Rhino Ramblings

Argo and Quinn

After a string of rather heavy topics in recent blogs, it is time for a mood change.  And so, inspired by the soon to start major sports event of the year (I, of course, am talking about The Puppy Bowl XX), this will be an update on the puppy in my life – Argo.

A quick note and synopsis for those newer readers.  Almost 11 years ago the first dog to own me, Midas, joined my family and became a centerpiece of life for me for almost 10 years (Midas: A Tribute).  Last summer in an unexpected and quick turn of events, a golden puppy later to be named Argo (named for the ship Argo that Jason took to find the golden fleece) was born and 8 weeks after, joined me and quickly taught me that I would have my hands full for the next few years (Walking the Dog).

Argo will soon be 8 months old and is a healthy and energetic handful.  While 60 pounds already, she is sleek and long. And still growing. She eats more than average for her meals and would seem to have an insatiable appetite.  Along with the normal assortment of puppy specific treats, she loves broccoli, carrots, and apple (and any meat scraps that fall into her food dish)

There are several key Golden characteristics.  The first that drew my attention 11 years ago with Midas is their intelligence.  For me that translates into being easily trained.  That is important because I am a poor trainer – consistency, patience and following a process not my major strengths.  I remember Midas as being quick to learn and reasonably consistent in matching what I asked of him.  Argo is also quick, but she uses her intelligence against me.  Early on, I realized that she would deliberately want to go outside over and over again because I once gave her a treat to come back inside.  She loves to retrieve, duh.  But even more so, loves to be chased.  Running after and catching the ball is literally a natural.  Bringing it back is another story.  Still working on the “drop it” aspect. I am pretty sure she knows what “drop it” means – she just gets more of a buzz from playing “keep away” than “drop it”.  And if it ends up with some zoomies around the yard, more the better for her. Speaking of zoomies, she does get confused with Zoom (ok actually Teams) calls particularly when one of her Aunts (Aunt Melissa and Aunt Theresa) is on.  She scours the house, loos behind my laptop and eventually gazes into the screen. 

Another golden characteristic is their absolute love of love. Argo is a lover of all.  Sometimes I feel like the least loved – but I realize that has more to do with her certainty of me in her life.  So seeing me again after I go to the store is more about – where were you;  than I am so happy you are home. She just wants and expects everyone else to also be part of her inner friend circle.  While still learning to not jump on everyone she meets and greets, she has calmed down from her earlier days.  Still a work in progress on balancing her joy with 60 pounds of jumping power.  And when on a walk, 60 pounds of tugging power.  She did figure out how to wriggle out of harness is an attempt to escape the leash and get some neighborly hugs and pets.

She is, thankfully, past the baby teeth stage.  She chewed on and left her mark on a few wooden items and destroyed the Christmas tree wiring. In general, she is not super destructive, or I have been better at getting indestructible toys .  She does like to grab shoes, socks and dirty underwear, but only to move them around.  She especially likes to move my clothes while I take a shower.  And she really loves her toys, especially ones that tug of war and for throwing and fetching (which in her mind means any and every toy).  .

Her initial interactions with my grandkids, Kevin and Quinn, were rough.  The puppy excitement, playfulness and size made fear and running away the counter-productive reactions (Running away, of course, means “let’s play” to a puppy).  But with age on both sides, relationships have grown positively.  Kevin, once fully afraid of Argo, wants to know when “his dog” Argo will be visiting again.  This past weekend, Quinn had a great time walking Argo – a win all around.

Life brings its ups and downs.  There is stress and change and growth and depression and joy and frustrations and risks and so on and so on.  Between my own life’s journey and my ruminations on all of the life defining topics, there is plenty of blog fodder.  Thank you for allowing me to take a break and just share my kiddo (whenever I call Argo, “kiddo”, Kevin indignantly reminds me “she’s a dog, not a kiddo) and the joy and fulfillment she manifests of and for me.