Conan the Megatron Barbarian (LOL!)
Jun 13, 2022 12:42:10 GMT -5
simplynaturalfarm, Shawn, and 10 more like this
Post by Lannie on Jun 13, 2022 12:42:10 GMT -5
Our new Akbash baby, Conan, had to spend his first night locked in the garage (strange new place, severe thunderstorms), but when I went out this morning, he was SO happy to see me. I was baptized in blood when he jumped up and scratched my forearm with his sharp little claws. We're going to work on "OFF!" first thing, considering how big he's likely to get. I want that command ingrained in his brain, LOL!
He had eaten all four cups of kibble Rich left for him last night, and drank a full gallon of water. To pay us back for all the food and water, he left three very large poops in return. For such a little guy, he can sure pack away the groceries.
I put another two cups of kibble in his bowl, and brought another gallon of water, then sat with him for about half an hour and just petted and talked to him. When his excitement level had died down a bit, I brought Maggie in to meet him and there ensued a good ten minutes of butt-sniffing, LOL! He has impeccable manners, and is very sensitive to Maggie's communication. He finally went around the garage again, checking his "perimeter" and Maggie followed right behind him. She REALLY likes him. Finally, they both laid down, nose to nose, and licked each other. I took Maggie out then, and went back to the house, and Conan was quiet as a mouse. He'd been howling and barking before, when I left to get more food, water, and more toys (he's a chewer and had been busily poking holes in an empty cardboard box). Well, apparently, he ate most of the second bowl of kibble and went to sleep. That's better than eating a box, I guess.
When Rich and I went out to do chores, I opened the door and let Conan out so he could come with, and Maggie and Jasper both came over to give him a good sniff and then we all trundled off to the barns together. What a great little pack we have now. Molly, the heifer, is in heat today, but she came in the cow barn for her treats (nothing deters her from her treats!), and when she got there, there was a strange little creature in the barn, so she kept trying to sniff him, but he was scared and retreated. She's WAY bigger than a sheep! She was a bit flighty anyway, hormones and all, so she wasn't being very gentle or careful, so we put Conan and Maggie back out in the hay room while Molly finished her pellets and went back out to the pasture. Before she left, though, she turned around and went back in the barn, and Jasper growled and came across the corral at his top speed to protect Conan, but it was unnecessary, Conan was safe, and when Jasper saw I had turned Molly around and she was going back out to the pasture, he went back to his comfy spot and laid down.
Meanwhile, Maggie and Conan had come back around the barn and back inside, after Rich and I had gone back through to the hay room. It's like a circus around here. All of a sudden I heard, "Grrrrrowf! Grrrr! Grrrrowf!" coming from the barn side of the pass-through door. I opened it and there was little Conan, in the space just in front of the door, barking at Molly, who had come back in to see him again, and all his little baby hackles were up, OMG! He's so fierce! So I shooshed him through the door back into the hay room and all was well in his world again. All three of them followed us back up to the house, where I got Jasper and Maggie's chicken for their breakfast. I figured Conan was full and wouldn't bother them. I was so wrong.
Nobody takes Jasper's meat from him, and all it took was a short little growl and Conan backed right up and sat down, very contrite. Jasper picked his meat up and wandered off a short way and laid down again. Maggie took her meat as well, but Conan followed her and when she set it down HE TOOK IT. She's so smitten with her new brother that she let him have it. I took it away from him and gave it back to Maggie and she wandered off a few feet, but by then, Conan had his sights set and it was all over but the shoutin'. He took it away from her again (mind you, very slyly, sneaking in low and dragging it to himself), and once again, she let him have it. She just laid there and watched him while he ate her breakfast. Well, most of it. He ate everything, bones and all, until there was just a little blob left, then he got up and left it. Maggie went right over and picked up the leftover bit and ate it, so I know she was hungry, but she let her baby brother have her food.
After that, they played. And played. And PLAYED! Maggie just loves him, and the feeling is mutual. In just a matter of an hour, they've become inseparable. Even grumpy ol' Jasper likes him. The look on his face when he's watching Conan is like, "Oh, what a cute little kid!" I can't get enough of watching them together. And I was just the teeniest bit concerned that one or both of the resident dogs would have a problem with a new puppy being foisted on them. I needn't have worried. I have tons of pictures, which I will send to Sue (Sue, gird your loins!), and she can post some of them.
