A charmed life

Well, it has been a while since I last posted. Things have been going really well. T-Bone is growing by leaps and bounds. He is a bit small for a Kuvasz, but our vet assures us the new food he is on is designed to put weight on him slowly so as to not put too much strain on the joints! He is about 75lbs, and very FAST. One thing we have learned the hard way, if T-Bone gets bored - he gets destructive! I am at home these days on sick leave, and when i can't play with him as much as he likes he eats things. He quite likes anything wooden or toilet paper. Any kind of paper really. Since there is a small child in the house there are a lot of arts and crafts around, he likes those too. We are getting ready for a new baby in a couple of weeks, so we are very interested to see how Mr. T will react. He loves all children, and is really good with all people, except one person. We had to take T-Bone for an emergency vet visit when his eye started swelling up, well - T-Bone loves all the women at the Vet's office, I mean loves them. As soon as he sees them he lies down at their feet and waits for the petting to begin. This time we saw a new vet, he is about 6 ft 5 and 225 lbs. The biggest person T-Bone has ever seen. He went NUTS. Barking and protecting Addie and I. Apparently this has happened with this particular vet before and other dogs. He is quite the imposing figure indeed. Nonetheless, we left there with some eye cream and antihistimines and T-Bone's eye cleared up. We are thankful we have such a great vet! We are also thankful that T-Bone is a guard dog. Recently a relative of ours house was broken into and many things taken. We know T-Bone is wary of strangers (especially the squirrel kind), and likes to guard the house at all hours, so we are confident that this would never happen here.

We will be getting the Christmas tree this afternoon so we will see how that goes....

Mommy says no....

Hey mommy, look at that man just walking down the lane, can I go and bark at him.... mommy says "NO T-Bone". Hey mommy, that man who wants to pat me, he looks kinda of crazy, can I lunge at him and bark.... mommy say "No T-Bone". Hey mommy, that cyclist looks pretty suspicious, do you want me to chase him down and knock him off his bike..... mommy says " NO T-BONE DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT." Well, that was my weekend, a bunch of no's.

On the plus side, we found a new dog park to go to. It is off leash and it is gorgeous, fully fenced, walking trails, wood chipped play areas. I love it there. Word on the street has it that another Kuvasz frequents there. The other day a woman came up to my parents and said, what a beautiful Kuvasz you have. Needless to say, my parents were dumbfounded, nobody has ever recognized my breed before. We still haven't seen the other Kuv yet, but I know he will be back. I did get to run full out today, I have never run that fast before. I had to chase down the Weimaramer and Collie, I almost did it - man were they fast! All in all a very exhausting day. I need to rest up, tomorrow is my big graduation from obedience school. Fingers crossed!

BOOOOO!!!

My dad says this is the low point in my young life! He wonders how such a regal and majestic dog can be reduced to this. My mom thinks it is cute, me - well as long as there are treats I am game!

Nobody puts Baby (I mean T-Bone) in a corner...

Ok, so I haven't posted in a while because nothing new was happening. Last week we went back to obedience training and T-Bone decided he wanted to participate - he was really good. Did all the commands perfectly, and not just once (which has been the case previous weeks where he would do it once then lie down and just look at me) with regularity. The trainers thought perhaps a gentle leader would be a good idea given his size. (Currently 50lbs) Well, we did not have success the last time we used one, in fact he had found a way to get it off and chew it to pieces. People would tell me we didn't put it on correctly etc. Well, he was fitted for one last night at the beginning of class. BIG MISTAKE. Class was a write off. While the other dogs were walking and heeling in the circle T-Bone and I were asked to stand in the middle out of the other dogs way. Why you ask??? Well, seems Mr. T wouldn't participate whilst wearing the Gentle Leader, instead he was writhing around trying to get it off. I am not talking about just 5-10 minutes, no the ENTIRE hour was spent figuring out. Well 45 minutes after putting it on properly, he had found a way to get it off. He used his nail to unclip the strap underneath that tightens it and slip it off his face. He did this 2 times. The trainers were amazed, they have never seen a dog do that before. They suggested that if he knows how to do it, not once - but 2 times, he will likely just remove each time he puts it on. Kuvaszok are a smart dog. He knows how to undo the clip!!! WOW. Anyway, once he got it off he was not happy with me, he just sat and stared at me, with the expression of "how could you do that to me?" "That was not cool."

On a different note, we (I) have been having some problems with Mr.T's dominance with me. He really is showing no signs of it with Mike, but when I am sitting on the couch in the basement especially, he will bark at me, nip me etc. I was at a loss of what to do. Our trainer gave us a list of things to do for behaviour modification. They were all things we were already doing, fortunately the hubby has a PhD in Animal Learning. So I told our breeder - she suggested I pin him down and sit on him until he stops resisting, showing him I am boss. Well I told the trainers this and they said NEVER do that. It will make him more aggressive. So I mentioned it at the vet today, and they said the same things. Now I am at a loss!!!! Thoughts anyone???? Ok, he is being neutered today, hopefully that will help his behaviour at some point. Lately, he has been much better. He is slowly understanding I control the food, I control his access to outside, I control the crate etc. Perhaps we are at a turing point!

