Golden Inheritance



Dodger in a motel with me in September.



My Mom loved golden retrievers, and raised a few of them. She blogged about them and wished for a new dog, another golden she could have in her old age. After having my first golden in college,  I shared her love for them too. While living in Denver all those years afterwards, I would just melt every time I would see a golden puppy or people walking their goldens on the sidewalk. To have one to pet and talk to for a few moments would make a "golden day." They are great therapy dogs. My sister Julie's kid, my middle nephew Jordan, would crack me up when he was little when he would call our first golden named Shyre, "a golden treever."

Dodger had been abused in a group home by the residents and then brought back to the breeder where we found him.  How could anybody do that to a dog like Dodger?

Dodger came to us via rescue, and moved right in like he had been with us for a long time. He loved Mom and he loved Dad and enriched their lives until they both passed away.

He became my golden inheritance after that.



Dodger working the crowd on a boat in Door County this summer.

 Dodger has kept me going since both parents went to their reward. I don't know what I would do without my golden companion with the grief journey I have been on.  God had it planned that I would have this dog to aid in my recovery from losing my parents. I am certain of it.



Dodger loving up my dinner guests last week.  They just hate him, can you tell. :)

 He has been there when the waves of grief have hit, he is a great comforter, and loves the attention and love I give him. He gives me unconditional love.  He puts on a sad show when I leave for work, and he is there in the front window watching me go, and gives me that look.   I love when I come home from work, and he is there at the back door to greet me all excited.


Come'on Jimmy, hurry up and help me find my friend Mr. Woodchuck!

 We go for walks everyday in the woods, on the trails, or beach. I have to laugh when we run into other critters. We have already had a mother deer walk along side us a few times, thinking Dodger is one of her babies. I mean, THREE FEET away walking along side us!  People pointed and shouted "you have a deer walking with you!"  "What deer?" I'd reply with a grin.  Perhaps it is Dodger's fluffy tail in the air that resembles a deer tail that attracts deer? We have walked with a large black-grey woodchuck (groundhog) in front of us about 2 feet away on a trail that Dodger thought was a puppy. Mr. Woodchuck was very cute, and very tame with Dodger sniffing his face and wagging his tail out of curiosity.  He didn't mind us walking with him until he went back into the marsh.  Again, witnessed by people near us with their mouths gaping open. I consider it a blessing.

He plays ball, but then won't bring it back to you and plays keep away, living up to the name, Dodger. In the morning, I wake up with 85lbs of golden on my bed snuggling up to me to keep me warm when he has slept on the floor all night. When he has to go out, he dances for me in a circle, or nudges my hand with his snout. Vacuuming pet hair is not a problem when you collect old Hoover Convertible uprights.

He is funny,  loves people and attention. And, my friends notice if I leave a room, he watches his pet parent carefully. My five year old niece adores him. And, I cannot count how many tennis balls are around the house or missing. His favorite game is to put one under a bed, or chair or the couch and come get me to get it for him. Cute... huh?

Dodge and I go on car trips together, and I love when he is fast asleep in the backseat on his back with his 4 legs in the air in the car. It is funny when he sees milking cows or horses; he thinks they are BIG DOGS and starts barking like crazy.  He is getting a little grey on his snout now for only a fellow of 6 years old and has not been fixed yet. No need to worry, he never gets humpy on anyone.  

I worry about him sometimes, his ears get constantly irritated and I have to clean them with Q-tips and then put Tressaderm drops in from the Vet. He lays back and trusts me to do it gently. Same goes when he is brushed or given a bath. He is easy to feed, Purina Dog Chow, water, and an occasional Milk Bone, which he dances for.  In fact, in a vet's office, he lays back and relaxes. Mello Dog.

Dodger working the people on the boat again.

He watches me play the piano or cuss when I cannot get the notes right. And, he goes where ever I go, to church, running errands, visiting people at rest homes or people on the sidewalk during walks, or visiting other friends I have. They adore him, kids on the street love him too and he lays at their feet. His latest thing, is following me into the bathroom to lay down to keep me company on the commode. That is weird. I suppose he got that from the group home residents? He is not very co-dependant, but just does funny things to let me know he loves me.

Yes, God had it planned for us to have Dodger. I firmly believe it and give thanks each day for my golden inheritance. Thanks God, and Mom and Dad. 

Happy Birthday Dodger!



