Our 16 Month Old Newfoundland Puppy, Griffin, Is Home!

[Farleysmom]

Awwwwww....what a BEAUTIFUL boy. He looks so content sitting outside in the snow. He looks like a big, beautiful, black teddy bear. I just want to give him a big hug and kiss. I love big dogs that you can lean against and cuddle and watch tv. Please post more photos as I'm sure we all won't tire of seeing this sweetheart. Enjoy the newest member of your family.

 

[Imdanny]

Wow, Deb! That's one impressive dog.

 

[susimoo]

Give that gorgeous big guy a squeezy hug from me!

It is snowing here in Scotland so I feel very close to you both!!!

Hope this is the start of a beautiful friendship!

 

[texaskj]

That dog would get tired of me smooching on him all the time if he was at my house.

 

[zoebartlett]

He's beautiful, Deb! I love Griffin's name too.

 

[hawaiianorangetree]

Oh Deb! He is beautiful! I love the snow pictures, he looks right at home! Congratulations on your new family member.

 

[lliang_chi]

Awww!! Griffin looks amazing. Awesome that he has a sweet temperment. And that he WANTS to go outside. HUGE!

 

[tyty333]

OMG he is sooo cute...he looks like he doesnt know how cute he is! I would just cuddle him all the time!

 

[Amethyste]

Griffin came home from his breeder in Massachusetts yesterday and is adjusting to life in Connecticut. It is snowing here today.

Deb/AGBF

............. Puppy? He's a pony!

He's soooo cute though, my neighbor in Canada had 4 of them. He used to have 2 pull a toboggan where his kids would sit on when they were walking... Funniest thing to watch - they are gentle and will defend their home with all their might!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Awwww, I'm so glad to hear the trip home with him went smoothly!! Our boys love to relax in the back of our Jeep as well. They like to rest their heads on the center console so I can scratch their ears. It's definitely hard to get them to come in when it's snowing--I think they could sleep out there all day quite contentedly!

Byron just walked in here and put his head on my lap, so now I'm typing over him, but I think it's his way of saying hello to Griffin. I even showed him Griffin's picture and he sniffed the screen.

Can't wait to hear more Griffin stories!

 

[PilsnPinkysMom]

Be still my heart! He's just gorgeous!

I'm glad the car ride home was bearable. I really look forward to hearing stories about your life with this new pup. Is your daughter just head over heels in love with him?!

 

[elrohwen]

He's beautiful, Deb!!! I really hope you and your daughter get tons of enjoyment from him.

Though I might just have to drive down to southern Fairfield County and dog-nap him

 

[AGBF]

Awwww, I'm so glad to hear the trip home with him went smoothly!! Our boys love to relax in the back of our Jeep as well. They like to rest their heads on the center console so I can scratch their ears. It's definitely hard to get them to come in when it's snowing--I think they could sleep out there all day quite contentedly!

Byron just walked in here and put his head on my lap, so now I'm typing over him, but I think it's his way of saying hello to Griffin. I even showed him Griffin's picture and he sniffed the screen.

Can't wait to hear more Griffin stories!

Thanks for your support, NEL. I mentioned you and your boys to Sue, which made me feel like an idiot because I had to say, "I don't even know her real name" when I talked about you! Nonetheless, I can't think about Newfoundlands without thinking of you and Byron and Bosun. I haven't heard about Byron's health lately. I hope he is able to enjoy the winter! Griffin would dearly love to say hello back to him, I assure you!

Griffin continues to have accidents with urination, but I praise him to the skies every time he does it outside and I feel he really gets excited about my praise. The problem is catching him "in the act". If I don't see it happen, it is harder to correct! Nonetheless, it is minor. It may happen twice a day.

Griffin likes to spend hours at a time outside on his own. He is very easy to please. He does a lot of extremely funny, puppy things, too, however. The dog is crazy for liquids. He loves his water bowl and it needs to be filled and cleaned of drool and washed be refilled all day long. He also poked his head into my cup of grapefruit juice, though, something that I wouldn't have expected a dog to go for.

Well today I thought I was safe putting down a container from Starbucks because it had a plastic lid on it. It never occuured to me that a dog would try to go after a closed container-especially one conaining coffee! But he knocked it over; the caramel brulee latte spilled all over the coffee table; and he stood by lapping it up! He even managed to get to both sides of the table to catch all the runoff! I am telling you that this dog never met a beverage he didn't like! My father is calling him, "the drunkard"!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Haha, does he stick his entire head in the water bowl to drink?

Counter surfing can be a big issue--we've trained ours not to put their heads on any table, but there are times I can see drool marks on a table from when they sniffed something when I wasn't around. Catching them in the act can be difficult!

