My baby at the lake today...

[cherokeeprogressive]

She's a nine month old Golden Retriever. Her name is Bella.

[Blue_In_AK]

1. All the golden retrievers I've known

have been such sweet and loyal dogs. Bella looks noble, as well. You may call her "Queen Bella." :)

[cherokeeprogressive]

3. In the six months that we've been blessed with her, I've heard her bark less than ten times.

She's the smartest animal I've ever encountered. Today I tossed a ROCK into the water and she spent ten minutes looking for it. I actually took something like 250 pictures of her with my Canon XTi, and this one stood out.

[Elfin Yeti]

2. Perhaps Queen Bella would like some company?

<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2fF4qLN1wivOiyzonO4xSA?authkey=Gv1sRgCNe8rPWUjsPAlQE&feat=embedwebsite"><img src="" /></a>

[TahitiNut]

4. Beautiful puppies!! (I'm a HUGE sucker for Labs and Goldens!)

I love 'em ... big time.

[cherokeeprogressive]

7. Those are gorgeous pooches!

[TahitiNut]

5. Every Lab & Golden deserves swimming companions. (I'll volunteer!)

My Lab (Bo, may he RIP) LOVED swimming with me. He'd climb aboard when I floated in an inner tube and swim alongside when I swam. He adored the water and retrieving the throw dummy. Fun times.

[cherokeeprogressive]

6. I'm sorry for your loss, TN. At only nine months old, Bella has already proven that

she's irreplaceable. She'll be the last dog I ever own. The Ms. and I have agreed on that. I've had dogs before, but she's already given us more joy than all of them put together. We weren't even in the market for a dog. One day I was perusing the net and came across a breeder's website, saw her picture, and we were on our way to pick her up within a couple of hours. From L.A. to San Luis Obispo. She was twelve weeks and her first adventure was six hours in the back of my Tahoe. I was really concerned about car-sickness etc. She tolerated it like a champ. Two days is all it took before she was totally housebroken.

Now if I could only get her to use the toilet instead of having to take her out in two foot deep snow before she goes to bed...

RIP Bo. My guess is that he's in Dog Heaven, chasing butterflies. When he catches them, I'm sure he lets them go.