For Mike: Puppy pix by Niki2

Beautiful dogs Niki,

Post as many pics as you like, I myself can never get enough of Dogs in general

My wife used to have a Sibe when she was young and loved your pictures, even though I have her hooked on Labradors now lol

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Saturday, December 12, 2009 2:17 PM

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

Thanks, Niki - they're gorgeous! Glad to hear Tashi's got a new buddy and playmate. Looks like they're having a GREAT time together, and they sure seem to bring you lots of joy, which is the number one thing in the world that a dog really wants to do. Keep putting up pix - I want to see how big Kochak gets!

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Saturday, December 12, 2009 2:53 PM

Briglad - I'm going to hazard a guess and say Hope is around 42 pounds, give or take? Reason I ask is because she looks like she's got a LOT of Belgian Malinois in her.

I'd never heard of the breed until I went digging around, looking for some idea of what my li'l Jeepie and Swee'pea were. Swee'pea got hit and killed by a car when she dug out under the fence one night, but I've still got Jeepie, who goes to work with me every day.

So it turns out that they're an offshoot of the German Shepherd family, which fits right in with your rescue efforts! They're smaller, but share all the same traits as the larger Germans, but are usually colored like yours, with the black "mask" and gold/blonde coat, with a "vest" of lighter coloring above and below the shoulders and a white undercoat. The ears should stick up at attention per the breed standard, which might be one big reason why Jeepie and Swee'pea were dumped - the ears on both of them flopped over, as you can see in Jeepie's pix.

The U.S. Secret Service is phasing out German Shepherds in favor of the Malinois, since they offer all the benefits of the shepherd in a package that's easier to move around and cheaper to feed, since 40-45 pounds is the average weight for a full-grown adult.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Saturday, December 12, 2009 3:19 PM

BRIGLAD

Think you're right on the Belgian Malinois. Hope is about 40 pounds. She has a partial Blue tongue, hence the Chow part. And she acts like a small GSD.

Bri

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Sunday, December 13, 2009 7:05 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Oooo, shephards! My favorite (after Sibes now); we got our first in Afghanistan, as I said, and had to smuggle her out to ship her home. I adored her, and smart? Wow!

My next was a shephard/sheltie, and after that Kiya, my beloved shephard/sibe. Part of the reason I got her was to see if I could handle Sibes, and she was, in Jim's words "the best dog we ever had". I know neither Tashi nor Kochak will beat that, much as I adore them and he's in love with them. Shephards...verrry special dogs, and a LOT easier than Sibes!!!

Raptor, yes, they're all characters; huskies are a breed unto themselves, in more ways than one. I was told the independent thing is because they were bred by the Chukchi tribe (where they originated) to sense things, so if the driver indicated "go right" and there was a fissure or other danger there, they'd go left or straight. Too damned bad the genetic trait remains in "domesticated" huskies and mals!!!

But I admit, I like a challenge, and shephards were never the challenge huskies are, to say the least! LOTS of pack behavior, and behavior we see all the time in wolves on Nat Geo and other programs, and they're entirely too sneaky-smart for their own good. But I'm in love with them, so I have nobody but myself to blame!

Kiya used to love to grab onto our feet when we were on the bicycle, put her head down and RUNNNN. They do adore to run…I’m dying to get my sulky, tho’ I’m going to have to endure some stuff when he sees a rabbit or something, I know (no brakes, they’re another $600, and putting your feet down works better anyway). Will always be able to give them the exercise they need, that way, which has been tough recently, between broken wrist, Achilles tendonitis, knee surgery, etc. I’m really too old for sibes, or puppies (!), but these’ll probably be my last, so it’s my final hurrah…

Briglad, oh, my heart goes out to you! I’m SO sorry, the pain of losing one is almost enough to make one not have a dog, but I couldn’t be without. In my opinion, cats are a luxury, but a dog is a NECESSITY! Kiya’s full name was Keine Trane Mehr, which is German for “no more tears”, as we’d just lost two litter mates after 14 years within six months of each other…lost ‘em “hard”, too, if you know what I mean. I won’t go into details. But I had to have a dog, and soon; I can’t be without one, so by sheer luck I found a litter of shepherd/sibes at the SPCA across the Bay. So Kiya helped stop my tears...but losing her 14 years later was sheer hell. Otherwise, dunno what I’d have done. The three months I had to wait for Tashi were sheer hell. I’m so sorry; may the pain pass soon and all you be left with are the wonderful memories.

