EditorsNote: Teddy has been renamed to Shad Dakota. Shad for short.

Shad is happy and healthy. He loves to be outdoors -- even during the coldest weather. Sometimes he is content to lie on the porch for hours and watch the world go by, but he usually chooses to lie on the ground, be it muddy or covered with snow and ice. His favorite thing is to run full speed around seven acres, and then sprint back to me. There's treasure everywhere and he eventually joins KC to search for little critters under the snow or in the weeds. If he is uncertain of what to do (such as when I change direction and almost run into him), he chooses either to give me a happy greeting or he sits and raises his paw. The best time of day is when we prepare to go for a walk. After our first morning walk, he comes inside only long enough to be groomed, then stands at the door and waits to go out to his sentry post. He is on EVO Red Meat large chunks dry food and weighs 45.6 pounds. His vet says not to change anything. I'm taking him to the professional groomer after Christmas; my amateur skills go only so far. He loves meeting new people and old friends, going for rides, long walks, and playing tug of war. He makes new friends easily: When we went to the package store, he met a little girl who enjoyed his kisses. Everyone who meets him remarks about how soft and clean he is.