Trials and Tribs

It's been awhile since updating. I'm still actively seeking dog ownership. The problems that have arisen now were quite unexpected. My landlords are now living home permanently and are now saying they do not want to allow any animals in their apartment at all. I haven't pushed it about asking again since they seem to be a bit picky. The options that result is that I tell them I'm going to look for another place and threaten the loss of a good tenant which might change their mind but as I have no idea what is going to happen this fall in terms of my employment I'm not ready to make these kinds of harsh judgements.

I'd really like to live elsewhere that would be open to pets but the other option, if I find a new place, that opens up is the possibility of rescuing a grey as opposed to the Cavalier (which I would have to wait a year anyway). So who knows. Play it by ear I suppose.

If anyone might know where I can live that's affordable then please let me know.

Puppy Born, Not mine though. Sadface. But Moving On.

So, I know I've been ranting and raving about an arrival of my very own Cavalier. Unfortunately, Kylee only gave birth to one tri-colour puppy and as I am 3rd on the breeder's list I will not likely get him.

There is an off-chance that the other two people are looking for a pup of a specific colour and coat and may not want the little lucky mongrel but since there are two people who have to say no I'm not placing my bets on it.

I'm sad but I'm moving on. I'm trying to find a breeder I'm satisfied with. I prefer not to ship a lone puppy on a plane if I don't have to. I'm checking in with one breeder in Paradise. But as they didn't reply back to me the last time I'm at a little bit of a loss.

I'm also reconsidering a greyhound rescue. I fell in love with them so long ago I don't even remember when it was. I know that they are my choice #2 for dogs and so perhaps if I can't find my very own Cav then I can help rescue a track dog.

Interesting Tidbit: Listography

Today I was reading and I came across an interesting little activity. It said to make a list of 10 training goals for your puppy, this way you get to work on training without thinking about what it is you're going to do. This makes it easier to practice training as an everyday habit.

So with my handy-dandy pencil in hand I took to the paper to see what kind of goals I could come up with:

1. I'd like my puppy to sit when greeting people entering the home.

2. I'd like my puppy to heel to me on command when on the lead.

3. I'd like my puppy to lie down when I sit or relax in the home.

4. I'd like the puppy to lie down before I give an employment tool (chew or game).

5. I'd like my puppy to stay-sit when I leave the room unless asked to come.

6. I'd like my puppy to respond to the leave it command when I want him to drop a toy.

7. I'd like the puppy to recall when in the presence of others.

8. I'd like my pup to learn the speak command when asked.

9. I'd like my pup to lay on his pillow or kennel when I am resting for longer periods of time (watching tv or a movie).

10. I'd like my puppy to come and lie in his kennel when it's time to go or it's sleep time.

Some of these tasks are obviously more direct than others. However, I've attempted to keep the tasks fairly simple so that the puppy will learn quickly. These are also tasks that can be build upon in the future to do specific tasks.

Example: Both Heeling and Recall are great for agility competition training.

They are also a non-exhaustive list of things that I want to value. I plan on playing the magnet game from an early age so that I may reward only those naturally occurring behaviours that I find valuable. I can't wait for some of this stuff to become useful. I find having something like this list as a guide will save me a lot of time when I'm working on training my dog.

It's also 3 days before the puppy's birthdate. I'm very excited about this. It'll be a for sure thing when I actually know there is a living, breathing, creature that is mine. Still looking forward to a few pictures of the pregnant Kylee (mum) before she's due. Gosh there's just so much to get done.

News! Update! Video Seminar!

Well today has been pretty productive puppywise. I emailed Cherie earlier this morning about how Kylee is doing and when the puppy's are to be expected. It's 10 days before they are to be born. Here's what I recieved:

Hi Melissa,

Unfortunately I'm working so I can't enjoy the sun today :-(

Kylee's belly is growing bigger everyday. She looks very healthy and is still fairly active considering she is scheduled to have her litter in 10 days. We are all anticipating the big day, hoping and praying that is goes well, and that mom and pups are all healthy. I will let you know when the big day arrives, and I will also snap a few pictures of the expectant mom and forward them to you in the next day or so.

Enjoy the sun...

Cherie

I'm super excited about this. I'll be bouncing around for the next 10 days. The other thing I'm a bit worried that there won't be 4 puppies. We don't know until the day but it'll be exciting. Cherie seems pretty positive about it. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Also I got a few comments about my proposed training schedule for the first few weeks. I've got to say both Hannah and Christine have been very helpful and supportive. I think Hannah's ideas about a noise other than 'No' might be most useful. Either an ah-ah sound or something might work better. Which brings me to my next topic of discussion.

I've just finished Paul Owens Online Video Seminar on Habit Training. I've got to say for those of us who have read the book this video is a great way to solidify all of the information that we learned throughout the pages of the text. I've got to say that I like Paul Owens more and more each time I read something of his or see him teach. His main principles in training are Kindness, Compassion, and Respect.

"If our goal is peace then our means must be peaceful." Martin Luther King Jr.

The education process should be a positive one, especially for those dogs who are sensitive to so many things. Training shouldn't be a chore to be done but rather it should be gradually incorporated in one's life so that it become routine. Paul Owens also teaches based out of a substitute behaviour method. That means we typically answer the question :

What do you want your dog to do?

With less than reasonable answers such as:

"I want him to stop bolting out the door." "I want her to stop tearing up the cushions."

Instead of answering the question like this:

"I want my dog to sit when I open the door." "I want my dog to live freely in the house while I am gone". "I want my dog to come when I call him".

The key to prevention is often our response. We must respond pro-actively to what behaviours our dog is eliciting and forget about reactive.

There are 3 aspects to training a dog based on habits. 1) Contextual Learning- this is where we learn to speak dog. We must be aware of the signals our dog is giving us when learning a behaviour. Once we have trained a behaviour it can only become a habit if the skill is practiced in various combinations of contexts. It takes 21-28 days to form a habit. It also takes 1-3 years to reach emotional maturity as a dog. So, even if you think a dog is perfectly trained you must be aware that correct behaviours must be consistently rewarded until the animal reaches maturity. 2) Latency- We must also allow the dog time to think when we train. "Honey, honey, honey, honey, honey" is not beneficial to allowing a person to think, therefore "sit, sit, sit, sit, sit" will also be distracting to the animal who is trying to figure out what you want him or her to do. 3) Displacement Behaviours- once we work closely with our dogs to train them we must gradually attain a sense of what the dog is trying to communicate to us. For example, a dog may blink, yawn, sniff the ground, or paw when he is trying to think about what it is he has to do. Over time, we learn this signals and notice when they are communicating with us.

