Dog trains man

Tuesday, June 7, 2016

The Victory Parade Of A Lovewart

For a Hovawart, Tilde is ridiculously happy for people. When we meet new people, you would expect at least some reservation while her Hovawart mind is balancing the "friend or foe" scale. Alright, I admit, she does bark a little at people she sees on the road, but as soon as they enter our driveway her tail starts to wag. I am not sure if she actually thinks the barking helps to invite people inside.
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Sunday, June 5, 2016

Wet Feet

Walking with Tilde on the beach is a wonderful thing.
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Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Tilde Meets the Parents

Tilde has to be a little more patient for her little sister to arrive, but that didn't stopped us from meeting both aspiring parents, Joy and Asterix. We first met with Joy for a good beach walk, and after a break, for a walk in Kenzo's Valley. One week later, we would also meet Asterix, at a dog show.
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Monday, May 30, 2016

Just A Little While Longer

Tilde has to wait for her little sister just a little while longer. The mating of Joy and Asterix was not successful. On the bright side, there is plenty of reason to believe it will work out next time.
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Thursday, April 28, 2016

Lost In Translation

Tilde isn't spayed. I prefer not to interfere with her hormonal balance, and although it does have some disadvantages health-wise there are equal advantages as well, which makes the choice not as clear cut as it maybe once was.
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Monday, April 11, 2016

I'm Right Here

There he was. I had dozed off for a second and quickly looked around me for Kenzo. He had dozed off too, but my sudden movement alerted him, and his face came up from beneath the tall grass to check on what I was doing.
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Saturday, April 2, 2016

Boring My Dog To Success

In our last post you could see in this video how Tilde showed some impulse control. It took a very long time to train her, which is entirely my fault, and this is why.
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Hovawart TV: Pinch Me, Is This Tilde?

If you read this blog long enough, you know Tilde is a guarantee for mischief, exuberant behavior and in general, being the opposite of a well-behaved dog.

Impulse control isn't something you would expect to be a part of her skill-set.

Here is some proof of the opposite.


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Saturday, March 12, 2016

Puppy Fever

Puppy Kenzo
Slowly but surely, I start to ponder more about our future Hovawart puppy. She is still many months away. This month the mating is planned, followed by 2 months of pregnancy and 2 months with her mother Joy, her litter-mates, and the breeder, Laila.
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Wednesday, March 9, 2016

The Vet Crasher

Before I could reach for the entrance door of the vet's office, Tilde already jumped up in an attempt to reach the door knob and open it for me. She was looking forward to say hello to everybody inside. Not that we have been with Tilde to the vet very often, only three times before if I remember correctly, but the vet and her staff clearly left a positive impression behind with Tilde.
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Monday, March 7, 2016

Kenzo's Song

Sweethearts have songs. Me and Merete have one. And yes, me and Kenzo have one too. It usually is a song from when you first met, but theirs came later, first after Viva taught me how to chase sunsets and Kenzo showed me how to live from day to day.
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Friday, February 19, 2016

Tilde Has HD and Why I Don't Freak Out About It



Tilde has Hip Dysplasia. It's bad news I could have done without. With that said, knowing her background as a rescue from the notorious Hovawart puppy mill, it doesn't surprise me. When we adopted Tilde, I knew the risk.
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Wednesday, February 17, 2016

To Live a Lifetime



It seems like yesterday a puppy/youngster came charging in to the shelter's yard and I saw her with my own eyes for the first time. The storm called Tilde; my first impression of her character and spirit, which still holds today.
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Saturday, February 13, 2016

Must Run

I thought it would be good with a rest day. Now don't worry, but Tilde seemed to slightly hurt her left hind leg yesterday. With nothing broken, stretched or otherwise kaputt, it's still good to take it slow for a couple of days.

At least that was the plan, but with Tilde, you never know.
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Thursday, February 4, 2016

Puppy Mail From The Skies

Ping. You got mail.

I went over to the computer to read the message and was taken aback. The sender wrote how she knew we usually have two Hovawarts but apologized beforehand if she was intruding, so soon after the loss of Kenzo, as she wanted to hear if we would be interested in a Hovawart puppy. I knew the sender and I was thrilled. It was the timing of the mail which made my jaw bone drop. What higher force of nature made it drop in my mailbox exactly now?
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Monday, February 1, 2016

Wizard Update From Susanne: Rico the Neighbor Lover

For the fans of Hovawart Wizard Susanne and her boys Rico and Mammoet, today a brand new update about the illustrious trio.

I also told Susanne she really has to start a blog of her own so she can share these stories more frequently, but I couldn't convince her. What do you think?
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Friday, January 8, 2016

The Comforting Tiger

When we arrived at our cottage on the West-coast during Christmas Day, Tilde jumped out of the car full of anticipation. She rushed inside and quickly examined all the rooms while she was barking with a high pitched voice, "I'm here, I'm here!". She returned to the hallway when she found out the house was empty, and I let her outside again so she could scout the surroundings, which didn't took her very long either.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Little Miss Rocket and Her Co-pilot

I never told you Tilde earned herself a new nickname during last Summer. It was during a get-together with Hovawart friends in Northern-Germany. We met with the Hovawarts Emil, Cooper, and Doeschka, and their respective families.

