First day home
This is the life!
This should have been the first blog post, oh well!
So, what is a Blue Picardy Spaniel? Where did we get Zoë anyway?
I might be completely biased, but I think the Blue is one of the best, yet unknown, breeds in Canada today.
Brighthope Nola's New Life: Our Zoë
Born: May 25, 2009
Sire: CH Brighthope Blue Suede Shoes ("Suede")
Dam: Alexcyril Gamboling Granola ("Nola")
What's in a name?
With my husband's Greek-Cypriot heritage, we decided on the name, Zoë, Greek for 'life'. It has turned out to be perfect for her. She is most definitely full of life!!!
Nicknames
Although she answers to "Zoë", we have many 'other' names for our little Blue:
Zoester, "Z", Zola, Baby Z, Zoe-Zoe...and many others that are far too embarassing to mention!!
How we chose our Blue
We told ourselves that we were just going to 'look'. We hadn't decided if we wanted the commitment of a dog and were unsure of how our 12 year old, Ginger Tabby, 'Gus' would like a sibling. So off we went for a 2.5 hour drive to Walkerton to 'visit' Vicki and Dave Duncan and their Blues. We met all the adult dogs first and then were taken upstairs in their home to meet their mom, 'Nola, and the pups. There were 11 in the litter! When we saw them all on a big blanket I think we both fell in love instantly. We sat with all the little pups, cuddling them, watching them play and test out those brand new puppy legs. They were about 4 weeks old. Vicki explained that they chose a pup for us based on a number of temperment tests...Did we want a dog for hunting, as a family pet primarily, how active were we, etc.
Our pup, was the 2nd born and also the only pup on our visit that licked my face when I was cuddling her. So, although Vicki thinks she chose our pup, I believe our pup chose us
Our Breeder: Brighthope Kennels
Vicki Duncan is a great person and a wonderful breeder. All of the dogs are treated as family pets and are well socialized and loved.
Please visit their website at: www.brighthopekennels.com
What is a Blue?Origin: France
Height: 22 to 24 inches (56-61 cm)
Weight: 45 lbs (20.5 kg)
The Blue Picardy Spaniel (also known as Épagneul Bleu de Picardie) is a versatile sporting dog known for locating and retrieving game under the most adverse conditions. It is a long-legged spaniel with setter characteristics.They have a calm, well-mannered and patient demeanour. The 'Blue' is very adaptable, gets along well with other dogs and animals, and is gentle and playful with children. They make good watch dogs and will always announce the presence of strangers and will defend their family if need be.
As a sporting dog, they hunt almost instinctively, with an untiring attitude and are able to travel great distances at a steady pace. The Blue is an active dog who requires regular moderate exercise.
The coat is of medium length, thick and flat but may also be slightly wavy. There is feathering on the ears, legs, underside and tail. The colouring is a distinctive blue-grey with black patches of various sizes. Puppies are born mostly white-black the colour filling in later.
The breed was recognized by the Canadian Kennel Club in 1995.
Kypros and I never realized how much joy Zoë would bring into our lives. She has most definitely secured a place in our hearts forever. As she has matured through puppyhood, she has developed into quite a character. We love her morning snuggles and kisses. She can fall asleep while getting a belly rub and snores like a buzz saw. She is a very quick learner. She always keeps an eye on where we are while out for a leash-free romp and often 'points' out squirrels and birds on our walks. She is well liked by all of her buddies at the leash-free and loves to chase and be chased.
She is sweet, smart and endearing. We would recommend this breed to anyone who wants a medium size, intelligent, affectionate, active dog.
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