So You Think You Want a Shorthair?

by Patte of CheckSix ShorthairsSo, you saw Westminster and watched the GSP win Best in Show and now you think you want a Shorthair. Let's cut to the chase...they don't come in a package like you saw on T.V. any more than the ThighMaster hidden under your bed is going to give you thighs like Suzanne Somers. They start out as cute little puppies that turn into something akin to a teenager on speed.If (and it's a big "IF") you are lucky to get one well-bred that comes from stock, with health clearances, and has been socialized, you're still not ahead of the game. It doesn't mean they will be easy to train or live with it, it just means you won't be adding a new wing to your vet's existing office building.They are bright, creative clowns that are always one step ahead of you, enticing you to catch them, if you can. They can dismantle a room, rearrange your furniture and do some creative gardening in less than five seconds. Anything that moves or flits about is fair game and the quickest way to reach it is a straight line regardless if it is across the furniture or through your favorite flower bed. Anything left on the floor becomes theirs to be appropriately investigated via a good chewing or tug of war with whoever decides to pick up the other end, and one swift counter surf can take care of anything not previously found on the floor.They will eat anything that doesn't bite them first and, depending upon the circumstances, will either barf, fart or both, depending on who is there to witness. If you have small children, they will collide with them in ways that are beyond the imagination. Add another dog or cat to the equation and you have organized chaos.To add insult to injury they live longer than you have the energy to get the best of them, and in their golden years have you waiting on them hand and foot, catering to their every whim. Training them in any particular venue only adds to the excitement and increases the odds that a root canal without anesthesia is something you would to look forward to experiencing.