If you like dogs ...

[Kisal]

This guy is an excellent photographer. His portfolio is very interesting! A friend sent me the link, along with one of the Kom pics.

https://www.timflach.com/

[DoubleDogFarm]

Sorry Kisal,

That's to Foo Foo for me.

I'll take an old bugger laying in warm compost.

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Jacob%20and%20Pepper/DSC02911.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Jacob%20and%20Pepper/DSC02916.jpg[/img]
[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Jacob%20and%20Pepper/DSC02921.jpg[/img]

Eric

[cynthia_h]

I made my way through the whole 36-view slideshow. *whew* some of those are...weird.

But #8 cracked me up. That's the Standard Poodle, in the show cut, next to the topiary, two of which can be imagined as stylized poodles....

And the eyes of the Malamute, followed by the running for the sake of running Mals, are wonderful shots.

Yeah, I'm not much into the close-up of the nose or the "wrinkle" studies. I've washed too many wrinkly dogs who had unimaginable crud in those wrinkles that no amount of shampoo, fingers, or Q-tips could get out and which smelled to high heaven. "Oh, that's just how [Fido] smells," said the owner. "We suggest that you consider seeing your vet; [Fido] may have a skin condition, since we were unable to get the wrinkles as clean as we would have liked to without hurting the dog," was our standard reply to these dimwits.

And as for Afghan Hounds...the most accurate thing I've ever heard about them in urban society is that they get lost at the end of their leash. One of the least intellectually gifted breeds of dog out there, and I've known two of them up close and personal. Yep, dumb as rocks, those two.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[lily51]

My pick is the old bugger on compost. We've had black labs for37 years and we love them! From their water love to being driven by their stomachs to their gentle, goofy temperment and being a pup at heart forever.

[DoubleDogFarm]

So the second time, I watched it all the way through. I only made it to about slide 10 the first time. It's actually pretty good. The malamute is a handsome breed.

I'll stick to the large breeds.

Eric

[cynthia_h]

I'll stick to the large breeds.

Eric

[warning: breed-ist screed ahead]

Same here; it's gotta weigh *at least* 30 to 35 lb to even be called a DOG in my book. Anything smaller...well...I have a number of phrases that I use in private (when those tiny...creatures...and their people can't hear me ):

--"doggie wannabe" / "wannabe dog"
--"doglet"
--"little yapper" (esp. the ones who never stop barking; you know, the ones that apartment buildings WANT? "25 lb and under"? )
--"sorta dog"

and the one reserved for ill-behaved, ill-groomed tiny little Precious at the dog park with people who don't have a clue about real dog behavior...

--"one of the ugliest cats I've ever seen"

Note that Corgis, Keeshonden, and other smallish breeds are true DOGS by this standard, but the Toys, small Terriers, and the pink blotchy thing in the slide show are all doglets, together with others of their ilk.

I mean: I have cats already! The "8- to 18-lb mammalian quadruped, carnivorous creature" eco niche in my household is occupied by creatures elegantly evolved for said niche over millions of years by the best in the biz: Mother Nature herself. I don't need some Doggie Come Lately, developed in the last century as a "Lady's Companion" or paperweight or whatever, to confuse the issue *and* not do a thing about mice *and* not purr.

The first Kees I knew had been raised with a dominant cat. The Kees and I, on a road trip, ended up sleeping in the same bedroll. I'll be dipped if he didn't--yes!--try to purr as we were falling asleep. That's what it sounded like to me, at least, and his person agreed: Doggie did try to "purr" occasionally.

But most of them (dogs, esp. microscopic ones) don't. I need functional animals who can help me, at least by *looking* large and menacing to persons of ill will. And a BIG BARK helps. A lot.

Cynthia

[Kisal]

Well, of course, I loved all of the Kom pics. And I loved the nose close-up, as well, because it reminded me of my old Newfie's nose. (My son called him "Nostrildamus". ) I also got a kick out of the Yorkshire terrier in show wraps. I used to have to wrap my first Kom's muzzle cords, so they didn't get in her food or water after I had groomed her for a show.

I just thought the pics were interesting. I like all dogs. But then, I pretty much like all animals.

