Dogs

The pup in my Avatar is Dakota. He was our Siberian Husky. He gave us 14 great years of companionship. Had to let him go a few weeks ago. I still wake up at night expecting to hear him pawing gently at the door to come inside.

My wife and I are looking at rescuing a young Great Pyrenees now.

TechyDork said:

The pup in my Avatar is Dakota. He was our Siberian Husky. He gave us 14 great years of companionship. Had to let him go a few weeks ago. I still wake up at night expecting to hear him pawing gently at the door to come inside.

My wife and I are looking at rescuing a young Great Pyrenees now.

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Good choice of dogs for where your live

MC

TechyDork said:

The pup in my Avatar is Dakota. He was our Siberian Husky. He gave us 14 great years of companionship. Had to let him go a few weeks ago. I still wake up at night expecting to hear him pawing gently at the door to come inside.

My wife and I are looking at rescuing a young Great Pyrenees now.

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I have a pyre mix now and had a Husky mix. Both are hard-headed, difficult to train and independent thinkers. Both are/were awesome in the house with my Husky being the first dog I met that could sense every emotion and adapt.

My Pyrenees mix has two issues you should consider that are endemic to the breed:

Barking at the fence
Extreme need to protect her pack

I am not saying she is an attack dog by any means but she will get between me and any potential threat and hold her ground. Any dog that approaches the other dogs in the pack must pass Roxie before greeting any other dog.

Also, no off-leash activity until the dog has established its territory and then only off leash in that territory. They will range and establish the largest possible area as their territory given a chance. My husky would just go for a run and come back (if she escaped) when she was tired...Roxy with spend hours patrolling.

Onkel_Udo said:

I have a pyre mix now and had a Husky mix. Both are hard-headed, difficult to train and independent thinkers. Both are/were awesome in the house with my Husky being the first dog I met that could sense every emotion and adapt.

My Pyrenees mix has two issues you should consider that are endemic to the breed:

Barking at the fence
Extreme need to protect her pack

I am not saying she is an attack dog by any means but she will get between me and any potential threat and hold her ground. Any dog that approaches the other dogs in the pack must pass Roxie before greeting any other dog.

Also, no off-leash activity until the dog has established its territory and then only off leash in that territory. They will range and establish the largest possible area as their territory given a chance. My husky would just go for a run and come back (if she escaped) when she was tired...Roxy with spend hours patrolling.

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Good to know on the Pyre mix. We have a friend that has one and raves about her. We have been drawn to the breed because of their laid back nature. My wife has been around a few, but they were farm dogs.

Looks like a little more research may be in order.

TechyDork said:

Good to know on the Pyre mix. We have a friend that has one and raves about her. We have been drawn to the breed because of their laid back nature. My wife has been around a few, but they were farm dogs.

Looks like a little more research may be in order.

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I am not trying to dissuade you by any means. As soon as I have land, I will get another. They ARE laid back but they by nature want to guard their flock. They do not herd so much as patrol...and patrol...and patrol.

The most laid back dogs I have ever had are my Newfoundland and my Bernese Mountain Dog. Neither were as smart as my Husky or Pyre but both were the picture of a slobbering throw rug. Roxie does just flop and wait to be petted when inside but outdoors she instantly needs to know everything that is going on and greet everything and everyone with a friendly bark...she basically will not relax outside.

TechyDork said:

Looks like a little more research may be in order.

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FYI, great place to start the research:

http://www.nationalpyr.org/know-the-breed

And even when they are not seasonal shedding, my 85# Pyre mix produces about 4x the "waste" hair as my 75 Husky mix did...about 2 x what my 95# Newfie did. My newest Rescue Saint Bernard is almost running neck and neck, though.

Onkel_Udo said:

FYI, great place to start the research:

http://www.nationalpyr.org/know-the-breed

And even when they are not seasonal shedding, my 85# Pyre mix produces about 4x the "waste" hair as my 75 Husky mix did...about 2 x what my 95# Newfie did. My newest Rescue Saint Bernard is almost running neck and neck, though.

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thanks for all the first hand info! I didn't even think about the shedding. That is the one thing that I didn't like about our husky. His hair just kind of became part of our wardrobe.

My boy sitting on the sofa

podz said:

My boy sitting on the sofa

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Good pic. Looks like he needs a beer in his hand...er, paw.

This is Goonie when we got him almost 8 yrs ago and yesterday right before totally destroying his new toy within 5 minutes of getting it. He's a wako, and the closest I have to a child.

Our girl sits like that too.

This was her first rabbit


I cleaned it and wrapped it in bacon and cooked it on the grill, and of course she got some of the meat. I was/am so proud of her.

Did she pick it up randomly, or does she hunt them?

SharonaZamboni said:

Did she pick it up randomly, or does she hunt them?

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Randomly, actually we finished hunting and were back at the parking lot where I was camping and she found it under a boat.

Took the miniature Dachshund to the vet today, he has been having trouble getting up & down steps, and is falling down a lot for seemingly no reason.

I knew he was overweight (he's actually my brother's dog, but as sad as I am, my bro is a bit sadder, and I couldn't take the little guy acting so lame) but for a mini-Doxie, he should be about 12 pounds max. He's 19-1/2 now, so in human terms that is morbidly obese. He hasn't been doing much activity, so between being overfed by my brother (about twice as much food given to him as necessary) and his sedentary life, his muscles are atrophying. I got some medicine for his pain, and a diet plan that (surprise!) my brother seems to go along with. I figure give the little guy (his name is Tyler, due to a love of both Tyler Durden from "Fight Club" and Tyler Hansbrough of UNC college basketball fame) a few weeks to drop some weight and then start exercising him more after that.

He's only 8, so I want to make sure he gets his maximum life-span. I think I care more about Tyler than my brother does...

Good plan, slym2none 👍

She's a lover and a fighter, a girl dog who has more balls than most men.

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1442103299.931244.jpgmaggie looking regal.

podz said:

She's a lover and a fighter, a girl dog who has more balls than most men.

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Your dog looks really similar to mine. Maple below is a Pomeagle (Pomeranian/Beagle Mix)



Our other dog is a Papillion, named Mynx

jwalk4 said:

Your dog looks really similar to mine.

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She's a Jack Russell. Terrier all the way down to the bone!

onetoeddogbrewery said:

View attachment 302897maggie looking regal.

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WHAT is Maggie holding in her mouth? An oyster shell? Fetid rag? Piece of grue?

slym2none said:

WHAT is Maggie holding in her mouth? An oyster shell? Fetid rag? Piece of grue?

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Her favorite toy, a leaf. I'll throw them up in the air and she'll jump up to catch'em.

Ah, gotcha.

Still looks like a piece of a grue, to me...

Ha. She has her paws full trying to get squirrels not sure if she can catch a grue

onetoeddogbrewery said:

View attachment 302897maggie looking regal.

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Good looking shepherd!

My boy is in the background here:

Sure, Paco. My lap is a great place to chew a bull dick. You trying to send me a message?

I am honestly jealous of those with GSD's. I have wanted to adopt a former service dog for some time (I specialize in seniors) but another more needy pup has always come up. Plus the insurance premium or lack of insurance coverage for a "listed" breed has been an issue in town.

As soon as the alimony checks stop flowing, I have accelerated the plan for the "compound" and will be buying land in the country enough for me to adopt as many of these seniors as I want without pissing off neighbors. After another Great Pyrenees, my first rescue will be a retired service GSD. 18 months and counting.

MattyIce said:

Good looking shepherd!



My boy is in the background here:

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Thanks. Handsome boy you got there. There a fun breed, she tests my patience every now and then but wouldn't trade her for the world.

Onkel_Udo said:

I am honestly jealous of those with GSD's. I have wanted to adopt a former service dog for some time (I specialize in seniors) but another more needy pup has always come up. Plus the insurance premium or lack of insurance coverage for a "listed" breed has been an issue in town.

As soon as the alimony checks stop flowing, I have accelerated the plan for the "compound" and will be buying land in the country enough for me to adopt as many of these seniors as I want without pissing off neighbors. After another Great Pyrenees, my first rescue will be a retired service GSD. 18 months and counting.

