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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday October 20, 2007 - 3 Litter of rare Terrier pups a rare family treat By Krissie Rutherford OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF T he breeder in Ireland didn't believe the Kenny family when they called to tell him the news. Seven Glen of Imaal Terrier puppies were running around at their Oakville home. Their dogs Maggie and Seamus had produced the litter of pups. "The breeder said, `In Canada? No, that can't be it. It must be something else," said Selena, as six dogs raced around in her backyard. "That's how rare they are." So rare that the Kennys got a call from a couple in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who wanted a Glen of Imaal Terrier puppy ­ and they didn't even advertise in the United States. Now 10-weeks old, just two puppies haven't been spoken for ­ Orla and Finn. Two have gone to Mississauga families, two to Brampton and one will soon be heading to Michigan. Family members ­ Selena's brother and niece, Angela ­ took two of the dogs. "When they're born, they're usually gone like that. You can't find these dogs anywhere," Selena said. As she was talking, the phone rang. It was her husband, Eugene, to tell her he'd just received a call from a woman in Vancouver whose brother was interested in one of the dogs. That means, possibly, the litter is reduced to one. If you ask James and Aidan, that final dog should stay with their family. "They play with me a lot, and they lick you a lot," said eight-year-old Aidan, on a break from running around with the pups, who were playfighting in the yard. "It's fun to play with them because dogs are really interesting pets." Added James, 14, "They're part of the family. They're people dogs, and they're pretty smart." The Glen of Imaal Terrier comes from Wicklow, Ireland, and has been around since the 1700s. Despite the long history, fewer than 10 registered breeders exist in North America, with most of them in the United States. There are a handful of breeders in Ireland and Denmark, and that's it. "It's funny because when we take them for walks, people look at them and go, `What is that?'" Selena said. To promote the breed within Canada, the Kennys decided to breed Maggie, 3 and Seamus, 5, "just this once," Selena says. If you ask the family, the benefits of having a Glen of Imaal Terrier are many. They don't shed. They're strong, feisty, loyal and loving ­ not to mention the cute factor. "The look like teddy bears," said Selena. "They have a big head and these short little legs." PHOTOS BY LIESA KORTMANN / OAKVILLE BEAVER ALL IN THE FAMILY: For the past 10-weeks the Kenny family has been home for a litter of rare Glen of Imaal Terriers after they successfully bred their two family pets, Seamus and Maggie (right). Holding the remaining puppies from the litter are (left to right) Aidan, James and Selena Kenny. At right is Angela Harper, a relative who recently took a puppy home. Both she and Eugene grew up in Ireland, and Selena had a Glen of Imaal Terrier growing up, though her family didn't know it at the time. "Back then, we never knew what the dogs were because they're so rare," she said. "These are just awesome pets." The Kennys got Seamus from the only other breeder in Canada, and Maggie was shipped over from Ireland. Maggie gave birth to three puppies on Aug. 7, but there were more to come the next day. "I was kind of excited when I came home and we found out there were three puppies," said Aidan. "In the morning Maggie was howling and there were four more puppies." "For the first litter especially, it was big," added James. "We were expecting maybe four." Seven is a lot to handle on top of the two the Kennys already own. Since the dogs were moved from the pen, the action hasn't stopped. The backyard has become a race track. "All my plants are destroyed. They've eaten everything ­ but it's been fun," said Selena. "It's been quite the experience. "It can get pretty loud around here," she added, as the puppies raced around, wrestling with each other. "Can you imagine what it was like with seven?" But that being said, parting with each dog is difficult. "It'll be bad when they're all gone because then that's it," said James. "We'll really miss them." As for whether the Kennys will keep a puppy, that's still up in the air. "The boys are really working on me," said Selena, smiling. Anyone interested in a Glen of Imaal Terrier ­ if they're still available ­ should email eskenny@primus.ca. HOUNDED BY PAPARAZZI: One of the pups is a little camera shy. · Wood & Vinyl Shutters, Supplied & Installed · High Quality at Affordable Prices · Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed · Serving Oakville with Shop at Home Service Authorized Vinylbilt Dealer www.shuttersetc.ca Shop at Home Service FREE