[gumbo2176]

I'll side with Cynthia on this issue. I'm hard pressed to understand small dogs. Most I've been around are bundles of nervous energy that bark incessantly and pee on you if you pick them up.

I have 2 sister-in-laws that have small dogs, one that looks like a walking dust mop, the other, one of those hairless "Ugly Dog Contest" frequent winners. You know the ones that have the sprigs of hair on about 3 body parts, and not the right ones if you ask me and they live with their tongues sticking out like it's 5 sizes too big for their mouths. Useless animals!!!

I tend to like the larger breeds. From my 20's to my mid 40's I raised Pit Bulls and those were some of the finest dogs I've ever had. I also had Dobes and once had a Rottweiller that was a dog with a great disposition but horrible hips.

When I married my wife, she came with 2 kids, a cat and a dog. Her dog was a Cocker Spaniel and to tell the truth, I didn't like it much. Out of all the Pits I had over the years, not one ever bit anyone, but that Cocker would bite folks at least once a year, especially kids. It got to the point I told my wife I'd put him down if he did so again. Fortunately for him, he got old, lame and calmed down a lot. He was eventually put down at age 16 due to health issues.

At age 58, I no longer own a dog but my wife got another cat 2 yrs. ago and I'm getting use to it Got to admit, they are much easier than dogs to keep, just not near as giving of themselves----------only when it suits them------kinda like teenagers.

[Charlie MV]

I'm a big dog fan too. I rescued a deer dog [mutt but huge] after some jacka$$ hunter had abandoned him. He didn't like fences. I put him in the back yard and I'd come home to find him curled up on the front porch. He would literally knock down the fence. I repaired the fence and left him on the front porch. I came home and found him on the back porch. Fence was down again. I left it down.

My black lab would dig 4 holes in the shape of a square that looked like a baseball diamond. She would "run bases" for hours. As she hit each hole, she would brake with her front paws slinging dirt in the air. Then she would snap at the flying dirt, bark a time or two and then "steal" the next base. I always figured she was Shoeless Joe Jackson reincarnated.

Now here is the point. My wife brought home a miniature Schnauzer about a year after we were married. I told her there was no way I would have anything to do with that useless little rat. Within two weeks, I was dressing her in her little sweaters. Never say never.

Double Dog, pictures two and three but particularly three say all that anyone need know about dogs.

[shadowsmom]

We currently have a German Wirehair, Brittany Spaniel and, "hanging my head in shame", a Yorkie-Poo.

We always had dogs of the larger variety - Border Collies, Labs, Dobermans- but DD suffered a head injury when she was 10. She was released from the hospital a week before her 10th birthday and wasn't allowed to do much of anything for quite some time.

Even though we had 4 large dogs (2 Border Collies and 2 Labs) at the time the only thing she asked for was a little fro-fro dog. Needless to say I found her 2 lbs of black fluff and we gave her Shadow. The puppy immediately knew his job was to sit with her and be her little companion. He did win all our hearts in the end and he maxed out at 10 lbs.

Since he's always been the small dog in a big dog house, he has a bit of a Napoleon complex.

Anyway, my point was dogs of all sizes have their place. Sometimes it's just a matter of circumstance and timing.

[Troppofoodgardener]

I'll take an old bugger laying in warm compost.

Eric

Hi Eric,
is that the best way to 'grow' new ones.. in warm compost?

[DoubleDogFarm]

Yes, I believe so. If you look at the second and third photo, you can see he's being rained on.

Best propagation. Keep the surface moist and a source of bottom heat.

This picture, you can see the steam coming off the compost. Look mostly to the right of Jacob. Jacob was looking ghostly, with the water droplets on his coat. Did show up in the picture.

