courtnek

TRIPLE ditto...HF you crack me up!! I love reading your posts. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

oh no prob. I know you werent yelling at me :lol: yes, I have seen it blue, but its gotta be 20 years ago now. (I TOLD you I was old... :lol: :lol: :lol: ) the term "blue juice" just seems to stick in my head for some reason... :lol:

also, the "happy tail" can cause other problems, which could motivate some people to dock. Laurels tale, like I said, causes me bruises daily. I learned to get out of her way and make her face me when she's that happy. but with small children, and glass cabinets, I can see it needing to be done. the other issue is that "happy tail" can cause damage to the tail itself. they wag them so hard they can burst blood vessels in the tail, causing "lumps", that will fill up with fluid and eventually become painful. my golden used to shake his head so hard he burst blood vessels in his ears, which had to be drained regularly, even though he had no eart infections or ear mites...I can fully understand it for medical reasons, and so as not to inflict damage on children. I wont do it for looks however. and with Laurel, I'll live with it. its quite satisfying to hear her tail thumping on everything in site. means she's happy. but if it gets injured and has to be removed, I will do that as well.

sorry DO. that term was given to me by a vet tech many many years ago, and it just kinda stuck. maybe it was blue back then, but they are using a different solution now which is pink? didnt mean to confuse. :oops: :oops: give me a break DO, I'm old..... :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

while I agree with you Pyrless to an extent, I also feel that there will always be dogs in shelters even if we closed down every puppy mill on the planet. there will always be owner surrenders for various different reasons. there will always be dogs that escape and are never found by their owners. there will always be people that are forced to move somewhere that doesnt allow pets. I dont think the shelters will ever be empty.....if we can reduce the number by eliminating the puppy mills, at least those dogs wont have to face the "blue juice" because the shelters are overburdened, overcrowded, and under funded.... just my take. I have a question....the pyr that one the category at westminster had orangeish spots....is that normal? there arent a lot of pyrs around here, and all of the few I have seen were completely white.... just curious

I've heard that before, that dogs with tails like that dock them to prevent injury. I believe its called "Happy Tail" from being banged into doors and walls (and legs) this is why I disagree with that reasoning. Labs have "happy tails", and can clear a coffee table in a fell swoop. in fact, the breed standard lists the tail as one of the things the dog is tobe judged on. if should be strong, thick, straight and otterlike, and able to clear a table with one sweep. I am NOT making this up. its in the breed standard. rarely do you ever see labs with docked tails, unless it had to be done due to injury. next, my hound also has happy tail. and I have the bruises on my legs to attest to it. when she bangs her tail into a door or wall it will wake you up from a heavy sleep. no kidding. yet you rarely ever see foxhounds with docked tails either. I personally feel its done for looks, so there is no reason to do a mutt at all, except injury to the tail. they will sometimes do it to hunting and guarding dogs, to protect the dog, but I cant see any other reason to have it done. I also think the ears are done to make the dog look tougher. Dobies with floppy ears dont appear nearly as intimidating as Dobies with erect ears.

I didnt like it either. the behaviorist is clueless, if I am using her "appraisal" of how people do their "tasks"...some dogs dont fetch. period. my hound wont do it, andI've tried teach her repeatedly. running after the ball and making a big deal out of it does nothing. she looks at me and yawns, and wanders off to do something else she likes better, like run in maniac circles around the yard and chase squirrels. my lab loves to fetch, but only her jolly ball. she wont go after a frisbee for anything, even treats. so in that example, I think her assessment was all wrong. her voice annoys me too. way too much sarcasm toward's the "losers"....it could have been done much better.

ok Wrinkles, let me take a different tack on this issue....basic math. in this country, or any country who's economy is based on supply and demand, their has to be a demand to make it worth providing the supply. if no one bought Toyota's, Toyota would stop selling here. if no one shopped at Sears, Sears would close down. it would not be worth their investment to stay open when no one was buying their products. same with pet stores and puppymills. yes the dogs are cute. yes they deserve homes, I wont fault you for that, however, if people continue to buy them, that fuels the economic resource of the puppymillers to continue to create puppies to sell. its a huge vicious circle. the only way to stop it is to stop buying the puppies. I know that sounds harsh, but those dogs are not from well bred stock. Are you aware that the mothers of these puppies are forced to get pregnant at every available opportunity, just to keep producing more and more puppies? this is the animal equivalent of a sweat shop, which are illegal in this country. the best way to shut any company down is through their profit margin. hit 'em in the pocketbook as it were. thats what we here try to teach as many people as we can. the whole "how much is that doggy in the window" attitude can be changed if everyone realizes whats involved in getting it changed. which means dont buy the product. no cash flow means they go out of business.

