Shadow is almost 4 years old. He was born June 8th, 2022, and comes from SchubertUS kennel, part of the first litter sired, whelped and officially registered in the USA! We didn’t know if we would be able to find him a mate going forward – but we would get lucky two years later! Shadow and Bella each have their own distinct personalities and characteristics. We describe Shadow as ‘stealthy.’ He moves silently throughout the house, rarely vocalizes, and we are often surprised to see that he is behind or beside us. Unless of course, the FedEx, UPS, or US Mail man cometh, or the occasional deer, cat or squirrel. At that point, Shadow becomes the ultimate alarm and vigorous protector. For these situations, fencing one’s yard is a must. Below you see him in his favorite spot , throughout the seasons, watching for wildlife.
One of the many things we love about this breed is their size – Shadow’s weight generally hovers around 50 pounds. Not too big, not too small – just right! It is easy to travel with both of them in the back seat of our Jeep Trailhawk for short jaunts, or in our travel van for longer trips. Shadow very much enjoys going for walks (makes sense since Bohemians were also called ‘Walkers’ during their kingdom protection days). Here he is on patrol – look at those eyes! Oh, also, if you have a chance to share life with a Bohemian, keep an eye on their ‘tongue-o-meters’ – their thick coats make it tough on them in hot weather – so keep water handy – and when it is hot try to accomplish walks in the early morning or evenings.
Shadow’s favorite pastime is chasing his herding balls. He has one in almost every color and size. During playtime he will continuously ask you to throw it for him (each day there is a preferred ball) so he can herd it back. He has made up a soccer type game where he pushes the ball past us through the gate and nudges it into the pool. But since he doesn’t like to swim – guess who has to fish it out? Throw it, herd it, dump it into the pool, repeat. Here’s a quick video of him and Bella (as a puppy) playing. But Shadow is not the athlete of the family – Bella is. If we throw a Frisbee or ball to Shadow, he ducks or gets hit in the head – it’s embarrassing!
Shadow’s favorite season is Winter! He absolutely loves running hard and jumping in the snow. He looks like Superman! For the sake of ‘transparency,’ I will tell you – that long, soft fur coat is gorgeous. But be forewarned that that thick undercoat will have to come out sometime – usually about twice a year. But good daily brushing during shedding season will keep it relatively painless….along with an iRobot vacuum, a Swifter mop with the extra thick Swifter sheets, a dozen or so lint rollers for the bed, and a doggie brush with its own vacuum. Easy-peasey. I might be exaggerating just a little, maybe.
Shadow is a very good boy! He has the credentials to prove it! He has earned both his AKC Canine Good Citizen Title and his AKC Community Canine Title!
Shadow has earned his BCAT title and is currently working toward his DCAT title.
Every accomplished dog deserves a Wall of Fame! Here are some of Shadow’s ribbons from Fast CAT, his AKC Canine Good Citizen and his Best of Breed ribbon.
There are so many tales we could tell about this good boy, I could go on forever. But after all the FedEx walloping, squirrel chasing, ball playing and exploring, Shadow is ready for relaxation. He loves to curl up beside Mom or Dad on the couch in the evenings and doze off in front of the TV. He then requires his 10 minutes of snuggle time on the bed before going to sleep (after which he jumps down and goes to his spot). He prefers to be the little spoon! We started our Bohemian journey (after having mostly small dogs) saying ‘We will not allow this dog in the bed (we knew he was going to reach 50-ish pounds.’ We didn’t make it through the first night….He was just the cutest puppy – and he still is. The video below the two photos is one of my favorites.
