The story of Frodo...

Another birthday – my other big brother – Frodo.  He is 5 years old today – two years older than me.  We have the same parents.  My human thinks that if I had been born first, the breeder would not have repeated the breeding. Ha. Ha.

Given this special occasion, I think this is a good opportunity to share the life story of Frodo…

My human has had Bernese Mountain Dogs for many years.  And she LOVES those big goofy tri-colored monsters.  She got her first Bernese before people knew what a Bernese was.  People used to ask her “what is THAT thing – a cross between a Saint Bernard and something else?”  Now almost everybody knows what a Bernese is…

Anyway, she had her third Bernese and he was a special boy.  He was VERY obedient – and loved JUST her.  They competed in obedience, rally, draft and even a bit of agility.  But one month after his 7^th birthday, he went to someplace called the Rainbow Bridge.  Now my human ALWAYS finds it hard when her dogs go to that place…but this time was very, very, VERY hard.  So although Paxton was already living here – and she LOVES him and still loves Bernese, she decided that she needed to think about a NEW breed.  She had seen PONs many years before at some dog show called Crufts in England.  And she thought they were very cool.  Smart.  Cute.  Mid-sized.  Fun.  Lots of great characteristics.  And since she has a Polish background, well, that put the icing on the cake. 

So after her Bernese went to the bridge, she thought back to seeing those PONs and she decided to visit a PON breeder, right here in Nova Scotia.  She wanted to “meet the breed” and learn more about them.  Little did she know, the breeder had some 10 week old puppies….

My human had no intention of getting another dog at that point.  She had just lost one – and she still had Pax, and a dear old Labrador, named Beamish.  But SERIOUSLY – one look at PON puppies – and you guessed it – after a whopping 24 hours of decision-making she called the breeder and the rest is history.

Baby Fro

Paxton LOVED him and still does!

Frodo loved old Beamish...

My human isn’t really a believer in reincarnation…but…she is fairly certain that her 3rd Bernese has come back – in the form of a PON - Frodo.  Seriously.  Just like that Bernese, Frodo is “psychic” when it comes to doing things with my human – and they have a crazy bond.  It's almost spooky when my human looks in Frodo's eyes.  They have this "connection."  Frodo is fine with other people – but my human is his number one.  He barks – which I KNOW can be a PON thing – but he barks like her Bernese did.  He is protective of her – and will stand up against the most scary garbage can in the dark to be sure she is safe.   When it comes to training – despite his barking, it’s sometimes like he “knows” what she wants him to do – before she asks him to do it.  I know things too – but I don’t do them. I'm a BIT more naughty...

My human has shown Frodo herself in beauty pageants – and it was the first time she got something called a Championship on a dog.  When she and Frodo got their first group placement (whatever that is), everybody in the building knew it.  She was sooo excited.  They have competed in obedience and rally and he has a number of titles.  They even tried some herding.  She sometimes feels guilty – because he IS so easy to train.  Clearly I didn’t get THOSE genes.

So when my litter (or my treasury) came along 2 years later, my human thought she would get another Frodo. Wrongo.  Same gene pool – but different mutations.  I do have my OWN unique qualities…VERY unique.

While I AM sometimes jealous of my PON brother – I DO look up to him.  He really IS pretty cool. And we get along great - all three of us do!  And really, if it weren’t for him and his good behavior – I wouldn’t be here right now!  So a huge Happy Birthday to my shaggy brother!  And I MIGHT even share my biscuit with you today!

©  2015 Linda Wozniak