DEBORAH CROMBIE: I have a rant! I was so aggravated on Tuesday this week when I couldn't find any way to watch the Westminster Dog Show. We have broadcast TV (antenna!) and we have lots of streaming services (too many!) but none of our options carried the show. Apparently, it was on FS1, which is Fox Sports on cable, and on Hulu+, which is streaming but ouchy expensive. So, I sulked, and tried to keep up with the New York Times live updates, but no pictures, so boo. Here's this year's winner (photo courtesy of Westminster Kennel Club), a gorgeous, sassy doberman called Penny. (Or, officially, GCHP CH Connquest Best Of Both Worlds.)
I adore dog shows. I think it's fascinating to see the variations in all the different breeds. Of course, I have my favorites--German shepherds, obviously. I also love all the Herding Group, the Working Group, and the Hunting Group, especially the spaniels, but I have cheered for little bichons and terriers and all manner of dogs.
This made me think about why we love the dogs that we love. We have had German shepherds (Jasmine, who will be twelve on Valentine's Day (ish) is our 4th) because Rick's family kept a friend's German Shepherd for a few months when he was about four. From then on, the GSD was the perfect dog for him and there is no substitute.
I love them, too, but as you might guess from the dog I gave Gemma in my books, I have a big place in my heart for cocker spaniels, both the English and the American varieties. A cocker was my first dog as an adult, brought home by my ex-husband as a six-week-old puppy--as a surprise! Here I am with my darling boy, Taffy, in my author photo on the back flap of DREAMING OF THE BONES.
Where Kit's little rescue terrier, Tess, comes from I don't know, as we've never had terriers in our family, but I can tell you that she looks like a Norwich terrier.
Dog genetics are endlessly fascinating to me. My daughter, Kayti, and her family adopted a rescue puppy after Christmas. Her name is Tillie and she's missing one of her front legs--it had to be amputated due to a bad break. Look at her little face!!
Kayti sent off her DNA to be tested and while waiting for the results, she did a fundraiser for the rescue organization, giving people a chance to guess Tillie's lineage.
You can see that we were all convinced there was terrier or schnauzer in there! We were so wrong.
Here are Tillie's DNA test results.
Tillie and Jasmine are cousins!
Dear REDs and readers, do you have a favorite dog breed? And, if so, why?
We love all dogs, but if pressed to pick just one, I'd have to say we're partial to golden retrievers . . . .
ReplyDeleteOh, they are so lovely. But I learned that a golden has never won at Westminter! #JusticeForGoldens
DeleteWe got a puppy the summer before I went into 2nd grade. He was part beagle, part terrier (so we were told in the days before DNA testing). He lived until I was out of college. His coloring was mainly black with some brown (his “stockings”) and a touch of white. The first dog I had as an adult were actually two — a mother-daughter bonded pair we got from a rescue group. The daughter was half mom (GSD and who knows how many other breeds), but we have always been pretty sure her dad was a Rottweiler because she looked a lot like a shorter Rottie. I was subconsciously looking for my childhood dog’s coloring! Years after our girls were gone and I had retired, we found a dog at a wonderful rescue group here in San Diego County called Frosted Faces. They rescue senior dogs and cats. Again, I fell in love with this great dog because of his good looks and sweet-as-the-day-is-long personality. This time we did have his DNA tested and although he looked like he was a majority Rottweiler, he was 50% boxer, some portion Chow, a few others and finally 4% Rottweiler. That 4% was all on the outside in his coloring! Unfortunately, the 50% boxer caused him to be prone to cancer (as that breed is apparently sadly known for) and he died last August after only 3.5 years with him. We both miss him terribly and haven’t decided if he’ll be our last pup. — Pat S
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