Mohr Bouviers

Anakin traveled nearly 600 miles with my parents from PA to Farmington Hills, MI to get to me and we have been inseparable since the day he arrived. He was the 4th born in Lola’s 2010 litter. I named him Anakin Skywalker after the fictional character in “Star Wars.” It’s a bit of a tradition in my family to name our dogs after characters in that series. While his name is Anakin he also responds to “Kan-Kan” and my brother often calls him “Fluff”.

From the reports I got from Linda, Anakin was one of the first to take the leap out of the whelping box and was very independent in exploring his world. He is still very curious about his surroundings and loves to explore. I have found him under the deck, under my bed (when he still fit), in the crawlspace, etc. If it’s someplace new he just has to go check it out.

A typical day for Anakin starts and ends with a walk and we are doing about 4 miles a day total. As a result of our routine he is a solid block of muscle and is putting away nearly 6 cups of food each day plus treats. Aside from walks he also loves playing with my brother’s dog “Snoopers” that is a lab/husky mix. The two of them just tear around the yard chasing each other and wrestling. It’s great entertainment to watch. While Snoopers is his best buddy Anakin loves all dogs. He has several friends in the neighborhood he plays with and going to the dog park is an ultimate high for him. In the evenings he likes to remove all of the toys from the toy box, spread them all over the living room, and play with whoever is available or with himself if nobody else is willing. His favorite game is tug-of-war and he has an all or nothing philosophy. When he is in an “all” kind of a mood he will literally pull you off of the sofa. A nothing mood involves him holding one end of the toy, flopping down like a sack of potatoes, and then enjoys himself while you drag him around. When he is tired (which isn’t very often) he likes to roll on his back to air out his stomach or hop up on the sofa or into a lounge chair and relax.

Anakin does have some unique oddities in his personality. First, he has a strange relationship with shoes. He doesn’t chew on them (fortunately) but will take them from the front door and drop them random places in the house. I have even caught him several times sleeping with his head resting on one. I’m not sure what exactly he is thinking but it seems to make sense to him. Second, he will HOWL to the sky if a musical instrument like a trumpet is playing. According to Linda this is a trait he shares with his mother. Third, he is obsessed with birds. Everything from a chickadee to a goose, walking on the ground or flying in the air, silent or chirping, he loves them all. He will watch them fly across the sky or stare at them as they peck for worms. I try reminding him he is a livestock kind of dog, not a bird dog, to no avail.

Anakin has been a wonderful addition to my life and given me an emotional rock to cling to as I’m making my way through medical school. There is no doubt either that I am his number one person. I get reports that when I am away from home he is a very different Anakin. Apparently he spends his time up on my bed only appearing occasionally to check on things or to beg if somebody is in the kitchen and then promptly returns to his post. I guess he is just saving all his energy for when I get home because the Anakin I get is one who is always looking for something to do! He really is a special guy and now that I have him I can’t imagine my life without him. I’m looking forward to many years of companionship ahead.