Griffin's Journey

Please meet Finley Silas Winitt. 💙

He was born on February 4, 2023 and came home with me on April 1^st.  He is a big boy, weighing 27lbs at 16 weeks old.  Finley is an F1b Goldendoodle (75% standard poodle, 25% golden retreiver), just like Griffin. 

I don’t think Finley looks like Griffin at all, but there are lots of similarities.  Finley is a quick learner and a mama’s boy.  He loves to play fetch and charm people wherever he goes.  He’s not a fan of the loud hustle and bustle of our busy street, but he does well in the quieter parts of our neighborhood.  He comes to work with me and loves to explore along the Hudson River (we are lucky to be walking distance both at work and home).  His long legs and bunny hop are ridiculously cute.  I’m looking forward to many years of laughter and love with Finley!

Finley and I met a tripawd, Lily, in our neighborhood yesterday.  She is about a week out from her surgery, which was done at the same hospital (Animal Medical Center) as Griffin’s.  She was with her uncle and grandmother basking in the sunshine.

Her uncle said that she was recovering well but had not yet attempted to get up or walk unassisted.  I shared a bit about Griffin’s recovery and cautioned that each dog would follow their own timeline, especially since Lily is 13 years old.  I urged them to join Tripawds and he said that AMC had also made that recommendation – which made me feel fantastic since AMC didn’t know about Tripawds before Griffin.  As we continued to chat and Finley played fetch, Miss Lily decided that hearing about Griffin’s story would inspire her to get up and walk not once but twice.  Amazing! 🎉

Today I met Lily’s mom, Kim, while Lily continued to practice walking on 3 legs.  We talked about exercise routines and the importance of physical therapy.  I learned that Lily has now survived 3 different bouts with cancer – she is a warrior indeed!  We spent a couple of hours chatting in the sun while Finley practiced becoming accustomed to bikes and scooters and was rewarded by sharing an icee with me.  It feels so good to pay forward all the support and encouragement I received during Griffin’s tripawd journey!

Finley and I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend, our official start to a fun summer!  🌞