Introducing Jaffle! – RecipeTin Eats

Meet Jaffle! Future chief taste tester. Son of a Dozer friend. A little bundle of golden, fluffy joy!

48 hours of instant happiness

I didn’t expect to get a new puppy so soon after saying goodbye to Dozer. To be honest, I didn’t know when I would be ready. And I had in mind that this time I would like to adopt. I had submitted my application, talked to Golden Retriever Rescue and was waiting for the right time and the right dog.

Then I recently found out that Clem, one of Dozer’s friends, got pregnant and had a litter of puppies while I was hiding from the world for the last few months. When I met them, a little furball immediately stole my heart. A big boy’s chunderbum, destined to be big and golden. Just like Dozer. 🥰

This isn’t the first goldie to cross my path since losing Dozer. But he is the first to feel good. I picked him up 48 hours ago and he has already managed to wrap his big little paw completely around me. No surprise there!

Questions and answers about Jaffle

1. Where did you get it from? From Kim Handley of Giltedge Golden Retrievers, a registered breeder in New South Wales whose dogs Dozer regularly played with at the beach. Unlike Dozer, Jaffle comes from championship bloodlines and a long pedigree of award-winning golden retrievers. This all sounds very impressive on paper, but in these regions it will be judged on very different criteria!

2. Who are his parents? Jaffle’s mother is Clem, one of the golden retrievers Dozer splashed with at the Bayview dog beach every weekend in his youth and wilderness. His father is Linirgor Tomich (“Tommy”), who lives in Falkirk, Scotland. Tommy was UK Champion and Best Stallion in 2025. 😳 Right??!!

3. What do you feed him with? I am currently feeding Jaffle breeder recommended dog food – Black Hawk for large breed puppies (kibble) as well as Lyka Fresh Lamb dog food. I can’t wait to get him on a homemade diet as soon as possible. But I know puppies need the right nutrients to help them grow, which I don’t, so I won’t make any changes to his diet until I talk to professionals.

   Dozer was eating homemade food from the age of 4, after becoming very ill from a bad batch of a well-respected brand of kibble (not Black Hawk! :)). He prospered because of it! Everyone, including veterinary professionals, marveled at how soft her fur was and how healthy she was in her later years. I am a firm believer in real dog food. (And humans 🙂 Ultimately, what prevailed were complications linked to a neurological disorder (Geriatric Onset Laryngeal Paralysis Polyneuropathy – GOLPP).

4. How old is he? He is 11 weeks old! He was born on March 25, 2026. I could have picked him up a few weeks earlier but I was in Japan until the weekend. I can’t believe how much he’s grown since I first met him a month ago!

Perfectly at ease in the kitchen!

It’s only been 48 hours, but he’s already at home in the kitchen! I’ll have to start training. I can’t let him steal food from the pantry or bench – Dozer never did that!!

And even though it’s still early days (i.e. I’m still a nervous new puppy owner, so I’m exercising restraint on the eating front!), I’m very happy to report that Jaffle shows great promise for his future role as RecipeTin’s Chief Taste Tester. Proof: enthusiastic acceptance of cheese…

….and the rejection of kale.

He chewed it well, then spat it out and looked at it with the same expression as Dozer, like he couldn’t believe I was trying to pass it off as food. 😂

The crackling of paws

The house looks different now. Like at home. The pitter patter of paws on the floor, toys scattered in corners, countless little wet spots (I forgot how much puppies pee!) and a little golden shadow that follows me everywhere I go.

I know many of you liked Dozer, and I hope you will like Jaffle too. It has already brought so much happiness back into my life, in just 48 hours.

I can’t wait to watch it grow with you all! ❤️ – Nagix

PS A jaffle is a typical Australian toasted sandwich made in a special jaffle iron which seals the edges of the bread together during cooking. The filling stays trapped inside, creating a crispy golden pocket with warm filling in the middle, and the presence of cheese is mandatory in my world. I can’t wait to share a recipe with you!!

In memory of the bulldozer

And with the introduction of Jaffle comes the removal of the Dozer section which has somehow become the part of every article that you all jump straight to before even looking at the recipe. You know how much it secretly delighted me every time someone admitted it. 🥰

I’ve been dreading this day, because stopping the Dozer Section makes it so final, like I’m losing him all over again.

There will never be a replacement for Dozer. He wasn’t just my dog, he was my sidekick, my shadow, my best friend and an important part of RecipeTin Eats for almost 14 years. So rather than replacing it, I much prefer to think of it as a passing of the baton to the next generation.

So even though Jaffle begins his career as chief taste tester, Dozer will still have a place here. ❤️ Existing Life of Dozer sections will always remain.

You know I’m sobbing desperately as I write this post.

But I just realized something. This is my website, and if I want to share a funny Dozer memory, a photo I encountered, or a story that makes me smile, then I can. So don’t be surprised if Dozer appears from time to time. He may have retired from official duties, but he can live here as much as I want to continue talking about him.

And honestly, I think Jaffle would be happy to hear some stories about the legend that came before him.

Thank you for all the years of sharing the joy that was Dozer. Rest in peace, my darling boy. I will Always Love You. ❤️ – Nagix