Lois MacDonald
With the Westminster Kennel Club 134th Annual Dog Show almost upon us (Feb. 15–16), Paw Nation will be talking with some of the show dogs' owners for some insight into this year's contestants.
Dog Breed: Irish Water Spaniel
Group: Sporting
Dog Breed: Irish Water Spaniel
Group: Sporting
Dog's Full Registered Name: Ch. Poole's Ide Bonnie Brook
Nickname: Bonnie
Dog's Age: 3
Owners' Names: Sally Lewis and Col. Lois MacDonald, USAFR
Hometown: Pasadena, Calif.
Tell me about Bonnie's personality.
Bonnie has your typical rollicking sporting-dog personality. She is irrepressible and precocious, inquisitive and adventurous and active. Her joie de vivre is infectious. She lights up a room. She is never worried, sad, or depressed. But she is a people pup and doesn't like being left alone.
What is her favorite treat?
She loves Red Barn bully sticks.
Bonnie has your typical rollicking sporting-dog personality. She is irrepressible and precocious, inquisitive and adventurous and active. Her joie de vivre is infectious. She lights up a room. She is never worried, sad, or depressed. But she is a people pup and doesn't like being left alone.
What is her favorite treat?
She loves Red Barn bully sticks.
What is her best trick?
To protect our dogs from getting food on their long ears, we put scarves called "snoods" over their heads. After they finish eating, Bonnie walks up to her sister and grabs onto her snood and pulls it off for her. Her sister never returns the favor.
What's her weirdest quirk?
Bonnie has the most unusual squeak-bark when she's excited. The pitch is so high, most people have no idea that it's coming from a large dog. And for those who don't know what these dogs look like, I'd say their hairless "rat tail" is pretty quirky. They naturally don't grow hair on their muzzle, chest and tail. They are often mistaken for poodles, but they aren't shaved. What you see is how they come right out of the box (with a little foof and poof for the show ring).
How do you and Bonnie prepare for Westminster?
Bonnie gets daily aerobic workouts and ball-fetching competitions with her sister. During the holidays, we seek out rowdy large crowds to walk around. We live in the foothills above Pasadena, Calif., so on New Year's Eve, Bonnie and I walked through the tens of thousands of people camping out on the Rose Parade route. This really lit her up. She truly believed they were there to see her. Finally, because of the set-up in Madison Square Garden, we prepare for Westminster by doing extensive training, so Bonnie has learned to go poop and pee in an exercise pen with wood shavings!
Anything else you'd like to share?
Bonnie is my first show dog, and presently the number-five Irish Water Spaniel in the nation. I realize Irish water spaniels aren't for everyone, but for someone who wants an active, smart, medium-sized, non-shedding dog, and who is willing to give them daily exercise, socialization and training, you couldn't do better!
Bonnie is my first show dog, and presently the number-five Irish Water Spaniel in the nation. I realize Irish water spaniels aren't for everyone, but for someone who wants an active, smart, medium-sized, non-shedding dog, and who is willing to give them daily exercise, socialization and training, you couldn't do better!
Sponsored Links
Advertisement
Can't Miss Galleries
Today's Popular Articles
"Hachi: A Dog's Tale" DVD Giveaway- Prinny, the Cat Who Swims Like a Fish
- Golden Retriever Eats Three-Carat Diamond Worth $20,000
Add your comments