Having several large breed dogs requires spending a lot of time with them every day. Thus it gives much more in return than it takes. Harakhan kennel is relatively big property situated in nature reserve surrounded by woods with the animals that typically represent a game: pheasants, wild rabbits, foxes and roe deer. It happened once during the hunting season that a roebuck broke the fence and ran through our yard.
A day at Harakhan kennel starts very early so during the winter it happens that it is still dark when our big pets are awake and ready to go out and do their morning routines. We usually let them run and play a lot before eating. Younger pack members love to play or follow the older around during the morning checkup.
After having finished the morning walk, we take them back to their kennels for the morning meal. Although they seem calm in these moments they are actually attentive to the sounds coming from the house and expecting to hear the sound of their metal bowls. It is a very amusing sight – to watch them patiently waiting, every dog in its kennel, lined up in a row still like porcelain dolls. Only Jenaro, our youngest Fila male, whines like an abandoned puppy before he gets his meal.
At Harakhan we have plenty of outdoor season activities and our dogs are thrilled to accompany us. They follow us in our daily duties like diligent apprentices interested in every segment of the working process – looking ready to learn even how to cut wood or hammer nails. From time to time they have common actions digging holes in the ground searching for moles and mice. If you would be looking at Harakhan molosser diggers on this occasion you would see their muzzles wedged into the soil and their tails high above the ground. They dig in pairs or one is digging while the other one or two are watching. Of course, this work can be exhausting and eventually they will lie down to rest near us with their heads and paws covered with mud. Again one or two of them will lie down a bit farther depending on the wind direction and observe the surrounding.
The oasis of such serenity lasts until some noise or strange phenomenon drives the attention of the pack. Instantly they all jump and gallop away to meet the challenge. Whatever the situation may be Harakhan dogs react as a family, with braveness and solidarity.
I don’t think that our postman will ever be accustomed to the sight of several molossers barking at him and jumping at the fence: “They are really beautiful but why are they angry with me?”- he keeps on asking.
Both Tosa, Fila and Canario dogs are full of energy that they need to express in some way. Usually when they meet us in the morning or after the afternoon nap they run and jump around and their mutual play is rougher. After having exhausted this fuel and especially on sunny days they become gentle, enjoy lying close one to another, licking each other’s paws, cheeks and cuddle one another.
Every Harakhan dog has its own ritual before going to sleep. Toyo (Dogo Canario) likes to be tucked in a blanket and falls asleep while we cuddle him, while Jenaro stays awake and use his kennel as a playing room, – all sorts of objects can be found there, whatever our youngest male finds interesting, a ball, wooden sticks, he brings it in as a trophy. Haragei, the oldest in Harakhan pack, has his very own place to sleep from which he guards the entire kennel.
