Bon Voyage Bert!
So yesterday I spent the day in the car, driving Bert the first leg on his long journey back to Arizona, and my brain got to thinking, as it occasionally does. I’d like to write a little Academy Awards speech here, if you’ll indulge me, as this whole episode has really cemented a few thoughts for me.
First, I want to thank Bert’s owner and my friend Michelle Fromm at Caliente Swedish Vallhunds, who became my instant friend when I met her at the North Carolina National Specialty in 2011. Michelle’s dedication to keeping working drive alive, in structurally correct, well-tempered, typey dogs, is exemplary. This breed needs people like Michelle. This is a working farm dog, it needs to retain the ability to be a working farm dog. Michelle’s generosity in lending me Bert for the summer was enormous, and her trust was, I hope, not misplaced. Breeders working together is vital to the health of this awesome breed, especially with a careful eye towards not ending up with a split breed as has happened in so many others. There should not be “show type” and “working type”, there should just be “Swedish Vallhunds”. A correct Vallhund should look like it’s supposed to look AND be able to do what it’s supposed to do, and it should have a temperament you can live with easily. You lose what you do not breed for.
Second, I want to thank Bert’s breeder, Wendy Amon, in England at Pepperthyme Swedish Vallhunds, if Bert is in any way representative of what Wendy produces and raises (and he is, by all accounts), she is doing this breed a huge service. He is sweet, friendly and stable. He’s at home wherever he goes. He is handsome and correct. And he has working drive to spare, including the sometimes-elusive “sticktuitiveness”, which to me means he isn’t afraid to be wrong, and just try again. This is a testament to how he was raised, but also to his innate temperament.
Third, I want to thank Dawna Sims at PSR Stockdogs, for helping Bert get here and back. And Pam Abrath at Fantasi Swedish Vallhunds, who drove all the way to Ohio to take Bert to Purina Farms to meet up with Dawna on his way home. Thank you so very much both of you, for going out of your way to help.
Finally, my tolerant and awesome husband Jim, for becoming Bert’s foster dad for the summer, and my family and friends and work family and friends, for helping and listening and tolerating me in my crazy dog lady mode. Thank you guys!
Now we just wait and keep our fingers crossed. Bon voyage Bert!