Hello, forgot I had signed up for this forum and then found it again....I love the picture of the black newf by the way....I watch an old boy across the street from work make his way outside to do his business and hang out under the tree.. I think he is about 11 or 12 years old- maybe older. It's amazing.
I read ya'll posts about the true Gentle Giants of the dog world. I am lucky enough to have one in my life and she is that. I lost her brother last summer to osteosarcoma.. he was not quite 5. This is the part that makes you wonder if you are strong enough to do it again. Their life span is relatively short...6.5 years average. When you first get that 12 week old puppy, those just seem like numbers in the distant future. Then, when it catches up with you...your heart begins to break and you just don't know what to do. I waited all of my life for my first Irish Wolfhound.. Sampson was everything you would want a hound to be...he was my hearthound and can never be replaced. I have other sweet furkids in my life.. we have two borzoi girls, Chloe, my IW and two standard poodles. Hope to be able to participate more...