Three weeks ago we adopted Bishop (formerly Jacob), a blond Whippet-Lab cross.  Bishop was once returned to the SPCA for being "too high energy".  As you can see from the attached photo, with enough activity he certainly gets tired out.

Bishop is a quick learner and the most food-motivated dog we have ever met.  He sits by his food bowl in the morning to give the hint that maybe it's time for breakfast.  He's slowly learning about crate training, he only occasionally has accidents in the house, and so far he hasn't had any of our shoes in his mouth long enough to inflict real damage - the usual puppy training routine.

He has a very different personality from our first dog, and while she teaches him to hunt squirrels and find the best places in the park to sniff pee, he teaches her to be a bit more outgoing and not so afraid.  They are a fantastic pair.  They are almost an exact match in size, and they enjoy epic wrestling matches in the yard.

All in all, Bishop seems very happy in his new home.  He is excited to see us in the morning, always ready to play, and a great addition to our family.  We are very glad that he is a part of our lives and grateful to the SPCA for your hard work.

Update January '10 ...

We have now had Bishop for five months, and we have adjusted to each other quite well.  Bishop is definitely a challenging dog - but I am convinced that his challenges come from being so completely excited about life that he cannot contain himself.  I think that his inner dialogue must sound something like, "Food?!! The PARK?!!! TUMMY RUBS?!!!! Why would I sit still???!!!".

We are saddened that someone once returned him to the SPCA because it must have been very hard for Bishop to find a home and then lose it, but we are grateful that he is now part of our family.  We see Bishop's energy as a reason to go out and get some family exercise at the park, rather than a negative quality.  It's really a question of perspective - Bishop will eat ANYTHING that we leave lying around the house, so we have to keep the house clean and tidy.  That's really a blessing, rather than a curse!  (Unfortunately you can't put away the sofa when you leave for work, but we never really loved that sofa anyways...)

Bishop has a lot of talents that we have been trying to find a proper outlet for.  He can jump dog gates and squeeze through small spaces, and he is truly fearless.  It turns out this makes him a phenomenal agility dog.  Three weeks ago we started our first agility class, and he's a natural.  It's absolutely the perfect activity for him.  He has to listen to his handler for instruction, but instead of being told to sit or lie down, he's being told to jump over a bar or run through a tunnel.  I have never seen him more attentive and energized than when he is running his way through, over, and under an agility course.

We continue to work slowly on Bishop's separation anxiety and fear of confinement, but we are not in a rush.  He has spent more of his life without us than with us, so in time we are sure he will learn that he is now in his forever home.

I have attached two pictures - one of Bishop and his "sister" Kiji (a Husky mix we adopted through BARK in Ottawa), and possibly the cutest photo of Bishop that I have ever seen, taken at Bruce Pit.  That face says it all!

Daphna and Adam

Update August '12 ...

We have now had Bishop in our family for three years and many changes.  Most recently we moved as a family to British Columbia, where Bishop enjoyed running through the woods and playing on the beach every day.  As you can see from the photo, low tide makes for a happy dog. 

While in BC we received the news that our family would be moving again, this time to Nunavut.  We made the decision to help Bishop find a new home in BC, where the climate is mild and he can get daily outdoor exercise year round.  Thanks to the efforts of some wonderful people, a loving and experienced dog owner is rubbing Bishop's belly right now. 

We are sad to leave Bishop but grateful that we had three years of fun together (and some not-so-fun, such as when he tried to eat a porcupine).  He has a truly special character, a loving and loyal ball of energy with a zest for life.

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