Tanuki’s character in one image
Dog Withdrawl
Finnegan, our last dog, passed away towards the end of 2018. He was never a picture of health, having an enlarged heart and terrible anxiety problems, sometimes resulting in outbursts of aggression that he couldn’t control. We miss him dearly, even though he took a lot of patience and care to live with. It was into the spring of 2019 before we felt up to looking for another canine companion.
Finnegan. Jamie drove to LA to get an Irish Wolfhound and got this 35lbs weirdo.
Cuteness Overload
While searching Petfinder, Jamie came across a litter of puppies at a rescue centre in Menifee, past Los Angeles, that had us making all the right squeaky noises of excitement. Lilly, the sweetest Bassett Hound / Labrador had given birth to 13 assorted puppies after being rescued. All of the puppies were super cute, but one really stood out to us. With his raccoon-like markings on a Labrador body, his overwhelming cuteness had us contacting the rescue centre in no time.
Being the largest of his siblings, the centre had carried out DNA testing on this puppy to determine what other breeds went into his particular recipe. It turns out that he is 37.5% Australian Cattle Dog, 25% Labrador Retriever, 12.5% Chow Chow, and 25% Terrier / Herding / Asian group. Not sure where the Bassett Hound DNA went, but he does have stout, slightly kinked front legs.
At the rescue centre. He was the friendliest and the cutest of the litter.
Lilly was so sweet and adorable. Lab body on Basset legs…
A few of Tanuki’s many siblings
A very long drive indeed
It’s a long drive to Menifee, California at the best of times, with a round trip involving almost 9 hours of driving. Our day was even longer and more expensive though. We got to the rescue centre just fine, got to be swarmed by 13 puppies, and left with our precious cargo. On our way home though, 60 miles from Paso Robles, our car decided to have a catastrophic engine failure, leaving us in a garage parking lot waiting for a tow truck to take us home. This puppy cost us our car. Nice start…
On our way home with a very well behaved new puppy
Raccoon Dog
That day in June was a long and expensive one, but finally, our home once again had a canine presence. We knew what to call our new puppy even before we got him. In Japan, a Tanuki is a Raccoon Dog, a member of the canid family that has markings very much like a raccoon. The term Tanuki is also sometimes used to describe tricksters and mischievous old men. Fitting.
“Drop it” apparently means “Run for it”. At 8 weeks old Tanuki was 12lbs and the same size as our cat.
As befitting his name, Tanuki is willful and likes to get up to mischief. He likes nothing more than raiding laundry baskets and trash cans for things he knows he not supposed to have, then making us chase him down. He is at least friendly, though. Exuberantly friendly.
After the last nervous wreck of a dog, we really wanted a puppy that liked people and wasn’t scared of them. Tanuki definitely doesn’t have any problems there. He will enthusiastically launch himself at anyone who comes within range. His ultimate aim seems to be a solid nose bonk to the face and at least one dewclaw scratch mark. If he can also stick his tongue in your ear, then that’s even better. Training is work in progress. Slow progress.
One thing I can say about our hound is that despite his friendliness toward anyone and everyone, he really does love his people. Love is one word at least, ‘depend on’ may be more appropriate. Cattle dogs are known for their loyalty and Tanuki really likes to be close to his mommy and daddy, to the point where to his mind, just going to the bathroom constitutes complete and permanent abandonment. We’re working on it.
12 weeks old and 21lbs
Getting bigger. 14 weeks old and over 26lbs
16 weeks old, over 30lbs. Playing with the cat, whether the cat likes it or not.
Abigail, the personal trainer
My mother-in-law’s German Shepherd
As of August 13th, when Tanuki’s final shots were in full effect, he was finally allowed to run wild and free on my in-law’s property. They are fortunate to have over 5 acres of fenced-in land for him to explore. They also have Abigail. Abigail is a goofy great German Shepherd with boundless energy and not all that much experience with other dogs. My mother-in-law had bought her last year as a 5-month old, from someone who had never taken her for walks or properly socialised her. It’s to her that we hand Tanuki to once a week to keep him fit and burn up some of that puppy energy through boisterous play. Abigail is Tanuki’s personal trainer and best canine friend.
Abigail gets the typical Tanuki greeting
Abigail responds by asserting her size advantage. Yes, this is play, I assure you.
Up to date.
So here we are close to the end of September 2019. Tanuki is now over five months old and training is still making slow progress. Jamie and I still take longer to get things done than we like, thanks to us having to clean up after the dog or chase him down and prize something from his jaws of incessant mischief. I currently have a cold, which means there’s a constant supply of snotty tissues for Tanuki to steal and shred all over the carpet.
If I was to do my own, unscientific analysis of Tanuki’s genes, I would say he has the body of a Labrador / Cattledog mix, the friendliness and appetite of a Labrador, the energy and stubbornness of a Cattledog, and the mischief, handsiness, and appropriate burglar mask of an actual raccoon. Sounds about right.
This puppy is a rotten nuisance, but he’s our rotten nuisance. More updates to follow I expect.
In the meantime, if you want me to photograph your pet, then consider getting in touch.
Darren.
Over 40lbs now (too wriggly to know his exact weight).