If you’ve already been to the Manor, you have likely had a run in with Brennan and Bailey. These two little rambunctious critters are the unofficial ambassadors of Elm Creek Manor. They have been with us for years. Brennan is a Yorkie while Bailey is a Silky… they look like the same type of dog, and in fact they are close cousins, but technically a different breed.
Both breeds of Terrier were developed for the dual purpose of family pet and rodent destroyer. Yorkies came from England, and then were later brought to Australia where they were bred with Australian Terriers to produce a bit sturdier breed of dog as Aussie rodents were in general a bit sturdier breed of pest. If you’ve ever seen pictures of the gigantic Australian spiders, you know what I mean!
In the end the real importance of why we chose our lovable little imps is that they have a coat that is more like human hair than other dogs with a traditional fur type coat. This is important because as you obviously know, our home is an inn as well. It was important for us to choose a companion type that was both good in a country setting complete with squirrels, field mice, and other rodents that might get into the gardens, and also not be an issue for guests with dog allergies.
Because of the difference in coat type, the hair style doesn’t produce dog dander, and therefore is considered to be safe for those with allergies to dog dander. This is good for us because Brennan and Bailey (or “Bobs” for short) are both very friendly and social animals, and often, Brennan will follow guests around the property. It’s very common that we will be looking for him and a guest will pop out of a room petting or holding him as he soaks up the attention, and they always say he came right in with us! Though, he’s quite obedient, it’s never been an issue when someone tells him to “stay” at the door.
We’ve had Yorkies since my children were very small, and now 2 of them have their own families with their own Yorkies. The quirks of their personalities are really interesting because it’s such an intelligent breed. Brennan is obsessed with squirrels and balls, whereas Bobs couldn’t be bothered, as she is more dainty like a flower. My daughter has a son of hers, Comet, from a litter she once had, and he is as spoiled as it comes. My daughter told me that she takes him with her to Starbucks each morning and he gets a “puppachino”. He’s still not too stuck up to get dirty with her 3 kids, though.
