BACK TO BARK ISLAND

Shadow had not been on the beach since April. We were turned away in September and finally in November we got to the sand. A lot of people (and dogs) remembered this gray weimaraner and remarked how much he'd grown and how his temperment had improved. Shadow was there to frolic and he spent the first 30 minutes running from one end of the beach to the other. It felt so good to see him loose and with other dogs.

On this trip, Shadow felt perfectly at home running out into the water. During past visits, he was timid and would rarely go deeper than one inch deep water. Today he followed his friend Digby into the water and it was no big deal. I think the time we'd spent in the Weeki Wachi River had paid off. Shadow is beginning to grow into his "Water dog" heritage.

There was a silver Weimaraner at the beach, today. Shadow and he said hello but after playing together for only a few minutes, they each went to meet other dogs. I'd guess that there were 60 dogs there at the beach today.

On Little Cats Paws

Mom and I had gone out to dinner with Shadow guarding the household in our absence. We came back, got Mom settled and comfortable and I took Shadow out for his business. He was aware of someone or something out there in the dark. He didn't bark but rather "pointed". His body was straight and elongated, his nose pointing out into the darkness and his right front leg bent. He looked over to me as if to ask, "Don't you see (smell) it?". Their senses are so much more powerful, that if you let them, dogs will definitely extend your range. But no, I didn't see it but was glad he did.

We came back inside to my room after checking on Mom. She was fine and sitting happily in her recliner. Because the heat has abated, I left the bedroom window open. Shadow and I were there together and he kept looking towards the window. The room was very quiet. Shadow makes very little noise. I heard this very faint chomping noise. I looked at Shadow to see if he perhaps was gnawing on a leather bone in his crate. He wasn't. He was sitting virtually at my feet staring at the window ad then looking back at me. He was telling me something was going on. Now, HE knew what it was, but I didn't.

I quietly picked up a powerful flashlight and moved to the window. I shined the light downwards out the window and saw a very contented kitty munching away at Shadow's food dish. He hadn't quite finished all his supper and kitty was going to town. Kitty had a collar on, and looked up at the light source and kept eating.
I went outside, picked up the dish and kitty looked up, meowed his thanks and sauntered away.

The mystery guest was unmasked.

THE FAMILY GATHERS

Shadow got to meet his extended family this week. The occasion was the 90th birthday celebration of Virginia Wentzel, the matriarch of the Wentzel Family. Day by day, last week, people would arrive in the household and Shadow was a very well behaved puppy. One evening, the day before the celebration, there were ten folks for dinner and he was cordial and enthusiastic to each guest. Several were from the Kroeker family and they carried the scent of "Ruby" a chocolate lab of 12 years who lives in Massachusetts. Anyone with a "dog smell" is infinitely more interesting than those without, but Shadow is way too polite to mention the omission.

The party for the birthday was celebrated at the Plantation Inn, specifically (in the Savannah Room), but alas, dogs are not permitted at this picturesque hotel in Crystal River, Florida. So he stayed home to guard the house. I had a young woman come visit him for an hour during the hours we all went north, so he wasn't too lonely. She is a dog person, too and he had a good time in our absence.

One our of guests presented Shadow with a 12 inch (and three pound) marrow bone and that kept him fascinated. Shadow is a beautiful looking dog and everyone who meets him usually finds a gift for him.

A BREAK IN THE HEAT

The notorious summer heat in Florida took a break the last few days and I have been able to get the dog more exercise than just a walk. In the high humidity, the heat seems intensified and a walk is all I want to put Shadow through.

We had a fall morning where the outside air temperature was positively delightful and Shadow seemed more animated than usual. When he saw me roll up the garage door and wheel out the scooter, he was a happy dog. When we began, he pulled at the leash harder then ever. He was ready to run. He kept looking back at me to say "com'on, can't you keep up?" I ran the scooter at full bore and puppy was running faster than it goes. What is going to happen when he grows bigger?

Today, I used my bicycle to exercise him, it had to be in the high sixties and chilly enough for me to wear a hoody. If it were any cooler, I'd of put on a pair of gloves. Shadow was quite happy in his fur coat and tossed off the temperature as if it were nothing. I pedaled as fast as I could, but he was out front the whole way

THE VET THEN THE POUND

Yesterday Shadow needed to get his next rabies shot. Time had really flown by since my tiny little puppy had gotten his shots. Today he weighed in at 70 pounds and was the happiest dog at the vet. Dr. McCoy remembered my dog and his name. I was impressed. The business at the vet was handled pretty quickly and we got the desired rabies vaccination certificate in our paws and were off to the County Animal office. I paid the annual $30 fee and got his new tag. Shadow was the only dog in the lobby and he behaved. Two clerks looked at the dog, then at each other and said, "You are not here to give him up are you?" "NO", I said, "Why do you ask?"

Another "Blue" weimaraner had just been "dropped off" at the pound. The lady said she just couldn't take care of him any more. Well, Shadow and I just had to see this dog so we followed the Animal Control guy through a series of winding turns and a maze of corridors to the dog's cell. Now in my mind, when like breeds see each other they should show recognition and familiarity. Not so in the canine world. The jail cell held the mirror image of my dog. He was about the same size, the identical color of dark gray and had ghostly yellow eyes. These two could have been litter mates.

The differences broke my heart. Where my dog is a little thin because he gets to work out, this guy was down right skinny from not being fed. I put him on a leash and wanted to examine him more closely. The control guy was amazed while I went through a check list with this dog. I believe his name was Skye. In addition to being malnourished, he desperately needed a bath and some medical attention. He had a few lesions on his snout and a few sore spots on his body; he winced as I examined him. My heart went out to this beautiful dog.

I asked what the procedure was for adopting a dog in Hernando County. The guy said the fee would be $60 and I was thinking that maybe I could make a case for doggy rescue until I heard the next constraint: All adopted dogs in this county must be neutered. That wasn't acceptable to me. I MAY have to eventually have Shadow fixed, but we aren't at that decision point yet. I wouldn't want SKYE cut right off the bat. But then again, to see such a beautiful animal neglected was painful. It was so obvious what love, affection and proper care does for a pet. Shadow was healthy and brimming with vigor. Skye was dismal looking. Part of his dismay was being rejected by his former owner, maybe. I don't know how long the previous owner had kept Skye, but to send him to dog jail was sad.

I had a lot on my mind as I drove back home and I gave Shadow an extra squeeze though he didn't realize just how much more I loved him after seeing the effect of neglect and abandonment. I hope I can always take care of Shadow with love.

MORE BONES

I had some time to kill while my Mom was being tortured at the dentist, so I drove to several stores out of my immediate neighborhood in search of more and larger beef bones. I tried a Sweetbay market but their butcher said we only sell what the warehouse delivers and we don't think our customers want large cow bones. Hmmmm, who can argue with logic like that? On to the next store. It was a Publix in Brooksville and these guys were in tune with their customers wants and needs. "Big Bones for dogs? Yeah, we have quite a selection, hold on, I'll bring out a tray for you to choose". Now that's the ticket. I love it when someone understands the premise. The customer IS always right and if you cater to him, he'll come back.

The tray was full of packs of large beef bones and one package jumped right off the tray and into my basket. I knew Shadow would enjoy these. Two of them even had a little beef still attached. I thanked the butcher profusely and he said to stop by anytime, he keeps the bones in stock. His older clientele use them to make soup and the younger folks keep their dogs happy. I know where to go when I want to get Shadow a treat.

