PRs broken left and right

 Jack - 

• First time to a dog park

Bear - 

• First time to a dog park
• First time to the cabin
• First time swimming!
• First time crossing a 4 foot high dog ramp

Marshmallow - 

• Weighed in at 16 pounds this week.
• First time to a dog park
• First time to the cabin
• First time sitting on command
• First in the family to get a DNA test.
• So we were told that Marshy's litter was dual sired, which means that its possible that he isn't a Great Pyranees/Poodle mix.  He definitely looks it.  Here is his Mother (Pyranees):
• 
  
  

And here is his possible father (Red Poodle):

So we got a sweet deal on him understanding that he may not be the exact bred dog we expected.  I'm sure glad we went through with it even though Cathi is really wanting that poodle dna with the dog shedding that she can't stand.  

I went ahead and got a Embark Vet dog DNA test though cause my curiosity is peaked a bit.  So I sent Mel's sample in the mail this afternoon.  Regardless of the results, it'll be good to know what breed he's got in him. We sure love him to pieces.

A queen-size bed is too small. We need a California
King now if Cathi wants a place to lay her head.

Yesterday, we went up to the cabin in Logan, and Bear had his first time up there.  Jack loves it up there and runs the perimeter of the entire lot and just loves it chasing birds and getting in a good run.  Bear just follows him everywhere.  Poor Marshmallow though just wanted to lay down, eat, and chew on something naughty. We're gonna have to keep an eye on that little cutie.

Being a dog is tiring stuff!

Bear still a little wet from his
cold water swim!

Bear had a ball up at the cabin running
around with Jack

This little cutie enjoyed following the big brothers
around, but then slept and ate the rest of the time.

When Marshy saw his brother
Bear swim across, he thought
maybe I'll try it!  We kinda panicked
and stopped him before
he got to the water's edge.

Jack and I went across the bridge, and Bear tried to follow us, but after going about 10 yards and the bridge is a see-through steel slotted floor, he freaks out and heads back.  After Jack and I were over there and Bear just a howling the whole time.  I noticed him climbing out of that freezing water and shaking all the cold water off.  Oh my, he's never demonstrated swimming before as he's never had the chance.  Well he did it without me even knowing.  I had to watch him swim back so we went back to the cabin side and watched him.  I was a proud papa, but a dummie in not videoing it. 

I went inside and told everyone, but they thought I was kidding.  So we had to cross again and not only show the kids, but get it on video. After that though I felt bad making him get in that freezing water and worked with him with some treats and coaxing to cross the bridge properly.  He got really scared but gently encouraged him, and he did it.  He crossed two more time over the bridge.

Here is the swim on video:

On the way home from Logan, we saw a dog park with dozens of dogs.  We did a U-turn and got in on the action!  Jack and Bear loved it.  Marshmallow just was getting tons of love from humans as he is just a magnet being a cute round puppy.

Dog park video from Sam:

What a fun weekend!  These dogs are so tired.

From earlier this week:

Oliver loves our new buddy!

Roasting our Marshmallow! He looks perfectly
browned.

Mel felt right at home in the dog's
bedroom. Which is under the stairwell
behind my work desk in the basement.

Mel's first walk 
the day after he
came home to us.

Introducing "Mel" to Jack and Bear

 Today we picked up our little puppy coming from Idaho.  His name was Malfoy, but everyone wanted to change it.  After lots of suggestions, it was decided to name him:

Marshmallow - "Mar" or "Mel" for short.  I like it because he has such a beautiful golden color to enhance his white fur.  He looks like a perfectly roasted marshmallow to put on a graham with some chocolate. Jack and Bear have sure warmed up to him and there has been lots of tail wagging by all.

Cathi loves him to death, as do we all.  Everyone is happy, and it's going to be a fun few days watching him break himself into the house and all the hustle and bustle of activity in our home.

Here is  Cathi when she held him for the first time:

Our 60 Pound Bear cub

Bear lately has been quite naughty with his chewing.  If you leave anything on the hot tub cover near the edge, he'll steal it and eat it.  He's eaten:

• 

  I have nobody to blame except myself.
  But I was so mad I could spit.
  Dude!  Learn.

  my hot tub mocs (Salvageable)
• my underwater headphones that were in the case, which he chewed open and ate just the headphones
• chlorine floater 
• pool buoy 
• Chlorine test strips
• Magazine, and newspaper in hundreds of little pieces 
• Canvas air conditioning cover

So we have been focussing on NOT leaving anything down that we have been trying to do better keeping things away from Jack that shouldn't be chewed.  

This past week we had an issue with pooping in the house.  I was gone for most of the day and the boys didn't watch after the dogs and they had free reign of the whole house unmanaged, and unchecked.  Oliver left his bedroom door open and the dogs completely released their bowels in his bedroom.  Fortunately, their system is healthy and the poop wasn't diarrhea so it made cleanup easy and didn't damage or smear the carpet. TMI sorry. 

I let the boys have it.  It seems they take advantage of the fact that I'm home most of the time, and don't really help out with the dogs.  And they leave their bedroom doors open.  

Bear thinks he's a lap dog,
at Austin's Pickleball tournament.

This evening, Bear weighed in at 60 pounds.  While Jack is staying constant at 45 pounds.  We've gone on about 4-5 walks this week and they are playing a bunch in the backyard.  Only two more weeks till we get our white Wonderdog.

