At the beginning, there was dog.
And dog is named Yogi. (pics follow)
He is a 100 pound Bouvier de Flandres. Bouviers are working dogs, bred to herd. They are loyal and brave with a steady disposition. During WW1 they were conscripted and served as messenger and rescue dogs; the breed nearly died out because of their heroics. I have seen Yogi deflect attacks by other dogs rather than wage war himself.
He is a little lazy, I must admit...sweet and stubborn. If he decides we aren't going, we don't go.
I am fairly new to the household, i.e. I've been here for 2-1/2 years. Yogi is going on 8 and was left alone too much as a puppy. At the time, my housemate was working a lot and getting used to being divorced.
Bouviers are social, aloof but social. He will move through the house, positioning himself strategically at a doorway so that I do not and can not leave without him. That said...
He does not like to walk on a leash. Or at least, that rebellion came to head a few months ago when I decided to take him with me to the post office. The p.o. is all of 20-30minutes round trip...2 hours later with a short lift the remaining three blocks, Yogi and I arrived home. And this was when I swore never to "walk" him again.
The solution was and has been the dog park.
Yes, the dog park is for the dogs but it is also a constantly changing, very fluid community depending on who is there, both dog and human. This is my study in progress as I visit the park with my companion, Yogi.