After his evening meal, I brought one of the bones to my dog and he could smell it on its way to him. When I came out the side door of the garage, he began jumping high in the air and yelping. He doesn't hide his emotions and I am gratified to reward him. Shadow deserves all the goodness that comes his way. He is a happy creature and he shares that happiness with everyone around him.

The Big Dig

They had to dig up the side yard to put in a new septic drain field. Shadow was positive it was for his personal amusement. A huge hole! and full of new smells. I asked the workers if they would like the puppy to help. They said thanks but, no thanks. (And please keep the dog out of the hole; he could tear off the protective covering on the plastic and make the side walls uneven for the inspector.

So we walked all around the big dig and Shadow got his nose full of fresh new dirt smells. He was amazing to watch. He could smell every little nuance of this hole in the ground.

Bath Day

Shadow likes to be preened. When he gets physical attention, he poses; and no where is this more evident than when he gets a bath. Because he lives and sleeps in his crate located in my bedroom, he doesn't become a smelly 'ole dog. Shadow is a clean dog. When he wallows in the sand and mud at the dog park or even in the back yard, he gets a bath. In the winter time, he gets his bath in the bath tub inside the house. During the hot summer months, his bath is outdoors.

No matter where the bath takes place, Shadow seems to enjoy it. When I first began bathing him last fall, it was chilly outside so the bathtub was the place. I first tried just bringing him in the shower with me. He didn't care for it and neither of us got very clean. There was the noise of the shower, the soap flying all over and he wanted out! The next effort involved bringing a longer hose down from the shower head and bathe him in the tub by himself. I purchased a twenty dollar shower head that had the ability to switch from the head to a hose using a valve. It leaked and the hose wasn't long enough but it gave me an idea.

I got a hose that had a rubber bulb that fastened over the bathroom sink faucet. I added four feet of hose to it and was able to deliver a warm spray of water that was quiet. The shower wand was easy and gentle and he had no qualms getting wet. Now when I call him into the bath room, he is eager to leap right into the tub and look eagerly to the cleansing experience.

During the bath, itself, Shadow is funny to watch. It is almost as if he offers parts of his body to be washed. When i reach for one of his legs, he holds it up in the air and doesn't put it back down until I say "okay". He did have an infection in his paws a few months ago, so when I wash his feet, I especially check between his toes. He likes the attention.

I don't spray water into his eyes, but I get his entire head wet and soapy. His ears get soap on the outside and olive oil on the inside (after the mites are removed with cotton swabs).

Someone had told me that a good dog shampoo for frequent baths is Dawn liquid detergent. It doesn't dry out his fur and it does have some ingredient that kills fleas. So, since it seems to work, that's what we use. Then he gets his monthly flea treatment just in case and he is good to go. He has already seen that he gets a lot more affection and love when he is clean.

At the end of the bath, he gets dried off with big fluffy towels. He is easy to dry because his fur is short. He loves the drying process because every part of his body is dried off and he then gets posted to the grass on the front yard for a final drying by the warm Florida sun. Shadow and I both like his baths.

Marrow Bone

I stopped by the local Publix Grocery store to get my poor dog a bone. But when I got there, the bone shelf was bare and so the puppy got none. Actually, It was the third Publix I had checked for bones and usually the one I stopped by last always had a large selection. Today, the butcher's response was the same as at the other stores, "The warehouse only sent sent cut up bones." I was not liking that answer. After going back and forth a few times, he said, "Wait a second, I think I saw one knuckle bone back there on a platter of small cuts." He went back into the cavern and came back with a good size bone.

I thought it would do fine. After dinner I gave Shadow the bone. He was jumping up and down; he could smell the meat still attached to the bone. I put the bone in his dish and he snatched it up so fast. He acted like he'd never been fed. He turned it over and over like a kid with a favorite Christmas present. Then the noshing began. Shadow kept occupied with that rascal for a solid hour. He was a happy puppy and I like to see him content.

I always try to get him a large bone because I am afraid he'll try to swallow a small bone whole and choke on it. No, he never gets chicken, lamb or pork bones. Those jaws of his would crunch them to splinters and terrorize his stomach. Nope, Beef is what he gets and they seem to suit him just fine.

Thunder and Ligntning

I was watching the storm clouds roll in as i was grilling our steaks for dinner. There was far off thunder that was coming closer. I was thinking that tonight's meat was going to be medium rare. Good thing we like it that way. And just after I brought the meat and grilled corn-on-the-cob into the kitchen, the lightning began moving in, too. Ka Boom! Mom and I had dinner with the celestial fireworks right utside the big picture window. The rain just poured down without remorse.
We could smell the ozone from the electrical discharge.

Dinner was delicious and the rain made it taste even better. Mom asked where I was going to feed the dog. She couldn't imagine me making him eat outside where he usually does.

Once I cleared the table after dessert, the rain quit as abruptly as it had started. I went to the back patio to fetch Shadow's dinner bowl. Just as I went outside, a huge lightning bolt struck a quarter mile away. It was a huge flash of light and an incredible boom. Now as a rule, I love these displays, but I don't want to be a crisp. And I certainly don't want the pooch to get zapped either.

I quickly retrieved the bowl and got his dinner and water bowl filled up and put into the garage. I led him out there and he looked like he felt he was being punished. He doesn't get the cause and effect yet. I explained in a calm voice that I didn't want to have him struck by lightning, but all he knew was he had to be banished to the garage. Sure, the food was out there, but he is such a social creature, he wants to with us all the time. Four legs eats outside, two legs eats insides, that's the way it is, Shadow.

Don't Bite the Hand that gives you treats

Shadow must learn that while he may feel like a ravenous wolf, when taking something tasteful from a humans hand, he must be gentle. Mom was feeding him a few potato chips and he lunged at her hand like he hadn't eaten in months and snatched the chip. I am finding that when I offer his an ice cube, apparently a luxury to him, he grabs it away suddenly, like he is stealing it.

Maybe its cute to watch (when its not YOUR hand) but I can see where he scares his benefactor. I personally don't feel any fear at all; we straightened out the "Big dog/little dog thing" months ago. I don't hurt him and he associates me with his daily meals, so I believe I'm safe (and bigger).

I do try to socialize him at meal times. When he gobbles his first several mouth fulls, I pet him and tell him he is a good dog and to eat his dinner. He is NOT a reluctant or picky eater, I love his enthusiasm, its been great to watch him grow from a small puppy to a healthy and strong dog. When we go for a run, he is pulling me as fast as he can. Soon, he'll be even bigger and stronger. He has such a love of life; he gives me paws to remember how blessed my life is. We both have grown closer over this past year. He came into my life in October last year. I've enjoyed all of it. I sure hope he would say the same

He gets a little relief

Shadow was not really limping, he went for a run at full tilt and scampered around the yard in between rain storms. But something wasn't right. I had a feeling.

Jeanie came over for a visit this Sunday and brought her daughter and a friend along. The girls are about 8 years old and they like to see Shadow. We took him out back and he was happy to have new playmates. The girls were shrieking and laughing as they played fetch with the dog. I was watching him closely as sometimes he roughhouses a bit much. But something was off, so i decided to take a closer look. His right hind paw was a little pink, so I started there.

