> So important to research breeds before you get one.
Yeah, I think I'll be sticking to Danes, but don't think I'd turn down
adopting a nice shepherdy-type mixed breed if it came up. The Bear Dog I met
was friendly enough with me in a slightly stand-off-ish sort of way, and
clearly attached to his owner. Both dog and woman were getting on in years,
and clearly very bonded, although not in a touchy-feely, rub my ears way.
The Ovcharka was one year old and deeply interested in playing with my Dane
girl (1 !/2), but the owner was afraid she'd never get him back under
control--she had both arms around his neck and was saying, "No! Stop it!
Come with me!" as we passed each other in opposite directions along the
street. I don't think that was such a well-thought-out dog acquisition, from
first appearances.
This is also a crowded and small city with small apartments and no real
yards, so a Dane is fine as long as she gets taken enough places in the day
to run and run while she's young, and walk around enough and run some when
she's older; Danes are couch potatoes when they get out of puppyhood (any
day, now, right? Any day now...), but the Ovcharka looked like he needed a
lot more free ranging than is really supported here unless (as with the Bear
Dog) one lives on the edge of Vondelpark, the huge park where all dogs can
always run free. Or are willing, like us, to walk for 20 minutes to get to
Westerpark, where the dogs-loose-OK area is several kilometers long and full
of woods and fields and marshes and stuff.
For our own part we're moving to Haarlem in two weeks, where the streets are
wider, the homes bigger, reasonably-sized gardens exist, and there's a
dogs-run-free park (not like a US dog park at all) across the street from
our new apartment. I saw a Bernese there the other day; I wonder what else
we'll meet?
--Katrina
> >> Stay informed about: Saw two new breeds 
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