The seminar also did a load of demos with some shelter dogs such as leave it and boundary training.

Communication seems to be an important factor in training. For example, nobody should repeat commands, yell, or give conflicting signals (i.e. sit-down, sit-up) when training a new habit so we must be careful of what we are asking our dogs to do.

It's recommended by Paul and other trainers to spend a week without talking to your dog to get him to do something(no commands, no verbal praise, nada). Instead, just focus on what the dog is doing correctly. Giving a high value treat or reward for all correct behaviours that are done naturally by the dog. Lying down is one of the big ones. Paul recommends that this act should be highly rewarded as it is the one position that relaxes the body and mind of a dog. Acknowledgments should be given for natural sit position, down position, if your dog looks at you (this is like a check in where the dog is saying "how am I doing?", brings you a toy, or goes to it's spot.

Another very important task to reinforce is the dog's job. All dogs need employment or otherwise they are prone to self-employment (tearing up your cushions, drapes, tipping your plants over, or barking excessively). There are 3 games that Paul recommends. First, simple find it, then a nose-hunt find it, and finally peek-a-boo. The peek-a-boo game in particular is very good for emergency recall. If you didn't want to use the verbal cue "peek-a-boo" then you could use any other word "cookie" "bingo" "Here I am".

Paul then continues his seminar by explaining more complicated topics like the hierarchy of rewards, How to form a habit, and How to stay motivated when training. His motivation techniques really sing home for me who's just recently gotten back into a regular yoga practice routine (I'm also blogging about that see yogahereyogathere.tumblr.com). It's all about balance and if you aren't centred then training your dog would be much more difficult. Get happy, then Train happy!

Thinking about the first week.

It's sometimes more than one can handle when thinking about the arrival of your new best friend and how that's going to effect your life. In less than a month (22 days to be sure) the puppies will be here. Then 8 weeks will go by and suddenly my life will change for what I hope is going to be the best.

There will be a lot of changes and as most of my friends will tell you, I don't deal particularly well to huge changes. This means that for the first couple of weeks I usually end up crying and throwing a fit over something that's inevitable. Then I give up and just grow accustom to it like everyone else in the world.

So in an attempt to feel in control over what's going to happen with this little creature I've decided to plan like nobody's business. I know, I know, but you see writing all of the things I think I can handle during this week really helps me out. So here's what I've got for the 1st week:

Week 1

Bringing Puppy Home

• Bring a crate and blanket to the breeders at pick-up. Socialize and settle the pup to your presence.
• On the way home NO radio, NO sudden stops, NO breaks/errands. Keep it simple and quiet while in the car. Drive straight home and keep the car cool.
• Once home give the pup time alone to get used to being separated from the other puppies. Keep the house quiet as any strange noises (outside of routine around the house jobs) may heighten pups stress level.
• Check to see if the pup needs to go potty. Wait 15 minutes for pup to do business. If the pup didn't potty recrate and try again in a few minutes. When pup does go celebrate like nobody's business.
• Inside work on training to sit and come. Play games once the pup does something right. After this session the pup may need to potty. Take it out. React as necessary.
• Keep feeding on the regular schedule issued by the breeder. After eating or drinking puppy needs to go potty.
• Puppy needs quiet time as well so make sure throughout the day the pup gets to spend time alone in his kennel while you are both in and out of the house. If you are in the house try putting the pup in another room for a few minutes. Toss in a few Kong toys for puppy to be occupied.
• Repeat the potty, play, rest, and feeding schedule.
• Puppy gets to go to bed at 8pm but must get up for potty before 11pm so that the pup can settle for the night as much as possible.

Puppy Makes itself at home.

Day 2-3 will be somewhat repetitive of day one. Alternate feeding, potty, play, potty, rest, potty, feeding...

• Minimize contact to only those keywords you have decided upon, use both body and eye contact to help puppy understand you. (Note: Keywords found below

Keywords for Puppy's first few days:

Sit

Come

Bed

Go-Potty

Dinnertime

No

After the Adjustment Period

Days- 4-7

• Socialization begins inside the parameters of the Training Schedule (see below)
• Welcome friends and family to see the puppy but be sure to inform them that you are in-training and adjustment periods so as not to get the puppy over-excited. Teach these people how you have been play-training with the new pup in your own home. Use food as treat reward instead of high calorie alternatives.
• Enjoy your new dog and don't forget the work will be worth it in the long run of life.

Schedule for Potty Training:

7am-Potty and Training

730am- Feeding time

8am- Potty and Celebrate

9am- Crate with lots of Kong activities.

1030am- Potty Break Quick

12pm- Lunchtime potty, feeding, potty, play.

3pm- Potty Break Quick

5pm- Potty, Food, Potty, Exercise, Play

7pm- Training, Potty and Celebrate

8pm- Bedtime

10-11pm- Potty Break Quick & Back to Bed

***Periodic Potty through the night may be necessary set alarm to check***

On the Homefront, Reading and Other Tales

Canada Day weekend is approaching and that means that June is almost through. I'm not sure about the rest of the world but on this side of the planet June was pretty rough. I've never really thought that June in Newfoundland was all that nice. It usually rains a good deal in the first half of the month but by the middle things are pretty warm and starting to to shine. This month in this year was wickedly cold and wet. I can't imagine raising a tiny pup in a rain storm like June. Potty training would be horrendous and the poor thing wouldn't get any decent walking in.

I came to the home-front on the west coast of the island last weekend and I'll be staying until this Canada Day weekend is over. I'm kind of reluctant to even think about traveling back. It's not easy returning to an empty apartment and a lack of family support. I'm enjoying my time here quite a bit. It's a nice thing, family, they allow you to be who you are and it doesn't matter if that means your utterly frustrated one day and completely at ease the next. But June is over and so I'll go back to the city and await the birth of the pups.

There hasn't been much talk of my dog acquisition out here. And it's probably partially because of the fact that I haven't got a job past October yet. I'm worried about that but I keep the faith that I'll have something by then. There was some commentary that "a cat is so much easier than a dog" but the fact is I'm kind of done with cats. I don't really want a cat at all this time around. I want a dog, particularly a Cav. So I've had the battle previously and I've made a decision. This is the way life is going. It's no good to deny it's existence and it's no good to cause a scene.

