" Winston"               2  Year Old Update...May 2008  ...  and a Second Puppy Please

Hello Beverley,

After spending many hours researching the Austrailian Labradoodle and constantly going back to the Rutland Manor website we decided to get on the waiting list.  We received Winston in June of 2006!   Winston is the smartest, sweetest and most compassionate dog I have ever had.

He has been perfect from day one.  Everyone who meets him can't believe he is an Austrailian Labradoodle (which I find I have to educate them as to what that means and whenever anyone refers to him as just a labradoodle I am always correcting). 

If you tell him to get his toy he runs and finds it and is ready to play.  In one of the pictures I sent he is in the back of a side-by-side tandem bike -- he wouldn't even jump out, he just rode for hours.  I could go on an on about how wonderful he is.

Winston goes everywhere with our family when we do our outdoor adventures.  Winston is the smartest dog I've ever known, he only had two mishaps in the house when we first got him and he has basically trained himself, for example he puts his head on my knee when he needs to go out! 

So, our family has decided that we would like another member in our family.  Please send us the information to fill out so we can get on the waiting list

Peace

Francine Weber  MN  USA

 " Beluga"                   5 Year Old Update Illinois USA 12th May 2008    

Well Grandma Beverly it has been a long time.  Beluga just turned 5  and it has gone so fast. 

All I can say is THANK YOU for the best  family member we could have hoped for.  Belu has turned into the most  cuddly, empathetic, playful, nurturing clown we could have hoped for.   She helps my daughter who has OCD everyday.  She keeps her calm when  she has panic attacks and makes sure she feels loved when she comes  home from school crying. She keeps us laughing all of the time and she chases a ball like nobody's business. 

 When my older children are off  at school she picks up their stuffed animals and cries as she carries  them to the door.  She then places them in a pile and lies with them  until they get home.  Her favorite sleeping spot is a laundry basket  and she will lie in one whether it is full or empty.  Belu actually  will pull them out to lie in. 

My 2 year old climbs on her and Belu  just lies over to get her tummy rubbed.  All I have to say is when you  bred Becky to Cool Dude it was a perfect match for the type of dog we  asked for.  She is everything we wanted and more.  She is now 70 lbs.  and uses all of it to climb on us and keep us warm.  I constantly have  people tell me how she has the best manners and is one of the most  wonderful dogs they have come in contact with. 

We just thought you  should know what we were up to and feel a great  accomplishment in  knowing what a great job you did.  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!  

The Teich Family  Kildeer Illinois

"Hedwig"   Boston MA      Son of Wanda and Baron born August 2007

Dear Beverley, Our lives are so active and busy, it is always a challenge to simply sit and attend to the little things.

 I suppose the fact that our lives never slowed down, even when Hedwig arrived, is a great testament to how easily and quickly he adapted himself to our family

During his first night home, in his brand new crate at the foot of our bed  Hedwig cried twice to be let out and whimpered a few others.  All in all, we thought a good first night and prepared ourselves for a couple of weeks of adjustment.  To our surprise, starting with the second night, he slept through the night without a single complaint and no accidents.  As far as housetraining, after one week of a handful of daytime accidents inside the house, Hedwig learned to ring the bell to be let out to the pen and has not had an accident since.  It has been a surprisingly, and welcome, easy adjustment to life with our new member.

Needless to say, Hedwig is adored by all in our house, even my husband, who was initially opposed to adding another dog to our family, in view of Ariel’s advanced age.  Our son, Ethan, simply adores Hedwig, and the feeling is clearly mutual.  Hedwig has added so many laughs to our family, it is hard to imagine we were ever without him

 He is so well behaved, my son’s Tae Kwon Do master allows Hedwig to come into the Dojang and sit next to my chair while my son trains.  I simply bring his fuzzy mat with me and he knows to stay on it, asking only for some water half way through the class (he knows where to get it).  
The only vice Hedwig seems to display is a penchant for pilfering socks and slippers.  He sneaks into my son’s bedroom, finds a sock, then streaks out of there at lightning speed.  While quite amusing to watch, we are working to break him of the habit, lest it develop into something less desirable.

He has started puppy training.  He is the star of the class, good with sitting, good with down, but particularly good at the “stay” command so far.  He is happy to meet other dogs, yet when the play gets rough, he is content to stay by my side and watch from afar.  I find him so attuned to my own preferences, it’s so easy to have him around me

He is quiet and friendly to guests, never jumping on them or begging for food.  When we have company over for dinner, he is likely to be found sleeping peacefully at the feet of one of the guests, all of whom are quickly charmed by him.  He is so well liked that, lately, whenever we are invited to dinner at friends’ homes, they have started asking us to bring Hedwig along.  He also has a regular playdate with two other Labradoodles, Jake and Zeus, both very nice dogs.

We are fortunate to live in the country, with acreage around us, a State Park behind us, and a working Cranberry Bog down the street.  He loves to go for walks around the bog, where there is always a large contingent of dogs playing and running.  I have not yet allowed him to run around off-leash, I don’t think he’s ready, or maybe it’s me!  He adores the snow, and happily plays in it for long periods of time.  Hedwig’s favorite snow game is having my son kick snow up in the air and he catches it with his mouth.  He is also an excellent soccer player, particularly good at the goalie position.  It is almost impossible to get a ball past him.  Hedwig is content to spend an afternoon outdoors with us, while we work in the yard or throw the ball around.  As soon as the next snow storm comes, we will start our yearly igloo building project – I am sure he will have fun.

Dearest Beverly, I don’t know how to thank you for bringing Hedwig into our family, he is truly an amazing companion who has quickly found his way into our hearts and has the ability to make us smile even in our darkest moments.  Winter is usually a hard season for many of us in the Northeast, but I must say my usual blues have stayed away this year.  All it takes is Hedwig ringing the bell or bringing me his leash to bring me out of the doldrums and put a smile on my face.  My son, an only child, has found a true play mate in Hedwig, who is quickly teaching him the lessons an only child does not usually have to learn – patience, negotiation and the art of sharing your life with someone who doesn’t always see things your way.  Thank you.
Hedwig's  Family in Boston MA.