Canis erectus

I think that men tend to think and act in a less structured manner than women. I myself am pretty inconsistant with my terminology and thus my dogs have learned to recognize different terms for the same commands. :roll: It's Hannah that really sows confusion with the dogs. For example she really hates begging and even having the dogs in her line of sight while she eats a meal tends to irk her. However this is the woman that will sometimes give them a bit of whatever she's snacking on if she thinks I'm not looking. :x The most major fights that we've had as a couple have been on this particular subject. ESS, maybe get a basic training book if you think you can get your dad to read it. Or get several books and have your dad just read the section about consitency in each one (almost every training book will devote at least a few paragraphs stating the importance of consistancy). Failing that, you and I could always trade dogs for a week. After living with my girls for a week he'll be so terrified of living with an improperly trained dog he'll get himself straightened out quick. He may even start a foundation for untrained dogs in need. :wink:

Alright, I'm going to advocate for satan on this one. Before I start I'm going to say that I don't agree with debarking at all. A person who owns a problem barker should either comit to some training or move into a less populated neighborhood. Failing that, then perhaps the dog should be relocated to a proper home. However... these solutions aren't the answere for every circumstance, and in those circumstances debarking is okay. I think the anti-debarking issue is taken a little out proportion. To hear some people talk it's the most cruel and inhumane thing you can do for your dog. While I don't typically agree with unnecessary surgery, debarking is a very simple procedure and most vets can do it even faster than they can neuter a cat. I don't really find debarking any more cruel (to use the commonly used adjective) than neutering. Consider all the folks who regularly have small fatty cysts removed from their dogs. Is that any less cruel than a debark? If in fact the lump is diagnosed as a fatty cyst (very common), this sort of thing is totally benign and a dog doesn't notice or even care whether it's there or not. Sometimes a cyst will grow enormous, and at that point should be removedas they can become a burden to the poor dog. But the small cysts that get removed all the time are purely for asthetic reasons on the owner's behalf, in my book that's a totally unnecassary surgery. I feel that the two biggest problems with debarking are... One: That as stated before, many people will debark their dogs on whim. Which means that they are needlessly exposing their pet to surgery risks and also means that the owner is probably too lazy to properly care for a dog in the forst place. Two: Debarking doesn't do the job reliably. I don't know any statistics but lots of times the procedure doesn't reduce the barking volume by a whole lot, and sometimes not at all. Again, I'm not saying that debarking is necessarily okay, but I do think that it is misrepresented as one of the great evils of the modern world.

Oh isn't it wonderful finding out how fat our dogs have gotten over the winter?

Zoey really likes those toys (China doesn't play with toys) but they have a rather short life span. Usually after about 3 or 4 days of being battered against the walls and furniture the um... er... 'giggler' gives out and the fun is over.

Is anyone familiar with the blue colored dobies? I started seeing them only about 4 or 5 years ago and am wondering where the hell they came from. Maybe it's just me but these poor dogs seem riddled with maladies, especially skin problems. I've only seen six of these dogs before, and it seems like the coats on most of them had varying degreed of sparsness. I was told some time ago that this is pretty characteristic for this color type. I don't know if that's true or not but it's definately quite unattractive for a dog that was bred for it's asthetics. Anyway, yesterday I talked a client out of buying one of these dogs and that made me a bit intent on finding out more about them.

I let the dogs outside after work yesterday and there was the usual scatter of birds fleeing as the dogs bombed out into the yard. Then I noticed Zoey run up to a tree, spooking a little sparrow out which took a low flight path out across the yard. Then Zoey took off after it, it was kind of strange to see, in fact I don't think I've ever sen anything like that before. Anyway, I don't know if the little realized he was being followed because Zoey almost had him until he zoomed up over the fence. She went after a bird again this morning, and I'm kinda wondering where this new game came from because she's never had the slightest interest in birds before (aside from our cockatoo). The only thing I can think of is that she decided that she needs something new to chase since the squirrils don't dare come into the backyard now that it's fenced. Or maybe I'm just being stupid, does anyone else's dogs chase birds on the wing? I'm going to be really unhappy when she gets one, and even more unhappy if she decides to go for Fred.

Voted 27% Yes 73% No Just what is it these boobs think they're trying to accomplish?

