Blade is doing well but I would have to say he also is a bit slow to mature emotionally and mentally. He just thinks things should be his way and not mine so we have a battle of the wills at times. If he really likes doing something(like agility) he has amazing focus and picks up really quick what I want from him. I think he would have been a great herding candidate and if there had been somewhere here that offered it I may have tried him at it.

I took him to an obedience seminar in Gold Beach and he didn't do bad. I really liked the trainer, Forrest, and he gave me some helpful hints. The biggest problem I have with him is his overreaction to movement-he just wants to run it down, and other dogs. It's not that he's really aggressive with other dogs as he is overbearing with them. And yet, he can show a lot of common sense and restraint at times, so I really think it's just his age.

I still bike him a couple of times a week and I take him down to the beach a couple of times a week. he's really turning into quite the swimmer. I feel it's a good exercise as it's easy on the joints. And of course we still do agility.

Blade also is a big boned, roughed out bouvier. He's pretty lanky right now, about 76 pounds but my other two dogs were also pretty lean as one year olds so I don't worry much about that. I really love his look. I've decided let his coat alone and just strip out the undercoat; I really like the texture of his coat and though he gets very dirty at time it doesn't take that long to comb him out.