Maequies de Lafayette
I'm going to talk about my dog, Lafayette. He is a four year old French Brittany. We got him at the end of summer 3 years ago from a breeder. French Brittany's are typically hunting dogs, when someone shoots a bird, French Brittany's run to get it (I think, my family doesn't hunt so I don't know much). The breeder has many French Brittany's that she uses as hunting dogs, but she also breeds house dogs. My parents had contacted her that summer to see about getting a puppy for Christmas. A few weeks after contacting the breeder my parents received a call from her. She said that she had a dog for us right now if we wanted one.
The dog was a one year housebroken male French Brittany. My dad was a little suspicious because why would she want to get rid of a dog that she said didn't have any issues. When he asked her the answer was simple: he was meant to be a hunting dog but didn't have the "hunting instinct", and she wanted to make her kennel smaller. I have no idea what the "hunting instinct" is but, I guess Lafayette doesn't have it. My dad went out to meet the dog to make sure he was nice (which he was) and he said that we would pick him up the next weekend. That next weekend, my parents told my brother Tobias and I that we were going to "get ice cream". What a lie, we never got our ice cream. Tobias and I had no idea whatsoever that we were getting a dog. We had never asked for a dog or any pets so we had both assumed we were going to be a pet free family.
Anyway, we pull up to the breeders house (at which point Tobias and I figured out we weren't going to get our ice cream) and go to the back yard. There was Lafayette, or Latosh as he was introduced to us. He was pretty calm, sniffed us a bit then sat down disinterested. Our parents told Tobias and I that we were getting a dog. I guess we were kinda exited and happy, it's not like asked for a dog. But, we weren't opposed to getting one either. When I asked about the dogs weird name the breeder said that for competitions dogs had to have a french name and begin with the letter of the year they were born (L for 2015, M for 2016, etc). When my family and I left we all said we didn't like the name "Latosh". Tobias who is really interested in history suggested the name "Lafayette", which also kept with tradition. Named after Maequies de Lafayette, the french general during the Revolutionary War. I also want to point out that Tobias is not into the musical Hamilton and got the name from the musical. He is just really into history.
After a few weeks of living with Lafayette it became pretty clear why his previous owner did not think he had what she called the "hunting instinct". Lafayette can't find anything. If you throw a treat at him and it doesn't land in his mouth he can't find it. Dogs are supposed to have really good noses but Lafayette can't smell a treat that is only one foot away. On walks Lafayette might not even notice a rabbit or squirrel. Another reason that my family and I could tell Lafayette was not fit to be a hunting dog is he is super lazy. Lafayette sleeps all day everyday. The only time that he has energy is on walks, he loves those. When not on walks Lafayette is sitting on the couch staring out a window. Around other dogs I don't know how to describe Lafayette's personality other then as aloof. Sure, when he meets a dog he will do the customary butt sniffs but while other dogs might keep sniffing or want to play, Lafayette will just stand there looking bored. Anther example is while some dogs might bark at other dogs if they see them on walks or by their house Lafayette will just stare and wonder why they are making so much noise.
I love my dog, he's really nice just also kinda weird.
The dog was a one year housebroken male French Brittany. My dad was a little suspicious because why would she want to get rid of a dog that she said didn't have any issues. When he asked her the answer was simple: he was meant to be a hunting dog but didn't have the "hunting instinct", and she wanted to make her kennel smaller. I have no idea what the "hunting instinct" is but, I guess Lafayette doesn't have it. My dad went out to meet the dog to make sure he was nice (which he was) and he said that we would pick him up the next weekend. That next weekend, my parents told my brother Tobias and I that we were going to "get ice cream". What a lie, we never got our ice cream. Tobias and I had no idea whatsoever that we were getting a dog. We had never asked for a dog or any pets so we had both assumed we were going to be a pet free family.
Anyway, we pull up to the breeders house (at which point Tobias and I figured out we weren't going to get our ice cream) and go to the back yard. There was Lafayette, or Latosh as he was introduced to us. He was pretty calm, sniffed us a bit then sat down disinterested. Our parents told Tobias and I that we were getting a dog. I guess we were kinda exited and happy, it's not like asked for a dog. But, we weren't opposed to getting one either. When I asked about the dogs weird name the breeder said that for competitions dogs had to have a french name and begin with the letter of the year they were born (L for 2015, M for 2016, etc). When my family and I left we all said we didn't like the name "Latosh". Tobias who is really interested in history suggested the name "Lafayette", which also kept with tradition. Named after Maequies de Lafayette, the french general during the Revolutionary War. I also want to point out that Tobias is not into the musical Hamilton and got the name from the musical. He is just really into history.
After a few weeks of living with Lafayette it became pretty clear why his previous owner did not think he had what she called the "hunting instinct". Lafayette can't find anything. If you throw a treat at him and it doesn't land in his mouth he can't find it. Dogs are supposed to have really good noses but Lafayette can't smell a treat that is only one foot away. On walks Lafayette might not even notice a rabbit or squirrel. Another reason that my family and I could tell Lafayette was not fit to be a hunting dog is he is super lazy. Lafayette sleeps all day everyday. The only time that he has energy is on walks, he loves those. When not on walks Lafayette is sitting on the couch staring out a window. Around other dogs I don't know how to describe Lafayette's personality other then as aloof. Sure, when he meets a dog he will do the customary butt sniffs but while other dogs might keep sniffing or want to play, Lafayette will just stand there looking bored. Anther example is while some dogs might bark at other dogs if they see them on walks or by their house Lafayette will just stare and wonder why they are making so much noise.
I love my dog, he's really nice just also kinda weird.
Your dog is so cute! I can't quite see him hunting birds though. I wonder if his siblings are all excellent hunter dogs now. Do you think dogs remember their siblings? Like if Lafayette met one of his siblings, would he know they're related?
ReplyDeleteI love your dog. You describe him as lazy, but I feel like he just has a really calm aura. I get very chill vibes from him. I wonder if it would have been possible to train that out of him. You say that the breeder said that he didn't have the hunting instinct, but I wonder if it would have been possible to train it into him. Like maybe it is possible but the breeder didn't think it was worth her time because she had a whole litter full of dogs with the instinct
ReplyDeleteLafayette is a very good dog. But every time you mention your dog I think of the time that he chased Annemarie around your whole house because she smelled like her own female dog who Lafayette was trying to /befriend./ I hope he has a lot of friends now.
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