New Toys

I saw a picture on a website the other day of a newfie playing with a very big ball in its yard. He looked like he was having such a good time carrying it around showing it off to whoever was looking on. So, I had to get one for Sailor.

Logging on to Amazon, I found the ball was called a Jolly Ball, and that the size I wanted was a 10". So, I ordered it and a few days later it popped into our lives via UPS. I was thrilled to present it to Sailor, but initially, he hated this gift. He eyed it from afar with disgust, he walked waaaayyy around it in the foyer, and jumped away from it whenever it was tossed in his direction.

Eventually he came around, and got used to it in the house. Then, when we went for his walk, I took the ball along and tossed it around a little in the yard. Soon, he was chasing it and retrieving it with such joy, and so very proud of his new treasure. I just wanted to share this picture with you so that you could be joyful with him as he struts his stuff!

A New Sister for Sailor

Sometime in April Sailor is getting a new baby sister! We are so excited. In this video are three Landseer Newfoundlands and out of those three is one sister for Sailor. Yea! No one will ever come and visit us again. haha

This weekend we had several old and dear friends out to the house and as I watched I could tell that some of these dear friends were not as excited about Sailor as Donna and I are. wink. Newfoundlands are BIG, hairy and they slobber. This can be a turnoff for some. Donna and I hardly even notice this anymore though, and look forward to another Newfie in the house. Someone once said that having Newfies were like potato chips. No one can have just one. In our case, this is so true.

Our Postal Carrier

Every day, we head to the mailbox to retrieve any treasures left there for Sailor to bring back home. He sits and stays while I go to the box and bring out his prize, then he comes a runnin' and grabs the rolled up magazine or envelope. He holds his head so high while he prances around me showing me his possession, I grab on to it and let go, and then he's off running. He looks like a blue ribbon stallion in the show ring, oh so proud. He makes me laugh so hard.

When we get back to the house he makes a beeline for his momma dropping his prey at her feet and waits for his peanut butter cookie! Peanut butter is his favorite. Sailor loves his mail carrier job, and we love our mailman!

Bear Feet

Sailor's feet are the largest dog's feet I've ever seen. When we walk to the mailbox and I see his footprints in the wet driveway on the way back to the house I am shocked. They look like a bear has walked along behind us. And, they are so sensitive he just shivered when I touch his pads. Tickle, tickle.

But the funniest thing about those feet is how he shuffles them along on the tile floor. Sounds like an old man in slippers coming into the kitchen! Shh, shh, shh, shh. Absolutely hilarious and endearing at the same time. I love this dog!

Watering the, um, Lawn

For those of you have newfs or other large dogs, you know that the lawn can take quite a beating from the over abundance of urine flow. I learned a little late that I have to water the lawn area every day where he tends to use more for his potty breaks. This dilutes the huge amount of nitrogen so that I don't get as many burn marks in the lawn.

Today it was so hot for Sailor, so my wife Donna let him out of the house while I was watering and from this video you can see that Sailor's coat sucked up most of the water that he wasn't lapping up. He was having the time of his life and sure tickled us to watch. Hope you enjoy the video as well.

Tonight will be spent in front of his fans so he dries out before morning. Then, a big grooming job tomorrow. He won't like that much as he hates to sit still very long. haha. Hope you have a memorable Memorial Day weekend and remember those who have fallen in the defense of our nation, as well as all our loved ones who have gone before us.

A Sailor's Morning

This morning at 4 a.m. our big boy came over to my side of the bed and with his softest, woof, told me it was time to go outside. Imagine waking up to this huge black nose stuck right in your face and this soft uff, uff waking you out of a sound sleep. Wakes me with a start, but also a big smile at how gentle this mammoth dog can be. So, I climb out of bed and stumble to the door, helped along with this huge nose pushing at my butt, and frying pan size feet catching the bottoms of my pajamas. It literally is a stumble towards the door.

I love this pup. He is so tall now that I don;t even have to bend over to pat his back. His head is up over my waist, and those feet! Wow. If he ever grows into them, I will have a VW beetle sleeping at the foot of our bed. He will be 8 months old in a few days and is just now developing his muscles well enough to really run and jump around as he plays. What a happy dog he is, but his courage is definitely more like the lion of the Wizard of Oz than the actual beast. Very brave if he is standing right next to me, but not so much if he is out in the yard and he hears that big noise in the woods. haha

We went to Minnesota last weekend and spent a few days at my folks farm. He is not too sure about those dangerous miniature sheep when they roar "baaaaa." They can definitely cause the heart to pound with fright when they sneek up on you when you're near their fence. Even those lambs when they pounce at you can cause a flight response. He is very brave from up on the deck though and able to woof at them from a greater distance. hahahaha

My Yorkie and I cannot ask for a better companion though. OK, the Yorkie could do without him, but I can't imagine what life was like for us when Sailor wasn't here.

Have a Newfoundly kind of day.

Six Months and GROWING

Sailor has come a long ways since his bout with the food change right after we brought him home. He is around 85 pounds, 29 inches at his shoulder and just over 5 feet long from nose to tail. I think he's becoming a fine young gentleman.

His coat continues to astound me. He is black, white, brown, grey and some red. What his final color will be when he grows up I can't wait to see. He has been through puppy socialization class and is presently getting his Good Citizenship training from an AKC trainer in Sturgeon Bay, WI. He has been to my wife's school and into several classes with her introducing the breed along with the book "Sailor - The Hangashore Dog." A very loveable story about the gentle bravery of this breed.

He is great with kids and other dogs. He loves to torture the cat by nudging the cat with his nose until the cat growls, hisses and runs away. Snow is king to this boy! If he could stay outside all the time during the day, he would. But at night, there are awful scarey things out there in the woods!

He visited my folks' farm recently and spent time with their Angora goats, Babydoll sheep and their miniature silky goats. He liked the latter the best because they were smaller and less intimidating.

All in all, Sailor is loved and fits into our lives so well. He is just about perfect.