Stop blowing in my ear will ya!!

The story and background to Eric is somewhat different to Oscar and his arrival came in a roundabout sort of way. As Oscar began to progress in the show ring, we began, as is natural to meet other people involved with the breed, and joined various email lists and clubs. One day, whilst searching the web I came across the website of  a chap called Dave Brett, and we began a correspondence just generally chatting about Bullies and websites. We realised that we lived very close to each other and began to talk about beer and other interesting things and planned to get together for a few jars of ale at some stage, although it would be some months before this event. We eventually met at a League show at Ashby de la Zouch and that was the beginning. The beer nights became a semi regular occurrence, and other  friends and acquaintances,  all Bully fanciers were invited, to the point where we had a group meeting every two or three weeks, and all of us becoming firm friends. And came the day that Dave announced that his beloved Molly ( Bunsoro Red Molly ) was to have a litter. This after a couple of interesting attempts to mate  that unfortunately cannot be mentioned here. Sorry folks, but poetic license or not, I cannot mention the incident with the biscuit.

Over the next few weeks, all eyes were cast upon Molly and eventually, in the early summer the pups arrived. Within three weeks, Molly has a bit of an infection, in her stitches( from Caesarian ), meaning that the pups have to be weaned early. And here, the hand of fate steps in. My eldest, working like mad to catch the train to vet school, and doing very well too, is let down by the promise of a summer job, and so her services are offered to Dave for a couple of days per week, which soon becomes virtually full time throughout  the summer. And about the same time, Dave is considering suitable owners for the pups, plenty of people want them, but Dave, to his credit, is very careful about where they will end up. Some good friends of ours are looking for an addition to their family of two young Boxers and so we introduce them to Dave. A home is found, and every week or so, we all travel to Dave's, see the pup they are to have, and then all of us off down the pub. This goes on for some weeks until the night before they are to to have their pup, Seth. On the way to the pub, it is suggested that we too should have a pup, something we have been considering for some time, and although I am happy to go along with it, I am not sure about Elaine. Plus, Oscar has just had a massive operation on his leg. In the pub, I mention it to Dave, who is happy for us to take one, although he was a bit iffy about two males together. At this point, there are three left, a brindle dog and bitch, Sam and Daisy, and Red ( Eric ), a red dog. It is Eric that moves to Woodhouse three days later.

Day 1

We collect Eric from Dave's and bring him home to meet Oscar. Elaine travels in the back seat with him, and he is given a pigs ear for the journey.  After a few minutes, Eric drops his ear and Elaine leans forward to pick it up for him. As her hand closes around the ear, Eric lets go  a real growl. We look at each other but say nothing. At home the two dogs are introduced again, they have already met as Dave brought Eric for a visit earlier. Oscar looks at the pup and goes back to bed. Throughout the day they get gradually nearer to each other, to the point when the damned pigs ear is close enough for Oscar to lick. He barely gets his tongue to it when the pup rounds on him and really tells him off.. The pup weighs about 10 kg, Oscar, one of the largest males around is 63kg. Oscar backs away and spends two days with a real disgusted look on his face. The look that only a Bully can give. Five minutes after this incident, Eric is in the cats food. I grab him to take him away from it and he rounds on me. That's it, Eric is in his cage, looking for all the world like he is in prison, a real sad look on his face. Oscar is walking around with his "I'm hurt, nobody loves me" look and we are wondering what the hell we have started. The same evening, Eric gets parole and we are amazed to find that both are curled up in bed together. Towards the end of week one, they are becoming inseparable. There have been no more growls from Eric and Oscar is being really gentle with him. They are also content to gnaw opposite ends of a bleached bone. Things are looking good. 

You would also expect a young pup, Eric is only 13 weeks, to go off his food, he hasn't missed a single meal and finishes every single one. Then sets off to look for more. The cat is a bit annoyed. She has packed her bags and gone to live upstairs. Venturing down only when Eric is asleep and hunger has overcome her, she picks her way through the downstairs with the art of a commando.

