“My wife really wanted a dog, and had been asking to get one for three years.
She had been showing me photos and videos of Newfie’s, and already had a breeder in mind.
My main holdout was the time commitment to a dog, but I agreed after three years, basically, because she wore me down.
“Even before the litter was born I spoke with the breeder and we discussed what kind of dog would be a good fit.
The next litter to be born didn’t have a match for us but the following litter did.
I saw videos and photographs of the litter, and Rosie seemed to be the best fit.
I flew to Detroit and brought her home almost two years ago.
Besides having the ordinary pains of puppyhood, we had a difficult time when we moved from Washington D.C. to NYC.
Trying to find an apartment that would take a 95 pound dog along with two cats was not easy.
“I interviewed each one over the phone and then selected the breeder I wanted based on their philosophy.
They rescued a lot of female Newfoundland dogs and put them in homes in their community and when they were ready for breeding, they housed them with the male Poodles.
When the puppies were born, they cared for them personally.
“The Poodle Newfoundland dog mix seemed like a good compromise.
I wanted a dog so badly.
I grew up on a farm in Wisconsin so I was used to having animals around me all the time.
Being around animals gave me great comfort.
Once my husband agreed to getting a dog, I went back to the research and contacted Newfie/Poodle breeders.
“There are so many little things that I enjoy about having Java.
I love teaching him new tricks and watching him learn.
In the morning, when the alarm goes off, he jumps on the bed in between my wife and me and let’s us scratch and pet him for a good 10-15 minutes.