# Getting a puppy / marriage proposal



## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

Congratulations on both counts! Dog ownership and marriage are two very big issues to be tackling in conjunction with one another. I like the idea of asking someone to marry you with a puppy.... but it brings up a few questions that a lot of people hate HATE HATE to ask in this situation.... but I'm a dink so I'll do it.

Did you buy this puppy knowing that you've just comitted 15 or so years to him? Is your future fiance on board with a new puppy? If she says "No" then what?


----------



## Bender (Dec 30, 2008)

Glad it was asked... is the wife to be into dogs and ok with a golden (if not there must be something really wrong with her!:uhoh:.

That being said, perhaps getting an engraved collar tag (if you go to an engraver they can do it for you) and a nice leather collar for it, when the time is right put it on him and then let him do the rest...

Lana


----------



## nixietink (Apr 3, 2008)

Oh my goodness...your girlfriend is the luckiest girl on the PLANET!!!! As long as you both agree that you want to make a long commitment, understand that pups are A LOT OF WORK and that the puppy's parents have all necessary health clearances.


----------



## msubball2010 (Oct 29, 2010)

Oh yes, she is on baoard. And like I said before, I've had a golden before and have anxiously been waiting for the right time to get another one. We had it planned out that we would get a golden once we were enganged and had a house. We have been living in separate cities (about 2 hours apart) for the last year because of a job transfer I accepted last year. I currently lease a townhouse and the lease is up in April and we are planning on buying a house prior to that. Once we are enganged she will start looking for jobs on this side of the state. So until that occurs, it will be 100% on me to take care of the dog during the week. But, I've had a puppy before so I know exactly what I am getting myself into. LOL.


----------



## Alfie's Girl (May 6, 2010)

Oh Wow! I hope I get proposed to with a Golden Puppy one day! 

Well as you know, Golden pups are wriggly little monkeys! I like your idea of the dog tag - you would probably be okay with the ring if you tied it *really* tightly but I'd still have visions of the puppy swallowing it!!!! :uhoh: 

Hmmm it's a tricky one! I'm trying to imagine if someone proposed to me with a Golden puppy - it would be pretty overwhelming! Perhaps it would be good if you made sure the pup was asleep peacefully looking really cute! (Once he's awake it's gonna be chaos for the next YEAR!) Or maybe you could liase with your breeder and take your girlfriend with you to collect your pup and have the pup already wearing the dog tag???

Braccarius has some good points to consider too...do please let us know how you get on! And TAKE PICS!


----------



## Enzos_Mom (Apr 8, 2010)

Not sure how you should go about it, but we should have some puppy playdates once you get your puppy! I'm in Farmington Hills. My fiance and I have a 9 month old Golden puppy...wow, wait. 10 months old on Monday. Time flies! Which breeder are you getting your puppy from? Good luck with your proposal!


----------



## Momx3 (Aug 18, 2010)

Congratulations! My DH always wanted to propose to me with a puppy, luckily I knew his plan and said no way! We were both in grad school and were totally not ready for a dog. Now, 11 years later we got our puppy. 

I like the tag idea, or get a fake diamond ring and tie that one on to the collar while you hold the real one!


----------



## Braccarius (Sep 8, 2008)

msubball2010 said:


> Oh yes, she is on baoard. And like I said before, I've had a golden before and have anxiously been waiting for the right time to get another one. We had it planned out that we would get a golden once we were enganged and had a house. We have been living in separate cities (about 2 hours apart) for the last year because of a job transfer I accepted last year. I currently lease a townhouse and the lease is up in April and we are planning on buying a house prior to that. Once we are enganged she will start looking for jobs on this side of the state. So until that occurs, it will be 100% on me to take care of the dog during the week. But, I've had a puppy before so I know exactly what I am getting myself into. LOL.



I honestly don't think it matters HOW you propose with a puppy.... you can't lose ;-)


----------



## GoldenSummer (Mar 26, 2010)

Oh oh oh oh I have ideas!!  

One of my friends tied a ringbox to the dogs collar and sent him over with it, but that might be tricky with a tiny puppy, but maybe something to consider? Otherwise here are a few ideas I have!

