S - Saint Bernard, Scottish Terrier, Shetland Sheepdog,
Skye Terrier, Springer Spaniel
I think just about everyone would recognise my first dog, often depicted with a barrel hanging from its neck.
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| Saint Bernard |
Named after a medieval Hospice in the Swiss Alps, Saint Bernards are famous for their mountain search and rescue role.
This one was hoping to be rescued from having to wait outside the entrance to Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire.
The "Scottie" had a different role and was bred in Scotland as a vermin catcher; the different coloured varieties were often depicted in advertisements for Black and White Scotch Whisky.
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| Scottish Terrier - Champion Bapton Norman (1914 Journal of Heredity - author unknown) |
And then there was Barney and Miss Beazley two "Scotties" owned by President G W Bush.
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| Barney holds his first Presidential Briefing (Photo by Alex Cooney) |
If the next dog reminds you of "Lassie", it shouldn't. Lassie was a Rough Collie (see 'C')
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| Shetland Sheepdog |
The "Sheltie" originated in the Shetlands of the North East Coast of Scotland.
The Isle of Skye sits off the West Coast of Scotland, It was there that the Skye Terrier was developed to go to ground after badgers, foxes, otters and rabbits. However it's in Edinburgh that a Skye Terrier has been immortalised.
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| Greyfriars Bobby in 1865 (Cropped from an albumen print - National Galleries of Scotland) |
Bobby spent 14 years guarding the grave of his owner (policeman John Gray) until he died himself in 1872.
Edinburgh's smallest listed building is the memorial statue for him.
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| Statue of Greyfriars Bobby (Photo by Michael Rowe, September 2003 - CC BY-SA 3.0) |
If you own an English Springer Spaniel then you are sure of plenty of exercise. One of the oldest British Spaniels it was used to flush out or "spring" game birds.If you see it operate in long grass it is easy to see where the 'springer' comes from.
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| Springer Spaniel |
And of course they just love water!
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| I'm waiting, come on in! |
But my all time favourite from over 50 years ago was the Springer that posed for me at my wife's former home.
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| Major |
