About Zephyr

The subject of the title of this blog deserves at least one post all to herself.


I'm sure most dog owners could write a book about their dog, and I'm probably no exception. Most of us are tiresomely like new parents when it comes to our furry companions -- we exclaim and marvel over every new trick and cute behaviour.

I'll really try not to do that.


Zephyr was born on March 21, 2007, one of eight in the litter. I think she was fourth or fifth, I can't remember. And it doesn't matter, suffice it to say she was a middle puppy. Wire-haired Pointing Griffons are not a common breed: I read on one web site devoted to them that only 100 to 125 puppies are born in North America every year. That's not a lot, when you consider that one of the women dragonboaters I know has two Golden Retrievers, and between them they will have produced nearly 30 puppies in the last two years alone! Griffons originated in France about a hundred years ago, and are classified as "versatile hunting dogs".


Little puppies are cute:



This is Zephyr on May 17, relaxing with her 'Dad' in her new home in Calgary. Ian and I had driven to Edmonton the night before, and picked Zeph up the next morning from the cargo terminal at Edmonton International Airport. The breeder was shipping some puppies to buyers in the United States, and told us it would be easy to put our puppy on a plane to Calgary, but we couldn't bear to think of the little thing all alone in a big plane. (From that moment on we've been held emotional hostages by this dog.)



The picture is instructive, because from the first Zephyr has been a "touchy-feely" kind of dog. She always wants to be in physical contact -- even if it's just a foot touching one of our feet. I've never known a dog quite like her.


OK. Fast forward. She's two and a bit now, a big, lean, long-legged, happy dog. She's bright, eager to please, easily crushed, and has a great sense of humour (her idea of a good game is to grab hold of a bath robe tie and pull -- hard). She learns fast. She needs a lot of exercise, but is quiet in the house. She will bark at strangers, but then go and find a teddy bear to present to them: it doesn't inspire confidence in us in terms of her protecting the house against burglers.


Here's how she looks now:



In another post: How Zephyr moved to Ontario and learned to fish.