My "Golden" night's sleep

[sasvermont]

I house/pet sat for the past two days. The golden retriever "Chinook" is still young and very beautiful, I have to admit. He has long and puffy fur on his tail and on his chest. I don't know if that is the correct look but gee, people were stopping me and asking me about him.....while we were on our walks.

Last night he decided I was ok and that he would try to sleep on the futon with me, at his house, not mine. It was like sleeping with a polar bear. He was all over me, licking me, rolling on me, pawing at my hands..... and then would settle down but right next to me and sometimes pushing me into a corner. He wimpered every now and then (I suppose when he realized he was without his family)...... and alternated that with burping! He was a complete bed hog, he smelled like a doggie and was sooooo warm and furry. The combinations were astounding! I don't know how doggie owners do it.

Having had only small dogs around, when they are around, it is alarming to see the amount of food, poop, hair and space the bigger doggies have.......

Oh, he also sneaked into one of the kids' room and stole a little plastic toy soldier and carried that around in his mouth all the time. He didn't chew it, just carried it. I did find that behavior rather sweet.

I brushed him this morning and within 20 minutes he had rolled in mud and got dirt all over the front of himself as well as on his back and top of head. Back to square one.

He was excellent on the leash.

All in all, it was fun. He will always have a special place in my heart.

Sorry, I didn't think to take my camera. Maybe next time.

[Casper]

Chinook sounds a lot like my sister's Husky/GSD mix, Skylar... right down to being a bed hog (Skylar is so bad that it is even hard to share a king-sized bed with him.. he will find a way to try to push you off. lol). The way you described Chinook carrying around the toy soldier is such a precious thing to imagine... he sounds like a phenomenal pup and I'm glad you two got to know each other.


Good to hear you had fun!

[lizbud]

He sounds like a delightful pup. I loved your description on sharing a bed
in the evening. It does sound like he missed his cuddles with his people
away.

I hope you remember to bring the camera next time.

[jennielynn1970]

He was all over me, licking me, rolling on me, pawing at my hands..... and then would settle down but right next to me and sometimes pushing me into a corner. He wimpered every now and then (I suppose when he realized he was without his family)...... and alternated that with burping! He was a complete bed hog, he smelled like a doggie and was sooooo warm and furry.

Hmmmm... sounds like sleeping with a man.

He sounds like such a sweet pup! Hope you get to go back and take you camera with you!

[Logan]

Made you grateful for the cats, didn't it, Sallyanne? He sounds like a good buddy, though, and very much like the Golden Retrievers in my life!!!

[Rachel]

He sounds like a good buddy, though, and very much like the Golden Retrievers in my life!!!

And possibly we have discovered the reason you don't sleep with yours, Logan.


Sallyanne, it seems like you passed the test (with high marks) for having a dog in your life, although you don't seem convinced to travel down that road just yet. It certainly looks like Chinook gave it his best in exposing you to the joys and challenges of living life with a dog. I'm hoping the seed has been planted.