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Jacob%20and%20Pepper/DSC02913.jpg[/img]

Eric

[Cerbiesmom]

The picture of the pointer took my breath away. If I ever get a pic of my heeler/pointer mix like that, it will be tatooed on me,

And boo to all you big dog ppl. Although I will freely admit that I was once one of you. Little dogs don't have to be be yappy, anlkle-biting, peeing monsters. I have 2 mini-dachshunds along with my heeler mix. I've always hated little dogs, never saw the use for them. Those 2 little weiners keep up with me and Cerbie. They go on 5 mile hikes with us, they run at the dogpark, they go swimming in the pond at my aunts's country house. They also raise the alarm. My big dog thinks everybody is his best friend, and would gladly lick an intruder to death. Unless the little ones bark, then he's on alert.
I'll add, my 2 smaller dogs don't yap, they don't pee if they're excited (my boy will occasionally pee if he's scared, but he was abused for 6 years, so he has a pass on that one, and it's gotten so much better), they let people handle them, they both love children, and they aren't neurotic messes. I still want a mastiff. lol.
My boy Max killed a water mocassin that was creeping up behind me. That was the day he became our dog, no longer a foster.
[img]https://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm132/cerbiesmom/3-5.jpg[/img]
They also help me garden.

[Troppofoodgardener]

I think we know that ALL dogs are pretty awesome, regardless of size.

Mine was a medium-sized Shih tzu x Husky - may he be stirring up trouble in the Big Garden in the Sky! His mum was the Husky, so imagine what his dad had to do!!

[Cerbiesmom]

That's hysterical, Troppo. I bet that was an odd looking dog. I love wierd mixes like that.

[cynthia_h]

We currently have a German Wirehair, Brittany Spaniel and, "hanging my head in shame", a Yorkie-Poo.

We always had dogs of the larger variety - Border Collies, Labs, Dobermans- but DD suffered a head injury when she was 10. She was released from the hospital a week before her 10th birthday and wasn't allowed to do much of anything for quite some time.

Even though we had 4 large dogs (2 Border Collies and 2 Labs) at the time the only thing she asked for was a little fro-fro dog. Needless to say I found her 2 lbs of black fluff and we gave her Shadow. The puppy immediately knew his job was to sit with her and be her little companion. He did win all our hearts in the end and he maxed out at 10 lbs.

Since he's always been the small dog in a big dog house, he has a bit of a Napoleon complex.

Anyway, my point was dogs of all sizes have their place. Sometimes it's just a matter of circumstance and timing.

Sounds like this little guy has (had?) a Real Job. Not many dogs do. Is he/was he ever certified as a Service Dog?

The real killer about wannabe dogs is that their owners, all too often, see them as fashion accessories or something, and don't take them to obedience class, figuring that, "I'll pick Precious up if something happens." Then take Precious to the dog park, where said beast has no idea how to be a dog and does nothing but cause trouble with and for other dogs.

Cynthia

[cynthia_h]

And boo to all you big dog ppl. Although I will freely admit that I was once one of you. Little dogs don't have to be be yappy, anlkle-biting, peeing monsters. ...

My boy Max killed a water mocassin that was creeping up behind me. That was the day he became our dog, no longer a foster.

Exactly. They don't HAVE to be yappy, ankle-biting....but usually they are.

The name "Dachshund" in German means "badger hound." These little guys were originally bred to follow and dig out badgers from their burrows. Not a job for the faint of heart.

Dogs who work in their historic lines of work are happy in a way that few people understand. Max fulfilled his destiny in killing that snake--and allowed you to have yours! Thank you for your testimony!

Cynthia

[DoubleDogFarm]

I don't think my dogs, originally from Labrador, part of Newfoundland, will be bringing in nets from icy water.

The term is believed to originate from the earliest days of European exploration of the New World. King Manuel l issued a patent in 1499 granting Joao Fernandes rights of exploration in Portugal's sphere of influence. Fernandes was a landowner, and as such bore the title 'lavrador.' Sixteenth century maps showing where Fernandes landed in Greenland bear the title Terra Laurador and on another Terra Laboratoris. Later in the century the name would come to refer to the bulk of land to the southwest of Greenland. And thus we have the naming of the 'Labrador' as it is today.
* From "As near to Heaven By Sea" A history of Newfoundland and Labrador by Kevin Major

Eric

[shadowsmom]

Sounds like this little guy has (had?) a Real Job. Smile Not many dogs do. Is he/was he ever certified as a Service Dog?

