Good Dogs Canada

Archive for the ‘Favourite Family Dogs’ Category

Thanks to the Coates family for sending this photo of Steve and Smoky after a full day of shovelling in Bury, Quebec. Smoky appeared on their doorstep one morning in the Spring of 2010, skrawny and hungry. She’s the Queen now. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Jim and Mary Borrowman own and operate Stubbs Island Whale Watching which is located in picturesque Telegraph Cove on North Vancouver Island.

In February 2009 their five year old Shi Tsu, Buddy, (pictured left) weighing about eight kilograms, lay asleep outside the gift shop. Suddenly, a cougar turned up at the open front door, picked Buddy up in his mouth, and began walking down the boardwalk with him.

Horrified, Mary and her assistant, Cara Aman, ran after the cougar yelling and screaming. Buddy was struggling in the big cat’s mouth so they knew that he was still alive. Mary’s husband, Jim, grabbed an axe and chased the cougar as he took off up the stairs toward the Borrowmans’ house. When the cat growled at Jim, he quickly dropped Buddy who rolled down an embankment. Jim was able to pick him up right away.

Buddy was in terrible shape. His eyes had popped out of their sockets because of the pressure. The Borrowmans rushed the little dog to a veterinary clinic where his eyes were treated as well as a cracked jaw, broken teeth, and other injuries.

In the meantime, the cougar was treed by a neighbour’s Rhodesian Ridgeback. As a precaution, he was shot dead by a conservation officer who thought that the cat’s taste for blood might escalate his prey instincts.

Out of love for their dog, the Borrowmans forfeited their holidays last year to pay for five surgeries on Buddy. Eventually most of Buddy’s injuries healed, but he did loose his sight.

The little fellow coped well enough during the summer, but when Fall came, Mary says he seemed to be depressed and disinterested in activities. She contacted support groups online and was advised to get another dog to keep Buddy company.

Initially Jim and Mary were doubtful, because Buddy is more of a people lover than an appreciator of his own species. When Joey, a Shih-Tzu/Lhasa Apso mix, arrived as an eight week old puppy, Buddy growled at him every time he tried to play. But little by little they grew closer and closer and the dogs are now inseparable.

Mary says that it is hard to know if Joey knows whether or not Buddy’s is blind, but Buddy doesn’t go anywhere without Joey anymore. They’re always seen together greeting visitors on the boardwalks at Telegraph Cove. Joey manoevres Buddy around obstacles. He’s Buddy’s guide dog.

A word of praise to the largely unsung work done by the Canine Services Unit in the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

This unit assists Conservation Officers in the detection and recovery of evidence and concealed fish and wildlife. The highly trained dogs accompany their handlers every day to work and ride with them in trucks, boats, snowmachines, helicopters and ATVs.

These dogs provide high visibility patrols to deter violators from poaching and/or crime scenes. When someone is lost in the back woods they provide search and rescue support.

Once the trainer has his or her dog, it is up to them to train the dog in obedience, detection, tracking, etc. Frequent and intense refresher courses are mandatory. It is very important for the dog to have complete trust in the trainer. The dogs live with their trainers and are treated as professionals within the family. They are police officers. At present there are only six to seven such dogs working in the province of Ontario.

Colin Cotnam is a Conservation Officer in the Bancroft District and is shown here during training exercises with his Golden Retriever mix, Tanner, who has been a canine officer since 2008. When not directly servicing the south and central part of Ontario, Tanner and Colin conduct educational seminars.