Tink and Paddy

Tink came into season out of the blue, as often happens. All the studs I had lined up for her for one reason or another fell through. So what to do? I trawled through the internet went on walks and then I found Paddy. As he lived an hour away and the window in which Tink would be fertile is small, we didn’t have time to meet him before. So we went on her tenth day ( her most fertile time we hoped) to meet Paddy and his owner for the first time and to do the deed; if we were all satisfied and happy to go ahead. I was a little apprehensive but Victoria was great and Paddy was a star. If dogs could fall in love these two did.

            Now picture the scene: - Idyllic location in Suffolk, small enclosed dog kennel and three grown women looking on with embarrassment at two dogs mating, several times! You have to stay with them as the dogs stay attached for a while and this is less painful if they keep still. Victoria and I took it in turns to cradle the two dogs while this happened.
Paddy is a handsome Jack Russell, of about eleven inches high, making him the same height as Tink and looked a lot like Rip, (my first real dog experience and best friend when i was growing up), so I fell in love with Paddy too. Small dogs get a bad press about being snappy and possessive. Though I think their behaviour is more to do with the fact their owners seem to let them get away with a lot more than big dogs can and very often people put their un-wanted behaviour down to breed type rather than owner responsibility. Breed types have been made so that aptitudes are strengthened for certain jobs but if the handler lets the dog constantly bark or jump up and nip, then the dog will be unaware that this is wrong. Good, clear and constant boundaries delivered by an understanding and communicative handler gives you a good dog! Regardless of breed! I will climb off this particular soap box but will build it up again soon. Paddy was happy to see us and overjoyed to see Tink.

            After our first meeting with Paddy Tink spent the next two days close to the side door and jumped in the car with excitement but when we came back home she would whine her disappointment. My human heart says that she liked him a lot and I know this to be true, though my handler heart tells me this maybe because she was ready to mate and knows her time is right. Both, I think are correct, no animal or life in general is as one sided or simple as we would like to think and though animals see things differently to us (as we are now finding out with Dolphins) they also have many personalities and responsibilities to others that we don't understand yet. I think us humans are very arrogant; unless an animal or other human understands us, they are at fault and are lesser beings. Oh! Oh! Soapbox alert!!

            So all being well around the 25^th March 2011, this house will be a hive of activity and a mother will go on strike big time for a few months. I can feel Mr Springs smiling eyes look down upon me; my ideas and thoughts always brought a glint to his eyes (if you’re not careful Mr Spring, I will tell them about the jelly, Oh yes I will. Mr Spring and the Jelly to follow shortly, his fault his eyes dared me!)

            The responsibility is great and I know that I will feel this heavily when and if she is in pup but I think for me this is part of growing as a pet owner and human. Now I just have to tell my dad! Mr Spring had blue sparkling eyes that always glinted with challenge, my dad has a big booming voice of reason (his reasoning is the only way and wow betide you if you don’t listen).