11/21/06: Gruff is here after a long car ride on Sunday from Missouri. Gruff's story is really sad. His owners moved away and left him tied up in the yard. Fortunately some neighbors found him and now he's on his way to being spoiled rotten for the rest of his life! Here's what I know about Gruff so far: he is very sweet, loves attention, gets along well with other dogs, looooooves kids, and loves to play. He is a pretty calm dog. He does have a playful side so has energy in that way, but isn't hyper--just very happy-go-lucky and go-with-the-flow. He walks well on a leash and didn't mind the Gentle Leader one bit. Gruff went to the vet today. The vet estimates he is about two years old and couldn't get over what a healthy, sweet dog he is.

Gruff's first night here was pretty funny. He has always been an outdoor dog, and we're guessing he's never seen his reflection before because he walked up to the sliding glass door then stopped short and took a step back, staring at his reflection. Then he cocked his head and looked at it, really perplexed. He spent the next 10 minutes walking from the sliding glass door into the living room and back cocking his head in each room as he saw the mystery dog follow him from window to window.

Gruff is a Golden mix and weighs only 45 lbs. If you are trying to decide between a lap dog and a Golden Retriever then this is the perfect dog! He obviously thinks of himself as a lap dog. He saw my husband sitting in the recliner reading the paper, ran across the room and took a flying leap, landing smack dab in my husband's lap. Kind of like a 45-lb. cat would do. The look on my husband's face after having 45 pounds of fur come flying through his raised newspaper onto his lap was, well, let's just say I bit my lip, gave Gruff my best firm sounding "get down" admonishment, and tried not to laugh until I had turned my face away.

That's enough about Gruff for now, I will keep the updates coming as I learn more about him. Gruff is neutered and ready to be adopted, so if you are looking for a small, sweet, lovey of a Golden, email Placement quickly!