The Drentsche Patrijshond turned 80 this year. This four-legged friend is one of the two dog breeds, besides the Frisian Stabij, that have a Dutch province in the name. The Drentsche Party Dog bears the name of our province because the dogs have been kept purebred in the east of our country and in Drenthe. In April 1943, a so-called inspection day was held in Groningen. Twenty partridge dogs were inspected there. Six of the seven approved males belonged to a lineage of the Schuiling family. Every Drentsche Patrijshond is said to be descended from a partridge dog of the Schuiling tribe.
There is sad news in March when beekeeper Ben Trip opens his hive after winter. That is an exciting moment every year and the message is not good for Ben. Six of his fifteen cupboards appear empty. Trip fears that the animals have succumbed to a virus. He has been a beekeeper for more than 50 years, but has never experienced so much mortality before. “I don’t have tears in my eyes yet. If you open the hive and it is empty, that’s a shame. Not only for me, but also for the bees. They are insects, but they are also animals. belong to me. They are as important to me as my dog.”
Better news comes from the De Herik care location in Borger. There, the poodle Sibo regularly steals the show. People with dementia live at De Herik. King poodle Sibo is used there as a contact dog. These are important to the residents. Sibo creates happy moments for people, he tempts them to exercise more and to break through wandering behavior and sadness. This contact dog can also play a role in learning to understand and identify misunderstood behavior. So a big compliment to Sibo.
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