And thank you for your wonderful work in rescues. I got Kiya when we lost the other two, otherwise I'd have gotten some kind of rescue or other. I ALMOST got a rescue when I got Tashi, but thought if I got a pup he’d be small enough to bond with the rabbits. No such luck. Then I got Kochak, wanted a pup so I could bond like I did with Tashi, so she could be off leash. Otherwise would have gotten a rescue I saw at Norsled (Northern California Sled Dog Rescue), she's 1-1/2, closer to his age and almost identical in coloring. Other than that, ALL our dogs have been rescues, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Too many out there needing love…

Boy, strong Shephard genes in Cadence…he looks EXACTLY like my family’s first dog, Tammy, the shepherd we smuggled out of Afghanistan. Makes me misty eyed. Can’t mistake the chow in Hope, tho’ I know nothing of the other breed. Beautiful! Tashi is ALMOST mal size, at 75 lbs., but doesn’t have the thick mal coat…thankfully! It’s enough to deal with when a sibe blows his coat, I can’t IMAGINE dealing with a mal! Did he blow his coat, or was the other half dominant? Kiya blew coat, but NOTHING like a real husky, thank goodness. Gonna have my work cut out for me, staying on top of TWO of them…dunno how show kennels do it!

Wow, Gino…you must be a champ, to hook your wife on labs after huskies! Labs are TONS easier and far more obedient, certainly, but once one has had a husky—if they don’t drive you nuts—I can’t imagine switching. I’ve always loved MEETING labs and knowing them, but they’re not the dog for me…no challenge, too big, and that TAIL!!! Destruction personified, hee, hee, hee!

Mike, “the number one thing in the world that a dog really wants to do” doesn’t really hold true for huskies…the number one thing they want is to run, number two eat, number three, play. Dunno where we rank in the scale of things, since they certainly love us, but pleasing us isn’t in the top three…pleasing THEMSELVES, comes first… ‘o) Shephards, labs, goldens, and most of all borders (smartest dog of all, and wants to please you incredibly hard, as long as you give them WORK to do to please you! Too hyper for me, and too much work, tho’) and many other breeds, yes, but not huskies, nor mals. There are some other independent breeds I'm sure, but I would have said pleasing you is “the number one thing in the world that you want a dog for”, myself. ;o)

Never heard of the Malinois, what a beautiful breed! I do like prick ears myself, but their faces are lovely, and a smaller shepherd is a plus, no question about it! What a lovely face, and especially the eyes.

You can be sure I will bore you with more pix as she proceeds…in the five days she’s been here, I swear (and so does Choey) she’s already grown perceptibly! Poor Tashi, when she gets big enough to get on the bed and still has that puppy play drive! She was 12 lbs at first, but the breeder had been free-feeding the litter, and I cut it to three meals a day for housebreaking, so she’s not quite the chub she was at first. But picking her up is getting harder, and I’d swear she’s grown!

Still hoping those eyes stay the same color, and the coat darkens a bit (she’s now got a noticeable stripe of brown-black down her back and tail), will be interesting to see how she turns out!

Meanwhile, I, too, can't get enough of dog pix, so bring 'em on!

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Sunday, December 13, 2009 12:44 PM

Yup, the pricked-up ears generally make the dog look more attentive (one big reason shepherds and Dobermans have them, so that any interloper will KNOW that the dog is listening intently to them!), but with Jeepie's flopped-over ears, it is VERY easy to read her mood, just by looking at her ears. Even my boss has gotten so used to it that she just "reads" Jeepie's mood by what her ears are doing. They are VERY expressive ears. :)

She's been a challenge and a handful. She has NEVER trusted people, and likely never will. She trusts my wife and I implicitly - but only as long as no one else is around! If there's anyone else around, she's a nervous, twitchy dog, and she'll prefer to hide behind me rather than confront anyone else. Very unusual for the breed, since they're usually quite protective of the person or family that they attach themselves to (they view whoever is in their approved group as their "flock", and watch over them quite insistently). Jeepie sees us to bed at night, then lays at the doorway, facing out, to keep us safe within. She was never taught this. And if either my wife or I go to bed early, and the other stays up, she's nervous, going from one room to the other to try to watch over both of us at the same time.

