2012 Maine Greyhound Placement Calendar

The 2012 Maine Greyhound Placement Calendar has arrived. Agatha & Louise is proud to once again be one of the sponsors of The Maine Greyhound Placemement Calendar. The price of the calendar is $14.00 and we donate 100% of the $14.00 to the MGPS.

Maine Greyhound Placement is located in Augusta, Maine. Here is some additonal information about MGPS.

Maine Greyhound Placement Service is a humane, non-profit organization dedicated to finding loving, responsible homes for retired racing Greyhounds that can no longer compete on the racetrack. MGPS is operated by volunteers and depends on fund raising for its operating expenses.

MGPS currently operates an adoption center located in Augusta, Maine that places retired Greyhounds in New England and beyond. MGPS also maintains an informational newsletter, Greyhound pet supply store to support the kennel and operates a Spay Neuter Clinic at its Augusta location.

Greyhounds placed through MGPS are usually between the ages of two and five years old. These retired racers are very intelligent, adaptable dogs who fit easily into their new homes following a brief adjustment period.

 They are eager to please and respond positively to any positive attention given them.

Retired racing Greyhounds are quiet, clean, gentle, good-natured dogs that adapt and get along well with children and other pets. They seem grateful for their new homes, rewarding their new owners with never-ending affection. They do not require a great deal of space to run, as many people think. Inside the house they enjoy curling up on a soft blanket, bed or couch, if permitted.

Greyhounds stand between 26 and 29 inches tall at the shoulder and weigh between 50 and 80 pounds depending on their sex. Greyhounds come in a variety of colors ranging from black and red to any shade of brindle and even blue (grey) or any combination of these with white.

If you would like to visit or contact MGPS here is their address:

Maine Greyhound Placement Service
Adoption Center
231 Old Belgrade Rd.
Augusta, ME 04330 Phone: 207.626.2893

--Gray

 

Corgis

Spencer and Sadie are a pair of Pembroke Welsh Corgis who walk through my neighborhood everyday. 

I just love seeing them stroll by with their big ears and short legs!

Pembroke Welsh Corgis were admitted into the AKC in 1934 to the Herding Group.  They are cattle drivers and all purpose farm dogs. 

Pembroke Welsh Corgis are wonderful family dogs who respond well to training and are competitive in confirmation, herding and obedience. According to the AKC, this is one of the most agreeable small house dogs.

You can find out more about Pembroke Welsh corgis at the Pembroke Welsh Corgi Club of America, Inc Website.

I have to say I think the only thing better than one Corgi is a pack of two!

Persephone

*** To see all things Corgi at Agatha & Louise Click Here

Razzle Dazzle

Look who came for a visit last Friday...Razzle Dazzle!

Razzle Dazzle is a Welsh Terrier who was shown and bred by a breeder and then found a new home when he retired at six. 

Welsh Terriers originated in Wales and were first brought to the US in 1888 by Prescott Lawrence.  They were recognized by the AKC that same year. 

Welsh Terriers are an active breed weighing about 20 lbs.  These are friendly outgoing dogs.  They are active hunters however, and should not be let off lead unless in a closed area. 

Razzle Dazzle was so calm and polite while visiting us.  His owners said he is a perfect gentleman until another dog comes into view!  Sounds like another Terrier I know....

Persephone and Gray

To see our collection of Welsh Terrier items Click Here

Brodie

Our friends recently sent us this fabulous championship photo of their Scottish Terrier, Rockingham's Blue Boy Burnett of Westscot.  Isn't he a beauty!!

Brodie, as he is called, is vacationing in Maine.  His owners told us, "While we are really proud of Brodie's championship, thanks to our wonderful groomer/handler, Geoff Dawson, we are also thrilled to have him at home full-time now.  We missed his 'joie de vivre' like crazy, especially when our 16-year-old Brianna (a Westie) passed away in March."

Well, not only will Brodie be back home, but a new little girl will be arriving August 6th as well.  She is from Brodie's litter by Sara Lee (aka "Cupcake") from Ann and Art Frankewich's kennel "Rockingham".  Her formal name is Rockingham's Lady Kilmarnock of Westscot Hill, and she will go by Marnie.  Although I am not sure which puppy she is in the bucket in this photo I am sure Marnie will be a beauty just like her father!!

