TWO DIFFERENT KINDS OF LOVE

It seems like I've spent a lot of time lately stuffing Kleenex in my pockets to sop up the tears in my eyes. Strangely enough half of those tears have been because of sadness and half have been for joy. Yes, I have friends that have said goodbye to their precious companions. I went down that road a few months ago and I still have days and nights when I can't help but miss my darling Chaucie and Melodie. The pain is still there, the questions are there too. Even as time goes on you still have a moment here and there that you simply don't want to accept their absence. As a writer and lecturer for so many years I've told many that the pain and hurt ease, but sometimes I find it hard to believe my own predictions. It's always easier to give advice than take it.

Doubts creep into your mind. Did I do enough? Did I make the right medical decisions? Could I have done more? Was I a good mom? Did I keep my human frailties, such as patience, in check? Was I too demanding? Then you always wish you could tell them you're sorry. They are so forgiving and their loyalty is boundless. So, you get caught up, from time to time, with all of these doubts. Then you pull out the tissues and wipe away the tears, hoping you did the best you could.

The one thing I've found through the years that's the hardest part to deal with are those wonderful, dedicated veterinarians who tend to be so non-committal and neutral. I must say they seem to be changing a bit. I think most of us silently beg for their support in our decisions. I am lucky to have a doctor that is very honest and mostly supportive of decisions that fall on my shoulders. I think it's her honesty, extensive information about the problem, laying out all of the pros and cons, that makes it easier for me to make those decisions myself and not expect her to necessarily point me in a certain direction. She also never hesitates to answer my questions, even if I ask them over and over. Her endless patience with me is more than appreciated. You see, as you get older and have to make these decisions about your dog's life, it doesn't get easier - it gets tougher. Trust me, I know.

The second part of this process comes when asked if you should get another puppy now or wait. Oh, how many times I've had to answer that one. I suspect vets have the same question asked of them. Nobody on earth can answer that for you....only yourself. You can really mess up on this one. Not intentionally of course. Just stop and think about the emotions that are tugging at you. Think about how unhappy you are. You want the hurt to go away because you don't want to deal with it. Sometimes even your guilt enters into the picture. Melodie died suddenly two days before Thanksgiving in 2004. I still am plagued with questions and guilt. I did everything possible for her. She lived a long and happy life doing exactly what she loved best. All I'm saying is that these things happen. Much depends on your expectations. If you want a puppy that will be just like your last dog then don't do it. It's more than likely you will be taking this darling ball of fluff back. How sad for both of you.

All of this rhetoric is leading up to the title of this post - two different kinds of love. Until last summer I didn't know that such a thing existed. Chaucie was going to be my last dog because of my age and not having any family to care for a dog should something happen to me. But I thought Chaucie would live a much longer life. However, he had a good life and was healthy, happy, and pain free to the very end. He was playing in his pool every day and didn't want to stop. We had so much fun. We loved him so much.

But it had been years since we came home to an empty house with no other dog to help us through this loss. I didn't know what to do. I couldn't think about a puppy. That was out of the question. I had to spend time getting my life back together. I hadn't even had time to mourn for Melodie. Everything just came crashing down on me.

I turned to Ragom. I found myself looking at their senior dogs that needed homes. As I went down the page my eyes stopped at a picture of Dakota. For some reason I said we needed Dakota. I sat and starred at him and read his bio over and over. Something just led me to adopting him. I don't remember any feeling being so strong. It seemed forever, but in a very short time Dakota was at our home.

He has been here now in his forever home for nearly ten months. We love him dearly. He loves us. We needed a canine companion and he needed a family. I can tell you this......it felt right from the very beginning. I never, for one minute, felt it was a gamble because of his age. I never thought I might be putting myself through another painful experience.

