It should come as no surprise to the legion of readers of Barking Buddies that our newest member of my canine column required me to do a little door-knocking.
Many of you know that I will cross the street to meet your dog or stop you in your tracks on the boardwalk to pet your pooch. When you’re waiting at a red light, if your pup is grabbing some fresh air, with its head sticking out the back window, I’m that guy in the car next to you who tries to get your dog’s attention.
Is it so wrong to gleefully yell out “who’s a good dog?”
If they could respond I’m sure it would be something like “Me, well I’m a good dog mister but you’re a bit of weirdo”
So back to the door-knocking and how I got to meet Winnie and her kind owner Linda.
Driving home from a friends place recently I saw this beautiful dog and its owner leaving a house and walking down the driveway. What struck me immediately was that this pooch was one of our three-legged fur babies.
This did not for one second take away from the beauty of this special pup. I made it a priority that I feature Winnie this month. You see you’ve met big dogs, small dogs, medium dogs, purebreds, crossbreeds, therapy dogs but until Winnie not a dog with this challenge. So up to the door I go and Linda answers. I introduce myself and after a few minutes she agrees that it would be nice to have her special dog in the local paper.
As she opens the back gate carefully, we enter her back patio area and immediately I am more than smitten by this gorgeous, energetic and well behaved Mexican mixed breed.
I get down close to her and kisses smother my cheek and within a few minutes she’s laying on her back getting a vigorous tummy rub.
Linda, with a treat in hand, puts Winnie through a series of very impressive commands and tricks. Humbly, Linda deflects most of my praise to a lady named Iris, who was formerly with the local SPCA and trained Winnie to level that Linda could take over and continue.
Winnie is a four-year-old mixed breed. She truly is a rescue as she was able to recover from a vicious dog attack in Mexico and be brought to a more stable and loving environment, that is our beautiful town of Parksville.
Her owner is equally as wonderful and the two of them together make a beautiful pair, that amazing bond between owner and dog.
Winnie gets excited, as most energetic dogs do, when food is offered, dancing in circles at dinner and quietly laying at Linda’s feet at night. As much as having Winnie up on the couch or bed might be comforting and cuddly its avoided. The risk of injuring her one front leg could occur if she was to jump down. I can’t wait to see Winnie again, one very special gal.
Bill Flower is an avid dog lover and proud Parksville resident
