Well...you may have noticed I'm the world's worst (or at least slowest) decision-maker. That's why I did well with Toby - they just handed him to me and said, "No one else can take him right now, so he's all yours". That's pretty much how I got all my fosters in the US too. Somebody said, "No choice, here's your dog!" My best friend in Germany has been threatening to do this for months - just finding a puppy for me and tying him to my apartment door in Regensburg. Sometimes I DO think that would be best because...see above comment about decision-making.
Well, Nanda the Stog went back to her mama last night. The story isn't quite over as I had to take her back to the vet this morning and she will also need to go again on Monday. But both mama human and Nanda thought that two nights sleep over was quite enough, thank you very much. She has managed to eat a bit and - most importantly - has reclaimed HER sofa at home, which had been usurped in her absence by another upstart pup. Not sure which one, to be honest, as it's a seven dog household! My car took a bit of a beating today - a Honda Jazz is not meant for the rutted dirt backroads of Andalusia - so if it doesn't need to go into the shop, I'll be heading back out there tomorrow for another adventure... Nanda's mama human has asked me if I would take Tiger (that's Toby's Big Black Beast) for an overnight visit on his own to see how he does without the other dogs and exposed to the big scary world. He's only been off her ranch one time in his 18 months of life, and that was to be neutered. So... let's say he's not too keen on the whole "big world" adventure! So if the car is working and I can shove Tiger into the car and if he makes it to the paved road without eating my seats...well, then we MAY have a sleep over. To be continued...
Glad Nanda is eating a little and back home. Sorry about the car, hope it's going to be OK to pick Tiger up. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with him xx
I'm hoping my little baby Jazz will live to fight another day without mechanical intervention. As everything is closed here until Monday, it's going to be a "Dad Mechanic Hotline" phone call tonight to see if it's dire or nothing at all. I think it probably is one of things that made a horrible noise but not much damage. Maybe. Tiger should indeed be an adventure. He's a bit dangerous because he reminds me SO MUCH of Brogan. I know he wouldn't be a smart choice for me - and more importantly I'm not the right home for him as he is a restricted breed where I live most of the year - and I've already told his foster mama that I won't be adopting him, but it's very hard to not just grab him and run anyway. But I asked her how else I could help besides adopting him and this is what she asked of me, so Big Black Beast slumber party it is!
I thought he was a Lab! What is he? He's lovely - even if he's got the bones of Bodeguero's past in his jaws
He is Spanish Mastiff (Mastin Español) and Labrador. Although he's a rescue, he was rescued from a neighbour's goat ranch, so his foster human knows that daddy was 100% Mastiff and mama was 50% Mastiff/50% Labrador. You can't tell in that photo, but he is black/brown brindle - ergo the name "Tiger" from his stripes. He also has a big white splash on his chest, which seems pretty common in black Lab mixes. He's definitely silly! That's one of the thing that reminds me of Brogan. He's still very much bouncy puppy, too, just in a massive body.
There is something so appealing about a spanish mastiff. My neighbours sister has one. He is an incredibly calm, but enigmatic dog
I agree - they are delightful. The woman who has Tiger (and Nanda) also has Nora, full mastiff and she is probably my favourite, along with Tiger, of her seven dogs. Well, OK, now Nanda, too and Kenia, who reminds me of my late pup Mama Jodhi - how many "favourites" can I have? But Nora is really affectionate and calm and I'd also agree with your description of "enigmatic". To me, Tiger's personality is more Lab, to be honest. He is bouncy and "love me, love me, love me"! But that could be his age as he is still quite a puppy. He unfortunately does have some food aggression and what in the past in my CM days I would have called "dominance" issues. Not sure what to call them now, or if they are even "issues" per say, vs. the result of living in what is a pretty large pack. I'm very curious to see how he will behave without having to compete with all the other dogs around him as both his foster human and I think that his main "problem" (if you can call it that) is that he feels the need to act out just to be noticed in the crowd. Hopefully I can persuade him into the car again today (we did three practice runs yesterday) and down the hill without eating my seats!
I am a stinky, sweaty wreck after a few hours with Mr. Tiger. However, he is laying splayed out on the floor and snoring, so I honestly don't know which of us had the hardest day. Suffice it to say, Toby (Alf) ran me ragged, but at least I could pick him up when he was being a bit of a wayward child. Can't do that with a 100 lb. mastiff. Ooooof! If Tiger does not want to move, Tiger does NOT move. Will try to share more once Tiger goes home to foster mama tomorrow. Right now I have to try to bribe him up the stairs with chicken so I can sleep in my own bed. If that fails, we will both be sleeping on the sofa tonight. Now that's a REAL slumber party! I never even thought about the fact that dogs have to learn to go on stairs and that the "learning" bit may be...um... "challenging". I also was ignorant on exactly how much a mastiff can spread slobber and chicken bits all over the interior of a car. I smell like chicken grease and am pretty certain that I have sand and bits of plants and slobber in my hair. Seriously, the whole crocopup thing no longer scares me. I've been through the wars now, I can take it.
Somewhere in England, Toby is laughing his doggie head off at me...he DID warn me about the Big Black Beast!
They ate her kitchen one afternoon the whole kitchen. One ate the inside if her freelander. They can fit a whole chicken in their mouths. I saw one eat a coffee mug in one go, and he was fine. They can cover a Labrador in foam in about 2 seconds. Awesome dogs but not for the fainted hearted and don't even think about the poo bags or bin liners as we call em. Bud was my favourite he could fit a rugby ball in his mouth
Nope, we're on the sofa. Argh! 40 minutes of coaxing with chicken and a (probably desperate-sounding) happy voice and he only managed four steps. And that was only the front half of his body...the back legs never got off the first step. My beautiful king-sized bed is empty and I'm squashed onto a glorified love seat. At least I'm short. Poor big baby, he looks so contrite. Came up and gave me a thorough tongue washing. Or he could have just been peckish and the only chicken left in the house is in my hair. By the way, I think my experience today with Tiger and earlier with Martina have finally taught me the value of "drive". Mastiffs do not have it. It makes them lovely and calm, but also completely unmovable when they don't want to be moved. Rotties have a reputation for stubbornness, but I don't think this is stubbornness. It's more just "No. Just can't be bothered, thank you." Very polite, yet very "no". Goodnight to all. From the sofa.
