Lola: The Beginning

Our introduction to the Entlebucher Sennenhund happened just three years ago when our, then, fourteen year old daughter Alex asked if we could get a puppy. Our wonderful Bichon, Winnie, was nine years old and though totally sweet and cuddly (as she happily still is at twelve!), was starting to slow down a bit. She was less interested in games, and more interested in naps. Our daughter wanted a dog that she could train and would learn tricks. We weren't sold on this idea at all and stalled by telling her to do some research on the internet to find some breeds that interested her. One morning before school she showed me a web page that described the smallest of the Swiss Mountain Dogs, the Entle, as owners call their dogs for short. It's pronounced either ent-lay or en-till.

I started reading and was still reading by the time she came home! I called my husband at the office to ask if he had ever heard of this breed since he had owned two Bernese Mountain Dogs. He was just as baffled and curious as I was. By the end of the day I was completely hooked on a breed that I had never even heard of, and probably couldn't find if I tried. Alex, in typical teenage fashion, had already moved on and was saying "Mom, it was only a thought. How about a Chihuahua?".

By nighttime, I was emailing breeders from the NEMDA (National Entlebucher Mountain Dog Association) website to check on the availability of puppies. Due to the scarcity of these pups, and the reluctance of many breeders to ship, I imagined I would be flying somewhere far from Connecticut, if I was fortunate enough to find a puppy. I was wrong. By the next morning I had heard from a breeder in Connecticut and two days later, from a breeder in New Hampshire. One had a male puppy and the other a female. Both breeders were articulate, knowledgeable, and passionate about the breed and their dogs. Both puppies had impeccable pedigrees and health certifications.

Now, I just had to convince the breeders that WE were worthy of one of these pups! Ethical breeders spend a great deal of time trying to determine the best and most appropriate placement for their precious puppies. Where does the family live? What type of property or yard (or park) will be available to the dog for exercise and playtime? Are their other pets in the family? If there are children, how old are they? Where will the dog sleep? Will the puppy be taken to obedience classes? And on and on. I emailed photographs of our home and pets and described our family, in detail (not an easy thing to do with our family!) on the phone. When the breeders approved, I felt like we had just been accepted to an Ivy League university!

My husband, Alan, preferred a female and the litter in New Hampshire consisted of 5 girls. Both Mom "Kayla" and Dad "Arrow" were outstanding specimens of the breed, so we decided on one of their puppies. The breeder emailed us photographs of all the pups and in many conversations and emails, described the characteristics of each one, as their personalities and abilities emerged and evolved over the seven to eight weeks the pups needed to stay with their mom and be given early socialization with as many people, children, animals and situations as possible. We were simply bursting with anticipation until the day our Lola could come home. Our breeder gave us great advice on what to have on hand for the puppy, what kind of gates to buy to enclose our open kitchen, what the puppy was used to eating, and many more questions we had. A good breeder really cares about the puppies and their new families, is available to answer questions, welcomes progress reports (and photos!), and can be a great resource for information or where to find it.

On May 25, 2003, Lola ("Bliss of Monadnock") came home with us. Here's what she looked like.