I do know that this is a different kind of love. We know that Chaucie would approve and is smiling down on us. I cannot explain why these two kinds of love are different but they are. They both are strong. One doesn't interfere with the other. They compliment each other. One doesn't impose on the other. There is room for both. I have never experienced anything like this and probably never will again. Some things have happened in our house that I won't go into now but we have a strong feeling that communications have gone on. It's OK. We continue to remember our wonderful times with Melodie and Chaucie and how lucky we were to have them as long as we did. Our days are filled with so much joy over the fact that we could give Dakota added life. Each day is so happy. We have picked up on his little habits and follow his lead. We spoil him and he eats it up. We are convinced he had a good home during his younger years. You can just tell by the way he acts. Each morning starts off with "wake-up time". Then it's a romp in the yard before breakfast. We are so comfortable with each other. We laugh with him and he returns with a smile on his face. Oh yes, he can smile and does. He has established unique routines with both of us. And there isn't a minute during the day where we aren't convinced that Chaucie and Melodie are smiling down on us. They seem just as close to us today. It seems like we are one big happy family.

So different from anything that I've ever experienced, we aren't questioning how this happened. We are just loving the moment. I don't ask questions, I just accept fate and embrace this wonderful happening. I'm grateful for every day with Dakota and I cherish the time I had with Melodie and Chaucie.

etc. etc.

OH HOW THEY LOVE THE WATER!

MORE KATHY'S GOLDENS

TOBY and PEARL

CHAUCIE ONE MORE TIME

Chaucer

You are the personification of the perfect companion.
A virtuoso of charm and decorum
blended into golden bonds of harmonious affection and friendship.

The epitome of a gentleman
your strength is in your silence.
The gentle nature in which you reach out.
The love and serenity in your eyes
calm even the toughest of hearts.

You are my guardian angel too -
never more than several steps away.
Understanding human frailties seems to be your niche in everyday life.

How I love your company in the kitchen.
And always tucked away somewhere in my office
ready to answer my call for help in this stressful life.

You are the perfect answer to a couple of aging, doting old folks
who find talking to a dog makes more sense than
dealing with the craziness of modern man and his complex gadgets.

We have a long road ahead of us - you and I.
Somehow I am assured that you will lead me in the right direction
and when I get off on the wrong path,
you will gently nudge me back .

I have the security of knowing that you will be keeping a watchful eye
on my coming and going, aware that I am slowly turning frail
and my judgment is not as keen as it used to be.

Thank you my friend and dear, dear companion.
How lucky I am to have found you.

Katie 12 / 99

KATHY'S GOLDENS

CHAUCIE

SPECIAL GOLDENS

Starting Monday I am going to do a series of pictures on "Kathy's Goldens". They may not all run right in succession, but I just wanted to alert you so you will be on the lookout. I will start with my Chaucie. Kathy has the most wonderful Goldens and I just wanted to do this for her. I hope you will enjoy looking at them.

JENNA

Jenna, shown here, was a sister of my Chaucie. News arrived in my box this morning that she has joined Chaucie, Toby, and other siblings at the Rainbow Bridge. She succumbed to a blood disease called Hemangiosarcoma. A particularly insidious cancer that seems to attack Golden retrievers and German shepherds more than other breeds [that is my understanding from what I have read so far about the disease and may or may not be accurate]. She is shown here with a niece and nephew of Kathy's.

Kathy breeds the most wonderful Goldens. They have all of the best qualities you'd ever want in a companion. She puts her heart and soul into them. They are brought into this world with so much love and cared for with their every needs being answered. Only families that carry on her dedication will be lucky enough to take these darlings home.

I had planned on writing about Kathy and her Goldens down the line when I finished my stories about my first two Goldens from Goldwood.

Right now I cannot find the words. My heart aches, once again, and my tears and sympathy go out to Kathy on this very sad, sad day. But I can tell her that, although Chaucie's life was taken far too early, he left us with a legacy we will never forget. His spirit is with us and seems to guide Dakota on a daily basis. His pictures and poem around the house are daily reminders of how much love and happiness he brought to us that was so very special. Kathy was always kind enough to share news of Jenna and we always felt part of the extended family. Kathy has also been thoughtful enough to share with us even though Chaucie is now waiting for us at the Rainbow Bridge.

JUST DUCKY

It's been a long, hard week. I spent a lot of my time with a cup of coffee and looking out at Spring emerging in the backyard. Life cycles, life goes on. Somehow you pick up the pieces and move on. It's not without tears and without memories everywhere you go. You just forge ahead.