Mouse, I'm really confused...why no rabies vacs in the UK? do you not have animal life there that carries rabies? like bats, raccoons, etc?

most dogs like the taste of beer, not sure why. I dont drink beer, so rarely ever have it here, but it wouldnt surprise me if Laurel helped herself to that too. she gets fed!! she just wants MORE... silly dog... she also countersurfs, and I have to feed Pushy in the bathroom because the rest of them gang up on him and steal his food. he's too old to fight back anymore. there was a time....Free remembers it, she leaves him alone. he cant teach the new whippersnappers anymore tho...

well, Free's bark sounds like BARK if its just her standard "pay attention, I'm talking to you" bark. she alsowhines and cajoles by stomping on the ground. her bark becomes a WOOF if something is outside she doesnt like, like a stranger, or the mailman. sounds much bigger than she is. Laurel is unique. she bays, and ends the long drawn out "howwllllllarroooo" with a woofy bark...however her bay is so loud people can hear it down the street thru closed doors...if you didnt know her she would seem very intimidating (she's basically a wimp :lol: )

theres a lot of deer around here. unfortunately, the only time i usually see them is when they have, or are about to, impact with a car. there are so many of them that its not safe to drive near wooded areas during spring and fall...they cross the road right in front of you, and these are not side streets. some have speed limits of 55mph.... turkeys are mean!!! I went to a farm once and one attacked me and drove me off.

OK I have always heard that hounds "live to eat"...Laurel is a foxhound. she @s fed twice a day, just like my lab x, slightly more food since she has a higher metabolism and doesnt gain weight like the lab does. the vet said to keep her on the thin side to keep her healthy...so what does she do? I go food shopping. I put everything away but the canned c@t food. I go the the bathroom. I come out, she has snarfed up a can, and is merrily CHEWING THROUGH IT as we speak.....actually got thru the top of the can!!! sheeshhh..... now I have to make sure she hasnt cut herself, her tongue or gums...

I never had a problem with a food bandit until the Hound joined my household....counter surfer, food stealer, she lives to eat!! AND!! she is teaching my lab all her bad habits!! :roll: :roll: :roll:

yes same as foxhounds. the pack chases the foxes, corners them and then the hunter shoots it from horseback.

and also because the sporting group is considered the most "diverse"...look at how many different breeds of sporting dogs there are, and each one was developed to do one or two specific jobs. Labs originally brought fish nets to land, thus the double waterproof coat. they didnt become bird dogs until later. the standard for a lab is to have a "tail like an otter, thick, strong, and can clear a table in a single sweep." setters flush, retrievers bring back, pointers point. they were all developed for different purposes. they can be trained in any of the above, but were designed with a specific purpose in mind. then you work in where they will work, temperatures, will they be water or land dogs, and the traits change again. Hounds were developed for one basic purpose, in all different parts of the world, but in all of them, they were bred to hunt. to "hound" their quarry as it were, outrun it, like a greyhound or foxhound, or follow it til its exhausted, like a bloodhound. Much like terriers, but usually in a bigger package, for bigger prey. does that help?

it also depends a lot on the dog. owning a lab who NEVER acts like a lab has made me believe that they are all individuals. however, as far as traits go, both GSD's and Sibes are strong willed, physically powerful, and loyal. protective. this is a dog that will need a "top dog" presence in gour household, and it better be you. some of the worst cases of dog aggression i have encountered were GSD's and Sibes allowed to be alpha in the household.

well, I look at it this way. I have long, thin hair (down practicly to the middle of my back) and I get it washed, cut, frosted and styled. I have much less hair than a dog, but my "salon stay" costs around 80.00. and yes I will tip. especially if I really like the cut or the color. soI bring in my long haired dog, and I want a show poodle cut. or a wash, trim and brushing. your talking, like I said, a bazillion times more hair, and in some cases the dog is about as keen about this idea as most kids....so yes, I would tip, depending on how the "cut" came out when it was all said and done. its not just a service, its also a styling in affect. I could wash my poodle or newfie, brush it, clip its nails, but if someone else will do it for me, and it comes out looker nicer than it would have if I did it, then yes, I think a tip has been earned. the word "tip" is actually an acronym, meaning something like "to insure propiety"...defined as the better the tip, the harder the person doing the service will work to make you happy. same as waitressing or bartending or bellboy-ing...

to me, dog grooming falls into the same category as hairdressing. I always tip the hairdressers, and if I had my dogs groomed I would definitely tip them, especially for a really nice job. geez, the dog has a bazillion times more hair than the average person, they deserve a tip..... I'll be interested to see what HF says, since she's a groomer...

ice is nasty..booties help, but some dogs cant stand them. its especially bad if the ice is partially melted, so there are "crags" that cut the dogs feeties....this is a thought, altho its expensive. there are pet safe ice melts you can get, that will melt it, but I dont know if they will damage the lawn or not. my lawn is toast, so I really dont care, but it might work.

I too live in Illinois. the problem stems from Chicago and Rockford and possibly Springfield. this is a big problem with big cities. please email write do whatever you can. My city has a 3 strike rule, no BSL, but may be pushed over the edge if this becomes law.

well, mine have their two collars inprinted with name and phone number, and their no-pull harnesses, thats it. But I do have quite a few leashes...

I think its funny that the tough cop in SVU is named Odafin Tutuola, or Fin, but his "real"name is Ice-T.....

Harley. as in Davidson. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

I really dont see any wolf in the white one...the grey one is Iffy, but still looks more like a husky/shepherd cross than anything else. I hope she is able to find homes for them. your statement about the 97% content wolf dog broke my heart. Wolves are social animals, even if they dont like people, they NEED each other for companionship. the thought of that poor animal being in a sanctuary, alone, without even his own kind to keep him company made me cry.