NORWEGIAN BUHUNDS
I do hope that those of you who live in the path of storm Eowyn did not suffer too much damage, here in the south we were lucky only having some very gusty winds and heavy rain, which passed relatively quickly.
I write about the many various activities Buhunds do, but the main one which I do not really write about but is the most important one and that is a companion. Since David and I are now retired although we do go out with friends for lunch, I often say Time is our social secretary, he takes us to shows, the pet training that I run, scent workshops and scent trials, where we meet friends and make new ones. When we went to Manchester Ch show the hotel where we stayed has a small restaurant in which you can take your dog, on both occasions we have stayed there we have met others with dogs spending a very pleasant evening chatting and eating of course! Following, is an old story which I came across showing how animals also need companionship. There was an orangutan in a wildlife reserve that was not doing very well not even eating bananas until he met a stray dog who followed staff as they walked home. The dog was very thin and appeared lost, so the staff fed him and took care of him, allowing him into the Reserve where he was spotted by the Orangutan and they started to play, it changed the life for both animals as they became best of friends doing everything together including swimming.
Most people going to Discover Dogs are looking for a pet as a companion, I was very sad when the RKC stopped DD in London, I appreciate it lost money but it was such an important way for people not only to find the correct breed for them but also in helping first time owners understand the different breeds how to look after them, especially when a puppy and the importance of socialisation. We are very lucky to have people who run Bu Bumbles not only as a way to catch up with friends but also encourage people who are interested in the breed to go along and learn more about them. I was interested to read that in Scotland they are planning to draw up a Code of Practice that sets out steps for buying selling or giving away a dog under a new law passed by MSPs. The Welfare of Dogs Bill aims to promote responsible ownership by making sure owners understand the commitment before taking on a pet. It will be very interesting to see how it works as within a year the government needs to draw up a code with a checklist of questions for owners to see if the owner has considered whether they have the time, space, money, a suitable environment for caring for the dog throughout its life, and whether it is the right breed for them. Then there would be a certificate signed by the new owner and the person they are acquiring the dog from, so that both sides understand the commitment. The new law is a member’s bill has been brought in by a Scottish National Party and Scottish Parliament Member who has been pushing for the changes for over seven years. The bill was first tabled as a Welfare of Dogs in 2018 but failed at the end of a term of parliament due to Covid. The member brought in the bill due to the worrying increase in strays being taken in by cat and dogs’ homes in Scotland. Some are taken in due to a change of circumstance of their owners, but some are just abandoned, one dog that was found as a stray was said by the dog’s home to have had some training as she could sit and offer a paw for a treat. The abandonment might not have happened if dog owning issues had been talked about before the dog was bought. It is a huge commitment before having a dog, but sadly it is as easy to go to buy something from a supermarket as it is to get a dog, and often people do not think whether they can afford a dog and whether it will it fit into their life. The certificate is not a licence or a legally binding document. The point is to make people think carefully before they take on a new pet. There is already a 28-page code of practice for dog owners which was introduced in 2010, but this one is different as it needs to be signed when the dog is bought or given away. Whether it will work so that that there is a fall of the numbers of dogs in Scottish Rescue centre remains to be seen, but anything is worth a try to stop dogs being abandoned and left to roam the streets.
Sunday 26th January was a very good day for two dogs that do scent trials, Sarah Stonton’s Pixie aka Wheatshade Snow Dreamer won a Level 1 SWUK trial at Fosdyke in Lincolnshire with full marks, this was her first win, but she has qualified at every trial she has done. She is only 10 months so must have a great future in scent work competitions. My and Debbie’s Time aka as Ch Rikarlo Gable JW was Reserve (2nd) in a National Nosework Association Excellent trial, at the Riverside Timber Recycling Project in Essex.
Lorraine Bolton’s Gladidegelli Arvejente For Rikarlo (A.I)(Lucy) by Trollheimens JR Made For Cascilius x Rikarlo Garbo and Lesley and Liz Butterworth’s homebred Kligenthal Einar (AI)(Ruskin)by Klovin Yggdrasil V.Koekie’s Ranch x Ch Koromandel Gild The Lily, both have had clear eye tests.
Margaret Deuchar margaretdeuchar@gmail.com
Any views expressed in Margaret’s Breed Notes are hers and hers alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Norwegian Buhund Club of the UK