Poop Watcher

I know...such a great subject line right? Well, I proposed this question earlier on my twitter feed (tweetdvd)....Why does a dog turn around and look at you while they are pooping? I just don't get it....it makes me feel bad...like I need to look away. Is this common? Have others seen this phenomenon? Do they just want to make sure you are still there? I mean its one thing that I go and pick up his poop when he is finished, but then to degrade me even more by staring at me while he does it...it just creeps me out sometimes. Wrigley also does this thing where he double poops. He poops, of course while looking at me...I go and pick it up...I turn around and he has pooped again! So then I have to get a 2nd bag out and pick that up too! It can be rather annoying....so sometimes I don't pick it up...sshhh...don't tell anyone. Anybody else have a dog that double poops on them? Or gives the dirty stare down?

Can't forget the obligatory Wrigley picture....

Fireworks and Kids

I still have a lot of recapping of Wrigley's life to do, but I wanted to touch on the last two weekends with Wrigley. Of course last weekend was 4th of July. One big thing with the 4th is fireworks, which can be trouble for dogs. Ryann's cousin actually medicates her dog because his teeth chatter from the fireworks. So, we were very curious to see how he would handle things. Before we get to that though, we have found the perfect playmate for Wrigley. Kids!!! They like to run and play, Wrigley likes to run and play. They need to burn off energy so their parents can relax, same goes for Wrigley. :) He has been amazing with kids and they were each other out very well. Last weekend we went sure how he would do during our private fireworks display...so we kept him in the basement. However, this weekend, with a much bigger display, we thought we would see how he did. He was amazing. He sat down next to me and just looked up and enjoyed. I just kept petting him and talking to him and he loved it. We were pleasantly surprised...as he was the only dog of the 5 there that was all about the fireworks. I can't say that all Goldendoodles will act that way, but Wrigley is ready for next year already!

So...to recap...introduce your puppy to kids at an early age...that way you do your friends and family a favor...you wear their kids out as well!

Day 1 Continued...

So....we have Wrigley in our posession and had an hour drive till we were home. I drove and he sat in Ryann's lap. He was so scared that he didn't say a word and barely moved. We stopped at a Mcd's to take a potty break and he layed on the ground and did nothing...no potty...nada. He was VERY shy when we got him home, but we broke out some toys and he started to warm up to us.

I must say...looking back at this pictures brings back so many great memories, which I will do my best to share. Since we had an extra week, it gave us time to get prepared. We got his crate, some basic toys, food, and a book. Yes, we were one of those people that was going to do things by the book to do it right. We could not find a single Goldendoodle book in any of our local bookstores. So, we did the next best thing, got a Golden Retriever book. :) It was very informative and so helpful. Our friends made fun of us, but then would ask us questions later...yeah...we knew we were doing the right thing. To check out this book, click here. It was very helpful in getting us set up with the basics of how to break him into the transition. One thing I would have never thought of was bring a blanket when we picked him up. We slept with the blanket the night before, so it would get our sent. We then wrapped him in it when we picked him up so he could get used to our sent. 4 1/2 months later, he still sleeps with that blanket. :) It was one of many great tips. The night of February 28th changed our lives. We didn't sleep through the night after that night for some time...getting up in the middle of the night to let him out until he got older. Luckily we have gotten past that and he can last a very long time...but I still come home at lunch to hang out with the little guy....he's my buddy....








Well, more tomorrow, but if you have any questions about the breed or the early stages, ask away and I'd be happy to help.


For more pictures...check out our Flickr profile here.
Thanks,



Josh

Welcome

I'd like to welcome you to Wrigley's Recap. This blog will be devoted to my Goldendoodle puppy Wrigley. He is currently 7 months old, weighing in at 45 lbs. This blog will recap the life and times of Wrigley as well as look back at the early days as well. Ryann and I "rescued" Wrigley from the Amish back in late February of this year (2009) It was love at first site. We wondered at first why we couldn't see Wrigley on a website, but we soon found out that our breeder was Amish. She did send a picture and Ryann's heart melted, we had to get him.



We had to wait an extra week because little Wrigley had some diarrhea issues, but we would see him soon. February 28th was a fantastic day. It was about an hour drive to get there, passing buggies and buffaloes. Yes, Ryann saw a buffalo in Northern Indiana. Once we got there, Wrigley's very husky father (Golden Retriever) met us and showed us the way. Ryann walked in and it was all over. He was the cutest thing we had ever seen.

Wrigley had never been outside before...never been on grass...never had electricity...or been in a car...many new experiences awaiting him. I will continue with Day 1 tomorrow and will share stories, tips, ideas, and other fun facts of Wrigley's life. He is a wonderful Goldendoodle, the best dog breed there is! :) Talk with you soon....