THE ANDERSON'S BULLIES

Emmett - 8 Months Old!

2009-11-29T13:22:00.000-08:00

We can not believe that Emmett is already 8 months old. He is growing like a weed - a very solid weed. Below is a photo of him looking very grown up and very handsome in our opinion.

We love his squinty little varminty eyes (no we did not have him pointed into the sun). His head is big and fat and boy when he hits you with it you know it. We are always careful to know where our chins are in relation to the top of his muzzle when we are close.

EMMETT - BEST WHITE PUPPY IN SWEEPSTAKES!

2009-11-02T10:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we are just a little proud of our boy - Action Right Up My Alley - Emmett. On Thursday evening, October 15th Emmett was entered in the National Specialty Puppy Sweepstakes. He was the youngest white puppy entered at just a few days shy of seven months old. There were two pups in his class and under Franne's direction he won first place. Before I forget, a huge thank you to Linda for once again working her magic and helping Emmett look like a star for his big debut. I could never do it without her and she has been a doG send to me as he mentors me in the world of Bullies.

After his first place win we got to wait around for the best white puppy of all class. While in the staging area a very tall man speaking spanish into a recording device was circling around us. I was alarmed at first and then realized that he was taking notes about Emmett! He turned out to be Arnoldo Salazar from Mexico. He has Arnold's Bull Terrier kennel. He apparently really liked Emmett. My head was swimming by this time and it was almost time for Emmett to go back in the ring. Here are video's of the Best White Puppy Class. It should have been one video but I was so excited I stopped the camera accidently and then had to re-start it. So, part one and part two......

Emmett won best white puppy and it was such a thrill. It was hard to believe it was our pup in the ring. Just goes to show that what they say is true. A calm person on the end of the lead can work wonders - even with an inexperienced puppy. He looked so good to me and looked like he had been doing it forever. What I liked the most was seeing his tail wag and his ears up. He was happy to be there and that is what matters most to me.

I need to run and do some actual work so will post more later about the trip!

SILVERWOOD AND THE BTCA NATIONAL SPECIALTY - SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA

2009-10-30T10:39:00.000-07:00

Whew, what a whirlwind trip it was for Linda, Kathy, Emmett, Kissy and myself. We left Minnesota on Sunday October 11th for San Jose California. We were all excited to go and the dogs of course slept most of the way.

Little Mr. Emmett started out in the larger wire kennel with Kiss in the Vari-Kennel. It didn't take long for the pup to realize that there was a towel above his head separating the kennel from the suitcase resting on it. We soon heard ripping and tearing and looked back to see him pulling the towel through the bars and shredding it. Still not sure how much went down his gullet but were glad that he suffered no blockage. From that point on he was in the Vari-Kennel which of course was much more boring. He did know how to get our attention when needed. He would stand up and hit his water bucket from below sending water all over the inside of his crate. He would then bark like mad to let us know that it was time for a potty break. Linda was very good at growling at him and staring to get him to stop. He knew not to mess with her. He also destroyed his kennel pad by tearing a huge hole in it and pulling out the stuffing. That went into the trash and for a few days the fiber batting found it's way through his system and back out into the world.

The Prisoner

The first day found us in North Platte Nebraska which just two days earlier had had 18 inches of snow. It was piled up everywhere. I will mention here that each time I took my turn behind the wheel the weather would turn for the worse. There were a few white knuckle moments as rain turned to sleet and ice built up on the mirrors. Through it all, cars and semis would fly by at 75 or more miles per hour. It was craziness and when the going go rough, the wheel was turned over to Linda. It was her van and if anything was going to happen in bad weather I did not want to be driving!

Our motel stays were an adventure to say the least. We stayed in a Motel 6 the first evening and it wasn't horrible. Night two found us in Salt Lake City where the splurge was on two rooms. One for Linda & Kissy and one for Kathy, Emmett and I. I forgot to mention that the first night was sleepless for me. Emmett would not settle down. We left the kennels in the car as they were really packed in there so I put a leash on him and wrestled with him the entire night. We also went out a lot and walked through ankle deep snow in my Sponge Bob Square Pants pajama bottoms and flannel red top with puppies all over it. Truly I was the epitome of fashion. So, night two was a posh place and Emmett was still being naughty. We all gathered in Linda's room for supper and Emmett started barking. Within moments the phone was ringing with a complaint from the front desk. We skulked off to our room and I decided to try and get some work done. I set up my computer, tied Emmett's leash around my waist to keep him near and worked for a bit. He of course laid down and fell asleep. Night two was not much better but at least the room was beautiful and the weather was warmer - no snow - so my middle of the night potty stops with Emmett were a tad more enjoyable. I think I also forgot to mention that Kissy was just coming out of season on this trip which made her very attractive to my young stud muffin. She was having none of it and Emmett has the scars around his lips to prove it.

