Dad went to Doctor's Today

Dad went to see Dr. Anderson at Amelia Island Foot and Ankle, she asked about me, telling the nurse that I was the most Famous Dog In Fernandina.  My fans are everywhere.  Thanks Dr. Anderson, congratulations on the new arrival.

Rico and Renae

A long story about a Bouv named Rico, but worth the time to read.

IF YOU WANT TO CAUSE A COMMOTION in any psychology department or any other place where animal and human behaviour is studied, all that you have to do is to claim that your dog loves you. Skeptics, critics, and even some ardent supporters will pour out into the halls to argue the pros and cons of that statement. Among the skeptics you will find the veterinarian Fred Metzger, of Pennsylvania State University, who claims that dogs probably don't feel love in the typical way humans do. Dogs make investments in human beings because it works for them. They have something to gain from putting so-called emotions out there. Metzger believes that dogs "love" us only as long as we continue to reward their behaviours with treats and attention. For most dog owners, however, there is little doubt that dogs can truly love people.

Take the story of Rico and Renae. Rico was a Bouvier des Flandres. At the time of this story, Rico was three years old and Renae was his eleven-year-old companion. Rico had been given to Renae when he was ten weeks old, and she immediately bonded with him, petting him, hand-feeding him, teaching him basic commands, and letting him sleep on her bed. Whenever she was not in school, the two were always together and within touching distance. The family would often fondly refer to the pair as "R and R." Renae was a relatively timid and shy girl, and as the dog grew in stature he brought her a sense of security. When Rico was next to her she felt confident enough to meet new people and to go to unfamiliar places. Rico took on the roles, not only of friend and confidant, but also of defender. When encountering strangers, he would often deliberately stand in front of Renae, as a sort of protective barrier. He seemed to be without fear, such as once when Renae was about to enter a store and two large men dressed in biker outfits burst out of the door, yelling at the shopkeeper and nearly knocking Renae over. Rico rushed forward, putting himself between the frightened girl and the two threatening men. He braced himself and gave a low rumbling growl that carried such menace that the men backed off and gave the child and her guardian a wide berth.

There was, however, one flaw in Rico's armour. It was a fear of water that was so extreme that it was almost pathological. Rico's fears stemmed from his puppyhood, when, at the age of seven weeks, he was sold to a family with an adolescent child. The boy had emotional problems and acted as if the attention bestowed on the new puppy somehow meant that he was less important. In a jealous rage, he put the puppy in a pillow case, knotted the top and threw it into a lake. Fortunately, the boy's father saw the incident and managed to retrieve the terrified puppy before it drowned. He scolded the boy and returned to the house. The next day the horrified parent saw his son standing waist-deep in the lake trying to drown the struggling puppy by holding him under water. This time Rico was rescued and returned to the breeder for his own safety. These early traumas made water the only thing that Rico truly feared. When he came close to a body of water, he would try to pull back and seemed emotionally distressed. When Renae would go swimming in the lake, he would pace along the shore trembling and whimpering. He would watch her intently and would not relax until she returned to dry land.

One late afternoon, Renae's mother took R and R to an upscale shopping area. It was located along the edge of a lake and featured a short wooden boardwalk which was built along the shore over a sharp embankment that was 20 or 30 feet above the surface of the water. Rene was clomping along the boardwalk, enjoying the way the sounds of her footsteps were amplified by the wooden structure. It was then that a boy on a bicycle skidded on the damp wooden surface, hitting Renae at an angle which propelled her through an open section of the guard rail. She let out a shriek of pain and fear as she hurled outward and down, hitting the water face down, and then floating there unmoving. Renae's mother was at the entrance of a store a hundred feet or so away. She rushed to the railing shouting for help.

Rico was already there, looking at the water, trembling in fear, and making sounds that seemed to be a combination of barks, whimpers, and yelps all rolled into one. We can never know what went through that dog's mind as he stood looking at the water-the one thing that truly terrified him and that had nearly taken his life twice. Now here was a frightening body of water that seemed about to harm his little mistress. Whatever he was thinking, his love for Renae seemed to overpower his fear and he leapt out through the same open space in the rail and plunged into the water. One can thank the genetic programming that allowed the dog to swim without any prior practice, and he immediately went to Renae and grabbed her by a shoulder strap on her dress. This caused her to roll over so that her face was out of the water and she gagged and coughed. Despite her dazed state she reached out and managed to cinch her hand in Rico's collar, while the dog struggled to swim toward the shore. Fortunately the water was calm, they were not far from shore, and Rico quickly reached a depth where his feet were on solid ground. He dragged Renae until her head was completely out of the water, and then stood beside her, licking her face, while he continued to tremble and whine.

