110 degrees magazine - Index

110 degrees magazine - magazine - Index

BLOOM I BY ALICIA FRANKLIN I PHOTOS BY RUSSELL BYRNE
FOR THE LOVE
OF DOG ALICIA DESCRIBES HER LOVE FOR DOGS AND
The title of my article was suggested by an old
joke about a dyslectic agnostic who worried
about the existence of Dog.
I’m putting my love for dogs to practical use as
a dog breeder and owner of Brentwood’s Whole Dog
Barkery and Paw Spa. “Barkery” is a play on words
for my bakery in which I create wholesome and
exceptional dog treats. “Whole dog” plays on the
idea of holistic because of the Paw Spa in which
dogs receive spa treatments including shampooing,
hair cutting, and nail trimming. We also provide a
therapeutic whole-body clay mask to condition the
dog’s skin and protect against parasites.
My love for canines centers upon my passion
for a breed called Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Those
dogs are affectionate, loyal, and dependable. I
began my journey about 13 years ago while
watching the Westminster Kennel Club dog show
when a particular Ridgeback caught my eye.
I could sense how regal these animals are
simply by looking at that dog. I did some
research and everything I read about Ridgebacks
drew me to them even more. They are easy keepers
with short hair and a low drool factor. They
are athletic and active, retaining their puppy
enthusiasms throughout their lives. They would
willingly die to defend their family.
62 www.110mag.com September/October 2008
THE VISION THAT HAS LED TO AN AMAZING
BRENTWOOD FACILITY.
However, owners seldom witness another part
of the Ridgeback temperament because the dogs
were originally bred in Rhodesia (present day
Zimbabwe) to hunt lions.
Even the most domesticated Ridgebacks
retain the fierce hunting instincts from their
origins. They will run after jackrabbits and
ground squirrels as joyful exercise, but when
faced with larger and more menacing animals
they leap into serious and purposeful action.
I learned about that from personal experience.
DOGS ON THE HUNT
I was hiking in Morgan Territory with four of
my dogs when a wild boar suddenly charged at
us. Smaller dogs might have been seriously
injured or even killed, because the pig was
charging the dogs with an obviously serious
intention in mind.
Ridgebacks are “sight hounds” and — like
Greyhounds, Salukis, and Whippets — primarily hunt
by sight rather than by smell; the pig came out of
nowhere and was nearly upon us before the dogs
were aware of his presence.
All four dogs turned around and looked at me
as if to say, “Finally we get to do what we were
bred to do.” Then they charged directly at the pig
and the attacker became potential prey in an
instant, as the pig turned on its heels and rushed
away, breaking its leg in its desperate flight. The
dogs followed him under a fence.
The instinct of this breed at times like this is
to hold the animal at bay. When I caught up with
them, the dogs had pinned the pig against the
fence and all of them had fanned out in formation
in front of him.
The dogs were going crazy, keeping the pig
pinned down while waiting for me to do my part
and kill the animal. Of course, I wasn’t going to
do any such thing and spent a great deal of effort
in trying to get leashes on the dogs.
I was actually going a little crazy myself.
These were extremely valuable show dogs and
my beloved companions. They had no business
engaging in this kind of passionate combat. The
dogs absolutely disagreed with me about that
point and wouldn’t submit to being leashed.
The boar finally made a feint at us and then
tore down a steep embankment. All four dogs
immediately broke away from me to go charging
after him.
This was supposed to be a pleasant Sunday
stroll. I was wearing Keds and carrying a book
that I had hoped to spend a leisurely hour read-