Thank you, Austina. Yes, he was a flattie. They aren't for everyone, I think--as they have a definite, shall we say, sense of humour--they're not as popular as labs and goldens. I read an article once where a gamekeeper on one of the big estates said they're fabulous working dogs 'except for their tendency to go self-employed,' which I think sums them up perfectly.
Was your beautiful girl an Italian Spinone? We have some friends with one and he's the loveliest, mellowest dog ever. I hear you on the not being quite ready to wipe away the nose smudges. We ended up taking him to the Royal Veterinary College Hospital--despite what I'd said for years about no heroic measures, when it came down to it, we needed to be certain before we made the decision--and it was over a month before we could bring ourselves to take his harness and lead out of the car.
Our vet said, and I think he's right, that one of the reasons the loss of pets hits us so hard is that fact that they are the only thing we raise, knowing from day one, that we're not trying to guide them towards independence. Our other dog misses him fiercely, so we're getting ready to jump back in...
Was your beautiful girl an Italian Spinone? We have some friends with one and he's the loveliest, mellowest dog ever. I hear you on the not being quite ready to wipe away the nose smudges. We ended up taking him to the Royal Veterinary College Hospital--despite what I'd said for years about no heroic measures, when it came down to it, we needed to be certain before we made the decision--and it was over a month before we could bring ourselves to take his harness and lead out of the car.
Our vet said, and I think he's right, that one of the reasons the loss of pets hits us so hard is that fact that they are the only thing we raise, knowing from day one, that we're not trying to guide them towards independence. Our other dog misses him fiercely, so we're getting ready to jump back in...