A/B Person: - Nurhan's take:

 Nurhan's take:

Kin is now an 'A' person. Up and out first thing in the morning.

This lasts right up until we turn back for the house.

At which point he becomes a 'B' person, and can barely stand up...

Crowds, parents, and getting big - Nurhan's take:

Nurhan's take:

This was supposed to be a cabin hunting trip, but then we went by water and, well you know how that goes...


Having a giant breed dog, you should normally be able to spot your dog when he's playing in a group...

 
 This isn't always the case...

(After carefully studying the pics and zooming in Kin is furthest one to the left, looking over his shoulder at the camera).

Sadly this is now a rare sight in the Stavanger area, that said this is a 'fast treff' (i.e. a regular meet) every Saturday and Sunday at one of the local beaches at kl 0900 (any one see the downside of this? As Robin William's says in the film, 'Good Morning Vietnam', "What's the '0' stand for? Oh my god it's early!" Okay 0900 isn't particularly early, but when you spend the rest of the week getting up before 0600, you tend to look forward to the sanctuary of the weekends and leisurely starts).

Here's a question, why don't pet shops carry collars/harnesses for giant breed dogs? They are not that rare as the above picture shows... Incidentally he's the only male dog in the above picture!

Some sad news about another Newfie, Santos, I think Santos was three years old and if you search through this blog you can find a picture of him. I'm not sure of the details but it turns out that he had a bone disease that splinted the bones in his front legs which would require operations on both front legs. Santos weighed in at 80 kgs, and given the nature of what was wrong with him, was going to have serious problems even if the operation(s) were successful. MayBritt was forced to do the kind thing which must have been agonising especially as it's not so long since they lost Marco (happily from old age).

 Here it's harder to pic the correct Newfie... This is at Bråstein and the lady is the one who mentioned the beach walk.

Kin is getting big, he's a week from being nine months old, this gate is head height on me and I'm 175 cm tall...

Now a big puppy could be a problem when your mother visits as he's probably heavier than her and he definitely wants to play more. She was briefed thoroughly on how to act towards him so he wouldn't take too many liberties with her, and it all went rather well. They each managed to step on the other one's paws but other than that no harm was done.

Although it's really hard working with animals and parents; between the two of them it took me three efforts to get this picture:

They got on well together.

Still keep bumping into deer on local walks, in fact on the local footy field, unless someone else has already woken them up, they generally don't even bother to get up. Last week one ran ~ five metres in front of Kin and despite being off the lead, he didn't do anything.

 The glowing eyes in front is a deer with the flash lighting both Kin's head in the bottom right of the picture and the deer in front.

 Despite having plenty of places he can lie down, he still insists on 'wedging' himself into the tightest spaces that he can find.

And sometimes after a trip, things like getting out the car are just way tooooooooooo much bother...

Favourite pastimes - Kin:

Kin's take:

 Now sleeping and stomach rubs are two of my favourite pastimes. I've found that if you take up positions like this, that your human will find it difficult not to comply with giving a stomach rub... sometimes you don't even need to wake up!

How cool is this!

The world according to an eight month old puppy - Kin

Kin's take:

This is a good day, hanging around in the woods, meeting folk and other dogs, most of whom want to play. Today was great as it was raining and not hot at all.

I've heard rumours that St Bernard's don't swim, from personnel experience seems to be true.

That's Jussi up there, normally when we meet we have a great time, today she was obviously feeling bitchy, as she jumped me and growled alot, sometimes bitches are really hard to understand.

Last couple of days have been good, my human has been around almost all the time, and he even let me sleep in. Hasn't had the normal piles of paper on the living room table and ignoring my advances to play.

Talking of which I've discovered that when he is doing that type of thing, if you repeatedly try to get him to play he ends up giving you something to chew for a long time on. How can you lose with this reaction!

Please notice the latest indignity, some type of bondage harness that fits around my chest, breast, and back. He puts it on and it seems to have no purpose, it's almost like he's trying to get me used to wearing it before he uses it for something else. I have tried rolling on the floor to pull it off, and into trees, nothing seems to work.

 Got to play the 'towel game'; perennial favourite. Not sure how the scoring is done, but think I won.

 Where'd he go?

Excellent, he understands the value of play and has filled all the holes in with fresh soft soil, what fun it's going to be to dig them all up again.

Don't let it be said that us Newfies don't pull our own weight...