Funny you should ask that! DD (the reason we got him) is currently going to college for her BS RN and is doing clinical work at a childrens hospital which also has a medical daycare center associated with it. She was looking into the requirements to bring Shadow for the wheelchair/bed bound children. They currently have some dogs come in and visit but she's checking if she can bring him for her 4 hour shift. He'd be very content sitting in someones lap and snuggle.

[Cerbiesmom]

Exactly. They don't HAVE to be yappy, ankle-biting....but usually they are.

The name "Dachshund" in German means "badger hound." These little guys were originally bred to follow and dig out badgers from their burrows. Not a job for the faint of heart.

Dogs who work in their historic lines of work are happy in a way that few people understand. Max fulfilled his destiny in killing that snake--and allowed you to have yours! Thank you for your testimony!

Cynthia[/quote]
I know. Most little dog people irk me to no end. I love it when other dachshund people tell me how "it's impossible to teach them, they're so stubborn". That's when I'll put one of mine in a down/stay and walk away, then call them to me to run them through their tricks. And I say "yeah, just like it's impossible to have an intelligent coversation with a blonde". (I'm a blonde. I love to start throwing big words/ideas around when ppl start talking to me like I'm an automatic idiot).
My dachshunds are tough little dogs. Next go around with a small dog, I'm finding the tiniest, fluffiest thing ever to see what I can do with it. I'm thinking flyball.

[Green Mantis]

Kisal, You mentioned komondor's. Can you tell me what you thought of them, temperment wise etc. We are going to buy one from a long time breeder in the spring or summer of 2011. We need a puppy to get used to our miniature horse, plus be a buddy for us, as well as a guard dog, in our out-door storage yard. Completely fenced with 6 foot high chainlink fencing.---We definately will be socializing it, it has to be a female ( to be spayed) so it doesn't lift it's leg on people's trailers etc. But very few people can tell me much about them. Doing research on the computer isn't good enough, as I want to know the things the dogs books don't tell you. Hope you come on. Looking forward to hearing about them. I don't think we could ever be with out dogs either, they really and truly are family!

[Kisal]

I could write a book.

This description is quite accurate, based on my personal experience:

Komondor Temperament

The Komondor was developed to be an independent, intelligent and sensitive dog capable of making decisions on his own. This makes him a terrific family guardian, but also makes him unsuitable for some types of homes. The adult Komondor is a large, territorial dog, and prospective owners must understand that a Komondor puppy must be well-socialized and taught to behave in a manner acceptable to the owner. Because Komondors traditionally cared for their charges without a human to tell them what to do, they do not automatically look to people for direction the way herding and sporting breeds do. They are very smart dogs, and learn quickly, but a Komondor owner must make it clear from puppyhood (and continuing throughout the dog's life) that no means no, and must consistently correct the dog for behavior that is not acceptable. Having said that, the Komondor is also an extremely loving dog. He loves his family absolutely, and hates to have any of them out of his sight. The typical Komondor will follow his people from room to room, and actively seeks out physical contact with those he loves. The Komondor is a wonderful guardian of home and property, but must have an owner who will see to it that the character traits that made the Komondor valuable as a livestock guardian will not become a liability in the modern world.

By Richard and Therese Heaney, for the Komondor Club of America, Inc. Copyright 1995. Distributed with permission of the Komondor Club of America. This article may be reproduced in its entirety with credit given to the Komondor Club of America. Copyright 1995 by the Komondor Club of America.

Koms are guard dogs, not simple watch dogs. They don't just alert you to a situation. They evaluate the situation and if they think action is necessary, then they do what they decide needs to be done. If you think the dog has made the wrong decision, then you have to be prepared to exert physical control over the animal ... even if your dog responds dependably to your verbal commands and hand signals. You're dealing with a very large, powerful dog that can kill a person with little effort, so you must always be in full control of the animal.

Koms are quite stubborn. They are extremely bright and can solve problems on their own. This breed requires an owner that is very firm, but also very gentle, because a Kom will never forgive or forget rough handling.

This is a breed that I would not recommend to a person, with or without children, who has a lot of traffic in and out of their home. The dog, no matter how well socialized or what you might say, will decide who is welcome in your home. A Kom very well might decide to defend one of your kids if a dispute developed with a neighbor child ... no matter if the dispute was nothing more than a "Did not!" "Did, too!" shouting match. You can never ever forget that your dog is a guard dog.