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We looked into it. It's not impossible but be prepared to wait awhile. there's not many out there to adopt most end up getting adopted by there handlers which is understandable. Maggie is 4-F she only has one toe on her hind paw which is the only reason we were able to get her as a puppy. If it's slowed her down I can't tell. Good luck though I'm sure they will be happy to live out there retirement out in the country free to roam.

onetoeddogbrewery said:

We looked into it. It's not impossible but be prepared to wait awhile. there's not many out there to adopt most end up getting adopted by there handlers which is understandable. Maggie is 4-F she only has one toe on her hind paw which is the only reason we were able to get her as a puppy. If it's slowed her down I can't tell. Good luck though I'm sure they will be happy to live out there retirement out in the country free to roam.

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I actually have had no problem being contacted by the charity that handles the retired Air Force and Marine service dogs (only time those two branches even acknowledge each other's existence). The last two time I looked into it they had 2-3 within a 100 mile radius for to look at.

My ex-wife runs the veterans information center for a large private military library. As a result, she is in constant communication with about 30-40 non-government support agencies. Marines for Life (a quasi government group) have a very broad network with other non-profit agencies in particular.

The Air Force moved to mostly Malinois' a few years ago but if my experience in Iraq is true of the wider Marine service dog community, Jarheads still prefer the greater intimidation factor of the GSD.

My boy out in Nuuksio national park yesterday

Me and my boy doing what we love

MattyIce said:

Me and my boy doing what we love

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He needs Kevlar as well

BigFloppy said:

He needs Kevlar as well

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We got one of those for him as well. People LOVE to donate vests for the dogs. However, they are rarely used around here for a couple reasons. One, police K9s are not lethal weapons. You wouldn't send an officer to a gunfight with just a baton...not wise to send a dog on a suicide mission either. The other big reason is that the vests are heavy and hot (Texas). This slows the dog down and forces them out of a deployment sooner than later. The endurance and speed is part of what makes these dogs useful. Adding 10% of dead weight to an animal that is most often forced into retirement by joint issues is another strike against ballistic vests for K9 on any regular basis. The vests have their place, but it is a very small part of what we do.

SO PLEASED you're looking out for him. never realized vests for dogs were potentially dangerous and counter productive!

Is he 100% your dog (goes home with you as well)?
Do you give him instructions in foreign language (I've heard it works better sometimes)?

Keep up the good work!

BigFloppy said:

SO PLEASED you're looking out for him. never realized vests for dogs were potentially dangerous and counter productive!

Is he 100% your dog (goes home with you as well)?
Do you give him instructions in foreign language (I've heard it works better sometimes)?

Keep up the good work!

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Thank ya sir! He is owned by the city, but he comes home with me and is a good brother to my other boys. When he retires, I'll buy him from the city for $1. He doesn't listen to my wife though. His commands are mostly Dutch with a blend of English swear words.

Does he have Kevlar "shoes" for certain activities?

MattyIce said:

Me and my boy doing what we love

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I love watching k9s work. I never get mad when we get called out at 3am to clean up a bad guy that thought he could out run a dog. Now when yall call us out to deal with a drunk that is too drunk for jail I think yall forget we work 24hr shifts. If you are too drunk for jail you are too drunk for a hospital.

Stay safe brother.

MattyIce said:

He doesn't listen to my wife though. His commands are mostly Dutch with a blend of English swear words.

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I know what you're talking about.... ignoring the wife! I'm lucky enough to work from home so my boy is with me all day long... guess who he listens to first lol

BUT, we have a threat of a breeder wanting to breed with him (and she gets the pick of the litter), I've told her, if it does happen, there's only room for 1 pup and a cat under my chair, so hers would have to live in the crate till she gets home from work

YEAH, YEAH, like that's gonna happen!!!! I can dream can't I ?

Here's a pic of himself (my big boy) and the cat getting cosy on my chair

slym2none said:

Does he have Kevlar "shoes" for certain activities?

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He has no shoes. I know some guys have booties they put on for slick floors. My boy had some slick floor problems when I got him, but we powered through them.

Most deployments involve me gloving up, slipping a simple harness & 15 ft lead on him and going to work.