Training a Kuvasz

So last night was our first night of obedience school. I was the one to take T-Bone as he realizes already that Mike is the alpha in the family. Me, not so much - more like Zeta. I had VERY LOW expectations for the first visit, as the last couple of times he was around other dogs he was not very pleased. So to my surprise when we got to the building he was rather good. He wanted to see the other dogs, sniff them out, but was never aggressive towards any of them - he just wanted to play. It is so important with Kuvaszok that they are trained from an early age as they are a very independent breed. I found the class very interesting, we chose this obedience school because the trainers was familiar with the Kuvasz, and have trained them before. What did we learn.... We learned that T-Bone likes to intimidate the smaller dogs by sitting and staring at them until they bark. We also learned how to sit and stay, and heel with a loose lead. T-Bone KNOWS how to do all of these things, when the hubby is with him. With me, he was a bit more aloof. I think the having 15 dogs in the class was a distraction this week, but I think next week has promise. We have been doing our homework and he really gets it at home - let's see if that translates into a good puppy class! He also was very protective of me, when some of the dogs would come over to me for a sniff T-Bone would position himself right in front of me in full stance and would just STARE! It was kind of cool, once I would pet the other pooches and let T-Bone come over and meet them, he was good. Fingers crossed for the next class. We so want to be a good boy like Biggie!

Oh, T-Bone was also the biggest puppy in the class. At one point one of the other owners came over and asked if T-Bone was a dog. I am still curious what she thought he was. I also don't see how people can compare the Kuvasz with a labradoodle - there were 2 in the class and they looked NOTHING like T-Bone!

I am the king of the castle!

Guess we won't be eating at the table tonight!

Siblings

Yesterday Nanook posted how awful it can be to have a baby brother. Well, here is a short video of me and my BIG SISTER. Please, no one call the SPCA, we do love each other - really we do!!! I mean all I want to do is play with her, and deep, deep, deep down I think she wants to play with me - I am fairly certain about this. So, Pooka - I feel your pain! Let me introduce you to my siblings. The grey one is Paco, the brown one Sassy. Sassy is off limits, something about her being delicate, like a flower!

When I grow up...

I want to be a lap dog. I think I will excel. I was practicing a lot this weekend. I like it when my peeps sit on the floor, I just crawl right into their laps. They don't even notice (ok, maybe they do notice my 35lb frame trying to find that right spot), they just carry on with whatever they are doing. My mom thinks I look ridiculous all curled up in her lap, she secretly LOVES it.

I have been starting to mellow out. I have a routine now, I like routines. I know I get my breakfast at 7am followed by playtime with my dad, my lunch at noon followed by more playtime and my dinner at 6pm. Walkies, then chill! I have a good life. My mom's wish is that I would sit still for pictures. She always say, "why can't you sit still like Nanook and Pooka".

Here are a few shots that she took today, I am now 14 weeks old and people think I am getting huge.

12 week visit

So my peeps took me to Dr. Lori today for my check up and shots. Yes, a very large needle in my ass - no I didn't flinch. That is right, my dad says I must have a very high pain tolerance! Apparently I am in excellent physical form, could have saved them some money and told them that! Most importantly, I got my vaccinations so I can go and play in the doggie park. My mom is super excited about this, something about getting rid of energy. Apparently they are not used to a dog that doesn't sleep at all during the night. That is right, I stay awake the ENTIRE night, panting, playing with toys, contemplating the meaning of life. My mom is a really light sleeper so the panting is keeping her awake. WHATEVER. They don't get mad because I am not barking or being disruptive, I think they are just frustrated. So this week, while Mom is on vacation, they are trying to wear me out. Good luck people, I am 3 months old and full of energy, oh yeah - I am also a KUVASZ. So I don't really listen, or at least I selectively listen. My dad says I am really smart, and only pay attention when I want to. I can't be bothered with stupid human tricks. I do my perimeter checks, actively seek out Paco when she escapes into the backyard. I have now trapped her 4 times. My dad didn't believe my mom when she first told him I did this. I have done it 3 times since and he is amazed. It is kinda fun, stupid cat. Here are a few things my parents have learned since bringing me.

1. No one was lying when they said that the Kuvasz is independent. Seriously people, give me some space.

2. The Kuvasz coat is like no other. I can be black from dirt and with a quick brush and shake I am pure white again.

3. Kuvasz are born LIVESTOCK GUARDIAN DOGS. I am only 3 months old and I LOVE TO SERVE AND PROTECT!

So, that is about it. I now weigh 20lbs - double from my last visit. I have changed my food. Aunt Carrie wasn't happy with the kind I was on, and didn't want me on any crappy Proctor and Gamble animal testing food. So we found a suitable one!