So, there I am watching the birds at the feeders knowing I have to take them down and clean them. It's time to put up the hummingbird feeder. I hear they are back in the city. It's too early but everything seems ahead of schedule. The darn rabbits come hopping into view. They are after the bird seed that fell from the feeder when the squirrel decided he could fly through the air above the cone that was preventing him from getting his fair share. He managed to dump the whole tray of food onto the ground and break the lines holding the feeder up. Normally I would panic and race to get the wet vac to suck it all up thinking about all of the weeds that would sprout from the ground. But with the darn rabbits, squirrels, and the resident chipmunks eating it up, I just smile and watch their antics.

I keep nagging my husband to get rabbit fencing to put around inside our board fence. The rabbits have chewed their way through holes and edges of boards in our fence as well as the heavy, wire-coated fence we had hoped would keep them out. And they still have their teeth!!!

Last week a pair of Mallards sailed in and took their merry sweet time investigating the yard. Dakota saw them and didn't take his eyes off of them until they flew away. He gave me a dirty glance as I would not let him out to get a better look. My last two Goldens let the chipmunks run over their paws but I doubt very much that Dakota would be so benevolent.

My eyes are drawn to a neighbor's 50 foot tree. It hasn't leafed out yet, so you can see the huge squirrel nests near the top from years past. My eyes are telling me there's an awfully large bird up near one of the nests. Surely it's not an eagle. That would be too much to hope for. I grab the field glasses and quickly focus them on the nest and bird. Good Grief I yell! It's a duck! I accuse my husband of lacing my morning coffee. Nope, it's really a duck. Further investigation shows a male Mallard sitting on the roof of the house. We've accepted the fact that every spring the ducks sit on the roofs of the houses all around the project. They seem to enjoy it and they are able to look over the whole neighborhood for possible nesting sites without being harassed by people or other wildlife. Every year pairs of Mallards fly into our yard and check it out. It's part of the Spring ritual that we enjoy. For two years we had a pair nest in our backyard. It surprised the heck out of me as at that time I had two Goldens who spent their summers out there in the pool. Mama must not have been worried about them. They were under a hedge of Russian olive shrubs/trees. It was so much fun to watch them follow mama along the fence, in single file, every day. The dogs never touched them.

Then a day would come when mama flew out of the yard and left the babies for the day. The babies, now quite grown, would continue to march up and down the fence under the olives. In the late afternoon mama would return and by the next morning they were all gone. Then one summer she didn't return. I refused to let myself think of what might have happened to her. We missed them and since that time none have found our yard acceptable. But they love our roof.

So, all week I have seen mama fly in and land on what seemed like a very small branch and look over the nest. Papa was always around somewhere. He too, actually landed in the tree a couple of times, but mostly waited on the roof. They have not been around the last day or two, so I figured mama had come to her senses and found a more stable environment. Then, this morning as I was turning off the TV and heading for my office, there was a large creature in the tree. I grabbed for the field glasses again and sure enough mama duck was by the squirrel nest again. However, papa duck was no where in sight. I have no idea where this is going to end, but it has been fun to watch them. Many couples have flown over the house but none have returned to our backyard.

Last summer we watched a family to wild turkeys walk through the neighborhood. I swore my husband to secrecy. I didn't want the neighbors calling for the men in white coats to haul us off. Now it turns out that other neighbors saw them too and while listening to talk radio one afternoon I learned that they are all over the suburbs around town. They seem to enjoy living among the neighborhoods and don't feel threatened.

One morning I looked out and saw a lynx/Bobcat crouching on the fence. Wildlife seems to be moving into the suburbs. However, when we built our house back in 1970, it was not unusual to see fox walking down the street and see that dear had jumped our fence and bedded down in the yard. So this is nothing new. Raccoons love the bird feeders too and we've had to cover our fireplace chimneys with caps to keep them out.

I don't mind all of the wildlife. It keeps me balanced and in tune with nature. It is only spoiled by the drone of cars and trucks on the freeway in the distance and those darn planes that have invaded the peace and quiet of our skies.

I hope the ducks find a safe place to raise their young. I wish it was in my backyard.

DOG HEAVEN

Is there really a Dog Heaven?

For thousands of years, the dog has been mankind's best and most loyal friend. The first drawings by man indicate that the dog was the first domesticated pet on Earth. Even in prehistoric times, the wildest of wolves found a common bond with man in their quests to discover and share the world together.
When the life of a dog passes, grieving is often deeper and more devastating than when people close to us die. Perhaps this is because the dog gives us unyielding, unconditional love and devotion through its entire lifetime. No other species or living thing on Earth, including human beings, possess the capacity to give so much, demand so little, and forgive so quickly. What a unique blessing this is. Ironically, it is often the unaccomplished mission of our lifetime as people!
When we lose our friend and companion, we inevitably ask ourselves, 'does this dog have a soul? Was his life on Earth his last? Does this spirit move up and on to a higher place?' After having given us the rare gift of his life, surely the dog must move on to an eternal place. Theologians and religious scholars are reluctant to decide, so for most, the question remains unanswered. As for me, I have known too many dogs in a special way that I have never known people. My heart knows the answer.
If you have any doubt, be comforted by this belief. The loving creator of all universes and creatures would not have blessed us with them, if He had not blessed THEM first. Is it a coincidence that this is revealed to us so clearly by the simple reflection of the word DOG in a mirror?

Cleveland Wheeler

TREAT ME KINDLY

TREAT ME KINDLY
Treat me kindly, my beloved master, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me. Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between the blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you wouild have me do. Speak to me often, for your voice is the world's sweetest music as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footsteps fall upon my waiting ear. When it is cold and wet, please take me inside, for I am now a domesticated animal, no longer used to bitter elements. And I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth. Though, had you no home, I would rather follow you through ice and snow than rest upon the softest pillow in the warmest home in all the land, for you are my god and I am your devoted worshiper. Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for although I should not reproach you were it dry, I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst. Feed me clean food, that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to talk by your side, and stand ready, willing, and able to protect you with my life should your life be in danger. And, beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn me away from you. Rather, hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest - and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands.

ANOTHER SAD DAY

PLEASE STOP! PLEASE...........

This morning's e-mail brought more sad news. Melodie's pal from obedience school will join her at the Rainbow Bridge this week. My heart is so heavy. The tears will not stop. I have always been told that God never gives you more than you can handle. This is one of those times when that is really being put to the test. I am still hurting and mourning my loss of Melodie and Chaucie just months apart. Now Michele has had to say goodbye to Abby. Thursday Bonnie will say goodbye to Shadow. No, I don't think I can handle this. Maybe twenty or thirty years ago I could find a way, but not now. I'm too old. I don't want this to happen. It feels like my whole world is coming to an end. I can only sit here in my office and hug Dakota for dear life. Unfortunately he can read my mind and senses my hurt and he is scared. He wants to run away from me. I let go. It's not fair to impose my pain and anger on him. He goes to my husband in his office. He feels safe there. There are no sad vibes. I keep telling myself I must not do this to him. He is a very senior guy. He is suppose to be happy and having fun. I should be outside with him playing ball and laughing. But it has to wait. Life is not fair. I must mourn with Michele and Bonnie. That is part of my life and the way I am. I sit and wonder how a veterinarian manages to deal with this. They have far more sadness in a year than a physician I'm sure. Through the years of writing columns and conducting classes I've had my share of sad news days. They don't get any easier. But I wouldn't change it for one minute. I have shared many wonderful companions with their families - the good times and the not so good times. I chose that path and am glad I did. Today is hard, yesterday was hard, my last year was hard but it gets easier with time. You never forget and the sadness never goes away totally but the happy memories come and carry you through. My previous posts on Goldwood and my Goldens have brought back so many wonderful memories. The journey will continue. But first we must get through these sad days.

NO MORE! PLEASE - NO MORE!

