Hubbard

Hubba Hubba

Hubbard is a big boy named for a big squash. Today, at five and a half weeks, he weighs 9 pounds 5 ounces. He and Pumpkin vie for top place among the heavy weights -one day Pumpkin is heavier, the next Hubbard.

Hubba Hubba is a brindle boy with longish fluffy fur which appears to have a grayish hue mixed in with the brindle - perhaps foretelling an undercoat. Given his size, he will be a big dog. When I looked at growth charts for various breeds, he and Pumpkin both match the average weight for 5-6 week old Newfoundlander pups or Mastiff pups. They are considerably bigger than their eight littermates.

Like most of his siblings, Hubbard has a black muzzle. He also has a flash of white on his chest, and one white-tipped toe. He has sad, slightly droopy eyes, and his legs appear midlength - neither long and gangly nor short and stubby.

Hubbs is the pup who worries me the most. He is quite lethargic - very occasionally engaging in play but tiring quickly and going off by himself for a nap. He often whimpers after meals, and his heart rate is always very, very rapid compared to his siblings. He will, of course, be checked by a vet when he goes for his neuter. My best guess - though I have no medical training - is a heart murmur. This is not uncommon in dogs and not usually a life threatening situation, but certainly a concern.

Hubbard was mostly nonresponsive to his photoshoot, despite my best efforts to get some lively shots by squeeking toys and whistling - this is fairly typical of Hubbard who prefers to just lie quietly and watch the world go by. He is a sweet, sweet boy.

Hubbard being unimpressed with squeeky toy

Hubbard standing

I don' wanna play, fank you.

Cuddling Hubbard

Hubbard in a Basket

Being Coy

I wouldn't look so sad if ya didn't have a stoopid cat collar on me! Itz even got picshures of catz on it. How embawwasing!

(Hubbard is one of ten pups I am fostering for the Cowichan and District SPCA. Each is being featured in a seperate blog entry. The pups and their mama, Lucy, will be available for adoption shortly. All applications should go to the Cowichan and District SPCA. More information on Lucy and the pups can be found by reading the past two months' blog entries - starting September 11/2010 for Lucy and October 1/2010 for the pups. If you are considering adopting Lucy, feel free to email me with any questions you have about her personality and behaviour, using the link on the side of this blog. )