Birthday: May 31st 2011 Likes: Me, Booth, herding, swimming/water, fetch, AC, ice cubes, bully sticks Pet-Peeves: Heat and having his teeth brushed, nails clipped, & ears cleaned Favorite Toy: His tug toys, Jolly Ball & Egg, and Orbee Ball Favorite Food: Onyx has been eating a raw prey model and whole prey diet since I brought him home. His favorites are beef heart, green tripe, pork feet, lamb, and whole rabbit & quail Favorite Walk: Anywhere he can be off lead Best Tricks: Basic obedience in both German and English, some herding commands, and waiting to be released before eating Arrival Story: Onyx is from a breeder in Washington. I told her the kind of dog I wanted and put down a deposit. A couple months later his litter was born, and a couple months after that, I drove 20 hours each way to pick him up. It was a long wait (and drive!) to get this guy but I couldn't ask for a better dog. Bio: Onyx is from German working lines. We're currently training in obedience, protection, and herding. This summer we're also planning to try foundations of agility, tracking, and possibly dock diving since he enjoys water so much. Forums Motto: The one and Oni The Groups I'm In: *DDPC4*, DDPC5! The Last Forum I Posted In: A Day of Remembrance and Appreciation
Oni's Best Friend
Dogs are our link to paradise. They don't know evil or jealousy or discontent. To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring--it was peace. -Milan Kundera
The great pleasure of a dog is that you may make a fool of yourself with him and not only will he not scold you, but he will make a fool of himself too. -Samuel Butler
I think we are drawn to dogs because they are the uninhibited creatures we might be if we weren't certain we knew better. -George Bird Evans, "Troubles with Bird Dogs"
He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion. -Unknown
He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever - in case I need him. And I expect I will - as I always have. He is just my dog. -Gene Hill
From time to time, people tell me, "lighten up, it's just a dog," or, "that's a lot of money for just a dog." They don't understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for "just a dog. Some of my proudest moments have come about with "just a dog." Many hours have passed and my only company was "just a dog," but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by "just a dog," and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of "just a dog" gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day. If you, too, think it's "just a dog," then you will probably understand phases like "just a friend," "just a sunrise," or "just a promise." "Just a dog" brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. "Just a dog" brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of "just a dog" I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it's not "just a dog" but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. "Just a dog" brings out what's good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day. I hope that someday they can understand that it's not "just a dog" but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being "just a human." So the next time you hear the phrase "just a dog." just smile, because they "just don't understand." -Richard A. Biby
Been a while since I updated the old dairy with all my goings on. I was invited to the advanced obedience class a couple weeks ago which my human was happy about. We've gone to two classes and I'm picking up on the new behaviors quickly with human's help. I've also started going to herding lessons every week and my instructor says I make progress every time. Herding is my favorite so human said it's worth the three hour round trip drive.
A couple weeks ago I went out to a ranch where our obedience trainer tested my drive to see if I might make a good protection dog. I got to play lots of tug which wasn't new to me since I play that with my human. I also got to try some news things like the A-frame, tunnel, and teeter to test my nerves. Our trainer put me on a table and I did some tug work up there which was fun once I was sure I wasn't going to fall!
Human and I work on obedience and/or tug almost everyday and she says my focus and drive are improving all the time. We might try out a foundations of agility class this summer which sounds like a lot of fun. I love going new places and trying new things!
I still go all kinds of fun places with my human like the park, river, snow, beach, trails, and various cities. Today we went to PetSmart so she could weigh me. I came in at just a tiny bit over 70lbs and human says I'm in perfect condition. She also measured my height to be about 24 inches.
A couple weeks ago, just after Christmas, my human told me we were going on a trip in the car back to my home state of Washington. I love car rides and going places so even though I didn't remember WA very clearly, I was excited to be going back.
It was a long trip because we drove without stopping for the night but I slept most of the way. Fenrir rode in the back and human and I shared the backseat. She says I like to cuddle but I was just using her lap as a pillow to get more comfortable.
When we finally arrived, Fenrir and I had a blast running around. There was even a pond for me to splash in. Only downside was when Fenrir found a sick raccoon. Human said it might have rabies or distemper because it wasn't running away from us but luckily it didn't bite us and human put us inside so we'd be safe. The humans tried to call AC and Fish & Game but they were closed because it was New Year's Eve so they had to put him down themselves.
After a couple days we drove to the next house about an hour away and stayed there for a while. I slept in the first bed I ever slept in again and revisited the beach I went to as a little puppy. I also saw my cousins Alex the Golden Retriever and Maggie the Beagle again. Alex didn't think much of me because he's pretty old and uninterested in my puppy antics but Maggie and I had a blast playing together.
I visited a couple lakes but it was too cold for swimming. Human said we'll go back in the summer so I can swim, go for boat rides, and see Maggie again! I also got to ride a ferry to and from Seattle. I stood on the deck and watched the water fly by! And walked through Pike Place Market and was told what a handsome boy I am by some of the people there.
Humans also visited my relatives the wolves in a wolf haven but I wasn't allowed in. I waited for them in the car and got to hear the wolves when they started howling. When humans came back to the car I howled for them so show them I can do anything those wolfies can!
On the drive back home we stopped at a hotel for the night and I got my own bed to sleep on! And I got to check out some of the rest stops on a long line (human was worried I might be dumb enough to run onto the freeway, as if!) and smell lots of new sniffs.
I had tons of fun and hope we go back soon! I much prefer cool, rainy WA to hot, dry CA. Human didn't tell me we'd be living in the desert when she picked me up from the breeder!
One last thing! Human told me I'm Dog of the Day today which is pretty exciting. Thanks, Dogster!
The Dog Show: Who's Your Mama?
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