This blog is mostly for regaling my experiences in the Maritimes but the dogs are obviously still a huge part of my life and this weekend was no exception for me or for the people who own dogs I've bred. I headed across to Canning, NS to visit with Jill and her 'Boy' Cash. And when I say 'Boy' I mean he is almost a clone of The Boy. The second I laid eyes on Cash I saw my very own Raimi looking back at me. There are elements of Leeloo in there - eye shape, color, and the planes of his head, but Cash's aura, attitude and energy is all Boy.
He dwarfs Momma Leeloo, and frankly he dwarfs his Daddy Boy too. Cash didn't know when to stop growing. Fortunately the bigger they are the sweeter they are and every ounce of Cash is soft and kind.
Cora was delighted six ways to Sunday that Cash was ready to play at a moment's notice - her parents can be curmudgeons sometimes - and there was a lot of barking, wrestling and general carrying-on over the weekend. On Saturday night, after much fussing and man-handling, we managed to get a 'family portrait' of the dogs together on the couch and the resemblance is uncanny. Whenever I look at any of the Raimi x Leeloo puppies it's like looking at a hologram - from one angle I see The Boy, and from the other I see Leeloo. Genetics are marvelous.
Huge thanks to Jill who put us up for two nights in New Minas, offered almost endless treats for the dogs, barbecued delicious food for me and provided wonderful hospitality and conversation. I would definitely do it again although I'm not sure she would ... 4 extra dogs is a lot to take in!
Just a little ways away, across the Northumberland Strait, past PEI and on a tiny little island called St Pierre et Miqeulon lives Zayi. When I sent Zayi to St Pierre I didn't think she'd ever see another Ridgeback in her life, and with good reason, but I am happy to say that I was wrong. On Father's Day I met up with Bella, she is from my second litter (Xmas 2007) and she's been travelling across North America with her people Mike and Joy. They literally passed us on the highway last weekend and stopped in for a visit in Malagash. After that they headed up to Cape Breton and then across to Newfoundland.
Big thank you to Pierre for meeting up with Bella and her family and for sending these photos, it's great to bring people together who would otherwise not have met. I would have been so disappointed if I'd found out after their visit to St Pierre that they were there - and I'm sure Zayi would have been disappointed too! How cool to see these two dogs standing on the rocks of a tiny French owned island off the coast of Canada; one was placed in a home in Victoria, BC, the other never expected to see another Ridgeback in her life. You never know where life will take you.
Meanwhile in St. John's, Newfoundland, Luke and Jax were invited to a fashion photo shoot at the last minute. The dogs that were scheduled to be in the session bailed on short notice and Stephanie - Luke's Mom - knew someone who knew someone and arranged to have the two brothers in the shoot together. The photos turned out great and these two handsome boys can now boast how fashion forward they are!
(Photo by Mike Mahoney Photography)
It was quite a weekend for Invictus dogs in this great place called Atlantic Canada. I love that all the dogs are owned by great people, that the dogs foster instant friendship because we all have the same breed - even more so because they are from the same breeder - and that everyone knows out there, through the dogs, we are family and always will be. So to Cash, Zayi, Bella, Luke and Jax thank you for making this past weekend one to remember for me and for your Moms and Dads - nothing would be the same without you.
In the coming days I hope to have news on where we are going to be moving to in 3 weeks ... preferably a house I will own instead of someone's couch!
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