I picked up his paw and spread his toe pads open. And there I found two cockle burrs. They must have been quite painful, he surrendered his paw to me and didn't squirm or say a word as I got them out. They didn't leave a mark and hadn't broken the skin but he was visibly relieved when they were removed. His play with the girls resumed and he seemed less excitable.

Once he learns to talk, he can tell me where it hurts.

Turned away at the Gate

Today is the first Saturday of September and Pine Island over on the gulf opens its doors and welcomes dogs to its beach. The last visit Shadow had to "Bark Island" was last April. I was looking forward to seeing how he would fare since he has had lots of exposure to swimming over the spring and summer.

But, alas, two girls were standing at the entrance of the parking lot and they weren't smiling. "No Bark Island, today!" the plump one said with an evil look on her face. The skinny girl was not as happy at our disappointment. Shadow was dancing around in his travel crate and could smell the water; he was eager! I questioned them for a few minutes and they gave me a flier for the rest of the winter's open dates. I could do nothing further so we left and headed back to the mainland.

We dropped by the dog park on the way home so at least the little guy could get in an un-harnessed run. There weren't many dogs or people because it was hot and humid. Shadow didn't care and off he went; it was good to see all that pent up energy get spent. But what we didn't know was that Mr. MacNasty was at the park that morning. There was a dark colored pit bull that kept jumping up on me. I asked the dog nicely to get down and quit it. He persisted. I had to use a stern "NO, Get DOWN" before he quit. Then he went over and started terrorizing a beautiful golden retriever.

The lady was upset as the pit kept harassing her golden. The owner of the pit bull wandered over and suggested the lady take her dog and leave the park. His dog was clearly the trouble maker, but he was telling her to leave. She kept telling him that HIS dog had started the ruckus and they should leave, instead. His retort was "that's the way big dogs play and if you don't like it, go home." Both he and his dog were bullies. The lady and her dog retreated to the parking lot and I noticed her making a cell phone call.

Within 5 minutes a park police guy showed up in his patrol car. He and the lady conferred and she pointed to the sign on the fence and then to the guy and his dog inside the fence. The policeman went into the dog park and talked to the man and asked that he and his dog step out of the big dog yard.

I wasn't snooping but curious as I overheard the cop saying "This is the third complaint about you and your dog. I want you to read the sign on the fence about aggressive dogs." The man read the sign and started sputtering that the golden retriever attacked his pit. As he said that, all the other patrons began laughing at the absurdity of that statement. The man blushed at his lie and snapped the leash on his dog and made his way to his truck.

All of the sudden, even though the dark cloud had moved on, it wasn't fun to be there any more that morning. I gathered Shadow up and we got in the car and drove off. I had heard about this guy more than a few times and I remembered the old homily about how dogs resemble their owners. There was a clear cut example right in front of my face.

I'm feeling more comfortable in the water

For my birthday, my master bought me a swim vest. It is bright yellow and he teased me when he told me that yellow is the alligators favorite color. At first, it felt a little uncomfortable. When he first put it on me it was inside the house to take a picture and the nylon felt warm against my fur. But he didn't make me wear it very long. The next time he put it on me was over at Jeanie's house before we went in the pool. It was awkward at first, it just felt funny. But I trust what ever my master does for me and after I swam around a little in the pool, I could see it helped me float without struggling. And I like looking stylish! Master's wet suit is almost the same color as my gear, so we match! I like that.

The next time we went on the river, I wore my vest again and it really helped. Most of the river is shallow and I can walk on the bottom but every once in a while, my paws don't touch the bottom and this pretty vest holds me up. We were drifting down river and he wasn't even paddling and I wasn't doggy paddling either. The river just carried us along.

Exercise

The dog knew what was up as the garage door rumbled open. Shadow has learned what some of my actions imply. When I walked over to the little scooter and wheeled it outside, he began quivering all over like a wiggle worm. Once I put the "short leash" to his collar, he started to hop up and down, leaping for joy. And the final clue, as I started the tiny gas engine sent him pulling me out of the driveway. He was raring to go! I think it is safe to say he loves these excursions!

We live on a quiet street in a quiet town. It is safe to roll down the streets while scooting the dog. I even asked an attractive police lady if the city had any restrictions against small powered vehicles and she laughed. Just from a safety standpoint, she cautioned me to be vigilant around blind curves. As there is one not too far away, I heed her advice.

I ride against traffic so I can see what is coming. Most every driver here in Central Florida is respectful of his neighbors and give the dog and I a wide berth. Most of the time we are on empty streets. The heat keeps most folk indoors.

But Shadow loves to run. He wants to go faster than the little scooter goes. He gallops next to me like a miniature horse. Occasionally, he will trot when we roll up to a cross street. He doesn't "know" what a stop sign means yet, but just out of habit, he slows his run down. The other indicator is that I back off of the throttle and the noise of the engine diminishes. He picked up on that early on.

When I want him to run on the grass instead of the pavement, I extend my left arm and gently tug. He complies and is happy to dash over a lawn. He actually accelerates when his paws feel grass. I guess his claws get more traction. And I have noticed he prefers a well trimmed lawn; if the grass is too high, he'll move back onto the street. My dog knows what he likes.

I came home frome the hospital.

My spider bite was treated at the hospital very aggressively and I checked myself out of the facility yesterday afternoon. When I opened the door at home, there was this loud, booming barking dog at the doorway. Shadow was there to see who was coming into the household. He was protecting his hearth.

When he realized it was me, he began his "happy dance" and let me know he was glad I was back. My sister, Sally, regaled me his episodes while I was away. Twice he got loose in the backyard and ran to visit all the neighbors; apparently, he had broken his nylon collar. The stitching had given way. His second "escape" he had slipped out of the collar but when Sally went outside to bring him out of the heat, he was sitting calmly on the sand pile (his regular spot) and eagerly came inside when she told him. Sally has "RUBY", a chocolate lab up in Massachusetts and Shadow could smell the dog all over her, DOGS KNOW DOG PEOPLE.

Ten minutes after I had returned home, we had another visitor and Shadow began barking again. As soon as he realized it was Sheila, he quit the noise and ran over to her for her petting. Sheila, too has dogs at home and she is Shadow's friend, too.

While I heal, I hope he heels

I am away from Shadow for the first time since I got him. I wonder how he is doing. My sister is in to take care of the household while I am at the hospital and she is feeding him and getting him outside.

I am in Oak Hill Hospital being given IV antibiotics to combat an infection from a spider bite. It looks nasty. Although after 3 IV treatments, I see a gradual lessening of the redness around the wound itself. I was told that it is not MERSA, which apparently is a drug resistant infection. For that I am thankful. When the doctor came to look at the problem, he didn't seem alarmed and ordered a series of tests to see the extent of the injury.

I miss my dog. This afternoon, I called home and got a pooch update. Sally put the phone to Shadow's ear and I said hi to him. I would love to have seen his face. I didn't expect him to say much because he is a very quiet dog. Still, a "woof" would have been nice.

This post is made from room 431 B, Oak Hill Hospital, Florida. This is my first visit to a hospital as a patient, in all my years, I've only visited friends in hospitals. I'm afraid I am not a very good patient, but I did bring this laptop, a mini DVD player (with 10 movies) a video camera, and my cell phone; I don't travel lightly, ever.