Dodger and I at the beach

 Dodger, a male golden retriever, came to us from a lady whose husband was at the rest home with Dad. She found an ad in the paper listing him with other dogs for sale to good homes. She herself had a golden puppy, her son's dog, who Mom adored, and Dad responded to with his Alzhiemer's.

At first, my mother was leery of a male golden, she had her heart set on a female, full grown and wished for one like that. That night, she gave in, she said, "call the number and find out about the dog."  I did, and then Mom decided we should go out and look at him. It was June 2010.

When we arrived, I sat on the ground and Dodger walked right into my lap like he had known me forever. He bonded with Mom who decided she wanted him right there. Deb, the breeder, told us that Dodger had been in a group home and was abused there and brought back to her where his Dad and brother lived with other dogs and animals who she had taken in that were abused.

We went out to Fleet Farm and bought a cage and dog food etc. That night, I worried about if I could take care of a dog in addition to Mom and looking after Dad. I couldn't sleep as it was added responsibility, and I almost told Mom  forget it. But I am so glad I didn't now.



Mom holding Dodger two years ago in June 2010

 We got Dodger in the car, and he jumped in the back seat like he knew us for the ride to his new home. He fit right in, and Mom was so happy having Dodger. He was her fourth golden. There had been two females, a male puppy they gave up, and now Dodger. 

Dad and Dodger before Dad died a few weeks later


At the rest home, he worked, he knew how to say hello to the inmates there in wheelchairs and those confined to bed. He drew a lot a smiles. One lady who had not talked in years started talking to him and petted him. The staff was amazed. Dad responded to Dodger very well, and talked and smiled and petted him. I would give Dad his leash to hold and it would make Dad feel normal again. Mom's nickname for all her Goldens is "putzie." That is what I call Dodger too sometimes.



Mom and Dodger at Christmas 2010

 My little niece still loves to pull his tail, play fetch with him with her stuffed animals, and crawl, poke his eyes, and kick all over him. He adores her even with that going on at her young age.

At first, Dodge would fetch a ball and bring it back to you, but got lazy after that. Dodger came with some bad habits we had to break him of, drinking out of the toilet, and jumping up on the kitchen counter. He stopped when scolded. Smart dog. Mom loved him, and she had us put him in a dog kennel cage at night, something I was not happy with. He didn't need it. She wanted him to have his own space when he needed it.  In time, when we got to know him and trust him, he slept in my room at night, sometimes on my bed, which would make Mom yell if she walked in and caught him. Dodge went exploring a few times when Mom would let him out and forget him, and I would freak trying to find him, but he would be okay.

When Mom found out that Dad was in the last stages of Alzheimer's, she started wailing with tears, and Dodger lept up and put his paws around her neck and licked her face to comfort her. During the week Dad died, Dodger knew, and came and licked his hand while he lay dying. After Dad died, he kept Mom and I going for the next year with the grief, then Mom died in September 2011 unexpectedly at Mayo.  He was very close to my Mom, Bernice.
The neighbors had Dodger for the week we were at Mayo Clinic. When I arrived home without Mom,  Mrs.Nicholson said Dodger had been acting so strange since Sunday afternoon. He knew Mom died from 350 miles away. I took him to see her body at the church and he led me to her. He whimpered when he jumped up on the side of the coffin to see her. My heart broke.

Since Mom died and we sold her house and divided everything up, I became Dodger's master. He has kept me going during the times when the waves of grief hit. Just the other night, something hit me and I lost it, and Dodger was right there comforting me with his kisses and hug.



"I am still on your bed, Jimmy!"

 If there was any reward after caregiving, Dodger is my reward. He keeps me going and is my constant companion. We take walks everyday in a wooded park nearby the place I am renting. He watches me while I tend the yard and garden. He loves to say hello to people and loves kids and elderly people in rest homes. In the Frisbee golf park in Appleton, he loves to chase Frisbees and not give them back to the owners. On trails, he will wag his tail and gives that puppy wag tail greeting that melts most people.  The other day at Lake Michigan he became a sand puppy after rolling wet in the sand. Our tub became a sandbox after washing him. He is getting a little grey on the face, but still is a big puppy and loves his Jimmy.



Jimmy, I rolled with sand on your towel and shoes, being a sand PUPPY!

 Yes, he is a great dog and thanks to Mom, is the last thing I have of her to remember her by.

Anybody thinking of getting a dog while caregiving should consider a golden. It will help you with the stress and grief thereafter.