Callard Bowsers Elfrieda (WP350431/01)

Phoebe was our very first Newfoundland. Before Phoebe, we were Old English Sheepdog lovers. When our last OES, Gretchen, died at the grand old age of 16, Bob suggested getting a different breed of dog because he felt that no other OES would ever be able to compare favorably with that wonderful grand dame who came with us from Wisconsin. Bob suggested getting a breed of dog that was less of a ‘grooming nightmare’ than the OES and thought a Newfoundland would be nice. (Well, the jury is still out on that one – both OES and Newfs are ‘grooming intensive’ breeds.)

After a lot of looking, we came home with a three month old Newfie puppy who, even then, showed signs of being an ENORMOUS dog – even for a giant breed. (She was almost 50 lbs at 3 months – and not fat!) Much of our ‘shopping’ was done without our children along as we wanted to surprise them. Finally, the big day came to pick up our puppy. Our daughter, Shaylene, was at a sleep-over with a friend but was looking forward to seeing her new little puppy when we came to pick her up. So that we weren’t late to pick Shay up, we went right from the breeder to the ‘sleep-over pick up’ and had the puppy with us. Shay was terribly excited to see her new ‘little’ puppy and opened the door to the van immediately. The look of shock on her face was priceless as she realized that this Newfie puppy wasn’t the little puppy that she had imagined picking up and carrying around! She later said, ‘She was so big…and there was so much of her…she just kept coming out of the car…’

True to original indications, Phoebe grew to be an enormous adult female. She was never fat - just VERY big. When we brought both Monty and Phoebe to shows, Gerlinde would remark ‘My god, I always forget how big she is!’ She made the other adult females look like puppies.


Phoebe was one of the best behaved dogs we’ve ever had. We think she was born old…never disobedient, always kind, didn’t chew and was housetrained in just days. She spoiled us! We thought that all of our Newfie puppies would be like this! (Imagine our shock when we picked up the much more energetic Maggie from Logan Airport. Maggie was nothing like the quiet, calm Phoebe!) Phoebe lived to the ripe old age of 13 and was healthy, active and kind throughout her life. Even in her later years, she liked to take walks through her fruit orchard and jump up the little incline to the horses. She is sadly missed.

Phoebe gave us several nice puppies and was a wonderful mother. Alas, we found out the hard way that it is very difficult to have both an un-neutered adult male and female as house dogs (rather than kennel dogs). Despite the best planning (including sending Monty out for boarding when Phoebe came into heat, etc), our plans for breeding didn’t necessarily coincide with their (i.e., Monty and Phoebe’s) plans. Accidental litters are very difficult to avoid in a household situation such as our dogs live. As a result, we no longer have an un-neutered male as it is just too difficult. Instead, our girls go out to be bred.

 

The two photos below are of Phoebe and her first litter of pups

The photo below shows Phoebe on the front deck licking one of her pups, Nanna, who lives with our vet just several miles down the road.  Notice how much Nanna looks like our Emmie (Council Cup's EmmieLou).  Although we didn't plan it that way, it turned out that the two (Emmie and Nanna) are somewhat related through Phoebe's line vis-a-vis the Topmast bloodlines

This is photo below is probably one of my favorite photos of Phoebe and one of her puppies.  It was taken just before the pup's new family came to pick her up and it almost seems as if the two are saying 'good-bye

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Dubh (below) is a Phoebe/Monty daughter.  She lives with her family in Westford, has a cottage in Maine and lives the good life.  Dubh, her sister Abby (who has her own page on this website) and her half-brother, Zookie, and Wunder (Maggie's father) look VERY, very much alike!

The Great Porcupine Hunt

The photos below, although not easy to look at, shows the result of a porcupine hunt!  Although the prey (i.e., the porcupine) died, the hunters were not without injuries.  I don't know why my cute little 'porcupine hunters' continue to hunt these thorny varmints after their first painful encounter but they do.  (Wouldn't you think that, after the first painful bite, the dog would quit?!) Phoebe and Monty were both quilled several times.

LESSON: Be ware of spring when our quilly little friends come out of hibernation!

These photos above were taken of Phoebe after she and Maggie hunted a porcupine.   This was only one of three porcupine hunts in which Phoebe was quilled.  

Poor Phoebe - she always followed Maggie's encouragement to chase the porcupine! During this particular porcupine incident, Phoebe came home with hundreds of quills while Maggie came home,  carrying the prize by its bare tummy, with not a quill on her.  And then, when Phoebe tried to take the porcupine from Maggie (after all, Phoebe must have felt that she - not Maggie - had earned the prize), Maggie had the effrontery to growl at Phoebe!  

This is one of the most mild quilling she had....there were others that were worse.  One spring Monty and Phoebe got so badly quilled that they they each had thousands in their mouth, under their toenails, in their gums, around their muzzle...they both looked like they had full beards. I don't quite understand why don't don't just take one bite, say 'ouch' and give up!  So be ware of spring when our quilly little friends come out of hibernation!