Gus joins our pack

Since October, we have been dogless but Regis has recently started yearning for a dog. We read up on different breeds, explored shelter dogs, and talked to lots of people. The folks across the street have a dog, Zoe, that we love. She sits regally in the yard and never runs away. Zoe is a golden doodle and I want a dog like that.

We looked for a doodle but they were either too far away or too expensive. Then on Friday, Regis found a website for a nearby dog breeder and we went out to look at a puppy. I knew...look at a puppy = buy a puppy.

We went to a farm near LeSueur called Island Farm Goldens. I knew when we drove in that the dogs had good care there. The two puppies were romping in the grass and there were lots of happy dogs in a fenced area.

We bought our dog Friday night, then went to Mankato to stock up on the dog stuff we needed. When Kramer died, Regis was heartbroken and he gave away everything we had. They were very happy to help us spend our money at Pet Expo.

We named our dog Augustus McCrae after the Robert Duvall character in Lonesome Dove and we call him Gus. It fits him just fine.

So far, he has learned quickly to sit when he comes up to us. A fifteen pound puppy jumping on a person is one thing but a seventy pound adult dog is quite another. He is learning to like his crate and he is learning to chew only on toys. He is like any baby, though, and he likes a lot of attention. When he sleeps, he likes someone to be nearby.

The picture is one I took with my phone. He's sort of a constant motion machine so it's hard to get good photos of him but we'll try today with a better camera.

I just had Gus out in the yard for a romp and now he needs a nap. He's going to be fun!