Wizard Update From Susanne: Rico's Growing Pains

And we received more Hovawart Wizards updates, which make me very happy. This time, it's Hovawart Wizard Susanne. She wanted to share this especially for all those other two-Hovie households out there.

Look how that Rico has grown, he is even gotten bigger than Mammoet...

Wizard Update From Jacque: Welcome Oggy

Hovawart Wizard Jacque was so kind to send me an update, she wanted me to share. Maybe you remember how Jacque found out her adopted Golden, was actually a Hovawart. Jacque opened her heart and home for a new Hovawart again with Amber, and a while ago asked for advice on the blog through the comment section on getting a second puppy.

As you are about to see, Jacque decided to go forward with a second puppy, so let's give a warm welcome to Oggy!

I Am So Really Happy To Meet You

Tilde is so happy to meet people. Really happy. When I took her out to walk in a small and not too busy shopping street, her excitement went sky-high.

There were so many people to meet. And then they were on the left, and then they were on the right, it was hard for her to keep up, if she hadn't missed and disappointed somebody.

Walking Like A Girl

"I will show you!" the trainer said, and I handed the leash with Kenzo over to her. She made sure everybody was silent, and took off, wiggling in a way that would make Beyoncé faint, while talking to Kenzo in such a high-pitched voice it made me wonder if she might have been abducted by aliens.

Hooked On Swimming

Tilde is not very fond of water. All that liquid in one place, it's just so very wet and eeky. It is hard for her to see the fun of it. I remember Mie - the lady of the shelter - told me, it gets better when you go in the water with her. I'll have to keep that in mind for when the water temperatures are better.

In the mean time, Kenzo can come to the rescue.

Although I am not sure. Is he an excellent swim instructor showing Tilde how to do it? Or is he rather the right bait on the hook to catch Tilde? You tell me. That juicy stick in Kenzo's mouth might have something to do with it too.

That is not fair, you are swimming with MY stick!

Almost there ....

And we are swimming ...!

Ah I forgot, it wasn't about swimming, but about a stick ...

The Last Rescue From The Hovawart Puppy Mill

Tilde was one of the last Hovawarts rescued from the Danish Hovawart Puppy Mill. Here is her story, and that of her parents, Cherry and Aapo.

It is a sad story, which is why I kept it to myself and a couple of close friends for almost a year, but after adopting Tilde I felt obliged to write it, in honor of her parents Cherry and Aapo.

Kenzo's New Personal Trainer

You already guessed it, right? Indeed, Tilde is Kenzo's New Personal Trainer.

Kenzo is very close to his recovery, we just need a little more muscle and leg awareness before he can go - controlled - off the leash.

In Tilde's boot-camp, he is getting just that, with simple and plain old-fashioned play-wrestling.

Tilde's Mothers: Farm Dogs Like Kenzo's

Just because I am curious, I thought I'll research Tilde's roots, like I did for Kenzo. Although I know her father was most likely Aapo vom Moseleck, I cannot get that confirmed to be certain. I do know though with certainty who her mother was: Cherry van de Rovihof.

Unfortunately Cherry's family tree, like Aapo's, ended up in the wrong hands, to say it mildly. I couldn't find info online about Cherry, but Cherry's breeder was helpful to give me the names of Cherry's father and mother, Tilde's grandparents, and that enabled me to trace Tilde all the way back to the first Hovawarts, and even learned Kenzo and Tilde share a common ancestor in 1946, around 14 generations back:

Viva Sunday #11: One More Easter Egg

I couldn't even have imagined adopting a dog, just a week ago.

When I rewind to the week just before Easter, instead of looking forward to some time off during those public holidays, I was bracing myself.

Taken By A Storm Called Tilde

Driving down to the shelter of "Dyrenes Beskyttelse" in Roskilde to meet Tilde, I wasn't sure we could have her home with us. Kenzo would be the judge of that, not me.

But at least I was looking forward to meet Tilde. At last. As one of the first to see a picture of her as a week old puppy, and following her journey from the puppy mill to her rescue and into her new home, I finally had the opportunity to meet her in real life. With only 14 months on her age-belt, Tilde was up for adoption again.