There will be a paws in this blog

I was bitten by a spider and am taking treatment for a bad infection. The stories will continue when I can stop elevating my ankle. Sorry for the delay.

DOG FIGHT

Yesterday it was only overcast and not raining. The cloud cover kept the temperature a little lower and for middle of summer in Florida, it was pleasant outside. Lets go to the dog park, Shadow. I'm not sure if he recognizes the word "GO" or "DOG PARK" but he began his "happy dance". I gathered up the necessary "stuff" and off we went. It is a seven minute ride and as we get closer, he is getting excited; turning all which ways inside his travel crate.

When we arrived, the "Big Dog" area was deserted. Shadow took off running and covered the entire perimeter (two hundred yards square) in fifteen minutes. He hadn't been to the park for a while so I just let him run. It was great to watch him gallop around like a miniature horse. I could hear the beat of his paws on the hard packed sand and grass. He was loving it.

His friend Digby, a beautiful golden retriever came to the park and the two of them went to town, playing hard at once. The girl bringing Digby was a nice oriental lady who I'd seen a few times but I asked her her name as I don't think I'd ever known it. Her name is Kahm pronounced (Come).

A few minutes more and five or six more dogs arrived with their owners. There was a pair of Huskies who arrived and they were litter mates. The larger male seemed very protective of the smaller female. Shadow tussled with both of them off and on and other dogs as well. I sat on the picnic table talking to the owner of the huskies and we commented that it was nice to socialize our dogs to new friends.

All of a sudden, the growling no longer sounded playful. Where in the past, Shadow would show signs of submission and desist, that was not the case, today. The husky was biting and snarling and attempting to inflict damage and I did see a little blood. I couldn't see whose blood it was. Steve reached in to grab his dogs collar but he missed and got Shadow's instead. Shadow merely flicked his head and laid Steve's hand open. We got the dogs separated and the blood washed off, but Steve was going to need stitches. He said it was his fault reaching into a snarl, but I still felt bad. We took him over to the water fountain and cleaned the blood off of the combatants. Shadow had a tiny (half inch) cut on his right ear, but blood on his muzzle. I washed it off his mouth and saw no more cuts. The larger husky calmed down and there were only a few nips on him. All in all, we don't think they were engaged in mortal combat because ten minutes later they were friends again.

The possible explanation was that the bigger dog felt Shadow was threatening his smaller, female sister, I'll ask Shadow when he becomes more expressive.

Rainy Day Project

Today was torrential down pour day. We were only able to sneak outside for short minutes between the cloud bursts. Shadow sat out in the patio room and stared out the windows as the rain poured down. The thunder and lightning was spectacular. The weather on TV said the storm seemed to be stalled right over Spring Hill and the dog and I could be called in as witnesses to attest to that.

I had a small sewing job and a rainy day is perfect for indoor projects. The puppy is happy to be in proximity to me. He followed me from room to room as I gathered the elements for the task at hand. I was making a sun proof cover for the spare tire on the new boat trailer. Apparently the intense sunshine eats tires and dry rots them. A cover is a pretty simple thing to make and will keep the tires useful longer.

In the garage I found a piece of sunbrella fabric in nautical blue and cut the required amount. There was a channel already sewn in the fabric that I pushed a dowel through to carry a pull cord. All this while, the dog is sitting and watching intently. As I cut the extra cord away, it dropped to the floor. He looked at me and I said, "Okay". He lunged at that fourteen inch piece of cord like his life depended on it. "Hey! A new chew TOY!" So while I finished sewing the tire cover, he played with a small piece of cordage.

When we finished in the sewing room, he proudly carried his new acquisition through the house to his crate. He gnawed on that cord for an hour, forsaking much larger bones already in his area. Someday, once I teach him to talk, I'm going to ask him what was so fascinating about that little piece of cord?

Ugly Chest

We were just in from the heat this afternoon and I had Shadow "sit"; then he sat up into "sit pretty". I noticed a whole new patch of inflamed fur. He had red blotches over a large area of his chest. I led him into the bathroom and had him lay on his back with his paws in the air.

Normally, he likes this as it means a belly rub will soon be happening. I patted him a few times, but my main goal was to get the lotion over the distressed area. He was calm and patient and I was thankful for that. I think the weather has a role in his "hot spots" so I'll be keeping him in except for the mornings when the heat and humidity are a little bit less.

He saw me working on my new boat trailer and was trying to leap up into the trailer while I was doing a task. I calmed him down and had him lay down in the shade but within minutes I was soaking wet and ready to go back inside. We adjourned to the cool bedroom and I filled up his water bowl and included a half a dozen ice cubes. He loves crunching on them and it helps cool him off. I had a glass of ice water.

Crossed Paws

My last dog, Chance used to cross his paws on a regular basis. I thought that was unique, but as I asked around to dog owners, it was a trait common to dogs. It was just new to me.

The morning Shadow arrived, he lay down on his doggy bed and crossed his paws at once. I had to take his picture and though he was tired from his long trip, he put up with this new giant flashing a bright light in his face. It didn't stop him from falling fast asleep. He was such a beautiful little pup laying there. I was happy at his arrival.

Now, about nine months later, he is much larger and self assured. It is learning time. And one of his new commands is "Cross Paws" for the verbal and a my crossed wrists as a visual cue. He hasn't got it yet, but I can see his little brain churning to figure out what I want. At this point, the commands he absolutely knows are few. He will respond both verbally and visually to Sit, Down, Come, Go in your house, Get in the car/van/boat. He is having a little difficulty with "Stay" as do most puppies I've worked with. Their attention span is short when they are young and the new commands will be learned over time through repitition.

We have many small lizards running in our yard. Shadow is beginning to notice them. When we go out the front door he is still on a leash; I don't want him running to the neighbor's trash bins and finding chicken bones. I keep him on a retractable leash and if I am going to be working on something, I'll snap his leash somewhere close to my task. He likes the proximity. He is beginning to stalk the lizards. Basically, he ignored them for months, but now they hold his fascination; he will "point" at them and slowly inch towards them, totally intent on their every move. He hasn't caught one yet, but I'm sure he will eventually.

Shadow has all his canine instincts intact. One evening as I was taking him out, he charged towards something. He made no sound and there was a huge whoosh as a creature rushed to a tree and climbed very fast. Shadow tried to follow but tree climbing is not a dog skill yet. Turned out to be a huge raccoon. The guy was easily three times Shadow's size but in the animal kingdom, the players know their roles. I ran inside my house for a camera but by the time I got back, the coon was thirty five feet up and hiding behind the leavers and branches. I shined a flash light upwards and all I could see was the light reflecting from his eyes. No picture that night. The whole time, Shadow's attention was on his prey and didn't make a sound. I wondered about that.

The daily run

Shadow likes to run. No, not just like every other pooch; this guy is high energy and runs faster than I want to go. Yeah, sure, I need the exercise, too. But what we do is a very fast twenty two minute run. I have a GO-PED, basically a motorized skateboard. I have a short leash in my left hand and the throttle in my right. We start off with Shadow trotting like a race horse. As the scooter warms up we pick up the pace. He is invariably out ahead of me pulling me even faster. When he was smaller, I could almost keep him in check; but now, at seventy-five pounds, he pulls me. In south Florida we are in full on summer (simmer) and it is hot and humid. I kind of wondered last winter what Shadow would do vis-a-vis the hot pavement. Simple. I am facing traffic in the left hand lane and he runs on the grass. It is not nearly as hot as the street and there are every so many more smells. He runs like a bloodhound with his nose down low getting every scent.

