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I finally figured out how to use my Windows Movie Maker to make a slideshow set to music!  Yeah me!!  LOL!     I just posted it to youtube earlier today and now I want to share it with you guys!  It's a little long, six minutes, but I wanted to include all the best photos from the last six months we've had with the boys!  Hope you guys like it!    Here's the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWIiYybPIvQ

Hi all!  I ran across this video today and decided to post it on you tube because I wanted to share it with you.  The video is of Zeus and Apollo at the shelter.  It was the day we decided we would adopt both of them instead of just one.  You could just tell that they belonged together and it wouldn't have been right to seperate them.  And you could also tell that even though they were a little nervous at the shelter, they were just the sweetest boys ever.  My youngest son, Ryan (2 years old) was completely comfortable with them and they weren't bothered by the little munchkin either!  I love this video! 

And a side note, look at their coats!     So full and beautiful.  They're going through a heavy shedding period right now and they look more like white retreivers than the big old pyrs they were in June!  (Even though they've put on over 15 pounds each since then!) Isn't it funny that they're losing that warm fuzzy coat just when they need it the most?!  Poor guys!  Not that they mind, though!  Nothing will keep them from romping around outside like little snow monkeys every chance they get!  Crazy Goofs!!!

Anyway, hope you enjoy the video!  Here's the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIfFC4oQeWs

We recently had our nice little fenced-in back yard landscaped, with lots of pretty new sod, but now Zeus and Apollo have no where to enjoy a good run.  (No foot traffic allowed until the roots are well established!)  We take 'em for walks and they have a small fenced-in side yard to play in, buy it's only big enough for jumping around and wrestling. 

So I was wondering if I could use a 100 foot rope from Lowe's to let them stretch their legs at the park safely.  (We don't have a doggie park nearby, so that's not an option.)  Anyone know how to attach such a rope to the collar without it coming loose?  I'm just a little nervous that my knots will come apart and they'll get loose.  With their history of being strays and my one experience of them getting out of my yard and taking off, I'm not naive enough to think they'll listen to me off lead!  Any advise will be greatly appreciated!

This is only the second time that they've fought since we adopted the boys in June.  Once it was over food and this time I think it was over a Nylabone.  The first time Apollo started it, and this time Zeus.  Each time it seemed to start out of the blue.  They eat together everyday and chew their toys together all the time without incident.

Last night we were sitting around watching TV.  Apollo was lying on the couch with Hubby, and Zeus was sleeping on the floor with his Nylabone near his front paws.  I heard Zeus let out a little growl, and before I had a chance to correct him, he lunged at Apollo.  Apollo leaped off the couch and they both started going at it.  My 2 year old was in the room and he was crying so hard.  It was a really scary site.  Anyway, Hubby and I jumped up and I pulled Zeus away by his collar and Hubby tried to pull Apollo back.  Thats when he got bit.  I pushed Zeus outside and turned to look at Hubby, and I saw his shirt sleeve turning red with blood.  His wound was pretty deep on the top of his forearm and he also had a hole on the bottom that was open, but not bleeding.  I needed to tend to his arm, so I put Apollo outside with Zeus, who had already calmed down.  Both dogs walked toward each other and started licking and nuzzling each other like they were apologizing and making up.  They've been fine ever since.  We brought them back in for the night and they've been acting like nothing happened. 

So now, I guess my question for the board is - How do I prevent this from happening in the future?  For the night we removed the bone that I think set Zeus off, but I can't keep all the toys out of the house forever.  The dogs are young and tend to chew when they're bored, so I want to have appropriate chew materials around.  99.9% of the time these guys are the most gentle and tolerant dogs I have ever known.  The little yorkies jump and nip in their faces all the time and the big dogs don't even notice them.  They are always tolerant of the children bumping into them and hugging on them and such.  And if I hadn't witnessed the fight last night with my own eyes, I wouldn't even believe they had it in them to be so aggressive with each other.

Have any other pyr owners seen this type of aggression toward another dog?  Did I mention that I suspect Zeus and Apollo are littermates since the vet says they're the same age and they were found straying together by Animal Control?  Maybe this has something to do with their aggression only towards each other?  I wish I knew more about their background.  They were both neutered in July, so hormones shouldn't be an issue.  I just can't figure this out.

For now, we're not doing anything different with the dogs.  We've instructed our boys to not go near the big dogs if they start fighting again.  We've showed them Daddy's wound on his arm and explained how the dogs fur will protect them if they fight, but that their arms could get hurt badly if they tried to intervene.  I don't know what else to do.  I keep thinking what if my little 2 year old got in the middle by accident.  I guess this just reinforces why little ones always need to be supervised around dogs.  Even the ones you trust the most can surprise you.