Our friends are going to have a fun filled fall with father and daughter Scotties running around the house at Westscot Hill.

Congratulations to Brodie and welcome to Marnie!!

Persephone and Gray 

 

 

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels

One of my all time favorite Dog Needlepoint Pillows is this Cavalier King Charles (All Four) Needlepoint Pillow.

This pillow shows all four accepted coat colors of the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  What I love about the pillow though, is just that it shows a pack of Cavaliers!

We got this picture of a real live pack of Cavalier King Charles Spaniels strolling on the cobble stone streets of Portland, Maine yesterday. 

We had to get a picture of this crew! 

Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are one of the sweetest breeds out there and these three adorable Cavaliers truly lived up to their reputation! 

Persephone

A Pack of Aussies

In my neighborhood their are three families with Australian Shepherds.  We often see Trevor, Mattie and Sigo walking down to the park at the end of our block where they get to run and play together.  We have always been huge fans of Aussies and thought it would be interesting to share some information about the breed.

Australian Shepherds were developed exclusively in the United States.  Their name  comes from their association with Basque Sheepherders who came from Australia in the 1800s. 

The breed became popular after WWII when there was a boom in Western Riding. Their versatility, intelligence and strong herding instinct made them useful dogs on farms and ranches. 

In 1993 they were accepted into The AKC Herding Group.  Aussies are recognized in four coat colors: Black Tri, Blue Merle, Red Tri and Red Merle.  One of the most distinctive characteristics of their appearance is their wide range of eye colors and the fact that their eyes are often two different colors.

Today Aussies are popular family dogs.  Aussies love to be part of family activity and are easily trained. Their distinctive look and fun nature make them spirited additions.

As with any breed, however, you must be sure this breed is right for your family.  According to the USASA, the most common reason  Aussies are turned over to rescue groups is because the owners did not anticipate how energetic they are. Aussies also become very attached to there owner and want to be with them all the time.  This breed needs to be trained to channel it's energy and needs to be an integral part of it's family's life. 

Sigo is the oldest of the three Aussies that live in my neighborhood.  Sigo was rescued from Aussie Rescue and has obviously found the perfect home!  With the addition of Trevor and Mattie who came to our neighborhood as puppies in the last few years, this pack of Aussies appear have found tons of fun to keep them busy!

Persephone and Gray

The Labradoodle

The Labradoodle has become such a popular mix in America. We thought it would be interesting to take a closer look at the history of the Labradoodle.

Although the term "Labradoodle" had been used as early as 1955, the Labradoodle became better known in 1988-89.  At that time an organization called Guide Dogs Victoria in Australia got a request from an American woman in Hawaii for a guide dog that would not bother her husbands allergies. 

Breeder Wally Conron decided to breed a Standard Poodle with a Labrador Retriever in an attempt to create a guide dog mix that would be available for sight impaired people with allergies.  He figured the low-shedding coat of the Poodle and the gentleness and trainability of the Labrador Retriever would make a strong mix. 

His first litter produced three puppies. One of the puppies was called Sultan, who was sent to the family in Hawaii with great success. 

He continued to breed Labradoodles Labradoodle to Labradoodle calling the offspring Double Doodles and Tri Doodles.  These would become what is now known as the Australian Multi-Generational (or Multi-Gen) Labradoodle.

Today there are two organizations which document the breeding standards of the Labradoodle in Australia, the Australian Labradoodle Association (ALA) and the International Labradoodle Association (ILA ).  There is also the Australian Labradoodle Club of America (ACLA) whose focus is solely the Australian Multi-Generational Labradoodle.

American Labradoodle breeders are breeding dogs in several ways. Each variation produces dogs with varying coat styles, sizes, and temperaments.  For this reason it is very important to buy your dog from a reputable breeder who can tell you the health history and genetic make up of the dogs being bred. Below is the official designation for the breeding of Labradoodles:

F1= 50% Lab and 50% Poodle.  These first generation Labradoodles tend to be very healthy, but are not always the best mix for people with severe allergies as the coat is unpredictable. 