He knows we slow down as we cross streets, but when his feet hit the grass again, off we go. I'm guessing we are moving along at eighteen to twenty-five miles per hour. And this is continuous for the whole session. You are probably thinking that I am getting nothing in the way of exercise out of "the running of the puppy", but the benefit for me is a foot massage. I am standing upright on the platform of this
device and as it rumbles along on the pavement, it is vibrating my feet.

I am diabetic (type two - pills) and my feet need help. This daily massage while I run the pooch makes my feet feel better. My neighbors all wave and smile as the two of us scoot past their houses, they probably think I am either lazy or nuts, or both.
The dog loves the run; it helps my poor feet.

Onward down the street!

Just a small car crash

We had a crisis the other night! I looked in the frig and WE WERE OUT OF WATERMELON! Lordy, Lordy, What ARE we gonna do? I hooked Shadow's leash to the rear bumper of the car and prepared to leave the driveway. NOT! I opened the the side door and asked him to jump up into his car crate. He loves to go for a ride and eagerly hopped aboard.

Off we went to the local market.

I used to let Shadow ride up front in the passenger seat but that wasn't a good idea for two reasons. He would lick and sniff all the windows in the car and I was continually cleaning his nose and tongue prints off the glass. The other thing was that there are a lot of "oldsters" driving here in Florida and every once in a while they would brake or change lanes with no signal or no apparent reason. I thought I had learned by now (after living in this small town to take extra care) to watch more closely. But because, every now and then I'd have to tap my brakes suddenly, Shadow would fall off his perch and get tossed around. I decided he would be better off in a traveling crate in the back seat. I found the perfect size and he got used to it quickly. Turns out it was a safe thing for him.

Leaving the market parking lot, I had to cross the oncoming lane and wait in the median lane to proceed back home. I looked left, then I looked right to make sure my intended lane was clear. I accelerated to about fifteen miles an hour and was quite surprised to feel and hear something impact the passenger side of my car.
I had not seen the car that hit me. I don't know if the car lights were off or it was traveling at an excessive speed, but BAM! We had a collision.

Both of us were still able to drive our cars so we pulled into a parking lot on the right side of the road and got out to exchange information. Before I went over to the lady's car, I wanted to check my dog. I went around the car and saw the long scrape where her car had impacted mine. The car door to Shadow's side was bent a little bit and it took some muscle to pry it open. I opened his crate and he hopped out. I had him stay still until I checked each of his legs and neck. Shadow likes to be touched and petted and he stayed in place as I checked him out. There were no areas where he was tender and he was wagging his tail so I let him stay on his leash outside the car. It was a hot summer evening and I had to go talk to the lady I had the accident with.

She seemed a little disoriented, but was able to walk around. I called the police and she and I waited for them to arrive. During the wait, we checked out her car to see if her drive wheels could still turn right and left. There was no scraping so her car was still drivable. I asked her several times if she wanted me to call an ambulance but she didn't want one. I was glad both of us were okay as well as the dog.

The County Sherrif who arrived to cover the accident took our licenses, registration and insurance cards and a statement from each of us and went back to her cruiser to write up the report. She mentioned this was her first incident since coming on duty that night and she was glad the accident didn't involve any injuries. I could empathize with her; it is probably very discouraging to see continual carnage on the streets and highways.

Shadow, even though he was an eyewitness, had nothing more to contribute than "woof". I was glad that he was not an excitable dog. He was calm throughout the entire time.

The officer came back over gave our papers back to us and a copy of the police report. She could not have been more polite, helpful and efficient. I was thinking by contrast how the police in Los Angeles would have handled a similar incident; they would not even had shown up. We would have had to go to the local station to get a report in a few days or a week. When this officer gave us our paperwork, she said, "Go ahead and call to your insurance companies tomorrow, drive safely and have a nice evening. Nice dog!" She drove off and I came home with a scratched car, a safe puppy AND an unbroken watermelon. Thank you, Jesus!

How was I named, Daddy?

Well, pup, in essence, you named yourself. After you arrived here from Georgia, you were a little disoriented. So, we just called you "puppy" or "here boy". After you got over the trip trauma and realized you were going to be watered and fed on a regular basis, you began to settle in. About the third or forth night, at two-thirty in the morning, I took you out for a potty break. Your tail started wagging quickly and you were dancing around on the grass; something had gotten your attention.

I kept an eye on you at the end of your tiny "puppy" leash and just watched and waited. You gave out with a few yelps and sniffed at the ground. But there wasn't anything there. You kept working it and I finally got an idea of what you were so interested in: your shadow from the moon. That was pretty funny, It was quite possible that you had never seen a shadow at night before, but it was a full moon that night and you were intrigued with your own shadow. Hmmmm, an idea was forming in my mind.

Now, if this had been the 60's or 70's, you might have ended up with the handle "Moon Shadow", but I couldn't call you that. Remembrances of Woodstock notwithstanding, I just wouldn't do that to you. So, from that night forward, you became "Shadow".

Word spread quickly, my friends had all suggested names for you but I held off until you did something specific (like chasing your night shadow). I had tentatively thought "BLUE STEEL" might become your name. In the pictures Donna sent, you were a dark gray "blue" and your stance was so strong, Blue Steel might have worked. I would NOT have named you "Wiggles", you can rest assured. When I look back at your first pictures, you were a tired little guy and I tried to assure you you would like your new home. When I look at you now, you are a happy dog, Shadow!

How now, Big gray Dog?

Where did Shadow come from? Well, it was quite an odyssey. My former Weimaraner was named Chance and he was big and healthy. He hovered between 110 pounds and 120 and even the vet would say, "No, he's not overweight, he's just BIG" I like big dogs and I love the Weimaraner breed. When it was time to find a new dog, I decided I wanted to raise a puppy to maturity because I didn't have the opportunity with Chance.

I began contacting Weimaraner breeders all over the United States. I was looking for a "blue" male from big stock. I wanted to see pictures of the pair that had my puppy to hopefully get any idea of how big he might become. There were quite a number of responses from everywhere.

The was a breeder in South Dakota and another in Idaho that caught my eye. There wasn't any breeder that was due with new pups in Florida. As a matter of fact, I was rudely rebuffed by a lady in the Miami area. When I asked about a "blue", she got all excited and said. "Nobody wants blues, they don't conform (to show standards). They are a worthless dog". Well, to my way of thinking, every dog has a purpose, large or small, gray, brown, white, black and every variation. She and I didn't agree so I ended that call as gently as I could and kept looking.

In Georgia, I found a delightful lady, Donna, of Donna's Darlings. She was great to work with and had just what I was looking for. The puppy was eight weeks old at the time and ready to go to a new home. His sire and dam were big dogs and "blues". He already seemed large in the puppy pictures she sent. Actually, she sent me a number of pictures of several dogs, but mine communicated directly to me by his gaze in his photo.