IN MEMORY OF DARLING ABBY

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....
Author unknown

CANDIFECTION

Darling Candi -

I see in you the harmonius chorus of endearing qualities
we've cherished in each of your predecessors.
Truly a balance of symphonic modulation that
announced itself on that glorious day in May.

You are a diapson of -
The dedicated protective loyalty of Rex
The individualistic sensitive femininity of Princess
The playful sense of humor and fun that was Dukie
And you absorbed the outpouring of happiness, love, and gentleness
from your special year with Astro.

All culminating in an enriched rhapsody entitled
"Concerto Fantasia"
My madrigal to you on your second birthday.

SUMMER BLAZE - GOLDEN RAYS

Soft summer breezes woven with a
warm blanket of sunshine
bestows a utopia for blissful dozing
on a cool screened porch.

One eye keeps watch
on chipmunks romping in the wood pile
while above them in the willows,
mama chickadees feed their young.

Sparkling morning skies
are a time for sisters to play.
Blithe spirits wresting in the grass
chasing a butterfly.
Learning to blow bubbles in the water bowl
while retrieving an ice cube.

Carefree days are -
A pool filled with fresh, clear water in which to play.
A Frisbee sailing through the air.
Nose to nose with a bee in the flower garden.
Chasing raindrops in an evening shower.
Our friendship grows.
We share, we learn, we play.

Imperceptibly fall approaches
soon to explode in a riot of color.
There are orchards to track through
flushing out rabbits.
Grandpa's leaf pile
abounds with imagination and fantasy.
Panting breath rises in the crisp air
as paw prints are left
on the early morning frosted ground.

Alas, soon our insouciant days will be over.
But this year we have become friends
and mutually we will share our dreams
before a warm, crackling fire,
curled up on our run together
just you and I.
Katie 6/83

MY TWO BEST FRIENDS

You are aging so gracefully.
The years are melting too swiftly into a collage of
golden memories, warm thoughts, and special feelings.

No soliloquy of profound superlatives can express
our mutual trust and understanding.
Only St. Francis would comprehend our communications.

Your serenity eases life's rough spots
as a bridge over troubled waters,
and enhances the precious moments
for savoring through the years.

Samantha, ours is a very special world in the Cosmos of time.

A five year old with the zest for life
like crystal clear, rushing water
cascading down a mountain side in Spring.

No mid-life crisis for this gal!

Your expressions of joy and delight
are so overwhelming.
incredibly anxious to please
with never ending appreciation and enormous pride.
To you, nothing is impossible.

Each day starts with an eager sense that life is always at its best.

Miss Independence!

You are so openly loving and charming, Candi.

Together you two have formed a very special bond
bringing an abundance of happiness to young and old alike.

You've charmed even the most querulous and brought new meaning
to man's most faithful companion.

My ambassadors to peace and gentleness
for those who stop, listen, and learn.
There will never be another threesome quite like us!
......................................................................................Katie '86

DAKOTA'S SPLENDID WEEK

This was a great week for Dakota even though he doesn't know it. It started with his yearly visit to the vet. Time for heartworm test, yearly shots, and a physical that included a basic profile because of his age.

He was delighted to see everyone. They all spoil him rotten but Karen is his favorite because she loves him up and down and tells him he's the greatest. He's not familiar with the exam table and how it goes up and down and that it also tells his weight. But he caught on quickly and did everything he was asked to do.

His doctor said his heart was still just terrific and showed no signs of aging. He has a nice, slow, steady, and strong beat. His eyes are clear as a bell with no signs of cataracts. He has no allergies or skin problems. The only issue we have are the hips. But they do not present a huge problem for him and he has learned to adjust and avoid a lot of pain.

His doctor called the next day with the profile results and said they were all just fine and that some of the scores were actually very low. Quite wonderful to hear from a dog that is almost 11 years old. We picked up his heartworm, he got his last ear scratches and hugs, and we were on our way home.

