Time for an update...

RD

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#1
Whew, holidays are keeping me pretty busy.. Sorry I haven't been on much!

Anyway, wanted to show you all how big my Dakota boy has gotten. (Yup, he's gonna rival Renee's fila girls by the time he's done growing.. he weighs a whopping 35lbs!) He's 6 months old and has graduated from basic on-leash obedience, he will be starting in an intensive off-leash/CDX level obedience course in January, where I'll learn how to train him for show.

He's also kicked off his career as an educational assistant and therapy dog. For the last month I've been taking him to an after-school class at the Jr. High, for kids under 12 years old.. He doesn't do too much hard work, he's more of a motivational tool. If the kids finish their work, they get to play soccer with Dakota. He's the best dog I've ever seen, around kids. He's gentle and kind with the little ones, and he flings himself around and does rough play with the older kids.
So the pictures with kids in them are of Dakota with his new friends.
Several of his new buddies holding him:


Herding some of the running kids


I just found this hilarious, it's such a wacky picture
 

RD

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#2
He's a farm dog now:


Just another cute picture


Learning to jump
 

RD

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He has an incredible personality... He's the most attentive, obedient, affectionate dog I've ever owned.. He's very rambunctious but I don't think there's an aggressive bone in his body, he loves everyone and everything.. But, if someone is kickboxing with me, or shoves me (Just in rough play) he jumps to my defense.. He's a sweetie and I love him soooo much. :)
 
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#5
Grace, you're wrong! It's way PAST TIME for an update!!! :D

He's just so handsome. I remember your first post when you had just seen him as a baby and weren't even (yeah, right) really seriously considering another pup - it was crystal clear that he was Your Dog.

You - and I'm going to guess Ripley too, are doing a sensational job of guiding him to grow up into a dog with a wonderful, open personality.

What's the Little Big Dog, Ripley doing these days?
 

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#6
He is totally gorgeous! LOVE the pics. :D What a wonderful update. And to think he even drives heavy equipment....LOL OH, I just love him..so pretty!
 

RD

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Thanks everyone! I'm very proud of him. :)

LOL Renee, I'm trying to raise Dakota to be a lovely dog.. Ripley is trying to raise him into his "partner in crime". He's already trying to teach Dakota a couple of bad habits (Like counter surfing)
Ripley is doing all right. I don't know if I've mentioned it before but he has grade 2 luxating patellas, and his intensive agility training has been put on hold until he has surgery to correct those knees. He can still get around just fine, and he can do a little bit of agility, just not high-speed course-running. (Which is nearly impossible.. Ripley does everything at high-speed)
So, he's very bored, and has picked up some not-so-nice obsessions, namely one with rocks. He will run out into the yard, grab a small rock, and zoom around the yard with it. :rolleyes: If you even SAY "rock" he starts yipping, barking, and spinning in circles.. I can't wait for that surgery, so he can start agility again.

How are Bimmer and the girls doing? I bet Kharma's getting big..
 
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#9
Grace, Ripley must be related to my Mom's Rat Terrier, Katie. Katie has a thing for rocks too. She picks out just the right ones, similar in size and brings them up on the deck and places them carefully around the perimeter of the deck - fairly evenly spaced, too! I've dubbed it Katiehenge. :D

Little Kharma is well over 100 pounds now; probably closer to 120. She's taller at the shoulder and butt than Shiva and is a little longer, but is not as thick a dog as Shiva. I think she's lovely and she's becoming extremely graceful. She's also faster than Shiva and cuts a bit quicker. But she's not as strong as Shiva. Shiva's, well, she's a force of nature. She's still got that sweet, lovable disposition with no sign of the Fila ojeriza yet, although she is a superlative guard dog at home. Kharma is a bit edgier, but is beautifully mannered when I take her out. When she's at home, though, she's pure Fila. And I pity anyone she catches shooting a gun or anything that sounds like one on HER territory!

Bimmer just gets better all the time. We have two Monster-girls and one Gentleman. :rolleyes: But you should see him get cranked up if either one of the girls even looks like they're going in the direction of his EVO! It's the only food he's ever been enthusiastic about and it really agrees with him, his coat's even shinier than before and his energy level is through the roof.
 

RD

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#10
So Bimmer gives EVO 2 paws up? I'm going to be switching Ripley over to it soon. (I have a feeling it's a little too rich for Dakota)
 

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