The next task was to get the dog from Georgia to Florida. I had a friend who was going to be returning to Florida from North Carolina and agreed to pick up my new puppy and drive him to me. I did not want to put the puppy on an airplane and subject him to additional stress. It was going to be tough enough to be separated from the only home he had known up to that point.

The problem started snarling up trying to pin my friend down as to when he would actually leave. It was one thing after another for almost three and a half weeks. Donna was very good about keeping my dog while we waited for transportation. Finally my friend tore himself away and started south. I had already paid for the puppy so it was a matter of picking up the paperwork and driving him to me. I guess puppy was expected to be really tiny; when you say "puppy", you imagine this tiny ball of fur and my buddy had brought a very small animal carrier for the dog to travel in.

Low and behold, the puppy was twelve weeks old when my friend showed up. The little crate was too small by far. Maybe a shoehorn (probably a crowbar) would have crammed the dog in, but that idea was quickly forgotten. The dog was placed in a nice travel van and the first thing he did was throw up all over my friend. What a great beginning! So my friend cleaned up the mess as well as he could and off they went.

It was a ten hour trip down to my place in Florida and the duo arrived at six in the morning. My buddy went to bed right away; he was tired. My pooch was mostly thirsty so I laid out food and water. I was surprised how big he was. Of course, I had to document his arrival so I'm afraid I took quite a few "Welcome home" pictures. Finally he curled up on his dog bed and was fast asleep. He began snoring, but was such a cute puppy, he was forgiven at once. (My buddy snored out on the porch where he was sleeping and I've NEVER forgiven him).

One of the stipulations of the health guarantee for the puppy was to get him checked at a vet within a week of his arrival. We did that a couple of days later and puppy was quite a hit with all the vet technicians. He weighed in at nineteen pounds and was pronounced healthy.

At this point, the dog had no name. I let my animals name themselves. How he got his name is a story for another time.

If you have any interest in a Weimaraner, here is a phone number to Donna's Darlings: 706-376-4315. They are located in Canon, Georgia. About six months after I had gotten Shadow, a phone call came out of nowhere asking me if I would comment on the transaction of buying my dog from Donna's Darlings. I'm afraid I talked that poor man's ear off. I went on and on extolling the virtues of the breeder. I hope he realized I was NOT a shill and was honest in my accolades.

Dog ate my homework

We all remember the old cliche excuse "The dog ate my homework". Well, Shadow has taken it a step further, "The dog ate my church pew". He could not have munched on it BEFORE I painted it, no, it had to be fixed and painted to be extra tasty. Now, don't get the idea he is starved for chew toys. He has bones, real and fabricated, a frog chew toy with TWO different squeakers in it.

And not just the pew, Shadow figures if it is within reach, it is meant to be chewed. He's also chewed the end of a sawhorse and an umbrella stand I've made. So, I went and found a product you spray on things you don't want chewed. At first, I thought he was attracted to the bitter taste, but then I watched him pull away with the bad taste in his mouth. But since we have been enjoying torrential rain here in Central Florida, the bitter apple taste gets washed off and a new application is necessary.

Another fun application of a dog's life is to DIG! Whether it is the scent of long lost bones, or just wanting to dig down to the cool, damp sand, Shadow loves to dig. And it does NOT matter where. He has dug his way under the fence to visit the neighbor dogs ( and half strangled himself in the process.) Neighbor had to come over and alert me to the attempted escape. He had just enough leash to turn around and dig his way back. I have been thinking about burying 18 inches of chicken wire below the fence to ward off traffic from either direction; but that chore will have to wait until the summer heat has abated. But since TO DOG IS TO DIG! I'll just accept it.

Visiting Neighbors

This morning I was in the middle of house work when I could hear Shadow and some other dogs barking in my back yard. There is a fence at the edge of our property and on the other side of it live three dogs. Once in a while, they bark hello to Shadow and of course he answers back. The sounds of their barks were closer than usual so I looked out my window to see the third guy digging his way under that fence to join his fellow escapees.

I like it when Shadow interacts with other dogs. He seemed happy for their company. They took turns sniffing and of course while one of them was sniffing, the others had to go sample Shadow's food. Hmmmmm, pretty good! They are older, long haired dogs and their temperment was friendly. They were slow either because they were all three, older dogs or because the morning was very warm. The dogs' owner was looking over the fence at his buddies playing with my dog. I just waved and yelled over to him, it was alright with me but he wanted his pooches back.

He called out to them and one at a time, they went to the fence and wiggled their way back under the fence into their own yard. The guy then spread several bags of mulch through the open spaces. On my side, I had raked leaves to the bottom of the fence, but that was hardly an impediment to their freedom.

The yard quieted down and Shadow trotted back up onto the cool cement in the shade where he could maintain his vigil over the back yard. Good Dog!

Tenderfoot

Yesterday, as we were getting ready for pool time, I noticed Shadow limping on his right front paw. I looked closely at it and it was pink, puffy and swollen. Ouch!

We did our water work and the cool water helped the swelling a little. I called my friend Lee and she jumped on the internet and diagnosed fungus. Yikes! I took Shadow into the bathroom and he gingerly got into the tub. He knows bath time in the tub and he likes it. But this wasn't a bath, it was a foot soak in Betadyne, a concentrated iodine solution. The water in the plastic pan was not warm because I wanted to help the swelling, not make it worse. If I had a swelling on some part of me, I'd use an ice pack, dog wouldn't really care for that.

I thoroughly cleaned all four paws and saw a pinkness starting on the other three as well. Shadow was very patient and allowed me to clean his feet. I gently dried them and let him out of the tub to stand on a clean, dry towel.

I had bought an aerosol powered spray. I sprayed each foot in turn and then massaged the powder in between his toes. He never winced or showed discomfort (and he didn't bite me, either). Thank you, dog. I did not want him to lick the powder off the paws but he didn't start doing that. I didn't have a "conehead" to put over his head to prevent the licking, but maybe the stuff tasted so awful, he desisted.

This morning, as I took him out, He must have felt some relief, he was bounding around the grass and running through the yard. Upon examination of his tender feet, the swelling was noticeably down and I have to thank Dr. Lee for her suggestions. I applied more spray and he took the application without flinching. Good Dog!

WATER WAYS 3 Vest Test

We finally got to go back to Jeanie's pool and try out the new swim vest. After a few minutes to get used to the added floatation, I could tell how much calmer Shadow was in the water. Yes, this was only his third session, but I could tell when he entered the water it was not a reluctant dog stepping into the pool. I was so glad to see him willingly swim around. He would swim to the side of the pool and then push off and turn to come towards me. He did this multiple times without any voice command from me. He also came towards me with me using only hand signals. Shadow swam over to the steps while I was fooling around with my dive mask. He climbed a few steps and I guess he thought we we finished. No, Dog, we have a few more things to learn. I called him back into the water. He made a short leap and DOVE into the pool. I'd like to see more of this in the future. We have all sorts of things he's got to learn, but I am patient and happy with his progress. He's doing fine.

Shadow looks great in his new, yellow life west. One of the buckles came unfastened and I had to call him over to the steps while I adjusted it. I thought it was sort of odd that he cruised through the water at an angle. Once the buckle was fastened and snugged up, Shadow floated horizontally and was much more at ease. The vest did its job. I even got him to just float there without moving his paws and he looked over at me as if to say. "Hey, this is neat!" (What he was really thinking is anybody's guess)

I thought I'd get away with wearing only a tee shirt instead of my wet suit top. Within two minutes, Shadow had scratched me on my right fore arm and a good welt across my lower chest. I think I'll go back to the wet suit just for the protection from his claws. He's not hurting me on purpose; he has no knowledge of his claws as a weapon.