Then the next day we got hit with our first big storms that included thunder and lightening. I was anxious to see if my winter of work with him on his storm fear would result in some positive aspects. I was in my office when it started and I put his Kennel Calm disc in to play while I finished up my work. He pretty much responded the same way he always did through the thunder fear disc. He slept through it on his bed under the table next to my desk. I didn't want to get up as I knew he would then get up and follow me and it would probably break the chain of positive events. And it did. He started to show signs of worry. But they were not extreme. He went behind my desk and stayed there for a while and then he did go to the closet and curl up on the bed I'd put by the door for him.

He went downstairs with me and pretty much followed me around while I got ready for dinner. He did try to get into one closet I went into to get some things. I should have left the door open but instead I made him get out so I could close the door. Later I realized that was a mistake and I won't do that again.

The storm continued through the evening. He wouldn't eat his dinner at his table but he was curled up next to it, so I put the bowl down in front of him and he ate and took his medication. He was fairly quite through the evening and did go from place to place but nothing extreme with one exception. He thought about trying to get behind the couch, but never pushed the idea through to completion.

While he was under some stress, it was no where near what we experienced last fall when we adopted him. I like to put it this way. On a scale of 1 [no fear] to 10 [a lot of fear] he was probably at about a 5. Last fall I'd say he was at a 12+ and rising. So I think he has improved quite a bit. I didn't have to give him anything. We pretty much ignored him, watched TV and chatted and laughed as normal.

Once the storm had passed - the thunder was gone and the lightening had moved on - he went out potty and didn't rush to come back in. He goes out in the rain now if there is no thunder or lightening and actually seems to enjoy the rain. When he arrived here, he wouldn't even stick his nose out the door if it was raining.

Another interesting point was that he didn't react to the low pressure that went right over us. Last fall he seemed to react to an oncoming storm quite far out. So I believe the work I did over the winter did help. But rather than pat myself on the back, I think a lot of his progress is a result of his settling in here and becoming part of the family and gaining a lot of trust and stability in his life. When he arrived last fall he had been through an awful lot of scary events and he wasn't sure what was happening to him. But with our work and patience through these 8 months, I think he's gained a lot of confidence in himself and trusts us and feels secure. He's fit into routines, created new interests, and definitely thinks this is now his home. He has no separation anxiety when we leave and is happy to welcome us home but not overly so.

It most certainly is a success story. His chipmunks came out this week too and he's back to keeping on eye on them. He loves being outside and watching everything that goes on but is frustrated by the darn rabbits - aren't we all. He doesn't need me outside with him every minute. He takes his new plush toys out with him and brings them back when he comes in. I think it's going to be a great summer. It's till too cold to put his pool out, but I can't wait to see how he deals with that.

It's been a good week.

MY GOLDEN GIRLS

This is a pictorial journey of my Golden Girls. They had different Goldwood parents and such different personalities however, they had a wonderful time together and became such good buddies. Their favorite time was traveling to see our folks. That was like a vacation every weekend. They loved "grandma" and "grandpa" who spoild them rotten but not with food. There was always a huge pile of leaves to dive into,orchards to run through, and projects to watch and help with. Samantha found a special nap place and always managed to beat everyone to it to catch an afternoon nap in the sun. Samantha spent a lot of time at obedience matches and gathered her share of ribbons. But her favorite sport was tracking. Oh how she loved that. Candi was the all-round Golden. She loved everything and everybody. She was such a happy dog. Her favorite pastime was the pool. And she loved playing with the hose.















On one hand Sam loved her competition in the ring and in the field. On the other hand she loved the farm and the fun life it brought about. But finding a bed in front of a picture window to soak up the sun and take a nap was the best!





Samantha and Candi did not spend their whole lives together. Samantha came to live with us while Astro was still alive. He was a very special shepard, that I will write about later. When Candi was left alone, Melodie came to keep her company. But it didn't exactly turn out that way. Their story will follow later.







Obviously it was necessary to enlarge the pool size. They loved finding all sorts of toys in the pool but there were times when they ran back to the house to find something else to put into the pool and play with. The most interesting thing about all of this pool stuff was that each one taught the other about the pool and how to play in it. It was fascinating to sit on the deck and watch them go through this process. Goldens and pools go hand in hand if there isn't a lake handy. They seemed happy just to putts around in the water on a hot day.