Lanie's Simple Life: My 5 Golden Retrievers

I never knew I could love a dog as much as I love Zoey.

Don't get me wrong, I loved the 5 goldens I have had over the years very much.

1997, Ginger was my first Golden. I fell in love with this 8 week old bundle of fur. Ginger was a total brat until she passed away at 11 years old in 2008. She has something wrong with her Esophagus and could keep food down any longer, and so we had to let her go to God on June 18, 2008.

1999, Brandi was my 2nd golden and Gingers brother Rootbeer and another golden had Brandi. Brandi was my favorite, and still is to this day. She was 8 weeks old when I got her from the same people who gave me Ginger. Brandi was so loving, followed me everywhere and even went just about everywhere I went. She loved Truck rides and hung her head out proudly as we cruised the streets of Corona.

In 2005 we found out she had Lymphoma cancer. I fell apart literally, and a few days later, we took her to the Animal Cancer Center in Irvine CA, and they gave us options. Of course we went for the most expensive chemo treatments, to where we had to take a loan out for $20,000.00 to ay for her treatments. With the chemo treatments she was getting, gave her 8 extra months with her and sadly Brandi passed away in 2006, at the age of 6 1/2 years old. Once again, I totally fell apart and went into a depression. I hid in my room for over a month, drinking and popping pills to smother the pain in my heart for losing Brandi. A month after she passed away, she appeared in my garden, clear as day, and as if someone was whispering in my ear, told me to get out of bed because my hubby Ron and my other goldens needed me. She told me to go to the Corona animal shelter and they are waiting for me. That day I got out of bed and dressed myself and went to the shelter and asked them f they had any golden retrievers.

I came upon cage 34. I swear looking back at me was a golden who looked like Brandi and another one next to it. I ran to the counter and told her the number of the golden I wanted but I wasn't able to get him until Friday and it was only Monday. So on Tuesday, I went back to hang out with him for a while and deciding whether I wanted a male for the 1st time. They brought him to me in a fenced area with grass, but he wasn't alone. They told me it was his blood sister. I stayed about an hour and then realized I needed to adopt both of them. Friday came and they were now mine.

I named the female Mandi, which meant "worthy of Love"

I named the boy "Rootbeer" after Brandi's dad. Rootbeer was a male version of Brandi. He slept in her spot, he had the maple syrup smell on the top of his head like Brandi did. Same color coat, same hair texture, same everything. It was spooky. I believe Brandi brought them to me because Brandi wanted me to get my mind off her and it worked. They ran away 5 times, attacked my youngest golden Aly a few times and were trouble I thought.

BUT HOLD ON HERE!!

I'm a little ahead of myself.

Before Rootbeer and Mandi, in 2001, I was given a buff colored golden from a breeder.

I named her Ally. She was 3 months old when I got her. She had a tender heart and so loving and protective of me. So in 2003, I had Ginger, Brandi, and Ally, and for 3 females, they all got along . Ally was 12 years old when she passed away on Nov 17th 20014. She was hard to let go of because she became my 2nd favorite, but she had kidney failure and there was nothing we could do. I miss her a lot.

When Brandi passed I had Ginger and Ally still, and then found Rootbeer and Mandi at the shelter. 4 golden retrievers at one time was way to much to have at one time, but my furkids were my kids and angels, except for Mandi. She kept fighting Ally who wouldn't hurt a fly and Mandi was a troublemaker and very protective of her brother Rootbeer. Rootbeer thought he died and went to heaven, now living with 3 bitches.

Rootbeer and mandi had a relationship with each other that I've never seen between two dogs. They were always touching each other and always together.

Me with Mandi and Rootbeers first night with us.

Always together these two

and always touching.

It really was a beautiful thing

Brandi passed in June 2006. I got these two in August 2006. they were about 5-6 years old the vet said.

In 2008 Ginger passed away and so I had Rootbeer, Mandi, and Ally. In 2013 Mandi had internal bleeding and had to be put down. She passed the night before my birthday on Mar 10th 2013. she was

13 years old. I had not gone through my camera pictures until about a week after Mandi passed away and on March 9th, the night before her passing, I took a picture of Mandi and Rootbeer out front enjoying the day. This is the last picture I took of Mandi and Rootbeer together.

I look at that picture to this day and it's like they are listening to God or something, as the wind blew through their coats and they closed their eyes and were looking upward and they look so peaceful and like their smiling. Like maybe they knew before I did she was going to pass away the next day, I don't know.

Then Ally passes away on Nov 17th 2014 at the age of 14 years old.

That left me with just Rootbeer after Ally passed away. I told myself I wasn't going to get another dog period. It hurt to much. I was aching for another dog because Rootbeer wasn't the same since his sister Mandi passed away. He became so depressed. He didn't want us around him or Ally, and he just slept and ate. We tried everything to get him active, but he missed his sister.

I had never had a small dog. One day I decided to go "Just look" at the Corona animal shelter and see what was up. I decided I would look for a small dog and see what they had. They didn't have that many there which was a good thing but as I walked around the cages with my friend, I came upon a badly matted black dog hiding in the back of its cage. I kept calling out to it and finally this sad little black dog came up to me. My heart just fell for her. She was a mess.

I couldn't tell what kind of dog she was but the shelter said a Terrier mix. I had to come back on a Friday and it was only Tuesday. I thought about that poor thing that was 1 years old and lived on the streets most of her life. Friday came and I got her and I took her to the groomers and had her shaved so I could snuggle with her and love her.

Named her Zoey and got her on Feb 5th 2015. She was afraid of everything and everyone. As the months went by she began to trust me and changed my life.

Zoey went from a scared 8 lb doggie and started to become happier and we started seeing her personality.

Zoey has been with us for 1 year and 7 months. She is now my little shadow. She follows me everywhere. When I leave for 1 hour or for 2 mins and walk back in the house, she greets me the same way. Like I have been gone for 5 years. she spins around, she is so excited to see me and everytime I walk in the house, I have to calm her down because she is so happy to see me. I have fallen head over in LOVE with Zoey. Rootbeer doesn't pay much attention to her, but does once in a while

Rootbeer as of September 2016, is 16 years old and shows it. His 2 upper front teeth have fallen out. He can't hear in one ear and can barely see and walk. He has gotten skinny and has lumps everywhere, but we still love him to death. I know his time is coming and he is the last golden I will ever have. Goldens are beautiful loving, giving, happy dogs but they shed to much, and are always on the go or looking to do anything to make you happy.

Zoey will be our last dog I think. It will give Ron and I a chance to go about and do what we want to do without worrying about a dog sitter or having to take them with us. 20 years we have had dogs in our life. When he stops eating or getting up, I will know it's time. I don't know how Zoey will feel about him gone and her being the only dog. I think she will love all attention on her. Zoey rules the house here, gets special meals and wears clothes, and that was one thing I said I would never do to a dog, but I love it.