Hi Everyone

[Millies Mom]

After the loss of my beloved dog of 12 years, I had a hole in my heart and was missing my best friend. I missed the companionship that only a dog can give, I missed my bed time cuddles and my good morning lovins. I decided not to wait to get another dog, it was just a matter of what kind of dog I wanted to bring into my household which already has 3 dogs, my daughter and my mother, we all had to be in agreement, especially my mother, since she would be home all day with a new puppy while I am at work and she already has 3 dogs of her own. After a lot of research, I knew I wanted a labradoodle, and I started my search. I found a breeder about an hour away from where I live and we all went to look at the puppies. There were actually two that we fell in love with, but one was very mellow and the other was a bit on the wild side. We chose the mellow one and I haven't regretted that decision even once! Millie has been with us since May 1, 2009 at the age of 9 weeks. She is an absolute sweetheart and a wonderful companion. She is still very mellow, for the most part. Of course she has her moments when she is all over the place, tearing through the house, rolling the miniature poodle over, begging for the love of a miniature schnauzer and a bichone, and of course keeping us all laughing with her delightful personality. Her favorite past time is playing outside in the hose while we are trying to water the gardens, she doesn't make it easy at all, but that is when we laugh the hardest. You have never seen a happier dog than Millie when she is playing in water.

It's definitely an adjustment, going from all small dogs to adding a small horse to the mix. Millie and our miniature poodle, Lola, have become quite good friends, and playtime can be rather worrisome. I've tried to explain to Millie that we can't have Shaken Poodle Syndrome so she must quit grabbing Lola by the collar and tossing her around like a toy, this is where she pretends she can't hear me . If she does hurt Lola, Lola goes after her full force! Who knew a miniature poodle could take down a 30 pound Labradoodle So the best we can do is supervise playtime and referee when necessary.

Millie is 5 months old now, and we couldn't be more pleased with her. We are enjoying every day with her, and look forward to watching how she will change over the next year. Right now, she is all black with one white patch on her chest, but her skin sure is blue and that makes me curious about what color her coat will be when she loses her puppy coat. She's like a surprise package waiting to be opened! She's changed so much since we got her, and the future changes she will go through are very exciting.

Here is Millie when she first came home with us in May[attachment=1:1fr4eokp]millie in May.jpg[/attachment:1fr4eokp]

And Millie now after her first hair cut[attachment=0:1fr4eokp]Millie in July 2009 5 Month Old.jpg[/attachment:1fr4eokp]

For now,
Michelle

[Jac]

Hi Michelle, Millie and family! Welcome!
Sounds like Millie is a typical Doodle all right! We call those energy bursts "doodle 500s", "zoomies" or "happy dance".
You are beginning to find out that a Doodle is a very different creature, eh?
You are among believers here!
We are so happy that you joined us and I look forward to getting to know you better...Millie is a beautiful girl...were either of her parents blue?

[KingstonTodd]

Hi, and welcometo the forum. It looks like your doodle has a nice curly coat. What were her parents? I have a black dood too, but he is a wavy shedder. Its hard to get the lighting right to photograph black dogs isnt it.

[Raleighsmom]

Good Morning Millies Mom and Millie!!! It's nice to meet you...Millie is adorable, and looks like my Raleigh..both as a pup and grown..except Raleighs hair is wavy, rather than curly...hope you enjoy it here! And we're all looking forward to more pics and stories of Miss Millie! I loved your intro BTW, and I'm sorry for the loss of your beloved dog...

[Millies Mom]

Thanks for the warm welcomes. As bad as this sounds, I didn't meet Millie's parents. I know her mother and father were both Labradoodles but I don't know what their colors are. We were suppose to meet the parents, but in all of the excitement and difficult decisions on which puppy would be coming home with us, we got completely sidetracked and forgot all about going out to see the parents! I'll have to e-mail the breeder and find out what colors her parents are, but Millie's skin is definitely blue, so I think the chances of her coat color changing is pretty good. Like I said, she's like a surprise waiting to be unwrapped! Who knows what she'll look like a year from now! It's so exciting!

Millie's coat is very soft with loose curls and a few tight curls mixed in there, especially on her ears. She was just groomed the other night, but before her summer cut, she was a big fluff ball and looked three times the size she really is. Once all that puppy coat came off of her, I couldn't believe how petite she looks! She's not near the size I thought she was before her cut.
Before her summer cut:[attachment=1:15ge2cc5]millie before summer cut July 2009.jpg[/attachment:15ge2cc5]

After her summer cut at playtime in the hose:[attachment=0:15ge2cc5]Millie after summer cut July 2009.jpg[/attachment:15ge2cc5]

Trying to take pictures of a completely black dog is almost impossible! All you see is a black blob with glowing eyes....spooky!

I look forward to getting to know everyone here. I've been reading the posts since Millie came home with us (yes, I was a lurker) and I have laughed, teared up, laughed again and made several mental notes to myself. This forum has definitely given me the true story on Labradoodles!

Michelle

[sheamusmom]

Hi Millie's mom,
Welcome. Your millie could be a sibling to my Seamus. Seamus has light blue skin, and a white blaze on his chest. He is now 2 1/2 and as he's aged he's developed lots of white solitary hairs mostly on his back, just as curly as the rest of him. The patients in the nursing home where he works remark that he's "going gray just like us"!! But nothing like silver.....
He's my little black Irishman.

