Vimes
Duke Samuel Vimes
Vimes walked gingerly toward his dad, still not confident this was a good idea. Mom Kristina ran past Vimes, lightly brushing his thick fur. Normally he’s the kind of guy who would love an opportunity to get cool. But that’s a lot of water, thought Vimes.
“Everyone in,” Kristina beckoned. “C’mon Vimes! Look! Your friends are in the water! It’s cool!” Davis and Kristina both tried to coax Vimes into the water. Vimes quickened his pace and tip toed into the cool pond. He stood - up to his chest in the welcoming pool.
That was it. All done.
Vimes is not a fan of the water
Vimes turned around and trotted back up the shore, quickly looking over his shoulder to ensure that Mom, Kristina and Dad, Davis would follow.
“Okay, Vimes. We understand that you don’t like the water.” Davis scratched the big boy’s ears. “We had to try!”
He was still a puppy, so Mom and Dad moved cautiously as they introduce him to new experiences.
Proudly named after a fictional character in Terry Pratchett's Discworld series, Duke Samuel Vimes is his christened name. It means - more or less - courage or spunk. As he demonstrated at the lake, Vimes has a bit more spunk than courage. But that’s okay. It’s his kind, gentle temperament that Davis was drawn to.
That was scary!
Back in their townhome, and after a mini-bath and towel dry, Davis grabs the large brush. Vimes lays on the floor as Davis slowly draws the bristles down his back. Then his side. And the other side. Then, the tummy. Davis goes extra slowly on his tummy. Soon Davis will create a mound of fur larger than any of their four cats.
“You are such a big baby dog and I love you,” Davis quipped as he pulled another handful of fur from Vimes, who looked at Dad, loving him right back.
Vimes quickly lifts his head when Kristina offers him a Bully Stick - his favorite. He takes it to his nook - near the front door - where he sometimes sleeps. He is a happy boy. A very happy boy.
When Kristina and Davis were considering adopting a new dog, they did a lot of research. Growing up, Davis had small or medium size dogs. Kristina had cats, but no dogs. So securing a large dog would be a deliberate choice. Davis was on it.
They began considering a St. Bernard or a Bumese Mountain Dog. Then he learned about the Leonberger breed. A gentle giant. He found a breeder and soon Davis and Kristina presented their new fur baby to the four cats at home. He weighed in at 19 pounds - larger than any of their felines.
Vimes in his chair
The cats were not happy when Vimes first arrived. He smelled weird. AND he was huge! Vimes tried everything to engage them in play. He pawed at them. He nudged them with his nose. He even brought a toy so they could play together.
Nope. They were good.
Eventually all four of them will find their way upstairs where it’s “Cats Only” territory. It’s where they have their litter and food. Vimes is not allowed upstairs. But they are family so the cats became his friends.
Securing his own territory, Vimes adopted the big blue chair for his own. It’s in Davis’ room and is cool and comfortable. He can, with great confidence, gaze upon his domain out the window. The neighborhood is secure!
Although the dog park is swell (sans lake), Vimes loves frolicking with his best friend Ozzie, in the courtyard of their townhome. Ozzie is a Mastiff - another gentle giant. For Vimes, finding his new, huge friend was like winning the lottery.
With grace and ease, they run and chase one another. They are elegant and massive. The blur of fur makes Davis and Kristina smile as they watch their boy’s joy as he plays. They also hope it will tucker out the big guy.
Sure enough, back in the house, Vimes sits quietly, big eyes following every move Davis makes. Soon his front legs fall and he stretches out on the cool floor. He’s a big boy with a lot of fur, who enjoys cool weather. It’s a good thing they live in Minnesota.
As the afternoon sun moves down Vimes’ body, Kristina notices his front paw gently moving back and forth as if he was running. The other paw joins in the “dream run.” Suddenly Vimes bursts out “Whoof.” His deep voice abruptly wakens himself. He looks at Kristina.
“Did you catch the squirrel?” Kristina asks as she gently scratches his ears. Vimes pushes his head deeper into Kristina’s embrace. She kisses his forehead.
Vimes loves the coooool Minnesota winters!
Vimes was born August 5, 2023, so he’s still a puppy with puppy energy. It means that Kristina and Davis have spent a lot of time and love to properly train him. And boy was it worth it. Vimes may look frightening, but he’s just a big, soft, “scaredy cat” as Davis often reminds him.
Today, Vimes weighs 112 pounds and could grow. Many are surprised that he is not yet neutered. Actually, this decision involved a detailed conversation with Dr. Mey Nevo, at Carver Lake Veterinary Center, where *everyone* loves on Vimes whenever he tumbles in.
Turns out, large dogs like Leonbergers have “tummy” challenges. Yes, Vimes does have a sensitive stomach (his diet is modified as needed). Yet a total tummy flip will sometimes occur. Literally, the dog’s stomach will twist inside. It is called bloat. It can be fatal.
To address this issue, and the possibility of hip problems, they will wait a bit longer to neuter Vimes. During that surgery, the vet will also tack his tummy to one side. Although it sounds inhumane, in the end, it could very well save his life, as this helps prevent the stomach from flipping.
Meanwhile, Mom and Dad did try to teach him how to play fetch. Vimes loves chasing after the ball! He will gallup after it and when it lands, he will stare at it until Dad comes to retrieve it.
However, if Dad offers a pull/tug toy, Vimes’ behind begins to wag and he plops his front paws down to signal play. He’s ready. His large jowls (not as big as many other breeds) completely consume most toys. Throw him a tug toy and you have just invited to a righteous game of war! Remember, he weighs 112 pounds!
Just to ensure Mom and Dad understand what a scaredy cat he really is, Davis had a big birthday. There were streamers, noise makers, and a piñata. Vimes, at first, thought the balloons were okay until they were not okay. And when stuff started flying out of that piñata, Vimes was a dog - gone, scaredy cat, who flew the coup. There was simply too much noise and activity. Kristina sat close to him in a back room and wrapped her arm around his immense body.
“You’re okay, Vimes. No one will hurt you. We’re having fun for Daddy’s birthday!” Mom offered him a Bully Stick. Suddenly, all was well.
Happy Birthday, Dad!
Later, after a fun filled party (or any day), Mom and Dad will take Vimes for a walk around the neighborhood. Vimes likes the cool air on his face. As always, children around the block and beyond, run to say “Hi” to Vimes. They love how big and soft and kind and beautiful he is.
So do Mom and Dad.
And Vimes loves how loved he is.
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