Sad times, Tall Ships, Bråstein - Nurhan's take:

Nurhan's take:

Picture is taken from www.NRK.no, from a building in Oslo after the atrocities that occurred in Norway on the 22nd of July. Things that happened that day only happen in films or America, not in Norway. People are having to come to terms that it's a home grown loon that unleashed unmitigated evil in Norway on that day. Folk like having people to blame/fight against, the reality is that the vast majority of people of all nations, creeds, colours, and religion are peaceful and have nothing to do with terrorism, sadly this attack against society illustrates that. This last week in Norway has been sad and surprisingly dignified. All flags at half mast and deep sadness amongst the population. The loss of a loved one is a terrible thing, but the loss of so many people's loved ones in such an evil attack is heart breaking and my deepest sympathies go out to all the folk affected. Apparently last Monday a girl wrote a note on her social networking website words to the effect of, "If one man can have so much hatred, imagine how much love one country can have." These words somehow metamorphosed into people gathering (most with roses/flowers) in every centre in Norway. 100 000 folk in Stavanger or over 1/2 the town's population at a moments notice.

  For those not directly affected, life goes on. Tall ships race is in Stavanger at the moment. This is what the harbour looked like last night.

Today Kin and I took our evening walk down in the harbour. Wall to wall people. Kin wasn't fussed. Bumped into many folk that I knew, and many who 'knew' Kin.

I'm not entirely certain what happened here. Had stopped to talk to some friends looked around to this scene.

Still the young woman, got up, thanked me(!) and when on her way with her two friends! Kin didn't mind.

Now Kin did keep trying to jump into the harbour and it would have been really hard to have got him back out of the water had he managed it. On passing a fountain he did hop in:

And then being a Newfie...

He promptly lay down and tried to go to sleep... in the water.


Been irritatingly busy at work (pretty much since I started this new job), still have managed to take the little chap on a few walks.

Ingvild & the Madster

joined us on one trip.

Mel on another, where we bumped into Jussi, or at least Kin did:

Jussi is a 15 month old St Bernard's bitch, (Kin is eight months old dog) and they are similar sized and every time they meet they love to play together.

When tried to walk away Kin ran after Jussi. We walked off into the distance... Kin came running back eventually but he kept looking back... All very cute.

Goodbye old friend, ouch, shoes, deer - Nurhan

Nurhan's take:

I should really be in bed by now but there is a reason why I have to write this post today, that I'll come to later in this posting.

Sheep TV is still a top channel, which is strange as these

folk didn't get a look in when Kin and I were walking off the lead... At least they didn't spark Kin's interest until they decided to exit stage right, at which point he decided to chase, now Newfie's are built for comfort, not speed... Deer's are built for speed. I walked in the other direction, called Kin and after 50 m of 'chase' (by which time the two above were in a different time zone), Kin turned round and ambled back.

Now onto shoes: Gortex is a wonderful invention, however with Gortex has every Tom, Dick, & Harry making Gortex boots, which has the advantage that you can buy them 'dirt' cheap now; and I do have a high attrition rate for 'dog walking footware'. Now for dog walking I don't buy expensive shoes, problem with this is that you tend to get shoes with soles like this:

Which are fine for walking on gravel type paths (which is what most folk would buy them for). This sole gives you some grip and because there are no sharp angle changes, the soles are 'kind' on paths. Indeed back in the 90's they tried introducing this kind of sole on proper walking boots, end result was that mountain paths suffered less erosion, BUT more people broke their legs. I've had two bad falls with these boots owing to the inadequate sole... I am now limping and have a good mark on one of my legs... time to fix this issue:

Notice the cut away section at the start of the heel. This is now a 90 degree angle. This is what catches when you start to slide (and because it catches it erodes paths; but stops you breaking your legs).

Now for the main reason for writing now.

Today is exactly a year since I lost my last Newfie, Karma. At New Year's 2009-2010, he was towing a friend's kids down a snow covered hill, but then he went dramatically down hill. He'd got to the stage when he showed little interest in food, or walks. He had difficulties getting up, and the life had gone out of his eyes. You have to make the decision what is best for him. He looked tired, and had reverted to a shadow of his former self. My heart was in a vice. I'd take him for a trip and ask him what he wanted to do, and after not very far he'd turn around and walk back to the house; I'd have tears in my eyes (as I do now). I spoke with my ex and she too agreed that his quality of life was now poor. Decided that I'd see how the weekend went and if he seemed the same then I'd release him from his failing body.

Karma always knew when something was up with me and he'd sleep in my bedroom when he detected something was wrong. Last two days of his life I slept downstairs (and had to put the stair gates up, as he'd fall down the stairs). On the Sunday I really was very upset. I'm sure he picked up on this. He ate his food with fresh meat in it (which he hadn't done the days before) then he struggled up and picked up a ball and batted his big head against my hand, to play. We did. Then I asked him if he wanted to go for a walk. He hadn't wanted to for weeks but again he seemed keen. We had certain places where I'd ask him where he wanted to go, all of these he looked for the long option. He fell over a couple of times (and landed on my heart). I stopped him from going too far as I couldn't see how he could; I believe that I saw relief in his eyes. We still managed to make it to the first lake (which we hadn't managed in weeks), and being a Newfie:

 (Notice his trade mark tail :)

We took it really slow back to the house, and he did fall over.

