Tag Archives: siblings

Presa Family Reunion!

It’s a Presa Family Reunion!

Tonka and Lola hadn’t seen their family in months, so we drove right on over to see them. At first Indio (their dad on the far left, red brindle) stood guard, like the good Presa Canario that he is. Then Hana (grandma, on the far right, red brindle) and Avva (mom in the middle, fawn) came over to see what was up.

It was a barkfest!

Tonka and Lola kept their cool, showing respect for their elders. Their tails were “windmilling” a million mph… So happy to see more doggies like themselves!

I wonder if they remember each other? Grandma Hana sure seemed to have remembered them – she followed them back and forth and even nuzzled through the fence… She was the one who nurtured them as pups, back in the day… Aww…

Tonka and Lola are 22 weeks old in these photos.

Bathtime!

Bathtime isn’t always fun, but it sure is necessary! Lola does not enjoy getting wet, though she’s an expert in getting dirty… She loves to do some “gardening” at home, roll around in the mud at the park, splash in puddles as we walk down the street and dig a napping hole in the sand at the beach…

She's not loving this one bit... 😀

Big Boy Tonka… He’s a very special doggie… He likes to do all the messy things that his sister, Lola, likes to do… However, he stays perfectly still for his bath. We like to lather them up on a warm, sunny day (lots of those in PR!), rinse off with the cool hose water, towel dry and let them air dry. “Wash and go!”

Tonka's such a good sport!

All done! Now let’s see those beautiful baby milk teeth!

Presa Dad wants to see Tonka's baby teeth...

I guess it’s time for Mama Presa and Presa Dad to shower… After all that shaking, we’re completely wet anyway! 🙂

Tonka and Lola are 21 weeks old in these photos.

A Day in the Life of a Presa Puppy

Puppies, like children, need, crave and thrive on structure. Tonka and Lola have a routine and they like to stick to it! 🙂 They are our alarm every morning at 6am sharp. Not sure how they do that, but I’m impressed every day. Then we go through the day executing several tasks and end up sleeping like babies. All four of us! 🙂

Here’s a sample schedule for our day:

6am               – WAKE UP! (bark bark!)

7-8am           – Walk, Train, Play in the Park

8-9am           – Breakfast

9am – 3pm   – Nap while the humans work

3pm – 5pm   – Play outside while the humans keep working

5pm – 6pm   – Dinnertime!

6-8pm           – Walk, Train, Play in the Park

8pm- 9pm    – Relax in the yard/patio

9pm               – Lights out!

Now that Basic Obedience Training classes have started, we take our schedule very seriously.  This class is no joke! Situated in the Plaza Las Americas parking lot, it’s 2 action-packed hours of learning various exercises then practicing them. Popeye, the class instructor from the FCI is watchful and demanding, but also very nurturing and helpful. Presa Canarios are notorious for being hard-headed and willful, but Tonka and Lola are doing quite well…most of the time! 🙂

Tonka and Lola are 19 weeks old in these photos.

One more week!

Ok, so Tonka is very strong, smart and stubborn. He is, after all, a Presa Canario. After much work and patience on our part to keep his ear bandages in place, at least they lasted a week. So, back to the vet we went for the last time. The doctor was so patient and happy to see Tonka again. Not because he had to redo the bandages, but because he has a soft spot in his heart for Tonka. 🙂

Of course, we stopped by the beach near Barceloneta to explore a new area. We love adventure! There’s this spot that looks like it came right out of a Sci-Fi movie – a crater like formation right on the water! We took a slow, easy walk on the rugged terrain and took in the fresh, salty ocean breeze and wonderful sunshine.

Then we went home for some yummy dinner and playtime!

Another dog day in paradise!

Tonka and Lola are 18 weeks old in these photos.

Recovery Time

Tonka’s recovery was not easy… The poor little guy went through a lot of pain, Lola was lonely and nobody got any sleep. His ears drooped a bit during the second week of recovery. The vet said it was normal and placed the bandages on again. This time a bit more securely and they lasted a little longer. The hard-headed guy kept trying to find ways to take them off…

Once Tonka felt well enough we headed out to Old San Juan to wander around Fort El Morro and rest in the shade of Plaza Colon. It’s always so nice to spend time with my Presa Babies! 🙂

Tonka and Lola are 17 weeks old in these photos.