It's been hard to train her, because she has to conceptualize every trick before she learns it. It's weird - she couldn't get the hang of "catch" - I'd toss her a treat, and like George Michael Bluth in Arrested Development, she'd shy away and let it hit her on the shoulder, then pick it up off the ground. Once I finally got it into her head that I was tossing it to her as a reward, and as FOOD, she figured it out quickly. With "roll over", I had to get her to trust me enough to manipulate her body through the motions, and once I did that ONCE and it didn't result in catastrophe, she got the idea and has been rolling over on command ever since - but only on grass, since that's where I showed it to her. She won't do it on carpet or tile. :)

Like I said, it's a challenge, but fun. Once she gets the IDEA of what you're teaching her, she gets it FAST, and learns the trick inside one or two repetitions. She used to run if she got outside or got off the leash, but I just worked with her for a few days with a choke-chain (I hate those things, but damned if they don't work), and now if I drop the leash, she'll stop. If I let her off the leash, she'll run until I whistle, at which time she'll swap ends and run full-steam back to me, and lay at my feet or jump to catch a treat if I toss one in the air.

It's been work, but she loves having the tasks to do, and I only use encouragement to train her, never scolding or spanking. She had a really bad early life, and I'm determined to spend the rest of our lives together making sure she knows that not all people are shit-heads, and that some of us really do love dogs just for the way they are.

Funny thing is, she's made me a better person while I've been trying to make her a better dog. We both won that lottery. :)

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Sunday, December 13, 2009 6:57 PM

Here my guy's The orange tabby is Julius, Stocky is the Norwegian forest cat and the little chocolate girl is Kaylee

I love to travel with my dog, and always had hunting dogs when I was a kid...

Labs made sense for me, I love to swim her, she heels off leash real well, I can turn her loose on my front lawn and not worry about where she is

And my wifes allergys are worse now than when she was younger, strange she is okay with our cats, but she actually swells up over at her brothers house. We played with several breeds when we were thinking of getting a dog and Labs affected her the least with their type of coat.

I almost brought home a rescue German Shorthair the other day... I'm bad for that, unfortunately no room...

Either your with the terrorists, or ... your with the terrorists

Lets party like its 1939

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Monday, December 14, 2009 3:50 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

What wonderful dog pictures and stories everyone. I have to say it really warms the heart to see how much love you all have for your dogs. I have totaly respect for all of you.

My dog Pepe passed away two years ago now. He lived for 19 years and 9 months. He was with me since I was 17 and frankly he was the best friend I have ever had. Can't tell you how many ups and downs I had in those years and yet always by my side was Pepe. A tri colour Border Collie. Realiable and true. I miss him but understand it was his time to go.

Right now I'm not in the right place to even consider another dog but I do love those animals. They're the best.

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Monday, December 14, 2009 6:47 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

You've got it, Mike; the ONLY training that really works is positive reinforcement. Most people don't get that, and get pissed at the dog when it doesn't come, then wonder why the dog isn't "getting it". Hah!

I hate choke chains too, and even more hated those "spike" training collars with the spikes turned inward. But the trainer I've been working with swore by them and had me get an original, from Germany (which isn't actually much more expensive than what you'd get at Target or PetCo)...the ends are rounded off and it's made carefully so as not to hurt the dog. We ONLY use it for training, and you don't pull the dog, just give a sharp jerk, so it's like another dog biting them. It's worked wonders for Tashi, and I've overcome my hatred for them. But only for training; when I see people walking around with either those or choke chains on their dogs, I want to throttle them!

Also people who misuse e-collars (shock collars). Used for training, they're also wonderful (even Cesar Milan uses them on occasion, as well as training collars), but too many people misuse them. Wish there was a law that the PEOPLE had to be trained in order to get a dog or one of those collars...the problems virtually always come down to the PEOPLE, not the dogs.

Was Jeepie a rescue? That could easily account for her problems…they say dogs live in the “now”, but traumatic things stay with them, and sometimes are reeeely hard to overcome. Poor baby, that must be stressful for her. She’s lucky she’s got you guys; many others would take her to the shelter.

Gino, Kaylee must have been ADORABLE as a pup…labs always are. Well, hell, all puppies (and kittens) are adorable… She’s gorgeous, and she’s incredibly lucky to live where you do…that’s Dog Heaven!!! What beautiful eyes—so intelligent. Labs may not be for me, but I adore meeting them. Such enthusiasm, and always happy! Got a friend on my website who’s screen name is “to be golden” and he’s always had golden retrievers. I’ve said it’s my contention that Goldens and Labs are born without the unhappy gene…they just don’t know how to DO IT!

Somnam, my heart goes out to you, too. I’ll never stop missing my Kiya. You probably know by now that Borders are the smartest of all breeds…they aren’t for me, either; if they’re not given things with which to challenge them, they can go neurotic; I’ve known far too many of those in my time! Again, problems created by the HUMANS, not the dogs. Too many people get dogs as “possessions”, figuring they can just own them and the dog will do what they want and not be “seen or heard” when they don’t want them to be, and will be quite content with a back yard and never going out. Makes me want to

and

--or worse!

