Now a 2 Berner Home!

In my last post I mentioned how we were a one dog home.  That didn't last very long.  We now have another Bernese Mountain Dog.  I found the breeder's website & of course made an inquiry.  I debated on whether to send them a message or not.  I finally said heck with it & see what happens.  I sent a message & got a response that they had one puppy left...After a family discussion & a few more emails, we went to visit the puppy July 5, 2014.  The puppy was 10 weeks old.  The breeder told me in one of the last emails, that if we liked him & he liked us, we could take him home that day, because he was old enough to leave.  Of course after an hour visit, we left with him.  Unlike when we brought Sullivan home, I didn't have a list of names for the new puppy.  The breeder was calling him Sparky, which I thought was cute & would work in our home of firefighters.  He was being called Jerry, for Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead because of his little "zig-zag" white blaze between his eyes. 
When we got home, it was transition time for Sullivan and the new puppy.  Sullivan was very happy to meet the new little guy.  After a few hours, Kyle thought his name should be Jerry (for his own reasons).  We hadn't told him that was what the breeder was calling him.  So Jerry it is!  Now to come up with a registered name.  I started a list of many variations.  I try to somehow include the parents of the dog in the registered name.  I was also researching Grateful Dead songs, lyrics & history.  After a long list of names, I finally came up with Mtn Ridge's Lightning Bolt Rock Star. 
Jerry has adjusted well to our house & routines.  Sullivan has also discovered that Jerry is staying & wasn't here for a visit. 
Jerry is now 14 weeks old & weighs 26 pounds. 

It's been awhile...

It has been almost 2.5 years since I have posted anything here.  I guess I got a little side-tracked.  Since my last post, many things have happened.  Our son started college and after one year transferred to another school.  With this transfer, he was able to play of the school's soccer team.  This past season he was one of the captains.  He will then graduate this spring. 
We had to say good-bye to our last dalmatian this past fall.  We are now a one dog family, with Sullivan, our Bernese Mountain Dog.  We have not had just one dog since we got our second dalmatian many years ago.  I'm thinking that being a one dog household is not so bad.  On the other hand, I would love another BMD.  I think Sullivan would too!  Since Sullivan is the only dog now, he has been getting a bit more attention.  He enjoys going for rides in the car.  He even gets to visit his grandparents once in awhile. 
Shortly after school got out last June, Sullivan went in for surgery.  He had a mast cell tumor removed from his belly.   Before having surgery, I researched mast cell tumor on the internet.  After talking with our vet, the tumor was sent in for diagnosis.  The tumor was an intermediate grade 2 tumor.  That puts it in the middle of the level range.  Sullivan recovered just fine from his surgery.  Keeping him still & quiet took some work.  He was just checked for a 6 month check up from his surgery & everything went well.  He now gets checked over regularly by us at home for any other bumps that might want to appear.
This fall, Sullivan & I got to experience the sport of agility.  We attended an agility class once a week.  Sullivan picked up quickly on all the obstacles.  Thank goodness the area was fenced in, because his nose does work quite well and he wanted to sometimes focus on the smells and not focus on his course.  The teeter toter was one obstacle that was not his favorite.   I think it was the sound and the movement of it.  I think the dog walk was his favorite even though it made me nervous because he would go so fast on it, I would be afraid he would fall off. 
I attempted to create my own "homemade" obstacles at home for us to practice.  I would love to purchase my own equipment, but it's just so expensive and then the other thought...I would have to move it every time Shawn mows the lawn!