Jeanie shot an overview of Shadow and I working but I need to learn video editing on the computer before I post more than the most elementary video bits. I hope you enjoy watching the puppy learn his water ways. I'm sure enjoying it; he is eager and willing (and he waits patiently while I dry off first; humans get the first use of the towel).

THE DOG PARK

Spring Hill, Florida recently opened a dog park where dogs may run free without a leash and meet other dogs (and owners). There are three areas for the dogs - a Big dog area, a Small dog area and a Working dog area. A wise degree of separation, in my opinion. I recently came to Florida from Los Angeles and I visited four different dog parks there in the Los Angeles basin out of ten that I had heard of. We frequented the one off Laurel Canyon, the most. By contrast, Ventura County, California had NO leash law and dogs were allowed to run and swim at the beaches. It was an hour drive north but the joy of seeing the dogs running and playing in the surf was worth it.

Here in Hernando County, Florida, the choices are much fewer. However, I am quite happy there is a place where Shadow can run free. He needs to run. He is a growing dog and I want him to exercise as often as possible. He has encountered the same Golden Retriever, Digby on several occasions and they play quite fiercely. Some of the owners watch in dismay as these two go at it, but its all in fun. Digby is bigger, but Shadow is quite capable and takes the initiative to instigate the rough housing. Then, as they tire out, they will scratch in the cool sand and rest right next together like the greatest of friends.

I'm glad Shadow gets some social interaction with other canines, sometimes, we humans must seem SO boring with our puny ability to smell and hear. Sometimes, I think the major advantage a human has over a dog is the ability to manipulate a can opener.

Bones, BIG BONES

When "Uncle"Terry visited here last November, he and I visited the pet section of a store and they had what looked like dinosaur bones for dogs. Terry said, "I'm gonna get that one for Shadow". The bone was BIGGER than the dog!

The bone was presented to this furry little creature and he wasn't sure what to do with it. It sure smelled good to him cause he pounced on it, but it was too big to carry. Shadow would drag it all over the yard then gnaw on it for hours. It was his favorite chew toy by far. It was fun to watch the puppy as he grew. He actually grew into the bone. Two months later, he was able to carry the bone a little easier. It still needed to be carried all around the house. I imagined back to caveman days with the first domesticated wolves deriving food and shelter, such as it was, from the early humans. Now, obviously, I am several steps ahead of a caveman (depending on who you ask) but I am able to provide creature comforts for my puppy like a digital camera, air conditioning, a roof from the rain and several varieties of food. Yes, Shadow is nothing more than an ancient creature who enjoys modern comforts.

Every now and again, when we're out on a walk, he will stop and "nose" the air. He is a thousand times more aware of whats around us. He has no fear at all, Weimaraners are intrepid. I like a dog by my side because he extends my range. Humans are at the top of the food chain by intellect alone. Naked and without tools or weapons, we aren't all that much of a challenge to tigers, for example. My little dog inspires fear in the largest of lions. I do have to balance his puppy curiosity against the known dangers. My dog has never seen an alligator (yet). I don't know if he would have an instinctual fear of them. Because we will be going where harmful creatures exist, I hope my brain and his nose and hearing will make us a team.

There was a story I'm following online about Florida. Recently its been discovered that python (snakes) have been breeding rapidly in the swamps. It is estimated that perhaps hundreds of thousands of the Burmese pythons are around. It is theorized that some escaped from pet stores or were released by owners that couldn't handle their huge pets. Open season has been declared and several have been caught, but several caught against an exploding population is something to consider. So far, the stories are from several hundred miles away. There was a sidebar of a python eating an alligator. That would have been a sight to see (from a distance, thru binoculars).

Rainy Day

I put Shadow on his line so he could go run around the yard this morning; standard daily procedure. He pokes his nose into all the good sniffing places and does his business. I went back inside and did the breakfast dishes. Mom is nocturnal and goes back to bed right after each meal.

Since I had a few minutes to myself before I took Shadow for a run along side my bike, I jumped on the computer and caught up with the email traffic. Its like going fishing online, you never know what will turn up.

I was concentrating pretty hard when I heard this very low whining. It was puppy down underneath my window asking to come in. There was a torrential down pour I was completely oblivious to and the poor little dog was getting wet, not drenched, but just wanted out of the rain. I couldn't think of where my umbrella was so I went out the garage door to fetch the pooch ignoring the deluge. He was hugging the house under the eaves to stay out of the most of it, but when I appeared, he quit whining and started jumping up and down in joy at being rescued from the rain.

I brought him into the garage, grabbed a doggy towel and began a rubdown. he immediately went into "statue mode". This dog loves attention, whether he is being dried after a bath, medicine is being applied or any activity that involves grooming. This guy is a short haired dog and needs little more than a bath and flea treatment. I usually inspect his claws and invariably they are smooth. Running on the concrete keeps them trimmed. He likes the attention and is very accommodating; he lifts his legs to be dried or inspected. He will take a quick sniff to see if there are any stray crumbs hanging about my face, but no, dog, I use a napkin; but thanks for checking.

Once he is dry we go back into my room and he curls up in his crate, his eyes watching my every move. He knows as soon as it is dry we'll be out and about and he'll nap until then.

Water Ways 2

At Jeanie's pool, Shadow got the introduction to water as something other than to drink. He wore a harness so i could assist him in learning. Twice during the process, his head went under the water and I pulled him back up at once. He seemed neither terrified or elated, just determined. He'd cheat though. He stand up on his back legs and splash around with his front ones. I cured him of that by leading him into deeper water. I have had friends encourage me to just toss a dog into deep water and let them "sink or swim". Well, dogs could probably figure out what to do and doggy paddle, but I don't teach that way. I don't want the process to be traumatic.

We spent a while in the water until he seemed confident then left the water. I determined that since we will be boating a lot together, I'll get him a swim vest for his birthday.

Water Ways

Shadow has been gradually introduced to water. We have one beach in Hernando County, Florida. It is called Pine Island; it is nothing like the beaches in California where there were ferocious waves and currents. No, Pine Island is rather docile.

On the first Saturday of the month, Pine Island changes its name to "BARK ISLAND" and for five American dollars, my dog may romp in the sand and water for two hours, from eight AM until ten AM. This process only is allowed from September to April. This year, 2009 in October, Bark Island will be the first and third Saturdays, again from eight to ten.

Last September, I introduced Shadow to the Ocean (well, to the Gulf of Mexico) and the first thing he did was take a drink. The water is slightly brackish as an underground spring flows into many rivers and subsequently into the gulf. So the water isn't full on salty or completely fresh. I watched to see if Shadow would follow the other dogs into deeper water and swim. Nope he went in about three inches deep. Didn't seem to care one way or the other. He was only five months old at the time and everything was new to him. Month by month, I'd take him to Bark Island but he didn't turn aquatic.

He loved the freedom on the beach. He and all the other dogs could run free of leashes for two hours. I'd watch as he'd gallop up and down the beach and meet and greet all the other pooches. He liked the time we spent.

