Our porch is coming back to life this Spring after the harsh winter, the back porch is the soul of the summer farm, it seems to be the focal point for many things. The barn cats have taken over the rocking chairs, the chickens love to parade along the porch looking for food, our garden is spring to life – so are Florence Walrath’s beautiful Irises – and Maria hangs her fabrics, quilts and vintage hankies there to dry out before she changes them into art. We decided this morning to expand the garden it is stuffed full of good stuff (no, I don’t know the names.)
Maria and I were sitting out on the back lawn watching the sheep, talking and having breakfast – we are determined to find leisure this weekend and some peacefulness. Lenore was lying by Maria, Red by me. Suddenly, Maria turned to me and asked “Jon, do you think after you die that I will be able to train a dog like Lenore?”
I admit to being a bit taken aback by the question, my age and eventual death are not things Maria ever cares to talk about, I always encourage her to see that she will have a full and rich second life after I am gone – I am 17 years old than she is. I don’t like to wallow in death but I don’t care to hide from it either, and I would be happier to leave the world knowing that it marks not the end of something but the beginning of a rich new chapter for her. I believe this, I have lived it.
Still, we both cracked up at the way she just blurted it out in that sylvan moment. Talk about priorities, I said. Sure, I said. If you want a dog like Lenore, a good breeder like Gretchen Pinkel of Kee-pin labs is the best and surest way to do it.
This is important, I said. As with the carriage horses, it is sad that animal rights seem so often equated with animal ignorance in our time.
My farm has always been crawling with wonderful rescue animals – Simon, Frieda, Ma (Izzy and Orson as well), chickens, cows and goats, sheep, but the war against breeders is as unfortunate as the war against the carriage horses. It also comes from a profound ignorance about animals. There are good breeders and bad breeders, just as there are good rescue groups and bad ones. Good breeders develop and preserve some of the very best traits in dogs – temperament, health, intelligence. That’s where dogs like Red and Rose and Lenore come from, they posses remarkable traits that have been bred into their lines for generations, something good breeders like Gretchen Pinkel do.
This where border collies, seeing eye dogs, search-and rescue dogs, many therapy and sporting dogs come from.
When I met Gretchen, I told her about the kind of dog I wanted, one whose temperament was absolutely reliable, who was healthy and trainable. That is precisely what she saw in the puppy that became Lenore, precisely what I dog. Lenore is eight years old, she has never been sick, she is trim and fit, her coat is shiny, she has no allergies, children can pull food right out of her mouth and she will thank them for it. When I write, she sleeps at my feet and has never once disturbed me. She fits into our lives like a glove, is happy to ride with us, play with kids, go anywhere. She stays with us when we are outside, she never goes never the road, walks for miles in the woods alongside of us. I have taken her to schools where a score of screaming children are pulling her tail, and it never stops wagging.
She is the most wonderful dog. Red, also a product of remarkable breeding, is amazing in his own way.
It is sad to hear people say the only way to get a dog is to rescue one, just as it would be sad to hear people say the only way to get a dog is from a breeder. Each dog and person is different, with different needs. We choose the dog that is best for us and them, not that makes us feel the most virtuous. It would be a tragedy to see border collies and labs like Lenore and Red vanish from the world, that is what people are pushing for they war against breeders, it is another misguided notion of protecting animals while hurting both them and many people.
When we were done laughing at the question, I told Maria that if I die, she should call Gretchen Pinkel and tell her what she needs. Gretchen worked for decades to produce the line that Lenore came from, she paid close attention to genetics, temperament and overall health. I did train Lenore, but the remarkable job Gretchen did in creating her line of dogs has more to do with Lenore than anything. That story is getting lost in all of the hysteria and manipulation coming from people who call themselves supporters of animal rights but who seem to know nothing about animals.
As with many well-bred working dogs, Lenore is the kind of dog that figures out what you want, and then does it. She adapts, she becomes the dog you need her to be, I’ve seen it again and again. That is the beauty and joy of life with an amazing dog like that. I trust her anywhere with anyone.
Maria is without guile and full of emotion, what is in hear heart is plain to see. I actually loved that Maria was thinking ahead to life beyond me, a healthy thing for her to be doing, although she quickly said she didn’t want to talk about it. I hope she does, I hope we do. I reminded her that I first came to the country when I was 50, a bit more than 15 years ago. My life began anew. I am one chapter in her remarkable life, there will be others.
