Dogs on the homestead

[Rick]

"What she sayin' there, Timmy?"
"Golly gee, Gramps. She said Claypick has fallen in a giant vat of jam."
"Well, Nova Scotia is a long ways off but she's got heart."
"Okay, girl. Show us where he is."
"AAArf!"

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[Ken]

"What she sayin' there, Timmy?"
"Golly gee, Gramps. She said Claypick has fallen in a giant vat of jam."
"Well, Nova Scotia is a long ways off but she's got heart."
"Okay, girl. Show us where he is."
"AAArf!"

Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.

Raining out there today Rick?

[Rick]

It rains every day here. But!! We have really low taxes. How's taxes out your way?

[Ken]

It rains every day here. But!! We have really low taxes. How's taxes out your way?

[ClayPick]

Ya, it's somthin like that.

[rebel_chick]

Boy did you open a caan of worms!!!

Hell, I guess I did didn't I. Well, i would LOVE to share pics but for one I don't have any and two, well, I don't care to piss the wives off! I may need their help against ya'll one of these days!

Back to the actual thread, I don't like purebred bc they all tend to end up with some bodily or mind problem. My mutts are just as capable to pull a sled, fetch a bird, or protect, just like any purebred. Just my 2 cents, not arguing.

[equus]

i have had purebreds and mutts. i have a mutt right now she is a border collie/jack russell mix. she is just a companion dog. the main reason i got her was to replace the dog that i did have. he was a pembroke welsh corgi awesome he helped poco and i out when it came to getting the horses and bringing them to the barn to be fed. they ran on about 15 acres and i didn't want to walk it to find them so i would send him out and he would do it. he got hit by a car . he was well trained i could put him in a sit and stay mode and he wouldn't move until i gave him the command. i did his training myself. i enjoy training dogs and horses wish that i could do this on a full time basis but no luck right now. i did all of my training when it came to the horses. she did not replace him though!!!! she is a pretty good dog for the boys!!! i think that she would protect this family if she had to. the only thing that i don't like is that dogs are not her thing. i do not understand but other dogs scare her.

[rebel_chick]

equus- I am sorry to hear about your other dog, but it sounds like you have a great new one. I had a lab when I was a kid and I could never replace her. She was the best dog. Border Collies from what I have seen, are like that towards other dogs. If prompted tho, the can be QUICK. I rescued a beautiful white border collie with blue eyes, scared of other dogs when he was outside of his yard, but when my dogs irritated him too much, he would turn around and snap at them before they knew what he was doing.

[wareagle69]

all our dogs are rescues we have medium small and smaller, the most aggresive being the smallest a bigon/poodle mix folks get a laugh out of seeing the big tattoed freak with the small dog , but i like her, i also have two very aggressive parrots and they are very loud when strangers come here, maybe it is that most of my anaimals were abused by previous owners that they are aggressive towards folks, while i do not rely on them to protect the property, they do sound the alarm for me, and when i am not at home there are other measures in place, anyone who would come way out here to breakin would be local anyways and they all know who i am and my camera are all very visible(well most of them) can't take down one w/o being caught on the other

[rebel_chick]

Nice idea with the cameras!

[wareagle69]

learned that one in pheonix when i was living up by 35th ave and bell very busy area and my neighbor had that set up, actually her camera covered part of my property also at least where my plumbing truck was parked

[DOGMAN]

Back to the actual thread, I don't like purebred bc they all tend to end up with some bodily or mind problem. My mutts are just as capable to pull a sled, fetch a bird, or protect, just like any purebred. Just my 2 cents, not arguing.

Your mutts are just as capable? Prove it....
Put your money where your mouth is. Enter your mutts in a sled dog race, or field trial, have them go run a mountain lion, or work a Grizzly, or get them to hold a point on a pheasant. LOL...
Sorry, chick but I've spent my entire life working with working dogs, work specialization is linked extensively to genetics. You may get a mutt to do a few things to a degree, but if you want true job performance then dogs that have been bred for the job will most always out perform any mutt. And, about pure breds having problems with body or mind. Thats really only the case on breeds that have been bred away from their work specialization, and are now being bred for pets/looks/AKC registry etc...

