When Izzy came to
the UK it was my intention to breed from her as she has
new bloodlines which are much needed here. She came mostly
from working lines in Italy.
When she was 1 I had her hips x rayed and sadly the score
came back high - 56. I then had her eyes examined and it
was found that she has the beginnings of cataracts. So tiny
when the test was done that the examiner said that had she
been tested a month prior he may well not have picked it
up.
These cataracts may or may not develop and the only way
to check would be to have her eyes tested again in a year
or two. If the eyes do deteriorate she would have replacement
lens fitted to restore her sight just as humans do.
I thought long and hard about still breeding with her, talked
it over with several people even seeking guidance from the
KC. Although they felt that there were more pro's than con's
in going ahead I have made the decision to withdraw her
from our breeding programme.
So, earlier this year Izzy applied to join as a Pets as
Therapy dog. She has now passed all her assessments and
is about to begin visiting those who need an animal to share
life's problems with.
We don't know where we shall be asked to visit yet but I
will keep her page up to date with how she gets on.
23rd
July 2009 Izzy and I went on our first Pets as Therapy assignment.
We went to a care home for the elderly a few miles from
home. There are 32 residents and I think we covered them
all. No one refused to have Izzy either in their room or
to say hello in the lounge.
Some folks were more enthusiastic than others, several even
chatting about the pets they had when they were younger
(all good therapy I was told as it gets the brain ticking
over when in day to day life there is little or no change
or even family or visitors for some)
The high point of today for me was when we got back to the
managers office and heard the staff mention in particular
2 ladies who had smiled for the first time in ages when
Izzy gave them the Bracco once over!
To begin with we are going to visit once a fortnight and
see how we get on.
Izzy seems quite tired at the moment, not like her usual
self. I guess the environment was a totally new experience
for her but I am sure she will settle into it well especially
as she managed to beg a biscuit from the tea trolley!
In November 2006 Kim, Trish, Jean and I set off for Italy
to attend a gundog training
course organised by Marieke in conjunction with the Dutch
Bracco Club.
Gianpaolo Poggio, of the del Monte Alago kennel was the
instructor.
We stayed in a rural farmhouse, La Vallatta, which is close
to the village of Stella in north west Italy and set off
each morning to watch the continental dogs that were on
the course. Some were total novices and had never hunted
a bird before whereas some dogs were partly trained. It
was a joy especially to watch a young apprehensive dog blossom
within a couple of days to become an ardent hunter, we could
all see these dogs starting to grow with their skills when
given the right opportunity.
At this point I must add that the local ladies, who I guess
were the wives of the huntsmen who joined us, produced fantastic,
hearty, rustic 5 course lunches from a tiny tin shed and
a calor gas burner. Naturally there was plenty of wine to
accompany the meal!
I had
been in contact with Paolo by email for some time before we
visited Italy and he was aware that I was looking for both
a super dog to sire Della’s next litter and also a young
bitch to import bringing new bloodlines to the UK gene pool.
As the days went by we returned to the hunting fields each
day but nothing was said about finding any suitable dogs.
Then on the Saturday morning Paolo said we were to go to a
different area and see how trained dogs worked on a live shoot
– and in the afternoon we could go and see some puppies!
The
day was brilliant; Sodini’s dog worked beautifully and
several birds were shot. After lunch, this time indoors at
a different venue we set off back to Genoa to see the puppies
at the Valpolcevera kennel. The pups turned out to be just
10 days old and gorgeous - although to young for what I was
seeking. Then as the sun went down and you could hardly see
a thing a young, 4 month old, bitch was brought out and stacked
on a garden table to be ‘gone over’ by Paolo.
Paolo pointed out the best features and assured me she was
a lovely youngster. Trouble was we couldn’t really see
so off we all trouped to a local motor repair shop around
the block from the kennel. There poor Isabella was floodlit
between trolley jacks and vehicles for us to see. I was so
undecided & relied on Kim to be objective about this possible
new addition to our family. Izzy got the thumbs up so was
taken back to our room at La Vallatta for the night but we
had to say goodbye the next morning as she was going home
with Marieke to stay as part of the family until her passport
allowed her to come to England.
I can never thank Marieke & Jerone enough for fostering
Izzy along with their other adult dogs AND 3 pups from Isotta’s
last litter who were only weeks different in age from Izzy
- can you imagine 4 pups(plus older dogs) growing up together
in a regular house and garden! A medal is well deserved.
Finally
Isabella came to the UK in August 2007 just a couple of weeks
before she turned 1 year.