Koms are absolutely wonderful dogs, but the coat requires quite a lot of attention. It isn't a matter of simply brushing it out. The coat must be dried thoroughly after bathing, because it can mildew and cause fungal infections of the skin. The coat must be cleaned by hand on a daily basis, to keep it free of awns and other debris that can work its way down into the skin. (I actually knew a Kom who died from an infection caused by a weed seed that penetrated its skin, so keeping the coat clean should be a high priority.) My dog would lie across my lap while I watched TV in the evening, and I'd pick over her coat, cleaning it of twigs and other stuff she picked up during the day outdoors. I always told people it was kind of like knitting, you could do it just by touch, and during commercials, do a close visual exam to make sure you hadn't missed anything. The dogs, btw, adore the attention!

Another concern is who will care for the dog if you have to be away. I ended up having to take my Koms with me, because they wouldn't allow anyone to enter the house to feed them. Another thing to consider is that these dogs bark at night, which can be a problem if you have close neighbors. I just kept my dogs indoors at night. I figured they wouldn't be able to protect me very well if they were outside and an intruder broke into the house.

Now, with all those warnings and cautions, I would be unfair if I failed to point out that, although my Koms both attacked people on a couple of different occasions, neither dog ever actually injured anyone. In fact, their preferred method of attack is simply to knock down the person and sit or stand on the person's chest. They aim to drive intruders away or bring them under control, not necessarily harm them. However, if the person tries to fight the dog, they will probably end up with injuries. The dogs, for all their size, are extremely quick and agile.

I have to add that I wish it was me getting another Kom pup! They are just the most wonderful breed I've ever known. Gorgeous, powerful, graceful, just amazing!

[Green Mantis]

Kisal, Thank You for your wonderful description of the komondors. I guess I meant Guard dog, not watch dog.--There is only my husband and myself here. Our kids are grown up, and if someone wanted to go out in the storage yard, we would have a properly built kennel we could put her in until they left. WE don't travel much, but taking a dog with would not be a problem.--- I asked the breeder about the coat, and she said pretty well everyone, clips them in the spring, then lets the hair grow out until the next spring. As that was a concern of ours. We really don't want all of that hair to look after. We are quite willing to check the coat as it grows out for the winter, but don't want the long hair all the time, although they do look lovely. What you had to say is very interesting, because these are things the dog books Don't tell you!---- I wish they would with every breed. No one comes in here unless we unlock the gates or door, plus we are in a commercial building, in the commercial area, so no close neighbours to bother with barking. We certainly have no time for dog abuse, because your'e right, every breed doesn't forget. Obviously these forget less often yet! As for making sure we are in control, is why we are not going to purchase until next year. We want to be totally ready to spend lots of time with her. Right now, we aren't. Still too many things to catch up on, after moving in here and getting ourselves and a new business organized. That will be finished before we ever got a puppy. We don't want a dog to just throw out in the back yard and feed/water and let it completely do it's own thing. They all need training and interaction with their people.----It could happen that we change our minds on the breed, but we certainly like what we have heard about them.---Someone suggested a pryenees mountain dog, but I don't think that's what we want. I really appreciatte your answers, gives us lots to think about. We don't want to make a mistake, as they are not good dogs to re-home. So lots of learning, and asking over the winter to do. But at least you have owned them and are experienced! That really helps. Thank You again.

[Kisal]

I think you sound like just the right kind of folks for a Kom.

I meant to post the URL to that Komondor Club of America article, so you could read it in its entirety, but I got carried away with memories of my sweet Koms, though. Here's the link: https://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/breeds/komondors.html

The coat is really a protection for the dog, both from harsh weather and from injury. When a predator would try to bite, all it would get would be a mouthful of hair. The corded coat is actually quite nice. The dogs don't shed hair, in the way most dogs do. They just drop an occasional cord, which is quite simple to pick up.