Recently I decided it was time to begin formal water training. I took Shadow to Jeanie's pool a few minutes from the house. He wore a harness but no floatation.
Florida is very warm, but I wore a wetsuit to keep his claws from scratching me. Although I was very hot, all I'd have to do was dunk under the water and cool off.
Our first water trial was photographed and videoed. I was trying out a new underwater camera the size of a cell phone (in a plexiglass housing). The results were interesting. I'll post both the pictures and the videos from time to time.

Beginning water ways

Weimaraners have webbed feet so in theory they are water dogs. The last weim I had needed to be introduced to water and so it goes with Shadow. He has been in a swimming pool once and in a very clear river once. He did well both times but I want him conversant and even eager when we get to water. He did well on the little jon boat we went out on. He did not show any fear and did seem curious at all the new "river smells". He sat in a manner that suggested he was cool and comfortable. He is a trusting soul and I hope he knows that I won't endanger him. Is that an alligator over there? (Just kidding!)

I was told by the locals here in Florida that right now is Alligator Mating Season. How special. But gators don't tend to hang out in fast moving rivers. They want to be in the back waters. I shall apply the same rule about gators that I do as a diver about sharks: The only rule about ferocious creatures is THERE ARE NO RULES! So we shall keep a vigilant eye for anything that could be harmful. Don't want Shadow to become gator bait. So then the question arises - why did I buy Shadow a bright yellow swim vest? Easy answer - so he'll look good in pictures. Everybody knows that alligators don't see bright yellow all that well. What? That's their favorite color? Ladies and gentlemen, I have been misinformed!

Next time we get to water, either pool or river, we are going to try out his swim vest. I hope it helps him, but at least, he'll be stylin'!

As the second year begins

Our yard is not totally enclosed by fence, so Shadow runs on a retractable lease attached to a pulley which rolls along a rope tied between two trees ninety feet apart. I hate seeing him tied to any thing but for now, its how it has to be. We have had a lot of rain in central Florida and the grass grows quickly. This morning it was a good ten inches high. It is fun to watch Shadow bound through the deep grass like a rabbit as we inspect the grounds. There are frogs and lizards galore. A turtle keeps coming by to eat the fallen grapefruit and Shadow goes over and barks hello. Mr. Turtle just hisses and keeps eating.

What concerns me are snakes. So far, I've managed to keep him away from them. But the other day a black snake (small, about twenty four inches) wouldn't give ground. I walked up on it in the deep grass and was glad I saw it before I stepped on it. I stamped my shoe on the ground and the vibration told him to move along. That species snake is not poisonous but its bite isn't welcome. Black snakes are good to have around to keep the vermin in check; but I don't want them biting us.

This afternoon, Barrys Lawn Service came and did the lawn. Barry and Madelyn are so cute with their matching riding mowers; they are quick and do a wonderful job. I think they have been cutting the grass here at the house for six or seven years. Shadow loves the new mowed grass. It smells and feels good. Some areas look as lush as a golf green. He sniffed most of the yard. It doesn't affect him quite as much as catnip does a cat, but he does frolic.

We spent a little time teaching him the difference between bone, ball and stick. We worked for about thirty minutes continuosly but made little progress. We will keep at it. He will learn the spoken command and the same thing by a hand signal. When he goes to work on movie sets, he may sometimes only get a visual cue.
One thing I like is he understands "training time and is intensely focused. We have play time where we just goof around, go for walks, runs, bicycling or scoots and he communicates his joy with his enthusiasm. But training time he is serious. I know he is still young (a year and a day) but I'm pleased with him and he knows I love him.

Then the afternoon sun got a little too warm for the both of us and we came back inside.

Earlier this morning, Shadow got another third of his birthday "cake" from last evening. I haven't fed his wet food since he moved here so he is enjoying the change. I can't believe how fast he scarfs down his food; his mealtimes are fun to watch. One of these times, I'll shoot some video of him gorging, I think you'll love watching a happy dog make a pig out of himself.

Birthday dinner

He could smell me putting his cake together 2 rooms away. I could hear little yelps of anticipation. Shadow is a quiet dog, doesn't say much, doesn't bark except at the proper moments. He is definetly not a yapper. So it did my heart good to hear him getting eager for what he was smelling.

Ruth called and canceled, she is 84 and another excursion would have tuckered her out. I understood. Mom is 89, herself, and sitting up for a dog's birthday was tiring for her too (but she could see the cake that was coming for her, so she kept going.

Shadow sat there while I took a quick picture and when I set the platter down, he wasn't sure where to begin but it didn't take long. He licked the whipped cream off one of the ends and started to chow down. I like watching him eat. I annoyed him taking pictures but it hardly slowed him down. He'd look over every now and then wondering if he could eat the whole thing; I let him keep going.

Mom cut OUR cake and we shared in his moment. Mom offered his present to him, a 12" rawhide and he knew exactly what that was about. His "Uncle Terry" (Terry Hallmark) had given him a humungeous bone about 20" 5 months ago and he was familiar with the concept. I had given him the present of a life vest so he could swim easier with a little support. I put it on him and adjusted the straps and buckles and he was patient with me. We go through the same drill when we put on and take off his harnesses.

I finally picked up the platter so he wouldn't eat too much and burst. He is outside on his line right now digesting his birthday meal. Will this become a ritual and get larger each year as friends and dogs get to know Shadow? Time will tell.

Happy Birthday Shadow!

Today is the official beginning of your blog, dog. We will be spreading word of you far and wide starting today, July 15th 2009. You've made it thru a whole year, the first of many. I know you were surprised at noon to get your 1st birthday present, but we've a few more for you as well.

Mom is finally warming up to you and she comments every time she sees you how big you've gotten. You have gone from 19lbs to over 70 lbs. Keep growing, puppy, the bigger the better!

We'll do another post after your birthday dinner.

Dog Birthday Cake

A girl I knew, Kathy Norkunas, threw a birthday party for her 2 year old monster Irish wolf hound, Shadowfax. She invited everyone she knew with a dog. My dog, at the time was a 3 year old Weimaraner named Chance. He and Shadowfax were great buddies. Come to think of it, Kathy and I were great buddies, too.

The dog birthday was a hit; there had to be 20 creatures of all sizes having a ball, tearing through the house, garden and yards. The humans had all kinds of barbeque on several grills and we ate well that day, Kathy was a great hostess. The "moment" arrived and she brought out a huge cake made of wet dog food, pate and covered with whipped cream. The cake was at least 2 feet wide and had Happy Birthday Shadowfax in green on the white "icing" There was a shamrock there as well. The cake design was a huge dog bone.

She put it on the ground and led Shadowfax to it and encouraged the dog to go for it.
The pooch was confused and didn't know quite what to do. I came over and put my hand on her head and pushed her snout into the concoction. When she licked her nose and tasted all the good stuff, she went into "gobble mode" and had a go at the cake. My dog, Chance was next and he did well, too. Shadowfax was huge, Chance was probably the next biggest dog and the next dog up to bat was the next smallest.

The dogs and their owners had a wonderful time. It was the first and only doggie birthday I'd ever attended.

Tomorrow's celebration of Shadow's ascension won't be as full. I am new to Florida and don't know all that many people with dogs (or without, for that matter). But whether he is aware of it or not, I'll be glad to acknowledge his year of puppy hood.