Arf

I have not been updating the site for quite a while and unfortunately Arf died last June, June 2021, after having been sick for a few months witch cancer. I still miss him very much.

It has been a long time ago since I updated this page and I think it is time to update it, but so are many other pages in this website, so not sure when I will do this page, but for now a few updates here.

It is January 2021 now and Arf is still with me, together with Iwa. The other dogs, YokYok, Adam and Ulla have all died, fortunately at a respectable age and all of them in a pretty peaceful manner, for which I am very graceful.

And I still feel like apologizing for his name, Arf, as I guess I would never call a dog Arf, especially not a Rottweiler, but when I got him he was Arf and I decided to honor that name, even though I considered giving him another name as to me 'Arf' is just too bad. And sometimes people still tease me with it, or him, but to me it is still out of respect that his name is still Arf.

And often I still mis YokYok, as I think that was the dog closest to me ever, but as I think with children, I don't love Arf less. He is just different and not as 'independent' as YokYok was, which is why I guess I liked YokYok so much.

So Arf developed in a dog with very healthy dog behavior, having his own ways, especially trying to wander around on his own whenever he gets the chance and trying to eat everything he can while walking, even though I think recently I was able to limit that more and more, as it is pretty dangerous, as he likes eating plastic bags (with food remains).

A prayer being answered

After Ulla died and Adam already twelve years old and also being sick I thought of having another Rottweiler. As my budget has been pretty tight for a while I didn't know what to do, but my recent spiritual journey brought me into 'prayer', so a few months ago I somehow prayed for 'a new Rottweiler, for free'.

Around that time someone contacted me about giving away a Rottweiler as she was not able to take proper care of him, so I thanked God for answering my prayer. However, the Rottweiler being given to me did not push through.

Then about a week ago the same person messaged me again that she had talked to her husband and thought about it, and finally decided to let go of the dog. Being unsure what to do or expect, also because of my budget constraints, I decided to answer that I would just go there and check. So last Sunday, June 5, 2016, I went there.

Actually I was shocked what I found, a (young) Rottweiler in a small dark area on a very short leash, yes, barking at me, a bit scared it seemed. After a while I decide to go into the 'cage' and try to approach him. Amazingly he turned out to be a very sweet and gentle dog. As I did not like the situation I thought of bringing him straight away, as my place would at least for short term be a better place for him than the place he was in right then, but I am impulsive and did not know how to bring him, so I decided to leave and think.

More to follow...

A while after

I don't remember the day I fetched Arf and introduced him at The Malasag House, but it must be about two months ago now. And at first it seemed easy, but then YokYok and Arf started to fight quite a bit, until YokYok was hurt pretty bad in a very bad fight.

So the Dog Whisperer shows on TV don't seem to show everything, as I am pretty sure now that also Cesar Millan would have or has had problems introducing an older dog into an existing pack with males.

Anyhow, the last few days, and it is July 20, 2016 now, I decided to try to put them together again, after I separated them after the 'big fight'. And they are doing pretty well now, even though this morning they still ended up figthing. But I kind of know you can never fully stop fighting with two or more males in a pack. That is just how it is.

Introducing a new (male) member in an existing pack

What I know now is that it is not that easy to introduce a new (male) member in an existing pack with males. But there are several things I learned:

• The fights mostly or always started when there was 'something going on', like this morning it was after eating and the person in charge of the feeding did not follow my usual procedure.
• As 'per Cesar Millan', the fights and other problems mostly occurred when I was not stable emotionallly myself.
• It may be useful to separate the new member from the other (male) dogs for a while, but I guess it is best to make sure they can see each other.

Prayer answered?

So right now, updating the website in April 2017, I have to admit I am not sure if my prayer for a Rottweiler for free was really answered the way I wanted or hoped or expected it. As Arf is still on a leash, separate from the pack, and a few weeks ago he started bleeding very bad from a tumor on one of his testicles.

Fortunately he has improved quite a bit, probably because the infection was cured that was probably the cause of the bleeding. So good to know that I took of the carton that I put so he would not lick the tumor area. It looked kind of funny though:

Arf with carton

Fortunately he seems to be okay without the carton, so I was able to leave that off for about a week or so now and he has not been bleeding again, at least not as bad as in the beginning and the last few days not at all.

Still, I am not fully happy as he is still on a leash and he does have a tumor, which probably is bad. And the vet recommended the tumor to be removed, but right now I don't have the funds for that.

Arf is pretty okay now, although (of course) he would like to be more free and more a member of the pack, closer at least to me. Not to YokYok I guess LOL. Anyhow, a big challenge to find a way to release Arf so he can also roam around like the other dogs and the image I still have in mind.

To be continued...