Day 14243

Well, I just got news today that I now have a younger sister named Carrie! She is a 6-year-old Cavalier Spaniel that my mom got from someone who shows dogs in the Denver, CO area. I have always loved spaniels, especially ones with long ears. Isn’t she a cutie?



Carrie has been retired, which means she no longer competes and also has been neutered. She has already had a few litters of puppies and I guess some of them are already competing. Below, is a photo of Carrie showing off her athleticism.

The one thing I don’t understand is why someone would part with a dog they had trained and loved for 6 years. It just doesn’t compute. I still miss our family’s Springer Spaniel, named Rocky, who we had to give away back in 1984 when my parents divorced. He was a huge Springer (70 lbs.), all muscle, but gentle as can be and loved kids. Rocky was one of the smartest dogs I have ever seen and because of his size, could handle waterfowl as well as upland game. Luckiest dog ever, too, as people constantly wanted to breed him with their Springers in hopes of having above average-sized puppies. The boy got plenty of action! Anyway, it devastated me to give him away, so I would like to think the former owners of Carrie had a hard time parting with her, too. I really didn’t get that impression, though! It’s all very odd.

Anyway, I'm happy for my mom, who now has a companion, but at the same time, concerned about her ability to physically take Carrie outside for walks. My mom has MS and it has really taken its toll on her over the last couple of years. She was diagnosed with MS about 28 years ago and fared very well for an extended period of time. This is most likely due to the fact that my mom was very active, in fact, a tomboy. She played volleyball, fast-pitch softball, cross-country skied, and hiked. Her leg muscles were well developed and she had excellent coordination. Now, not so much so. She seems to tire easily and occasionally uses a walker or a wheel chair. I just hope that Carrie brings enough joy from companionship to compensate for the challenge of taking her outside. My mom seems incredibly happy, so my guess is everything will be fine.