Monday, March 8, 2010

Teddy

Here are a few pictures of Teddy. He joined our family on Saturday, March 4. He is a Portuguese Water Dog / Clumber Spaniel mix who is somewhere between 18 months and 2 years old. He is short and stocky and deep-chested and weighs about 37 pounds. He has very soft fur that does not shed. His big soft paws are webbed for when he wants to go swimming. As we found out today, they also keep him from sinking into soft sand in the desert.

Teddy was evidently kept as a breeding dog in Albuquerque and then cruelly abandoned on the roadside. We are adopting him from a local animal rescue group.

Teddy is the smartest and mellowest dog the world has ever known (except for maybe Bobo and Gus). He is indescribably affectionate, intelligent, happy, and outgoing. His tail never stops wagging. The only thing he loves more than a nice long walk is to sit with his people, snuggle up to them, and be petted. He is great with other dogs and little children. We have never heard him growl or bark. He is funny and clumsy, a charming klutz. His favorite chore around the house is to pick up stray garments and move them to other rooms where he apparently thinks they must really belong.

At 5:23 AM this morning , I awoke to the sound of our rear sliding glass door being opened. Teddy had decided that rather than wake us up, he would open the door himself for a pre-dawn potty run in the back garden. That's how smart, resourceful, and considerate he is. Click here for a few more pictures of Teddy, Wonder Dog of the Jemez: