NY Bound dec 2014

We are NY bound and we are bringing our puppy that we have had less than a month! She is a horrible traveler! We bought a crate for her to stay in while travelling. She never made it in. She cried and whined not 3 minutes down the road where we had to pull over and she had massive diarrhea. I think she works herself up into such a frenzy that her stomach goes wonky! So, no more food for her. We got across into VA and she finally got into a routine where she wasn't whining to get out.  She laid on a pillow on someone's lap the entire way, which was the only way for her to relax! She truly is a princess!

Nurturing Nala

March 2014! she has grown so much!

 

 

FEBRUARY! I think the Easter Bunny has come early!

 

Just call her Nala from the Block

 

How can she be so adorable one minute and I turn around and she is AWFUL!!! I guess instead of make it rain, she thought she would make it snow!

 

but then again, she has to put up with the torture from Sweetheart every day when she comes home so one might say she calls it even!

She lathers me with warm puppy breath kisses and all is forgiven!

 

And then she has to pull one of these numbers and all fury is released! Owning shoes that do not look like boats are very hard for me. When you are sporting a 12 wide or a 13 in some cases fashionable shoes are rare and they usually cost more than I care to spend! But, she loves my shoes.  I have had 4 pairs of heels ruined! I did put them up! They were on the counter.  Another pair of shoes were higher than the counter and she got to those and the other two it was my fault! But, HOGWASH a dog, should learn not to touch the shoes!!

 Then she goes and does this and it just slays me! I am just a melted cup of goos and ahhs! Lately, it is when she sleeps is the only time I can feel my heart throb for her! Funny, I remember some parenting times when a sleeping child was the only thing that made me gush too!

Na'ala from the Hood (Nurturing Nala) April 2015

When your dog has more friends than you, it's time to re-evaluate!

Introducing Nala from the block!

These sweet little gems come over and ask to play with Nala! They just found out that Nala has a hip issue and the vet doesn't see her lasting longer than her first year without being in a lot of pain.  She is home on a few antibiotics and also on a medicine with pain killers in it and we can give her, pain pills as needed.  Hopefully, everything will work out for the better and the at home therapy exercises will help strengthen her back legs and work the hump out of her back! We will address her hip issues as time goes on. 

She loves playing with her hood friends and they give her so much love! The little girl in blue brought over a toy for her to play with and she bought it with her own money! She is the sweetest little girl! Thank you Iliana! 

Nurturing Nala- antics of a neapolitan mastiff (born october 6, it is April) 7 months old

I just can't get over this beautiful girl! She is rotten but she is so sweet and velvety soft and horrible and wonderful! Think of eating a sour patch and you have my feelings and her personality! But, she's so precious, you just can't stay angry at her.

She's actually chewing and playing with a toy she should have! She loves stuffed animals and plays with them always and she carries one in every room she goes into! 

There are some things that Na'ala has to put up with and it is dealing with this girl. 

Then again when I came home to this shredded toilet paper I thought she really doesn't deal with much aggravation. Considering that I pick up a lot of NO NO's! She is 7months old and these behaviors need to be done with.

She doesn't quite understand getting yelled at but she does understand staying away from my shoes!! When you wear a 12 wide it is so hard to find a shoe that doesn't look like an orthopedic shoe. It is hard to find something stylish so I was pretty heart broken over these!

Nurturing Nala

Seriously, is she not the cutest most adorable thing you have seen?? Well don't let this velvet soft girl fool you because when she is awake she is nothing but trouble! She can destroy anything and loves to chew! She is pretty naughty but when she is asleep you forget all of her bad traits and just want to love and smooch on her all day long! (as long as she remains asleep)

DOG DAYS!