It would be several minutes before human rescuers would make it down the steep rocky embankment, and had it not been for the courageous Bouvier, they surely would have arrived too late. Renae and her family believe that it was only the big dog's love of the little girl that caused him to take what he must have considered a life-threatening action.

This certainly casts doubt on Dr. Metzger's theory that dogs don't love us but act only out of self-interest. Why should Rico behave in a way that he certainly felt would risk his life? Surely, if he was evaluating the costs and benefits of his actions then he would have known that, even in Renae's absence, the rest of the family would be around to feed him and take care of needs.

Marc Bekoff, a behavioural biologist at the University of Colorado, has a different interpretation. He notes that dogs are social animals. All social animals need emotions, in part as a means of communication-for instance you need to know to back off if another animal is growling. More importantly, however, emotions keep the social group together and motivate individuals to protect and support each other. Bekoff concludes that strong emotion is one of the foundations of social behaviour and is the basis of the connection between individuals in any social group, whether it is a pack, a family or just a couple in love. Recent research has even identified some of the chemicals associated with feelings of love in humans. These include hormones such as oxytocin, which seems to help people form emotional bonds with each other. One of the triggers that causes oxytocin to be released is gentle physical touching, such as stroking. Dogs also produce oxytocin, and one of our common ways of interacting with dogs is to gently pet them, an action that probably releases this hormone associated with bonding. If dogs as social animals have an evolutionary need for close emotional ties, and they have the chemical mechanisms associated with loving, it makes sense to assume that they are capable of love, as we are. Rico's fear of the water was absolute, and never did abate. He continued to avoid it for the rest of his life and no one ever saw him so much as place a foot in the lake again.

No one, at least not Renae or her family, ever doubted his love for her. He lived long enough to see an event occur which would not have happened had he not cared for her as much as he did. When Renae graduated from high school, she posed for a photo in her cap and gown. Beside her sat a now much older Bouvier. The smiling girl had an arm around the dog, and her hand was cinched in his collar, as it was the day that Rico unambiguously showed her just how much he loved her.

From FB's Bouvier Des Flandres Appreciation group.

Thanksgiving 2013

Happy Thanksgiving to all my friends.

With a little telekinesis I can move that turkey to my bowl.

Great Video of some cousins working

A pair of Bouv's with natural ears and tails doing obedience, Schutzhund, and carting.  The You Tube video is here; Nutty Bouviers

Thanks Sonja du Plessis May for posting on FB's Bouvier Appreciation Group.

'nobody Touches Me With Impunity' a repost of an earlier entry

That is the warning, in Latin, that is posted over Robert Abady's kennel. It refers to the fierce Bouvier des Flandres guard dogs he raises, but the motto might well be Abady's own.

This is a long article about Robert Abady and his Bouv's.  The article is available at Sports Illustrated archives

Some excerpts: 
[1]

The bouvier des Flandres, native to Belgium, the Netherlands and northern France, is a shaggy, bearlike dog with cropped ears and tail and a heavy beard. In Belgium a show 

championship cannot be awarded to a bouvier unless it has won a prize for tracking or as an army, police or guard dog. The male is big, up to 140 pounds, very strong and agile. It is a good jumping breed. A bouvier holds the world record for scaling a wall: 16 feet. Originally bred in Flanders to herd cattle -bouvier literally means cattle dog -the dog is supposed to be of calm temperament. "The bouvier does not have a chip on his shoulder," says Abady's wife, Isabel, an assistant professor of French at Vassar. "He does not want to be nasty. He is gentle and friendly and marvelous with children. He is only aggressive when someone threatens his people or his property. Our kennel motto is Nemo me impune lacessit [Nobody touches me with impunity] The bouvier protects not because he’s vicious, but because he is your dog. He does what is needed."

As an example of the dog's measured response to a situation, Abady cites the time a plumber came to his house a day late when no one was at home. "There were seven dogs in the house," Abady recalls, "and the plumber was pinned to the living-room wall for eight or nine hours. When we came in, he was ashen. The dogs didn’t hurt him, they just wouldn’t let him move even though he was only a foot and a half away from the door. Of course, he should have come the day he said he would."

[2]

Then there was the time Abady went into Manhattan with Picot, an untrained year-old male.  "I took him into the Figaro, a coffeehouse in Greenwich Village," Abady says. "You could take a dog in there, eat, drink coffee and play chess in a relaxed atmosphere.  A guy who seemed about eight feet tall and wearing an orange motorcycle suit came in and sat at the next table. He ordered a hamburger and French fries.  Picot was, curled up at my feet. When this guy's order came, he got up and leaned across me to get the ketchup.  It was a very irritating and insolent gesture, as though he wanted to pick a fight.  I did nothing.  Shortly after that, he came back for the pepper and salt.  I did nothing.

As he was eating, he dropped one or his French fries on the floor and kicked it toward Picot.  I kicked it back.  He kicked again.  I picked it up and said, "Don't feed the dog without the owner's permission."  I threw the French fry back at him and, by accident, it landed on his plate.  Get the picture?  He stands up and pushes the table aside.  I stand, and suddenly I hear this high-pitched shriek from this huge guy.  I didn't know what was going on.  The place was absolutely still, and all I wondered was how a big guy, an enormous guy like this, could scream in such a high voice.

"What had happened was Picot had grabbed the guy by the hand. The guy fell over a banister, his hand bleeding, rushed into the bathroom and then shot out of the Figaro.  There wasn't a sound in the restaurant.  Not a sound.  It was eerie.  I didn't know what to say.  Should I offer to pay his check?  The waitress comes over, silently gives me my check, I pay and I leave with Picot.  I didn't know whether I could ever go back, but a few weeks later a friend of mine went in there and he told me, "Hey, there's this legend about this guy who went into the Figaro with a bear!  And the bear tore this motorcyclist guy apart!  The guy was all covered with blood after the bear chewed him up, and they had to carry him on a stretcher to an ambulance."  It tuned out the manager was delighted, because motorcyclists had made the place a hangout and annoyed his customers.

[3]

Although Abady has a poor opinion of the showing, he regards attack training as superb sport.  His only difficulty is finding a steady supply of "villains."  A villain is the fellow who serves as the bouvier's object of attack.  He should weigh at least 200 pounds, because a hurtling bouvier can easily knock down a lighter man.  Once the villain is knocked flat, the dog can burrow underneath the protective suit and do severe. damage.  "You find villains anywhere you can get them," Abady says, "Anyone who talks big and thinks he has guts.  We pay $4 an hour, but when a villain sees an enraged dog coming at him for the first time, he wants to raise the price." 

Me and the Curmudgeon that shares the house.

This is Gunner, mom & dad's rescue.  He appears to be part Briard.  He is estimated to be 8 years old and has been with us for a little over a year.  He is constantly in motion so dad has been unable to get a decent photo of him.  The photo was taken by Amanda Donohue, dad's niece.  If you are in the Alexandria, Virginia area check out her link.

Another Bouv My Size

Meet Kingston owned by Jean Marie DiLoreto, I am just a little larger.

2nd Annual Harpers Ferry Bouv Walk

I met a few new friends at Harper's Ferry.  That me near the middle, dad has blue jacket and orange cap.

2nd Annual Bouv Walk

Lunch at Hooter's Bradenton, FL

Mom and dad traveled to Bradenton, Gunner and I got to go.  They had lunch at Hooter's where I got to meet one of the waitresses.

Dad talked to a local rancher who worked Aussies, he was impressed that I was a cattle dog.

I visit the one of the top 25 Islands almost every day.

According to Conde Nast Traverer (r) Amelia Island is 24th in Best Islands In The World and 10th in Best Islands in the US.

Photo of Beach from Alyssa Raye's Land Sea & Sky Album.  Alyssa owns Tootsie & Bubbles, friends from the dog park.

Met Jessica Downtown

This is my friend Jessica, who I met while walking downtown.  Welcome to Fernandina Beach Jessica.

Made new friends on the beach today

Met these nice people on the beach this afternoon, they are staying just south of the Beach Cottage.

Met Dayna Downtown

We, Gunner & myself met Dayna downtown the other day and had our picture taken.  Nice meeting you Dayna.

