Rosie (by Prime Time Focus Host Alyne Ellis)

I grew up with a cocker. Her name was Teetza and ever since then those drooping ears and eyes that pool with warmth and love have drawn me in like a magnet. Rosie is our fourth cocker, the others were American. She’s our first English cocker. She’s a dog with total devotion and a dog with a mind to do her own thing which she does with relish. Somehow she manages both opposites quite well, probably because she has trained us to behave.

One non-negotiable item as far as Rosie is concerned is food. I’m sure, and I don’t need an x-ray to prove it to me, that inside this little dog is a big pig. She’s got the human head motions down to demand what she wants – a jerk to the right; that means ”go get it.” We do. But when occasionally that doesn’t work, she has a mini whiny bark kind of thing she does to express displeasure. We always get going THEN and her sheltered life remains complete.

Some say cockers act like cats and Rosie definitely does. She sits on radiators, looks out windows, and climbs on the backs of sofas for a better view. We are undisciplined dog owners. What can I say, with Rosie and her buddy Tobie, a golden retriever, there’s lots of activity and you can always count on a warm greeting at any time, even when the kitchen is definitely closed for the night.

I'll be talking more about Rosie on Prime Time Focus soon. Do you have a special dog you'd like to tell me about?