February 2010!

Wonderful winter!
Oh yes, this is a wonderful winter! Cold days and alot of snow is heaven for a Tibetan Mastiff and I can't help but love it just as much. Snow means no dirty paws, no ticks and alot of opportunities for giving yourself and your dog excellent workouts without even thinking about it. I must say Zodd is in excellent shape at the moment. His appitite is returning to normal and he's kept alot of his weight this winter since I have been more lenient when it comes to his food. Last year I gave him his regular food and if he didn't eat it then I didn't try too hard to find something else instead. This year he's gotten only what he wanted to eat and even if that means that my wallet is quite empty... at least I now have a TM with alot of happy energy! So it's worth every krona I've spent on his luxurious diet.
Zodd have been outdoors alot and he's also been on a bunch of dates (you will see some of them in the photos this month). He spent Valentine's day with his friend Bulten, the Dogue de Bordeaux. The two boys played in the snow and enjoyed it so much.

We also drove to visit Ella and Måne, the Tibetan Mastiff. Nina, Zodd and I left for a day full of adventures. Zodd, who's not a big fan of horses, didn't want to visit Måne's house since she's got a horse that lives in the pasture next to the garden. He was not one bit impressed by that. So, we took Ella's car and drove to a frozen lake not far from their home. It is a very beautiful place and the two TMs ran free on the snowcovered ice. Måne was a good girl and stayed close to land, but Zodd trotted off into the distance and placed himself far out of reach so that we wouldn't drag him with us back to the awful horse! Ella suggested we would leave him there and he would then follow us when we were out of sight. I had my doubts about this since I know Zodd has a mind of steel when it comes to things like this, but we walked away and went up a hill and stood there, well hidden, watching him out on the ice. And what did he do? He did nothing. If anything he looked very pleased that we had left him there, faaaaar away from the car that would bring him back to the house with the awful horse. Haha, that's a TM for you, in a nutshell!
We had to go back, after some more intensive waiting, and get him. He was no happy about it and the next time I let him go off the leash he dashed away out onto the lake again... I didn't feel like laughing much just then and there, but I can't help but smiling as I write it down. They can drive you MAD, these dogs, and if you lose your sense of humor then shame on you. You will not survive even one day with a TM without a huge dose of just that. There were more adventures that same day. We ended up in a snowfilled ditch with our car as we were leaving Ella's place and had to be dragged up with the help of Ella, Måne and their Toyota Yaris. Nina, Zodd and I also stopped by a place to meet two TMs imported from Poland. It was nice to see them since I haven't seen them in a very long time (and only at dogshows). I brought my camera and was thrilled to photograph the two Kavkazskaja Ovtjarka living at the same place. Amazing dogs!

One day this month Zodd and I went with our "gang" for a long walk in deep snow. At the top of a huge hill we stopped (all of us were panting like crazy, except for the dogs who just played on) to eat and drink and talk. It was a wonderful day! There are some photos from this walk as well. Zodd had great fun in the middle of the pack, focusing mainly on Smille, the Golden Retriever, who for some reason was the centre of the world for my boy this day. Smille didn't quite know how he would handle the brutal love Zodd gave, but he did his best to run fast. Zodd enjoyed that even more ;)

Zodd also met his dear friend Pepsi, the Leonberger and Gramse, the German Shepherd this month (on two seperate occasions). He had a blast! Meeting Pepsi during our walks is something of a jackpot for him. He gets all happy and she gets all happy and then they just dance together. It's joyful to watch them.
Gramse is more energetic and doesn't play in the same manner as Zodd and Pepsi, but he's great fun too. Zodd likes it when the tiny boy tries to wrestle him down. He even lets him think that he is successful at times. Poor Gramse gets so full of himself, and then Zodd brings out the monster and Gramse gets crushed under a black tornado of fur. Haha, it's a sight to behold =D
The mighty Tibetan Mastiff is not to be underestimated, not ever!
//Sanna