Borders are as much "a breed apart" as huskies are; unique in so many ways. I've seen shows on the things they can learn, and it's almost scary. Saw one about a sheepherder who had trained his borders to herd the sheep (who wore lights) into all kinds of patterns in the dark. I couldn't believe some of the things they did! But they HAVE to be mentally and physically challenged, and I've never been good enough to own one.

Almost 20 years is a helluva gift—we’ve never gotten one past 15; of course ours have been larger dogs, but I sure wish… Darlin’, missing them but understand it’s their time to go doesn’t assuage the pain one whit, as you know. It’s the price we pay for loving them (and cats too, and others). Always tears your heart out, if you were the kind of person who really loved your pet and saw them as another creature with feelings. They’re more than worth every bit of pain, but it’s the price we know is coming.

Given how much they’ve found out in research about how valuable dogs are psychologically, I’d love to see them use more in convalescent hospitals and mental health wards…it’s coming, but too slowly for me. I’m really impressed by the programs to hook incarcerated criminals up with rehab dogs; the results are amazing and so heartwarming. Still too many Michael Vicks out there, tho’, and given how people mistreat their KIDS, I don’t guess that will ever change.

All the things Frem gets incensed about when it comes to our attitudes with regard to children are the same things I feel about bad pet owners, and I wish dogs/cats could be appreciated and seen for what they are, as he wishes for children. Pets are too easy to abuse (again, as are children), but so precious (ditto)… We’re an ignorant, strange little species, in so many ways.

More pix! More stories! I can never get enough!!

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Monday, December 14, 2009 7:14 AM

Quote:

Was Jeepie a rescue? That could easily account for her problems…they say dogs live in the “now”, but traumatic things stay with them, and sometimes are reeeely hard to overcome. Poor baby, that must be stressful for her. She’s lucky she’s got you guys; many others would take her to the shelter.

She both WAS and WASN'T a rescue - She and her sister were dumped, as puppies, so my wife and I "rescued" them. By the time we found them, they were already feral, apparently living out of garbage cans (there was a city park next door where they found lots of food in the trash cans) and avoiding all human contact. We started putting food out for them, but could never catch them eating it; it would just "disappear" when we weren't around. :) Eventually, they let us see them, but that was as far as things went for a while, which was okay, but we both REALLY wanted to see these pups and get close to them - which took, literally, MONTHS. I eventually got them to trust me a little bit, and herded them into a van to took them to the vet to get shots and to get them fixed - which, of course, they felt was a betrayal, and wouldn't let me near them again for quite a while. :(

Bear in mind, all of this was happening while they were living at my workplace. They eventually got to where they'd come inside during the day, and sleep in the warehouse, and stay out back at night (we made sure they had access to shelter). We'd go up and feed them on the weekends, and make sure they had food and water before we left in the evenings.

This went on for quite some time, until the day I arrived at work to find that they'd gotten out during the night (the landscape yard we shared property with was gated and fenced, but the dogs dug under the gate that night), and Swee'pea had been hit by a car and killed. Jeepie was sitting in the road beside her dead sister, absolutely inconsolable, crying and howling, nudging Swee'pea with her nose to try to wake her up. It broke my heart, and Jeepie went home with me that day, despite the fact that I already had two dogs at home that didn't get along with each other.

Jeepie would fight me every time I tried to get her in a car afte that first trip to the vet, but that day I opened the car door to take her home, and she jumped right in. All the way home, she rested her head on my shoulder and cried. :(

We got home, and I introduced her to my Doberman, Uma, who didn't generally get along with other dogs at all, but LOVED people and cats - it was as if Uma could sense Jeepie's hurt. She opened up to her, and they started nuzzling each other, and later started to play. They were together for a year before Uma died of old age, but it was one of the best years of her life; Jeepie had her acting like a pup again, which was nice, since Jeepie never really got to BE a pup herself.

So, out of some bad situations, I got one extremely good dog, and a wealth of experiences with other great dogs. And she has now bonded completely to me, and to a lesser degree, to my wife. If I go to work without her, she's upset. If I go to LUNCH without her, she's upset. :) She doesn't like it when strangers look her in the eye, but she loves all over me, and she loves to be cuddled and babied, which is fine by me. Like I said before, I'll spend all the time I can trying to spoil her and make up for the rough life she had before. I feel I owe it to her.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Monday, December 14, 2009 10:27 AM

One thing with training I think is one of the best things you can do, particularly if your dog is a puppy

Socialize as much as you can

I was lucky one of my neighbors bought a puppy at nearly the same time.. ( a Border Collie / Greyhound cross ) man can that dog run, takes her the entire park just to get turned around...