Some updated pics:

We've taught Bear to say his prayers.  
Just kidding.  This past week he learned how to jump
up on the bed. But he starts here waiting for
someone to help lift his big butt up.  And when
no one comes to his aid, he does a small hop
and can get up himself.

Buddies up on the bed.

Bear is so content to just hang out under the tree
and take a nap.  He's such a good-natured boy.

Only two weeks until we get our big white Polar Bear:

The Chew Monster

Bear's big front teeth are coming in, and because of that, he is wanting to chew a lot more. So we have to be more careful monitoring what he's doing.  He's is getting so big.  He's significantly bigger than Jack now. And it's fun to see them grow closer to each other.  They get a long so good.

These dogs are quite spoiled.  We often will cook up something that includes a bone, and then they get a treat to chew on for a while.  

Cathi a few weeks ago has been browsing on KSL Classifieds for dogs.  She volunteers for Meals on Wheels, and apparently one home that she visits, there is an all-white Great Pyrenees dog.  She sure loves her big dogs!

She found a couple puppies that were up for sale.  The breeder was in Boise and had two "Pyradoodles".  Pyranees/Poodle mix.  This way they supposedly won't shed.  So far Bear has proven that his poodle side of him is doing well preventing sheding.  The only hair we see so far is Jack's.

Anyway, when we in the hot tub I was about to go swim, and had the endless cover off.  I challenged her to get in fully and if she did we could get one of those puppies.  I already looked up that we are allowed to have up to three animals in our home so this would max us out.  I really didn't think she would do it.  I can hardly ever get her to go in the hot tub due to the short trip from the back door into the tent where she has to endure a moment of cold air.  

But she really surprised me, and did it.  After a ton of coaxing and screaming.  Here is the quite entertaining process:

So after this, I went ahead and put down a deposit on this little guy.  He was born on Jan 31st, 2021 and will be able to come home on March 27th.  Here he is only a few days old.  

Adorable!

Bear, the big brother

 It's finally happened. Bear is now bigger than Jack.  Jack is still hovering right around 47 pounds.  Well Bear tipped the scale at just over 52 pounds this week.

Jack lost his last baby tooth. The tooth
fairy brought a dog treat!

Kitty loves Jack, and he loves her.  

Speaking of kitty, this facebook flashback reminder popped up.  This happened 11 years ago.  Wow!  She is fairly old, but doesn't really act it.

Almost there...

 Yesterday as I was watching Jack and Bear eating their food, I noticed that Bear seemed almost as tall as Jack. So I went and weighed them both:

Bear chilling on the couch

Jack and Kitty also sleeping

Bear sure is getting big and cute as ever

Jack wanting some jerky at my office desk.

Bear looks bigger here

Jack was 45 pounds (hasn't changed in a couple months), and Bear was 43 pounds.  Wow!  In about a week, Jack will no longer be the literal big brother.  Bear is gonna pass him up.  

I'm still sleeping on the couch with the dogs.  Last Sunday Bear was given a bit too many turkey bones and it was a throw up fest that night. Grateful to have wood floors for him to do that on, rather than carpet.  Thus I'm stuck sleeping on the couch with him and Jack until we can get some reasonable confidence that he will be able to go through the night without any accidents.

Last night he slept through the night without issues. We have been taking them on walks every day mid day when the sun is out and it feels great.  They love these walks. 

As far as the pulling goes with Jack.  The Shock collar no longer has any effect with Jack any more.  He just does a little twitch and continues to pull, or if he's off leash, just continues to run and do his thing.  So unfortunately that was a short lived method of getting obedience.  I've tried a new method (which I tried earlier but have gotten away from using), is this way of leashing Jack up. And this works great.  When he starts to walk even a foot ahead it puts pressure on his muzzle and he backs off to where I like him directly to my left.

Check it out.  This works:

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 Christmas this year was such a great event.  We went down to St. George the day after Christmas and really enjoyed being together playing games, going on hikes, bike rides and pickleball.  The dogs loved being in the back with the birds, and the large area to run, climb and play.

I had to sleep with the dogs in the craft room near the entry,
since it was on tile, and not on carpet.

Bear looking for a handout near the pool.

Jack got a little wild on the walk running off.  

What wonderful weather.

Spending New Year's Eve with the sleepy jack.

I broke down and bought a shock collar on Amazon.  During our trip to St. George Jack ran off so far in the field I couldn't see him.  I whistled and yelled for him, but with all the bush, he could see me.  So I got a collar which provides a beep, vibration, and finally a shock which can be controlled by remote control.  I've taken it on a few walks since then and he responds so well I don't really have to use it.  He usually knows the threshold of distance I'm willing for him to take and he'll typically stop and come back within that range.  I also got a training harness for Jack so he doesn't pull on the leash.  It tightens up around his chest as he applies pressure to the leash.  It isn't a sure solution, but helps more than without it. The choke collar wasn't really making a difference for him. But the harness is a big improvement.

Bear is only 8 pounds away from matching Jack as far as weight.  I can tell he is really just taking off on growth.  I think Bear may be allergic to something.  Sometimes he'll itch his feet and sometimes whine as he's scratching himself.  We need to see if we can figure that out.  He gets his second set of shots this coming Thursday.  

	Jack (12/6/2019)	Bear (9/18/2020)
Weight	45 pounds	38 pounds
Neck circumference	17.5 inches	16 inches
Chest circumference	26.75 inches	23.5 inches
Body (Neck to tail base)	27 inches	24 inches
Age in weeks	56 weeks	15 weeks