[FVR]

Meanest dog this side of the Mississippi resides in my house. Little 40lb half weener half boxer. Just a mean little bastard.

Then there is the greenhorn mutt. Good barker, good watchdog and has taken a nip out of me a few times. Was about to get rid of the worthless piece of dogmeat, but I snuck up on my daughter and was ready to scare her, that mutt about tore a chunk out of my butt. Figured if he was going to do that to me, then I really don't need to worry about anyone else when he's around.

Then there is the monster mutt. Oh, she'll just be 50 or 60 lbs, that was 50lbs ago. She's a bit old but any Rotty is scary.

Yes, I am a dog person. They are animals, they go outside, they come in at night, for what reason? To protect us. Three dogs barking, need I say more.

If it was up to me and I had the room, I'd have a few more. One of them Catohoula dogs, an Akita, and a Chow.

Yeh, that would be a good mix. All females...........male dogs are stupid.

[rebel_chick]

Your mutts are just as capable? Prove it....
Put your money where your mouth is. Enter your mutts in a sled dog race, or field trial, have them go run a mountain lion, or work a Grizzly, or get them to hold a point on a pheasant. LOL...
Sorry, chick but I've spent my entire life working with working dogs, work specialization is linked extensively to genetics. You may get a mutt to do a few things to a degree, but if you want true job performance then dogs that have been bred for the job will most always out perform any mutt. And, about pure breds having problems with body or mind. Thats really only the case on breeds that have been bred away from their work specialization, and are now being bred for pets/looks/AKC registry etc...

Well if I trained my dogs to do things like that I would take you up on that. I would like to train them to pull a sled, I think that they could do it, but... we don't have any snow and I don't have a sled or anything to makeshift into a sled. Actually I had a lab/shepherd mutt that we used to hunt with, He would retrieve the birds as well as an purebred lab. I don't know anything about the akc or breeders...I do not approve of them...but this is not what this thread is about. I apologize for hijacking the thread, was just stating what I think.

[DOGMAN]

Well if I trained my dogs to do things like that I would take you up on that. I would like to train them to pull a sled, I think that they could do it, but... we don't have any snow and I don't have a sled or anything to makeshift into a sled. Actually I had a lab/shepherd mutt that we used to hunt with, He would retrieve the birds as well as an purebred lab. I don't know anything about the akc or breeders...I do not approve of them...but this is not what this thread is about. I apologize for hijacking the thread, was just stating what I think.

Actually, this is exactly what the thread is about. We are talking about the value of dogs on a homestead....we are discussing the merits of work dogs and mutts. So, I don't get your point...you have not hijacked or derailed anything.

Your reasoning makes absolutley no sense. Examine your statements...
"I don't know anything about the akc or breeders...I do not approve of them"

How can you develop an opinion and decide you don't approve of something, you admittedly don't know anything about?

Lastly, you use the word "train" for what you'll do to your dogs. That really shows that you've got no understanding of dogs or genetics. If you have dogs that have been bred to do something you don't train them.....You don't have to train a pointer to point, or a husky to pull, or even a Labrador to retreive. They do it instinctvly- our role is to refine their genetic desire into a compatiable working relationship.

My challenge still stands.

[Stony]

we (I) had a few bird dogs, a rescue Blue-heeler and a unwanted Lab at the same time.
Time and cougar took care of all.
one of my girl had a husky/wolf mix (also a unwanted dog).
since we travel lots we have no dogs right now,
but a wire hair dachs hound is under consideration,
maybe a rescue husky as a jogging comp. for the girls.

my "pack" chased off quite a number of unwanted people and the indians are afraid of larger dogs, esp. the husky/wolf mix.

the draw back of having several dogs are obviouse.

[Pal334]

Actually, this is exactly what the thread is about. We are talking about the value of dogs on a homestead....we are discussing the merits of work dogs and mutts. So, I don't get your point...you have not hijacked or derailed anything.

