 |
|
Here’s a story from Vetstreet.com about dog breeds that seem to be suffering from declining popularity. It’s written by a veterinarian who says she simply doesn’t see many of these dogs in her office, and it hit home for me because the first two breeds listed represent the two dogs of my childhood. Hilda, a Scottish terrier was the first dog I remember, and she passed away when I was 9 years old. Next came Kelly, an Irish setter who possessed all the bad traits of the breed—hyperactivity combined with an astonishing intelligence deficit—but who was still very sweet and playful:
I used to see a lot of these bouncy red dogs in my practice. I know the rub is that they’re too energetic and not the brightest bulb on the light string, but the ones I used to know were great family dogs who loved to be around people and really wanted to please. I miss their smiling faces and the feathered tails that never stop wagging.
I have many fond memories of running through the woods of New Hampshire with Kelly streaking through the trees ahead of me, and we played countless games of ball in the yard. Truth be told, though, retrieving wasn’t one of his strong suits.
Click here for the full story and to see the whole top 5.