GROW Baby, Grow!

KING Leonidas. I finally learned how to spell my own dog's name. Actually, to be honest with you, King belongs to Caity, as does Rupert. Rupert is a 10 month old long haired full blooded Dachshund and weighs just under 15 pounds. He's solid, rather squirmy, and quite the jealous one when it comes to being loved on first. With King in the picture there are many bursts and interruptions created by Rupert when he sees that he is not the one being held and hugged on. King continues to tolerate it at this point, but in just over a week of having him he's already surpassed Rupert in height - he still only weighs about 11-12 pounds, but give that a week longer. He eats enough. It's bound to happen. St. Bernard/Mastiff/Huskies aren't known for remaining small - - we're looking forward to it really. We need a big dog to go walking with in the evenings.

I was reading online this afternoon where St. Bernards don't really make good guard dogs. They make good watch dogs. They bark - and that deep roaring bark can ward off the would be playmate and/or thief; however, they are more suitable for rescuing and dragging one around in the snow. Mastiffs on the other hand are fantastic guard dogs and were indeed bred to be so in the early part of the 16th Century. Huskies drag sleds around in the snow. I think our King will have a bit of a good time outdoors but I won't count on him to stop the criminals - - but then again, if they come close enough to steal something he may decide to play with them, trapping them under his massive soon-to-be body and licking them to the point of exhaustion. It could happen.

Rupert on the other hand will bite the leg of anyone coming near the house. Perhaps he can teach King a thing or two about protecting, and King can do the dirty work of holding the fort down with his looks and steely blue eyes. It won't be long before I'm reporting that King is bigger than Matrix, then bigger than Faith, then bigger than Caity, and hopefully since he's going to be 150 pounds he'll even be bigger than me! C'MON King...you can do it! I'll do what I can to dwindle down to 130 so he won't have as far to go. I'm thinking by Christmas he'll be the largest mammal in the house for two weeks and then the boy comes home from Iraq! YES!