This is a fantastic short documentary on Teddy the Great Pyrenees. Teddy is a working livestock guardian, as opposed to my Great Pyr Nemo, who is a big walking carpet.

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I can focus on helping my Great Pyrenees, Nemo, recover from really miserable surgery rather than worrying about the thousands of dollars it is costing.

Five-year-old Nemo blew out his knees. A not-rare 'athletic injury' compounded by his size set my best buddy up for some serious recovery time. We've spent 2 months getting over the work that was done to his right leg, and in another month or so he is due to have the left sawed on. Nemo is more active than he has been since the injury. He stands without lameness or a limp and wants to walk miles more than I do.

If our vet says the other leg needs to be worked on, I trust our vet!

Today I received our estimate via email from the specialist veterinarian office. Within moments I had logged into my pet insurance's website and submit the claim for pre-approval. After hitting send I went upstairs to take a shower, and start worrying.

By the time I got out of the shower and checked email (because we all check email whilst still wet, right?) the surgery had been approved! I am so glad not to be worrying about this for several days.

When all is said and done Nemo's knees will have cost around $20k. Trupanion has been right there for us. I haven't had a single upsetting or gut-wrenching moment with insurance. Had we not bought insurance the day Nemo came home I am not sure how this would have worked out. Read the rest

Nemo underwent a Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy. This RuffWear 'Webmaster' harness made a real difference in my dog's recovery.

The Webmaster comes with snap-together closures for easy on and off, however, I've kept the harness on Nemo since his surgery on January 2nd. Once adjusted the harness slips over his head like a collar. Another strap runs across the chest, just behind the front legs. The third strap rides in front of the hind legs. There is a cross piece tying the collar to the chest strap as well.

Titularly, the harness creates a 'web' of support under your dog! Said web allowed me to lift a doped up Great Pyrenees with a sawed-on leg up 3-sets of 27 total stairs without hurting the dog!

Webmaster was the silliest dot-com era job title.

I was able to use the harness to assist Nemo up and down stairs, or any difficult territory, while he healed. I also found it easier to move Nemo around when he didn't want to move. My Great Pyr now has a handle!

It is machine washable, and super durable.

RUFFWEAR - Web Master Secure, Reflective, Multi-Use Harness Dogs via Amazon Read the rest

Happy National Dog Day.

Video: Nemo, Photo: Zuul. Read the rest

This dog is even worse than my best buddy Nemo. My guy is too lazy to try and catch a snack, he lets it bounce off his big ol' head and then just takes it off the ground. Read the rest

Great Pyrenees like to think for themselves, and don't much care what you want them to do.

I took my buddy Nemo to agility training. He can do all the tricks. He will not do any of them once he has had enough treats. Simple things like sit, down or stay all come instantly, when he wants the treats I'm holding. Any other time, unless I have real urgency in my voice, Nemo feels I'm presenting options. Sit generally results in lay down. Stay is often "wander off and lay down over there."

This Pyr has a blast just knocking the crap out of that obstacle course. Read the rest

This. All day. Except when barking at particularly heavy moments of rain.

Nemo is a Great Pyrenees. He'd rather be outside in the rain, but I would rather he not. Read the rest

These healthy chews are made of salmon, and come in sizes and consistencies that both my dogs can enjoy! Read the rest

Happy Sunday!

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Every dog is the best breed if you are the person who loves'em.

Perhaps it is their great size, their extremely loud bark, all the fur they shed, or the 2-tons of poop? My best buddy Nemo's breed strangely lands at 67th on the AKCs 2017 list of most popular breeds. Zuul, and her family of Cavalier King Charles, comes in 19th.

Wonder what kind of standardized test they give the dogs?

The full list is here. Read the rest

General the Great Pyreness decided he didn't want to stay in the Aquia-Garrisonville Animal Hospital, so he left. Opening serveral doors, all caught on security camera, on his way out. His family has him again.

Via InsideNova:

The dog’s amazing escape from the Garrisonville Road facility — opening several doors before exiting the building — screens like a jailbreak from the best Hollywood blockbusters.

And the story has a Hollywood ending, too. The hospital reported late Monday that General was found safe and sound, resting in a neighbor’s yard.

Hospital staff discovered Monday that the dog was missing, but how? Security video from the 4 a.m. escape was shared by WJLA.