I don't know how much you've researched your breeder, but they should ... IMO, anyway ... be a member of the KCOA. They should have you sign a contract, requiring that you return the dog to them if you decide you no longer want it. A responsible breeder is usually willing to just buy the dog back from you at any time. It's very important to know as much as you can about the breeder, because you're trusting that the person was careful about breeding for temperament, and not just conformation or to produce AKC pups. When you're taking a very large and powerful animal into your home, it's important to know that it isn't going to grow up to be a nut case. This is an article about the kennel I got both of my dogs from: https://www.dogchannel.com/show/articlelajosmegyi.aspx

Ohhh, you just gotta show me the baby's pictures!

[Green Mantis]

WE will definately make sure they are members. Also will be driving a long way to go pick our puppy, as I don't want something that is acting aggressive as a baby. But meeting the parents is a VERY good idea, which we will do. Yes the best breeders in anything, will always buy or take the puppy or what ever back. The ones that don't have that contract, we will be staying away from. That contact link is very interesting. Thank you for that. Sounds like you loved your komondors very much. I did get a laugh out of how they will sit on or hold a person down. If I was someone that wasn't supposed to be in there, and got sat on, I sure wouldn't be moving, not even an inch! All going well and we do get one, we will definately post pictures for you! Thanks so much for the information.

[Kisal]

I was at a show in Walla Walla WA once with my show Kom. With big dogs like Koms, you have to run alongside them in the ring. I have a back injury that prevents me from running, so I had a guy who took her in the ring for me. He was a friend of my dog's breeder and did it just as a favor to me. His name was Bill, and my dog had known him for about 5 or 6 years. She liked him a lot, and there was never any problem between them. I always groomed her myself, so all he did was take her in the ring for me.

So, it was between shows, and I was sitting on the sofa in the motor home, reading a book, with my Kom lying on the sofa beside me snoozing. Bill stopped to say hello, put one foot on the step and took hold of the handle of the screen door to open it. My dog went flying off the couch, crashed through the door, and slammed poor Bill flat on his back on the ground, knocking him about 10 feet away from the motor home in the process. I was hot on her heels, and when I reached them and grabbed her collar, she had turned around and sat down on Bill's chest, holding him for me. I got her off him and asked if he was okay. He assured me that he was, then said with chagrin, "After all the years I've worked with Koms, you'd think I'd finally get it through my head that they're guard dogs."

[Green Mantis]

Wow!!! Is Bill still your friend? Now that is some guard dog! Nobody in their right mind would have tried to bother you with her around! We are going to try and meet komondor breeders, before we commit to anything. As we want to meet the adults, find out what we think with the real dog there! Not just pictures, e-mails and phone calls. For us and for the dog's sake, this is a BIG decision. So we have to get it right. Sure is interesting to hear about the real dog, behind the comments in dog books.---I think you NEED to write a book about them! So many dog books describe things, but not the things that people really need to know, you certainly can! That was some story about poor Bill! Sounds like you really enjoyed them. Thinking back on memories like that can be very emotional, funny and sad. But memories you never would have had, if you wouldn't have had any komondor's. Why did you eventually have to give up on having another? Must have been hard. I really appreciatte all the info you have given me. Very educational! Thank You.

[froggy]

LoL, the guard dog story....

I agree you've got to meet the dog in person first. But even that may not prepare you for what the dog will be like once he/she's adopted you...

We got Goofy (nope, we didn't name him), our shepherd, as a rescue from the humane society. went back every evening for a week to play kong with him, before finally taking him home.
Whilst we were there, he was fine with people, and seemed ok with other dogs.
The second day at home, he attacked a neighbor. No person other than me or my husband has been able to even get near him since. He's just that protective. Oh and dominant, and a little crazy (he's the only dog who will still fight, when flat on his back, after submitting until you let go, even on calming meds (for the vet visit)).
In 4 years, he's been friendly-ish with about 5 dogs, if they so much as look him in the eye though, there'll be blood.

All that said, with me and my husband he's the perfect dog, well behaved, gentle, very clean and no separation anxiety. Just not social, which can be a pain when we are trying to have a life and invite people over for dinner...

oh and as for doggy pics, this is one of my faves, which my husband took a few years back...

