As we reach the end of the “baby” stage and enter into the era of young adolescent puppy, we marvel the impact this Shinzou has had on us has been immense. No longer baby-faced (and obviously a major change in his coat), the sunshine of our home has blossomed into a sweet, attentive, and still all consuming young dog. Very busy and always close by, we are strongly aware of the pack status we have all become accustomed to with his aching desire to always be with us and ours to be with him. Finally settling down into a routine, aware that bedtime means kenneling up and time to quite down, but the obvious unhappiness at not being able to mow or garden at our side has him still reminding us that he is just a little boy and adores our company as much as we adore his.
We constantly marvel at this Siberian puppy that has infiltrated our lives, not that it’s difficult especially for a quadruped, but after just 7 weeks with us we are bonding immeasurably. Boundaries are constantly tested, but you should see how happy he is to comply. New toys are so rewarding demonstrating appreciation and their worth instantly. Experimentation has begun letting him roam the property untethered and although demands constant attention, has been successful. His willingness to return upon the slightest beckoning is rewarded with the Shinzou maul, practically landing in your lap. His debut to our neighbors during the annual Webb Ranch Neighborhood Picnic was a grand victory and although free to roam through all those loving praises and attention, we found him constantly nearby. His collapse into a deep sleep once penned proved his content exhaustion.
Our most recent discovery has been ice. Yes, this has proven to be a grand treat and reveled in by one cute little boy. His effectiveness at shredding toys has to be unequaled pound for pound. The new Wubba is already showing serious damage. Fortunately with all these toys around, nothing else has suffered. Needless to say, we’ve pledged to keep in him toys.
We constantly marvel at this Siberian puppy that has infiltrated our lives, not that it’s difficult especially for a quadruped, but after just 7 weeks with us we are bonding immeasurably. Boundaries are constantly tested, but you should see how happy he is to comply. New toys are so rewarding demonstrating appreciation and their worth instantly. Experimentation has begun letting him roam the property untethered and although demands constant attention, has been successful. His willingness to return upon the slightest beckoning is rewarded with the Shinzou maul, practically landing in your lap. His debut to our neighbors during the annual Webb Ranch Neighborhood Picnic was a grand victory and although free to roam through all those loving praises and attention, we found him constantly nearby. His collapse into a deep sleep once penned proved his content exhaustion.
Our most recent discovery has been ice. Yes, this has proven to be a grand treat and reveled in by one cute little boy. His effectiveness at shredding toys has to be unequaled pound for pound. The new Wubba is already showing serious damage. Fortunately with all these toys around, nothing else has suffered. Needless to say, we’ve pledged to keep in him toys.
Oh.... and last week at the vet's he weighed in at 24.2 lbs.
Mischievousness is not beyond him, cat chasing is not quite unheard of, and the potential to look up and see him dragging the Abby Doodle dog by a tuft of fur is still there, but more often than not his Humans have set him up to fail or the cats are taunting him or Abby is egging him on. More than a couple of felines will now engage him in a playful banter with the hissing usually ending the encounter just to check him. He apparently has picked “his kitty”, the tri-pod Camille (our CaMiracle with the bad leg). She in her crippled state seems to tolerate the roughness and has gotten up soaked from the gnawing once or twice. She knows to draw the line and he knows when to back off. Abby just doesn’t know she is outsized (she’s just not so smart) and it is going to get a lot more extreme in the future. Abby has quite a bit coming as she has spent the last few years taunting the Big Dog – Rojo, but she just doesn’t understand this guy means business….. or rambunctious play as it were.
Our most recent experience was staying with a friend of ours in the city while we went to dinner. Totally amazing how at ease he was with our good friend but obviously trying to find his humans, it didn’t take long for him to settle down on the central air vent and stop the near frantic search (we’re not really sure if it was a frantic search or just utter curiosity in a new place). Unfortunately, we did not leave him any toys for comfort and distraction, but we learned. He gets to go back there for the whole day on Friday. And living where we do it is inevitable, the prey instinct is kicking in. He got his first kill…. that poor butterfly. It won’t be long and he will be contending for the enviable title of his mentor, The Great Rodent Hunter (“No Rojo, to get to China, you have to dig over there!!! You’ll end up in Australia or the middle of the Pacific or something from that spot.”)
Mischievousness is not beyond him, cat chasing is not quite unheard of, and the potential to look up and see him dragging the Abby Doodle dog by a tuft of fur is still there, but more often than not his Humans have set him up to fail or the cats are taunting him or Abby is egging him on. More than a couple of felines will now engage him in a playful banter with the hissing usually ending the encounter just to check him. He apparently has picked “his kitty”, the tri-pod Camille (our CaMiracle with the bad leg). She in her crippled state seems to tolerate the roughness and has gotten up soaked from the gnawing once or twice. She knows to draw the line and he knows when to back off. Abby just doesn’t know she is outsized (she’s just not so smart) and it is going to get a lot more extreme in the future. Abby has quite a bit coming as she has spent the last few years taunting the Big Dog – Rojo, but she just doesn’t understand this guy means business….. or rambunctious play as it were.
Our most recent experience was staying with a friend of ours in the city while we went to dinner. Totally amazing how at ease he was with our good friend but obviously trying to find his humans, it didn’t take long for him to settle down on the central air vent and stop the near frantic search (we’re not really sure if it was a frantic search or just utter curiosity in a new place). Unfortunately, we did not leave him any toys for comfort and distraction, but we learned. He gets to go back there for the whole day on Friday. And living where we do it is inevitable, the prey instinct is kicking in. He got his first kill…. that poor butterfly. It won’t be long and he will be contending for the enviable title of his mentor, The Great Rodent Hunter (“No Rojo, to get to China, you have to dig over there!!! You’ll end up in Australia or the middle of the Pacific or something from that spot.”)
His gracefulness or the lack thereof is improving substantially. His full on romp across the property can stop you in your tracks just to watch the beauty of this regal animal pound the terrain. Watching the two Sibes is breathtaking. Watching Abby try to keep up is hilarious. He is not quite as clumsy as he was in the past and improves daily. Today was the first day he “bunny hopped” most of the stairs going to work just like the Big Dog. And although he is not up to jumping into the backseat of the truck as he sees the Big Dog, he is assured regularly “maybe next week, Li’l Boy”.
