Pet's Age
7

Pet's city
Pacific Grove

Pet's Story or Bio
This is Kayleigh, although she is affectionately known by her family and friends as Bob. She is a very good labradoodle girl that happened into my life in October of 2011. She was 9 months old and her previous person did not realize the bigness or rambunctiousness that comes along with doodle puppy ownership. I found my sweet Bob when I signed up for rescue doodle alerts through iDog.

When I met Bob, it was love at first sight. I sat down on the floor and she leaned into me and we made an agreement right then and there that I would bail her out of that place, where she only knew cage life, and give her a yard and a best-sister-friend (another doodle, roughly her own age, already waiting at home), all the toys she could handle, and more kisses than she could shake a stick at. We shook on it.

Bob came home with my husband and me about a week later, the day we returned to town after our destination wedding. It was a bit like bringing a newborn foal home, as she was floppy and giddy and a bit nervous. We quickly discovered that she was terrified of most men (thankfully, she loved my husband and dad right away). We also learned that this was most likely because she had experienced some trauma in her early months that I wish I could take away. Bob was so scared of men she did not know that she would lunge at them and nip, especially if it was just the two of us together. She felt she had to protect me just as fiercely as I felt I needed to protect her. We began to work on her fears and over the past few years, Bob has learned love and trust and respect. She no longer lunges. She knows that she is protected.

In the fall of 2016, Bob had a large mast cell tumor removed from her leg, that left an open wound down to her muscle for 2 months. She had to visit the vet numerous times and spend her days in cage rest. Each evening when I got home from work, we would sit together on the floor, in the crisp darkness of late fall, and I would tell her to hang on, that she would heal.

Bob healed, thankfully, with a good prognosis. Since that ordeal her spirit has become softer and more mature. She knows when and where she's needed the most and she charms each person she meets with her gentle nature. She especially loves elderly people and children and knows to be very gentle with them. With her family, she still has her mischievous and adventurous spark (stealing socks when given the chance!). Her favorite Saturday morning activity is spending hours exploring the inlets and tidepools at our local beach. She truly showed me the meaning of "[wo]man's best friend."