Kissy trying to get her point across

We stopped along the way to take a look at the Bonneville Salt Flats. What an odd thing to see. Looks like a lake that is iced over. Here are a few photos of that too....

The weather was beautiful!

From Salt Lake City Utah we continued on to Reno Nevada. I took the wheel for awhile and as became the joke, the weather turned. It started to rain and soon I could see that there was slush and ice on the road. This didn't make sense because the outside temperature gauge on the van said it was 50 degrees. So, the debate began as I felt the van slip and cars and trucks whizzed by. I was not comfortable going on so we stopped at the worst rest stop ever.....a line of pit toilets that smelled like nothing I've ever smelled before. Linda took over and we got in to Reno after dark while the rain kept coming down.

Rain and sleet and me hanging on tight.

This stop was also a Motel 6 and was at this point in the trip the worst yet. It was small and smelled of sewer back up and the fan didn't work. We ordered a pizza that was not so great and turned in knowing that in the morning we were a short 245 miles from our destination. Over 2100 miles in 3 1/2 days!

That morning I took Emmett for a stroll around the motel. I felt bad at how much the dogs were cooped up during the drive so wanted to get a few of his ya ya's out before the trek to San Jose. As we turned a corner we came upon a young trucker and his unleashed, no collar pit bull mix. We startled each other and the dogs immediately went in to a stare down. Emmett's hackles went up and the Pit took a step forward. I calmly told the young man to please grab his dog and grab him now. He had to wrangle him by his back legs to pull him away from us, all the while uttering apologies. I turned on a dime and walked away, heart pounding. I told him to leash his dog.

By the time we found San Jose the rain was coming down so fast and hard that we had to get off the 6 lane expressway just to gather our thoughts. We hit up a Safeway food store to replenish our water supply...Linda loves D'sani and the dogs were given bottled water also during the trip. We didn't want any upset stomachs because of strange water. Once the rain moved on the weather was beautiful. We couldn't believe that it was 81 degrees. I walked around for four days with my face pointing to the sun, soaking up as much of it as possible and replenishing my vitamin D stores.

The DoubleTree hotel was wonderful. After two nights of substandard accommodations we felt like we walked in to the Taj Mahal. Our room was large and comfortable and on the first floor which made unloading the van a breeze. We shared our room with two other women and one more dog making the total five humans and three canines. Amazingly it went very well. None of us were high maintenance and we enjoyed each other's company.

Time to post this and then find a few more photos to add.

YES WE KNOW THE WAY TO SAN JOSE.....

2009-10-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

....Well, I'm not sure who will be looking at this besides myself, Linda and maybe Carolyn but yes, we are on our way to San Jose and this year's Silverwood/Bull Terrier National Specialty shows!

It will be a long road trip for Linda,Kathy, me, Emmett and Kissy but we are looking forward to the adventure. I will try to keep up with the blog while away and add photos from our many stops as we stretch our legs...all 14 of them!

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we make our way across this vast expanse.

See you soon!

More at the Canfield Shows

2009-08-29T13:27:00.001-07:00

I'm pretty bad when it comes to updating this blog. Here are a few more from the Canfield Ohio shows. These photos were taken by Agnes from Bigshot Bull Terriers in Holland. Enjoy!

He was soooo tired at the end of four days.

Right and left shots - Not bad for only four months old.

Front on shot of Emmett - Franne really had him looking good.

Emmett being held by Agnes - She really loved him.

Canfield Ohio - Dog Show

2009-08-10T09:19:00.000-07:00

I still need to add in all the photos from Camp Edelwin as there are so many good ones to post. Emmett had so much fun while visiting his new girl friends, Dora, Alex and Kissy.

On July 30th we packed up the Rabbit and with Emmett in tow we headed to Canfield Ohio for a huge outdoor dogshow at the fairgrounds. It was a long drive but we did it in one day...13 hours of driving...ugh...

At the show we finally met Franne Berez who picked Emmett from a litter of seven puppies for us. We also met Jerry and Gina D. who own Emmett's momma and kept one of his sisters, Braxton. It was so much fun to meet all of the people that we only knew via email and phone calls for all these months. We even added another state to our travels as Jerry and Gina graciously invited us to their home for a little R & R on the deck. We enjoyed great food, great company and watching the pups chase around in the yard. What a beautiful state Pennsylvania is. Thanks Jerry and Gina for the wonderful hospitality!

We saw so many Bull Terriers at this show it was amazing. I believe there were roughly 80 or so dogs to view. The entire show boasted about 3000 dogs, some breeds I'd never seen before which was lots of fun. We hope we can go back and get Emmett in the ring next time.

