Don't you love it when people act as if any traits / talents / looks / hobbies / personality of their dog are a direct reflection of the owners themselves?  For instance, at the dog park, you tell a complete stranger how pretty their dog is and get "Oh, yes, thank you" like they birthed the thing themselves.  Usually you see owners accept positive comments personally --"wow your dog is a really good fetcher," "oh, well you should see him roll over, he's a real champion at that."


I've been on the other end of this phenomenon though, with our Tibetan Terrier, Wembley.  As I mentioned briefly in a previous post, Wembley was a timid little girl.  She really and truly only had eyes for my husband and me, and other dogs of course.  Around anything else (people, passing under bridges in the car, leaves blowing in the wind...) she was truly terrified and would hide as fast as she could, her heart racing.  She was like this since the moment we brought her home at seven months, and no amount of training, coaching, treats, dog whispering, play dates, etc. seemed to bring it out of her.  So, sometimes I would find myself taking the long route on our walks, just to avoid people and sudden movement and anything out of the ordinary, telling myself it would be easier on the dog.  Really though, I'm sure it's because it could just get tiring being on the receiving end of people giving you looks like you either a.) abuse dogs for a living or b.) must have birthed a terrible dog.  Like it was some sort of reflection on my own DNA.  

But maybe I'm wrong here, maybe I should be posting Copper's five star doggy daycare report cards on the refrigerator and gushing about her skills to strangers and silently (or not so silently) giving myself a pat on the back at the same time for owning such a perfect dog specimen.  The problem is, that's just not the case.  Usually her report cards have the "quick learner" box checked but also down at the bottom the "needs more work" box checked and underlined and starred.  And goodness knows if she has very many skills we have yet to identify them.  But isn't that the fun of it?  Isn't that the point, that they aren't perfect but we love them anyways?  I think so.  Regardless, I will step out on a limb here and do a little bragging about Copper's distant relative: Ch Willowick Talltean (by the way, did I ever tell you Copper's AKC registered name is "Copper Pop Tart"?  long story...).  Well, little "Tally" captured first place in the sporting group category at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show last Tuesday and by golly if I didn't feel like the proudest dog-mom ever, just by association:

• The name "Brittany" is taken from a region in northwestern France where the Brittany originates from. Images of Brittanys were first seen on tapestries and paintings from the 17th century.  These images depicted orange and white dogs hunting and retrieving game.
• However, records of the Brittany's development are largely lost.  There is a great deal of resemblance between the Brittany and Welsh Springer Spaniel, which leads many people to believe that the two breeds share the same ancestors.  It is possible that native Brittany spaniels mated with English pointing dogs around 1900, intensifying their hunting prowess in the process.
• The first written and verifiable record of Brittanys comes from a hunting description written by Reverend Davies in 1850.  Davies described hunting with small "bobtailed" dogs who were pointers and were excellent retrievers. 
• The Brittany was first recognized as a breed in 1907 when an orange and white male named "Boy" was registered in France.  As a result, the first standards were outlined in the same year.  America first recognized the Brittany in 1931 and the breed was approved by the American Kennel Club in 1934.  In 1982 the "Spaniel" was officially dropped from the name and the breed became simply known as "Brittany."
• The Brittany is intelligent and easy to handle and train for hunting. It is a loving and gentle animal; obedient and always eager to please.  Britannys are happy and alert.  The vigorous breed is a very active and enthusiastic hunter.  Brittanys are affectionate, independent, good-natured and easy to care for.  “Jolly” in character.
• The Brittany is quick and curious with an abundant love for running, hunting, and playing. The dog’s good nature and natural eagerness to please make it a great companion pet, but potential owners should be aware that the breed requires plenty of exercise – let your Brittany roam in open areas whenever you can, especially with other dogs.

Yep, that last part sounds just about right for our high energy Brittany.  Although I sometimes think otherwise, I hope that spark never leaves our little Copper!