courtnek

they had a lab search and rescue dog...able to navigate over a bunch of boards that were not secure, they wobbled....he had to place his feet, test for stability, and then move on to the end of the board track...he did it in no time..the exact type of conditions he might come across trying to save someone trapped, or in a place where they couldnt get out... and some of those people gave him 8's..."cute trick", "he slipped a little" DONT THEY REALIZE?? If it was THEIR kid, or THEIR husband (or wife) they would want THIS dog to be there to help... GOD WHY DONT THEY UNDERSTAND??? These dogs are a hell of a lot more "valuable" then the birds that can talk...

voted!

LOL@ Shara!!! you just proved the point of all training efforts!! [quote]Although he still steps out of line now, but it's not a constant thing, is a much better enviroment to live in, and he gets more of what he wants too! Isn't it funny how that works out? [/quote] It works out that way because YOU make the rules and expect them to be obeyed. They obey, with a firm hand (labs are notorious about "pushing all your buttons") because you DONT let those buttons get pushed! Good job!! :D :D

OH SHARPIE!! I would be LOSING MY MIND.... All of my best wishes and hopes and thoughts are coming your way...maybe the rain will work in your favor...maybe she'll get tired of being wet and go to your dad.... I hope, I hope, I hope....

VERY NICE!!! beautiful YARD TOO!! (if only MINE looked that good...pictures would be embarrassing...) I have to tell you a funny story. My ex and I bought this house 15 years ago. I had a malamute/BC mix then, and he needed space to run around in (the BC in him I guess). We were looking for houses on a very limited budget, but I insisted on a fenced yard... and insisted, and insisted, and insisted... We bought this house. The backyard is fenced, 80 ft. by 60 ft., and the yard is easily 1 1/2 times the size of the house... :lol: :lol: I dont need a lot of space (my house is a teeny tiny bungalow with tiny rooms) but my dogs need running room!!! (My mom's only comment was "you're insane"...but she was a Real Estate agent...lol)

How far away from him are you? Maybe you should go meet him and try to call her - she may respond better to you...is that possible? Hope she comes home soon - poor dog, and POOR YOU!! This is horrible, I know... :cry:

GEEZ DAL!!! that's WAY too much pain all at one time!!! I understand the nose thing...my old dog would bash his head into my nose, and while never broken, it still HURT like hell.... Can you take Calcium supplements for the Osto? I always heard that calcium sups with fruit juice (like orange juice) break down better then with water. Do you like orange juice> Hope you feel better soon, and hubby comes home soon. That will make your life a little easier, and glad you're back with us! :D :D :D

around here it depends on the type of work the dog has to do... they use GSD's and Rotties for the K9 force...they use labs and GSD's for the airports - drug sniffing and weapons sniffing... Of course, they use bloodhounds to search for people, as well as labs and GSD's.... I had never hear of the malimois, if it's a French dog I would say it should be pronounced MAL-eh-mwaw....but then, there's a lot of people who cant] pronounce Illinois correctly ( :lol: it's il-ih-NOY, not il-ih-NOISE....) :lol: :lol: :lol:

I have never seen a Golden THAT blonde - almost white!!! :o Great pictures! All the dogs were adorable!! :lol: :lol: :lol:

hopeful thoughts coming your way...hope she's back home REAL SOON!!

DAL, I too am glad you are back. And as I said before, I apologize if what I said was misinterpreted, it was never intended to be hostile. :)

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: You win the prize Mei - that's exactly what it said... :lol: :lol: However, I dont know if there IS a prize... :lol:

OK Crested, I'm going to give this a shot "I do not understand German so well, but I understand Germans....." and that's where I got lost.... K - I took French and can figure it out when written, but have a hard time understanding it when spoken.... so I have this to back me up: Parlez en Englais, sil vous plais.....Je ne parle pas Francais... (Speak English please, I dont speak French....) I have French Canadian clients, who always launch in fluid french as soon as you answer the phone...and I have to stop them and tell them I dont speak french...(not good enough at least to hold a technical computer-based conversation....) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I AM A COMPLETE UNCULTURALIZED IDIOT!! Do you realize that it NEVER occured to me that any of you DIDNT speak fluent English??? :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: What is the natural language of the Netherlands K? and I apologize, to all my non-english-speaking friends here, for just ASSUMING..... :cry:

oh that poor dog.....it says he "somehow got tied to the bumper"???? was it deliberate? or a stupid, careless accident? Either way, they should lose that dog. You NEVER tie an animal to a bumper!!! This is just turning my stomach.... :evil: :evil: :evil:

:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

Freebee ate one of Kyle's back[acks, with his books and homeworl in it... :evil: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[quote]the ONLY reason I don't pop round for coffee is because I can't[/quote] ME TOO! ME TOO!! I would let ALL of you in, and I consider you all my friends.... :D :D :D

poor Debbie...yea, in a way you did. I understand your frustration, I get easily angered at people who lash out at me or my dogs...but Grandma's are kinda set in their ways...My mom didnt like animals either, and used to make me lock the dogs and cat out of the room when she visited. Just realize that Grandma has never had any pets, and dont expect her to change. And when you get ticked about it, realize that she doesnt know the joy of the love of an animal..it's really HER loss, not yours... and accept her the way she is, as frustrating as it is... :D

The cut may have become infected, and also with the swelling he may have stretched or sprained a muscle...he needs to see a vet, but in the meantime you can try a cold compress to get the swelling down and then heat to relieve the pain...put a wet towel in the freezer for about an hour, so that it's very cold but not frozen, and wrap it arounf the swelling. Monitor the site to verify that the swelling is going down. When it has gone done to almost normal (it wont go down all the way if htere is a sprain) and the dog still appears to be in pain, run the towel under very warm water, and then let it cool so that it's still watm but not hot, and wrap up the swollen part again. If the swellng reappears take the warm wrap off immediately. It's hard to tell untill a vet sees him, but this may help some in the meantime.

dogs are pack animals by nature - when spending a lot of time with each other they form close bonds. People are their pack if there are no other dogs, so maybe your pup is bnnding with the dogsitter because she provides both other dogs to pkay with, and attention, like a pack member would get. The ideal solution would be to get another dog to keep your pup company while you're not home. And also go with the training solution, that forms bonds between dogs and humans. I say this because my dog had a companion dog for about 2 years. He passed away, and the change in her was amazing. She would sit oout in the yard and just LOOK for him, searching behind the shed and in the corners...of course he wasnt there, but she could still smell him around and couldnt figure out what had happened to him...She actually started to get what I would call depressed, and didnt want to come in. This was a dog raised with only people until she was 4 years old. I now have another dog, and they have become the best of friends, and once again she is lively, running, having fun...I work all day. The best solution for me was to get Freebee another companion dog. She has always had a companion cat, but it's just not the same.....

It is both sad, and infuriating.... :cry: :evil:

my letter: I have just heard of the Rhodesian Ridgeback dog auction by the American Cancer Society in Abilene, TX, and I am APPALLED.... I realize the ACS needs to raise money for their cause, I dont fault them for that. Money is necessary is ANY serious disease situation, to try to find means to find a cure. HOWEVER, I personally find their means, in this case, appalling... You CANNOT auction dogs for this cause. They are living beings, who require homes with people who understand dogs of this nature, understand what they need to be normal, happy dogs, and what they need to be content in their new environemt. We see this day in and day out with dogs like Pit Bulls, who people buy because they are the "popular" dog right now, and end up in shelters because the owner did not know what they were getting into to...these dogs as well need owners who understand their backgrounds, their history, and what is necessary to provide them with proper homes. You cant auction off a dog, and expect that the buyers will know anything about THAT dog.. I personally feel that auctioning ANY companion dog is simply WRONG... Some may do OK, the labs and goldens of the world adjust better to homes where people know nothing about dogs, because they are generally loving friendly dogs, but even in THOSE scenarios things have backfired... PLEASE!! STOP THE AUCTIONING OF DOGS!! they are living creatures, not lamps or blankets..their owners need to be checked out before owning these dogs... Thank you. Katy Courtney Elgin, IL...

that's good Gooey...that's kinda what I was saying. If you "make" the dog lay down to get something good (the treat) without forcing, pulling or anger, they learn that lay down means good things happen. I have always had big dogs, so chairs and coffee tables have always worked, but Gooey's solution is better for a small dog. Thanks Gooey, I didnt consider the "small dog" side of it (shame on me!!! :oops: ) :)

I didnt state that right....Let her stand behind the chair or coffee table, with a lead on. then when you put the chees down, gently pull her so that she is forced to go under the chair/table, which will make her lie down. You dont want her to be able to stand upright under the chair/table. She will lay down because has to to get to the cheese. she will associate "lie down" with the treat, and the table/chair makes it necessary for her to do so, so it's not a battle between you and her...