If you are considering getting a Bouv

Please read this article:

The Buzz About Bouvier des Flandres – What The Standard Doesn’t Tell You

Espy displays most of the traits, except for the nipping.

Dad learned something new

The  owner of an American Stafford-shire Terrier pup informed Dad that according to the book he had read that puppies were suppose to alternate which one dominated when playing.

This was news to both Dad and me, we both thought that Alpha was Alpha until proved otherwise.  Now we know that when Dad play with me or commands me I only have to obey half the time.

Temp 94, Heat Index 104 Time for the pool.

Chilling in the pool at Amelia Island Dog Park.

PS:  Wow 9100 page views.

Three Bouv's at the dog park

I am in the pool with my half-sister (Reagan) and half-brother (Benson).  Reagan is the brindle near the edge, Benson is the black in the shallow water.

We are at the Nassau Humane Society Dog Park.

Met author of "Lessons From Rocky"

I met Bradford and Pamela Miller, authors of "Lessons From Rocky" and "Pawprints on the Heart" Sunday while Dad and Mom were at the Green Turtle Tavern.

"Lessons from Rocky" focuses on the special relationship that exists between dogs, their owners, and others whose lives they touch. For seventeen years, Bradford and Pamela Miller enjoyed and reveled in the company of their beloved Rocky, a mixed breed terrier full of unconditional love, unsurpassed joie de vivre, and a personality all his own. But as he grew older, his habits changed and he began to slow down as we all do, forcing the Millers to contemplate the unthinkable: a life without Rocky. Contemplating his final days and experiencing them are two vastly different things, however, and the thoughts, musings, and chapters that were to make up this book went out the window the day he left. What replaced them is the book you now hold in your hands. Our pets are a wonderful reminder of the power and pure joy in unconditional love, a gift they give effortlessly and often with wild abandon. On a deeper level, this gift can teach us so much more, such as lessons on loyalty, patience, courage, curiosity, living in the moment, happiness, the gift of listening, and friendship to name just a few. This was never truer than in Rocky’s case, where his spirit provided his owners with a wealth of understanding they never anticipated.

Sunday Evening Downtown

This evening I met Nicholas, Luke and Dawson, they are visiting Fernandina Beach from Georgia.

Welcome, Nicholas, Luke and Dawson, it was nice meeting you.

Rare Night Time Walk Downtown

Dad had to go to the island last night so Gunner & I gave him the over-my-dead-body routine and he agreed to take us.

While walking past Island Time we met  Lindsey and Laura and their friends.  They wanted to know all about me and when Dad told them about the  blog they jumped at the chance to get their picture take with handsome guy like me.

Some of the people I have met recently.

Here are some of the wonderful people I have met on my walks downtown.

Lauren Horton of Wichita Kansas

Seth Spencer

The Ramsey family of Somerset, KY

I on Facebook

Pictures and video of me are on Nassau Dog Park Facebook page.

Met James downtown

I met James downtown in front of Fantastic Fudge.   I weigh more than James, he is just a little taller than me.  We both have nice smiles.

The page view counter turned 8000, WOW!

Lisa crossed Centre St Just to meet me.

Met Lisa at the Farmer's Market this afternoon, Lisa has two Miniature Schnauzer at home.

On my way to 8,000 page views

Met someone who follows my blog

She introduced herself to Dad, but he is having a senior moment.  She met me when I was just a pup and has followed the blog.  It now has over 7600 pageviews.

  Thanks

Met Jadyn and Flat Stanley

Jadyn was downtown Fernandina, the other day, with her cousin Micah's friend Flat Stanley when I met her.  This is the third time I have met Flat Stanley.  Flat Stanley is visiting from New Market, MD.

Three Bouv's at the dog park

Met Slater (Fawn) and Zeus (Black) at the dog park today.

Slater, Espy & Zeus

Slater & me doing a little trash talking.

Lunch at Timoti's

We had a nice walk downtown, then stopped by Timoti's Seafood Shack for lunch.  Dad & Mom had the fresh grouper, they didn't share any.  Gunner and I did get the hush puppies and some fries.

We met a nice lady who thinks she want to get a Bouv, after meeting me.  My breeder is Valkin Bouvier  they should be whelping new puppies soon, the bitch is my sister Elan, the sire is Harry (BIS CH Avalon's Frontier Hotspur).