In closing, the humans have bought a HALTI for me - see this post it sums it up. Thanks Biggie!

Mud

I discovered the most glorious thing last night - MUD. It poured rain for hours leaving the garden out back a complete mess. Mom and dad are working on the back, so everything is in chaos, so they didn't quite notice when I went in for a little dip. That is until I splashed around a bit! I did get to have my first bath, everyone also got to see how dirt, once dried, just falls off the Kuvasz coat! We are an awesome breed. Here is a tidbit of video of my mud romp. Biggie, have you had the pleasure of splashing around in mud. SO MUCH FUN! To most, diving in the mud is no big deal, my mom thinks IT IS because I am pure white. I quite liked the contrast of the white fur with dark brown mud. I thought I looked striking. Obviously my mom wasn't too concerned as she had time to run in and grab the camera.
My mom wants me to say that our backyard doesn't always look like that. They have been ripping up gardens and are putting in a new patio. Just means more adventures for me!

Pictures 9 - 10 weeks!

Lazy people

My people are lazy. I am just going to come out and say it. Especially the woman - she takes my picture over and over again, yet does nothing with them. People are going to start thinking they don't feed me and are ashamed. WHICH ISN'T TRUE. I eat like a horse. My food is gone in seconds, I love food. All kinds of food. Especially the little tiny pieces of kibble. Why so small? Oh wait, it is for the small fury beasts. The one's who like to take swipes at my perfect little face. The grey one especially, she comes close like she wants to play. So I do what any good dog would do, I chase her and chat with her - what do I get in return, a swat in the face and a growl. How friendly is that. She learned her lesson though. She may kick ass in the house, but outside is my domain. Do you want to know how helpful I am??? Well, I was outside to do my perimeter check when I noticed the small grey beast escape out the back door. I know for a fact the grey thing is not allowed outside. How did respond you ask. Well, first I barked to alert the people that she was outside, then I ran over to her and pinned her under my front paws. She didn't make a peep. No, she wasn't dead - she was stunned. The feline was not harmed in this exercize, but she should know if she is going to try to escape I will always be there! Plan foiled stupid furry beast. Now the other furry beast. My mom calls her Sassy. I think she must be some kind of royalty, because I am not even allowed near her. My mom protects her like she is some kind of special food. Ok, I admit she is rather spectacular looking. I never need to worry about her going outside, and needing to trap her - apparently she is afraid of wind. Something about her fur blowing freaks her out. Anyway, no real altercations with her. She stays away from me and although I try to play with her, I learn quickly that play cannot interfere with napping or grooming. Whatever. I did give my mom a heart attack the other day. They trapped me in that horrible crate for ONE WHOLE HOUR, and when she came home to walk me and feed me I showed her what I thought of that. Innocently enough the mom let me into my backyard kingdom, like any other day. Well this was not like any other day. No, there was a very suspicious looking Robin flying around the backyard. Me in my infinite wisdom automatically knew this Robin was danger. So I went sprinting out into the backyard, lept into the air and caught said Robin - pinning it to the ground. The mother came screaming out from the house, T-BONE NO. What do you mean NO? I am saving you mom. Apparently, the bird was harmless. I released the bird, and was immediately taken into the house. After about 20 minutes I was allowed back out, the Robin recovered and flew away.

Sleep.....

EDITORS COMMENTS:

Ok, so I admit I had VERY high expectations for this puppy. Very unrealistic expectations. We were spoiled when we brought our daughter home from the hospital. She slept through the night after a couple of weeks, we had to wake her for feedings. For some reason I thought this would happen with the puppy. Not so much. The first night we put T-Bone in the crate in the basement. We (Manny) was up every 2 hours to let him out. It was the first night, we understood. This happened for almost a week, we were at a loss we couldn't function anymore because of the lack of sleep! So, on the advice of a fellow Kuvasz owner (shout Biggie's Mom), we moved the crate into our bedroom. WOW, that night he slept 6 hours straight, got up to go pee, then back down for another 2 hours. It was the most glorious night of sleep ever. Second night, same thing. Last night. 7 hours! I can't even go 7 hours at night without having to pee!!! We figure, because T-Bone is a livestock guardian dog, he wants to protect, well he can't protect us if he can't see us! So fingers crossed this move upstairs will mean sleep.

On another note, he is growing tall. My sister came up this weekend and said he is thin, he is thin. Unfortunately for the past week he has had the runs, poor guy. So Saturday he was on rice all day, he didn't care for that. Today Manny dropped a sample off at Dr. Lori's to make sure there aren't any parasites there. If not, looks like it is probably the food!!!

