My Golden History

In kindergarten my parents packed my brother and me into our green station wagon and went for a surprise drive. The surprise was going to get a sweet, amazing golden retriever. We named her Ginger and she was, to my kindergarten brain, perfect. In reality, she was the runt of the litter and a few fries short of a Happy Meal. But to me? Perfect.

Ginger came in for kindergarten show and tell. She waited at a window in our house each afternoon at 3:15 to watch me walk down the street from school. She let me grab onto her collar while I wore my roller skates with the hot pink wheels and pulled me up and down the driveway. She was my best friend and my confidante from kindergarten through 11th grade when she died. She took many secrets to her grave.

Is it any wonder I romanticized golden retrievers as the best dogs?

The knowledge of their superiority was only cemented as we became involved with The Caring Place two years ago. Therapy dogs come in once per session, many of which are golden retrievers, including my cousin dog, Sunny!

I never made it a secret I wanted a golden retriever again one day. Brian poked fun at me for wanting such a stereotypical suburban family dog but knew and I think even accepted that one day I’d bring a golden retriever home.

Today’s Golden Journey

In January I started looking for a golden retriever and spent several months conversing with a local older woman who was looking to give her golden retriever away. She eventually stopped communicating; I believe she and her husband had a change of heart. But my heart was set on adding a golden to our little family.

Although golden retriever breeders abound, I didn’t want a puppy puppy. I wanted a younger dog, one that was house trained and one that’s proven to be good with kids. Plus, adopting Lexi nearly 15 years ago made me passionate about rescuing dogs.

Golden retriever specific rescues either didn’t serve our county or wouldn’t adopt to families with children under 5 in the home, which baffles me as goldens are among the best family dogs. Period.

PetFinder ended up yielding an unexpected result: a golden retriever mix near Erie, around 1, house trained, living in a foster home with kids. His previous owner fell ill and surrendered the dog.

I submitted my application on June 29. The shelter approved it on June 30 and asked if I could come up the next day, which was Bryce’s birthday so I said no. But July 2? We could do that. Landon and I took the afternoon off and took Lexi up to meet this prospective dog, Zack.

I of course fell head over heels immediately. Landon was apprehensive about his size at first, but warmed up quickly. Lexi even thought he was okay and the shelter workers got a kick out of watching a tiny senior dog and big baby dog playing. Zack came home.

Then we renamed him. I’ve loved the name Cooper since 10th grade, which didn’t work for a human but would’ve worked for a dog. Brian and I loved the Marvel series and Guardians of the Galaxy in particular and thought Groot would make a stellar boy dog name one day. (Groot is the character that looks like a tree that only says “I am Groot.”) So I let Landon choose. “Cooper or Groot?” I asked. “Groot!” Landon decided.

So Groot he is.

Grooty Grooty!

Groot is awesome. He’s young, energetic and mouthy. He’s learning what’s his and not, but has put his teeth marks in more than a few stray toys. I caught him on top of the kitchen table the first full day he was home and recently chased him through many neighborhood backyards while he was in hot pursuit of a bunny.

And he is the most tolerant dog on the planet with Landon and Bryce. Landon adores Groot. When we’re away from home, he wants to go back to see Groot. He wants to take Groot for walks and play games with Groot. He takes him outside and refills his water dish.

Bryce is enthusiastic about Groot, too, though he’s still learning appropriate dog treatment. Don’t pull his tail and ears, don’t jump on him, etc. Groot is still bigger than Bryce and I’ve walked into the room to see Bryce sitting on Groot more than once. Bryce often lies on Groot like a pillow and sometimes they hold each other’s legs.

This summer has been oppressively hot and every time I set up the little pool or splash pad in the backyard Groot comes in rather wet. He’s not a dog to jump in himself, but tolerates Landon and Bryce dousing him with water. “We’re cooling him off!” They tell me.

Both boys enthusiastically call for him frequently. “Grooty! Grooty!” echoes around our house. They all want Groot to play with them.

Lexi tolerates the boys, but was 9 and already graying when Landon came home and a teenager when Bryce came home. She cares in her way, but she is my dog through and through.

Groot finds the boys to be thrilling. Every boy needs a dog, and Groot absolutely needs these boys. It’s a perfect fit.

Groot has joined Lexi and me during our 9-5 job and is my walking buddy. I hope when it cools down around here he’ll go for short jogs with me. He plays fetch when he wants to. (He is, after all, just a golden retriever mix. I think he’s also doodle given his curly fur.) He’s gone for a hike or two, with hundreds to come in his lifetime.

He’s learning the boundaries of his invisible fence and hasn’t jumped up on the kitchen table since that one day, though I’ve caught him counter-surfing more than once.

Groot talks in his sleep, moves his paws like he’s in pursuit of that elusive bunny, and wags his tail. He’s a happy boy.

We’re so glad he came home.