Week 2

At the end of week 2 we have to admit that so far, it has been a comparatively easy ride. Oscar was absolutely brilliant with house training and never chewed anything. Sheer logic says this can't happen twice and we notice straight away that both dogs are vastly different characters. Eric, although a little slower than Oscar at house training is still very good, though he is most definitely a chewer, and he is obstinate too. Although he knows the meaning of the word no, he totally ignores it. Although this leads to some highly comical antics, we are experienced enough to know that we have to win this battle immediately if we are to stand a real chance of running two males together. Oscar is getting better on his leg now and consequently, they are able to play together. Usually this entails a tug of war with the monkeys. Oscar has always suckled the furry monkeys ( even at 18 months ). This stopped promptly with the arrival of Eric, as if he realised that he has an example to set, after all, he IS a Bullmastiff. Tonight, it is Eric's first trip to show training, so I am sure another entry in the diary will be required tomorrow.

Week 12

Well what can I say, Eric certainly isn't Oscar. True, there all the usual bully characteristics, and Eric is every bit as gentle as Oscar with us, but he is on fire. He is into everything, upstairs, cupboards ( especially those with food in them ), chasing the cat, pinching Oscars toys, chasing strangers who set foot on our property. Not in a malicious way, you understand, its all fun, but very disconcerting to strangers. Both the postie and the cat have had nervous breakdowns this month. Eric is one of those bullies that don't just need to be touching some part of you when in repose, Eric has to sit on you. And if you aren't available, the settee will do just as well. He is a different shape too from Oscar, where Oscar was tall and rangy at this age, Eric is shorter with a good spring of rib and a very square body. They have a different blood line down one half of the pedigree, the other is identical. Eric has started both show and obedience training and takes it all in his stride. He gets on well with other dogs as long as they are friendly to him, but will retaliate, even to a full grown dog, if they show aggression to him. We had a little spate of him chewing, something that Oscar never did, but it only lasted a couple of days and there has been nothing since. He, like Oscar can be left alone at home, and yes, even both together, although I admit to being nervous the first time we tried it. Oscar has always been a good eater, slow, but hungry. Eric is something else, he doesn't have teeth and a stomach, there is a built in waste disposal unit, he never stops.

Now that's just typical of Eric, as I am sat here typing away, upstairs, the cat has just hurtled past me looking for a refuge on the wardrobe. Eric in close pursuit and wide eyed, and the wife trying to catch Eric before he gets the cat, five minutes ago, both dogs and the cat were asleep together. Oscar is still in the same place with a look on his face that says " bloody kids, can't a bloke get some shut eye around here."

Week 20

By my calculations, that makes Eric seven months old. It seems longer. His early show career has got off to a flying start  and he is winning all. Much to the consternation of some. However, his behavior in the ring leaves much to be desired. People say he will get out of it but, well, we know Eric. Its not nastiness or anything, just high spirits. He won't walk or trot in the ring, at times his head is higher than Elaine's. He treats all the adult males as children and even marks their spot in front of them. He gets on fine with Oscar but can be quite rowdy and even the odd spate of destructiveness. Funny thing, he behaves OK in the pub and is even partial to a glass of Guinness.

He still eats like something possessed and is beginning to take on the shape of a Panzer tank. He feels like one too when he throws his weight around in play.

Week 35

Eric is now ten months or so of age and is maturing very quickly. He is still not out of the destructive stage but is definitely getting better. He is much older in outlook than Oscar at this age. He is still hard work but is lots of fun. Like Oscar, there isn't a nasty bone in his body, but Eric is far the bolder of the pair. Panic stations too, we thought for a time that Eric too had damaged his cruciate and for a while, with lots of rest, nothing seemed to improve. The whole thing meant he was caged for a full month with very light exercise. Then, miracle of miracles, it suddenly sorted itself out, whatever the problem was, it wasn't cruciate. Almost as soon as this was over and Eric was back in the ring, both boys got Kennel Cough, and that put paid to another month or more.

