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My name is Gryphon!

Posted over 10 years ago

My basic info

Breed
Mastiff/St. Bernard
Color
Red/Golden/Orange/Chestnut - with White
Age
Young
Size
X-Large 101 lbs (46 kg) or more (when grown)
Weight
Sex
Male
Pet ID
PDR89

My details

Checkmark in teal circle Good with kids
Checkmark in teal circle Good with dogs
Checkmark in teal circle Good with cats
Checkmark in teal circle Shots current
Checkmark in teal circle Spayed / Neutered
Checkmark in teal circle Housetrained

My story

Here's what the humans have to say about me:

Symbolically, a Gryphon (Griffin) is a legendary creature who was king of beasts and king of birds. A lion’s body with an eagle’s head and wings. Let me introduce you to this king, Gryphon. He is an 8 month old Mastiff /St.Bernard cross. He is approximately 100 pounds and growing! This ginger boy stands tall with such a regal gaze, until he opens his mouth and lets his big floppy tongue out and is instantly adorable. Gryphon is mostly ginger/rust coloured all over but has a large white diamond chest and dark edging to his mouth, ears and eyes. Gryphon smiles constantly and everyone who sees him stops and fawns over how cute he is. He LOVES this as he is a big loveable boy. He is my first foster and is truly remarkable.

When I first saw the picture of Gryphon I had a few names in mind, something big and strong or awe inspiring. Once our eyes met and he sat down, I knew Gryphon was the perfect name. He is big, beautiful, majestic and elegant; until puppy mode sets back in and he is playful and fun and energetic.

Gryphon loves to be with me at all times. His first few days he wouldn’t leave my side, wouldn’t eat his food unless I was there or venture off to drink water. As time has gone on, Gryphon is becoming more independent and will wander off to chew his bone or drink water if I’m busy doing dishes or working on something in my office. You can’t leave him for too long though or he’ll rip the stuffing out of his pillow! You forget sometimes that regardless of his size he is a puppy still and needs to be monitored. And even though he is 8mths old, the giant breeds mature slowly so mentally and emotionally he is much younger.

Gryphon was a stray who was rescued from a pound. He came to me underweight, missing fur on his back half and a bit shy. With a couple visits to the vet, proper nutrition and a stable, loving home; Gryphon is putting on weight and almost all his fur is back. Oh and don’t even think about him being shy anymore. He has flourished in his foster home and is a social butterfly now, everyone he meets is a new friend.

This guy is a quiet and as I said, becoming more independent, pup. You won’t often hear him bark unless he wants to play or hears something strange from outside. Sometimes he lets out this cute low growl and then huffs, to something I don’t see or hear. Both Mastiffs and St. Bernards are guardian breeds and take their responsibility to their families seriously so he will always alert to bumps in the night. Because of Gryphon’s size and energy, I believe he would do well in any house with zero breakables at knee height. His tail, when he gets excited, can clear a coffee table in one fell swoop. When he begins to get too revved up, he does the puppy dance where he runs from one room to the next, so walks and playing are needed. Even though a large boy, he needs his exercise to keep him happy. He will be a low energy dog when grown, but puppy energy needs to be burned off now while he’s young. But once he gets out for a good play session or long walk he is content to lie quietly and chew a toy. Gryphon is crate trained for when I leave for work. He loves a Kong or Marrow bone with some peanut butter and knows to go to his crate when I say “Crate.” At night however, Gryphon sleeps on the floor in my bedroom and occasionally I’ll wake up to his head on my chest (he’s sneaky). He is fully house trained but when he gets excited or plays and hasn’t been out in a while, he’s had an excited accident or two. This is very typical of a youngster who piddles when over excited and will stop as he matures. The key is to let him out regularly so he doesn’t have a full bladder when play time starts.

When it comes to exercise, Gryphon is great. He loves to play and catch sticks and toys and run. Walking can be interesting at times with Gryphon. He walks well on a gentle leader and has become used to it, he does lunge to meet other dogs (playfully, not aggressively) though so a firm grip when one is nearby is required. He is being trained not to do this, but will take some time. Gryphon can be a shy walker in a new neighbourhood. He likes to get to know his surroundings and stops to smell everything. If he gets nervous or shy, he won’t budge. As he gets more comfortable with you and the area, he will walk further and longer. He requires a confident leader who will show him that everything is just fine. I walk him twice a day 20-30 minutes each walk, and take him on small 5-10 minute walks for doing his business as I don’t have a fenced yard. He could certainly go on longer walks but he is not a dog that will be a good running partner. He will be too heavy and lumbering for that. He needs to get his exercise through walks and play.