We both took ours to a puppy play time put on by a local dog trainer. Imagine thirty or so puppys of a bunch of different breeds running loose playing in a gym. Crazy and cute...

I also took my dog out to meet every cat it the neighborhood, surprising how many cats will come over to sniff a puppy smaller than them...

Also people, kids, cars, etc

If you can expose them to as much as possible in a controlled way when they are young, they don't get scared or aggressive when they come across similar things later in life.

A trainer I talked to, recommended when teaching a dog to heal, have a treat in your right hand.. the dog stays in almost the perfect position keeping one eye on the treat. After a while in becomes second nature to walk there. I used a ball the same way with my retriever... the reward was the throw.

Niki I think I named her perfectly, like from the pilot... Nothing in the verse can stop Kaylee from being cheerful.

Had 3 Hungarian Vizslas when I was a kid... when they died it was... 10 years and my wife pushing before I could get another dog... I know your pain with Pepe

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Monday, December 14, 2009 4:30 PM

PIRATENEWS

John Lee, conspiracy therapist at Hollywood award-winner History Channel-mocked SNL-spoofed PirateNew.org wooHOO!!!!!!

Nice wolfpack Niki2.

Walkabout on 50 acres and still shits in the neighbors' yard:

Our fearless tomcat loved to play tag with the dogs, until some idiot ran him over. It's like they drive off the road to hit cats on purpose. Too much meth I guess.

Our Australian Kelpie got hit in the head by the UPS truck, and kept on chasing it. Dingo/wolf blood makes in want to herd cattle by biting in the neck. But gentle like a hand hold. Very cuddly, but a little psycho. PTSD as a pup at the pound, where they denied having it locked up, hidden in a back room. Very Alpha on the Lab, but best of friends. Need a shock collar when it tries to herd the neighbors. Need a stronger fence, but the electricity works 99.9%. 75 lb Kelpie, 85 lb Lab. Dogs used to come in the cat door as puppies.

Mice like to come in the cat door, with the cat watching 12 inches away. Cat loves to bring snakes home to visit. Baby possums used to sleep in a bowl on the kitchen counter, but couldn't get em house trained.

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Monday, December 14, 2009 9:40 PM

Funny story about the " invisible fence " collars John

the guy with the farm one over from my dads has a huge Rottwellier, sweet dog, but only the invisible fence to keep him in.

Took him a day to discover if he ran he only took a smallish zap going across the fence, he would then go bum a treat from my mom. wander about for a while then go sit it front of the driveway and wait for them to shut off the fence to let him back in.

Laughed when I seen it

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Tuesday, December 15, 2009 12:04 PM

PIRATENEWS

John Lee, conspiracy therapist at Hollywood award-winner History Channel-mocked SNL-spoofed PirateNew.org wooHOO!!!!!!

Actually I'm referring to shock collars by remote control. You carry the remote control and zap em when you see em bite the neighbors. Which might make them bite harder, I suppose.

We have an actual electric fence, at the base of the regular fence if they try to go under it. Funny to see em try.

But less pain that getting hit by a truck or shot by a drunk neighbor.

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Thursday, December 17, 2009 9:47 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Mike, your post devastated me…I got too good an imagination, and the picture of poor Jeepie by her sister just tore me up. Why do you say she both was and “wasn’t” a rescue? That’s about the most prefect story of rescuing a dog I’ve ever heard!

Actually, I had a somewhat similar experience with the cat I loved most of all those we had. Missy lived with a neighbor across the street who keeled over dead in aerobics class (and was young, too boot). Her family came and cleaned out the house, took her other cat, but Missy ran. A while later I kept seeing this little black cat across the street, in the driveway. Wouldn’t let her approach me, but I started putting food in the driveway which would “disappear”, as you said. Neighbor told me where she’d come from and her name. Eventually found she slept under the house, and put blanket and food in regularly.

New family moved in and covered the house for fumigation. I worried about Missy, but she reappeared. Asked the woman who now owned the house, she said she had wondered, ‘cuz she heard something crying under the floors (stupid woman…I’d have been down there looking instantly!) When I tried to continue feeding Missy down there, she called the cops (!). Real nice cop came, explained while he sympathized, it was trespassing.

So I started putting food in the passenger side of my car (parked on the street in front of our house) late at night (hoping no cars got her); left he window open and she’d jump in, eat and jump out again. Once she got comfortable with that, I moved the food to our pickup, and one night I stood in the rain and waited for her to get in to eat, then flew across the street and slammed the door.