Haven't heard of it, and I'm pretty up to snuff on breed ID's. Maybe it's something new? Or a new layman's name for an established breed? If that's the case the only herding breeds that come from anywhere near that region (that I can think of right now) would be the Canaan Dog or something like the Kuvasz or Akbash Dog. Now that I've been completely unhelpful, I'd like to point out how interesting that photo of the Dachshund is on that link you provided. If it's not a crossbreed or mongrel of some kind it really opens up some insight on that breeds history. I wonder how old it is.

Divine: LOL @ the purse bit. Some folks are just far too uncoordinated for the saftey of those around them. K: i think the dirty looks that you and others get stems from the "Helicopter Parenting" that is so prominant these days. You know them, the parents who constantly attend their children and make sure they provide for every possibly whim the kids could have. Of course their little snot-miner can do no wrong and these parents become shocked when seeing another parent applying discipline. The helicopter parent finds the concept so foreign, all they can think of is abuse. On the other hand, I'm going to assume that you are not the sort of person to raise a hand to your kids (or dogs) at the slightest provocation, but there are plenty of folks who publicly beat and scream at their children. Most of us have seen these scenarios played out more than once, so you should be able to understand why some folks would have a bad feeling about children who may APPEAR to be meekly cowering beneath the adamant rule of a tyrant. Of course most of the above also applies to dogs and their owners as well. Personally, i doubt I could care less if a dog or child is generally well behaved or not. But their parent/owner should damn well have them under control when presenting them to other people.

I finished up my laundry tonight and noticed the most beautifully ragged tear in my slacks. Looking back in my day today the culprit stands out as the boisterous Golden Ret puppy with the razor claws and the owner who allowed him to leap all over me. :evil: Why do so many people insist on not having any control of their beasts? An excited puppy I can tolerate, but the worst offense is made by those folks (and there are many) who are completely inept at getting their dog on a scale. I work in a vet hospital, I know there are some of you who do as well and probably understand the frustration I endure. Others of you may be offenders (c'mon I know there's gotta be at least one or two), and to you I will you to become a fiery sacrifice to the great sweaty Polynesian volcano gods. OK, I'm kidding about the sacrificing, I reserve that fate for over-rated and over-hyped pop stars. Anyway, I can't even count the number of times a day when a client stubbornly insists on having their dog weighed while 'Rex' is jumping and bounding all over the place. Then follows the inefectual command, "Sit". Which is soon repeated, "Sit... Sit... Sit... Sit... Sit... OK. Good boy, stay... No, sit... Sit... Sit..." and so on. Argh, I sometimes wonder if these people ahve actually deluded themselves into thinking they are in control of their pet. Better yet is when the client is just standing by the scale stoopified and looking helplessly at their little beast as it meadners circles around it's owner with a loose leash flapping around in the breeze. Come on, they're not even trying!!! How is it that people refuse to get some semblence of control? I probably demand less of my dogs in the behavior department than most folks, but if I need them to hold still they will do so one way or another. And if they don't want to stand where I want them to, by god I will pick them up and put them there. You'd think that if a body lacked the patience or mental fortitude to train or otherwise control their dog that they wouldn't want one to begin with. Gee, I wonder why so many otherwise perfectly good pets end up turned over to animal control simply because they've become too much of a hassle to deal with. There, that little rant has been bubbling it's way to the surface for some time now, my poor ravaged slacks just needed to serve as a catalyst. Please mourn with me now, good linen pants are so hard to come across.

You shouldn't need to make any diet changes unless Buck had a serious parasite load. A slight infestation isn't typically a signifigant nutritional burden. His appetite change could be coincidental, maybe due tp the warming weather?

Hah hah, my fiances mom had a Dane who ate nothing but Ol' Roy all his life. He was 160 pounds of muscle in his prime. Sadly Elmis had passed away just recently- at 11 1/2 years old! Some foods are obviously better for your dog than others, but I think the whole diet issue is taken too seriously. We're all being made victims of a marketing war. It seems that if the FDA can't decide on what's good and what's bad for humans, then how is it that these food companies can know what your dog needs?