This is my sweet girl Delilah! She came to us from a lady I visit taught in MO. I had no idea she even had a dog and I visited her, for two years.  Long story but we ended up with this sweet beautiful girl who wants nothing but to please and make you happy.  She is so good! She could definitely be a therapy dog that you take into hospitals. All she does is sit on the bed and would love for you to pet her all day long. She does not mind small children either.  I have also used her as a therapy dog to help other dogs who have social anxiety with other dogs. She helped our neighbors dog. He was very aggressive stemmed from fear but because of her nature and she being able to listen so well to me, he did well with her. Our neighbor a few doors down, also has a dog that can not get along with any other dogs.  We started talking and I brought Delilah out and handled her and we slowly worked Miles into being good with her.  Now, he can walk the neighborhood and not have fear aggression and his family has even open their home up to fostering dogs! WOAH! and yes, I am seriously known in our new neighborhood as the dog whisper and a dog trainer! I can train dog obedience and I can train your dog to be social but I can not train dog aggression or fear aggression based. I would love to take classes to learn how to do this. But, it is above my capabilities and I do not want to be held liable for anything that could go wrong! Delilah is a sweetheart and I'm so glad she has entered our lives!

Nala, entered our lives from a church member who breeds neapolitan mastiffs. After losing our dog. I was not ready to take another puppy in. But, 6 months later their was a need for this girl to come into our lives. She was originally bought and the owner returned her and we ended up having her. We got her in December and it had not been but 6 months when we lost Kekoa. But, we took her in and she captured our hearts fully.  She is the smartest dog. She entered our lives in December, about 15 wks old?? not sure! I had her potty trained in 2 days! She's such a good puppy and then around the 4 month mark we noticed we needed to take her into the vet.  I noticed her back was growing with a hump. I noticed that with our other mastiff and our breeder ran him and stretched him out. I think she called it ricketts.  But, It wasn't that. WE were cautioned not to have her go up and down the stairs and for 7 months I had slept on the couch because she was constantly going to the bathroom.  

What brought us to the vet was she began moaning and crying at night as if she was in pain, a good deal of pain. Now, she is a Neapolitan Mastiff. They are known for their extremely high pain tolerance.  I noticed as I rubbed her back and massaged her leg muscles it seemed to bother her but in the end make it better. I also noticed that laying in the sun was like medicine to her. She laid on that hot concrete and let her body soak in the rays! She was also peeing while walking so I instantly sensed we had a bladder infection.  

Brought her to the vet! Yes, she has a bladder infection. She also has a vulva that is out and inverted! I just thought that was what a Neapolitan nether parts should look like. I mean she is wrinkly and everything, thought that was part of her. It's a defect. She will also always fight bladder infections because of how she is built down there. The only thing that would help is re-constructive surgery. UGHHHH! 

But that wasn't the worse news! Her pain and curvature in her back is caused from her not having hip sockets. It causes a lot of pain and surgery is about $1200 per side. The doctor said with surgery she will be pain free but she may have permanent damage to her spine and they basically knock the socket off and it allows it to fit where it should! Our family has been so sad and her vet feels she won't make it to see a year before we have to put her down. We said we would enjoy her while we could without having her in pain because paying for a surgery that will still not change her spine issues, seems counter productive.  She has gone home on a heavy antibiotic to clear the infection, and pain meds to help her deal. 

:: Hindsight many months later, It is Sept 2, and she is doing wonderful! she is happy and still puppy like. We still battle the bladder infections but she is playful and stronger. WE have noticed that her body has seemed to accommodate and she has stopped growing. She has grown but not as quickly as before. She is taller than our Portugese Water dog and weighs more than her too. So, they are both great size medium dogs! To be as big and fierce as she is. She is a chicken and is a dog that needed heavy socialization to new things, people and dogs while she was young. WE had her in puppy classes but because of her legs she was extra sensitive to other dogs jumping on her and we had to stop attending. Now, she is displaying certain acts of fear aggression and barking and skiddish around new people or new things. Where she does bite first ask later. She is extra protective in her back yard and in the living room.  Outside of her fence she is super friendly and she loves small children! She's our little grey elephant who is stubborn and sassy just like the other Solomon women in the house!