Franne showed Emmett off to lots of people and they all said what we already knew. He is wonderful! On Sunday before we left Franne showed him to Alison Ibbittson from Baker Street Bull Terriers.
She and her husband Scott own Emmett's grandfather, Ch. Gwynsel It's Not Unusual ROM. Emmett's father is Ch. Apprentice Man In Action. He is a beautiful brindle and white boy that drew me to the Action Bull Terrier website. Below are photos of the boys side by side. Not sure how old Iolo and Manny are in the photos but Emmett is just four months.

Alison loved Emmett and said that his type was "right up her alley". The minute she uttered those words we knew we had found Emmett's registered AKC name. So, on Tuesday when we returned to work I did the online registration and received his certificate in the mail on Saturday. Emmett is now officially registered as:

Action Right Up My Alley

Thank you Alison!

Time to fly for now....will get on the stick and get the camp photos as well as a few more dogshow photos posted soon!

Camp Edelwin 7/12/2009

2009-07-25T12:54:00.001-07:00

On July 12th, Emmett and I took a road trip up to Linda's home. She graciously offered to watch (OK, so I asked her and she said yes) Emmett while our family took a quick trip to Chicago for the wedding of Mark's son. Linda has three adult female Bullies so it was heaven on earth for this hopeful young stud. Unfortunately, they had other ideas and put him in his place rather quickly. Here is a picture of me dropping him off. I was crushed and he never looked back.

Here is one with Linda's grandson Ben, trying to make Emmett feel at home. Notice me clutching him close. I was having separation anxiety. I wouldn't have trusted anyone else to watch my baby.

I need to run now but will have lots more to post when time permits. He had so much fun in two and 1/2 days that I'm thinking coming home was a big let down. I will say that he slept for almost a day and a half once he got back. A tired Bully is a very happy Bully.

Playdate - Emmett & Reno

2009-07-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

A few weeks after we had Emmett home we were invited to a playdate at Marianne N's home out in Burnsville. She had a litter of pups around the time that Emmett was born. Unfortunately, two of the three pups didn't make it so Reno was left all alone. Playing with mom wasn't enough so Emmett and I went on a road trip to spend a Saturday afternoon romping in the yard.

Marianne has a beautiful home perched on a hill overlooking a valley. It was a wonderful place to just sit and watch the world go by. I brought Emmett into the yard and set him down. In a flash, Reno was on him. This was his yard and he wasn't going to let any interlopers mess with his territory. I think for the first hour Emmett was on his back in the grass. Gradually, he got the hang of it and was knocking Reno around. Later in the day, Linda W. came over and we took some photos of the pups stacked on a table. I think Emmett is beautiful, especially with the backdrop of the valley behind them.

Reno head shot

Reno in Jail

Emmett in jail (notice the dirt on face - courtesy of Reno)

Emmett & Reno on the steps

Stacked photos of Emmett

Welcome Emmett

2009-07-15T12:44:00.000-07:00

On May 21st, 2009 my good friend Linda W. and I packed up her van with two adult Bullies and two puppies and headed to Illinois for the Illiana dog shows. The puppies were from a litter that she co-bred and we were delivering one to a family in Wisconsin and another at the dog show. They were so cute. Linda was also going to be showing a dog - Hooty for the family that owns him. He is also from a litter that she had about 3 years ago.

I had planned to go on this trip just to get out of the house after Rupert passed but it soon turned in to a puppy pick up for our family as well. There was a new all white puppy dog with our name on it in Pennsylvania. We were fortunate enough to be able to pick him up at the shows. He is a half brother to Rupert. They share the same father - "Manny" Ch.Apprentice Man In Action. Manny is a beautiful brindle and white dog who caught my attention early in my quest to find a Bull Terrier. It cracked me up when we received Rupert as he was all white with wonderful red ears and red eye patch. He didn't look too much like Manny but we loved him so much.

Now, another Manny pup was to be ours and Franne was going to pick the best one for us. I was hopeful as I knew the litter of seven had four boys, three of which were colored. I believed my chances of getting a Manny look alike were high. When Franne sent the photos of the pup she picked for us, I laughed out loud. Not because he was funny looking but because he was the only all white puppy in the whole litter. What are the chances. We trust Franne and knew that she picked the right one for us.

On Friday, May 22nd Cindy P. drove all the way from Pennsylvania with her bitch Tansy (who just had 10 puppies of her own at the end of June!) and our new boy. She was so tired from the long trip that she handed him off quickly with a packet of papers and some food and was off to bed. There I was, standing in a dark parking lot of the motel with my all white boy, looking at him and wondering who he was. Linda and her friend Robin had gone off for a walk with the older dogs as we weren't expecting the delivery to happen so early. I walked back to our room wondering what I had gotten myself into. He was very cute but I kept looking for the red ears of Rupert. For an instant I wondered if I had jumped into this too soon. I did't want to compare them, it wouldn't be fair to the new little guy. Rupert left a huge hole in my heart and I really wondered if this new bundle of white and very sharp teeth would be able to fill it. The name I had chosen all of a sudden didn't seem to fit. So for the next four days I called him puppy while Linda, Robin, her husband Cliff and I all tried to come up with something fitting. We got pretty silly at times but nothing seemed to stick. Here are a few photos of his arrival in Illinois.

