Posted on March 7, 2016.
I have two dogs. Their names are Ivy and Rexxar; they're both purebred Golden Retrievers. They're officially classified by the AKC as "Dark Gold", which is a golden-brown hue that reminds me of a chocolate chip cookie that's been left in the oven just a bit too long.
Ivy is two years old (plus some change) at the time of this writing. Rex recently hit the milestone of being in our care for a full year. They're both young, active dogs that enjoy play-fighting in the backyard and immersing themselves in anything that even looks wet: mud puddles, rivers, more mud puddles.
Each of my dogs has their own personality and characteristics, which I try not to anthropomorphize but it's hard sometimes. Ivy is a meeker and more fickle dog when it comes to food and strangers, but is ferociously passionate when it comes to things she loves: walks, friends, sleeping on the bed. Rexxar, or Rex for short, is fearless. He's an "eat first, ask questions later" kind of dog that devours any food put within his tongue's striking distance. He'll meet anyone and everyone, saluting them with a violently wagging tail and perked-up ears. Let me tell you a bit more about each dog.