Your reasoning makes absolutley no sense. Examine your statements...
"I don't know anything about the akc or breeders...I do not approve of them"

How can you develop an opinion and decide you don't approve of something, you admittedly don't know anything about?

Lastly, you use the word "train" for what you'll do to your dogs. That really shows that you've got no understanding of dogs or genetics. If you have dogs that have been bred to do something you don't train them.....You don't have to train a pointer to point, or a husky to pull, or even a Labrador to retreive. They do it instinctvly- our role is to refine their genetic desire into a compatiable working relationship.

My challenge still stands.

Please lighten up a bit. Everyone has their own opinions. We can pick and chose what we want from the posts. I just would not want to scare away any one from contributing. I am learning alot from what you are saying, since you obviously have alot of experience, and everyone seems to have a slight "twist" on their responses based on their experience, or in my case lack of alot of experience.

[FVR]

I see Jason's point. There are certain dogs for special purposes. I had a chow, great watch dog, deer tracker, kid, and all around great dog. Now, she loved the water, but the water did not love her. Her hair was too long and although she was a good retriever, it was always on her terms.

The chow was bred to be a cart dog. To protect, fight to the death, and supply it's owner with thick fur for clothing and meat.

I would not take our new mutt out to chase hogs, stupid pup will get himself all cut up. But then if I wanted to hunt badgers, the small daschund fits the bill. They were bred to go do such work.

I would not have my rotty pulling a sled. Not that she could not do it in her younger years, but the environment that creates that job is just too cold. I really don't know what rotty's are bred for, maybe just intimidation with a serious follow through.

If I was to take up duck hunting again (wishful thinking), I'd want a ches. bay ret., because when it comes to the water, they are the best. They are the strongest swimmers for rough water and their hair, skin, and fatty tissue are made for the work.

I will however not put down the mutt. With all the in breeding that goes on, the mutt has managed to shine. Chows along with many (wanted) breeds have been bred so that if you want a good line, it's hard to find and expensive. Worth it? That is the buyers decision.

I imagine that there are many mutts pulling sleds. Diff. in those mutts are cross breeds from dogs that are already pulling sleds. A cross lab and husky, may just want to stick to the warmer climates.

This is just my opinion. I 've had many dogs, all have been good, even the ones that were biters. They were biters because they were either in-bred and had problems or were abused by previous owners.

Dogs like children are born sweet, innocent, and all loving. It's the adults the screw it all up.

[wareagle69]

worthless opions? wtf is that. thats way out of line, i gotta challenge for you, the same one i gave alpine sapper when i called him out, and he ain't been back since cuz he was full of it, i'll send ya a pm with my feild challenge.

[Mountain Man]

We have a standard poodle with ears like like no other... we keep him shaved that's the neg. with the breed the hair grows and grows... also the positive since i`m allergic to other dogs with fur and dander.

He points on his own, will retrieve birds on his own (that have been shot, no formal training) and is a great alert dog.

He's a companion and our first alert system

If I had the training or wanted to I`m sure I could train him to retrieve birds as a bird dog... he has that in his blood.
He already knows "go get it" or "go get them" when I point to alive animals, birds, people, etc... he will "go get" things he's familiar with on command, and will run and run until he's tired (not often) or finds/gets what he wants, etc. He knows hand signals for left and right, etc.. it's fun

He WILL snap at a stranger, growl and get down in his defensive position... He once snapped at a couple high schoolers who were over at my old house helping me with some work. He new one but the other two he didn't and when they went to pet him he snapped, growled and barked...while previously letting the other kid pet him and not acting towards them. He's VERY alert with his senses and who's friend or foe. I've had other dogs in the past snap at strangers when attempting to shake my hand because he thought they were being aggressive toward me.

It's how you react to your dog when he reacts to things.. we make sure he knows that alerting us is VERY important. And I spend 6 days out of the week with him ALL day so we have a VERY TIGHT close bond.