The pickup had a window onto the bed, which was covered and had several “tool compartments” in it. Had a friend who knew a lot about cats, had rescued MANY, and told her I was afraid if I went in to get her, Missy would attack me. She said no, given what I’d said, she’d probably roll over and submit. Found her curled up in one of the tool compartments…and damned if she didn't roll right over when I opened it, kind of like "I can't run way, do with me what you will".

Missy was always tiny, and never left my bedroom. She was the most adoring cat I’ve ever had, and when she was diagnosed with cancer (I’m betting from the fumigation), I nursed her right down to the very end…have a vet who believes they know when and stop fighting, and to let them live until then is right. Will NEVER do that again, but this one time I did want her to have her best chance, so took it to the end. Thousands of dollars and I had her less than a year, but she was worth it (luckily our vet lets us pay off over time!).

Animals are incredibly instinctive about stuff, I’ve learned over a lifetime--like your Uma. One night she was even closer to me than usual, and snuggled right up against me all night (sometimes she came and crawled under the covers, but rarely stayed more than an hour or two). The next day Missy came up the stairs from my bedroom of her own accord (I’d begun to carry her up once she got weaker and put her in the back yard, where she’d lay in the sun and bask). She went to my husband and rubbed against his leg, purring. She went to my brother-in-law (who lived with us then) and did the same. She then went outside on her own and basked. That night she died.

She really got to me, I’ve never loved a cat as much before or since, and I’ll never forget her. Things like that and what you experienced touch us in a way little else does, I know. They make us appreciate things—like the love and trust they give us, and the simplicity and elegance of that kind of love. It’s a gift. For all the months of pain and effort of caring for her and hurting for her suffering, I remember her love most. Jeepie was a VEY lucky dog, and you’re a special person for what you did—and no doubt you're basking in the unconditional love like I did.

Gino, sounds like you did come across the perfect name for Kaylee, and I fully agree with what you wrote. The dog park is a regular part of bringing up any of our dogs. We’ve always had multiple pets, so they get socialization at home, but other animals are just as important in their growth. We meet lots of dogs on the trails, too, and I rarely come across one that’s antisocial—they meet so many different dogs, they get a lot of enjoyment out of it.

The second most important thing I believe in, and I WISH more people took the time to do, is training. Dogs want “rules, boundaries and limitations” (as Cesar Milan says)—they’re still pack animals and need to know who’s alpha, it’s an essential part of their nature. People just don’t grok this, and all too often treat them like possessions which only need to be fed and watered and given affection, and it always goes wrong. When I see people hollering at their dog because the dog won’t come, it’s like fingernails on a blackboard to me.

All the things say huskies should never be off leash, but I trained Tashi and he’s great…dogs SHOULD go at their own speed, stopping to sniff and running ahead, and huskies were MADE to run! Yes, they have an independent and wandering nature, and I have no doubt some can’t be off leash, but I’m firmly convinced that most dogs, any breed, can be trained if you’re willing to put the time, energy and love into it. Most people aren’t, sadly.

PN, omigawd, a HUMAN post (sorry, couldn’t resist). They call those collars “e-collars”, and I tried to use one to train Tashi. He never reacted—I think it’s the double husky coat, no matter how I tried to get it to touch skin, never got a reaction. So I hired a trainer, and we’ve been working ever since, successfully, happily. Have always trained my own dogs, but with a husky, I’m taking no chances. I HOPE Kochak turns out as well, I’ll certainly try.

Your dogs are two of the luckiest of all dogs, to have that much room to run and play. I’m happy for them. Shitting in the neighbor’s yard anyway? Hee, hee, hee, sounds familiar…it’s marking territory, you know. Or maybe just the desire to piss the neighbor off ;o) Our next door neighbor had a dog that did the same…I wouldn’t have minded, except for being royally pissed off that they never bothered to clean it up!!!

The photo of your cats made me smile. So reminiscent of ours…we had eight at one point; like yours, I’ll bet, each with a different personality. Your back yard also reminds me of how ours looked when we first lived here. Deer used to come and sleep there, right out the back window! Was a bummer when new neighbors bought in all around and put up fences…we never fenced our yard. Still got possum (one nested right over my rehab raven’s aviary for several years under the eves; babies were ADORABLE!, and we still get squirrels and bandits (raccoons) in the redwoods (I feed the squirrels, dogs keep the bandits from coming down from their “freeway in the trees").

Miss the others, but after those around us fenced, when we got the cats we finished it and put in an invisible fence. Didn’t want to, but they were great escape artists and we live on a street where many a cat and dog has been hit (one of ours in the early days). First time the biggest escape artist hit that fence it was funny, as you said John (except for feeling bad for him). Never had another problem, with him or any of the others.

Gino, I LOVED the dog that had “got” the invisible fence. Sometimes they’re too smart for their own good, huh?

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Thursday, December 17, 2009 3:36 PM

Well, Niki, I say Jeepie was and wasn't a rescue, because she wasn't "rescued" from a shelter - she was, quite literally, rescued from the streets.

And yes, Uma *did* know when it was her time. She'd been having mobility problems (dysplasia), but she was game, and she fought to keep herself up and about. Then, one day, she just couldn't anymore. She couldn't get up to go to bed, so I had to pick her up and carry her upstairs. The next day, I had to carry her downstairs, and I could just see that she had no more fight left in her. She was in pain, and she was exhausted, and she'd been the best girl her whole life. She died later that day, and I knew it was coming, but it still hit me like a truck. It still does.

It kills me every time I lose a pet - I wish they lived longer! But as Zoe said, I'm not so afraid of losing a thing that I'm not going to have it. All of my dogs and cats have taught me things, and they've made me the better for knowing them.

Mike

Work is the curse of the Drinking Class.
- Oscar Wilde

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Friday, December 18, 2009 6:54 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Yup, yup, yup, in spades.

My dog before last, Tanya ("Gaetano", Spanish for gypsy, and "my" first dog, given to me by my best friend, the ranger I speak of) was a fighter, little sheltie/shephard cross, and she, too, got dysplasia in her old age. When she couldn't get up--front legs worked fine, back barely--we made a sling and were her back legs for her. She loved the beach, and I was working out at Marine Mammal Center on the Coast, so I took her to work with me every day, she sat in our VW bus with the doors open, and before or after work we'd go down to the beach for a sniff and a "walk".

When it came her time and the front legs started to go, I was lucky to be working there, beause the on-site vet had come to love her, too. So Jim came with, we went for one last walk on the beach, then we put her on the back seat, with her head on my lap, and the vet put her to sleep. I've always felt wonder that Jim cried like a baby, while I shed not a tear (only time that's ever happened). Somehow to me she'd been "gone" quite a while, I'd done all my crying knowing it was coming, and she hadn't died frightened in a vet's office, instead out there with the seals and sea lions where she loved it. She's buried out there.

Of course, I cried for some time after that once we got home...yes, it kills me every time we lose one, too, but the joy is well worth the pain, even tho' it doesn't feel like it at the time! I can't be without animals--maybe that's cowardly of me, but in many cases I prefer them to people, our interactions are totally honest, and being bipolar, they've gotten me through a number of depressions that, well, I don't know if I'd still be here had it not been for them. I hurt for people who've lost one, but all I can offer is "I hope the pain fades and only the good memories remain".

"I WISH THEY'D LIVE LONGER!" has been my cry time immemorial. Also "I wish they'd stay puppies longer"...Kochak is growing like a weed--did I say she's gone from 12 lbs. to 18+ in over a week? And she's not fat!

One of my problems is I've never cottoned to little dogs, and larger dogs have shorter lifespans. We've never managed to get one past 15, no matter how hard we try, tho' all have made it to at least 14. And all, until now, have been rescues.

Speaking of which: Mike, darlin', that IS a rescue! In the most perfect sense. We "found" a number of our cats, got others from the shelter and a couple friends found and we took in. That's rescue--any time anyone adopts an animal that otherwise might not have a home, suffer or be put to death, that's rescue. Period. If someone cares enough to save a dog the way you did, rather than just go to the local shelter and pick a dog, that's TRUE rescue. Never forget that.

Kochak pics coming...look out! Give Jeepie a biiiig hug for me...a very, very lucky little girl!

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Friday, December 18, 2009 8:27 AM

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

As promised, gonna bore you with more puppy pix:

"Eeets so cute when eet's asleep!" Belies what a little hellion she is when awake...

She still gives Tashi a hard time...I'm amazed how he puts up with it; with those little needle teeth of hers, she's actually made him yelp a couple of times! She bites him on the lip and hangs on...and everywhere else:

But he gives as good as he gets, tho' he's so gentle, he's only once made her cry out, and that was 'cuz his big huge elbow was pinning her on her stomach!

A lot of threatening goes on, too:

But they're still the best of friends, and chew stuff together and play tug with things, even if it's only a piece of driftwood:

She usually wins in the end:

Then they crash...together:

She's starting to look like a "little dog" now--sigh...puppyhood just doesn't last long enough! I finally got a halfway decent one of her eyes...they're just a teeny bit darker than this; I'm still hoping they don't lighten up:

And I love this one, just 'cuz:

Tashi's over his first obsession, and even takes refuge on Jim's bed again...he's in for a rude shock when she's big enough to get up there!