[lindamarie]

Welcome to the forum Michelle and Milllie!! What a great story. I know what that "hole in the heart" is. I had my Bogart SIX DAYS after my Springer died! Bogart has truly helped heal me in so many ways!
Millie is really adorable! ENJOY......and keep us posted!!

[Charleyj65]

Hi Millie and family!

Millie is beautiful, what a lovely coat! I know what you mean about the hole in your heart too, we were devastated after the loss of our beloved 14 year old greyhound two years ago, and so three days later we became the proud owners of a gorgeous little cairn terrier and we haven't looked back, he is perfect. We were a bit worried initially that we wouldn't bond with the new puppy, but being a family of animal lovers, we decided that, even if it took a few weeks before we were truly in love with him, we knew that we would treat him well and provide him with the love and stability that a puppy needs, even if the real love took a bit longer coming, but how wrong we were, I think it took all of five minutes! You never forget the dog you had before but it is such a helpful healer when you bring a new one into your life, and helps you look back with fond memories rather than painful ones. Well that was two years ago, and now we are about to bring a beautiful labradoodle into our little family! We get him in about three weeks, and we cannot wait!

Congrats on your Millie, she is adorable! I wish I had discovered doodles years ago, they are perfect!

Charley xx

[Millies Mom]

Thank you all for making me feel not so crazy for getting another dog so soon after losing one. My schnauzer mix passed on April 15th and Millie came home on May 1st. I was afraid people would think I was insensitive for getting another dog so soon, but I see I am not the only one who needed a furry pal by there side so soon. I miss my dog, Lizzy, very much. There really isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about how much I miss her, and I still tear up thinking about her. But yes, I think more of the good times we shared than the last moments with her. Lizzy reminds me of a lot of some of the doodles I've seen on here, in the face anyway, but a much smaller scale body. She was 45 pounds, but she was also a bit overweight in her old age. That was one of the reasons I chose a doodle, I like the "a little on the rough side" look in a dog, not froo froo, and the fact they are so loyal to their owners. Liz was a lover, she loved everyone, and Millie is the same way. Now, Millie tends to have to warm up to people, she's a bit on the shy side at first, but once she knows someone, she loves to have them visit.
Here is Lizzy earlier this year:[attachment=0:1x8yh42g]Lizzy.jpg[/attachment:1x8yh42g]

I couldn't be more pleased with the decision to get a doodle. Last night, she was really testing us, especially my mother. First, she pulled the crystal creamer dish off of the kitchen counter and broke it. Her face was covered in sticky powdered creamer and there was powder and broken crystal every where. Unfortunately, that is a dish I can't replace, as it was given to mom (aka Millie's Grammie) years ago, before I was born (that was a whopping 42 years ago). I feel horrible about the dish, and it's going to take Millie's grammie some time to forgive her for that. Theeen, to add a bit of insult, we found Millie had left a puddle in grammies bed!!!! I have no clue WHY she would do such a thing! She's been so good about asking to go outside, and if she doesn't ask and does happen to have an "accident" in the house, it's almost always on the wood floors. I just can't imagine. She's definitely testing The Grammie! When I told Millie she had better go tell Grammie goodnight and ask for some forgiveness, Grammie told her she'd have to wait until morning for full forgiveness, she was too mad at her at the moment.

I can only hope today is a better day and Millie behaves a bit better!

[Jac]

Millie...maybe you and Grammie should sit down together and watch Turner and Hooch!

[MaxandMe]

HI Michelle and MILLIE....and HI to grammie and lola too
I truly enjoyed reading intro and replies, sounds just the way life really is and how dogs add that extra specialness
along with comedy, suprises for sure, and lots of love

LOLA sounds like a character and cute pie hhahaaaaaaaaaa
MILLIE, sounds like my max who was as mellow as could be.....JUST be careful about putting food onthe counter to cool a bit

Congrats on getting MILLIE she sounds absolutely wonderful and just like a doodle

OH you watch, in about 6mos from now grammie and Millie will be cuddled together best of buds
just ain't happening today :

[Raleighsmom]

Looks like Lizzie was one cute sweetie-pie!!! And Millie!!!!?????? She sure is a Doodle! Wait till she starts counter-surfing at Grammies!!! My Doodle Raleigh is a butter lover...eats the butter, wrapper and all, when I forget to move it back! So make sure when you're at your Mom's to push things WAY back....meds and GUM (very toxic) too!

[MaxandMe]

NOTE TO MILLIE's MOM:
just met YOUR mom hahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

sounds like comedy central is live at your house
i also LOVE little LOLA to bits hahhaaaaaaaa along with EMILY

PS for THOSE Of YOU wondering what i am talking about, MILLIE'S GRANMOMMIE did an intro
GO READ IT

[tuffystar]

Welcome! I read your mom's post and between you two it must be a lot of fun in you house!

[Millies Mom]

There is certainly not a dull moment in our house! Between the dogs, the birds, a teenager and visitors, there is always something going on. I must say though, it's Millie who keeps us the busiest right now. Counter-surfing, accomplished! "Whatcha cooking for dinner Grammie? I wanna see!", accomplished. Eating clothes, accomplished! Butter, accomplished! Playing "but I don't wanna go to bed!", accomplished, actually she's about to get her Masters in that one. Steeling our hearts, MASTERED!