Is This Dog For Us?

My sister has two rescue Labs.  Here they are watching the Puppy Bowl on TV

I have been thinking about getting a dog.  My son has wanted another one since our last dog died.  He was a Beagle who ran, ran,ran if he managed to get out of the yard.  He was an outside dog.  He just couldn't behave well enough to be an inside dog.  But Son will leave home in a couple of years. Now that I am home more (after closing my Retail shop) I feel that it is possible.  I have my reservations.  It is a huge responsibility.



What we want from a dog:

Son - An inside dog. Period.

Husband - Dog that is calm and laid back.  Dog that loves him and greets him at the end of the day, happy to see him.  (I am thinking this should be my job....where am I lacking?)

Me - I want a dog I can train to be a Therapy Dog.  One who will not dig up my roses.  And will not run wild through the house jumping on people.  He also can't chase my cats.

Having had a bad dog experience in the past (aggressive dog) not the Beagle,  I have decided I need to have a background check , so to speak, on the parents of our new dog.

 Lilly is from  Dewberries Labs.  Both are Therapy Dogs.  Lilly on the left also has an owner who sews Heirloom Dresses for her Granddaughter.  That makes Lilly an exceptional dog.

Well, Dewberries has a male Chocolate Lab puppy, 4 months old.  The owner told me that she thinks his mission is to be some type of service dog.  He is very calm.  In fact this litter is one of the calmest she has had.

She just happens to be coming to within a few miles of us this weekend and will bring him to meet us.  So , Saturday we will meet this potential new family member.  At four months, he is no longer the tiny little cute puppy you fall immediately in love with .  That might me a good thing.

 My husband thinks that any puppy that enters our house is unlikely to leave!

I thought I wanted a female, smaller lab.  Most important to me though, is the personality.

Saturday will be an exciting day.  I am nervous.  Can I really discipline MYSELF to train a dog?  Will He be happy with us?  Will he sit at my feet as I stitch?  Can we agree on a name if he stays?


Is Cocoa too girly??  Mocha??  Roux??  What do you think?