The urination issue would be frustrating--don't be afraid to use the crate until he "gets it". I know you don't want to keep him crated all day, every day, but maybe he could potty, then play, then you could crate him until the next potty session? It's actually kind of harder with a young adult since he should really only need to potty 4 -5 times per day, you know?

I haven't posted about Byron for a bit because we were in the midst of treatment and keeping our fingers crossed that what we were battling was 100% treatable. Unfortunatly late last week he was finally diagnosed with GME by a second neurologist. We started more aggressive treatment today, but it's unlikely he will pull through this. We're going to do everything we can, but are preparing for him not to make it. He might have several more months, there is no way to know. We're just keeping our fingers crossed. D and I are heartbroken, but honestly all of our energy right now is going toward helping Byron as much as we can. It's amazing how much love we can feel towards these furry creatures!

 

[yssie]

Griffin is a beauty Deb, congrats!! I have no advice, but want to wish you well in training

 

[zoebartlett]

I'm so sorry NEL. I hope you and D. enjoy many months with Byron.

 

[charbie]

Deb, he's stunning. Im swooning over him.

And darling, your captions are hilarious.

 

[AGBF]

I'm so sorry NEL. I hope you and D. enjoy many months with Byron.

I am very sorry too, NEL. I was tongue-tied for a while there after hearing the sad news about Byron's prognosis. When my Lab, Biscuit, was old and ill (and I know that Byron is not old, so that this is another experience entirely) I went through my darkest days. The anticipation of what was to come was worse than what came. I am deeply sorry that this fluke happened to your lovely young boy.

Deb/AGBF

 

[y2kitty]

He's beautiful!

 

[NewEnglandLady]

Aw, thanks Zoe and Deb. Right now Byron seems relatively healthy (he's able to walk independently and isn't in any pain at all), so we're hoping we can keep him at this level of comfort for as long as possible!

How is Griffin doing today, Deb?

 

[AGBF]

Aw, thanks Zoe and Deb. Right now Byron seems relatively healthy (he's able to walk independently and isn't in any pain at all), so we're hoping we can keep him at this level of comfort for as long as possible!

How is Griffin doing today, Deb?

He still hasn;t gotten the idea that one doesn't urinate inside...unless he does it only in the morning after he has been left "alone". I

have asked my father either to leave him outside (preferable) or to return him to his crate when my father leaves home in the morning

and my daughter and I are not yet up for the day. That seems to be the time when he wets floors and also finds things he shouldn't be

chewing on, things in which he usually takes no interest! I think he is angry that my father leaves and that my daughter and I are

upstairs. Because he refuses to come upstairs. We don't know if he has ever climbed stairs. (He wanted to go down the cellar stairs,

but I stopped him, because I feared he'd be unable to come back up!)


He also refuses to go for a walk. Both my father and I managed to take him for a short walk the first day he was home, but he really

doesn't want to leave the yard. After I had caught him urinating in the house and yelled, "NO pee peees in the house" while

bundling him outside, my daughter tried to take him for a walk. He wouldn't even walk to the gate!!! I later wondered if he was

scared that if I had put him out of the house that I might put him out of the yard! Who knows?

All I know is that he is adjusting, but that he still has a ways to go. He continues to be very sweet and happy. My daughter is head

over heels in love with him. He had a nice marrow bone today, which the breeder had told me was something he was allowed. He

seemed to enjoy it! Thank you for asking, NEL.


Deb

 

[sphenequeen]

I love this dog!!!

 

[gemgirl]

Congratulations Deb! He looks like one lovable, huggable bear! Is he considered fully grown at 16 wks?

 

[AGBF]

Congratulations Deb! He looks like one lovable, huggable bear! Is he considered fully grown at 16 wks?

He's actually 16 months and the breeder said he stopped growing early, which was why he wasn't going to get as large as expected (as large as his expected potential). Supposedly it is why she isn't pushing to make him a champion. We are not sure if he is done growing yet. The breeder implied that he was done growing in height, but said he is about 120 lbs and should get to 125. The leader of our obedience class, however, said that he has seen young males add another inch or two at this age. So I really cannot say! The leader of the obedience class is a real pro who trained my Lab 12 years ago. He trained and showed different breeds of dogs including Bull Mastiffs who competed against Newfoundlands. He took one look at Griffin when he entered the gymnasium where the class was going to be held, pointed a finger and said, "Best in show!". He had no idea who we were...he just knew a beautiful dog when he saw one. He couldn't get over Griffin's carriage (although that wasn't the word he used for it...he used some doggy word for it). I was pleased!

Thank you for your kind words, too!

Deb

 

[purplesilk]

I you Griffin!!!

 

[afreebird]

Haha, does he stick his entire head in the water bowl to drink?

Counter surfing can be a big issue--we've trained ours not to put their heads on any table, but there are times I can see drool marks on a table from when they sniffed something when I wasn't around. Catching them in the act can be difficult!

