How Much Is that Doggie in the Window?

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This was my favorite song as a young pre school boy growing up here in the Valley. My first dog was a Cocker Spaniel, named Betsy. I was about 3 or 4 at the time. I even have a photo of the two of us, somewhere in the archives. It was Patty Paige, with these great lyrics for the little boy (me): How much is that doggie in the window?The one with the waggly tailHow much is that doggie in the window?I do hope that doggie's for saleI must take a trip to CaliforniaAnd leave my poor sweetheart aloneIf he has a dog, he won't be lonesomeAnd the doggie will have a good homeHow much is that doggie in the window?The one with the waggly tailHow much is that doggie in the window?I do hope that doggie's for saleI read in the papers there are robbersWith flashlights that shine in the darkMy love needs a doggie to protect himAnd scare them away with one barkI don't want a bunny or a kittyI don't want a parrot that talksI don't want a bowl of little fishiesHe can't take a goldfish for a walkHow much is that doggie in the window?The one with the waggly tailHow much is that doggie in the window?I do hope that doggie's for sale Fast forward to day, since pet adoption has reached a peak during the pandemic. Did you know the Australian shepherd is America's favorite dog? For many years, it was the Golden Retriever. Our neighbors to the north still favor the Golden. Top dog in Australia is the border collie. Yes, the chihuahua is still the most popular dog in Mexico, and surprisingly Germany. The rottweiler, often used to herd sheep, is the top dog in 34 countries. And the poodle has declined in popularity in France. But it remains popular in the former French colony, Vietnam! The French seem to like the Australian shepherds as much as Americans. In Japan, you would expect a pure-bred dog, much like the culture and race there. It is the Akita, of course. And leave it to the English to want the expensive French bulldog. And so do the Aussies! What would de Gaulle say? As for us, our first dog was a rescue, a rare (non AK breed, a German Hunting Terrier, also known as a jag terrier. Buddy was bred to hunt wild boar and bears, at only 25 pounds. He could climb trees as well. Experts warn against trying to make them into the family dog. But he adjusted nicely. After a little terrier mix rescue who did not like me, we made a big decision. Since we figured it would be our last dog, we decided to get exactly what we wanted. The first choice was a Labradoodle. We found a puppy farm up near Portland, OR, with Australian mini-Labradoodles. What makes Lexi Australian? Apparently the Australian Labs have Springer spaniel in their bloodline. We even found an organization strictly composed of Australian Labradoodle owners. It sort of explains Lexi's unique coloring, an all-white (dapple) body with a dark chocolate head. But she has brothers and sisters who fit the more traditional look of a doodle. Please google "Wings of Rescue" if you want to see the great work of a friend of mine. They rescue animals from far off places, usually a disaster zone, and transport them by air to safe areas where adoptions take place. During this pandemic, pet ownership has increased to over 70 million households. Fully 54% of American households have a pet. Another 10% own other household pets, such as reptiles, rabbits, hamsters, birds, and fish. Whatever you have, please make them part of your family. We treat Lexi like a little daughter, perhaps spoiled. No, definitely spoiled. But she is an absolute joy to have, she is good company.

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