[img]https://lookslike.ca/pages/images/large/woofstock_l_07.jpg[/img]

Goofy calls them snack and appetizer

[Green Mantis]

Amazing what hides behind the surface isn't it! Sounds like nobody will ever bother either of you. Although trying to have friends over and a social life could be a little hard alright! -------- , Not for a guard dog, but we did take in a rescue chiuahua Dec. 18th, she's a blue merle, about 3 yrs old. She's a BIG chiuahua! 12 lbs.! She was rescued out of a puppy mill. Have to admit she is a very nice girl! So happy to have a life! Also getting very spoiled!......... But we still will be checking out komondors in the spring, when we are organized enough. If we aren't ready we will wait. I love people's dog stories, they can be quite interesting!...... Hopefully more people will come on with more stories!

[froggy]

According to goofy a social life is over rated :p

talking of dog stories, you'll like this one:

Before I met him, my husband had four dogs and a small house in the country. One of the dogs was a hound, he had her from when she was just a couple days old, and she was not the friendliest of dogs, though had a lot of control over her mean streak...

So one day this teenager decides to break into the house. As he breaks the window, he he feels a tugging on his leg, accompanied by a low growl.
Turning his attention from the window, he finds 3 large dogs sitting in a circle around him, and the fourth holding on to his leg, curling her lip and growling.

A few hours later, my husband got home and found the kid, in the same situation (yes, the hound was still holding on to his leg, and growling every time he was about to move), only, in the meantime he had wet his pants. The policeman responding to the call, couldn't help but to excuse himself for a minute and go laughing in his car.

Finally the kids parents arrived at the scene. Expecting something along the lines of being charged for the aggressive behavior of his dogs, my hubby was surprised, when they came thanking him, for nothing more effective could have happened to stop the kid from becoming a habitual burglar...



say hi to the chiuahua gotta love a dog you can just pick up if they are throwing a temper

[Green Mantis]

Oh my goodness, I'm surprised he didn't do more than that in his pants!!! lol. I guess the police officer would have to go away and laugh, would be pretty hard not to. So much for the big time criminal, actually though it probably was the best thing that could have ever happened, to stop his break and enter career! Too bad no one had a camera! Can you imagine what they would do with that on you-tube. He'd never show his face again! I guess we had better get REAL dogs, LOL!!! Can't see our ankle biters doing that. Unless they tripped him, lol!

[microcollie]

Kisal, You mentioned komondor's. Can you tell me what you thought of them, temperment wise etc. We are going to buy one from a long time breeder in the spring or summer of 2011.

I haven't been watching this thread, so forgive me for butting in late in the game. Green Mantis, have you considered looking into a shelter dog? There are plenty of Komondor rescues around. While I understand the desire to buy from a reputable breeder, there are many dogs languishing in shelters. This is particularly prevalent with large, difficult, labor-intensive breeds such as the kom.
As an extra bonus, they're normally a fraction of the cost of a dog from a breeder.

[Green Mantis]

Kisal, I have considered a rescue komondor, but around here there is a breeder of un-registered, and not quite purebred komondors. He's spread them far and wide, so will have to contact someone regarding rescues that haven't come from his dogs. He breeds every heat and charges half what the other breeders do. No papers of course. Not that Reg. Papers make the dog. There's lots of Great purebreds and crossbreds out there that have no papers. But in this case, these dogs are too tempermental? If that's the word I want, to go ending up with something that could be bad news. Don't want that happening.-----Got an e-mail from the Lady that we got the 12 pounder chihuahua from and she had been to a place a couple of hours from here, to rescue a puppy, 11 months old, been in a cage since it was 6 weeks old. It's a puppy mill with 150 or so dogs in it. So we are trying to get it shut down. For all those dogs, I sure hope it happens! So incredibly sad.----But rescues definately have been a thought with us, we just want to make sure it will get along with our miniature horse too. That's why we were considering a puppy.

[Kisal]

Well, I didn't recommend a rescued Kom, and I'm not certain that I would. I've seen some poorly bred Koms ... unpredictable temperament, excitable, etc. ... that I sure wouldn't want to own. I've also seen one fine rescued Kom, but it required a lot of hard work by the new owner. The new owner was very experienced with the breed, and knew what she was getting into when she took the dog.

