Hokuto's 3rd Birthday

It hasn't been quite a year since my last post, so I figure it's time to do something on this pathetic forum that I call my blog.  So much has happened since July 2012.  Perhaps the biggest change since my last post is the addition of a new family member, Hokuto (Hok - pronounced "Hawk") Peterson.  Hok, like Kuma, is an American Eskimo, and is even the same age. 

We found Hok through petfinder.com and rescued him through an American Eskimo rescue organization.  His first owner was a high school girl who decided she didn't want him anymore when she moved off to college.  The girl then gave him to her dad who lived in a trailer park and was in a wheel chair.  No backyard and limited mobility with an American Eskimo is a bad combination.  One of the rescue organization volunteers found Hok pulling the guy around in his wheelchair as Hok's "exercise" and convinced him that Hok needed to be given up.  We are also convinced that he was beaten with a belt, because one day, Gary took off his belt and Hok came running to hide behind me.  I just don't know how else he would know that a belt can be used to harm him.  Hok then lived in Akron for six months with the volunteer, who, although her heart was in the right place, was craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaazy. 

I won't go into the details of our saga with this woman, because I have forgiven her for the drama and stress she put me through, and detailing the experience does not fit well into the picture of forgiveness.  I've come to the conclusion that she just really adored Hok and wanted to make sure that he went to the right home.  Although Kuma and Hok hated each other the first week, they are now inseparable best friends.

Hok Bear, as we like to call him, is a sweet, sweet dog.  He will build a pillow fort on the couch, just so he can get closer to you.  He has also recently acquired a new habit, in which he insists on coming into the bathroom to say good night to me while I'm in the shower before he retires to his own bedroom.  He is incredibly intelligent, and amazes me how well he picks up on words.  When Kyu- was alive, Hok knew his name - he would let out a howl and dart towards his crate anytime Kyu-'s name was mentioned (he also loved Kyu- dearly).  He knows how to go "outside", "sit", and "high five" in both English and Japanese.  He basically knows as many words in Japanese as Gary.  He is also very mischievous, most likely due to his intelligence (needs lots of stimulation, so when he's bored, he gets into trouble).  He can jump up on the kitchen counter directly from the floor.  Circling back to his loving nature, one time, when Gary and I were pulling out of the drive way, we glanced at the kitchen window to find that Hok had jumped up onto the counter, just so he could watch us leave. 

With that, I will end my tribute to our little boy, Hok, who turned 3 today!  Happy birthday Hok Bear!

Hok getting impatient about his birthday treat. 

Om nom nom 😋