The Tibetian Spaniel

THE TIBETAN SPANIEL

It is a beautiful, sunny Saturday morning. A perfect day for selling
pets. The corner pet shop, infamously known as "Unique Pets" has just
opened for the day. "Ding!, Ding!, Ding!" the distinct sound of bells
banging on the glass door indicating the arrival of the store's first
customer. The store owner greets the incoming customer with unmistakable
enthusiasm.

"Good Morning! Welcome to 'Unique Pets' where our pets become your
friends. How can I help you this gorgeous day?"
The customer reluctantly smiles at the owner and responds with a
mumbled, "Hello."

"Well what seems to be the matter? Usually when people come into a pet
store, they are excited about the purchase of a new friend," asks the
owner as the customer continues to slowly walk into the store.

"Women." replies the customer. "My wife has constructed a mission for
me today and I have been told not to come home until I complete it. I
have to find the perfect animal to take care of my family. My wife is,
needless to say, very protective of our three children and wants to
invest in an animal that would 'take care' of our children at all times.
She has the nerve to say I sit on the couch too much and watch sports all
day. Instead, I should be playing with the children and watching them.
I play with the children, who says the game 'Who can get Daddy the
remote the fastest' is not a fun game? Any way, do you have anything
that would be appropriate for my situation and help me to finally get my
wife off my back?"

The owner tries to hold back the intruding smile. Luckily enough he has
assisted in situations similiar to this one, and has the perfect
solution...his Tibbies.

"Well sir you have stepped into the right place, I have just the friend
for you. Come with me." The owner begins walking to the back of the
store with the customer following shortly behind.

"Meet our special Tibetan Spaniels also known as Tibbies," announces
the owner as if he is the ringmaster in a circus show.

"Tibbies?" replies the customer looking at the dog as if it was some
creature from outer space. "This....Tibbie does not look like it could do
anything but look at me. What good would this do for my family?"

"Ah sir, but looks can be quite deceiving. Let me tell you a little
history about this Spaniel."
"This breed of dog is without a doubt like no other. The Tibetan
Spaniel is from the Himalayan Mountains of Tibet and has been a breed for
about 2,000 years. Its' main functions were to serve as companions and bed
warmers to the monks of Tibet. It..."

"Wait a minute," interrupts the customer, "I don't need a dog as a
bedwarmer. The only warm body that is getting close to me when I'm sleeping
is my wife."

"Yes sir I understand, but please let me finish," the owner patiently
suggests. He clears his throat and continues.
"It was the Spaniel's duty to alert the mastiffs to danger. From their
lookouts on the high walls, the Spaniel's could detect any harmful
situations from a far distance. Their eyesight is impeccable and their
hearing superb. Because of their reputation as remarkable watch dogs, they
were introduced in 1895 to England and then imported to the United
States in 1966."

The customer was listening closely now and starting to find this tidbit
of history very interesting. "Alright, well all of this is quite
intriguing, but how is the Tibetan Spaniel going to be good for MY children?"

The owner begins nodding his head with a slight hint of confidence and
answers,"Well, as I previously mentioned they are spectacular
watchdogs, so they will always look out for anything that could harm your
children as well as you and your wife. Also, unlike some dogs, their
intelligence far surpasses them. You almost would think they are human by some
of the things they do. Some customers of Tibetan Spaniels have compared
them to Lassie because of their ability to protect and assist their
caregivers. Because of their eagerness to please, they have great discipline
and would not repeat any behavior that was not found pleasing to your
family."

The customer starts taking a better look at the Spaniel in the cage. He
could not imagine an animal this small could possess qualities of such
great intelligence and strength.

"But it is so small" states the customer as he turns back to face the
owner.

"Yes, Tibetan Spaniels are only 9 to 15 pounds and grow 10 inches tall,
but this is what makes them children-friendly. They are not
intimidating to the child or aggressive, making the child more comfortable and
trustworthy of their family friend. The child would have more enjoyment
out of this dog than a dog that looks like it could pounce on them any
time. They have double coats, one being the soft, fluffy undercoat and
then the longer, flat over coat. Children always like to touch soft
animals guaranteeing continuous interaction between your children and the
Spaniel. I have had customers come in telling me the two main reasons
they love their Tibetan Spaniel is because one, they live long, 15 years
to be exact. Enough time for the child to develop an attachment, but to
grow up and be able to handle losing a close pal when the time comes.
Also, the second reason, is their tail. The Tibetan Spaniel's tail
curves over the back, which seems to be most entertaining to children
because they like to hold on to the tail and pretend the dog is walking them
and not the other way around."

The customer begins to chuckle. He can only imagine this dog trying to
walk his children. They would get a kick out of that.

"I'll take it!" says the customer. He need not be convinced any more.
If his wife could not appreciate the magnificence of this dog, then
maybe she would just have to complete the mission herself.

"Wonderful! I do not believe you could have picked a finer dog," the
owners states as he pats the gentleman on the back. "Let's head to the
front and fill out a couple of things and in no time that Tibbie will be
yours."

"Perfect" replies the customer as he begins walking toward the front.

"Oh, by the way," the owner begins, "what color would you like?"

"Color? I never thought about the color" says the customer.

"They come in all mixtures of colors. I always suggest a
color that best represents your children. Something fun and exciting
that your kids would enjoy showing off. Now tell me you can find a dog
that has better color options than this one."

The customer looks like he is trying to think of one.

"You just think about that while I process your purchase," states the
owner.

The owner continues to smile and look for his materials. He has just
provided another customer with a brand new friend.