Maria and I are setting off this morning for Avon Connecticut and Stonewall Farm Labradors, where our impressive breeder, Lenore Severnie and our new puppy, Zinnia, are waiting to meet us.
I’m already impressed with Zinnia. No Boston Terrier or Border Collie puppy could sit so calmly on a toy truck and be photographed. This bodes well for a therapy dog with a photographer as a human.
First stop is Amy’s Country Kitchen just down the road on Route 22, we’ve ordered ahead for egg and cheese sandwiches, coffee and a muffin for the road. It will take us about three hours to get to Stonewall Farms.
We’ve become regulars there. Between Jean’s Place and Amy’s wagon, our food world has expanded beautifully. Amy is great fun. She takes no prisoners.
We’ll probably spend 45 minutes with Lenore and Zinnia, take some photos and come home. We have our new friend Heidi, a long-time farm and dog sitter, taking care of Fate and Bud and the animals on the farm.
I’m excited to meet Lenore, I like her a lot. She has a neat sense of humor and has enjoyed teasing and tormenting me. And of course, I am very happy to get a good look at Zinnia, I have a great feeling about her.
Several people have asked if it’s okay to e-mail Lenore about Zinnia or her dogs and Coon cats. Sure, she’s at [email protected]. She’s a lot of fun. You can tell her the nice things you’re telling me about her dogs.
Zinnia’s scheduled to come home to the farm on November 12. I’ll be home later this afternoon, you’ll be hearing from me. Photos and videos to come. Wish me luck.
So much fun anticipating the arrival zinnia and bedlam farm. I look forward to seeing more pictures of the little cutie
Well, that didn’t post the way I wanted it to. So much fun waiting for the arrival of zinnia
I reflected today that paying the high price of a puppy from a good breeder is an investment in having a healthier pet and lower vet bills in the future. Although I believe in rescuing animals, I won’t blame anyone for buying a pet from a thoughtfully chosen breeder. I was thinking this as I was walking my 16 year old Yorkshire Terrier whose previous owner paid $2,000 for her when she was a very tiny pup. Here she is at 16, going for 40-60 minute daily walks without a care in the world. She doesn’t want to walk when it’s hot, but otherwise she is as good to go as she was at 10 when I first met her. No arthritis, hearing or sight loss.
There are lots of good ways to get a dog, Nora – breeder, shelter, rescue group. People who say the only way to get a dog is to rescue one are not doing people or dogs any favors. There are good breeders, bad breeders, good shelters, bad shelters. No one has lock on virtue in the dog business. A good breeder works to develop health, temperament and bone structure. They keep the best traits of dogs alive. Shelter and rescue groups do wonderful work saving dogs who should be saved. The best way to get a dog is to get the dog you want at the moment.
I, like a lot of your other readers, was waiting eagerly for the Zinnia Report and I was not disappointed. Many thanks.