Horsefeathers, I wouldn't worry too much if I were you. You might have a full battery of diagnostics done on Fred. I have a feeling that you wouldn't find anything abnormal, but at least if there was nothing physically wrong it might put your mind at ease in knowing there isn't something that can be treated or prevented. And if it is just the o'l gears getting a bit rusty, then you'll just need to keep a little extra care after him is all. Of course you're doing that already aren't you? On the subject, I think we're starting to go through something similar with China. She'd be somewhere around 9 years now and starting some physical signs of slowing down. China's never really been what you's call a mental giant, but she has always been relatively well behaved. Now, over time she's becoming more obstinant and will tend to ignore any commands until they're spoken a third or fourth time. She's picked up other new habits too, like ingesting the odd sock or toy, or suddenly barking at something that doesn't seem to register with Zoey. Sometimes she'll park herself in front of Hannah or myself and howl and grumble at us, trying to get us to do god-knows-what, we haven't figured that one out yet. Just like you said before we've scratched it up to China just getting dummerer as she gets older. It's the way things are and there's nothing to be done about it except keep an eye out for more serious behavioral or physical problems.

Courtnek, I'm right behind you where hounds are concerned. In a couple years or so, we'll be getting an American Bulldog for our daughter, but other than that I'm certain all of my future dogs will be of hound type. If there was one group to point the finger of blame at in regards to these most commonly homeless dogs, I'd say that it's the breed clubs. Of course there is no single group of people who is at fault; but it seems to me that breed clubs are the ones primarily at fault for misrepresenting a breed's given nature and care requirements. Maybe it's just in the US but I can't be the only one who feels like breeders and breed clubs of some of these most popular breeds are always trying to sell you the idea that their chosen breed of dog is the best of them all, and is the best dog for you. What do you hear about German Shepards all the time? That they're intelligent, obedient, great watch dogs, and wil protect your family. Nevermind that they are a herding breed and require loads of excercise and mental stimulation. And Beagles might be the perfect plaything for your little nose-picker if they didn't typically have better things to do, like find food or track an ant through the woods. That said, I guess the real problem is with foolish people who don't bother to educate themselves before aquiring a dog and simply get one on impulse because it looked cute, or because it's culturally acceptable that 'everyone' has a dog. Bufoons... oh well.

Sadly those statistics don't surprise me. When you think about the statistic dynamics Labs would have the highest number simply because of the sheer numbers of them being kept in the country. Pit Bull types are far more common than any statistic is able show, and they unfortunately are commonly kept by human low-lifes, all too often leading the dog into the hands of animal control. And in short, Beagles and German Shepards seem to often find their way into the hands of people who failed to educate themselves about exactly what sort of dog they were getting. What's really sad is the total number of dogs for adoption, 115,000, and that's only just what's on Petfinder.

Hmmm... Sometimes it seems like life would be so much easier if the government would just pump vallium into all of our drinking water.

Wow that is crappy. Courtnek's right, you definately need to keep Zues indoors for now. The frustrating thing is that if no one knows who these guys are they probably won't ever get caught unless they are stopped in the act. I knida doubt they'll be back seeing as how they've been spotted twice, best not to take any chances though. You might get a sign up saying something to effect of "This property is under video surveilance", even the smallest possibilty that they could be caught on camera should be enough to deter them if they ever do decide to come back. Oh, I don't know what kind of fencing you have, but there are ways of making your gate lack for more inaccessible to bolt cutters

Wow, I always find this sort of stuff exciting! I must say that I'm really up to par on zoology, and I've not ever seen or read about anything like this. I'd have to agree with everyone else about this being a dog of some sort. It looks like it may be a little smaller than a wolf, and although not impossible, it's highly improbable that a large canine (typically daylight predators) would be running around East Asia still undiscovered. The fur definately seems dog-like, longer around the cape, loins, and back of thighs; and it is stated to have dog-like feet. Two things seem kind of out of place though. Maybe I'm percieving the images wrong, the neck looks sort of long for a canine and the ears also seem to be rather rounded. Except for the size difference I'd guess that it could be some unknown color variation of the dhole ( [url]http://www.lioncrusher.com/animal.asp?animal=14[/url] ). In all reality it's probably a domestic dog, maybe even a Chow or some relation thereof. All the same it must have been a handsome animal while it was still wearing it's skin.

