After the kidlets' Crossfit Kids class at the Lab, we drove west to Hillsboro, Oregon. The Norwegian Elkhound rescue coordinator was leading a class there with all kinds of different types of breeds of dogs. She had arranged for NEs to be there for us to see, too. On the drive, I explained we would not be getting one of these dogs. That they already had families who loved them, but this would be a good idea for us to see the type of dog it was and we could also get a glimpse of other breeds that were in the class.Talk about the perfect opportunity!
It was great to see so many different kids of dogs in one places. Talk about variety. All types of breeds and sizes. The kids couldn't believe how many there were so it was a great overview of what's available. But though all the dogs were absolutely adorable, we really did fall for the Norwegian Elkhound.
We got to see both males and females with a range of ages from puppy to six years old. We met three older puppies. Over a year, but under two years old. Lots and lots of energy. Two were siblings, a male and a female. The male is going to be on Animal Planet next week. He won a dog show where they were filming. The other male was a little older, if I remember correctly, but still rambunctious. Obedience training will definitely be in our future!
We also met a puppy. She was outside on a leash when we arrived and oh-so-cute. She made a bee-line for Rose. I guess she went for the smallest member of our pack, just like Angus! The kids had a blast playing with her. She was born in January. Just like Rose!
It seemed like every time we turned more and more of the NEs were showing up. A big thank you to all how came out to show us their doggies! It really allowed us to see the breed and realize this is the kind of dog we want. Shedding, aside, the Norwegian Elkhound really does seem like a perfect match for our family.All of the NEs were wonderful with the kids. Oh, the younger ones were quite active and jumped, as I mentioned above, but they didn't growl or do anything threatening. They were just all so sweet. You couldn't help but fall in love with the breed. The kids kept saying how they looked a lot like Siberian Huskies. (That's their fave dog breed, but since huskies don't get on well with cats and aren't the easiest of breeds to raise they aren't an option.)
We met a female NE who had been a rescue dog. She is four years old and very sweet. I spoke with her owners about their experience with her when she came to their house. She likes to sleep with them. I was thinking of Rocket, Spirit and a dog sharing our bed at night. Time to get a king-size bed!
The one thing I quickly saw was how much energy the puppy had. It would bark and jump until it got attention. It reminded me of my kids! We spoke with the rescue coordinator and are going to arrange a visit with her soon. Of course, in spite of our earlier talk, there were tears on the drive home from my youngest when she realized we weren't bringing one of the dogs home with us. Sigh...
Soon, I hope, very soon we will be bringing one home. And then the real adventure will begin!
