Meeting the Field

Drove through a cold drizzle up to Ridgefield, to an agility trial to meet a single FS from No. Washington. M and Gus came along for company. It is a familiar venue, one in which I think I first met DW. A huge drafty horse arena at the edge of the broken down fairgrounds; mud and piles of wood, gravel roads that need replenishing, barns that need whitewashing. Still. It hums with dogs and those who love them.

If ease is part of the criteria, well, this is qualifying. The ease with which I contacted A and then she called me. The trust she puts in my endeavor. The response from Laird about the BD/LD question. The impeccable pedigree of the current litter. The fact that as soon as I got out the car and was putting on my muck boots, I spotted the Field in her snood going for a hurry up.

I thought she was very pretty and shiny, black, with a soulful sweet, moderate head and face. She weighed about 35lbs-- a very manageable size. Smaller, in fact, than I imagined. But then H was the other FS I met, and he’s on the big side…and a boy.

She was quite aloof. She accepted—quite happily---treats, but she eyed me coolly.. and I heard the story of how far she has come out of her misanthropy. She LOVES her mom though, and was very sweet, the way she lay aginst her, head on her bosom.

This was not therapy dog material. The standard does mention the reticence of the Field with strangers. Reticence not to be confused with shyness. Still, in her it ran a little too deep. Her mom said she was scocialized as a puppy, but she also said that she snapped at a man who came at her too straight and she never quite came out of her shell unless she knew you for awhile.

I loved her head. I loved the solid silkiness of her. I went to feel Field spaniel presence, and I liked it. Maybe not this girl, but I was hooked. She seemed quite calm too.

Interesting breed. Very calm, watchful. Soulful. Good. 8 out of 10

I talked to Joan and Q for a bit. Q, the blue merle Aussie is so handsome. I saw Nikki. I thought I might have seen an EC, but I think it was an AC…a roan headed into a crate. Jill J with her corgis. Everyone was cold and damp. I went out to the car to get Gussie a quilt. M wrapped him up in it and held him in his lap on the bleachers. I was really happy I had that quilt for him….one I made coming in so useful.

I got home to some EC letters. Finally got the email addys of the woman up in Seattle who do therapy & obedience with ECs. And the number of a woman who lives quite close by who has an EC from the contact for the Cascade ECSC. Eclipse. Very warm letters, BTW. I know nothing about the dogs. Oh! and some new photos of the H/E puppies.