KumaAkita

Wuffles - and here am I thinking, wow - that's quick! better get that in my calendar. Welcome back Clastic

There are some days when I'm at obedience with Kuma that I would love a more responsive, less independent breed. But then, that's only once in a blue moon! I love that he's chilled, relaxed, enjoys being around us but is happy on his own at home all day. I'm with Minxy - probably why we have the same breed! - small, bouncy, barky, needy dogs don't float my boat.

Canberra folks - when does BDOC go back? I just tried to log onto their website and was denied because my server deemed it to be a high risk. Think it may have been a virus - coz I'm still on here and facebook!

Niques - just saw your other post... fingers, toes and paws crossed that James is safe! God you must be worried, you poor thing... Minxy - you too! Stay safe!! * hmm... to lighten the mood, I thought you'd all like to know about Kuma's new collar!! We bought EzyDog stuff because I was sick to the back teeth with the Rogz stuff and the Black Dog ones we have are not good with his coat. Anyhoo, I ordered it on Monday and it was here yesterday. Talk about good service! Plus since you're dealing with a wholesaler there is no retail mark up (double woot!) New photos: Kuma's new collar (again!) by shibburd, on Flickr

*stupid slow internet at work*

Watched your vids KTB - your furkids are cute! I laugh especially at your OH kneeling at the alter of the LEGO Falcon in the background :D Yay for Elbie's new-found car calmness! Minxy and Niques - hope the renewed weather activities aren't impacting you guys too much. Stay safe (and as dry as possible) Kuma was being a turd last night, wouldn't settle and was being a general poop. Turns out he just wanted us to go outside and play with him! He was happy when we played fetch with him and then was all tuckered out... He's a funny bugger! Probably bored after his first full day on his own in a while. Inspired by KTB I bought a bubble wand, they were on special for $1 at BigW. I spent ages blowing bubbles for him to chase, it was so funny! He was chasing them and jumping trying to get the ones floating away! I tried to blow bubbles with one hand and take photos with the other - the result was lots of blurred images with just the dog's butt in the frame!

Thanks for the concern, Kuma seems to be OK now... took him for a long walk yesterday and he pulled up ok, and took him out again this morning and he was fine. Wuffles - Hope Ava is doing ok with her sore paw... poor poppet. KTB - Hope Elbie's sneezing is under control. Kuma sneezes frequently, I'm assuming its because we have a dirt backyard, so he's probably inhaling significant amounts of dirt. Minxy - oh, it's a slippery slope with those Akitas... I have to stay away from Tabatha's website, because I reckon I'd want all her puppies! We are looking at in-home pet-sitting for Kuma when we're on holidays, just because I don't want to mess up his routine and have not had any good reviews about the kennels in the Canberra region. On the plus-side, they send you daily messages with updates and keep your house in order while you're away! I love the photos of Ziggy, he looks like an adorable boofer. Oh and Astrid is just stunning - so pretty.

We used to wash Kuma in the ensuite - we have the hand held on the showerhead, so it was easy. The ensuite is rather cramped but the shower stall is reasonably sized. End up saturated - me, the dog, the bathroom! Took him to a hydrobath at the local petstock on Saturday and ended up almost as wet! With the hydrobath he ends up clean and soft, but his whites aren't as shiny as when we do it at home. Think we may have to jerry-rig up something in the bathroom and get a force dryer. laneka - awesome setup!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/57610343@N02/ Ok - that should be my flikr account... can someone tell me if that's right? I'm new to Flickr... If it doesn't work, I have added the photo here. It's not the best quality photo, but the story behind it is cute. I was planning on taking photos of Kuma so had my camera slung over my shoulder. Went outside in search of flufter, when the OH asked if I'd hold the hose so we fill up the water feature... Kuma snuck in and started drinking from the hose... water EVERYWHERE. My focus is off - focus on the hose not the dog, but hey... the more I take the better I get - right?? W1/52 - Kuma Has A Drink by shibburd, on Flickr Edited - coz I worked out how to get Flickr to work (yay!)