Puppy came home to Minnesota with all engines in overdrive. He had so much energy he exhausted me. He was in to everything and anything and those teeth! He caught me by the finger my first day with him and it bled so much I thought I might faint. I reached for a toy just as he was going for it and he sliced my index finger top and bottom with those sharp canines. I called him a few choice names when that happened and am now glad that none of those stuck.

Like Rupert, he wormed his way into our hearts and lives. He soon became known as Emmett which is the name I had chosen originally. Once we got home it seemed to fit. His Aussie brother Fizzbo was none too pleased to see this new little land shark. Soon the tufts of Fizzbo hair were flying although this time around Fizzbo learned that he can say no and mean it. They get along very well and also know when to leave each other alone. Here are a couple of them together.

We only had to tape Emmett's ears for two days before they stood on their own. Here he is with his new look. It was a little sad for me as he seemed to grow up overnight. Love the floppy look but am so glad they went up and stayed up!

Emmett's nose hasn't filled in completely and for a short time I thought about calling him Mickey.....take a look at the photo and see if you can figure out why..

Emmett is such a smart boy. He has learned at the age of about 10 weeks to sit and wait for the OK to get his food. He will sit about 20 feet away and not move until he hears the word. The funniest part is that when I prepare his food he will go out and sit in the dining room in his spot without me having to ask. He also remembers every house on our walks where people have come out to pet him. Now, when we walk, he has to stop at each place and see if his friends are coming out. Makes for a very long walk when we have to stop so often.

As with Rupert, my most favorite photos are of him sleeping. He looks like such an angel when his eyes are closed.

That's it for now. I have more to post of his puppy play date with Reno and his time at Camp Woodruff while we were away at a wedding. Will have to wait for another day.

RUPERT - 6/6/08 - 4/1/09

2009-07-15T12:36:00.000-07:00

I was going to post a lot of photos to say good-bye to Rupert. It's taken me this long to want to post anything. Cindy P. who is the co-owner of Rupert's father sent me a beautiful photo of Rupert, taken at her home right before he came home to us in Minnesota last August. This photo summed up his life so perfectly that I think it's the only one needed to show people what kind of dog he was. He lived life to the fullest and took time to smell the flowers along the way. His eight months with us were filled with such joy for all of us. We hated leaving him in the morning and raced home at lunch time and after work to see him. He couldn't have been loved any more than we loved him. Enjoy the photo!

Farewell Rupert

2009-05-17T09:29:00.001-07:00

We haven't posted for awhile as our hearts have been heavy with the loss of Rupert on April 1st, 2008. He died in my arms and the shock and devastation felt by our family goes without saying. He was five days short of his 10 month birthday. I will post a few of my favorite photos as a memorial to our sweet boy Rupert. He is now playing at the bridge with our Doberman Wrigley waiting for us to join him in the future.

A successor puppy will be joining our family soon. We realized after a few days without the bully personality in our home it was just too empty. We will add this new bully baby to the page when he arrives home after the Memorial weekend. We are excited to get to know him and his new personality.

2009-02-04T14:01:00.001-08:00

The Bull Terrier Ring
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Video Clip - Land O'Lakes 1/3/2009

2009-01-06T15:21:00.000-08:00

Here is Rupert's first time in the ring. He never stopped wagging his tail. The judge was so very nice, speaking softly and moving slowly. He still doesn't like it when others try to open his mouth but we are working on that. All in all a good experience for him.

Rupert is a Show Dog!

2009-01-05T13:39:00.000-08:00

What a weekend! Rupert has his show ring debut on Saturday and Sunday at the Land O'Lakes Kennel Club show at the River Center in downtown St Paul. It is the last and biggest show of the season here in Minnesota. Over 1900 dogs compete over a two day period. Mark and I never miss it and this year was odd because we were actually in it and not just observing.

The Friday before we took Rupert up to see Linda W. She helped to get him ready with trimming of ears and furnishings and his nails. Thank you Linda! He looked outstanding.

We entered Rupert in the 6-9 month puppy class. He was the only dog so won his first blue ribbon along with a purple for winners dog. The judge was Mrs. Patricia V. Trotter and she couldn't have been nicer. She was slow and spoke softly. Rupert's tail never stopped wagging. She also gave me a few pointers and believe me, I can use all the help I can get. It's been 20 years since I stepped in the ring and just walking into the building sucked all the moisture from my mouth and I wanted to walk back out. Once at ringside I started seeing all my Bull Terrier friends and their dogs. This group is the best and always helpful and supportive.