Walmart photo center has A LOT including dog things. You could try Pets Mart too for engraved stuff but putting that all on an actual dog tag might be tricky unless you get a few lines. You'd have to get online and try each tag to see if you could do it. Walmart photo center has "dog tags" (as in human dog tags) and you could put it on that and attach that to the dog. OR you could order a personalized dog collar that just says "marry me" oh oh oh or if you know someone that can sew try having them make the pup a sweater or shirt that says either "marry me" or "lets be a family" or "mommy marry daddy?"

as for the how... you can go for a nice walk or picnic and just have fun and be romantic and arrange it for your puppy to either run to you guys or have a close friend/relative walk the puppy up behind her. Or you could snuggle in front of a fire at night after a fun day and arrange for the doorbell to ring, hop up and come back with the pup. Or you could invite her for a drive (or when you go to pick her up) have the puppy already sitting in her seat? Or you could do the classic big box with tiny puppy. Or tell her to grab your jacket from a room and have the puppy in the room waiting for her.

Either way yay about the puppy and engagement. I think no matter how you do it she will be really happy and excited. But you defintely have to let us know how it does end up going down! OH and we want pictures!! we're pretty puppy picture happy around here  BTW welcome to Golden town


----------



## FinnTastic (Apr 20, 2009)

Well, all I know is I hope it is videotaped so we can all witness the joyous occasion - puppy and all.


----------



## msubball2010 (Oct 29, 2010)

hey everyone, thanks for the ideas! 

enzo - the breeder's name is cathy (i can't remember her last name) and i believer she goes by "starlocke goldens"....she lives in madison heights. we will definitely need to do a play date. do you know any good trails in the woods for walking a dog? i've only lived on the eastside of the state for the past year so i'm still kind of "new" to the area.

well, i think i've come up with a good way to propose. on saturday the 20th my gf will be here in novi. during the afternoon i will tell her i have to run into the office for a couple of hours and she won't suspect anything of that. my brother will come and we will go to the breeder and pick out the dog. 

there is a lake with a path around and the road goes right along it. so, we will get in my car and head out to dinner. i will text my brother and he is going to tie the puppy with the leash to a park bench and hide. i will then come driving by and we will see this puppy tied up (probably barking his little head off). 

we will get out of the car, run over and she will read the name tag and i will get down on the standard one knee and propose. good idea???


----------



## missmarstar (Jul 22, 2007)

My friends got engaged this way.. it was so cute! They have my dog's littermate, and he had a custom tag engraved for her collar.. they took Molly on a walk together and he said something like "hey look at Molly's collar" and when my friend looked and read it, he got down on one knee!

(tag read "will you marry my dad?")











Very cute idea, and congrats on deciding to pop the question!!


----------



## Elisabeth Kazup (Aug 23, 2008)

I think there's a problem with your plan. If the puppy is not used to wearing a collar OR being tied up, he will be struggling and pulling against the leash. There a big chance of injury, of getting out of the collar and getting lost. Also, the puppy will get cold and scared out there all by himself. I see insecurity problems ahead for him caused by this. 

I think a better plan would be to see your brother sitting on the bench. Walk up to him and see he's HOLDING a puppy. Let her think for a moment that your BROTHER is proposing!!


----------



## msubball2010 (Oct 29, 2010)

i get your point but the lake / park is a minute from my house and i will text my brother and he was going to put down a bunch of treats and a toy so the pup would be tied up at most a minute before we got there and saw it. i think he'll be okay in such a short span of time, especillay with treats and toys to occupy him for that minute...


----------



## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

if you are just choosing the puppy, will he/she be available to leave mom that same day?

I like you plan, sounds like puppy will be supervised/safe & out of human arms for only a second.


----------



## OrdinaryEllen (Jun 20, 2010)

*You are a true romantic*

Reading this thread, I'm just blown away by how much you must care about your loved one. 

I think however you decide to do it, it will be perfect.

And of course, since you're asking us to help plan the engagement, we're all expecting to help plan the wedding too.

I want to be the first vote simple but elegant.


----------



## C's Mom (Dec 7, 2009)

If you do it this way you only get one large surprise. Instead, if your brother waits outside the house for five minutes, knocks at the door and then hands you the puppy your girlfriend gets to enjoy the new pup first. After a while, when she is enjoying the puppy you can direct her to look at the tag. Love the tag above "will you marry my dad" - now you get two large surprises!

Congrats, btw. I'll take a golden puppy over an engagement ring any day of the week but your girlfriend is getting both.


----------



## DianaM (Feb 18, 2010)

What a great idea! I think your best bet is to hold on to the ring itself and get down on your knee when she reads the tag. You never know what a little puppy might do!

P.S. Can I watch? lol


----------



## Mssjnnfer (Aug 9, 2009)

Gary and I are going to be in Novi the 20th too! There's that dog thing going on.

Anyway, congrats! Very cute idea!


