Balou turns 5 - months!

This week saw Balou's five month birthday. He is so different both it terms of confidence, size and looks from the 11 week old baby who came to join us at the end of November. Size wise he nowrivals our golden retriever friend George and is starting to seek out and play with bigger pups. He continues to enjoy playing with his little gang of pals but is growing in confidence with other dogs and is happy saying hello to dogs we meet of all shapes and

sizes. We met a lovely young Bouvier - another giant breed - who would have been great fun to play with but was on the lead as he was too naughty to be let off. (Big dog trainer sigh) His face is also looking much less puppyish and goofy, there are moments when I look at him and

see

the handsome adult he is going to become. He still has his puppy fur but along the back a line of courser, longer adult fur is starting to grow in, and almost all of his grown up teeth have come through. He is still very good in terms of behaviour and recall though the first signs of adolescence are starting to show - every so often he finds something more interesting than me!

This week has seen a flurry of snow which Balou has loved. Unlike the smaller dogs who need to be wrapped up warm I get the impression that Balou would happily live in a snow hole. He is the only one of my dogs who thinks nothing of lying down in the snow for a rest.