From the puppy class we went on to compete for Best of Variety/Best of Winners. I went in to have fun with no thought of winning. Then of all things, as we made our last pass around the ring the judge pointed at Rupert! I almost fell over (mainly because I kept walking the handler in front of me stopped suddenly in front of me when she pointed at me). I almost looked at her and said excuse me, are you sure you didn't mean to point at that one? As the judge handed us our ribbons she looked at me and said..."this may not be the best thing that ever happens to you but it sure comes close" I'm sure my mouth was still hanging to my knees. I thanked her and out we trotted. There was a lot of cheering from family and friends as we exited the ring. Mark felt I should have looked more subdued in the ring. Act like I do this all the time. Well, maybe he's right but I was so shocked that I didn't really know what I was doing at the time. All this hoopla meant that we were heading to the Terrier Group competition. We had a good two hour wait so Rupert sat in a comfy chair that we brought along and held court while people walked by and stopped to talk to him and pet him. He loved it.

We went to the group with Jennifer and her colored bully, Gladys. It was fun to have someone in the ring that I knew. We followed the Airedale and Kerry Blue into the ring and all was going well until the Kerry Blue decided he did not like the Airedale. He lunged and the handler had all she could do to pull him back. The Airedale handler was a very young girl. We were all a little spooked and Rupert lost focus for a bit. The Kerry Blue handler decided it was best to hang back and stay out of the line until it was her turn to be judged. We weren't in the cut for group placement but I didn't care. I know that this doesn't happen all the time so felt happy to have made it that far the first time out.

After a very long day we drove home in freezing rain and snow. Once home, Rupert snugged in on his blanket and took a very long snooze. Very well deserved. We went to bed early dreaming of another day.

Sunday was a little different. Rupert was tired. The judge was a little rough. Rupert was not having any of that. He was not willing to let her look at his teeth but she kept trying. I finally asked if she would like me to do it and he then let her see his pearly whites. He was a little off after that and wouldn't even look at her when we did our down and back....lol....a true terrier...he just ignored her no matter what sound she made. Because we were again the only puppy in the class we received another blue ribbon. In the end we received a reserve winners dog ribbon and we were done for the day. It was a great weekend!

Oh.....before the Sunday judging we had a bit of drama. We arrived well in advance of our ring time and picked up my arm band. I was standing ringside 10 minutes before we were to go in. Rupert spied a treat in my hand and pounced. I felt his very large canine hit my thumb and it hurt but I just ignored the pain. There was a woman with a Staffordshire Bull Terrier that was Rupert's age and we talked a bit. I bent down to pet her pup and saw blood all over my thumb. I thought her dog was bleeding, she thought Rupert was bleeding, I though "Oh no" is there blood on my white dog????? Well, it was my thumb and it was bleeding like a stuck pig....note to self....bring bandaids to all dog shows. I ran back to Mark to get something to wipe it off but it wouldn't stop. Then I heard the dreaded words....Maam...number 7....we are waiting for you....curses...the worst thing to do is keep the judge waiting....even just a few seconds which is what it was.....all I could do was apologize and keep moving.....Today, my thumb really hurts and I'll be sure to know where my hand is in relation to sharky boy's mouth at all times while holding treats.

Now time for the photos!! Enjoy!

Rupert after visiting Linda W for his trim.

Waiting to go into the ring for the first time.

Winner's Dog shock. Not the most flattering
of photos. We didn't have much time before going
back in to compete for Best of Winners/Best of Variety.

Best of Variety competition.

The last down and back. Good boy.

Winning pose.

Prince Rupert on his throne after the big win.
So nonchalant.

Holding court while waiting for the Group judging to begin.

Mom, would you please leave my face alone???

The Group line up...Gladys is behind me......

Kerry Blue decides to attack the Airedale.....

I see daddy.......

Making our pass around the Group ring....

Are we done yet?

Finally, home to rest.......until tomorrow...

Five Months And 20 Days

2008-11-28T12:40:00.000-08:00

It's been a long time since I've had time to sit down and update this blog and add a few new photos. Rupert continues to grow and thrive. He loves his walks around our community with his mom and often times his Aussie brother Fizzbo.

He loves going by the care center and visiting with any resident who happens to be outside. We hope to get his Therapy Dog certification so then we can visit indoors where it is warm. That will have to wait for a bit as he must be a year old before that can happen.

Rupert learned to go down the slide at the park too. What a hoot to see him run up the stairs and launch himself down. At first I would catch him. Now, he's too fast and is flying through the air and landing in the sand before I can get to him. The kids love to watch him and he loves the laughter.

We started conformation handling classes in October and they are going well. I've posted a few of his most recent stacked photos below.

His human sister Hannah was home for Thanksgiving. She hadn't seen him since he was 12 weeks old so it was a bit of a shock when he barreled across the room to greet her. He had a long walk before our Turkey dinner and Hannah was pooped out from helping to package meals for the meals on wheel program so the photo of them together has them looking very tuckered out.