The first introductions went good - of course Tilde knew Emil from before - and when the dogs started to play a little in the large garden of the house we rented, I went for a stroll along the perimeter with Kenzo - it was during the days he wasn't allowed to run - and I think we only made five steps when Tilde already joined us. She rather stayed with us.
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Monday, December 14, 2015

Kenzo's Final Gift

I felt all the blood leave my face and could just hold on to the edge of the examination table. The vet immediately noticed. She grabbed my arm while the vet technician made an attempt to support my back.
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Thursday, July 23, 2015

Laughter Therapy

"OMG! This is so much fun!" I shout at the top of my lungs.

"Hey Kenz! We are getting wet big guy! Woohoo!" and I burst out in laughter.
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Monday, July 20, 2015

The Bumpy Road To The Beach

We drive through the town's main street with the windows half open. It is just a 5 minute ride to the beach and the shortest road is through the small town of "Henne strand". Actually, the town is not a lot more than that single main street.
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Thursday, July 9, 2015

My Dogs Are My Gurus


"They changed your life" my old friend said the other day. With "they" he meant the dogs. Kenzo, Viva, and Tilde.

He called me up to hear how I was doing. I hadn't spoken with him for a decade. I can imagine his surprise to find me on the other end of the phone, not doing business or developing a new tech gadget or application, storming through board-rooms with new ideas. Instead, he found me in a cabin in the middle of nowhere, self-employed, which allowed me to work from home, and I talked about the dogs a lot.
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Tuesday, July 7, 2015

What Nature Has To Offer

The underwater treadmill has been switched for the North Sea's surf. Muscle tone exercises on a wobble board are exchanged by slowly walking through sand on the beach and the dunes. Cavaletti's are done on the heath fields.

We are doing Kenzo's physical therapy with what nature has to offer.
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Sunday, July 5, 2015

Waiting on a Friend

Was it them? Kenzo sat down in the shallow sea water, as if he was in thrilled anticipation of the imminent reunion with his friend. His gaze was locked at something on the horizon. He was waiting on a friend, but I knew he would never come.
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Saturday, June 27, 2015

High-Five

Just a note from every day life this time, and a photo I wanted to share.

I shot this photo last week and can't help myself. I keep coming back to look at it.

After last week's encounter with the vet, Kenzo's smile and high-five speak volumes I like to think.

There is not much I can add in words, which Kenzo is not already telling in that photo.
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Thursday, June 18, 2015

Dogs Don't Lie

"You might need to consider if you want to offer him this life. You might want to consider euthanasia."

Silence.

"We need to discuss this next time we meet.", the vet said.
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Sunday, June 14, 2015

A Must Have on a Tough Subject

I am glad I read this book.

I am even more glad to have it, waiting on my book shelf. Ready to help me when that monster called grief, will show its ugly face again.

I read Roxanne Hawn's "Heart Dog: Surviving the Loss of Your Canine Soul Mate" with two questions in mind, was Viva my heart dog? am I wallowing? I got my answers, but more importantly, I also found things I could have done differently that would have helped me coping with the grief. Something I never expected would happen.

Grief is immensely personal, and I remember how I also wanted to own it. Find my way. Not listen to others. Being stubborn about that nobody could help me, and how I persisted on drinking the cup empty alone.
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Thursday, June 11, 2015

My Hero

There we went, up into the spotlight. Me with Tilde, Dina with Emil, and Louise with Ronja. Three Hovawarts rescued from the puppy mill.

The host started talking, but I didn't hear what he was saying, as I tried to keep my focus on Tilde. Tilde was noticing one of the cameras was moving towards her and she sounded the infamous Hovawart alarm with a bark. The audience present in the studio laughed. More cameras zoomed in on Tilde.
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Sunday, June 7, 2015

Finding Mr. Right

I was puzzled. We had just passed a group of road workers, and Tilde had done everything in her power to greet them. She just didn't let me pass by, pulling the leash, wiggling her body with her tail slashing from left to right. The men noticed, and one approached to reach out his arm for Tilde to sniff. Tilde made a slight hesitation, which I thought was odd considering all the trouble she went through to get closer, but then she went in to earn her cuddle.

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Saturday, June 6, 2015

We Are Getting Naked With Edie

It's time to get naked. Edie Jarolim is a writer who inspires me. Give me any book, article or blog post. If she wrote it, I want to read it.
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Monday, May 25, 2015

Tilde's Moment

It is just a moment. Tilde being Tilde. Tilde being silly Tilde.

Or is there more to it?

I want to get to know my dogs. I want to understand them as good as possible. Who are they? What defines their character. What makes Tilde, Tilde?
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Friday, May 22, 2015

The Ego of a Hovawart Expert

When I was invited as a Hovawart expert to speak for a group of new Hovawart owners a while ago - it was before Tilde - I was asked the question what could be done to stop certain bad behaviors, like jumping up and mouthing.
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