| DIGGERS TALE My real name is TRAPWOOD FIGUERO of SURFSIDE and I
was born over 13 years ago. I have been the boss at this small farm in the middle of rural Anglesey, North Wales for over 11 1/2 years now and have seen quite a few changes and all sorts of different animals and poultry! I was not too keen on the peacock who kept showing off his fine feathers, stamping his feet, and standing on top of the barn at a certain time of year and making those terrible noises that could be heard quite a few miles away. My Mum had to put up with quite a few jokes about him. I used to have a super companion called Belinda, who was my friend for over 10 years, but she died last year, along with her daughter Comfrey. We were all terribly sad then, and even now a year later we still think of them with a lot of happy memories. My Mum and Dad made me have a little operation so that I would not be driven to frenzy at certain times of the year, but it only cooled my ardour slightly! The Elizabethan collar that the vet made me wear after the operation made a lot of people laugh, but I didn't think it was funny, cause I used to bump into things, especially doorways !
I don't go on long walks with her, but I do potter on up the field with her, to make sure that she doesn`t get into too much mischief !
I have also lost my hearing now, but Mum uses hand signals whenever she can ! Also my back legs are weakening with age and the joints with arthritis, but Mum rubs Comfrey Oil in the stiff areas and the massage certainly seems to help. I can still bark though and am renowned for my TURBO BARKING especially when I am not getting any attention and my Mum is either playing on her computer or trying to speak on the telephone. I suppose on the whole I am not in bad shape for an old codger! Till the next time - keep the faith. Bouvies of the world unite! Love from Digger. 10th May 1998. EDITOR'S NOTE: Rowena Mansfield lives on the Island of Anglesey, North Wales in theUK. She raises medicinal herbs. As she says, she & her husband have been "owned" by Bouviers for about 15 years. There are two British Bouvier Clubs; neither has email but their addresses & phone numbers are listed for anyone interested. There are many Bouvier owners here in this country but because of
our very strict quarantine rules, only those who can afford it can import new breeding
stock into the country. This, of course, means that many lines are inter-related.
(Any dogs imported have to stay in special quarantine places for 6months.) Many folks have
their bouvs as pets or burglar deterrents! I would think that the majority do not show
them.
Bouvier des Flandres Club of Great Britain (Registered.with Kennel Club) |
I am a
dark brindle Bouvier des Flandres. I have been called DIGGER for so long that I have
forgotten how I came by that name, but I am sure you probably have some idea !
I have a
new companion now, a blonde hussy who is very forward and keeps kissing me ! She really
has kept me going this last year when I was about to give up.
My Mum is
keeping an eye on my weight now that I am not so agile, so I have two smaller meals
instead of one main one. I still love eating fruit and vegetables and make a nuisance of
myself when Mum is peeling the veg. The carrots especially I love.