I'm not sure how tall he is although he does almost come up to my knees. He weighs in at about 50 pounds. I'm guessing he will gain at least another 20 over the next six months, maybe more. There is not an ounce of fat on him. He's all muscle and bone.

Enjoy the photos!

Time Flys...

2008-11-01T13:15:00.001-07:00

....I can't believe it's been so long since I have posted anything about Rupert the wonder dog. A lot has happened since our attempt at show poses were taken.

Rupert has learned to climb the toddler slide at the park and whizzes down, flys off the end and lands in the soft sand all by himself. Gives new meaning to the phrase "when pigs fly". He pins his ears back, his eyes widen and he launches himself down. I laugh so hard my eyes water and he runs to do it again and again. I will try to get Mark out there with the video camera to catch him in action.

We started our beginning handling class last Tuesday. Rupert is the only Bull Terrier pup in the class. He of course was a star. He stood for examination every time and even let the instructor and myself position him on the blocks to teach him to stand square. The other pups didn't have owners who brought tasty chicken to dispense from their mouthes as needed. Silly people. There was a bit of deja vu that went on that evening. It was almost 20 years to the day that I stood in the exact same ring taking classes with my Boxer, Gunner. It's good to be back and we look forward to having a lot of fun with Rupert. Mark attended too and will also learn the ropes of showing.

I promise...more photos soon!

Rupert is 4 months old and counting.....

2008-10-10T13:41:00.000-07:00

Show Dog?

2008-09-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

As Rupert grows we look forward to the day when he will make his dog show debut. We know we'll have a lot of fun with him and we've met so many great Bull Terrier fanciers in the short time that we've had him. We attempted to take a few photos of him in a stacked position. Not easy with a squirmy puppy who just wants to chomp your fingers off to get at the bait. It all takes time. Kudos to Mark for doing such a good job having never done it before. The photography skills are a bit lacking. Seems my shutter was always a nanosecond too slow or fast to get just the right shot.

It's Been Awhile

2008-09-27T09:42:00.000-07:00

Rupert is fast approaching 4 months old. He has had many social experiences in his short life and loves meeting new people and dogs.

One of his favorite things is riding in the shopping cart at PetSmart. We cart him for two reasons. One, you never know what kind of parasites/bugs they can pick up in these places and two, many people don't know where their dog's noses are at any given time and that is when trouble can erupt. Not all dogs are dog friendly so it's better to be safe than sorry.

We had one such episode last week. Rupert was in the cart and I asked to pet a very large four month old Cane Corso. This breed is not often seen in this area and has had bad press much like pit bulls. I let the pup sniff my hand and as I went to pet him he caught sight of Rupert in the cart. The low menacing growl followed and in a flash he lunged at the cart. I jumped in front of him and pushed the cart. Better I get the bite than my puppy!

Once all had calmed down I had a very serious discussion with this puppy owner. It was not hard to tell that this owner has no clue how big and strong this dog will be and that he is already running the show. I encouraged them to contact a trainer and get help as soon as possible. After that we cruised around to find another person so that we could end our visit on a positive note.

I am a firm believer that people make the pet. I love all dog breeds and only wish that there was enough time in life to have one of each. They all need training and socialization. People who chain dogs in yards or basements and then wonder why they go bad should be given the same treatment....OK...off my soapbox....time to go hug my puppies....Forgot the camera at home so photo updates will be forthcoming....

Rupert & Rambo...Playdate

2008-09-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday we brought Rupert over to visit Rambo, a seven month old Cocker Spaniel. Rambo's dad was very ill and Rambo's mom needed someone to give Rambo some exercise. Enter Rupert, the wonder dog of running and wrestling. They had a great time together and both pups slept most of Saturday evening and in to Sunday. We went back for another go yesterday and they are now fast friends. Sadly, Rambo's dad passed away early this morning. Larry was his best buddy and loved Rambo so much. Hugs go out to Rambo and his mom, Dee.

Here are a few photos of the playdate......

Here too are a few more shots from Sunday when Rupert was one sleepy dude...and, a couple of head shots...does he look like he's smiling?

Who knew???

2008-09-08T13:18:00.000-07:00

OK, so first of all who knew that I had two blogs? Apparently I started one under the name AskTheAndersons a long time ago and never did anything with it. Today while logging in to post to Rupert's blog my subconscious (sp) mind must have remembered the log in and password for the old one. I posted and previewed and couldn't figure out why it had a different layout and why there was only one post...Uf Dah...

So, our new camera has a video feature which I started playing with yesterday. In this clip Rupert is trying to do anything he can to distract Fizzbo so he can get the Bully stick that Fizzbo is chewing on. Fizzbo is no dummy and doesn't even bat an eyelash. He knows this trick as he employs it daily to get what Rupert has.

The audio may sound like they are underwater and that is my fault. I had my finger over the microphone the whole time. Geez...who knew they had audio too???? Enjoy!

