Drive The Goal is my baby, and she smiles, laughs, grows, and makes me proud nearly every day. I wanted to give her a baby brother. I thought a perfect little apricot or chocolate brown Labradoodle would be a great addition to our family.
Every Saturday and Sunday morning, I have a coffee date with my husband, Gregory. Well, I have a cappuccino, and he has coffee. Weekend mornings are those reflective moments I miss during the week. During the week, my husband leaves for work by 7:30 am, and I could spend the day with Berkeley.
We would keep each other company, share snuggles and create a sweet unconditional bond. Berkeley could help me after those awkward phone calls that didn’t work out as planned. He could help me exercise; I’m sure I’ll need to take him for a walk several times a day. If I get writer’s block, I’ll play with Berkeley and, through his joy, become reinspired. I’ll cook dinner while he’s taking a nap or playing with his favorite toy. I’ll make sure he has a few different toys so he doesn’t get bored.
I hope my husband’s company offers pet insurance because I’ve heard how expensive it can be to bring a new puppy to the veterinarian to get all of his shots. This whole idea of having a puppy is groundbreaking for me. I had a puppy when I was a kid, maybe for a month until he ran away, and I don’t remember anything about the experience other than his name, Shadow. I started researching how to train a new Labradoodle. Instinctively, I thought every breed must have its idiosyncrasies. Sure enough, I found a website that provided me with 11 Important Ground Rules to develop the best possible personality and behavior in a Labradoodle.
I know several people who have adopted rescue dogs, and they love them. I’m not sure what to do. I found websites that train the puppies, and then you can bring them home once they graduate from a 5-month training program. I was amazed at the idea that my new puppy could be trained before he comes to his future home and his new parents.
You must look at the training Berkeley would graduate from. It’s perfect!
Limited Housebreaking Accidents
- Crated 8-9 hours at night without accidents.
- Able to hold between potty breaks for 3 hours during the day
- Rarely chews something inappropriate while someone is present
- Understands and responds to the ‘leave it’ command
- Nip Jump-trained
- Does not bite hands and will rarely jump up on people
Obedience To Basic Commands
- ‘Sit’ – from 15 feet away for 30 seconds
- ‘Down’ – from 15 feet away for 30 seconds
- ‘Ok’ – as permission to stop sitting/staying
- ‘Come’ – voice command from a distance of 30 feet
- ‘Off’ – respond immediately if jumping up ever occurs
- ‘Place’ – go to a designated open bed or mat and stay there for 30 seconds
- Stair Trained – to be able to go up and downstairs at a reasonable pace
Worry-Free Socialization
- Accustomed to being handled by a groomer
- Used to being handled by a veterinarian and health professionals
- Accustomed to individuals and children of various ages
- Familiar with television noise, sounds of household appliances, music, sounds of traffic, and blow dryers.
- Used to visiting other people’s homes, pet-friendly stores, and dog parks
Walk Or Drive With Your Pup, Safely
- Leash Trained– to walk on the left side and rarely pull.
- Know how to auto-sit each time the walker stops.
- Car Traveling– take a ride without having any potty accidents for 4 hours
Now, look at the “peace of mind” section. I am still in awe.
Peace Of Mind
- Baths, nail trimmings, ear cleanings
- Daily Health Supplements
- Tested to be free of the most common canine diseases
- Vaccinations
- Worming
After a month of coffee dates, I realized I need to follow the same routines as my puppy’s trainer. Self-doubt crept in. The last thing I would want to do is disappoint my puppy or undo everything he learned. Would that make me a bad mom? I really want to get this right. By now, the seasons have changed, and I don’t have my puppy. I worried so much about being a perfect mom that I didn’t find “my” Berkeley.
Last weekend, we took a Sunday drive to the beach. It was cold, but we enjoyed the crisp, fresh air. On the way home, we stopped for lunch. At that moment, I realized I’m not ready for “my” Berkeley just yet. We still have spur-of-the-moment long drives and sudden stops for lunch in unknown places closer to NY than CT or Tampa than Orlando.
In my first blog post, you may be wondering why I would talk about a puppy I don’t have.
How We Can Help
When we make decisions, we ask questions, talk with friends, sit with our partners, Google the sh*t out of it, and then Google it some more. We look for something or someone to tell us what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. Then the moment arrives when you suddenly know the answer. It was inside of you the entire time. You needed to synthesize some information and draw upon your personal experiences, and the answer suddenly becomes apparent when you’re not driving. You might be in the shower or walking along the beach.
Drive The Goal helps draw those personal, professional, and life experiences out of you and guide you towards processing the information from outside of your comfort zone. It could be professional networking, new employers, or simply people you have never met. We help you to find common elements or reference points that might not jump out at you. Once you begin to realize what seems strange isn’t as foreign as you might think.
We help organize your thoughts and begin approaching a new position, new employer, or new people using common elements. We help you frame and redesign information to show how you can add value to a new environment. You have it within you. We help you draw it out. We put you in the Driver’s Seat so you can Drive The Goal.