LINKS

by buffalobrowns
(buffalo, ny)

In 1996 our (then five year old) daughter was begging us to get a dog. We had been reluctant due to her asthma. After consulting our pediatrician, he suggested we speak to a vet about dogs which would be less likely to cause an allergic response. Of course, one of the few breeds that the vet highly recommended was the poodle. My husband insisted that any dog we got had to be taller than knee high, so standard poodles seemed like a good prospect. Our vet recommended that we NOT look at puppies, as all puppies are adorable. He suggested that we attend a large local dog show that was coming up and look at the breeds we were interested in. That would give us a good overview of the range within each breed and a chance to talk with owners, handlers and breeders to learn more about each of the breeds common personality traits and potential issues. We decided it was a great idea, so off we went to the show armed with a short list of potential breeds to look at. We talked with many people and looked at many dogs. While talking to the owner/handler of a Wheaten Terrier, my daughter spotted a stunning pure white standard poodle in full show coat being walked by its owner. She ran over to it. My husband followed closely on her heels while I wrapped up my conversation with the Wheaten's owner. When I caught up with them, I introduced myself and explained about our fact-finding mission and how it was to help us narrow down the selection of breeds we were interested in. I explained that the next step would be to find a reputable breeder or two for each of that short list of breeds. I then asked her if she could recommend a breeder for standard poodles. She told me her dog was from a well known kennel in Michigan, and that she didn't know any good breeders locally. Then she asked me if I was certain that we wanted to get a puppy. I said that I was actually fairly certain that I didn't want to get a puppy but didn't really know of any other way to be sure we were getting the breed we were interested in. I explained that we didn't care about the pedigree as much as we needed to be sure from the standpoint of non-shedding traits due to my daughter's asthma. She then explained that the reason she was asking was that she was looking for a home for the dog standing before us. He was 2 1/2 years old and had just retired from showing as a champion. She also owned his biological aunt and wanted to breed her, but not to him as they were too closely related. Therefore, she was looking to find a home for him and then get herself a non-related male for breeding. Of course, my daughter decided that was enough for her and stated that we had found our dog! It wasn't that easy, though. Between the then-owner of the dog and us, we wanted to be very certain that we were doing the right thing. We went through a very lengthy process of home visits, traveling back and forth, vet checks, etc., until finally we were both convinced that it was a good match for us. We agreed with his then-owner that we would have him neutered, as any pet that we would get would be. She insisted on having it done by her vet. We began the process with our first meeting in February of 1996 and finally took Links home in May of 1996. He was 2 1/2 years old then....and is still alive and healthy today at the ripe old age of almost 15! He has been and continues to be an absolute LOVE. He is handsome, regal, smart, loving, and a lot of fun...He does have his moments (don't they all), though. He is renowned for stealing any food that he can get to when you aren't watching carefully. He has stolen and consumed entire roasted chickens off the kitchen counter while we were in the dining room entertaining. He has eaten entire steaks off the platter next to the grill when my husband's head was turned. He has mastered the art of getting into the enclosed garbage can in the kitchen to rummage for anything he can find. He loves to shred paper. No amount of fencing, gates, etc., has managed to keep him in our yard. He uses "tools" like flower pots as launching pads to help him sail right over the fence. He can leap straight into the air from a standing position to around 5 feet in the air, scaring the mailmain to death! He used to make his way through a very dense privet hedge by holding down a branch or two with his paw and then leaping through the opening he had created. Now that he is approaching 15, our favorite expression for him is that "the spirit is still willing but the flesh is weak"! He looks longingly down the driveway when the gate is open, but only takes a few steps before he sits down and watches the neighborhood. Eventually, he gets up and comes back to the door. He almost died a year ago from bloat, but we were blessed to recognize that something was not right that evening and took him to the emergency vet for a look. That saved his life. Had we waited until morning, he would have been dead. As it was, he had emergency surgery and came home only a day later! He continues to be healthy and relatively active and as loving and regal as ever. We could not imagine our lives without him in it. So, for those of you who are afraid that adopting a strange dog means taking on someone else's problems....I suggest that you open your minds, do your due diligence and then....take a chance. You might just end up having the most wonderful relationship imaginable!