One of my readers wanted more pictures of Bailey, my new dog, a geriatric golden retriever. Today we went on our first solo-walk and he was perfect. I use a head-harness/Halti/gentle leader and once he got the hang of it he was great. He got to walk around the hood smelling and leaving messages.
He’s terrified of thunder and actually has a prescription for Xanax. Since it is now thunder season here in Heaven I’ve had to give it to him. Yesterday he was funny. He got relaxed and realized this house is full of toys and commenced ripping them apart. He tried to toss balls for Bear to toss back but she’s not that kind of dog. He does retrieve.
I like him a lot. He and Dusty had one scrap — no one was hurt — and it seems to have established the scrapping order.
Here’s Bailey yesterday — on Xanax — having discovered two toys
“What are you doing, Martha?” (I was riding the bike to nowhere)
“You’ve been warned. If you don’t take me to the slough, your hiking shoe is toast.”
Dusty and Bear are OK with him. I don’t think he’s a very “dog-social” dog, but he is definitely human centered. He sleeps in my room. Wherever I am he will go there. On our walk today (his second walk in Monte Vista, his first walk alone with me) he knew which alley was our alley and which driveway was our drive way. I let go of the leash and he went to the gate and waited. He’s just a very nice dog. Undeniably he has slid into Mindy’s old place which is somewhat eerie, but very right. The vet conjectures that Bailey is about 8 years old.
When I was a little kid I saw my first golden retriever and I thought they were the most beautiful dogs in the world and I decided I would breed them. Of course, I didn’t. Bailey is my second. My first, Kelly, was taller and more red, but just as sweet and responsive.
Kelly O’Dog sometime around 1993
“Summer is the season of inferior sledding” - Inuit proverb 
Handsome dog. Hopefully you won’t have TOO many thunderstorms!
I think this is the worst month. Poor guy really gets scared! 🙂 Thanks for reading.
Bailey really is a pretty dog! I hope the lightning isn’t igniting fires — we’re having one heat wave after another. Thanks for posting these photos!
Fortunately rain is coming with the lightning, but we’ve had a few lightning strike fires. This season in SoCal was always the worst. From now to November I remember just hanging on. 😦
We really are just hanging on — it started early this year, as it did in Colorado, and will be hot now for a while. We’re not used to 100’s by the beach, though!
I’m really hoping for an El Niño year…
That would be wonderful!
They are probably the most congenial and sweetest of all dogs to have in the house. I’ve known many, owned none. We seem to be hound and terrier centric, but where in the world did the Duke come from? He’s NO kind of terrier or hound.
Goldens are also wonderfully pettable. Eight isn’t so old. If he’s healthy, you can have some good years.
I was happy to hear the vet thought he was 8. I guess when he was chained up in a yard all day he chewed rocks so he has no front teeth, but he has back teeth and they look really good. He doesn’t seem to have a lot of aches and pains, either. Apropos of dogs, I saw Bear for the first time 3 years ago today. 🙂
Long time no see in WordPress. Glad everything seems to be going well at your end and you are walking well. Bailey is a lovely dog and looks like he has settled in well.
Good to see you, Martha–and Bailey. Such a sweet face. I’m glad he is fitting in well, too
Oh wow, man. Do you have any chips?
That is a gorgeous old timer! He’s a lucky dog to have found you!
He’s a great dog. I’m lucky, too. 🙂
Awesome!
Hand Some Dog…… Actually Golden Retrievers are charmers. They are lovable, well-mannered, intelligent dogs. They are easy to train because of their gentle behavior. They really know how to please people and other dogs. Get along with children very well.
Bailey is great. It’s been interesting watching him. Since the moment he realized he was here to stay. I like his philosophy of life very much. “Here I am. I’m happy about it.”