F1B= 25% Lab and 75% Poodle (F1 Labradoodle and Poodle).  These dogs are bred back to Poodle and are the most likely to be non-shedding and allergy friendly.

F2= F1 Labradoodle and F1 Labradoodle.  These can have the same unpredictable coat as the F1 dogs.

F3= F2 Labradoodle and F2 Labradoodle.  This is what most Autstralian Multi-Gen Labradoodles are. 

It is so important to thoroughly research the breeder and the breed before you decide to buy any pet.  Not every breed suits every home and finding that perfect fit is so very important!  We also want to remind you that there are many, many wonderful dogs just waiting to be adopted in shelters around the country!

Persephone and Gray

Hickory a Scottish Deerhound Wins Westminster 2011

The 5 year old Scottish Deerhound named "Hickory" won Westminster last night! I think it is safe to say everyone was surprised! The Scottish Deerhound has never won Westminster before. I have only met a few Scottish Deerhounds. There was one in our neighborhood for a couple of years. About once a week we would cross paths when I was walking our Cairn Terrier, Gilkey.

The Deerhound always fascinated me. Whenever I saw it I made a point to say hi and pet him....yes I  was that dog guy...Don't think you're gonna get by me with that dog. The truth is that it seemed I was more interested in the Deerhound than he was interested in me. He was definitely not interested in Gilkey...nor I must say Gilkey in him...I remember the owner telling me what a sweet dog he was and that he loved attention and would actually get up on the couch with her at her house. He tended to be more animated when in the confines of his own house. For some reason I kind of wanted to go to their house and just sit on the couch with that Deerhound. It was like I wanted to check off a list of "things I must do in my life"...even though, I must admit, it wasn't on the list prior to meeting the Deerhound.

Six New Breeds to Debut at Westminster

This year six new breeds have been recognized by The American Kennel Club and are thus eligible to compete in conformation shows.  These six breeds will make their debut at The Westminster Dog Show on February 14 and 15th. 

First, in the Sporting Group,  The Boykin Spaniel makes it's debut.  The Boykin Spaniel was developed in the early 1900's in South Carolina and is South Carolina's State Dog. The breed was developed for hunting waterfowl.  They are a small, rugged Spaniel that can easily work from a boat. 

In the Hound Group,  two new Hounds make their debut.  First up, The Bluetick Coonhound.  The Bluetick Coonhound gets it's name from it's dark blue ticked or mottled coat. 

These sturdy hounds are used to track Racoons and other small animals.  They are known for having the typical Coonhound "Bawling" bark.

The Second new Hound is The Redbone Coonhound.  Unlike many Coonhounds which have been bred soley for performance, Redbone Coonhounds were bred for a period of time for their color and thus have this beautiful red coat.  They were then bred again for performance and are excellent hunters of Racoons as well as larger prey such as Bear and Mountain Lion. 

There are also two new breeds in the Working Group.  The Cane Corso comes from Southern Italy and faced extinction in the 70s.  The Cane Corso was initially imported the US in 1988.  These dogs are "Mastif Type" dogs that have a powerful presence.  They have primarily been used to guard animals and property. 

The second new Working Dog Breed is The Leonberger.  The Leonberger is a large breed originally used as a family, farm and draft dog. 

With a Lion like coat and great size, they are known for being calm and gentle.   They make excellent therepy dogs.

Finally, in the Herding Group The Icelandic Sheepdog makes it's debut.  The Icelandic Sheepdog is thought to be one of the oldest breeds of dogs in the world.  Icelandic Sheepdogs were brought to Iceland by the Vinkings in AD 874-930. These dogs are slightly under medium size and are used to herd sheep, cattle and horses. 

We can't wait to see all six of these amazing dog breeds compete at Westminster for the first time! 

Persephone and Gray

 

 

Agatha's Collection of Irish Terrier Pins

The Irish Terrier in our Logo is called Agatha after Gray's late mother Agatha. 

While Gray was growing up his family had a series of Irish Terriers.  The Irish Terrier was really their breed. 

A few weeks ago I was going through some old boxes and found a collection of pins that had belonged to Gray's Mother.  Included in this box we were excited to find four Irish Terrier pins!

I loved discovering these pins.  I especially love the little one on the right!!

Persephone