The Education of Anca Wood

This is a lazy cat who doesn't move much. When I went to play with Hermione, I met something called a cat. We were on opposite sides of a kennel run, so we couldn't touch each other. I didn’t really pay much attention to it, but now I’ve learned that there are two of them, (two!), living with us at the farm. How could this happen?  And what are they? They lurk in the shadows, sleep on the beds, play in my parents' drinks, and run when I approach. I’m not supposed to chase them, but that’s what I really want to do.  This cat is different. She wants to investigate everything. If I can’t chase them, then what good are they? They don’t want to play, but I think they would like to get me into trouble. They’re just there, waiting for me to make a mistake. I have lots more to learn about these creatures.

My first time in the pool. My trainer has a huge salt water pool with a deck around it. I’ve been swimming in it since I was eight or nine weeks old. I’m a strong swimmer and have always been able to swim across the pool and then back to the exit ramp and deck; that’s about 15 feet in each direction. Here I am with Navi and our trainer in her pool. Unlike the border collies and my sister Navi, however, I don’t love swimming yet. I basically swim to get to my mom who is outside the pool watching and laughing at me. My mom is threatening to take me to Paws to Swim in Richmond and introduce me to dock diving. Now this is my kind of pool.

With my pal Hermione. It’s been said that golden retrievers have to be taught that not all people are friends, while we German shepherds have to be taught that not all people are enemies. My mom believes this old saying, so she has been on a mission to socialize me with other humans and dogs too. I go to play group at my trainer’s house where there’s a carefully selected group of dogs – border collies, Jack Russells, golden doodles, golden retrievers, and Portuguese water dogs. We all have mostly similar play styles and get along well. Play style is important. We German shephers love to chase, chase, chase, body slam, and bite necks. It can look rough, but generally isn’t. The Jack Russell in the play group loves to run too and is so fast that no one ever catches her. Oh, how I wish I could. That girl can run like the wind. If anyone gets too rough, the golden retrievers break up that group. They’re the peace keepers. There are also plenty of very attentive humans to make sure that w...

Here I am at four months old, looking like a miniature German Shepherd I've been told that visits to the veterinary clinic are a necessary part of life -- immunizations, ear inspections, nail trimming, weight checks, and who knows what else.  I've been several times now, but all I can say is that my mom told me that if I couldn't say anything good not to say anything at all, so I'm not talking. 

My older sister, Navi, is in charge of the household. As I said earlier, Navi is my older German Shepherd sister. She’s almost five years old and somewhat dignified. Like me, she has an Eastern European heritage, but an entirely different personality. She’s reserved, cautious, and serious about being a guard dog. My parents don’t know it, but Navi runs the household. She’s aware of everything that’s happening and especially where our mom is all the time.  The first time I met Navi, I wanted to jump all over her and play. Well, she quickly let me know that there are rules about our time together.  First : Navi sleeps late and isn’t very communicative until after she’s had breakfast. Even then, she’s not interested in a full-on play session.  Second : Major play sessions are reserved for late in the day, generally after dinner when it’s slightly cooler outside. These sessions must follow a similar pattern every day. We both do play bows, indicating that we’re ready to rough...

The owner of the kennel where I was born is of Romanian descent and that’s reflected in my official registered name.  My parents thought it might be nice to honor that heritage and the fact that my canine parents are of Eastern European stock, so they researched Romanian names and made a short list that included Sorina, Illinca, Crina, and Anca. My mom’s first choice was Crina, which means lily, but after meeting me, my dad suggested that Anca would be a better choice. It means grace, which is lovely and girly, but has a strong, tough sound that suits my personality. It’s a sturdy name for a tough kid who has a soft side.