Buster Boy now known as Bob

bob is now 10 years young!!!

Five years ago today Bob got off the plane into our lives. Fleeing from Katrina he had been rescued from an animal shelter in Houma, Louisiana. I can't imagine my life without him! Congratulations Bob, your Forever Family loves you dearly.

Bob and Lynn- dad taking the photo- december 2007

updated photo as of April 2, 2007

Hi Friends, This is just a quick note to say that Bob is really doing well! He’s been here 18 months now and I can’t imagine life without him. He’s up to his full weight of 90 lbs and still has his winter coat. He’ll lose it this month. I took a picture of him yesterday and he wanted me to send it to his friends. He hasn’t forgotten those of you who have loved him and helped him become the amazing dog he is in so many ways.

May All Your Animals Be Well

To All Bob’s Friends!

It’s Bob’s 4th Birthday! (I guess?)

I know you’ll all want to hear about Bob’s new adventures and to come by this weekend and give him a birthday kiss! He’ll be home all weekend. We’re celebrating one year together here in Pensacola! My how time flies when you’re having fun. It’s never a dull moment with Bob. Last month I had to take my clothes off (down to the boxers) in front of several dozen dogs and their owners at Dog Beach and swim out several hundred yards to the middle of Bayou Texar to rescue Bob by luring him back with a tennis ball. He was trying to bring in the navigation buoy, thought it was a big ball! We’ve had some serious fun down there at the bayou.

For his birthday Bob’s going swimming in the ocean and getting a bubble bath and a new Frisbee.

Bob’s become an amazing athlete! He’s catching his Frisbee in mid-air at 50 yards and beyond. His weight has peaked at 82lbs, not a rib showing, and he’s got the muscle to go with his attitude. Not bad for a 53 lb weakling from Houma Louisiana one year ago.

He wanted to thank everyone who helped him make the adjustment from the shelter in Houma to East Hill so he recorded a Happy Birthday song today, sung Bob style. I’m sure you’ll like it, it’s attached to this email or you can check it out at his web site where you’ll also see his radical swim video and his newest release – Cemetery Games! Don’t ask, just go there and see for yourself:

http://www.blissisnow.org/bob/bob.htm

Bob is a joy to be around and I’m glad to be his main man. I thank you all for being his friend and loving him the way you do. He truly loves each of you!

Bob & Jerry

updated photo in sept 2006- bob headed into the water to get this rubber duckie!!!

update as of May 8th- Bob and Jerry watching TV.

This is Bob and his dad, Jerry on a walk on the beach in Florida. They are buddies and bonded for life.

on his road trip for thanksgiving 2005.

here he is howling at the train whistle

     

 

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Greetings All! 12/11/2005

Those of you who have been waiting for news of Bob The Dog, wait no more, this month finds the adopted goldie at the beach learning to catch a Frisbee for the first time, flush out a sand crab, and on a road trip to South Carolina for Thanksgiving (he slept with his head in my lap the whole way and squeaky, his favorite toy in plain view – awwww). As you’ll see, he chills out to those sad songs - better days ahead Bob. He may look kind of tentative on the Frisbee video but believe me, he’s a pro now. We throw every morning at dawn in the park by our house. He’s using a competition model and we’re training for the first contest in the spring. He’s not much of a jumper at 75 lbs (yes, he’s gained another 7 pounds!) but he’s fast and hardly misses even at 30-50 yards!

He’s made a friend too! Bob’s time in the big house must have made him suspicious of other dogs because he doesn’t tolerate them well. At 75 lbs and growing he doesn’t really have to, but still, he’s learning to behave around them. Hank’s another story. Hank is an adopted Golden that Bob befriended, reluctantly at first, but soon they became buddies. Hank lives in South Carolina and he’s very sweet. Unlike Bob, he likes everyone including other dogs. That’s Hank on the left in the video. Bob’s dark side is slowly evolving into better manners and it will take a while to heal him completely from the territorial aggressiveness that he shows now towards other dogs. No matter, he’s still King at our house.

Bob’s also meeting the rest of the family. Human sibling Ben, a policeman in Birmingham is a big bruiser too but when he bear hugs Bob, it’s all about the love!

I’ll send more pics and movies in January after Bob’s Christmas trip to the farm!

What a blessing …

Jerry

Update on nov, 17th:

Lee and Penny,

Bob is doing very well! We spend almost all our time together. He has now gained 6 pounds! He looks great and is settling down and appears to be relaxing in his new home (where he is the King). Last night he slept on my bed (as usual) and didn’t move or lick anything for 7 hours!

I won’t be sending any more weekly emails but I will send you pictures from time to time. Please let me know if there’s anything I can do for you in your work rescuing Goldens. I am so inspired by you!

