Introduction to Neptune 1/1/1995 (guess) to 12/20/2004

So a year after we had Jazz, then came Neptune. I thought Jazz might like a companion at home that was all her own, and the husband wanted a "big goofy male". Neptune was two when we picked him up at Doberman Rescue. Ironically, he seemed very calm when we got there, only because he had the mother of respiratory infections!!!

Neptune also later on developed cardiomiopathy which is a horrid heart disease in some large breed dogs, that is especially prevelant in Dobermans. He was diagnosed early on at about seven, and we were so lucky to get another two years with him. It is unusual. It was also expensive and stressful, but so worth it for those years. He was on 8 meds twice a day, and one of them cost 370.00 a month. Course at first for more than a year, he was only on two cheaper meds, but his heart unexpectedly changed a bit more than a year in. We were having him checked every three months, and in between a major change had occurred (course couldn't have happened coicident with a check). I don't know how we would have got through without our primary and specialist vets at the time. It was tough.

Neptune had a host of training issues, and I was not a trainer at the time. He bit me in the face once while doing his nails, and he was incredibly aggressive to strange dogs. It was the ability to work with Neptune (and we did use a professional trainer(s) to help us out) that got me interested in training and what could be done to help others with a lovely dog with some issues that could be addressed.

Neptune died before we found blogging. His photo album can be found here, but I know we have a ton more that I need to find. And if you scroll down the bottom of this blog, you will see some video of Neptune and Jazz is there!!

It was a bit rough at the beginning with Jazz and Neptune. I have a picture that I need to find where you can see clearly on Jazz's face of what she thinks of this new addition. Neptune tried to boss Jazz at first, but she bided her time and then made sure he knew what "the boss" meant, and it meant her LOL. They were great friends after the first few harrowing months. Sometimes a squabble would break out, but Neptune became trained at putting himself in a time out if he felt peckish. It was pretty funny. He would growl at her, look at me, sigh and then take himself to the quiet chair. I had the feeling he thought it was worth it every now and again.