Tales from the city: encounters of the canine kind
By Kim Campbell Thornton
September 15, 2008
Seattle is world-class when it comes to people-watching. For me, it’s a visual feast: the girl with lavender pigtails atop a shaved head, the man in full Scottish regalia, the woman wearing gigantic goggles in the library. For the dogs, it’s probably best described as a scentsual soiree. Every once in a while, however, they see something that takes them aback. Specifically, a young Japanese tourist pulling a purple suitcase emblazoned with a death’s head. Bella did not care for that one bit. It was right at her eye level, and she backed away and wouldn’t go near it. I guess some symbols cross species boundaries.
Last week we visited a dog park near my sister’s apartment off Sandpoint Way. It had a separate area where small dogs could play and several chairs and a little table for the people. Harper and some Pugs took turns playing with one of her toys. Twyla hopped up on the table and looked at me expectantly, so I pulled out her Furminator and did a little grooming. The owner of a Cavachon (a Cavalier/Bichon cross) was quite intrigued by it, although she claimed her dog didn’t shed at all. It’s true that the hair of Bichon and Poodle-type dogs has a longer growth phase than other types of dog hair, but I imagine if she went without brushing long enough, she’d start finding little Cavachon dust bunnies around the house. A picnic at another park and a stop at Scraps to buy more food–the highlight of their day–rounded out our excursion.
Coming soon: Stroller Daze and Elevator to Success
If her Cavachon truly has the Bichon “non-shedding” coat type, a lack of grooming won’t produce dust bunnies; it will produce a thoroughly, painfully, matted dog.
Poor pup…
Comment by Lis — September 15, 2008 @ 12:56 pm
I miss Pikes Street Market place—can you indulge for me please!
Comment by Diana L Guerrero — September 15, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
Most of the crosses between long-coated and “wool dogs” seem to produce a dog that grows a long poodlish coat that sheds copiously, on roughly the schedule of the other parent breed. The shed fur catches in the kinks and forms a stench-sponge.
“Goldendoodles” are the full employment act for dog groomers, filling the niche that the old English sheepdog did in the 70’s. If you’ve lived with a golden, you can fill in the blanks per the shedding.
I don’t even want to think about the most ill-advised “designer” cross I’ve ever heard of, the “shep-a-doodle.”
Comment by H. Houlahan — September 15, 2008 @ 6:20 pm
“I don’t even want to think about the most ill-advised “designer” cross I’ve ever heard of, the “shep-a-doodle.”
Yergg! I cant imagine the grooming issues there. Wait, I can, no thanks.
I have a groomer friend who does a chow-doodle and a wolf-doodle (yeah, really, I’ve seen him and I have no doubt about at least the wolf part) and there is enough hair in her shop afterwards to make about ten medium sized dogs.
She was also the one who came across a web-site advertising custom crosses. You picked the parent breeds, paid a fortune for your “pick” then I guess the sold off the rest as rare or exotic. The list of available
choices was frighteningly long, although I imagine that they could just wait 4 months from the order date and ship out whatever was on hand and an appropriate color or size.
Comment by JenniferJ — September 15, 2008 @ 7:03 pm
We’ve been to Pike Place Market a couple of times; it’s one of my favorite places, too. Anything in particular you want me to indulge in for you?
I think the Cavachon owner does brush her dog—although she was asking me a lot of questions about the different brushes I had—she just doesn’t think it leaves a lot of hair around the house. I couldn’t really see any Cavalier in the dog; it just looked like a black and white Bichon with maybe a looser curl.
Comment by Kim — September 15, 2008 @ 9:44 pm
Seattle is on my “top 5” places to which I would move, and the only large city on that list!
Comment by JenniferJ — September 15, 2008 @ 9:52 pm
If you liked the park on the lake, you should visit Double Bluff on Whidbey Island. 2 miles of beach for the dogs, views of Mt. Rainier for you.
Comment by kb — September 16, 2008 @ 12:26 am