Day 263

2/3/23

Happy National Golden Retriever Day!!!!

Actually, every day is Golden Retriever Day, but today, the nation agrees! I was getting ready to do a photo wall of the pups (I removed a few of our other babies to highlight the Goldens.), so thought I would share some of these sweet faces!

We were a collie family, back in the day, and still love that amazing breed! We had rough collies, a sheltie and a border collie through the years. Their intelligence and family bonding were such gifts!

When a summer neighbor at the cabin decided to breed her own Golden, the thought of adding to our pack took flight. The six puppies born made their way from Portland, Oregon to Minnesota, where the breeder's parents lived, we fell in love! Meeting those pups changed my life.

Of course, we came home with one and named him Arthur. The entire family fell in love with this big guy, who had the nickname Moose, and our passion for Goldens was born. This 110 pound boy was my first Therapy Dog and I got hooked on this amazing form of volunteering.

Arthur was our first, but we added sweet Lilly and Ranger to our family when Arthur was about six. I realized that I needed back-ups for my visits, so the hunt was on for a female. When we found a lovely family close to home with a litter of puppies on their hands, we swooped in. They only had one left, so we felt our little "Scarlett" was meant to be. Actually, the family called and asked if we knew anyone who would like a male, since that buyer backed out. Dear Mac asked if we could get a deal on two (my shock was evident) and we eventually came home with Ranger and Lilly. (Scarlett seemed too dramatic for this sweet girl.)

When the littermates turned one, we had put in the training and testing (32 weeks each) so they were able to follow in the huge paw prints of their big brother. With three Therapy Dogs, I could cover more venues and loved every new experience.

When Lilly and Ranger were approaching nine, we added Gus. Less than a year later, Sam joined our family. Both are in training to be Therapy Dogs, so Lilly and Ranger can slow down just a bit.

These amazing dogs have enriched our lives more than any family deserves. They have also been my beloved companions for over 900 visits as Therapy Dogs (Gus and Sam will certainly push that number well over 1,000 when they join the ranks!). I know they have touched many lives...especially my own.

These precious Goldens are such a gift. I never take that for granted.

Once again, Happy National Golden Retriever Day! What a wonderful thing to celebrate!