now with just Barb and I home, finding that special tree sometimes means visiting three or four places, and then ending back with the first location, picking the tree that you thought about first. And you are lucky if you are still talking!

Picking a puppy from different breeders is not so different, although now with temperament testing and numbered choices to match the families, the process is changed. Gone is that special moment of first eye contact where the puppy and you choose each other. Instead, with the advance of genetics, the litters are usually very similar in temperament and color and coat. You are assigned a healthy puppy that will be the best fit. That is if you go to a breeder who makes a science out of doing their task correctly, rather than someone selling pups in the newspaper.

We regard our puppies as our canine children. From our blog stories you know the attention and hard work that is lavished on our charges. So it is sometimes difficult to accept that your pups do not fit “the look”, “the color”, or the “size” that a family is searching for. This family did not find their special pup among our little ones. The initial reaction is usually to take offense, but on further reflection, Barb and I thought back to our underlying philosophy. Barb and I do this for the love of the breed. We do this work to make golden retriever lovers among children who will grow up and carry on our passion. And this unique quest for that perfect puppy shown in the photo really moved my spirit. So..

I asked her if I could copy her photo. And I also asked her if by any chance she still had that special red wagon. She did. And she was kind enough to drop it off for this story. She is now a new friend, still on her quest, but a golden friend nonetheless. We wish her well in her search and we are confident that she and her son will recognize that special puppy when it crosses their path.

I hope you enjoyed this story that had a lesson for me. But I want to end with a smile on everyone’s face, so before I brought her wagon back to her, I took a few photos of our crew, big and little. All who thought maybe they could fit the bill of being that “perfect puppy”.

Wishing you all a happy autumn weekend!

We are thankful to report to all that our little guy, Mr. Black, is making a grand recovery. After that very serious and rare bowel obstruction, followed by emergency surgery at Tufts, we weren’t sure what to expect. Now a week later, he is full of energy, regaining the weight he has lost, and is trying to find his place among the very big and teritorial golden girls living here.

We have decided to keep him in our family. With already about four thousand dollars in medical costs attributed to this misadventure, it was not a good idea to place him with a family that expected a “perfect puppy”. Our waiting family’s disappointment was palpable, but we hope to be able to grant them first pick on the next litter.

Trying to keep our five goldens satisfied, and separate from our little puppy is quite a bit of work. The little guy is not supposed to get too rambunctious yet. Barb is away this weekend with a “girls’ weekend” in Vermont. So far, the detailed instructions she left, have kept me and everyone out of trouble. And by the way, Mr. Black is now “Rocky”, after his so bumpy start in life. Here he is feeling pretty frisky with the pumpkins in the front yard..

Ken just sent us some very beautiful photos of Rosie (from our last litter) who is now the big sister for little Autumn. Thanks for these gorgeous photos Ken that demonstrate so well these precious moments of new friendship.

So we end this particular story on a now happy beginning for “Rocky” and his littermate “Autumn”.

Coming off two 24 hour shifts in the hospital this past weekend has put a serious crimp in the time available to keep everyone informed about puppyville here. Tales and photos of more visitors, and another visit to the hospital to render healing puppy hugs, will have to wait so I can stay current.

Yesterday, a very good golden breeding friend of ours, Donna Talbot, came over to do the temperment testing of the litter. The pups were judged on 9 categories: from social attraction, following, restraint, social dominance, retrieving,  and chase, to sound and touch sensitivity. Like the other hallmarks of this litter of color and size, uniformity continued with the personality tests. There were no outliers, and we were very happy with everyone’s scores. “Perfect” puppies all! Thank you so much, Donna, for volunteering your time and expertise.

Barbara then assigned the puppies to our clients based on the timing of their applications and their own first, second, and third choices. Everyone has been notified. Now we are counting down the remaining days to this saga of puppyville. Bittersweet as always…

Everyone was pooped by the end of the morning.

Next week at this time, everyone will be starting their new lives with their adoptive families. And that golden magic of goodness, love, and energy will be blessing ten new families.