Sergeant Pepper came into our lives somewhat unplanned in April 2006. Our friends who live in Boerne unexpectedly found themselves with a litter of lab puppies in February 2006. Normally they breed their female yellow lab with a standard poodle, producing “hypoallergenic” and quite profitable labradoodles. Their neighbor’s 10-month-old chocolate lab got loose one day and impregnated their yellow lab; about nine weeks later, a Sarge was born.
We were visiting our friends when the puppies were about a week old, and of course the idea crossed my mind of perhaps adopting one of these, but I quickly pushed it from my mind. We did not need another dog. But as the puppies grew and we considered Chief’s loneliness, we both warmed to the idea of a companion for Chief. When the litter of twelve was down to two at twelve weeks old, we happened to be visiting again, and they happened to need homes asap, and somehow we ended up driving home that night with a big black puppy in my lap.
We debated names for a week or more, finally deciding on Sergeant Pepper with help from two website readers. He has been, alternately, a terror and a joy, but ultimately I think he is a good dog.