Gryphon is a giant loveable oaf. He is clunky and clumsy but loves attention and will cuddle up with you on the couch (if you let him!). He loves to roll over and get belly rubs and being petted on the bridge on his nose. Like I said above, he wants to be with you and around you as often as possible. He has so much love to give and will try to explain this in big wet kisses. How anyone could leave Gryphon to fend for himself is inconceivable.

Gryphon has a current doggie playmate who he sees a few days a week and his name is Carlos. Carlos is a 2 year old Collie/Shephard cross (they think) who is faster than Gryphon! They chase each other around a big fenced in yard and play and have a lot of fun. When they first met there was no snarling or growling or aggression of any kind from either dog. At the vet office it seemed the same, Gryphon is excited to meet and play with other dogs. He would do well in a home with another big and friendly dog for a buddy but would do equally as well being the only dog but having dog friends he can regularly socialize with. Gryphon has met my niece and nephew (5 and 2 ½) and he liked them a lot. I made sure when he met them that he was on the gentle leader as his size can easily knock them down. He wants to play with them but I feel he views them as other pups and unless supervised could knock them down or lick them until they feel uncomfortable. We will be looking for an adult only home for Gryphon or one with kids in their teens. He is just too big and clumsy for us to feel comfortable sending him to a home with young children. He also enjoys using his paws to get anyone’s attention and this may end with a scratch or two. He is also being fostered with a cat and he is good with the cat and only needs the occasional reminder that the cat does not want to play with him. He would be fine in a home with a cat used to big dogs. Gryphon is just such a love that he likes everybody and everything. He has no concept that he is big and just assumes that everyone loves him. You can’t ask for a nicer natured dog.

Currently, I’m training Gryphon house manners. When he wants to play he does jump up a bit but that is being corrected. Before entering or leaving the house, Gryphon is told to sit so you can easily remove the gentle leader or leave the house with a coffee in hand. He will sit and lay down with the command said and then a snap of the fingers. Gryphon will also stay and the length of stay is approximately 45 seconds now. His new family should commit to maintaining his training and continuing it further, Gryphon is a smart boy and should be challenged. We are looking for a family for Gryphon that will embrace training him and will pursue many levels of obedience at a quality training facility. He is a giant breed dog and needs to be very well trained. He is getting a great start in his foster home but needs to have his training continued for him to always be a wonderful member of society. People are naturally going to be leery of him due to his size and having him well trained will put people at ease and make him a great example of his breed mix.

Gryphon has been fully vetted and is over all a healthy dog. He does have a condition called entropian in his left eye which means that his eyelid rolls in and the lashes irritate the eye. This is a common condition in dogs with wrinkly heads and loose skin. We were wanting to fix this right away but our vet has informed us that it shouldn’t be fixed until his head is done growing as his wrinkles and skin will continue to change until that time. Our vet has recommended that he not have this repaired until he is over 1 year of age. We have chosen to give Gryphon a chance at a loving forever home now rather than keep him in foster care for the many months it will take to have his head fill out. The fix is a surgery that is in essence an eye tuck and is not complex. Gryphon is currently on eye drops to keep his eye lubricated and he is not bothered by this condition. Having the corrective surgery is a must though once he is mature as leaving it will lead to damage to the eyeball. We are looking for a home for Gryphon that is well aware of this condition and will have it repaired when their vet says the time is right. We know that there is a family out there that will love Gryphon with this condition and will be willing to have it repaired. Anyone considering a Mastiff or St. Bernard needs to be aware of this condition as it is common in these breeds. We ask that if you are interested in Gryphon you speak to your vet about the repair to get an idea of the costs associated and whether your vet does the surgery or not. Many do, some refer it to a specialist. He is happy and carefree now and his drops keep his eye healthy until he can have his condition fixed.

Having Gryphon as an addition to your family will be such a reward. We are looking for a loving home that is experienced with very large dogs and has the capability to properly train and handle such a big guy. He also needs someone who accepts a little drool in their life and won’t be mad when a wagging tail knocks over things. He is such a comical goofball that he brings such joy to his household. He is a loyal and kind spirited boy. My mother refers to him as my Gargoyle because he perches near me like he’s guarding me from something. He deserves the love and kindness I have shown him to be continued, will your home be his next perch?

If you think Gryphon just may be the dog for you, please check out our website www.pounddog.ca and fill out an application.

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