courtnek

Good questions DP....also, what happens at 10:00? is this normally bedtime for everyone? or is there a certain show you watch at that time every night? The reason I ask is that some opening musical themes make some dogs crazy. My Malamute used to howl when the Empire Carpet commercials came on, something about the jingle annoyed him and made him howl...we got to changing the channel as soon as one would start. So maybe something on the TV or radio is annoying him...or maybe he knows everyone is going to bed and he's trying to prevent it, in which case some crate retraining and ignoring may be necessary....

I see your point...the dog looks a little strange. But if you look closely at the water supposedly falling on the dog, none of it is bouncing back up. If you're familiar with a Lab's coat, it is very oily at the top to keep it waterproof, and when rain falls on it it would bounce up, like it does off a windshield. I think it looks creepy because it almost looks like the water is going around or through the dog, not on it. It's not good computer animation either....his back end doesnt even look wet.... :o

thanks Gooey (and everyone!) I believe she may be partially deaf, maybe only in one ear....she was looking distracted by noise behind her, and searching for the sound... When upstairs, I have to call pretty loud before she'll respond. She is also easily startled awake by loud nosies, which makes me think she cant hear soft ones well...my son running down the stairs both sounds like a herd of elephants, and causes a lot of vibraton because his room is just above mine. She will startle awake and bay.... oh well... thanks again. :fadein:

I am beginning to think Laurel may be partially deaf, as well as partially blind...the partial blindness the vet proved..her peripheral vision is bad to non-existant. but now that she's settled in I am trying to teach her some basic obedience commands, like "LIE DOWN". If I give the command verbally, she ignores me. Once I started giving it with both verbal, and hand signals, she responded and learned in 15 minutes....I used treats, cheese, but she didnt respond unless I used hand commands as well. I ususally teach them both anyway, but I noticed she didnt respond to verbal. yet if I go to the foot of the stairs and call her down, she will come. When she is outside she wil hang out outside the door where she can see me, or she'll come back when I call Freebee. she seems to hear a little, but not really well...andy suggestions for testing hearing DAL?

good post Izzy...and I agree. Nowhere in the bible does it put a restiction on NOT letting your animals breed out of control...and K put it best...we are their caretakers. WE need to make the choices of what is best for them...

do your dogs gang up on you when one wants something, and you miss the signs? Laurel is very timid, Freebee very dominant. Shr left my room. whined a little. came in and out. I didnt respond, I was watching TV... She went out into the living room, where Freebee is sleeping. I heard Freebee snapand growl...then suddenly she shows up at the door, whining and growling, her signals for LET ME OUT!! I got up, opened the door, Laurel went out and Freebee went back to the living room. Laurel had to go...Freebee didnt...yet she came to me displaying "her" outside signals, so I would let Laurel out... weird, huh? Never had a dog do that before....

voted. what a sweetheart....

I understand completely HF...I only told this story (with much embarassment, because I got flamed from my mother and friends when I told them I had done it) so that if you DID want tosnake her out of there, you might not feel so bad about it.... I just got lucky. Jeff wanted the dog, had a place to keep him, far enough away that it was unlikely to ever be found out. I completely understand that you cant take her in. I am really very sorry for you, and her and the pups. I often wondered if the neighbors saw me do it, since they were all around and alot of them the moms stayed home. And if so, did they just decide to keep quiet about it because they agreed? I'll never know...

well, it could be the cats. Wolves bury bones and food as a "stash", intending to come back to them later when pickings are leaner. Same reason squirrels store nuts all summer. SO maybe she feels that the cats are a threat to her food supply somehow....and since the meaty bones are more meaty then regular bones or kibble, she may just be responding to an instinct to hide food for later if she needs it. Since sand wont work, you could try a box with torn up blankets and old clothes, lots of layers so she could dig through it and cover it up with her nose. I would have said newspaper if not for the cats, but some cats will use newpaper as litter if given the chance.

Poor thing! I hope he got home ok, but Aurora and Ellie are right. If he was that freaked out he may actually have bitten you if you tried to catch him. Know that you did your best. you are an :angel: for trying though.

[quote]Courtnek im really sorry, that must be so tough for you..never forget that she is watching over you always and will always love you and be there for you [/quote] thank you - It's been a few years now (1999) but when I read that poem I thought about all the things I should probably had said, and didnt. So yes, you are right. Never pass up a chance to tell someone that you love them, no matter what... and I'm glad that your mom is still with you.