ugh... back at work for a new year... oh woe is me... Happy Belated Birfday James!! Hope you had a great day Hey Now! I was a mere Spectator in the Star Wars Shenanigans. One of my cousins had joined us - he's a true nerd. Complete with light sabre in lucite box and a variety of character masks in his collection. Hope your teeth, sunburn and headcold are all on the mend Kuma is an ice cube fan too... I'm used to water everywhere - Akita's have this habit of lying down to drink. Kuma blows bubbles in the water and then tries to catch them. It's hillarious to watch. You should see how much mine are shedding here in Brissy because it's soooooo hot. Ava's undercoat is coming out in huge clumps (and interestingly, her undercoat is white, even when her topcoat is black) Thankfully Satch lost most of his back home but if you pat him you still end up with a handful of fur! Kuma is nearly done with his summer blow. I'm still working on his pants - they are tough to get out and he's not too keen on letting me get to them. They are quite matted so I think it must hurt a lot. I'm working very slowly with a comb and getting garbage bags of hair out of his legs. It's a real bugger. Lesson learned, never let them get so bad. I had to distract him the other day with the WHOLE bucket of treats - he happily munched his fill until he'd decided that he could stand it no longer. He is a darling though, he will walk away from me when he's had enough, but comes straight back and leans on me. The only place I can get him to stay still is inside the house. He lies flat on the tiles under the a/c vent... therefore I groom him there - and therefore my house is full of hair. I have vacuumed and mopped, but hell... Dog Hair is a Condiment, right? Sounds like my boy CUTE! I'm so unsure about leaving Kuma when we go on holiday. nasty... Why is it that it's generally the little dogs who have a score to settle?? I await the day when we get into trouble for Kuma doing the "Swipe" on a dog that's annoying him... great shot! You can almost hear their conversation... * So, we took Kuma for a long walk the other day... and he ended up limping again. Poor little thing... He's fine in short busts, so we must have over done it. We're going to crate him for the rest of the week and then see how he is before going back to the vet. We also bought a water feature for our back yard, it's really nice! The OH set it up before xmas just to make sure it all works well, but we haven't put it in place yet. It's just on the back patio. Kuma thinks it's his personal water bowl and dunks his head in it. I'm going to put fish in it when it's properly set up... wonder how they'll go with a big black Akita face bobbing in on a regular basis!

Few pics for you I have really only taken pics of the dog (naturally....) but have some "nature" shots somewhere... This one has a bit of touching up in iPhoto, but nothing significant just using the enhancement tool

Firstly welcome... I won't comment on the breed, but there are some great breeders on the forum who will pop in and give you heaps of info. Also jump into the Spitz thread, plenty of Lappie photos to get you going. But on the Canberra side, I can help with that. We live on the north side and can highly recommend the Gungahlin clinic. Their nurses are lovely and the vets are really knowledgeable. Their facilities are top notch. Sure there are probably cheaper vets in the area, but they are worth it - you can see where your money goes to. There is also an emergency vet that all the clinics defer to, they operate after hours. Haven't had the need to use them yet (thank god) but believe they are also vey good. Feel free to pm me if you want the inside oil on Canberra!

I have one... It is Fantastic. Like totally in love with it fantastic. Good size, great capabilities, flexibility with having the ability to use Olympus lenses. I enjoy that it is not as big as the same level canons and nikons. I have not yet taken it out of the IA mode much but will be doing a course this year to learn how to use it better. I'm on the iPad so don't have too many photos on here and photo bucket sucks on the iPad.... I'll put picks up soon.

Norty Kyojin! How dare you scare your mamma like that!!! Bet you we stoked to get inside... Nice of your neighbours to bring out a leash. Oh, and Minxy, just a tip... Start getting Kyojin used to having his pants brushed coz once he starts to blow they are a pain to get out. Kuma has the biggest mats on his pants/legs... It's the last place on his body to blow and he's now got this kinda mow hawk on butt. Actually, you could call it his Mullet. Oh no, my dog's a bogan! Wizzle - enjoy your holiday! I'm sure G will be fine Had a lovely lunch with Koalathebear and cleoj today... Delicious yum cha!

Happy New Year one and all! I made it to 10:00 pm before piking out... We slept in until 7:40 this morning and Kuma was still snoozing in his crate. I opened the back door thinking he would dash out to pee... Nup, he fell back asleep! Hope everyone has a magnificent 2011

KTB - thinking Saturday lunch at Princes Palace in Belconnen... Tho Dumpling Inn is also supposed to be fab... You around and feeling up to it? Kuma is on thin ice at the moment. We were quietly sitting on the couch watching tv, that's the OH and I, and Kuma was getting a bit playful. I was throwing his ball up the hall and he was chasing it and retrieving. Anyooo, he got a wee touch excited and in one moment of levity, he jumped up on top of the OH. Like smack back on top of him. I think they both got the shock of their lives! Poor OH had 46kg of Akita landing at full tilt... I'm sure it hurt a little! Kuma was on time out after that little adventure Good to hear your boys did well at the markets... It's a good time to be out at the moment, Canberra is dead quiet! Wizzle - I have random dreams at the best of times, heaven help us when I get pregnant! My dreams are rather vivid and James bond esque... Wuffles - glad you managed to free yourself! Oh and for those who want to know, man code was decifered into "go get me KFC"

Ok, so I will give this a go... Gunna be a real challenge! 52 weeks of Kuma Now, off to sort out flickr

Howdy folks! Merry Christmas and all that Jazz... We're just back from the in-laws... I had no internet so to speak, slower than dial up! We had a good time, just stayed a day too long. Kuma couldn't be off lead coz he would chase the native wildlife... he would probably take off for the hills! He was desperate to get off lead. Yesterday he was soooo tired, he was wandering around the house with drooping eyes, but wouldn't relax enough to sleep. We stuck him in his crate and he was sound asleep in 2 seconds. KTB - well, your kids did well! They are sooooo cute. Poor reindeer and penguin. They never stood a chance did they?? Wuffles - glad to see you made it all the way north, just in time for the rain! Minxy - I walk Kuma in the rain... no coat. He doesn't get soaked to the skin, so the water usually can be towelled off and then he's dry in about 15 mins. Get a microfibre towel, that takes out most of the water... Me on the other hand, I'm usually soaked to the bone and I wear huge rain coats! Anyhoo... gotta run! The OH is asking me what I want for lunch, which is man-code for "I'm hungry, find me something to eat!" Catch up soon, promise!

Oh lilli_star! See, that's why I never go to dentists!! They always do what's right for your teeth and never consider that you may have other plans ;) Are you going to get all three out at once? If so, consider twilight surgery. Less painful and quicker recovery. Good luck with your mouth, good drugs and soft food for today and maybe you can sneak ham on saturday. We are off down the coast today..... I'm so glad to be on holidays

I think because we have still had some really cold snaps down here, his coat has been hanging around. Last night he just lay there for about 30 minutes and let me get heaps of his hair out. I'm going to have another go tonight... I don't want him to deposit too much hair at my MIL house, her place looks like it's been professionally cleaned on a daily basis. between blows, he doesn't lose too much hair... tell your OH not to worry! Oh, and get yourself an electrostatic broom Linky it is invaluable.

Howdy folks, I'm on my last day of work (thank the Good Lord!) and I plan on doing sweet bugger all... Kuma's doing well... he must be on the mend, when I left home this morning he was doing crazy zoomies around the yard while the OH was hammering in a stake to hold up one of our trees. When I say crazy.... I mean crazy ! He was bounding one way and then the other, and back again and then round and round... obviously his foot is feeling better! We'll keep up the course of anti-inflams and make sure he's totally back to normal before we take him for walks. I woke up a bit earlier than the OH this morning, so I snuck out to the lounge room. I unzipped the crate so Kuma could get up too. He got up, came over for a pat and licked my legs, then went back to bed. This from a dog who used to hate his crate! The other day, he just popped in there for a snooze He doesn't look very comfortable Oh, and he is still blowing his coat, this is last week's effort and this is the pile from yesterday... yep, for comparison that is his rake next to the pile of fur. It filled a grocery bag: Ok, I've done my bit to justify that this is still a photo thread! ETA: Yikes, i didn't realise how blurry some of those photos are! I didn't really look at them before I loaded them up to photobucket. hmmm, best check the settings on my camera (the OH likes to fiddle!)

:D :D .... how dare you??? The way a pooch sprains its toe is to jump around like a loony whilst on lead and get all caught up. When said pooch finally lands, the leash managed to be wrapped around paw, add tension from human at end of lead (OH) and pull. Toe moves one way, paw the other... result is a sprained toe. Could easily have been broken, but I think we're lucky with a sprain. I was overjoyed that it wasn't a cruiciate ligament or other vital part. Re Statch - if you ever saw him, I doubt you'd have a chance to cuddle... he'd walk up and lean on you demanding pats. It's adorable! Re Kuma - He still has growth plates in his legs. He could keep growing for another 12 months - up to about 60Kg. We doubt he'll get that big, probably 55Kg ish, but who knows eh? If you sneak back about 50 pages, you'll see where we were doing the "how'd you get your pup" stories, there's photos of Kuma's granddaddy... he's HUGE. Re Christmas - Down the coast to spend time with the in-laws. They live on 6acres, with no fences... poor Kuma has to be on lead the whole time. I am off today to buy him a long line so he can at least have some wriggle room. It's also going to be very hot with no aircon. awesome. I am taking a case of wine, so hopefully I'll have fun :D (kidding!) Thanks lilli_star. I think the anti-inflamatories kicked in last night... he was zooming around the yard like a maniac last night. He was trying to avoid coming in to bed... OH and I came at him from either side of the house and he was dodging us every way we tried to get him. Little Turd :D * Sending cyber hugs to KTB hmmm.... oh I love the photos of James snorkelling... how adorable. We might give Kuma a taste of the beach when we're down the coast... see how we go. Two more days of work... (but who's counting, eh??)

just heard from the hubby... the vet thinks Kuma has sprained his toe! He's on anti-inflams for 2 weeks, and no walkies until thats done. He was too wriggly for an xray, and the vet said that the treatment for a sprain or a break is pretty much the same. If not improvement in 2 weeks we go back. Poor little pupper! Yay for nothing more serious!! Got him weighed at the vet - 46Kg. Funny, he had a growth spurt recently and to us looks bigger... guess it's all the fur!

You can almost hear Soaks' "Weeeee!", she just looks sooo happy here. Jedi's soundtrack is more a superhero theme "da da da daaaaa! I leap over tall buildings in a single bound, I'm so cool"

yikes. that's just a wee bit OTT. I've stuck to reading the general section these days, and don't get too involved in the crazy posts. It's not worth it. KTB - glad it was only a false alarm. So, Kuma Bear is off to the vet today. He chucked a wobbly at the end of his leash the other night when we went out for a walk... managed to get his front right leg caught in the lead and came down hard. He was limping a wee bit but seemed ok, we finished our walk and he wasn't limping when we got home. On Sunday he was a bit unsteady, but not too bad. Then yesterday morning when we left home, he was unsteady again. OH called me yesteday arvo saying he is worse and he's booked into the vet. Poor little bugger is limping quite a bit now, but is so stoic about it. No whinging at all - but I reckon he is in butt loads of pain. Fingers crossed he's ok... they'll probably want to sedate him because he's too strong to have a good look. ;) Ok... gotta get to work... I have so much to finish off before the end of the year! at least I have finished travelling for this year! ;)