I got it right out of the local paper, which is a complete rag in and of itself. I even have a picture of the dolt along with th article so that if I see him on the street I can tell him what a bufoon he is. Or maybe I'll just pee on his shoe. I'm serious when I say that I live in a town full of upitty, self-important busy bodies. The local news on TV is even better though. Just recently the headline story for two days in a row was of a coyote sighting in a Saginaw suburb! They were really trying their best to make evryone feel like their children's and pet's lives were in grave danger. :roll:

I suppose he could be getting senile, though I don't think that's usually a problem that affects sleep. Look for things like Fred seeming like he's forgotten where he is or who someone is, also balking at or forgetting well-known commands. Barking or howling at seemingly nothing would be another sign of cognitive degeneration, especially if other dogs in the vicinity don't register anything. I think that fly or shadow snapping might be another sign that your dog could be getting senile, but I'm not entirley sure about that one. Maybe Fred has a slight ache or pain that keeps him from resting for long periods time, that might be my best guess. Perhaps it doesn't really bother him much while he's sitting/standing up and somewhat active, from my experience Lhasaa seem to be rather stoic as far as smaller dogs go.

I wanted to post this last week, but wasn't really feeling up to the typing, so here it is now now. This article came from the editorial section of the local paper and is really really more laughable more than anything (except ignorant perhaps). Anyone who has visited Midland, MI will likely understand when I say that it's a fussy little suburb whose residents don't seem to have anything better to do than squabble over which neighborhood's sidewalks get repaired first each year while financial and unemployment issue are left unresolved. With that said I present: CITY OF MIDLAND SHOULD BAN PITBULLS "It was a beutiful spring day in Midland, the kind where you sit outside on your front lawn, bask in the sun and enjoy your neighborhood. That relaxed feeling certainly didn't last long. Walking toward us on the sidewalk, with his owner trying to control him on a leash, was a Pit Bull Terrier. This Pit Bull. chisled with muscle and full of about 60 pounds of unbridled energy [color=red](NARRATIVE: Oooh, note the suspenseful melodrama) [/color] , was a handful for his young male owner to try to control. Relaxation on a nice Spring day? Try fear. I thought about the owner losing control of the dog. I thought about one of the young children in our neighborhood rushing toward the dog or running away from him. [color=red](NARRATIVE: Here the author is showing his public concern and selfless fatherly protective instinct)[/color] Then I thought about a headline, "Dog attacks girl" or "Dog attacks boy." I've been around dogs all of my life, but I will not- EVER- go near a Pit Bull Terrier. And truthfully, because of their reputation for being so aggressive and so vicious, I cannot understand why they're allowed in the city. It's a stick of dynamite waiting to go off. [color=red](NARRATIVE: Ah, here's the first copied and over-used metaphor)[/color] Midland, like some other cities in this state and others, should ban these dogs. The opposing argument is that Pit Bulls are only as dangerous as the owners make them. Irresponsible owner, Irresponsible dog. Or so goes the srgument. So is there a test a person has to take before he or she is able to buy a Pit Bull? No. Pit Bulls, in a lot of cases are a status symbol, according to one veterinarian that I talked to. Macho dog for a macho person. In a way it's a power trip to oown one of these dogs. [color=red](NARRATIVE: We have yet to positively identify which vet this is, but also take note that those last sentences were not in quotes)[/color] But these dogs, with powerful jaws and massive skulls, are not play toys. they're a loaded shotgun, with the saftey off. [color=red] (NARRATIVE: Yay, this one gets my vote for 'most horribly cliche and unoriginal metaphor') [/color] You get attacked by a Pit Bull and it's not a surface wound. It's a devastating injury which sometimes leads to death. In Midland County, a 5-year-old boy recently devestating injuries after being attacked by the family's two Pit Bulls. I searched the Internet to find out more about pit Bull attacks. [color=red](NARRATIVE: Nothing more need be said here...) [/color] Here are some of the stories that I found: -'An 11-year-old boy was recovering from the wounds he suffered when he was attacked by two Pit Bulls as he walked along a sidewalk near his Concord home. Authoritiessaid the boy suffered bite wounds to his arms, legs and abdomen.' - 'Richmond, Va. (AP) -There was a Pit Bull attack Tuesday in Spotsylvania County, one week to the day after thefatal Pit Bull attack on an 82-year-old woman. County Sheriff Howard Smith sayswhen a deputy responded to the call, he found a 31-year-old woman bitten on the hand and two Pit Bulls in her backyard- one of them attacking the woman's tethered dog.' - 'Louise Ellis, whose daughter was five when she was attacked in 1994, is urging politicians not to bow to animal-rights activists, who are against the ban. "Unless you have witnessed an attack by a Pit Bull, you can't possibly understand the severity of the attack," Ellis told the committee holding the inquiry.' - 'Kingston- A 77-year-old Kingston woman was attacked by an unleashed Pit Bull Terrier this week, four months after city leaders agreed Pit Bull owners didn't have to register their dogs. Ellen Bruns was attacked about 1:30 p.m. Monday as she walked on Warren Street, according to Kingston Fire Department records. Bruns, an avid walker and a familiar face on Uptown streets, suffered two lacerations to her face and a puncture wound to her hand. She was taken by ambulance to Kingston Hospital, where she was treated and released.' Those are just a few- and there are many- of the stories that are available on the Internet, just by putting in a Google search for "Pit Bull attacks." Banning Pit Bulls in Midland will not go without a fight. About a dozen Michigan cities have already banned them, and they faced their share of opposition. That's fine. But, honestly, do you want a Pit Bull Terrier in you neighboehood? On your street? Next door? [color=red](NARRATIVE: Sure, why not?) [/color] Not me. ----- Chris Stevens is sports editor of the Midland Daily News. Email him at [email]stevens@mdn.net[/email] [color=red] (Narrative: What a blow-hard)[/color]