There's a bummer to all this, tho'. In the initial negotiations, and on their website and their ads on the web, the dogs are all offered for $1,000...which is exhorbidant enough, but I paid $900 for Tashi, and Jim was willing to give me the money from the savings account, so...

First flag was when I saw on their site that they had FIVE litters up at the same time, and they don't show or participate in any of the usual activities, just breed. Most reputable breeders never have more than one or two at a time. But the rest of the website looked prefectly legit, and I wanted a pup.

She said there were two available, this one had a deposit on it but if the guy didn't want it, I could have it for the usual $1,000. If he did, there was one (with coloring closer to Tashi's) that she had intended to keep for breeding but would let me have for $1,500. She forwarded me the e-mail from the guy saying he wanted to pass on the pup, then in e-mail said it would be $1,500! Second flag. I decided to see the dog first; unfortunately she's just the personality I was looking for and I fell in love on sight. I did ask to see the parents and the kennel (they and another litter were in her garage, in those flexi-pen things), but she said that it was too muddy to go out to the kennel. Third flag: I should have pursued it!

I did ask about the change in price, both in e-mail and when I got there, and she insisted she had quoted $1,000 for UPCOMING litters, but both the dogs she offered were the same price. I knew that wasn't what had happened, but I was sure she wouldn't let the dog go otherwise, so I paid.

She had all the usual right stuff, health check, contract, lifetime guarantee, AKC registration, etc., etc...but when I got home, it wouldn't stop bothering me about the price. Last night I realized that, in forwarding me the e-mail from the guy who rejected her, I could contact HIM, so I did.

Turns out he was suspicious of her and had sought out a breeder he knew to be reputable and bought his dog there. He, too, had arranged to see parents and kennel with her on a trip from the Bay Area to Bakersfield, and they set up a time and date for him to visit. When he got to Fresno and called her for address and directions, she didn't answer her phone.

After that, he said he had distrusted her and had questions about her unsavory business practices, so had chosen to go elsewhere. AND she had offered the pup for $1,000, for which he had paid a $500 deposit (which of course he had to eat). So she got $2,000 for a $1,000 dog!

I wrote to her about it, and got a rather defensive e-mail back saying it was her decision what to charge for the dogs and reiterated that she'd quoted the same for both pups, that the lesser price had been for future litters, which is bullshit.

Jim (other buyer) was pissed all to hell when I told him, wrote her and is threatening legal action. I don't think he can get anywhere, I signed the contract for $1,500 and his deposit was non-refundable. But what it means is that I got a pup from, at the very least, someone greedy who recognized my enthusiasm and who breeds only for profit, or a backyard breeder, or at worst, a puppy mill--something that just makes my stomach churn!

Jim wrote her with his threat of legal action and I got a long, nasty e-mail from her in return that I had contacted HER client, was libeling her (it's slander, actually; libel is verbal, and I hadn't accused her of anything untrue), etc., etc., and that the transaction was finished.

Really bums me out. I wouldn't give up Kochak for anything, but all I can do is pray she's healthy and accept the consequences. I should have been more cautious, contacted Jim when I first questioned the price, and been willing to wait for a pup from one of the breeders I know, members of the Northern California Siberian Husky Club around here.

The ONLY single good thing about it is that Jim turns out to live in Tiburon, right near here, so we're hoping to get together and introduce our dogs and go walking together. Meeting a new Sibe fan is neat, but it'll be a long time before I can forgive myself for my impulsiveness and ignoring my instincts...sigh.

Hoping for more pix and stories, guys; I can't get enough!

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Friday, December 18, 2009 12:36 PM

PIZMOBEACH

... fully loaded, safety off...

Great thread everyone - so sad and uplifting at the same time... I'm reminded of what Chrisisall once said, "this is what makes this place so cool..."

Scifi movie music + Firefly dialogue clips, 24 hours a day - http://www.scifiradio.com

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Friday, December 18, 2009 1:16 PM

CITIZEN

Quote:
Originally posted by GinoBiffaroni:

I was lucky one of my neighbors bought a puppy at nearly the same time.. ( a Border Collie / Greyhound cross ) man can that dog run, takes her the entire park just to get turned around...

My parents have an ex-racing greyhound. I didn't know dogs could move that fast, and he's agile, he'll tear up and down their garden, takes him half a second to make a lap...

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Sunday, December 20, 2009 8:19 AM