I've been reading Paul Owen's The Puppy Whisperer book. It's filled with useful stuff. A lot that I've already read before. It's a bit slow going because there are so many sections. I've visited my cousin who has a NS Duck Toller, aka a Little River Dog, named Cash. He's a bit nervous around people at first which worries me that he doesn't get quite enough socialization in Port aux Basques (which is always a challenge as there is no dog park or social club). He's in his adolescence stage right now and tries his boundaries but my cousin is a very good dog owner and she walks him whenever it's not pouring down rain.

I also met my Uncle's dog Charlie who's a Sameoyd ( I know that's not spelt right for sure) and has no leadership or direction. My Uncle doesn't know how to train a dog like that and he got the dog out of lonliness. He suggested that I take that dog if I was wanting one. That's not acceptable. I'm not going to take a large breed dog when I'm renting off of people. And though I'd take that dog under the right circumstances in a heartbeat. I hate seeing my family think it's okay to keep him outside all the time and not train the dog for living inside. He's a smart dog. He understands command. But he's confused about how to use his mouth and his body. He's confused about the rules. He needs someone so much and it kills me to see him suffer like this. A dog requires compassion and love. My Uncle needs to smarten the heck up. I have no room for a large 100 pound dog right now but I want to save him so bad that it hurts.

Oie. Life is complicated sometimes.

News from the Brood

So over the weekend I got an update about the future puppies. I emailed Cherie about how the progress is going and I got some information back from her:

Hi Melissa,

The weather is awful isn't it...hope it's not a sign of the summer.

Kylee and the rest of the clan are doing great. We just had a puppy come back to stay with us for 10 days while their family goes on vacation.

Kylee is showing signs of being pregnant already. Looks to be anyway. I'm pretty confident that she is. Over the next week or two I will certainly know for sure. We are always excited with the anticipation of a new litter, ie. how many she'll have, what they'll look like, etc.

Anyway, I will certainly let you know how things progress.
Take care,

Cherie

This is eventful news. That means Kiely is most likely pregnant with my puppy. Soon they will be born. It's about a month away from the due date so it should be relatively fast. Then I'll have 2 months of waiting before I bring him/her home. But the good thing is that I'll get to visit and see the little one while I'm waiting those 8 weeks.

It's been a very difficult week so this news was welcome. I'm wishing my friend Hannah were here so that I could bitch freely for about an hour and she would tell me all of the lies that I need to hear before I commit to the reality of it all and go back to dealing with life. I haven't heard from her in a few weeks so perhaps it'd be useful to message her.

Reading Review #5: Paul Owens

I finished reading this book sometime last week. I remember reading it at work and various places but to be honest I'm not sure that I "loved" it. The thing is, if you didn't already know, I've been reading dog books for quite some time. I have a bunch of digital books that I've been meaning to read as well but haven't made the time outside of picking up one's in print.

This book's first chapter was excellent at setting up how the book progressed. It's very good for owners who have adopted dogs and I see value in it's training methods. I just found that it got repetitive.

I've graduated from a degree in psychology in the past and so habit training (the same training we use to test rats in a maze) is pretty well known in my world. I actually wish I had this book in my Intro to psychology courses to understand successive approximation, generalization, and habituation.

I get where Owens is coming from in this book. It's very easy to read and understand so if you have no clue what all of this "positive method training" business is all about I suggest you read it. It's broken down to plain english. And though I haven't went on at length about this book I did pick up his book called The Puppy Whisperer at the local PetSmart the other day (this books is very good actually) and I will be writing about that book more than I have this one.

The book does come with an Online Seminar which I haven't done yet. I plan to do it sometime while I am on vacation next week. Wish me luck.

The Newfoundland & Labrador Pet Expo 2011: An Adventure

This weekend I was working for my job on Saturday but I planned nothing for my Sunday. Why? Because it's that time of year when the Newfoundland and Labrador Pet Expo is ongoing (http://www.nlpetexpo.com/index.html for details).

It's usually quite a fun time with dog lovers galore. I got to speak with one lady in particular named Christine who owns two Cavs and had them along. We got a chance to talk about the dogs and she suggested that we meet up when I get mine.

What did I get when I went there. Well, since I've been a bit down in the last couple of weeks it's been hard to keep my emotions at float. As a result of being around loads of animals at the expo I got a little puppy happy. I also got to spend a lot of time with my other favourite breed; The Greyhounds. I can't wait until I can get my hands on one myself. Alas, the responsible owner would have a fenced yard for the natural runners to play in. It'll wait. The Cavs are the way to go right about now.

There were a ton of exhibitions. One of interest that I didn't actually get time to see much of was a Dogs Devine Salon Booth whereby they were putting feather extensions in the puppies ears. They looked very nice on the poodles. There was also a Sissor Sharpening and Sales booth (I need to figure out what to buy for cutting the fur beneath the feet on the cavs). Gobble Yums (www.gobbleyums.com) Treats and Creations had homemade yummies and selections of funny dog coats and crate pads. Meg and Ken's Pet Supplies (www.multimenu.ca) a business based out of a home where you order the products and it gets shipped to them who deliver it to you. Topsail Star Pet Centre (www.topsailstar.ca) was there promoting their behavioural training classes, Kennel, Grooming and Precise Products (www.precisepet.com). A doggy daycare lady from C.B.S. called Little Angels Doggy Daycare. The Pet Zone was there ( a local shop) where I bought a Gulpy (water bottle for doggie) and some doggie crack (Freeze Dried Liver). The Dashund society was there and all of the other rescue groups. There was also a local pet collar and leash specialist there called For Your Paws Only (www.foryourpawsonly.net) which you can buy from the Doghouse in St. John's. Finally, the Taste of the Wild people were there as well.

I've been thinking about food choices for the puppy and I'd like to have him on either the precise product or the taste of wild. Theres about a 4 % difference in the protein content and I'll want to do more research on that as I know too much protein is not good. I want to do a kibble because I think it will make life easier for me. I'm also on a budget so I'm not sure if I should just buy the Costco brand of food either. It has a pretty high ranking as well and is made by the same company as the Chicken Soup brand. I have a lot of decisions to make regarding that. It's easily accessible though so I'm not worried about getting the product. I also want to supplement fruit and veggies into the diet along with kibble. It's a lot to think about (food)!

I just can't wait to get the dog now I'm so excited but it'll be another while yet. Kiely would be at the 18 day mark in the cycle now. That's 45 days to go before birthing. A week more than a month. I think by the end of June I'll contact the breeder and ask how the pregnancy is going. I'm just so excited.

Reading Review #4: Bruce Fogle's Dog:The definitive guide for dog owners

I've just finished reading this book. At a whopping 400 pages it's well worth the $40 bucks Canadian that I spent on it at the local book store. Bruce is a fellow Canadian who currently lives in England with his wife Julia and dog LL Bean. There is a lot of information about dogs in this book.

Bruce, being an internationally renowned vet originally went to Guelph's Vet School. As a result his book is broken down by life stages in dogs. From puppyhood to senior citizen status. There are recommendations and training tidbits.

Fogle starts off his literary adventure by discussing the historical information about where pet dogs came from, how they are classified, genetics, and differences from wild dogs. Then he discussed the human relationship with dogs. Unto how to choose a dog, infancy, and beyond.

I especially liked the final chapter which discussed death and dying of our beloved pets. Being very puppy brained at the moment it is difficult to imagine not only the realities of adolesence but also death of my future pup.

This book is well worth the money but, it does take some time to read. I've been a month at it and I'm a very quick reader. My friend Hannah has also been thinking about this book for some time and I'm almost positive she'd enjoy it. I liken the book to a how-to or owners manual that one can go to throughout the life of one's dog.

UPDATE: Hannah's puppy is now born and they are doing well. I'm sure there will be more updates from her soon.

Also, I'm probably going to be babysitting a Yellow Labrador in the near future for a friend who's participating in the Annual Canadian Cancer Society's Relay for Life. Hopefully, I can write about those experiences as well.

Puppy News!

This is an update on my potential parents of the puppy.

I have emailed the breeder over the weekend as I didn't hear anything from her about the parents in quite some time. The mother, Kylee, went into her cycle early last week and was bred with the father, Will, on Thursday (May 26th). That was the same day of my convocation ceremony at the university. How special is that? Maybe I did really get a puppy for graduation! Cherie (the breeder) said that she would continue to keep me up to date on the progression of the pregnancy and the hopeful future pups. Also, if the pregnancy is successful the potential birthday of the litter will be July 28th, 2011. I did some figures and I think I'd expect my pup at the last of September (26th-28th).

So it made me think about dog pregnancy and that I know very little about the biological time frame of a dog's pregnancy. Here's what I found out:

There are three distinct stages of pregnancy in dogs.

The first stage is the most obscure. Pregnancy is very difficult to determine in the first few weeks after breeding. There are little change in the mother's nipples, appetite, or behaviour. By the third week, the embryos are multiplying and implant in the uterus. At about 26-36 days a vet can palpate and confirm the presence of puppies in the mother's tummy.

The second stage is the most vulnerable for the pups. Eyes, faces and spinal cords begin to form and by the 5th or 6th week puppies double in size (20-30 cm). The fetus' look like puppies at this stage with toes, claws, and whiskers but the eyes are closed. The bodies are developed enough to determine sex and heartbeats are heard in the mothers tummy.

The third stage is where the pups continue their development in the womb and begin to move around while the mother's body is preparing for the birthing process. The pups usually take one of two positions in the womb: Anterior (nose first in the birth canal) or Posterior (tail first). They are enclosed in two sacs, one of which will break during the birth and the second will be broken by the mother after the birth.

Reading Review # 3: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Breed Special by Dog Fancy Magazine

I bought this magazine over the Victoria Day weekend at a local PetSmart. Now I've been reading a lot over the past 6 months and I've been picking up various dog magazines in between the books I've been reading. But until now none have been basically breed specific. Needless to say, I was very excited to see this in the store. It covers various topics and spotlights different owners and their dogs. It even talks about the American CKC Spaniel Clubs and their connections or lack thereof to the American Kennel Club. I really liked the section on the use of CKC Spaniels as Therapy Dogs. It's also interesting to read about the medical conditions prone to the breed due to poor breeding among dogs.

OTHER NEWS:It's my graduation week here so I've officially got my graduate degree in hand. Family is visiting and of course I've been secretly talking about dogs around my grandmother and slightly with my mother. Unfortunately my father, who knows I want to be a dog owner, doesn't think I should be getting a dog right now. I can understand that but I also understand that I have my own head and heart constantly in battle over the proper time to become an owner. It's been difficult deciding that I am ready but I know I will be looking for more work in the future. That was why I started saving for my pup's expenses. Any responsible owner will do what he or she has to in order to be keeping up with their pet's health. I see people who are my age or younger getting animals when they have no idea about training or upkeep. They manage to do it and I feel that I would also manage to do it too. I'd love to have a steady job but most of the work I'll be doing over the next few years may be contingent on contractual positions. Regardless I will be working.

Since my breeder only breeds her dogs occasionally I think now is the time for my dog to come. It won't be until early fall before I get her anyway so I think minds may change by then. Sometimes its just difficult to mediate what others think is the best choice for you and what you think is the best choice for yourself. A dog that I can spend time training and loving will be wonderful for my quality of life. End of the argument.

New Book! (Not a review)

I got a new book yesterday at the local Chapters-Indigo. This book I had previously looked at when my lovely friend Hannah had purchased the only copy a few months back. It looked really great.

Since I'm getting ready for the dog I have been reading non-stop and I haven't particularly focused on games. I thought I should probably start. This book seems to include quite a bit of variant training games. I'll write a full review when I've completed the book as I always try to do.

Updates: I am beginning to become very excited about being a dog owner and sometimes I get "cold paws" about the whole thing. I know that I'm ready but now that it's for real I have the natural tendency to panic but not for fear of ownership but for fear of improperly training or giving the dog too much at once. I know that owning a dog is nothing like motherhood. I've been quite adamant about humanizing dogs in the past. But a dog is a companion, one that we as humans seem to become very attached and involved with. The reality is that my fears are for altruistic reasons and somewhat related to being a responsible adult.

A Note Further on Humanizing Dogs:

I'm not about to stand high on my pedestal and scream at the world for treating their animals like humans. Instead, I just want to write about how I feel about MY OWN actions toward humanizing a pet. Firstly, I think dressing a dog up in a costume on Halloween is acceptable (not because he or she will look like a human but because its a tradition and most often dogs are as involved in our traditions as we are). I don't think the dog should be dressed up on a regular day, especially if the dog is noticeably uncomfortable because of the clothing. Keep in mind that when we dress our dogs up it is purely for HUMAN enjoyment and not for the dogs themselves. Secondly, calling your self a "mom" and relating it to human parentage is completely inappropriate. I won't call you out for it in public but I might scowl. Being a parent to a human child is a totally different world than being a pet-parent. I don't object to using baby speak as long as you don't stand up to the value that having a fur-baby is exactly like having a real one. Lastly, dogs are indeed dogs so we need to respect them for that. There is no place at a table for dogs in public spaces, there is no need to leave their faecal matter on streets shared with humans, and nobody wants to see your dog confined to a purse when it is perfectly capable of carrying it's own weight around (the only acceptable reason for pursing a dog is fatigue or weather).

Shopping: PetSmart St. John's Grand Opening

Since PetSmart ( a chain pet store ) opened in St. John's today. Myself and a couple of friends headed up to see what specials and deals were on. Normally I'm not about buying from a chain store but since I'm on a budget and I decided picking up some Kong toys needed to happen pre-puppy to take the financial load off I went to the store to save myself some money. I will be buying food from a local store that buys only smaller company foods which are healthier than box brand foods. I'm thinking about feeding raw but I am unsure if I can afford that.

This is about the haul from this store. I have pretty much everything I need training wise. I am waiting to pick up things like nail clippers, leash and collar, water bowl, toothpaste, shampoo, etc. until later. I did pretty good today too. I only spent $50 for all of the stuff pictured below and used this week's savings to buy these things.

Check it out.

Confirmation

I got word back from Cherie. It was very nice. Hense I will share.

I certainly can add you to the list for the litter this summer. I will let you know when I breed her so you will have some notice as to when to expect their arrival. We all enjoyed your visit yesterday and we all feel very comfortable knowing that your new puppy will be loved as much as ours are.

Thanks,
And I'll be in touch.
Cherie

Finalizing my place on the Puppy Waitlist.

So I've made a permanent decision for the pup's arrival. I will be getting the dog late this summer. I opted for the second litter in the end. It's a better decision for me which means it's a better decision for the dog in the long run. Things are a bit heavy for me right now so the second litter means 63+ 8 weeks extra time for me outside of the actual conception.

I've decided that I like Rubies and Blenheims. As for sex I am happy with either but I'd perfer a male.

Below I've copied an email I sent to the breeder regarding me on the waitlist.

Hi Cherie,

Thank you for opening up your home and thanks to you and your family for being so helpful. It's easy to see how much you love your dogs and how great of a breeder you are. If you don't mind I'd like you to put me down on your list for the pups late this summer. It will be better for me to have time to prepare everything and since that was my original plan date I think I'd rather stick with it (Even though I love the pups you have now). I don't know what you'll need from me if anything right now. I'd love to hear about the progress and such (How Keily is doing etc.) I also think I'm partial to Rubies and Blenheim. As for sex, I am not particular though males are generally what I've owned in the past. I'm sure the girls will be excited to know that I'll be back.

Take care,

Melissa

I'll keep posting when I hear back from her. It'll be nice once she confirms the deal. It looks as though Hannah and I will be getting our dogs in the same time frame. It'll be wonderful.

Meet the Parents

I just got back from an amazing meeting with a potential breeder. My friends and I took to the Goulds, NL to visit Cherie Williams and her dogs tonight. I have been speaking with her for a little while now and she is an expert when it comes to Cavaliers even though she's only had this business for 6 years.

She has 4 Cavaliers, Will, Amber, Kylie, and another Ruby Male that's not on the premises since Amber is weaning pups. We entered her lovely home and were welcomed by the happy little pups that she owns. They offered us tea/water and we sat and chatted with her and her husband. Her two daughters were also there and they had a lot to say as well.

Olivia (one of her daughters) brought out a 4H project she did on the dogs. Then we went in to visit the current litter of puppies that Cherie has. She had 6 pups (2 black and tans, and 4 rubies) they were amazing little pups. Cherie explained how she was getting them used to being handled by the paws and ears. This was very refreshing. She and her family talked for an hour and a half about the dogs. It was so clear they love them.

I really would have loved to go with one of the current litter but I don't think that I will be able to take one until the next litter. Kylie and Willie will be bred soon as the female goes into heat (in the next couple of weeks) then the dogs will be born 63-days from then. Ready 8 weeks after that.

I love this breeder so much. I am definitely going to buy from them. It will be good but I think that I will have to go with the later litter for financial reasons. It seems as though these people like to keep in contact about the progress of their dogs.

I am ever sure that I want this type of dog. It needs to be soon too. I can't imagine being dog-less any longer. It's a hard thing to keep my family in check about the dog. But I think about how much time can be wasted by not living when we should be. In the next week or so I expect to make a final confirming decision on the dog. I have to decide several things by then.

The first is what colour? Blenhiem, Ruby, Tri-colour, or Black and Tan. I am partial to black and tan initially but I love them all. I think I'd like a ruby if I could get one by the end of the summer. I am very excited by all of this commotion and it's good that I had friends go to visit as well because I got to see how the people interacted with them as well as myself.

It's due to good breeders like Cherie and her family that pure breeds are continuing healthy and happy. Thanks to them for that.

Reading Review #2: Dr. Ian Dunbar's Before & After

Good Morning, Afternoon, and Evening to you lovely dog people in the interspace. I am going to do another book review for you today while I'm working away at my computer here. I bought this book not out of what I have heard about Dr. Dunbar's approach but out of pure consumerism. I'm actually a member of the local bookstore chain Chapters Indigo and since buying a membership/frequent buyer's card I had a coupon for so much off of a book providing I bought it online. This book was the result of my endless search for all things dog.

Granted, there are a load of ill-advised and over populated dog books out there, this is not one of them. I throughly enjoyed Dr. Dunbar's approach at raising a dog from puppyhood. Dr. Dunbar (now that I am aware) is well known in the dog world and has a stable business and series or books and DVD's that explore how to get the best out of your dog.

The first section is concerned with the fast and dirty of going into dog ownership. I think this is primarily for those owners who have their dog prior to reading the text. It goes about exploring rule learning, physical handling, confinement, socialization, and some serious concerns with small behaviour problems in your pup. It's a very good opener to a book that is very easy to read and very understandable.

In the following section, Dr. Dunbar breaks down the chronological developmental deadlines that every pup goes through. Though I think that these deadlines cannot be set in stone due to the same variations that we see in the social development of humans, Dr. Dunbar also suggests that these deadlines are crucial but have flexibility (especially in the case of owning an older puppy).

Dunbar suggests there are 6 major developmental deadlines as follows:

1. Education

• Dunbar goes into depth about how to choose your dog (Mix breed or Pure? Spaniel or Retriever?). He then talks about when you should bring the puppy into your home (note: NEVER bring a puppy into a home at holidays or other celebratory times).
• Dr. Dunbar is a big promoter of adopting a dog from the shelter. This is very aimiable because I believe that adopting dogs who need homes is very important, especially in North America. I plan on adopting greyhounds in the future when I own a home that has a fenced yard.
• Selecting a good breeder is one of the ways you can prevent the onset of Puppy Mills around your area. With the addition of the Pet Shop to our materialistic culture we have created a vortex of bad news bears by not supporting local breeders and supporting the quick and cheap puppy mill version of already sick dogs.
• Dr. Dunbar also includes a small shopping list of things you'll need in preparation for your puppy (He believes in training a dog to eat from Kong stuff toys rather than from food bowls which is quite interesting and definitely worth a try).

2. Puppy Social Progression (with owners and other pups)

• Dr. Dunbar talks about going to the breeder to see the puppies after the first set of immunizations (usually a couple of weeks after the eyes open -at the 1 month stage). All breeders should welcome you in their home for viewing provided you will not provide any risks to the animals.
• When going to the breeders to choose a puppy you should be able to comfortably handle the pup in all of the sensitive spaces (bum, underleg, belly, genitals, mouth and teeth, ears).
• Some people have been popularizing Alpha rollovers to test dominance in a dog (it is not recommended by the author)
• It's important to test the animals sensitivity to sound as a pup should be surrounded by sounds in the breeder's home (pots banging, cupboards or doors slamming, people being loud, etc. )
• A pup should know basic manners when coming from the breeder to your home. It should already know how to sit, lie down, and possibly roll over (though I think this is one of the hardest things a dog can learn, it's not natural for a dog to want to roll over to its backside).
• The final thing is to consider your preference in the litter. Do you like the obnoxious know it all pup or do you prefer a pup who is waiting its turn to see you?

3. Puppy Training and Confinement

• This is one of the most intensive chapters. I personally spent a lot of time reading this chapter to absorb all of the information. Dunbar actually teaches what you should work on with your puppy during the first week in your home. Then he outlines chew-toy training and errorless housetraining.
• What to do when you aren't home. This is a big deal for me as I hate the idea of leaving a pup during the day for the first couple of weeks. Think about it for a moment- a pup spends all of his time with his litter mates until you take him/her away to a quite lonely place where you're bored and tired of having no fun- it doesn't sound like its much good to me. But we are often very busy people so I think that Dunbar has some very useful tips about what to do while you are away.
• What to do when you're home. Just because you're home doesn't mean you should be spending all of your time occupying a puppy. They need to learn that quite time happens when you're in the house as well as when you are gone.
• The differences between short and long term confinement.
• Pitfalls and training tips to make sure your puppy doesn't make piddles on your floor into adulthood.
• Chew-toys are a godsend according to this expert. I actually like the idea of using chew-toys to feed your dog. My previous family pet had a Kong toy and it went over well. So allowing your dog to hunt, gather, and dig out for food is much better than letting him/her run back and forth to a bowl.
• Theres so much other stuff in this chapter that I can't possibly talk about it all but I'll list some of the things I left out: Kong stuffing 101, Settle down and Shush, Home Alone, Separation Anxiety, When leaving home, When returning home, Jekyll & Hide Behaviours, Wonderful Weekends...worrysome weekdays, what to do at nighttime, sit etc. and Misbehaviour.

4. Puppy-People Socialization

• Dr. D (as I shall now call him) insists laying on the heavy for socialization with people. In fact, he has a rule, 3 people a day must meet your puppy (100 people by 4 months of age). That's a lot of people but once you read the chapter it makes a lot of sense.
• Each person that meets your pup should get him/her to sit, lie down, and roll over before playing or petting the pup.
• As many children and/or men as possible should meet your dog in this training stage. This teaches your puppy to like and respect people.
• Positive training methods are of utmost importance to Dr. D. They should be given appropriately and in a timely manner. Actually, according to Dr. D your dog should be only hand or chew-toy fed until the pup is fully trained (mostly never).
• Once the pup is comfortable with sitting, laying down, and rolling over guests should be training the dog by handling them and playing puppy games. Teaching bite inhibition and positive punishment practice.
• Socialization continuation throughout the dogs life is also discussed in a heavy way. The phrase "I ate my dog's homework" is used to undermine the human condition of making excuses for not continuing socialization and training through the lifespan.

5. Bite Inhibition

• This is an important skill for all dogs to learn. Having soft gums is very good for playing with your pup and teaches them to never let themselves get out of control. Bite inhibition training is combined with the Sit and Shush to create a well minding dog.
• Dr. D also introduces the idea of puppy training classes in this chapter.

It's short and sweet but has an important message.

6. Navigating the world through Adolescence

• The sixth deadline involves what to expect when your puppy starts going through adolescence. How to maintain all of the training you worked on through puppyhood. And how to continually keep socializing and training for the greater world. Distractions in the environment continually inflict your dog. Distracting your dog from training and generally maintaining a balanced condition.
• Introduction to training in the car, on a walk, in a dog park, recall, and emergency sit.
• How to play during training sessions, integrating training and lifestyles.

The final chapters are so much simpler than the other in-depth chapters. Dr. D goes through puppy priorities both important to teach and urgent to teach. Then homework schedules, and finally a listing of important books, videos, websites for training, ownership, and fun.

I am looking forward to picking up some more of Dr. D's books in the future. He has a lot of good things to say and a great attitude toward the canine disposition.

Reading Review #2: Dr. Ian Dunbar

Reading Review #1: Happy Dogs

This is actually the second dog book that I've read in the past month (I'm on to the third now). I picked up the book at my local Chapters-Indigo Store here in St. John's, Newfoundland. Upon first impressions I thought the book would be valuable based upon all of the different sections and topics that I glanced at.

Only later, did I realize that the book was co-written by Oprah's dog groomer. I have to say when Billy introduced himself as a celebrity dog groomer I was a bit unconvinced that I'd actually picked up a useful book. But alas, there I sat with a book that I had just purchased from the bookstore, feeling that I absolutely had to keep reading to see if I got my money worth. Up until this point I had made 3 observations about this book.

a)It had a lovely and attractive breakdown for new comers to the pet side of life.

b)There seemed to be loads of information in the book from training for grooming, to nutrition, to first aid, and dog treat recipes.

c)It also had outlined that positive dog training was the way to go.

The first chapter of the book takes you through the basic anatomy of a dog and explains why it is important to care for your dog at home and in between professional visits. Billy's whole regime surrounds the idea of caring for your dog to promote health and well-being. He goes into great detail by explaining how you (the dog owner) should choose the appropriate people (he uses the word team) to care for your dog. That includes trainers, dog walkers, day care, kennels, and veterinarians. Billy provides some basic questions to ask these people when researching who's available in your area to help you maintain your dog.

Billy later explains how there is a deep rooted connection between a dog's health and it's nutrition. All good dog owners should know this already but if you're a bit confused as to why you should not buy your dog food from a grocery store then this book breaks it down for you. Overall, the book is written in the simplest of manner which makes it accessible for people who do not love to read as much as I do. Sometimes, for the avid reader, it can be a bit patronizing.

Billy also goes into great detail about how you should dog proof your home. This protects everyone because chances are if your home is dog proof then it is also baby proof to a great extent. The emergency care section comes right after this chapter as it explores things that affect dogs on a daily basis like heat exhaustion, and hypothermia. It also, talks about taking your dog on vacation or to the trail/campsite. This was particularly of interest to me as I plan on taking the dog with me whenever I can get the chance. That means camping, hiking, and driving.

The book outlines how airline travel is significantly stressful for your dog and that you should try and avoid it unless absolutely necessary. Billy also goes into detail about car travel and how often you should stop. He also is an avid believer in never ever leaving your dog in a car unattended.

The rest of the book outlines games that you can play with your pup. Some common allergies and parasites that affect your pet. Of particular interest is a yearly, monthly, weekly breakdown of routine dog related checks that any good dog owner should perform.

Keeping in mind that Billy is a groomer then, it makes sense that he has dedicated 4 chapters to at-home grooming and professional grooming. First, he talks about which tools you will need to maintain your own dog groom station at home based upon your breed's hair type. Then how to perform an entire body inspection of your dog. Thirdly, he discusses how to perform dirty-jobs at home (some of which are disastrously gross). Finally, he suggests why you should take your dog to the groomer for specific tasks that are dangerous to do at home (like nail clipping). I am a bit critical of some of his reasons why you should take your dog to the groomer but, I understand that Billy is a professional groomer for a living and if he didn't promote professional grooming in his book he may be putting himself into some hot water.

I liked the book. The writing was easy to understand. It was chopped into small portions for those of you who are non-readers or slow readers. I did find some places patronizing but I can live with that. Also, if you've never owned a dog and are unfamiliar with how to do regular maintenance then I suggest you read this. It is a long book with a whole load of information so be warned. Also, I suggest you read other books. This is not the end all be all of dog information books out there. I'll definitely be referring to it for my grooming training as a dog owner. Great Job Billy. Enjoy everyone else.

Productive Products V.2.0.

YAY!!!!

Today I got some wonderful things in the mail. Hooray Mail! For those of you who are interested and don't know. I love to order things online for several reasons.

1. I don't have to wander aimlessly searching for things in the mall.

2. I don't have to deal with mall crowds.

3. My car doesn't get scratched by parking in mall parking lots.

4. I can shop whenever I want. That means 6 am or 4 am.

5. I can shop wearing nothing at all. Or pyjamas.

6. I get things in the mail! It's the expectation that gets me.

It's like christmas to me when I get boxes in the mail. I get so excited that I actually become a tracking number diva online with Canada Post. Which can be annoying to those friends who get to hear my latest update about where my package is and when I expect to get it.

You're asking about what I got by now I guess? Sorry, I warned you with the prepositioned YAY!!! above that I might be excited. Today I got two parcels that I've been looking forward to getting. I got a book, clothes, and a dog bed. Big haul for a friday right? I thought so. Now I'm just waiting for a package full of outdoor wear from Mountain Equipment Co-op which has nothing to do with this dog blog.

Below you'll see a picture of the L.L.Bean Denim Dog Bed that I ordered. When I opened the box that it came in I was surprised to see that the pillow and the cover were seperately packaged.

Brand New L.L. Bean Dog Bed

The pillow itself was very firm and adequately sewn. I'm a fan of the actual pillow and it is sewn in a doughnut sort of manner. The pillow is probably stuffed better than my own pillows on my bed. I sat on the pillow and tested it's durability. After siting on the pillow for about 5 minutes I got up and my arse print lifted immediately (no dents). I also did not get a hard floor feeling from the bottom of the pillow. It was like siting on a couch.

The cover is actually made of a midweight denim fabric. It feels like my father's carpentry coveralls. Which seems like it would stand the test of time. It will also wash pretty nice. Eventually I expect to see some colour fading due to the fabric. It should feel like a pair of worn in denim jeans when used regularly. At this price point ($59CAD) I feel like I got my money's worth. The true test of course will be when my dog gets to break it in !

Ian Dunbar's Book on Puppy Ownership

This is a book that I ordered from Chapters-Indigo. It's a Canadian version of Barnes and Nobles. The truth about this book is that I had a coupon for $5 off of the purchase online. So, I bought another dog book to add to my growing collection. Dr. Dunbar is pretty well known. The book itself has a pretty good rating but once I read it I'll post a judgement of how I actually rate it amongst what I've read. He has a website that is quite extensive so I'm just hoping that the material covered in the book is somewhat different from the information that is available online. More to come on this one I'm afraid...

Finally, this week my dear friend Hannah went back to Norway for the summer. She'll be having some really great experiences before she gets her dog. Alas, she'll be one of my main dog coordinating partners through the growth, development, and training of my new pet. She's also getting a dog in August upon her return to the country. Soon she should find out if the pregnancy was a success from her breeder. It's exciting. Check her blog out at tervtails.blogspot.com . She's been so good to me the last couple of months. She's my dog-talk person for sure. And below you'll find a picture of us expectant pet owners.

Hannah and I as she leaves for her Flight to Norway. (Hannah don't kill me)

St. John's is Dog Friendly

The above video was of one of my four legged friends Kaede. She is owned by my friends Tak and Marcie. Kaede is a black labrador retriever mix who is about 19 months old. She was adopted in January of this year from the local pound.

Yesterday, it was one of those rare sunny days in St. John's. So earlier in the morning I had to take the chance to get out into the sun. We've been training Kaede since January and since we got her in her "teenage days" she sometimes has the tendency to get rambunctious. She is a very smart and beautiful dog however, giving me the opportunity to work on training techniques and seeing the struggles that can happen.

Adopting a dog was a wonderful choice for my friends who have lots of time to dedicate to helping Kaede re-learn how she should behave according to people. One of the things she's particularly struggling with in various environments is leash training. She likes to pull quite a bit and thus takes the lead. So we tried umbilical training yesterday and I'm not particularly pleased about how it turned out. I think maybe if it was a part of her everyday thing that she'd understand the idea of staying by the side. Yesterday, she got to learn that pulling means we stop.

The advantage of umbilical training is that she can't pull Marcie off of her feet as easily (who is very petite and often struggles with Kaede's pulling). I recommended her to train like this around the home as well so she can get used to it.

So we walked around the beautiful Quidi Vidi Lake yesterday and soaked up some sunshine. We started out on the South side of the pond and walked around to the dog park. This dog park is set up by the City of St. John's and offers a great place for dogs to play and socialize. It's fenced in with double gate entries on both sides. Marcie and Tak were unsure about the dog park and Kaede at first.

I suggested that a) try it with a lead on at first before you set her free, b) this lets the other dogs come welcome her and she meets them in a controlled manner. c) From the first meeting you can always be aware of how your dog is interacting with the others and if there is the potential of harm. If the park doesn't have the right kind of dogs and owners at the time then you can easily walk out of the park in a controlled manner.

Tak and Marcie decided that it felt okay and set Kaede free. She had a blast obviously. After the dog park adventure Kaede responded much better to walking in the Heel position. It makes sense to get all of the excited energy out before training. Not as a puppy of course but she is old enough to handle it.

I hope to bring my dog to this spot when I get him/her as this will provide great training and socialization ground. Next to the fenced dog park there is a big field that would serve well for recall training. I'm excited about training and Kaede is a very good example of how patience and time can provide the results you want.

Productive Products

So, today I bought a dog bed. I have been trying not to buy everything that I need for the future puppy. It's hard. I'll blame the consumerist culture for right now but not my ever impending excitement towards a new member of the family.

I have been considering dog beds and which to get. Originally, I had heard good things about the L.L. Bean Pet beds. I really love their clothes so I decided to buy one today given the fact that I was already making spring purchases. Here's what it looks like:

I have been looking at products all week. I am slightly obsessed but you can deal with that how you like. One of the other things I have been looking at is a specialized water bowl for dogs with long ears. The trouble with long ears is that they get in the way of life. It becomes even more problematic when you have feathered hair on the long ears. Wet ears can lead to bacterial infections in the ear and damage a dog's hearing.

There is serious concern for this in Spaniel breeds. So it makes sense to me to try and avoid this problem in the beginning. At first, I was thinking about making my own. But since I don't have access to clay and/or a studio I thought it best to see what is out there. I found www.spanielbowls.com. It's custom pottery bowls for dogs with long ears. They are not only aesthetically appealing but they also function quite well. This website has numerous photos of the bowls in action. This is one of their bowls:

They are quite expensive though. So, it's going to take time for me to build up extra monies to buy these with my budget. But I have time so it works. I'm also working on a little surprise for those of you who are knitters out there. Other options are available for dogs if these bowls are out of the $$ range. A snood is one option. That's just a fancy word for a hat-type sleeve that holds the ears back. This is an object that must be used from the start so that the dog is used to the feeling of a snood. I'm working on a self-made knitting pattern for one so stay tuned for the final project.

The First Woof and Wag

This is my attempt at journaling my progression of dog ownership. It is a "dog blog" and before you judge me too much I'd like to explain why I bothered. Firstly, as you can already guess being a dog owner will be a big deal for me. A life step that I'd rather not forget. Second, the community of dog owner's online is huge and I'm talking at least half of the 500 Billion people who currently use the social media networking website Facebook. It's a good way to get advice, tips, and make contact with the dog people of the world. Thirdly, I do not believe in Facebook dog profiles, nor do I believe in the creation of pet based social communication online. Let's face it if Minnie the dog was to post a status update on Facebook then it would be woof, sniff, or whine and not "getting ready for a walk with the owners". So, this is for me, end point. Fourth, I live away from some of my closest friends and family. They are interested in the progress of not only my life but the life of my future pup. Having a blog (hopefully with videos at some point) will make it easier for them to connect with my various trials, tribulations, and celebrations with the pet. It will also provide some commentary on the things I am reading, seeing, or product that I think is worth talking about. Finally, I have spent the past 3 years excited about the purchase and ultimate responsibility of a dog. I have nothing against cats ( I quite like them, even own one named Caley who's a ragdoll) it's just that a dog is a little more responsibility. It's also an indication of my adult growth (in my opinion) so it's priority to keep myself in check.

Enough justification for one day on why I created the Blog. Now I'd like to tell you about my potential pup preference. As many of my friends and family know, I LOVE greyhounds. It's a personal goal of mine to own one at some point. However, these dogs (though the laziest animals I've seen) are a large breed. Naturally, this is problematic when living in rented spaces. I'm afraid to say that my small basement apartment is not large enough to house a large breed like that at this time. That's why I'm getting one of these:

This is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. It is different from the, often confused, English Toy Spaniel (called the King Charles Spaniel in the UK) which has a flattened face due to breeding with Pugs and Pekinese. These dogs are in the Toy Group of the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club) but are the largest of the toy breeds standing 12-13 inches and weighing 13-18 pounds. Now, I'm not usually a fan of lap dogs but these guys are extraordinary in my opinion. See the following videos for a quick visual.

Animal Planets Dogs 101 Segment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd5dR7YR2ig

Breed All About it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ave3YP77vhU

Jackson the Amazing 4 Month Old Cav:

The Cav (as I lovingly shorten it) is a companion dog. Excellently, it loves to train to please you. This makes me excited at the possibility of having an Agility trained pet. It's also well suited for travel with it's easy-going temperament and small size. These dogs were considered royalty and at one point it was declared that they were never to be denied access to a public place in the UK. They are spaniels though so they are particularly good at retrieval tasks. Long ago, it was illegal to hunt with a dog higher than 13 inches in Britain so these dogs were favoured. Though it is in the top 10 of favourite breeds (in competition with Labrador Retrievers) I have seen very few in Newfoundland and Labrador.

In a future post, I will be talking about breeders here in the province.