Here is what Stacy H. had to say about Valkin's Bouv's; "Just wanted to brag to you about the temperment of your Bouvs'. My dad came over, Attia LOVES him, so she went running towards him, all smiles and bouncy energy. He said, "you know, I think she is the happiest dog I have ever seen." Which was even more intesting because just last week my sister was over and said the same thing, "I have never seen a happier dog." I just told them, yup, we have the best breeder, all credit goes to Valkin!"

Valkin Bouviers on Facebook.

Get to meet Zeus & Slater this afternoon.

Two new Bouv's have moved to Fernandina, Zeus & Slater.  We have a play date scheduled for the dog park this afternoon at 5:00 PM.  I will post pictures tomorrow.

7280 Page Views

I keep telling dad that we should monetize the blog and use the money to buy me some extra treats.

My new friend Lori

I met Lori after stopping by Steve's (La Torre's Gallery & Gifts) for a treat.

Nobody gets through this door!

Here I am doing what Bouv's do best, guarding the entry, nobody will get past me!

My new friend Karsen.

We had just left La Torres Gallery & Gifts when I met Karsen.  Great day, Steve was there to hand out a treat and met a new friend.

If you follow the link to La Torres, Steve is the guy next to the hansom boxer (Luke) at the bottom of the page.  Steve is one of the merchants who has treats for Gunner and me as we take our walk downtown. 

Fun at the Dog Park

Gunner & I had fun at dog park today, with Jasper & Jesse.

Anne Marie introducing Jasper & Jesse to pool while I watch. 

Me after getting out of pool.

Gunner never goes in the pool, in fact he runs around the pool shouting DANGER - DANGER!

Exchanged Business Cards

Frank Vacirca, Principle of Fernandina Beach Christian Academy and I exchanged business cards in front of Island Time.  Frank recognized that I was a Bouvier Des Flandres, which makes him an extremely knowledgeable man.

7024 Page Views, Austin Healey's Downtown

Thanks to all who have taken the time to view my blog.

Dad, Mom and I really enjoyed walking down center street looking at all of the cool Austin Healey's and the Jensen Healey's.  Dad owned a Sprite and uncle Jerry owned a 3000.

Read about the car show at http://www.searchamelia.com/austin-healey-classic-car-show-comes-to-fernandina

Met Ashley Downtown Today

26 more pageviews and it will be 7000.

Tell your friends to check out the recent video of a well trained Bouv.

Made another friend

My new friend Ellie giving me a big hug downtown.

Wow

Today on my walk I met five people who had owned or knew Bouv's.  Usually it is one every few days, Dad always tells those that know Bouv's they are in the 5% who recognize the breed.

What a well trained Bouv looks like.

For all of you who have commented about how well trained I am, here is what a trained Bouv looks like http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qWIo2CHn1A

               o  Carting

               o  Jumping

               o  Tricks

               o  Obedience

               o  Agility

               o  Defense

More of Sofia and her Bouv's at http://www.youtube.com/user/bouvierflandres

Hope my Bouv cousins join me for Shrimp Fest

Shrimp Festival is coming up, I hope my Bouv cousins will come visit and join me for a walk on the beach and a day at the dog park.

If any of my cousins need more info please e-mail me at espythebouv@gmail.com.

They remember me when I was just a puppy

Jan & Rodman stopped me downtown today, they had met me when I was just a pup.  She still has my business card in her purse.  It's nice to be recognized.

Espy and Amanda

Lora W. took this picture of Espy and Amanda.

Espy vs Bode

Espy (Bouvier des Flandres) and Bode (Akita) play a little tug-of-war at the dog park.

Bode is 7 months old while Espy is 3 years.

Two Bouv's spotted

It was reported that there were two bouv's downtown today, a black and a white.  We looked but didn't see them.  We did have a  nice walk from Tasty's to Brett's and back, with lunch at Tasty's.

Making New Friends

Stopped by Island Time for a drink of water an had my picture taken.

Bouv's in Virginia

Yesterday at the dog park I met a young lady, from Virginia,  who was interested in Bouv's.  I gave her the blog info and said I would post info on Bouv's in Virginia.

The place to visit is Dutch East, 3161 New Bridge Road, Virginia Beach, VA 23456.  Contact Carla or Fred and see if you can visit on a weekend when they are training.  (757) 426-1223 (phone / fax), e-mail Carla @ : K9CARLA@aol.com.  


PS:  Wow, we have passed the 6000 pageview mark.