About me and my doggie-family
I live in a double house, shared with my closest family - my parents - where I live in one part with my dogs. The great benefit of this way of living, is that my parents are always there, when I need it - if I have a long day at work, if I need someone to doggysit for whatever etc.
Not that a lot happens, apart from work, that doesn't include my dogs!
It all started with Møffe (Tertzo's Live To Tell), an absolutely fantastic, stunning and wonderful Bernese Mountain Dog. I'd never had a dog before in my life, but after meeting a few BMD's (mainly one named Azuro), my mind was set. I needed a dog in my life - and more precisely, a Bernese Mountain Dog!
Møffe's personality will never be the reason for chosing a new breed for my next dog. I cannot describe the love I had (and still have) for him, the bond...
But what I can describe, is the immense pain from loosing your dog to a disease. And what it feels like living with a dog, that seems to constantly get sick with something new. It is not only expensive - but it is also hard, it is awful, it is stressful, it is devastating.
I know the BMDs suffer from a range of diseases - not that all individuals do get sick, not at all.
But after Møffe, I couldn't take it in my heart to get another BMD and fear for my new friend to be sick. I would expect it too much, rightfull or not.
With Møffe, my life with dogs started for real. And thanks to his fantastic personality and to me pushing myself forwards, I gained a lot of confidence and tried so many things, I'd never thought I'd have the nerves for. We went to comformation shows, Rally-O trials, Obedience Trials - and I started to get into working voluntarily in the BMD club - as a board member and as a commitee member and as a dog class instructor.
But then he became old and after a devastatingly harsh course of disease, I had to let him go - yes, in spite of all his diseases, he actually reached an averagely grand age for a BMD of 10 years. Cancer most likely took him, we never found out, due to bad vet work, sadly.
After 3/4 of a year (spring 2020), finally the Australian Shepherd Wupti (Cantiah's Excuse Me) moved in. A breed chosen primarily for its sound and good health. I was sick and tired of disease!
He is a very different dog from Møffe - where Møffe was stubborn, selfaware and confident, strongminded - and yet ever so gentle - Wupti is more of the sensitive type, who easily feels overwhelmed or nervous, yet not soft of mind. And his mind is "springy", a bit ADHD-like - he can't focus on very much for a very long time (except for hares and deers ;-) and his Search and Rescue Training <3 ), though it has become better with age! But also an ecstatically excited and happy goofball! A completely new kind of dog to work with and I've learned tons from him!
I thought Wupti was going to be my new obedience dog, but I have had my doubts several times, had thoughts to put this sport up on the shelf and focus on Search and Rescue mostly. He is, as mentioned, easily distracted, which has frustrated me a lot, whereas Search and Rescue is HIS thing - he works his arse out and is VERY talented at it, in spite of too little training outside of classes!
But after becoming an adult, he is seeming to start to settle more and be able to "stay in the moment" <3 So hopefully, we will soon be seen in the obedience ring!
So far, the latest addition to the household is an Entlebucher Mountain Dog (spring 2022), a breed I've been dreaming of owning for a few years, but they have been immensely difficult to come by and Corona didn't help.
Not that a lot happens, apart from work, that doesn't include my dogs!
It all started with Møffe (Tertzo's Live To Tell), an absolutely fantastic, stunning and wonderful Bernese Mountain Dog. I'd never had a dog before in my life, but after meeting a few BMD's (mainly one named Azuro), my mind was set. I needed a dog in my life - and more precisely, a Bernese Mountain Dog!
Møffe's personality will never be the reason for chosing a new breed for my next dog. I cannot describe the love I had (and still have) for him, the bond...
But what I can describe, is the immense pain from loosing your dog to a disease. And what it feels like living with a dog, that seems to constantly get sick with something new. It is not only expensive - but it is also hard, it is awful, it is stressful, it is devastating.
I know the BMDs suffer from a range of diseases - not that all individuals do get sick, not at all.
But after Møffe, I couldn't take it in my heart to get another BMD and fear for my new friend to be sick. I would expect it too much, rightfull or not.
With Møffe, my life with dogs started for real. And thanks to his fantastic personality and to me pushing myself forwards, I gained a lot of confidence and tried so many things, I'd never thought I'd have the nerves for. We went to comformation shows, Rally-O trials, Obedience Trials - and I started to get into working voluntarily in the BMD club - as a board member and as a commitee member and as a dog class instructor.
But then he became old and after a devastatingly harsh course of disease, I had to let him go - yes, in spite of all his diseases, he actually reached an averagely grand age for a BMD of 10 years. Cancer most likely took him, we never found out, due to bad vet work, sadly.
After 3/4 of a year (spring 2020), finally the Australian Shepherd Wupti (Cantiah's Excuse Me) moved in. A breed chosen primarily for its sound and good health. I was sick and tired of disease!
He is a very different dog from Møffe - where Møffe was stubborn, selfaware and confident, strongminded - and yet ever so gentle - Wupti is more of the sensitive type, who easily feels overwhelmed or nervous, yet not soft of mind. And his mind is "springy", a bit ADHD-like - he can't focus on very much for a very long time (except for hares and deers ;-) and his Search and Rescue Training <3 ), though it has become better with age! But also an ecstatically excited and happy goofball! A completely new kind of dog to work with and I've learned tons from him!
I thought Wupti was going to be my new obedience dog, but I have had my doubts several times, had thoughts to put this sport up on the shelf and focus on Search and Rescue mostly. He is, as mentioned, easily distracted, which has frustrated me a lot, whereas Search and Rescue is HIS thing - he works his arse out and is VERY talented at it, in spite of too little training outside of classes!
But after becoming an adult, he is seeming to start to settle more and be able to "stay in the moment" <3 So hopefully, we will soon be seen in the obedience ring!
So far, the latest addition to the household is an Entlebucher Mountain Dog (spring 2022), a breed I've been dreaming of owning for a few years, but they have been immensely difficult to come by and Corona didn't help.
But Nenya (Granted by Celebrimbor von der Via Aries) moved in in April 2022 and she is already wreaking havoc in the house (sometimes TOGETHER with Wupti! :-o ), and at the same time being immensely cute. I am looking so forward to get to now her! So far, she seems to be a promising puppy - strong minded, independent, steady (and wild), willfull, loveable, cute, more than willing to work and an eating machine and playaholic :-) And however odd it sounds, she is at the same time immensely soft minded. Hopefully, she can both be my future Obedience Star and also play along with Search and Rescue, together with Wupti :-D
I've heard so many times, that Entlebuchers are clingy dogs, where you have to be careful with "home alone" training - but Nenya's been super cool from day 1. She wants to be near, but once tired, she doesn't mind going to the other end of the house to sleep in her own bed and home alone training has gone well beyond believe. |