A Bearded Collie in Corsica
05/08/2012
During a recent cruise aboard Silversea's Silver Spirit, we spent a day in Ajaccio, Corsica (without Maggie, though next time we'll dress her up in an official-looking vest and bring her along as our service dog).
While walking near the port, we saw a dog coming toward us with its master in tow:
The dog was--you guessed it--a Bearded Collie, just like Maggie (but with a different color scheme).
The owner told us the dog's name was Tigre, and he told it to pose for Cheryl, who can't resist aiming her camera at any dog she sees.
After a few seconds of wagging and bouncing (the normal Beardie reaction to attention from people) Tigre settled down and looked noble for the camera.
Addendum: We suspect that the name "Tigre" was chosen for its irony. Tigre, like most Beardies, behaved more like an stuffed animal brought to life than a predatory jungle cat.
I'm a devoted fan of this blog, and of your can-do/are-doing attitude towards dog travel, but I have to object to the idea of tossing a faux vest on Maggie and passing her off as a service dog. It's tempting, I know, especially when you're forced by a cruise line's rules to be away from her for a long trip, but it's wrong. It does a disservice to the owners of real service dogs -- who have a hard enough row to hoe with gaining acceptance and respect for their companion dogs, trained to perform important services and behave well in company -- to suggest that any dog can be pass as a service dog, and that that's an okay solution to a problem that really should instead be solved by finding a good pet care solution.
Posted by: Mary-Alice | 05/20/2012 at 10:25 PM
Not to worry. Our remark about dressing Maggie up in a vest and bringing her along as a service dog was tongue-in-cheek!
Posted by: Durant and Cheryl Imboden | 05/20/2012 at 10:29 PM
Well, now, that's a relief. It surely did seem out of character for you guys! (Mopping my brow.)
Posted by: Mary-Alice | 06/03/2012 at 06:09 PM