----------



## Maxs Mom (Mar 22, 2008)

OMG that is so awesome.. if you ever need a doggy sitter I don't live far away! I am in Livonia. : 

I wish I had ideas, but I am not creative that way. However recently on another dog board, someone had his girlfriend help him with training, he had her helping with field training, sent her out where the bumpers were and they had "will you marry me" on them. It was really cute. 

Welcome to the forum! Michigan has a strong contingency here.


----------



## Laurie (Sep 20, 2009)

That's an awesome plan.....your girlfriend is one lucky girl!!

I'm with C's mom......I'd take a puppy over a ring anyday!

Congratulations....


----------



## janine (Aug 8, 2009)

DianaM said:


> P.S. Can I watch? lol


Your puppy will be safe because all the GRF members are going to be hiding in the bushes ... I want to watch too  Very sweet...make sure someone brings a camera.


----------



## Momx3 (Aug 18, 2010)

I like it. But instead of having him text you and then you go to the park why don't you have your brother stay with the puppy and you text him to say when you are a few seconds away, then he can go hide knowing you will be there any second.


----------



## Mellow (Feb 27, 2010)

Congrats on the engagement and the puppy! Your girlfriend will have a BUNCH of jealous friends, having such a romantic boyfriend/fiancé


----------



## GoldenSail (Dec 30, 2008)

Momx3 said:


> I like it. But instead of having him text you and then you go to the park why don't you have your brother stay with the puppy and you text him to say when you are a few seconds away, then he can go hide knowing you will be there any second.


...and give him a camera so that he can record it 

Congrats! I love the idea!


----------



## GoldenMum (Mar 15, 2010)

All I can add is ....AWWWWWWWWW......


----------



## msubball2010 (Oct 29, 2010)

thank you everyone for the kind words and ideas. i can't even begin to put into words how excited i am to get enganged AND get a golden puppy!!! i know how much work it is going to be and there will be some tough months ahead.....but oh how i am soo excited to have a puppy again!

momx3 - yes, i will be texting my brother when i am close....maybe i didn't write that clearly earlier. so my brother will leave the puppy, put down a few treats and start walking away. his back will be to us so my gf won't recognize him even if he is still in site. so the puppy will only be on his "own" for a few seconds before we get there.

good idea to make sure my brother has a camera....oh how i am excited!


----------



## sunflowerkd (Oct 26, 2010)

Since most of the bases have been covered about being responsible.. etc.. 
Congrats!
What about if you get an embroidered leash or collar ? It would make a great conversation piece later.. along as no one thinks your finance is proposing to them while she walks the pooch.or
if you have a metal link leash you can have will you marry me printed on a piece of ribbon and weave the ribbon through the links.. ribbons can be printed at many diifferent stores. you can start by the dog and have it come out by the handle into a big bow.. Just a few ideas ....


----------



## kwhit (Apr 7, 2008)

Great idea! :

But, maybe instead of a collar, you can put him in a harness. That way if he pulls really hard, it won't choke him. 

Good luck and like others have suggested, have your brother video tape it so we can see, too.


----------



## amy22 (May 11, 2008)

I love your idea!! We want to see pictures!!


----------



## msubball2010 (Oct 29, 2010)

i'll make sure to post lots of pictures!


----------



## Darisj24 (Oct 29, 2012)

This is great! I am actually planning a very similar proposal!


----------



## MillionsofPeaches (Oct 30, 2012)

oh wow this is so romantic and exciting! I can't wait to see the photos!


----------



## Capt Jack (Dec 29, 2011)

Good luck! I like the idea of two suprises Tell her you bought a puppy for the two of you & maybe hide the ring & collor in box with a smelly treat the pup can find easily and when she opens it for the pup make it so she sees the ring first & the ring second.If it works out right she'll read the collor as she's putting it on the pup.


----------



## JaimeNTJ (Aug 4, 2012)

Can't wait to hear the update!!!!


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## Rainheart (Nov 28, 2010)

Guys this thread is over 2 years old


----------



## Vinnie's Mom (Jun 9, 2012)

I just found this thread...can't wait to here how it goes.


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Shalva (Jul 16, 2008)

It was two years ago


----------



## spruce (Mar 13, 2008)

Darisj24 said:


> This is great! I am actually planning a very similar proposal!


old thread, but looks like we have a new proposal coming!!!


----------



## Vinnie's Mom (Jun 9, 2012)

Vinnie's Mom said:


> I just found this thread...can't wait to here how it goes.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


Oops did not notice the year.


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


----------



## JaimeNTJ (Aug 4, 2012)

But there was never an update!;(


Sent from my iPhone using PG Free


----------



## dezymond (May 3, 2012)

Found the update in this thread: http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...35-got-engagement-puppy-name-tag-today-6.html


----------