Almost 13 Weeks and Growing!

2008-09-04T11:11:00.000-07:00

So, how many photos of a puppy can one possibly take before it's too much??? Of course the answer is...there are never enough! We are totally smitten with our new family member...Of course when he's scurrying through the house with a pair of jeans that someone left hanging over a chair or has the rug from the bathroom clamped in his jaws and is running like the wind to get away we may take a step back and think "what have we done"....and then, we smile and pry his jaws open while giving him something suitable to chew. Funny how he only gets at the wrong stuff when his dad is home watching him. So....here are a few photos to tide you all over for awhile. We realized that even though he is a baby he looks very adult like so it's sometimes hard to see the changes.....His legs are longer and his ears are up...He's gaining weight and eats voraciously at every meal....I asked him this morning if he had a tapeworm as the bowl was empty almost as fast as I put it on the floor....Fizzbo enjoys initiating play with him and also enjoys his time spent with me outside away from Sharkey. We chase around the yard until we are both having trouble catching our breath, work on our obedience commands and go on poop patrol.....Rupert would love to help with that job however he keeps trying to knock the poop out of the scooper so he has to stay in now when that job is being done. OK....hope you enjoy the photos!

Rupert A Model

2008-08-29T08:52:00.001-07:00

OK, so it's not a real magazine cover...but what fun it was to put it togehter!

Rupert is almost 12 weeks old and has been with us for almost 4 weeks. The time has flown by and he is a great addition to our family. His ears are up and look great. He's consistently alerting us to his needs to go out. (We still stand at only two accidents his first week with us due to human error) Less and less Fizzbo fur is being pulled out and for the first time last night he actually just layed down next to Fizzbo to rest. As you may imagine, Fizzbo was looking a little wary, wondering when little "Jaws" was going to turn and grab some fluff. He's been a great traveler and we take both dogs somewhere almost every day.

Rupert's Travels

2008-08-25T10:40:00.000-07:00

It's been a few days since last I posted however with good reason. Our daughter Hannah is now a college freshman at Michigan Tech. We drove up to Houghton Michigan which is located in the upper peninsula on Saturday with Rupert in tow. It was a trip frought with emotion but Rupert is a trooper and traveled like a pro. It's a lot to ask of a puppy to be crated for 7 hours (multiple potty and snack stops along the way), have a couple hours of out time and then back in the crate for the ride home. We actually think he fared better than us.

Here's a shot of the family before we left Hannah to start college life

Hannah and I have been photographed with me holding her on the first day of school since she was in Kindergarten. All I can say is it was a lot easier to do when she was small.

Rupert's ears are coming along. Below are a few shots of him looking like he could take off if a strong wind caught him just right.

He's getting bigger every day. We weighed him this morning and he's 19.2 pounds. Yikes, what happened to the chubby puppy that fit so wonderfully in my lap? He's not in the least bit fat. His legs are longer and he's incredibly solid.

We took him to a dog show on Sunday, yes we got up early after arriving home at 12:30AM and went to a dog show to meet up with a few Bull Terrier people that Franne introduced us to. We found each other by accident and once they saw Rupert they all wanted to steal him. I was told that he is very handsome and a very promising pup. We of course already knew that because Franne picked him for us. By the time we left, he was sleeping in our aching arms and Linda was already speculating about using him as a stud for her girl Kissy. We'll just grow him up and see what happens. All the Bull Terrier people were very nice and helpful. They are looking forward to seeing us at our first show in January.

The last photos are random.....can't forget that Fizzbo is still top dog so a few shots of him and I'm signing off for the day. Need to run home for doggy and puppy playtime and a little lunch.

Busy Week

2008-08-19T08:48:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that it will be three weeks this Sunday since Rupert came home. He's had a lot of fun with Fizzbo and they are now playing nice. Fewer and fewer tufts of Fizzbo fur are hanging from Rupert's mouth.

Rupert picked up a parasite (Giardia) and has been on medication for a week. It's doing the job and he'll be good as new in no time. He's a great pill taker, especially when the pill is slathered in peanut butter.

This week, Anne Wolff Nichols will be coming over for a little home schooling. We are excited to have her visit and teach us her methods of dog training. To learn more about Anne you can check out her website at http://www.becomedogsavvy.com/

On Saturday it will be another road trip to bring Hannah up to Michigan Technological University. Rupert will be riding along and Fizzbo will stay home to play with our friend Leslie. Hannah's going to miss her pups but will be very busy learning the lay of the land and living on her own. We are excited for her to begin her new adventure.

Rupert is now alerting us to his bathroom needs by going to the door. What a smart pup. He's only had two small accidents (due to human error) since he's been home. He's growing like a weed and now prefers to drink water out of the raised water bowl.

I will be bringing the camera home to get some better shots of him and will post them soon!

