Spoos

I had bloggers block this morning.  I was up much of the night so this morning I am exhausted.  I sat staring at my laptop screen when I thought "I'll ask my FB readers."  Within minutes I had my blog topic; thank you so much Linzey.  Her idea was "how you came to love spoos."  Now for those of you who are not owned by a spoo you may not know what a spoo is.  Spoo is short for Standard Poodle.  I have been calling them spoos for a very longtime and it just rolls off my tongue now.  So when, where and how did my passion for a spoo happen?

A long, long time ago I was looking for a dog.  I already had a wonderful dog at the time; Mandy, a beautiful Airedale Terrier with the heart of Lassie.  I wanted a friend for her so over the months I researched and researched.  I had been hooked on Dobermans from the age of 13 so they were up there on my "maybe" list.  With the Doberman was the Giant Schnauzer; another Airedale, Irish Wolfhound, Irish Setter or Standard Poodle.  Ever since the days of 'Big Red' the Disney movie I'd been smitten with the Irish Setter.  So I read and talked and saw and visited breeders until I landed on the Standard Poodle.

Deciding on a breed alone was quite a task for me; I pretty much love all dogs.  I love all sizes, colors, shapes and mixes so choosing one was tough. I am a sucker for a Disney face; you know those little scruffy faces that are typically on a mix?   When I see one I always comment and melt "oh, that's a Disney dog."  I also love a sleek body; the canine physique is a magnificent one and I like to see it.  I do not like it hidden in a pile of hair.  Hmmmmm.... so a poodle?  You all know that I do not fluff my poodles; you can have a poodle look however you like.  Being that I like to see the gorgeous body of a poodle I opt to shave them down.  Not only does this allow more time for fun but less time on tedious grooming.

But hair has nothing to do with my love of the breed.  They are probably one of the most utility dogs around; ask them to do anything and they'll give it a try.  Their intelligence is unmatched.  Even when I was thinking about adding another canine to our pack when we got Elsa, I considered other breeds and mixes.   I have fostered a couple of spoos over the years but they did not blend with my existing pack so they were placed into a wonderful home of their own.   There have been times when I am shooting rescues that I am extremely close to bringing one home; mostly the little mixes with a Disney face.  Oh how I love a little scruffy face.

Being a true dog lover (which to me means you love all dogs, not just your breed) I fall into the "so many dogs, so little time" situation.  It took me a very long time to find Elsa and when I finally connected with her breeder, it felt right.  Choosing a dog should not be taken lightly; and I am not talking about breed alone.  Each dog is an individual, each owner is an individual; so will the two come together for a glorious, or tumultuous life?   I have helped many people come to the realization that they have the wrong dog.  Does that mean that they place the dog?  Give it away?  No, they simply need to realize their differences and work through them.

Even within a single breed, no two are alike.  Luke and Elsa are very different as were my spoos in the past.  But as far as I'm concerned we all fit together like pieces of a puzzle.  The Standard Poodle is the perfect match for me.  Exterior image has nothing to do with it.  Spoos are just dogs like other dogs but with curly hair.   The whole fluffy poodle image is one created by humans and has nothing to do with the true Poodle.  They are amazing athletes, wonderful guard dogs with a crazy level of intelligence.  Does that mean that a mix or different breed will never live in my house?  Not at all; you never know you lies around a corner of your life.

In the eyes of a canine you can see the true awesomeness of each individual.

But for now I am head over heals in love with... Luke and Elsa.  My spoos.