No, I'm not talking about the current state of my hair or the genealogy of my family. Yesterday, Craig and I made a startling discovery about Saby's pack. Her people! The evolution of this dog we've always assumed was some weird conglomeration of a Chow and shepherd!
I've told the story before about Saby. She's 13-years old now and we adopted her at the age of nine. The tale is that the second owners found her tied to a bench in front of a grocery store in Redmond, Washington. She'd been left. The woman who adopted her brought her water, and then watched her for hours, finally taking her home and leaving a note with her phone number if anyone returned to get her. Saby lived with those people off and on for the first eight years, then ended up semi-abandoned at our son's apartment. The apartment manager discovered she was being harbored in the no pets apartment and laid down the law. That's how she ended up at our house. Since the former owner still wasn't able to take her before we left for Arizona, she became a permanent fixture with us.
Everyone, including vets and groomers, has always speculated about her breeding. Most assume she's some kind of Chow/shepherd hybrid because of the curling tail, but she doesn't have the tell-tale black tongue of the Chow. So it's always been a mystery.
Well, until yesterday. Craig was thumbing through one of the latest issues of Time Magazine and saw a small piece about a new breed at the Westminster Dog Show -- the Icelandic Sheepdog. The magazine had a side silhouette sketch of the breed. Craig and I both gasped. It was her, from the long flat snout and the black highlighting (people comment on her eyeliner) around her eyes to the coloration and layers of her fur and elongated body on the short legs. Our little girl isn't the Heinz 57 -- she's an aging princess!
I've told the story before about Saby. She's 13-years old now and we adopted her at the age of nine. The tale is that the second owners found her tied to a bench in front of a grocery store in Redmond, Washington. She'd been left. The woman who adopted her brought her water, and then watched her for hours, finally taking her home and leaving a note with her phone number if anyone returned to get her. Saby lived with those people off and on for the first eight years, then ended up semi-abandoned at our son's apartment. The apartment manager discovered she was being harbored in the no pets apartment and laid down the law. That's how she ended up at our house. Since the former owner still wasn't able to take her before we left for Arizona, she became a permanent fixture with us.
Everyone, including vets and groomers, has always speculated about her breeding. Most assume she's some kind of Chow/shepherd hybrid because of the curling tail, but she doesn't have the tell-tale black tongue of the Chow. So it's always been a mystery.
Well, until yesterday. Craig was thumbing through one of the latest issues of Time Magazine and saw a small piece about a new breed at the Westminster Dog Show -- the Icelandic Sheepdog. The magazine had a side silhouette sketch of the breed. Craig and I both gasped. It was her, from the long flat snout and the black highlighting (people comment on her eyeliner) around her eyes to the coloration and layers of her fur and elongated body on the short legs. Our little girl isn't the Heinz 57 -- she's an aging princess!
Craig with Saby in Port Townsend, WA when we were in the process of moving to Arizona. She wasn't very 'smiley' in this photo because we'd only had her for a few weeks and she was still depressed.
Same snout, sturdy short legs, tail curled over the back, and even pattern of her coat.
Saby has the exact coloration of this Icelandic Sheepdog with the reddish fur and white highlights on the paws, rearend, tail, chest, and face. In fact, we'd have to do a double take except this dog's eyes aren't quite as open and wide as Saby's. I think this dog needs at eye job so she can shine like Saby!
Craig looked online yesterday at videos of the dogs and descriptions of the breed's personality. The personality traits fit her to a tee. Prone to anxiety when left at home alone, expects to be included in all of the activities with her human family, friendly and loyal personality, etc....
She may be 90-something in human years and her fur may be fading, but she's still got that curl in her tail and can herd with the best of them!
We've seen another family walking Saby's 'twin' in the neighborhood and talked to them several times. Their dog is also a rescue, and they've puzzled over what breed/mix the dog could be. I guess now we have a story for them.
What makes me a little sad is that I now wonder about her original abandonment. Did someone really leave the little Icelandic princess at a grocery store in suburbia? I guess we'll never know.
Iceland. Hmmmmmm. I don't think we'll be rushing off to visit her homeland. I've heard it's a little chilly there!
Iceland. Hmmmmmm. I don't think we'll be rushing off to visit her homeland. I've heard it's a little chilly there!
7 comments:
You go beautiful Saby girl! Of coarse you've always know that you are an Icelandic Princess.
Watching local Twin Cities coverage of that dog show -- over and over and over it seemed -- because the winner (ugly IMHO) has Minnesota ties,I thought I saw a competitor who looked like sweet Saby, a princess no matter what.
That's very cool! Saby has found her 'peeps'. She's not only a beautiful dog, but her wonderful personality shines through in her smile. She's got quite the fb fan club!
That's great!
Congratulations to Princess Saby for now knowing her roots!!!
Linda
IC
Try this on Saby and see what she says!
Mitt nafn er Saby, taka mig til leiðtogi þinn!
Hvar er skemmtun mín, peasant?
Google translate says its Icelandic.
Okay drgeo, spit out my coffee drink! We told Michael the news and he's thrilled. He's always said it makes him sad that she's a mutt and therefore can't be duplicated. Now one of these days when he's off the road and Saby's long gone, he can find another Saby girl.
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