OFA Hips excellent
Thyroid values tested at Michigan State normal
Elbows evaluated by local orthopedic surgeon also normal
Prince has been returned to me by his owner as of 10-25-08, through no fault of his own. His owner had only good things to say about Prince who has been very well socialized. He was an indoor/outdoor pet, has gone on daily outings and regular trips to the dog park.
At 10 months old he was 115 lbs and 32 inches tall.
Back here at our home he has been great with the other dogs, except my mature male Pyr who did not make Prince feel welcome, so there is no way in knowing how they would have gotten along if my Pyr would have been less hostile.
He has been great in the house and with visitors who have come by.
Prince has had a vasectomy, so he has been sterilized, but has only one descended testicle. Prince broke a bone in his right shoulder when he was 5 months old, when he jumped out of a truck, this has been surgically repaired. He still moves a bit awkward at times, but he keeps up running and playing with his playmates here and does not limp or act like he is in any discomfort.
13 months update
Prince is still the same height and weight (I think the weight given at 10 months wasn't accurate, but I had him weighed at 13 months and he was 115 lbs at that time. He is really skinny, eats 7 to 8 cups of food a day, more than any of the others and loves to run around and play. He is Leydi's favorite son, she really enjoys playing with him, well, she likes to put him in his place too. Prince enjoys the outdoors, even when it got really cold here at 18 degrees, he refused to come inside. As I am writing this he is the only one of my dogs that choses to sit in a dog house in the pouring rain while everybody else gladly came inside for the day. Prince is such a sweet and mellow boy, he catches on quickly when I teach him a new trick.
He is not totally trustworthy with the goats and chickens yet, so we will see how he does as he matures. He is a pleasure to have around and he doesn't miss anything that goes on in the neighborhood. When there was a stray dog (it could have been a coyote too based on the size) a few nights ago Prince was relentless in his quest to keep the predator away.
2 1/2 year update
Prince was 119 lbs in March and is just under 33 inches; he is still pretty skinny looking. He is taking his time to fill out. He eats more than anybody else around here. He eats twice as much as my Great Pyrenees and at least a cup more a day than his brother Teddy.
Prince continues to be a sweet boy, but he has a mischievous streak like his mother. If I call her to come she usually tries to play keep away. Luckily, Prince doesn't run from me, but he usually doesn't come either; what he does is act goofy and roll on his back, if I go and rub his tummy he will then willingly come with me. Just like his mom, he loves to drag blankets and dog beds outside through the doggie door.
He has been very good with the chickens, though I have not left him unsupervised, we will see how it goes this winter; he still likes to chase the goats; it's in play, he doesn't mean any harm, but not a good thing to do. He has a loud bark, and since he doesn't like flies at all, he is out guarding at night during the warmer months. He is a hard worker, and I wish I had a way to track how many miles he runs on an average nigh. He only has an acre to cover, but if something is out in the near desert, he is tirelessly running up and down to keep them away. He is not a nuisance barker, just highly vigilant and determined to keep us all safe.
3 1/2 year update:
Prince is filling out nicely; he weighs around 125 lbs now. Eating is down to about 4 cups of food a day. He continues to be great with visitors who always comment on how tall he is. At close to 33 inches he is the tallest of all my dogs. He is beautiful to watch both when he stands or is lying down or when he is moving. He is a sloppy drinker and loves to drink from a hose. I suspect that his former owner taught him that because my other dogs don't do it and have no clue how to do it. He loves to go for rides and walks. Just like his sister Cici he uses submissive behaviors to get what he wants. He is a joy to be around. I sure don't have to bend over much to give him a hug.
