My big doofus just turned 2! Here's a picture of him earlier this year, next to Moose. I think he might be bigger than him!
This was our little fluff ball on his car ride home at 10 weeks. Just a little bundle of fluff and snuggles. He still is, but there's no little about him.
We took him out for a pasture walk as a pup to get the lay of the land and learn how to guard from the big boys.
As he kept getting bigger, I noticed I could not, for the life of me, train this dog! I trained both Atlas and Goliath and Moose to come when called, and sit on command. I also have hand signals I taught to all of them. This one just wasn't getting it. I know that Pyrenees are stubborn, not so sure about the Saint Bernard in him.
It wasn't long before I realized he was deaf! A blew a lifeguard whistle in his ear while he was sleeping and he didn't even flinch. I still try to work on the hand signals, but since he is a livestock guardian, he doesn't keep his attention on me much.
When he does, he's usually touching me. I think that's part of being deaf, if he wants to be with me, he has to either be looking at me, or touching me, so he gets the reassurance that I am there. He's a very tactile dog, I've gotten used to him having to be at my side, literally, when we are out in the field.
This is his favorite spot on butcher day. He thinks we don't know he's under there. That bucket in front of him usually has feet in it, so he likes to lay there and eat the feet.
I've always felt that everyone gets ONE amazing dog in their life. I have a lot of really awesome, wonderful dogs. But there was one that I was so close to. His name was Hobbes. I never thought I'd feel a connection to another dog like I did to my Baby Bear (yes, he answered to both names). But this one, this big goofball, he's pretty special to me. Happy 2nd Birthday, ya big doofus!