Quin's got a new best friend, and his name is Talisker. He's our new 8 week old golden retriever puppy.
Strange name, I know. Talisker is the only whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. We thought "Whisky" was too bland and overused, so we gave Quin the choice between "Cardu" (another distillery) and "Talisker". He chose "Talisker". We thought better than to give Quin complete control over the name, lest he forever be known as "Poopookaka!" I can just see it now, yelling across the park for "Poopookaka" to come.
These two have become best buds in the few short days since we've had him. They go everywhere together, running, jumping, chasing each other, and nibbling on ears. Okay, so Talisker nibbles on Quin's ear, but it's still cute.
Since long before our old dogs Seneca and Sierra died, we had always talked about our next dog being a golden retriever. Elizabeth and I both love the temperament of goldens. I couldn't think of a better breed, especially for those with small children.
Then we found out the plan was to breed Chloe, quite possibly the most beautiful yellow lab I've ever seen, not to mention sweet as can be. We thought, hey, it would be great to have one of her puppies! But life has gotten in the way, including the move to Colorado. Meanwhile we've been pining for a new doggie! It's been 18 months without a pooch (other than lots of time with Chloe and Patches).
So we talked it over, and decided that with the new baby coming, we wanted to get the puppy hassles out of the way before the new baby arrives. We figured we either get a new dog now, or wait another one to two years until the baby is older. We didn't like the idea of waiting more, so decided to get the dog now. This put Chloe out of the running, and a golden back in our sights.
Elizabeth went on a mission. And when she gets her mind set on something, she pursues it vigorously until the task is done. This includes finding a new dog. Within days of making a decision, we were at a breeder looking at some puppies. She looked at parents, grandparents, pedigrees, certifications, and much more. She was determined to find us a dog with the traits and temperament to be a perfect family dog.
A week later, we were down in Castle Rock, Colorado to see and take home a puppy. We fell in love with Talisker, and so far, he is indeed the perfect family dog. Smart as a whip, and has a great personality and temperament on him. He's frisky and playful, but the moment you pick him up he wants to cuddle. He's the opposite of a frantic and wild puppy. After two nights of getting up to let him out, he sleeps through the night happily in his crate in our bedroom. He has his occasional accidents in the house, but generally wants to wait to go outside so he can get a treat. He's even already got the concept of "sit" down.
Later this month he'll start puppy classes, and I think he'll do quite well. "Come" will be an easy one, since he wants to be wherever we are. He rarely doesn't want to be around us.
Welcome to the family Talisker!