Fun Filled Saturday

2008-08-10T11:41:00.000-07:00

This morning we got up early and headed over to the Caribou Coffee shop. We sat outside and had mochas and pastry. Just a few calories. Fizzbo and Rupert waited patiently for us to finish. They had a few visitors too. Steve stopped to chat and tell us about his French Bulldog, Rufus. Then a mom with two young sons stopped by to give our boys a pat. A man out walking his 16 week old Shihtzu named Zoro also stopped. Rupert looked like a heavy weight compared to Zoro. One gal walked by with a psycho Gordon Setter. It snarled and barked and Fizzbo got between us and the dog as if to say, "you better watch out, I'm protecting my family!"

From coffee it was off to Chuck and Don's for more food and bully sticks. Then it was time to go visit Grandpa and Grandma for the first time. Grandma gave the boys big bowls of cold water. Below is Grandpa holding Rupert. He said he's ugly but we know he loves him.

Grandpa Sieberer and Rupert Resting Pups

When we got home it was more time to play and zoom around the living room. The dog toys are everywhere. Looks like a couple of two year olds live here now. After a bit Fizz and Rupert stopped to rest for a bit.

My favorite shots are of him sleeping....what an angel......very deceiving to be sure.....

9 Weeks Old

2008-08-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

Rupert is 9 weeks old and although we've had him for less than a week we can see that he is growing. Today he looks taller and we know he's heavier. He eats like a vacuum and enjoys everything he is given with gusto.

He gets a combination of high quality kibble - Natures Variety Prairie Chicken, yogurt, cottage cheese, raw meat and vegetables and more.....He's eating four times a day so gets a good variety. All these groceries give him energy to burn and he's already figured out that he can run from the living room through the dining room, through the kitchen, down the hall and back to the living room. Fizzbo keeps trying to herd him and does not like when he goes on these fast paced jaunts.

Last night we drove to the lake (once he's bigger we'll walk from home) to walk the path. Our friend Bill was there sitting on his favorite bench. Bill is 83 and lives in an apartment near by that does not allow pets. He loves dogs so always has a supply of treats in his pocket. He's known Fizzbo for a year and last night Rupert became his new friend.

Here's a picture of Bill and Fizzbo. I'll have to bring my camera next time and get a shot of Rupert and Bill next time we meet.

Rupert got a lot of attention at the lake. Everyone thought he was adorable and that Fizzbo was beautiful. They all made sure to give Fizzbo attention too which was very nice.

After our walk we headed home for his evening meal and a good snooze.

Here he is snoozing on my lap after that meal. He was out. Took this picture with my phone so it's a little fuzzy. Here's what he will look like when his ears stand.

This last shot is also from my phone. Fizzbo loves to drape himself along the back of the couch so that he can survey his kingdom in comfort. Rupert has figured out the couch is the place to be for a good rest be it on someone's lap or snugged up in the corner. He did try the back of the couch but fell between the cushions. He'll get the hang of it when he's a bit bigger.

Ruperts First Days

2008-08-07T13:17:00.000-07:00

Fizzbo meets Rupert

Sacked out in the motel before the long drive home.

Hannah getting to know Rupert before she heads off to college. Stopping to smell the clover
Getting the hang of playing with Fizzbo.

Playing with MeMe before leaving for the motel.

Six weeks old - our first photo

Well everyone, he is finally home. Our new Bull Terrier boy, Rupert. It was a long trip from White Bear Lake, MN to Martinsville Indiana. Channa Beth and Steve Butcher were so gracious as to bring our boy from Pennsylvania to their home where we met to pick him up. Let me tell you that we won't be going on any road trips anytime soon.

For an eight week old pup he traveled great. Never a peep out of him unless he needed us to stop for a potty break or a drink of water.

Rupert came from Franne Berez of Action Bull Terriers. She has been so helpful and easy to talk to. We found her accidently while looking for a new Doberman puppy. I deviated to Bull Terrier websites as Mark and I decided we could never replace Wrigley and since we both loved Bull Terriers it was a good time to bring this breed in to our lives.

We will be very active with Rupert. He will be our show, rally, agility, therapy, cgc and all around good buddy puppy. He is a great companion for Fizzbo our Australian Shepherd. They are getting along great and Fizzbo is letting him know who the boss is and just how much hair he will allow him to pull out before he gets the Aussie evil eye and menacing growl. Rupert is a quick study and is learning quickly to play nice.

His first vet visit was fun. Rupert is the only BT that they have as a patient. The vet came in and thought he was a very funny looking Dobe. He thought he looked great and we will go back in two weeks for another shot. Oh, he weighed just over 13 pounds. He is a little tank!

He's been to our office and was a hit. His next adventure will be to meet Anne Wolff Nichols a trainer that I met at the Pet Expo a few years ago. She will be teaching me and Rupert her methods of dog training. She is amazing and if you would like to learn more check out http://www.becomedogsavvy.com/