My advise: Never correct violence with violence, most kids (boys especially) really don't care about spankings anyway. Also, I'd be concerned about the dogs becoming nervous and jumpy towards your nephew, and anyone who dispenses spankings. Treat the kid with the same respect you'd give an adult, and if you need to dispense punishment, try making him stand in the corner with his nose touching the wall for a few minutes or so.

The focus of the book was still on positive reinforcement, but with the reward being your praise rather than a toy or food. Like I said, the methods were old school but I would suspect that the author (who is also Uncle Matty) was among the first wave of trainers to cast off the dominance based training of the Dark Ages. Another thing I liked was that the book helps the reader to figure out their dog's personality type and help provide a more customized training guidline. Of course, I've not read dozens and dozens of training guides so maybe I'm just easily impressed by the first one I've actually liked. I don't find anything wrong with clicker and treat based training, but it just doesn't work for every dog. Food has never been a motivating factor for either of my two girls, it'll work for a few commands and then they lose interest. Aside from that I refuse to be a slave to carrying food around in my pocket for any length of time- sorry just not for me. I tried giving clicker training a shot on a friend's recommendation once, but I'm never prepared. I'd often misplace the clicker, or I'd never be able to get the d@mn thing in my hands in time to mark a behavior. The day that I found the clicker chewed up into little blue plastic and metal bits on the floor, I decided to take that as an omen and abandon that avenue of training. The thing that's worked best for me (and mind you, I'm no kind of dog training savant)? Patience and persistance, the ol' tried and true idea that eventually they'll just get it through enough repitition.

[quote name='SandrA9810']Well she's getting a try at the canned thanksgiving day dinner tonight. Although I haven't seen the c@t food here yet. So I'm putting our c@t on the hill's science diet advance care. As kari puts it, I feed the animals like royalty, and we eat cheaply as possible - chef boyardee dinos and abc's (75cents a can), frozen totino's pizza (buck a box), bagels w/ cream cheese (about a 1$ a bagel), and frozen french fries and mozeralla sticks. Are favorite things to cook with is the deep fryer and mini toaster, so it's all quick and easy. But don't get me wrong that's not all we eat.[/quote] What!?! No Mac and Cheese? Are you crazy!?!

[quote name='DogPaddle']:lol: Better this problem than the other way around I suppose though. Imagine if both of you thought the other was feeding the dogs.[/quote] I could easily see that happening in this insane asylum we call a house. :wink: I guess 7 pounds really isn't so much, and I should be able to get my puppy back into shape pretty easily. Unlike poor China who's put on almost 20 pounds after we got Zoey that we haven't been able to burn off no matter what we do. :roll: