And He's on His Feet

Very early this morning I heard a noise. It was somewhere between three and four am. I had been up at three to let Charlie and Annea out. Cody was still in the kitchen but he was awake. I usually feed them around four; however since I planned to go back to bed I knew Charlie wouldn't give me any peace until I fed him. So they all got an early breakfast. Cody didn't eat all of his food but I thought I would leave it for him just in case he decided to finish it.

Cody has been in the kitchen for two days. He's over 15 years old and for a Labrador retriever that's pretty good; their life expectancy is between 10 to 12 years. He's not doing well and he's having trouble walking. I'm at the point of when do I know it's the right time to let him go. He's eating his food, drinking water, and follows me around wherever I go. Until two days ago.

Since two days ago he hadn't left the kitchen. This morning he walked into my bedroom and lay down beside my bed. I looked down at him and he looked up at me as if to say "It's you and me, Mom."

He's given me that look all through his 15 years. We have a special connection and I'm sure when the time comes I'll know. 

Until then I'm going to love him and enjoy all the time I have with him. ("") ("")

Brittany, ooh la la

So is the Brittany the dog for you? Let's find out.

First off most people call the Brittany by the name of Brittany Spaniel, however, the breed has only one name and that is Brittany. The breeds working characteristics are more similar to those of a Pointer or Setter than a Spaniel. The name Brittany comes from the Province of France (now Bretagne Region of France). Brittany images were first seen from the 17th century on paintings and tapestries. In 1850 Rev. Davies writings described hunting with small bobtailed dogs who were pointed and were excellent retrievers. Around that time it's rumored the Brittany had been bred by mating with English Setters. The breed was first recognized in 1907 in France with the registration of an orange and white male by the name of "Boy." That same year the first standards were outlined. The breed was introduced in the United States in 1931. It was recognized by the American Kennel Club (AKC) in 1934 and is in Group 1 -  Sporting. The breed was recognized by the United Kennel Club (UKC) in 1948 is in the Gun Dog Group.

They weigh around 30 to 40 pounds. Males and females both measure at 17 1/2 to 20 1/2 inches from the shoulder. Brittany's are typically quite athletic, compact, energetic, and solidly built without being heavy. Some are born with naturally short tails and others have long tails. The long tail is normally docked to a length of 1 to 4 inches. Not all countries allow for docking. The UKC does not penalized dogs with a full tail. Colors are orange and white or liver and white.

The Brittany is sweet-natured, friendly and eager to please. They are excellent family pets as well as working dogs in the field. They are great with kids. They do not need a heavy hand in training; they may quit if discipline is too stern. This breed is ideal for an active owner. It can have a reputation for being crazy or uncontrollable with the problem mostly likely due to lack of exercise and training This is not common in well cared for dogs. Socialization is very important and must start at a young age as the Brittany can become very shy.

If this is the breed for you, recognize that your Brittany will need exercise, a job or a purpose. Jobs to consider are track trail or hunting.

Movie: Oddball

I recently watched, again, the movie Oddball; a delightful Australian family movie based on a true story. Now, even though the movie story line is not exactly the way things happened, the basic facts are there.

Fairy Penguins had made their home on Middle Island just off the coast of Warrnambool. There use to be hundreds of them at one point but foxes had found the island and the population of the penguins were down to numbers as low as six due to fox attacks. Swampy Marsh is an actual person who owns a chicken farm and used Maremma Sheepdogs to protect his flock of chickens. It was his idea to use the Maremma and his dog, Oddball, was used in the project to protect the tiny penguins. The Middle Island Maremma Project has been highly successful for many years and because of Oddball and her successors not one penguin has been killed by a fox.

This is a very sweet and fun story. I believe you will enjoy it if you haven't watched it already and if you have, go ahead and watch it again!

So, who are these Maremma Sheepdogs? They are a breed of livestock guardian dog and have been used for centuries by Italian shepherds to guard sheep from wolves. The Maremma Sheepdog has a solid, muscular build, a long, thick coat, a large head and a black nose. They are gentle with lambs but fiercely protective of their flock. They will bond to families and show a calm, intelligent disposition, however, they may display hostility towards outsiders and they are not suitable companion dogs for urban areas due to their large size and need for open space. They are recognized by the UKC and other kennel clubs throughout the world.