Tears for you and Brax Pitgal. You are both in my thoughts. Hope everything works out well...

[quote]Ok I'll bite and play Devils Advocate. The reason some people of different religions don't spay/neuter is the same reason that allot of Catholics don't use birth control. It's not "natural" or how god (whatever god that may be) created things. [/quote] :lol: :lol: devils advocate it is! in the bible it states specifically that God told people to go forth bear fruitof young....which strict catholics take literally. However, back when Christ was around, the world wasnt extremely overpopulated the way it is now, and I think if he were to reappear he would ask us to stop bearing so much fruit, we have too much already... JMO. However, I dont remember a single passage where God or Jesus required people to let their animals bear young excessively. and HF, you're right. Under extreme pressure from AC and the Humane Society they finally allowed some of the older poodles to be neutered. That's one of the the things that ticked me off...I dont buy off on sudden religious conversions for political and advantageous reasons.

watching animal precinct....these people had **26**poodles, and the city offered to let the "spay and neuter" mobile van come to them to fix the dogs...it cost them NOTHING...they FOUGHT about it due to religious reasons? WHAT RELIGIOUS REASONS COULD YOU HAVE FOR NOT SPAYING/NEUTERING YOUR DOGS???? I was brought up a catholic, and dont remenber anything saying yu could not neuter your dogs....

while I too despise dog theives, I HAVE stolen one, long ago. A beautiful shepherd mix, tied up outside all the time, no contact with people except when they dropped off his food and water outside...(in Chicago, where winter gets below zero...how viable is the water going to be then???) I saw and heard him out there, night after night, in the freezing cold and blazing heat of this part of the country...no shelter, tied with a six foot leash, he was laying in his own feces half the time. I called AC, all the people did was extend the tie out so he didnt have to sleep in his own poop, and put a cardboard box out there for him to sleep in...A CARDBOARD BOX!!! the rules werent quite so strict back then. I offered to take him, they got offended and said "what, you think we cant take care of our own dog?" (well, yes, actually, I DO think that)...so I started plotting. I had a friend who lived on a farm about 40 miles from there, who was looking for a nice dog. didnt want a puppy, too much work, but an adult dog that would be good with his farm animals. I figured Shepherd, probably could make it ok on a farm, with a loving and caring owner. They named the poor thing "Chaos" and he was as sweet as pie. If they wanted a guard dog, he wasnt it. He would strain on his tie out for ANYBODY to come by and pay attention to him. So I stole him. Plain and simple, after they left for work, then drove him to Jeff's farm. On the drive I renamed him Phoenix, (risen from the fire) and he answered to it, and lived with Jeff, until he died three years ago of natural causes...was I wrong? In the eyes of the law, yes (the people had the police come to my house when they got home, but of course, Phoenix wasnt there, and I claimed complete unknowing) did I do wrong MORALLY? No, I dont think so.

Malamum is again correct. The louder the squabble, the more likely it's posturing, but if Buster wont back down then you have to step in and take over. They cant be equal, not with each other. their instincts wont allow it unless they were male and female and mated. And even then, the male would have the upper hand in a squabble. Interestingly enough, I just had a one one one with Queen Freebee. I am trying to get my rescued Foxhound to chew on rawhide, because she has teeth and gum issues. She is very timid and Omega, and Freebee stole her piece of bone (although I had given her one too) and ran off with it, then warned Laurel away when she tried to retrieve it. Ordinarily I would let them work it out, but Laurel really needs to chew to get her teeth and gum problems under control. I went to get it away from Freebee and she ran, then STOOD ME OFF! when I tried to take it back. Now, I have never been bitten by a dog, although threatened, because I learned how to react to that situation. Because I know Freebee wont bite me, I came up behind her, made her sit, and removed the piece of bone from her mouth, while she was clamped down on it with all her jaw strength. A slight pressure on the gums forces them to open their mouth. She lost the bone, and I gave it back to Laurel, and she was sent to bed. End of story. But sometimes, with a dominant dog, you gotta do these things. YOU rule, that's IT. [quote]Sometimes she'll talk back to us. But alway moves[/quote] THAT'S a typical teenager.....my son does the same thing... :lol:

the breeds I mentioned are all "dominance seekers"..they are large, and can be dangerous, and really, if given an inch they will take a mile.... They are also more prone, maybe because of size, to try to take the Alpha role from an owner who doesnt know better. They need strong handling, I think they know they can hurt you if they become Alpha and YOU dont comply. They need "work".....they need someone who will handle them. control them and make them live by the pack rules. I have a Lab Mix and a Foxhound....the Lab Mix is basically full of herself. Thinks she's Queen Freebee...Laurel is a pack Hound, field trialed. Both respond well to pack rules, which is what I teach by without exception. Freebee gets out of line and a 'KNOCK IT OFF" in "that" voice will chill her out. She wil leave the room and settle down. Without the pack rules, I dont think I could have kept my malamute mix. He was dangerous, literally, because I didnt know any better. He was 100 lbs of "wannabe" Alpha....and I didnt know about pack rules then. He ended up being an excellent dog, that I could trust anywhere and with anyone..but it took alot of pack rules and training. have argued this point repeatedly with the people who think "its not necessary, they're domesticated..." they're only as "domesticated" as you teach them to be...

Malamum, you may not be an "expert", but that was phenomenal advice. Exactly what I was going to say! And I have broken MANY a dominant dog in my day, using just those methods. Malamutes (I had a Malamute Mix, and they can be a handful) tend to want to be dominant. They are truly pack animals, like my Foxhound. They respond to pack training better than any coddling, treating, persuasion or exasperation can accomplish. Your Journey needs to be demoted. Now. She will teach Buster, but it could cause damage to Buster. Better you regain Alpha control, seperate them and intervene. Journey should obey YOU, always, even if it means leaving Buster alone. Now, I know there are alot of people who believe that dogs have been domesticated for so long they dont need pack rules anymore, and to them I say "try raising a Malamute, a Husky, a Dobie, Rottie, or GSD without them, and dont call me when you get bitten...." :evilbat:

My TV is in a cabinet built into the wall (I built it when I bought this house) because the room is so small there was nowhere else to put it. Behind the TV center is a closet, so it seemed logical. My kid puts his PS2 on the floor too, and sure enough the dogs disconnect the wires running to the door. I have hardwood floors, so my solution was to masking tape the wires to the floor when in use, so the dogs couldnt pull them out.

[quote]Courtnek I am wondering whether Rio could have a sight problem now,he can chase a ball and such like but people will 'spook' him sometimes,do you think it is possible ?[/quote] yea I do. Laurel can chase a ball and follow a scent, and if someone approachers her directly she is hesitant, but ok. However, if they come up behind or from the side she will growl until she can either see them clearly, or tell by their scent who they are. so maybe rio has a peripheral issue too.....if you put your hands toward his eyes at the side, does he notice it right away? be behind him so he cant see you doing it. good luck with Rio.

[quote]Great job! It's nice to get some recognition for all your hard work It's awesome that your vet remembered her! [/quote] she's kinda hard to forget..she has this weird eye marking...brown circles around her eyes that make her look sad all the time...most Foxhounds dont have those marking around their eyes. They said she is purebred, but not registered because she doesnt "fit" the standards for a FH... because of the eye markings...I think that's why I took her..she does look sad all the time. I'm just a sucker for a hard luck case, I guess... Most of my rescues have been hard luck cases...fosters, too... must just be me... :lol: :lol: :lol:

oh HF!! I'm SOOO sorry. Poor little Devin...but he's in good hands now, I know that. I just found out Laurel is partially blind, (bad/no peripheral vision) so I can sympathise, believe me. In her case it's easier, nothing needs to be done. Poor little Devin...know he's in my thoughts...

I went to a census website where it was stated that in 1997 there were 59 MILLION dogs in the U.S....... which means there are more now..... :o :o :o :o :o

so if 80 % of them are unlicensed, at a guess, there really could be 2 million dogs in New York City alone....the math says almost 1 million, from the statistics they gave, but they are still admitting it's a guess... that is amazing. I know here in the US we really like our dogs, but that number is STAGGERING.... :o :o

Buck's ok....it was just a bad pork chop experience....something he wanted so badly he couldnt resist stealing it, and then you got mad at him. He may have been growling in fear actually, since he knew you were mad but didnt know why. They dont think the way we do, that wasnt stealing, it was a free meal waiting to be taken....Laurel likes to countersurf - I keep all the food way out of her way. she doesnt do it unless there is something there she really wants, although she did break Freebee's glass dinner bowl because the food was on the counter and I had to leave the room a minute....I'm still finding glass shards.... :fadein: :fadein: