HausCow Revealed

Top Eight Reasons to Love Izzy:

1. She is loyal to the bone

2. Her "roo, roo, roo" (English translation: "Hello, I love you, play with me, I missed you, play with me, touch me, pay attention to me, play with me")

3. She walks well off-leash (except for squirrel obsession)

4. I can walk alone with her at night without fear

5. She wakes the kids up for school with her nose

6. Her bark is an excellent alarm system: She scares off all solicitors

7. Her face lights up when she hears the words "treat" or "walk"

8. She's a Rock Star

Top Eight Reasons to Only Like Izzy:

1. Her giant-size poops in backyard

2. Her loud bark

3. Her freakish obsession with squirrels

4. Her constant, never-ending, almost pathological, need for attention

5. Her appetite: She will eat anything without regard for her digestive system

6. Despite her beauty, she sheds like a wooly mammoth

7. She can yank my arm out of its socket if she chooses

8. She is oh so gassy

This is our HausCow Izzy, short for Isabelle. (By the way, Izzy isn't the only beautiful dog in our extended family, but she is one of the largest! Check out Reggie the dog.)

Anyway, Isabelle is a Greater Swiss Mountain dog who is almost five years old. Although weighing in at about 120 lbs., she believes she is about the size of a miniature poodle with a better personality. (Sorry, poodle lovers.) Her bark is deep and intimidating, but she loves people as long as we accept them first. Makes for an excellent guard dog.

Her favorite thing in the world? Her family touching her. In fact, like most dogs, Izzy prefers to be "with her people" over all else. Consequently, while she does get along with other dogs, playtime is short and she is right back with us. Major downfall of this personality trait is it up to us "humans" to supply her with her needed exercise and interaction. I feel major guilt when I want to swim instead of walk her and I don't have time to do both.

Unique feature: one blue eye, one brown. Due to Izzy's unusual eye color, she can not be a show dog... not that we wanted her to be, but otherwise she is a perfect specimen with great markings. She actually has a certificate of pedigree from Timberhof Kennels. The pedigree name she was given at birth is Timberhof's Golden Isabelle. She is the perfect choice for us because we have blue-eyed kids and a brown-eyed dad. (And I am a blue-eyed mom.)

Warning, Warning, Warning: Izzy will eat any food off the kitchen table, in the kitchen sink, on the kitchen floor, basically anywhere she can find it. Most notable ingestions: a full pound of broccoli rabe, a porkloin,a box of raisinets (cardboard included), stretchy, sticky wall climbers (I know, that wasn't really food but they looked good to her, I guess), and more.

We love her very much and she is a joy to be around, well most of the time that is....

Interested in your own hausCow? Check out the Greater Swiss Mountain Dog Club of America.

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