The urination issue would be frustrating--don't be afraid to use the crate until he "gets it". I know you don't want to keep him crated all day, every day, but maybe he could potty, then play, then you could crate him until the next potty session? It's actually kind of harder with a young adult since he should really only need to potty 4 -5 times per day, you know?

I haven't posted about Byron for a bit because we were in the midst of treatment and keeping our fingers crossed that what we were battling was 100% treatable. Unfortunatly late last week he was finally diagnosed with GME by a second neurologist. We started more aggressive treatment today, but it's unlikely he will pull through this. We're going to do everything we can, but are preparing for him not to make it. He might have several more months, there is no way to know. We're just keeping our fingers crossed. D and I are heartbroken, but honestly all of our energy right now is going toward helping Byron as much as we can. It's amazing how much love we can feel towards these furry creatures!

I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would one day have a dog tall enough to rest his entire head on the counter top! I love having our big guy keep me company in the kitchen. My husband says he is not supposed to be allowed to put his head on the counter, but I'm such a softie when he rests his head on the counter and watches me make a sandwich. What's funny is he never tries to grab or beg. He just watches. I try to cover our tracks, but my husband always sees his drooly jowl marks left behind on the granite.

NewEnglandLady, I am so sorry to hear about your boy's health issue. I'm definitely keeping him and you in my thoughts.

AGBF, your big boy is absolutely gorgeous! What a handsome, dignified face! I love it! Doggie noses are my weakness!

 

[AGBF]

I never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would one day have a dog tall enough to rest his entire head on the counter top! I love having our big guy keep me company in the kitchen. My husband says he is not supposed to be allowed to put his head on the counter, but I'm such a softie when he rests his head on the counter and watches me make a sandwich. What's funny is he never tries to grab or beg. He just watches. I try to cover our tracks, but my husband always sees his drooly jowl marks left behind on the granite.

I guess it's time for you to start a thread on your Great Dane, afreebird. You can't just introduce him and then leave us hanging!

Thank you for the kind words about Griffin. The good news is that he is completely housebroken and that it was very easy. Other things have not been so easy!!! He won't get into a car (read: Jeep). I hurt my back trying to lift him in the second week of obedience classes. Because it's so hard to deal wih the issue and we've had so much snow (none of which melted), he hasn't yet been to the vet or gone to the beach or a park for a walk! He went up a few stairs when he was excited to see me, but he also, still, doesn't do stairs.

He eats electric razors. After he ate the first one, my father put his new one in another room. But I found it, dismantled like the first one (metal gears all over the floor), motor running, red light on, humming and buzzing away on the rug. No one in the room.

He has become a lap dog. At least with me. I have the bruises to prove it. He also was knocking things down trying to see out the bay window, so I cleared a space for him to get up to look out. The result was that the entire dog was standing in the bay window from then on. Now we can show him in the window. If we were a store, this would be fine....

And so it goes.

Deb


Diamonds Are A Girl's Best Friend

 

[Autumnovember]

OMG! Look at that face!!!! My heart just melted!

 

[AGBF]

I don't have any new pictures, but of course I have some new stories. I will be selective and not bore you silly. I think my favorite concerns The Big Bitter Pill. Griffin still will not willingly enter my Jeep. I have not been working with him on using the ramp (which he loves) because of the weather here. The spring will make practice easier. (Of course it snowed a lot last week although it was, nominally, spring.)

At any rate, we got a vet who made home visits to facilitate Griffin's veterinary care until he gets better with the ramp and Jeep. The vet found out he had round worms and gave me two enormous pills to give Griffin simultaneously. She told me I could hide them in a meatball or peanut butter, or something else he would like. I thought that peanut butter (since I had no meatballs handy) sounded like a good solution. I thought I might be able to fool him with it since it is so sticky. Any of you who have had dogs are surely familiar with the smart dog phenomenon of the dog who, no matter how well you hide the pill: susses out the pill; eats all the treat; and drops the tiny, once well-hidden pill, to floor; then walks away in victory!

Well, Griff picked the huge gob of peanut butter and one pill from my hand and seemed to gobble it all at once. I thought I was home free. Then the pill fell to the floor. I said, "Nope!" to me father as I realized that even Griffin was capable of separating a pill from a treat, despite his massive mouth and his ability to down it all at once if he so desired. Girffin ate all the peanut butter, then bent down, picked up the supposedly bitter pill, and ate it, too! I said, "Oh, Griffin! You are the best dog in the world!" and gave him more peanut butter since I realized that he probably had a bitter taste in his mouth at that point! Then we went on to pill number two!

He is stil learning (obviously). One cannot take a 16 month old dog who has always lived outside and make him obedient overnight, but he is a wonderful pet! He is very, very loving!!!

Deb/AGBF

 

[yssie]

::snort::

How awfully convenient AGBF!