My Great Pyr, Nemo, does this an awful lot too. Read the rest

I think Nemo wants to go outside.

I knew what he was doing, but I had to wait a few weeks to catch it on video. This is not the least of his antics. No drawer, cabinet or pantry is immune to his rummaging.

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I have a giant dog. Nemo is a Great Pyrenees. Finding toys that'll entertain him, without becoming shredded or hazardous, is challenging.

This rainy season we've been trapped inside quite a bit. Nemo gets a bit of nervous energy when this happens, and if I don't channel it into fun toys and distractions I'll be calling a carpenter.

Starmark's Wheeler is the longest lasting and most durable in their Everlasting Treat line. These toys allow a fitted, dense chewable to be inserted into a toy with the idea of making the treat accessible but still require work to chew. Nemo loves the Chicken and Bacon flavored treats, and one of either will last 2 days of chewing at it, or more. After several months of use The Wheeler itself has some small tears, but it has withstood multiple hours of chewing. Nemo frequently carries it around the house with him, keeping the Wheeler close at hand incase he wants to start working on it again.

The Amazon price on the treats is around 60% less than what I was paying at my local petshop.

Nemo's other favorite rainy day distraction these days, aside from barking, is his trusty old XXL KONG Extreme. I've only had to buy one. This sucker lasts, and lasts. My smaller dog, Pretzel, is the second generation of Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to chew hers. These toys have not even got teeth marks on them, after years of abuse. The KONG is one of the easiest toys I've found to distract a dog for 30-45 minutes. Read the rest

Duke the Great Pyrenees will serve a third term as mayor of Cormorant, MN.

Via WLWT:

"I don't know who would run against him because he's done such great things for the community," Cormorant resident Karen Nelson told Detroit Lakes Online.

The locals say Duke has one of the highest approval ratings in the country.

"Everybody voted for Duke, except for one vote for his girlfriend, Lassie," Duke's owner David Rick said.

Traveling with a giant breed dog can be tough! While lots of hotels have one or two rooms set aside for people traveling with their canine, eye pop out when a Great Pyr walks in. The folks at It's Dog or Nothing have shared a few pointers and a short list of national chains that'll take you and your big pal.

La Quinta hotels are their top choice:

LA QUINTA

Hands down, this is our number one choice. When we know where we plan to stop for the night, we will do a quick search for a La Quinta. If there isn’t one where we planned to stop, we will often change our plans to find one. With over 900 hotels in North America, there’s always one around the corner.

Not only does La Quinta allow multiple giant breed dogs, but their rooms are great. Every room we’ve stayed in has had a fridge and a microwave – if you have food sensitivities you know how important this is! Add on a free continental breakfast and I have a happy husband (and puppies because he always gets them some bacon!).

Mostly Nemo and I camp in our VW van, when we travel, but hotel stays can be hilarious. Read the rest

Life with a Great Pyrenees is really everything great about having a dog. My buddy, Nemo, is pretty darn amazing. It is no surprise the AKC is honoring them, today.

I can not say enough good things about Nemo. He's fairly brilliant, intensely loyal, loves kids, wants to be pet and snuggled, and sticks by my side most of the day. My eight year old daughter, who is quite small, can walk him with ease. He loves his cat and his Cavalier King Charles, although he can be bossy at times.

Nemo gets stopped, while we're walking, to be pet by so many folks it is ridiculous. Folks who don't like dogs, however, are mortally afraid of his size. Small dogs may try to eat him, it can be quite comical.

If you are interested in a Great Pyrenees, I work with a rescue here in California that'll help you out! We've always got more dogs than I can believe.

I think they should be breed of the decade.

From the AKC:

The Great Pyrenees dog conveys the distinct impression of elegance and unsurpassed beauty combined with great overall size and majesty. He has a white or principally white coat that may contain markings of badger, gray, or varying shades of tan. He possesses a keen intelligence and a kindly, while regal, expression. Exhibiting a unique elegance of bearing and movement, his soundness and coordination show unmistakably the purpose for which he has been bred, the strenuous work of guarding the flocks in all kinds of weather on the steep mountain slopes of the Pyrenees.

Thinking about adopting an amazing pal, like my Nemo? Great Pyrenees are not like other dogs, and these tips from It's Dog or Nothing are a must read. Read the rest