Daisy McDoodle of the Clan McDoodle

It's been a while since I updated you on Daisy. George took some incredibly sweet pictures of Jack and Daisy. Jack loves to bury his face in her fur. He still misses Hoover and occasionally says so. But Daisy has won his boy's heart.

I can't pick a favorite of three. Can you?

Daisy has two brain cells. (Please insert your favorite blonde joke here.) There isn't a tie breaker. It's absolutely hysterical to watch her try to make up her mind about something. I will call her to come to me, and she'll think about it for the longest time with the most quizzical look on her face. Then, out of the blue, she'll lope toward me as if that was always her plan. Unfortunately, every time I try to get a photo of this quizzical face, she runs straight at the camera. I guess the camera is a big enough distraction that both brain cells can't help but focus on it.

Dogs can have ADD, apparently.

Daisy also spends a lot of her day lying on her back with a toy in her mouth. Slut.

I just let her collar out again. Our Furry Golden Sunshine Version 2.0 is getting so big! She is still lazy, though, and on walks she wants to stop every twenty feet for a break. If anyone is out in the neighborhood, she MUST say hello. "I just met you, and I LOVE you!" she seems to say. And she's a magnet to people. Strangers simply can't resist petting her. But then, neither can we.

Daisy has (for the most part) stopped chewing furniture and the carpet, largely because I've sprayed a gallon of bitter apple all over everything. She is (we hope) fully house-broken. Leash-training has been challenging. A standard choke-chain doesn't work, so we've graduated to the pinch collar, which is much more effective. I once did a charity walk and saw three golden retrievers with different families on the walk. All three goldens had pinch collars, which made me feel much better about using one on Hoover. Goldens are just too enthusiastic. Plus, even half-grown, Daisy Doodle is strong. On our last family walk, she jumped up on George from behind and almost knocked him down.

Daisy may have stopped eating carpet, but she's still eating grass, weeds, rocks, and bunny poo. This means we have to walk her in our fenced yard on a leash unless we want to face the consequences.

We do NOT want to face the consequences.

And yes, she still thinks she's a cat.

Yes, we allow her on the furniture (our dogs have always been part of the family), but we do not allow her on the back of the sofa. Right after I snapped this picture, I ordered her off. She gave me that quizzical blonde look, but as soon as I lifted my camera, she jumped down and ran to me.

I'll get that look captured in pixels one day.