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Welcome to the Homepage of Marzipan Vom Matthiasberg "Mador"!
(HCH Liam Vom Matthiasberg x HCH Hildegard Vom Matthiasberg) Breeders: Lajos Mészáros, Monika Nyitrai
Owner: Leidl Andrea H-1108 Budapest, Pázsitfû u. 1. Hungary Mobile: +36-70-315-4758 E-mail: leidla@hotmail.com

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Alex
19.05.1995 - 15.05.2006

I dedicate this page to Alex Bassai Dai, my first dog.

Alex
Alex

Alex was born on 19 May 1995 in Budapest, as Aida's only son with two sisters. I had the most touching experience when I visited the 1-week-old litter. I took Alex in my hand - he was not bigger than my palm - and in short he fell asleep there. That was the moment when I saw Aida come towards me... Oh, I thought, this is the end of the world: there is a recent caucasian shepherd mother running toward me, and here I am with her baby in my hands, it's over. But Aida sniffed the baby and licked him, then sniffed me too, licked my face, and then she left. She's given Alex to me!

Alex and his two sisters at the age of 1 week Alex and his two sisters at the age of 1 week with mum
Alex and his two sisters at the age of 1 week

During my university years I could only see Alex at the weekends, but then I spent almost all my sparetime with him. We made big walks in the forest and after, in a short 3 hours, I took all the thistles out of his hair; he was a very calm, balanced dog.

Alex at 5 months
Alex at 5 months

Alex developed well and performed well in the dog training school. Of course, due to his structure, we could not compete with other breeds but comparing to "caucasians cannot be trained" and "caucasians are too headstrong" etc. we had our successes (i.e. local obedience competition 3rd place).

Obedience
Alex at an obedience exercise (down and stay)

When Alex was 2 years old, I moved and (of course) I made all to have him with me. First, we had to build a fence: in the cold November evenings, we painted the laths in the garage, and in December 1997 Alex jumped into the trunk of my car and came home. In order to train Alex to let my boyfriend (now husband) into his own house, we had a conscious programme together. First Laci came by on the street, then he stopped for a couple of minutes, then we increased the time and changed locations, and after about two months we succeded to deactivate the defensive instincts within Alex against Laci.

On 10 May 2003 we had a joyous day in our little life: Laci and I got married. Of course I have not forgotten Alex at the preparations. I asked a bow tie from my Granny and she was happy to give one to me thinking Laci will wear it. Then she was surprised when I asked her to add a rubber line to it to get a total diameter of 65 cm (26 inches). Then it became clear the bow tie was for the dog...

Alex at my wedding day
Alex at my wedding day

In many cases I see the dogs tied to a chain or shut for the whole day. In our case it is out of question: the whole garden belongs to the dogs, Alex and now Mador, and miracle or not, the flowers are almost all ok. When Alex looks into the kitchen window, I always give him a dog biscuit. Now I don't know anymore who is conditioning whom: when I open the window Alex would come but when he gets up and signes for me I immediately give him the biscuit...

Alex in the window
Alex in the window (Do you have something delicious for me?)
Alex on our favourite blanket
Alex on our favourite blanket

It was with Alex where I learnt to make photos of a dog (and there is way to develop no doubt), and over time I created my first series titled "Alex and the seasons":

Spring
Spring
Summer
Summer
Autumn
Autumn
Winter
Winter

We like excursions, last time we went to the Palvolgy stalactite cave and the French mine.

Alex and me in front of the Palvolgy cave
Alex and me in front of the Palvolgy cave
Alex the Explorer
Alex the Explorer

Lately, thanks for my dog-lover girlfriend Andrea Tornyi (From Andrea's Kennel), we have discovered the beauties of the Danube shore. With her wonderful Siberian Husky Exy and Alex we've spent a wonderful time.

Watching the Danube
Alex, ICH Exy The Eskimo Of Nordica and me watching the Danube
Alex and me at the bridge
Alex and me at the Northern Railway Bridge
Dirty dog is a happy dog
Dirty dog is a happy dog...

Alex head
Alex head at the Danube
Alex and the blossom tree
Alex and the blossom tree

1995-2005. Alex was 10 years old. As always, I bath him around his birthday: at first he dislikes it and tries to escape, but when he realises that I will wash him anyway, he helps me giving his paws. For his birthday he received a big smoky bone that he liked very much. Alex's teeth are not the same anymore but so is his temperament: he protected the bone from Mador (finally Mador got a piece, too).

Alex 10 éves
Alex is 10 years old
Happy birthday banner
Alex 10 éves
Alex is 10 years old

I have made make Alex's portrait based on pictures. Special thanks to the master Mr. Zoltán Horváth.

Alex picture

My dear old caucasian shepherd dog Alex left us Monday morning on 15th May 2006.

He suffered babesiosis due to a tick. After about two weeks, the vet said he was cured from it. But he was not a good eater anymore, he started to have pain in both his hindlegs, and in general looked too tired to me: so I got back to the vet. The vet suspected he had too much calcium in his bones due to his age, gave him injections and painkillers. Despite the tablets and all my love, he lost weight, his status got worse and worse. Then he was x-rayed, got infusion and several injections, but his blood showed five times less haemoglobin than normal, he got anaemia, his kidney ceased to function, and his own body started to produce anti-haemoglobin autoimmune response. In his last 4-5 days he ate nothing, could not move at all, and finally I decided to let him go. This was the most difficult decision I ever had to make. I cried more than I ate during the last week. Finally I understood he gave up.

...I went to university when I got him. He lived in my then-boyfriend's parents' garden and could only see him over the weekends: still he best listened to me, we went to dogschool and on long walks together. We became best friends. When I moved to a house with garden, he came to live with us and I could provide him with the appropriate life a dog should have: premium food, walks every single day, cuddles: so an excellent relationship. When Mador came to our life, he tought him important things: how to differentiate among people, how to always pay attention and defend if needed, how to behave with another dog, how to be respectful yet playful...

Mador behaved wonderfully during the last couple of weeks. He was always there to clear my tears, to be with me and give me strength by his pure presence, he seeked physical contact with me: laid down on my feet, touched me. Slowly he took over the responsibility of defending the garden. Until the very last moment he respected Alex's food: never ate it when Alex groaned, even if he knew he easily could. He frequently laid down next to Alex like as solidarity, and was much less playful than normally. He perfectly understood what was going on.

Alex had a full life. I know he is now in dogheaven over the rainbow bridge, running with beautiful caucasian bitches.

Candle

© Mador.hu