I don't think I would recommend a rescued Kom to a person who had never owned a Kom. Even if you were lucky and got a dog with a lovely temperament and no bad habits, who had never been mishandled, it's still going to think for itself. This trait makes the breed more difficult to train than, say, one of the sporting breeds. It's much easier to train a Kom while it's a young puppy, and its personality is still malleable, rather than to take on an adult Kom that's set in its ways. Sharing your life with a dog that is an independent thinker takes some getting used to. No amount of advance information can prepare you for the actual experience. (My Koms always had some kind of surprise in store for me, such as showing me that opening the fridge and helping themselves was no challenge at all! )

I'm 100% in favor of adopting animals from responsible shelters. I adored my purebred Koms, but I equally adored my mixed-breed Newf/Golden, and the two "mutts" I own now. However, I'm also of the opinion that there are some animals that simply will never make good pets, whether due to bad breeding, unfortunate genetic inheritance, or abusive treatment. Some things just can't be fixed, no matter how badly we might want them to be. JMO, of course.

[Green Mantis]

Kisal, Your idea of other breed rescues actually sounds much better. I bet your Newf/golden retriever was a lovely dog. I really like newfs. There are some puppies to give away here right now, they are Rotty x's ( the mother is the Rottie) the father is a Bernese Mountain dog. But I'm not real sure about some rotties, they haven't been very well breed in the last few years. Not sure just what the temperments are like either. So we will just wait till spring, when we have all our work finished here and then can spend time with the puppy or dog and really enjoy it. No not all dogs are re-homable, sadly there just is too many weird crosses out there. But in the meantime we will enjoy looking and talking about various breeds. You learn an awful lot this way!.......They opened your fridge????? Oh My!!! Not just counter surfers, but real help yourself artists! After what you said, we will also stay away from a komondor rescue too! Doesn't sound promising if you aren't familiar with the breed. Thanks so much for your stories about your dogs, I could listen to them all day!

[Kisal]

I've met some lovely Rotts. The neighbor 3 doors down from my house has an adorable female Rott, who comes to visit me, sometimes, when I'm sitting on the front porch. She always has a toy in her mouth! She's so cute and very sweet tempered.

The owner of one of the pet supply stores here has a beautiful male Rott that she leaves at the store during the night. The dog graciously greets all the customers during the day, but I pity anyone who's foolish enough to break into that store after closing time!

[gixxerific]

APBT all the way for me. if you don't know that is American Pit bull Terrier. Best dog in the world if you ask me.

oh DDF my new girl (Lucy) loves the compost as well. She likes to eat it though. I finally had to cover the front of it today. I just added a ton of leaves and willow branches and I think she was getting ready to use it as a launch ramp to jump the fence.

[DoubleDogFarm]

gixxerific,

Welcome back. How were the Holidays! It's been about two months?

Lucy, How old, breed?

Jacob, he eats compost, duck poop, duck feed, eggs, almost anything.


Eric

[Green Mantis]

SGT, So glad to hear you got a new dog. I have never had anything to do with PB's, but hear lots of people that have them, wouldn't have anything else. Wouldn't work for us though, as this dog has to live out in the yard and barn in the winter with our miniature horse. So way too cold for a lot of breeds...........You'll have to tell us all about Lucy????

[froggy]

Only problem I see with rescue animals as opposed to getting a puppy from a breeder is the 'baggage' - if you get a puppy, at least it's you who messes them up instead of someone else whose story you don't know.

We were only told our shepherd had bitten people before, after we went to the humane society and told them about a near miss with our neighbor - they didn't tell us before to give him a chance at an adoption. - yay, I am not sure if I would have taken him knowing about it, but at least I would have been prepared. most people would return the dog seeing that kind of temperament, which, of course, would not make him any better to deal with on later attempts at adoption.
A dog the size of a kom, would probably be even harder to control ( from what I read they are similar to shepherds in behaviour - ok now you can yell at me for saying that) and I know I have my hands full with this one who is half the size of a kom...

the only advice I have for bad behaviour - exercise - 2h of kong a day and even Goofy is a well behaved puppy - I will have to get him a sister soon to socialize him though, the only thing that keeps me from it is the thought of walking two of the same sort