Right now, Maggie and Conan are sleeping in the yard between the house and shop. Sooooo sweet. And Jasper is watching over his family. Baby Conan is plumb tuckered out.
He had eaten all four cups of kibble Rich left for him last night, and drank a full gallon of water. To pay us back for all the food and water, he left three very large poops in return. For such a little guy, he can sure pack away the groceries.
I put another two cups of kibble in his bowl, and brought another gallon of water, then sat with him for about half an hour and just petted and talked to him. When his excitement level had died down a bit, I brought Maggie in to meet him and there ensued a good ten minutes of butt-sniffing, LOL! He has impeccable manners, and is very sensitive to Maggie's communication. He finally went around the garage again, checking his "perimeter" and Maggie followed right behind him. She REALLY likes him. Finally, they both laid down, nose to nose, and licked each other. I took Maggie out then, and went back to the house, and Conan was quiet as a mouse. He'd been howling and barking before, when I left to get more food, water, and more toys (he's a chewer and had been busily poking holes in an empty cardboard box). Well, apparently, he ate most of the second bowl of kibble and went to sleep. That's better than eating a box, I guess.
When Rich and I went out to do chores, I opened the door and let Conan out so he could come with, and Maggie and Jasper both came over to give him a good sniff and then we all trundled off to the barns together. What a great little pack we have now. Molly, the heifer, is in heat today, but she came in the cow barn for her treats (nothing deters her from her treats!), and when she got there, there was a strange little creature in the barn, so she kept trying to sniff him, but he was scared and retreated. She's WAY bigger than a sheep! She was a bit flighty anyway, hormones and all, so she wasn't being very gentle or careful, so we put Conan and Maggie back out in the hay room while Molly finished her pellets and went back out to the pasture. Before she left, though, she turned around and went back in the barn, and Jasper growled and came across the corral at his top speed to protect Conan, but it was unnecessary, Conan was safe, and when Jasper saw I had turned Molly around and she was going back out to the pasture, he went back to his comfy spot and laid down.
Meanwhile, Maggie and Conan had come back around the barn and back inside, after Rich and I had gone back through to the hay room. It's like a circus around here. All of a sudden I heard, "Grrrrrowf! Grrrr! Grrrrowf!" coming from the barn side of the pass-through door. I opened it and there was little Conan, in the space just in front of the door, barking at Molly, who had come back in to see him again, and all his little baby hackles were up, OMG! He's so fierce! So I shooshed him through the door back into the hay room and all was well in his world again. All three of them followed us back up to the house, where I got Jasper and Maggie's chicken for their breakfast. I figured Conan was full and wouldn't bother them. I was so wrong.
Nobody takes Jasper's meat from him, and all it took was a short little growl and Conan backed right up and sat down, very contrite. Jasper picked his meat up and wandered off a short way and laid down again. Maggie took her meat as well, but Conan followed her and when she set it down HE TOOK IT. She's so smitten with her new brother that she let him have it. I took it away from him and gave it back to Maggie and she wandered off a few feet, but by then, Conan had his sights set and it was all over but the shoutin'. He took it away from her again (mind you, very slyly, sneaking in low and dragging it to himself), and once again, she let him have it. She just laid there and watched him while he ate her breakfast. Well, most of it. He ate everything, bones and all, until there was just a little blob left, then he got up and left it. Maggie went right over and picked up the leftover bit and ate it, so I know she was hungry, but she let her baby brother have her food.
After that, they played. And played. And PLAYED! Maggie just loves him, and the feeling is mutual. In just a matter of an hour, they've become inseparable. Even grumpy ol' Jasper likes him. The look on his face when he's watching Conan is like, "Oh, what a cute little kid!" I can't get enough of watching them together. And I was just the teeniest bit concerned that one or both of the resident dogs would have a problem with a new puppy being foisted on them. I needn't have worried. I have tons of pictures, which I will send to Sue (Sue, gird your loins!), and she can post some of them.
Right now, Maggie and Conan are sleeping in the yard between the house and shop. Sooooo sweet. And Jasper is watching over his family. Baby Conan is plumb tuckered out.