This last trip was a great trip, but it really did take it out of the little chap. I'm convinced that he only did this last trip to please me. He didn't stir for the rest of the day and most of the next day.

I sent a cryptic text message to several friends as I really needed some help. David:

Picked up that something was up and came over.

David spent the night and took this last picture of Karma:

(which I can't look at with dry eyes).
Shortly after this picture was taken, the vet arrived and released Karma from his failing body. He died in our garden, in my arms and I still miss him with emotions that I cannot describe.

David and I carried him to the vets car and seeing him drive off was another twist of the knife in my broken heart.

His ashes are in the corner of my garden where he loved to lie in the shade.

David was with Shannon and I when we went to pick Karma up, David helped me on this terrible day a year ago (which I can't thank him enough for), and David came with me to pick up Kin.

One closing remark, from personal experience I do believe that the spirit is separate from the body. There were drugs involved, but only medicinal; after one accident I ended up in a recovery room after one of my arms had been set with a local anaesthetic. I was somewhat out of it, but wondered what the view was like out the window, so went and looked. The view was good. Then I heard a nurse telling me to snap out of it, looked back and saw her leaning over me! Next moment I'm looking up at her through blurred eyes (I wear glasses or contacts). Now I'm an engineer and I can't explain what happened by any scientific means other than this was my spirit taking a 'walk'.

Karma now is walking with my father.

Guilt of the working day, 'Not me Gov!', balls, and sexual development - Nurhan's take:

 Nurhan's take:

The heart breaking look a dog gives you as you go off to work (so you can afford to pay for the HUGE amount that they eat, not to mention repair the damage!)... His eye's implore, "how could you?" When you get home he's pressed against the fence waiting for freedom, and the guilt presses down more heavily on the owner... If you are really quiet and a little bit early you will find out how he actually spends his day! The above picture is taken from my basement after having arrived home and put my bike in the basement.

 Despite the bolts being pulled back on the kennel, he still hasn't noticed (obviously potential as a 'highly strung' guard dog...)

 Still hasn't noticed... could he be dead?

Now he's realised. You can see him thinking, "arh, the situation can still be saved if I put on a good show now..." As he tries to shake the tiredness from his eyes!

Incidentally guess how the splinted wood, in the above pictures, was done...

Still I haven't caught him on the sofa for awhile... which is of course different to, he hasn't been on the couch for awhile:

Now he's thinking:

"If I can just grab this without him noticing, then he'll never know..."

When Karma was a puppy, about the same age, we bought him one of these (this is Kin). This was THE ONLY BALL that lasted his entire life, and he loved it. When Karma died, I filled two of the big blue Ikea bags full of the balls he'd managed to acquire and took them to Bråstein; took Karma and my normal route and threw them into the woods. Karma used to love running off and coming back with a ball in his mouth. He seemed to have a 'ball seeking radar' in built into that huge head of his. He'd carry his new ball with his tail and head held high, and he'd skirt into the trees even to avoid a terrier, just in case it had designs on his balls (that might not sound quite right...). Well on the way back on that sad day we passed a dog that had found one of Karma's balls and his tail was high, he nipped into the trees to avoid me just in case I had designs on 'his' ball. It made me smile. I put Karma's balls in his favourite places. I've been and looked in the place where this ball was put, but it is long gone, the 'ghost' of Karma bringing pleasure to others. Thus the new ball, which Kin loves.

Talking of Bråstein, when Karma was four months old, he took his 'comfort' rug, from his bed, came running into the living room with it, bundled it up with his front paws and then started to try and hump it... I was nightly impressed... he was only four months old! My partner came out with, "eeek, I don't want a pervert as a 'boy'!" To my, "That's my boy!" Now Karma was always most considerate to the 'ladies' and he'd spend an awful lot of time at their rear end with that huge tongue of his, the bitches eyes would take of the dreamy look and...

Kin is a later developer, but here he is at Bråstein with a 14 month old St Bernard, what you can't tell from the picture is the oscillating of his hips... yes he has none of the good manners of Karma. Still they do say that women like bar-stewards, and despite this Lucy (the St B) didn't want to go... in fact to separate them, we had to revert to leads and even then we had to drag our dogs in different directions!

Can all be very tiring for the little chap... and talking of Bråstein, now I have to wake him up as that's where we are heading.