Reunited and It Feels So Good!

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Time to take those bandages off and BE FREEEEEEEE!!!!!

Tonka and Lola were finally reunited and inseparable!

They truly did everything together this week!

Tonka and Lola are 16 weeks old in these photos.

Big Boy Tonka is Home!

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The surgery went well and we were happy to have Tonka back home!

However, Tonka and Lola had to be kept apart for fear that she’d hurt his tender, healing ears. Not on purpose, of course. They just play so brutally harsh we didn’t want to take any chances. She might easily chew on the bandages, bite his ears, knock him over, etc. etc.

Just in case there’s ever any doubt as to whether or not animals have feelings: Tonka and Lola were miserable, lonely, forlorn, grumpy and irritable while they were apart. They lost their appetite a bit, too, so we had to be vigilant that they ate. 

The hardest part was watching Tonka suffer and being completely helpless to ease his pain and anxiety. We gave him all the meds the vet prescribed, including painkillers. Sleepless nights ensued for eveybody, furry-four-footers and humans. Tonka and Presa Dad stayed in the back room with quiet, mini fridge, TV and air conditioning. Presa Mama and Lola had the rest of the house with only each other for entertainment – and the park!

It was an incredible bonding experience for both pairs: Tonka and Presa Dad, Lola and Presa Mama. However, it’s not one we’d like to repeat!

Tonka and Lola are 15 weeks old in these photos.

Bye Bye Ears!

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Just a couple more pictures before Tonkas’ ears are lopped off… I couldn’t imagine what he would look like with “big boy” ears!

Lola will take after her mom Avva de Presas del Caribe and keep her ears long and natural. There’s just something so sweet about them. We didn’t get her to show her, so why put her throught unnecessary pain? Tonka will be a strong candidate for showmanship, plus taking care of one recuperating puppy will be easier than two, right?

Tonka’s vet was very good and explained the procedure, step by step.  Presa Dad got to see him after the surgery. Poor guy was still groggy. He stayed overnight so that the vet tech could keep a close eye on him until the next day.

I knew we would miss him, but I didn’t realize just how much! Little Lola had never been alone at night, always having her littermates and mom to snuggle with. So, we inflated the air mattress and had a slumber party! Just Presa Mama, Presa Dad and Lola.

Now I understand why Tonka and Lola sleep all day: they are up all night long! Guard dogs… 🙂 I wouldn’t have slept very well anyway, thinking about Tonka and anxious to bring him back home.

Tonka and Lola are 14 weeks old in these photos.

Inseparable Siblings

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Having a twin must be amazing. Can you imagine being with someone every day of your existence from conception? From birth to potty training? Eating and drinking from the same bowls? Sleeping and using each other as pillows? Playing and playfighting? Learning to walk on leash and how to sit, competing for treats?

Tonka and Lola must be having a wonderful time sharing everything together, learning, growing… So as we made Tonka’s appointment for ear cropping surgery in a week, I couldn’t help to think: Wow, they’re really going to miss each other while he recuperates…

Until then, let just keep having fun! After all, don’t we just love the way canines “live in the moment”? 

Tonka and Lola are 14 weeks old in these photos.

Coconut Toy

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 Tonka and Lola love to explore and make toys out of anything they find! Coconuts are ubiquitous in Puerto Rico and once the puppies found one, they went nuts! 🙂 (Heh, heh, pun intended)

Coconuts make great toys because there’s so much to chew and tear off. The puppies love to hear the water inside slosh around as they shake them from side to side. Some dogs have been known to crack the inside shell and eat the meat too! Tonka and Lola aren’t interested in that. They just want to take it apart and move on… 🙂  

As with any toy, natural or manmade, puppies must be supervised for safety.

Tonka and Lola are 13 weeks in these photos.