They both bring me such joy and it thrills me to know that they are both healthy and happy.

Bouviers were bred to be work animals and spent their time herding cattle and pulling milk drays.   They flourished, up until World War I, when the French used the sturdy animals to assist in pulling injured soldiers out of trenches as well as to carry messages to the front lines.  The Germans, you see, realized the work the dogs were doing and it wasn’t unusal for snipers to take out dogs.  A casualty of war.  Thanks to a concerted effort, the breed has thankfully survivied.  The breed is loyal, strong-willed, agressive, protective, and loving.

Most people can walk int our home and be greeted affectionately.  She carefully watches how we greet a stranger and follows in kind.   That was something that was not in her nature, to be honest, but careful socialization in her puppy days gave us this trust of the family as her guide to the trustworthiness of strangers. She is, however, a protective dog.  Recently, a strange dog ran towards as at the park and she jumped in between us, ready to attack and defend me.    The other dog owner (trailing behind with the leash the dog should have been wearing) was offended by her aggression, never understanding that she didn’t know his dog “just wanted to play”  and I had to explain to him that she had seen it as an attack on me (and that he needed to leash his dog!).

One of the things about being home lately has been getting to spend some time with her – like our daily walks as well as know that she is there, sleeping at the foot of my bed.  I guess I’ve realized, too, that she is moving slower and my time with her may be limited.  I’m just thankful I’ve had any time with her.  She truly is one of a kind…

Time for school.  Hope you are having a good Monday. It’s certainly a Monday in my world…..