Sammy at One Year

Sammy's mom Liz sent me some wonderful photos of their boy at one year old and I'm happy to finally have time to post them! About Sammy, Liz writes:

"He really is a good boy. Well, he's a lover at least. We had to go through and Sammy-proof the house. He can open anything, quietly. He is a ninja. Any door, any cabinet, and fence gate unless it has been fitted with a dead bolt or slide lock. Thank goodness he does not have opposable thumbs.

An exterminator came to the house the other day just as we were finishing a walk. He would not get out of the truck until Sammy was put up, telling me that German shepherds did not like him. So, my mom took Sammy to the back yard while I talked to the guy. About 10 seconds later, Sammy tore into the entry hall, and leaned up against the guy, tongue hanging out, seeking pats. The dog is not shy.

That being said, if someone is not invited by us, he puffs up like a cat and starts stalking them until we give them the green light. I have seen it only a few times, but it is then that I remember he is someone to take seriously. He is usually such a big loveable goofball.

He has been an awesome addition to the family. He really is perfect for us. We are getting ready to go to the beach and he knows it - its all he can do to suppress his excitement."

Sammy's training center sent a report card that Liz forwarded to us!

We think that Sammy has grown into a very handsome guy, and are thankful that he's such a wonderful fit for his family! Thanks to Liz for giving "little" Boomer (at around 115 pounds now!) a great home!!

Bullet McNab at One Year

When the pups turned a year I asked for people to send me photos and also a story or testimonial if they felt they could. Here is the story I received from Kristen, who owns Bullet McNabb. Bullet was the smallest male (he is now 110 pounds!) and I felt that he had one of the best temperaments in the litter.

"A third bulldog just came into our lives.

She was a puppy mill dog (stupid people trying to breed a miniature bulldog), sold to an owner who badly abused and starved her. After carefully feeding her you can still count her ribs!

She is also deaf and emotionally scarred.

I'm a teacher of the deaf and decided to take her on, I just couldn't let her go to a home that didn't know about the effort ( medical, emotional and time) it would take to turn her life around.

When I got her, she was afraid of everything. She had never been around other dogs before. She had been left in a filthy cage. It goes on and on. I did what you told me to do with McNab, I tied her to me and when she wasn't tied to me she was tied to one of the bulls.

This advice worked well on McNab, but it saved this small bulldog. Within 2 days she calmed, within a week she started putting on weight and stopped showing food aggression.

Within 2 weeks she has started to learn how to be a dog and guess who is teaching her....her favorite dog in the world...not the bulls! McNab! She always tries to sleep with him, be by him, play with him.

We slowly introduced her to my daycare. This as a wonderful place that has up to 20 dogs running around 10 acres. She never left McNab's side and if the other dogs got out of line, McNab let them know and protected her (by the way her name is Peabody). Now she runs with the pack, but always near McNab.

It's amazing, he is teaching her how to be a dog!

How McNab's handles her emotional turmoil is to put his mouth over her neck and gently hold her, she calms right away!

This situation has really showcased how wonderful McNab really is, and how incredibly smart...McNab is amazing!

Peabody wasn't what I wanted or expected but that isn't always the point. She needed us and she needed McNab!

I feel McNab looks at me and says "Not another bulldog! You promised me another shepherd!" But then he picks up a stick and entices her to play.

This big wonderful dog that tries to sit in my lap and smashes me, is the most wonderful dog in the world! And now I have a bulldog that thinks she is a Shiloh Shepherd!"

A couple days back, Kristen sent me the following update with the photos I've included above. :)

"I've been trying to get pictures of McNab and the 3 bulldogs playing. The difference in size makes everything so funny.

He will be standing ready for the attack and they just go under him.

He will fall down and they all pile on him and all 4 roll down the hill.

My little deaf bull has finally learned how to be a dog and there is no doubt she and McNab have bonded tightly. They will play and then just fall over together and sleep.

What fun."

We at Sparta are pretty dang proud of Bullet McNab. :) And many, many thanks to Kristen and her husband who have given him such a wonderful home!