Bird Dog

As far as I know, she has no genes for bird hunting.  Our vet thinks she's a mixture of German shepherd and Border collie, but no one knows because she was found running around free in Hayward three plus years ago with no collar and no microchip; she was on death row when Smiley Dog Rescue took her out of the shelter and gave her to us. I suspect there's a little Lab in there, as she LOVES to paddle in the bay and she will chase absolutely anything with wings, from swans to houseflies. This is her "poultry point," which shows up whenever I roast a bird.


Cora would never be so rude as to snatch food from the counter, unlike our neighbor's goofy and very tall dog who will, but she can dream and yearn, can't she? She patiently awaits her turn.


When dinner is served, Cora lies down politely under the table, occasionally giving a quick lick to someone's bare toes when she feels they need a little attention but otherwise being nicely quiet while the meal is under way. No drooling on one's knee, no imploring eyes. She knows that when dinner is over, she gets her turn to lick the plates before they go into the dishwasher.


Whatever kind of dog she is, we feel lucky to have her with us. 


*Update: she got skunked this morning for the second time this year. She's not always so angelic...