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Hmm, Sammy paces a good bit. He's never shown any indication of orthopedic problems, other than periodic bouts of panosteitis, but I wonder if this is something I should keep an eye on. I'd say he's always done it, and he's just a year old now. Some of the tie, it could definitely be related to me pulling back against his leash, as that Web site mentioned. But I do wonder. In the picture of a dog "pacing" they mention how this gait makes the rear raise up higher than the shoulders, and this is definitely noticeable in Sammy. He only paces at slow speeds, and definitely moves into a trot when he's jogging along.

Sammy's bed is from LL Bean, and it's denim. And he loves it. I know that they'll personalize them, too- embroidered names, and I think they also have patches for most dog breeds that you can have put on. I got Sammy's bed at the outlet store, which saved a little bit of money, so I didn't get it monogrammed or anything. But it is very durable, and dirt and fur vacuums off the bed really nicely. Also, I got him a size large, though I think their sizing chart recommends an XL for a dog of his size- and the large is PLENTY big for him, at 85 pounds. He can lie fully extended on his side no problem.

I've decided to transfer schools, and Sammy and I will be moving to North Carolina in August! We'll be living in the Raleigh/Durham area, and I am pretty excited! I just wanted to put feelers out for anyone in the area, or any dog-related (or not) things about the area I just have to know!! Great parks? Great dog walkers or sitters? Great play groups?

Thanks so much!

Thanks, that's good to hear. I hope these will heal quick- the skin is peeling off pretty deep, so it might take a little while, but it sounds like I'm on the right track with taking care of it.

Well, I have a male, so I can tell you a bit about him- Sammy will be one year old on the fourth of July, and I wouldn't describe him as friendly but aloof or shy. He is SUPER friendly, and always looking for love. He will follow you everywhere in the house- he literally lies in the bathroom while I shower, and he will sit at your feet and lean against your legs. When he meets new people, he leans right up against them to be petted. He is not at all a dominant dog- he doesn't seem to really understand aggression in other dogs, even, and will continue to try to play with them even when they clearly do not want to play. He is slightly protective of his house- he will bark at people who come to the door, particularly men, and he does have a pretty mean-sounding bark, but once he's met them I've never seen him be anything other than very friendly. He also really loves kids, and seems to be extra gentle with them- that said, he did once lean against a smaller girl and kind of push her over, because he's such a leaner! I think basically you can get this type of temperament with either a male of female, but I just wanted to throw out there that even though Sammy has that big head and big solid build, he is a total pushover, aside from the fact that he sometimes doesn't realize his size. I've leaned to beware having full cups of anything on my table, as he'll bump the legs and spill them!

Awwww, thank you all so much! And, because I pulled a few pics I'd forgotten about off the camera today.... Here's another of Sammy, last week. This one really shows off his curliness! It's funny, people comment all the time on his curly fur- I've really not seen other Berners with a coat like his.

Thank you all so much! I do agree, he's a very handsome boy!