 Week 35

Eric is just short of the magic year. Its time to think hip scores again. Better get that sorted. As for Eric, we seem, touch wood, to be out of the destructive stage and he and Oscar are fine together. Eric can play rather rough at times, and so he sleeps with Oscar, but in an enormous crate. He has plenty of room in it and seems to enjoy it. We very often leave the door open and he still stays in it. We never allow the dogs upstairs, but as I write this, I have been joined aloft by Eric who has just walked past me, looked at me as if to say "So what?" and found himself a spot under the desk The obvious applies here, he doesn't fit, and therefore is now stuck. As Oscar has had an eye infection it is Eric who is presently the pub dog and now seems to expect this as his god given right. He has a shock coming, Oscar is senior and when he is better, will resume his rightful place. It sounds hard, but we have to keep Oscar top dog for the sake of peace and harmony. As for looks, Eric and Oscar are totally different. Oscar is tall, big boned heavy with massive perfectly formed head, very much the Mastiff type. For all his size, he looks rangy at the back end. He isn't, he just looks that way. Eric is shorter, powerful, squat, with an enormous spring of rib and a real Bulldog type head. He has the type of jaw that makes him look like Spike on the Tom and Jerry cartoons.

Just like Oscar, Eric is making a superb guard and protector. Front door and welcome, rear door and worry. We are very open at the back, and both dogs understand that strangers shouldn't be there. It is also amazing to see them work as a team, as if Oscar is teaching him. And to see them stand shoulder to shoulder and adopt the stand when guarding is truly impressive. For all Eric is a livewire and full of boisterous high spirits, he takes these duties seriously and is every bit as sure, confident and stable as Oscar. He is calm, commanding and controlled.

Hip scores. Yep, that time has been and gone. We had been very pleased with Oscar with a score of 4:6 and couldn't believe our luck when Eric turned in a 6:3. Even better when sister Daisy hit 6:3 and brother Sam 6:4. No reports yet on the other litter brothers and sisters. Its been a good time for Eric. He is settling down, and although he still chews in an unguarded moment he is definitely getting better. His stubbornness though is a strong as ever and Eric will do when and if Eric wants to do.

Month 21

As with Oscars diary, I am afraid it has been quite a jump to his 21st month with us and his second birthday. Eric has matured much faster than Oscar though there is some way to go yet. He will never be as tall as Oscar though he is even more so built like a tank. As Oscar is the laid back giant, Eric is very cheeky and delinquent in a playful way. Oscar is ever aware of his size and gently picks his way around things whereas Eric tends to go over, under or through. He is a great one for pinching the girls soft toys and running off with them, he never chews or damages them, but he is well aware that these actions will initiate a chase. He knows that he isn't allowed upstairs, but no amount of admonishing or chastising will stop him from coming up to say hello, or leap on the bed to wake us up, each in turn. It is very strange, but his character is almost identical to our beloved and lost Akita Cho, its almost as if he is back with us.

Eric is in complete awe of Oscar, his best mate, and has even settled down with the cat as can be seen on the new pics page. Eric is a strange combination. He is as physically tough as old boots, but he likes nothing more than to snuggle up for a cuddle on anybody that will let him sit on them, I am convinced that he thinks he is a Yorkie. He treats Oscar with complete respect as is due to the alpha male, though no other canine gets that sort of respect from him. Although he will accept the company of any other dog, providing it behaves itself, he will not accept any aggression or challenge. He is utterly fearless, a trait he has shown since day one, though he still achieves this in the nicest possible way. He can, at times be hard work with his stubbornness but always, he is great fun to have around. As with Oscar, health has been pretty good with Eric recently, in fact apart from an early scare with a leg that has proved groundless, and two bouts of kennel cough picked up at shows (yes, thanks to the half wit that brings a coughing dog to a show) and a stubborn problem with ear mites that took some curing, Eric has been pretty health so far.

Showing too has been dropped for Eric but Elaine is getting the itch again and it may be time for a re-emergence, he is certainly a good looking dog, though is bouncy nature never did him any favours in the ring, he always was the original class clown. Away form showing, higher and more rewarding events have dominated and Bullmastiff Welfare is a much more rewarding, though sometimes heartbreaking experience.

(to be continued)