Hi
Sorry I have not written in a while...it's a dog's life. Well my new people are keeping me really busy between walks and all of the parties and company. Katie and Nole were here the week of the 4th. I was sorry to see them go back to New York...they were a lot of fun. Those Memphis people were a lot of fun too. John and Sally really like big guys like me! After everyone left...I had to start puppy school. Sam offered to write about some of my new adventures. While he is doing that I'll grab a quick nap in the rocker in the office!
Later
Jax
Sam's Perspective...
Well let me just say that our boy Jackson is a hoot! It is always an adventure with him. He has some wonderfully amusing idiosyncrasies. One of the funniest ones (if you haven't worked real hard potting a lot of plants) is his penchant for hiding things. Now I know that most dogs will occasionally hide a bone. Jax is more like the dog from the Travelers Insurance commercial.
These first few weeks with Jackson remind me of why God gives us children as babies so that we can learn to love them before they become gangly and annoying teenagers. Like most big dogs at 1 1/2 years old Jackson has a few issues. So we signed him up for Puppy School.
Jackson is a very smart boy. When he is in a quiet place he can do an array of tricks that are amazing.
HOWEVER...the boy has a few socialization issues. He is excited to see everybody. He is sure that every dog wants to romp and play with him.
His means of expressing this excitement is to begin to leap...and let me tell you that is no small thing. The boy has quite a "wing span". When he stretches his front and back legs out he must be over 6' long. From a sitting position he has a vertical leap of 6+ feet.
I am not sure if it was nervousness or the joy of being with other dogs but when the instructor the first week of the class told us to take them around the ring...my boy did a "wheelie" all the way around...makes you proud to be a new "dad"...LOL!
There were a number of other problems not the least of which was the reaction of the instructor. I am not positive, but I would bet a lot of money that she was either a Marine Drill Instructor or Gunnery Sergent. To say that she was not amused with either Jackson or me is truly an understatement.
Even I found some humor in his "fly by." I was sure that we were going to take the class clown honors...I was sure we were the worst until I noticed Cujo. I should probably mention that unlike Stephen King's version of Cujo...this one was one of those really ugly Mexican Hairless variations on a chihuahua. While Jax and I were the first to catch the wrath of the instructor, she zeroed in on Cujo quickly...he made an even better 1st impression than Jax and me...he immediately tried to bite Sarge...and had he succeeded I am 99% sure she would have bit him back.
Oh by the way Sarge's dog is an AKC champion Rottweiler. He is so big that he makes Hooch from Turner and Hooch look like a lap dog. He was quite impressive...but when she brought him to the center of the ring to do some demonstrations he shook his head and slobber flew 4 feet in either direction. She didn't even correct him for his poor oral hygiene...LOL.
It could be a long 6 weeks. When we got to the end of the class both Jax and I were exhausted and a nervous wreck. Jax finally got quiet and lay on the floor panting. I wanted to join him but I was already in too much trouble with the instructor. I wasn't sure what the puppy school equivalent of detention was...but I knew I was a strong candidate for it.
I am sure week 2 will be an adventure.
Have a great week!
Sam