T-BONE:

Hey folks, been at my new home for over a week now. Things are pretty good. They have two cats that love to play with me. I chase them as much as I can, hey - the one is overweight she can stand to lose a few with some chases. There seems to be a lot of rules. No jumping on the little people, no biting, no peeing in the house. It is not a problem, I have pretty much figured out what is allowed and what is not allowed. For instance, I am allowed to sleep in the crappy garden out back, but NOT ALLOWED in rock garden. What is up with that? Once the people moved my crate upstairs there has been an understanding. I won't bark my face off if you give me that yummy peanut butter. I love my peanut butter. My mom took some pictures of me yesterday to show how I have grown. She will post them soon so everyone can see what a stud I am.

The first couple of days....

Well, the little man is home! We met the breeder at a garage just by the airport, she was taking one of the other pups to the airport for a flight to Grand Prairie, so we didn't have to make the 2 hour trek each way to go pick him up! When we pulled into the garage, there was T-bone running around in the grass. He is absolutely adorable, and unbelievably mellow. We are so pleased with his temperment. We brought him home, he met the feline's of the house. That went a lot better than I had expected. They eyed him, he stared at them - then he wanted to play. So now, everytime he sees them he jumps and runs toward them, they do not care for this and hiss and run away. This does NOT deter him, he has finally overcome his fear of the stairs - he fell down them on the first day - and chases the cats wherever they go! We do set limits though, if they go hide under the bed that means they don't want to play so we tell T-Bone to simmer down a bit.

Crate training:

T-Bone did NOT enjoy his first night in the crate. He was howling and barking for hours on end. I think we actually got 2 hours sleep total that night. It was not pretty. Manny (Man-Nanny) has been sleeping on the couch with him for the past couple of nights, while he no longer freaks out he is still up every 2 - 3 hours. My sister tells me it is not forever. Please be right Carrie!

Vet Visit:

Had our first visit with Dr. Lori yesterday, and she said he is going to be a big boy! The whole clinic was taken by his cuteness, duh - of course they were. He looks like a fluffy baby polar bear. What is not to like! He starts his sentinel today, we are apprehensive as sister said Revolution good, Sentinel bad. So we are confused!

Training:

He has sit down pat! He is really good at it, and definitely a fast learner. The best thing to see is T-Bone with the child. He follows her everywhere. When he jumps on her, she firmly says NO and grabs his paws and puts him down. He will sit and look at her with his cute puppy eyes, then they both go off and play. Very cute. Manny has started the clicker training and leash training, it is going well. The only thing that is a bit troubling is that he doesn't seem to be really food motivated, he takes the treat but doesn't freak out for them.

Yucky Stuff:

Last night was a bit scary. He started vomitting and had diarrhea and was quite lethargic. I called my sister who said it could be Parvo. So as the good little researcher that I am, I did a quick search to find out Parvo is the puppy killer. He seems much more perky today, had a good run this morning and his movements are more firm. Manny is at home with him today ready to take him to the vet if need be! Hopefully he is ok. He did manage to chase Paco around the entire house this morning, much to Paco's dislike. Although, I secretly think Paco loves T-Bone. Sassy, not so much. She will walk the entire perimeter of a room just to avoid him!

Did I mention it is really FREAKING hot here. Whenever we go out, we basically sit under the trees in the backyard and T-Bone will take his place under the Hosta's.

We did get to see some of the guardian instincts kick in the other day. The child was in the basement playing, Manny was showering and I was in the living room - so T-Bone positioned himself in the dining room so he could see all the ways his people would be coming from. It was cool. The same happened when we were outside, he would reposition himself so he could see us at all times.

Well, that is about it for now.

2 weeks and 1 day

2 weeks and 1 day is all we have to wait untill the new baby arrives. The house is a flurry of anticipation. Do we have everything, no - but we will. Are we ready for sleep deprivation??? Of course we are, we have a 4 year old, we know what it is like not to sleep, how difficult can it be....

We visited with the puppies last weekend, and tentatively chose the puppy for us. Our breeder likes to wait until about 7 weeks before making the final decision of which puppy goes where. Since our puppy will be our family pet, not a show dog or a stud - well of course he will be a stud - he just won't flaunt it like other dogs, we are not picky as to pigmentation etc. So we will wait to see what she says. For now, the puppy in the picture is our T-bone, and he has pink pads not black - he is still a stud though!

I have wanted a dog for a very long time, I think he will be a great addition to our family. We are really fortunate in that we have met such a great breeder, and I have come into contact with some more Kuvasz owners (shout out to Biggie), so we really look forward to the challenge of a kuvasz. For those who don't know what a Kuvasz is, click here.

Editors note: the Kuvasz is NOT A LABRADOODLE. That is an insult to the Kuvasz, sorry to any labradoodle owners - I mean no offence!