In July 2007 my wonderful senior golden retriever, Red Sun Rising CD, died. My husband and I mourned as well as my pack of five dogs, especially his best golden retriever friend, Logan. We all missed Red and by the following April I started thinking about adding another golden retriever.

A golden retriever breeder I know called me to look at her puppies… although they were sweet puppies, they lacked that special spark that said pick me. So I didn’t take one home.

In Tao of Puppies I talk about choosing a puppy that’s right for you, so I won’t go into that right now… except to say that I want that special heart connection that happens when you and the puppy choose each other and “magic happens.”

In August 2008, Logan became very ill with an extremely elevated Liver alt (2100). X-rays and an ultra sound revealed that his liver and spleen were enlarged.

At 1:30 am in the emergency room, I promised him that I would find him a friend. (I am a firm believer in the fact that adding a young dog at the right time can give a senior dog extra years of happy life.)

…so my search to find a dog intensified.

I talked with two golden retriever breeders, but nothing developed.

Then, my luck changed!

I got a call from a golden retriever breeder who heard that I was looking for a dog. She’s lives in Phoenix, Arizona, not that far from me. She knew that I love to show and train dogs (especially in agility) and she said she had an 11-month-old golden retriever puppy (female) that she’d like me to see.

I went to her house on Labor Day and met the puppy.

And you can probably guess what happened. That funny, happy, sweet golden girl came to live at my house for a “test period” on Sunday, September 7.

Within three hours of being at our house, she fit in like she always lived there (In Tao of Puppies I also talk about how to introduce a new dog to the pack. And my pack was very lively! I had three border collies, one Doberman, and one golden retriever.)

So how do you get a dog that fits with you, your family, and pack?

Here are my suggestions:

• Pay attention to the personalities in your pack. If you have a lot of alpha wannabees, maybe you should think about bringing in a confident beta who won’t be afraid, but won’t be so assertive that you have dog fights.

• Think about the type of breed that you want to add. For example, I was looking for a golden retriever because I knew that dogs often relate better to their own breeds. (However, I must also admit it really depends on personalities – my Doberman is best friends with one of my border collies!)

• Know your pack. I knew that Logan related best to other golden retrievers. I knew that my pack was “full of life.” Which means that an 11-month-old was much better for my pack because the puppy was OLDER. And my active pack wouldn’t overpower her. (It would be much easier for them to overpower a puppy.)

• Figure out what you need to make you happy. For me, it was all about Logan. If he was happy, I’d be happy. So I wanted a golden retriever puppy for him.

I am sure you will be reading many more Angel Lily stories…

Part 1 of 3.

On Saturday afternoon one of my clients wanted me to evaluate a rescue dog that she was thinking of bringing home.

She and her husband had already met the new dog at his foster home and liked his playful nature. And now they wanted my professional opinion…

Adopting a dog from a shelter or rescue group is a wonderful way to save a life, and at the same time, add new life to your family and other dogs.

However, it is important to do your homework if you want to find the perfect dog for you and your family.

The following physical evaluation can help you adopt a pet that is the right match for you and your pack.

The first step: check out the dog physically.

· Is the coat shiny and thick? Or is the coat missing hair? Are there any hot spots?

· If the dog has long ears, pick them up to see if they are healthy and pink or red and inflamed on the inside.

· Are there any fleas or ticks?

· What does the dog’s breath smell like? (If it smells rancid or sour the dog may have some health issues or just need a good teeth cleaning!)

· Does the dog walk, run, and play without limping?

Some rescue groups x-ray a dog’s hips or elbows to make sure the dog does not have dysplasia.

· Are there any lumps, bruises, or sore spots on the dog’s body?

· Does the dog have runny eyes or a drippy nose?

· Are the eyes cloudy or clear?

· Are the dog’s paws red, sore, missing hair, or deformed?

· Can the dog physically hear you?

· Is the dog constantly itching?

Any physical issue can be worked with, adapted to, or changed.

However, if you go into a relationship knowing that the dog has allergies, or walks with a limp because he’s had surgery after being hit by a car… you will not be unpleasantly surprised if the dog needs extra veterinary attention for health issues.

In case you are curious, my client’s pet rescue passed my initial physical evaluation with flying colors.

· When the puppy ran, he leapt, bounced and soared on all four paws. He was definitely sound on all four legs with nicely shaped paws.

· His chest was narrow which angled his front feet. However when his chest drops it should straighten out his front end. But most importantly, the angle of his front legs didn’t interfere with his movement in any way.

· The rescue group had already x-rayed his hips to see if he had hip dysplasia (he didn’t).

· He had no lumps, bruises, or sore spots on his body.

· His coat was clean, with no fleas or ticks.

· His eyes were clear and his hearing excellent.

Part 2 will discuss the second step which is to observe a dog’s interactions with other dogs.