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Our hearts were broken on April 20th when Slugger, our Saint Bernard X, passed away in his sleep at the age of 11 years  .  We really were so blessed to have been able to have him for all those years.  Slugger was amazing and we so miss him.  He loved us all and was very protective of our girls and myself but my husband was his guy.  We always knew when my husband was just about home as Slugger would cock his ear, get up and head to the door with his tail just a wagging and begging us to go out so he could give his dad the proper welcome home.  I don’t know how he heard him, but he knew when that diesel was headed up the hill home.  When we were all out, every time we all came home he would be sitting on a small bank next to house under the lilac tree.  He had a great view of the dirt road to see us coming home.  You would see him sitting there, watching and waiting and then start running to greet us.  Because it was his favourite place to sit and watch for us, that is the spot were we buried him.  We can know that he is still watching out for us there. 

So, as with all heartbreak the healing must start, so in our case it is now with Daisy, our 7 week old, mastiff x Saint Bernard.  We have had her 3 days now and she is just such a sweetheart.  Poor Otis is not too sure of her and is bravely putting up with her, thou rolling his eyes a lot.  Honestly, who knew a Pyr could roll his eyes??  I think that he is more put out by the fact that with his buddy Slugger gone he has to be the adult now, and is now learning what a pain in the old boys butt he was the past 2 years, with his constant bugging, wrestling and tag playing.  So now the puppy fun begins and hopefully we will all survive  .

So the first picture is our dear old boy Slugger.  RIP big guy, we miss you.  The next 2 pictures are of Daisy.

Sorry this is long but I am still totally upset 

I have been having real trouble with Otis.  He will not come or listen at all if he doesn't feel like it (yeah, typical pyr  ).  When he won't listen I will get hold of his collar to make him come with me.  Most of the time he will come but others he would start mouthing me, rolling over and pushing me away with his legs, or in some cases jumping on me while he is mouthing my hands.  It really wasn't too bad at first but he has slowly been getting more aggressive with it.  When he would do this things I would yell NO, say Oww, sometimes it worked mostly it didn't phase him.

Anyway, we had him fixed on Sunday, so he is in the house for rest for afew days.  Today I had to go to town, so I called him to come into the bathroom where sleeps the nights he wants in the house.  He balks alittle at going in at times but nothing bad.

Today he wouldn't at all.  I called and called and then went to take hold of his collar and he fought me!!  Each time I would get near him he actually drew back his lips and snapped at me!!!  No mouthing, actually using abit of pressure when he would get hold of me!!  I thought he was just being a real butt and got hold of his collar and he jumped on me and started fighting me and scratched me up fairly good.  Each time I would try and get his collar he would snarl and snap.  I was actually getting alittle scared as he is 9 months old now and 98 lbs. 

I got his choker chain and leash out as he is really good on these and tried to get him to come with me and he really started fighting!!! This was not working at all, so I tried to get the chain off him and he snapped at me acouple of times with his lips drawn and then finally connected.  He bit me!!! .  He didn't break the skin or draw blood but man it hurt, I was in tears!!!  He has always been abit of a PITA, but this I would never had believed!!!

I finally had to call my husband from work to come home  as I was in tears, scared and hurting, and couldn't get near Otis  .  He came home and Otis did the same things to my husband just not near as aggressive as he was with me.  Otis then snapped at hubby once too many times and hubby lost it and kicked him in the butt.  I want to say that we have NEVER, hit or kicked our animals before.  After Otis got a kick in the @ss he was more inclined to listen and went willingly to the bathroom.

He has been gradually getting worse with the mouthing, passive, aggressive thing, but has me completely upset. I am actually alittle scared of him and I really don't want the kids near him.  He is out of the bathroom now and laying next to me, but each time I try and pet him, he mouths me!!!

I know that his incision is really bugging him and I am waiting for someone to drop me off a cone tonight so he can leave it alone (guess that is going to be a fight getting that on with him acting this way  ).  I have been the one that keeps telling him to leave the site alone and have been pushing his head away from the incision.  I was the one that had to push him into the vets office and then the cage as well.  Is he really ticked at me for all of this, is it his hormones or what??   

He is my dog!!! and has always loved on me, curled up with me, sat on my lap!! and listened to me more then anyone else in the family.  But now I am scared, I can not have an aggressive dog in our house with me and the kids!!  I am at a loss 

Well the more I get to see of Otis the more like a cat he seems.  He has now taken to catching birds and eating them  .  At first we just thought he was taking them off the cats after they caught them.  We would take them off him and dispose of them and then an hour later he would have another one  .  Well DH was out this morning feeding horses and Otis barrels by him jumps in the bushes and comes out with a bird    After seeing that the light came on, he was getting his own birds.  Seems he is quite the big hunter  .

So is this normal for a pyr (little on any dog)??  Our is my poor boy completely species confused and really thinks he is a cat 

Hi All: 

I have a question.  Would there be any downside to feeding a senior (9yr) Saint large breed puppy food?  The reason I ask is that we have a 5mth old Pyr and no matter what food I buy they both only eat the puppy food.  They will eat the senior only when I am out of puppy food. Soam thinking of just feeding the large breed puupy food to both of them.  What do you think??

Oh and also before you say anything, there in no chance of me seperating them at dinner time.

Hey guys!!!  Haven't been around much but have been popping in to read now and then  .  We have had Otis now for a month and he is just the biggest and cutest goof around.  Man I love that pup  .  Unfortunately after our great first week the only thing he has learned is to sit and the little bugger keeps peeing in the house!!!! 

I need help and advice big time  .  I've watched him, timed him, put him out, brought him in, scolded him, scolded the mess, yelled at him, talked nice to him, rubbed his nose in it and he keeps peeing.  Please help!!!!  cause everything I have tried just isn't working

Well we have survived the first week with Otis  .  My goodness does this little guy get into mischief!!!.  He has a HUGE shoe fetish.  He will be nowhere in site and you take your shoes off quickly and bam they are gone.  And mess, I don't know where he finds half the stuff that is strewn around the yard  .

I am amazed at how smart these dogs are.  He is locked in our ensuite at night, casue there is no way he is destroying the house while we sleep.  The first few nights there was no way he was going in without a fight and just convincing him to come in the house at bedtime or when we went out for a pee in the middle of the night was immpossible.  I was chasing he everywhere  .  I ended up getting mad at him one night at 2 in the morning and dragged him into his bed  .  Since then I say "bedtime" and he is straight to the bathroom and on his blanket.  When we go out at night I tell him "pee-pee" and he is out the door and doing his business.  I say "bedtime" and he is straight back in the house. I honestly can't believe it 

Now I have to work on the sitting, barking and piddling on the carpet 

Anyway just wanted to share our first week with you guys.