One has only to look at these pictures of Bob running and playing (and sleeping) to know that he is having the time of his life and is loved so much. He meets new people every day and I’m working with him to wait until others approach him before he starts his affectionate greeting.

Cats are another story. He got to my friend’s cat last week by accident and I had to intervene and pull him away. He came up with a bloody nose but was oblivious to it. No permanent damage done but I was concerned for his eyes. I am especially careful with him about this. He would not even look for cars or other hazards if he saw a cat on his walks (which I have learned are only a cover up for cat searching) For that reason I keep him on his leash at all times when we are out in the neighborhood. The only exception is when we are playing ball. There is no cat, dog, or person who could distract him from his ball mission!

In the house, we have migrated from ‘fetch’ to ‘find’. I hide his toy and he has to find it. This is easier on the rugs and furniture than throwing his rope or toy around the house. As you would expect, he is a master of this game and knows exactly what we are doing and what he has to do. So far, I have not been able to beat him at this. He is just too smart and too well equipped in the sniffer to be beaten. I have plans to teach him to discriminate between different toys and other variations to keep it interesting for both of us.

At work, he comes with me every afternoon and sleeps most of the time while I work. He doesn’t get up and try to follow me when I briefly leave the office like he used to, I guess he’s got it that I’m coming back for him. He sleeps mostly in his bed in his corner but occasionally flows out into the hall (see picture) where my co-workers respectfully and humorously walk around him.

He is a very special angel and I would be lost without him. Thank you again for sending him to me. Jerry

Update on Nov 10th: Hi You Guys,

Bob is doing great! We are at the two week mark and he has gained 4 pounds. He weighs 67 lbs now. I don’t know how with all the running around we’ve been doing, as you’ll see from the new pictures and movies. He is sleeping beside me at work as I write this.He is giving such joy to my life!

We get up every morning together at dawn and go to the park two blocks from our home to play ball. Afterwards, he gets his breakfast (Newman’s Own Organics). Then he hangs out on the front porch, (on a leash), while I do my yoga/meditation practice inside the house. From that vantage point he gets to watch the neighborhood children get on the school bus and check out the other comings and goings in the ‘hood. He watches everything very carefully. He spends the morning in the house until lunch when I come home and walk him and take him back to work with me for the rest of the day. We walk again at dark and have dinner. Then we go out somewhere together or watch a DVD. Then it’s another late walk and off to bed we go. Weekends we go swimming in the Bayou or at the beach or both. He gets a bath and we play in the back yard with the hose (see the movie). The grandkids who live two blocks away love him too and think he is a silly ball freak!

That’s our life. I really think he’s happy. He’s making new friends and everyone says he looks really good and can see his weight gain. (no ribs showing). He still licks his feet a lot but he’s not as fixated on his toys etc, I guess he’s getting comfortable with his life. It may be longer before his obsessive/compulsive feet licking diminishes, but that’s OK, he’s got all the time he needs.

Thank you again Penny and Lee for sending him to me. I just love him so much.

The pictures are mostly at the beach. Isn’t he photogenic!? There’s a real cute one of him peeking out of my office door and one of him sleeping on his office bed. Also, look at the picture called ‘home3’ - he’s howling at a train whistle in the early morning with his nose straight up in the air. What a crazy guy!

Jerry

Penny & Lee,

Buster is so wonderful! We are in love.

After carefully researching the idea of changing a pet’s name, I decided it was best for both of us to move on to something new and easy to hear and respond to. The advice I received from professionals and from my own research was that it was not a hard thing for a dog to learn a new name, just as we humans often change our names in school as nick names arise or for work or marriage or pet names that loved ones give you etc. Also, a transition period using both names was a good idea. I decided that although Buster was a very good name, Bob was easier for both of us and it gives us a new life without confusing past memories on both sides. I used Buster Bob and Buster for a day or two but he is so smart! After only two days he began responding to Bob as if he was a Bob all along! Now he just seems to love his new name and I can call him from anywhere with just one loud syllable and he runs straight to me.

I hope you both feel OK with this. Believe me, he loves his new name. All of his new friends here love him as Bob and think that he is just perfectly named. Of course, I’ll call him Robert when I have something very serious to say (just kidding). My co-workers come by frequently to see Bob in my office and ask when he’ll be here. They just love him, and Bob is such a good office name over Buster.

So, long live Bob, may Buster be loved and remembered as a special nick name.

Attached are some recent pictures of us having fun together and a movie of Bob doing his most favorite thing.

Jerry

Caillou's real name is Buster Boy. His new foster mom in Vermont decided that he was more of a Buster Boy than a Wayne or Caillou. He is now in Pensicola Florida with Jerry.