good dog for widerness living

**wildWoman** · 09-17-2009, 05:05 PM

Sounds really good, Owl Girl :-) Didn't want to talk you out of your very knowledgable decision, I just love talking about dogs :-)

I'd be really interested to hear your experience, once you have the dog, on how that hunting method works out for you. Let us know!

**Sourdough** · 09-17-2009, 05:13 PM

WILDWOMAN, You got Snow.....?

**red lake** · 09-17-2009, 06:18 PM

I didn't read the whole thread, but I suggest getting a reserve dog. Most are mixed with husky, shepherd, labs and even wolves.

They are forever grateful for being rescued and can turn out to be the best dog you ever had.

I of course have no scientific evidence, just first hand experience.

**wildWoman** · 09-17-2009, 07:22 PM

Originally Posted by Sourdough

WILDWOMAN, You got Snow.....?

lol No, I wish!!! It's an old picture. Just a light dusting of snow on top of the moutains so far. Still waiting for it to go below freezing at night at our altitude :-(

**Mountain Man** · 09-18-2009, 02:44 AM

Originally Posted by wildWoman

You will find an electronic collar a huge help if you are set on getting a dog with hunting instinct. Dogs with a strong hunting instinct tend to become deaf to all things around them, including your calling, when off on a really fresh scent. With an electronic collar, you can jerk them out of their dream and y can also train your dog to different commands with the collar. That way, you can command your dog even when out of sight and earhot, or if you need to give a command silently because there is game close by.

Jason sees it differently I'm sure, but most of the huskies I've known up here are a real pain in the woods. Tales abound (from our neighbours, friends, my boyfriend etc) of their huskies taking off after some game and coming back when it pleased them, hours or days later. Maybe less dominant and older huskies would feel more obliged to stick around, but basically, they're bred to run all day and until fairly recently in history had to often hunt for their own meal, so who can blame them. They need to be worked, that is run for hours, which most people end up not having the time for.

I know of a bear specialist up here who has two elkhounds and those two are excellent bear dogs.

I actually would recommend a standard poodle to you...I know they look kinda silly but they are extremely smart and what's even more, extremely eager to please. They are interested in doing what you want which makes working and being with a dog a lot more fun IMO. They have a good nose too and actually used to be retrievers, and are not as hyperactive as most of the working breeds are. You can teach most dogs how to track.

Be aware that moose kill dogs quite often...they are used to dealing with packs of wolves. We don't let our dogs approach moose closely. A moose usually just runs a short distance and then stands its ground. A dog that keeps bothering a moose can find itself stomped on pretty quick.

I have a standard poodle.
The hunt in him is CRAZY.
No matter what house we are at he will find the door or window and stay there ALL day looking at birds and critters, and occasionally barking if they get to close. He is not a vocal dog, and his pain tolerance is extreme... I've heard him yelp once when I accidentally fell on him but other than that I've pulled out his hair in bunches, play with his nose making him look like Mr Ed, play with his feet, dance, pull out ticks, give him shots, bangs his head on stuff, cuts himself, and NEVER doe she comaplain like most other dogs.

He's super good with kids and loves to play and be around people.

Electric collars are awesome! He learns it, and then it stays with him for ~2 months and then he has to re-learn the zap

He's still relatively young (just turned 2) but for off-leash in the woods this is the only way unless your dog has no drive to track. I've seen him point a few times and raise his foot at birds at my old house, he's LIGHT on his feet and can jump about 5' up onto ledges, trucks, decks, tables, etc funny thing he won't unless I ask him or really encourage it. We can leave him in a room with a baby door thing all day and he will NEVER jump over it... yet if we tell him he would and I know he can jump things 2x as tall.

The weirdest things freak himout like plastic bags, and stuff on my head heh.

His ears are GREAT! With the TV blaring he will jump up run to the door and start to bark at a deer in the back yard. He's done this from other rooms with the radio on too.

He's SUPER protective, we encouraged this at a young age and will bark at strangers, knocks foot steps, etc.

I taught him to "read my hands" where I point he runs if he's in the field or looks if he's near me.

I am truly his pack leader he will submit to his belly if I rub / touch him, he will bath me for sometimes 15 or 20 minutes if I let him. I spend every waking hour with him almost every day of the month.. maybe 2 or 3 days I`m away.

He does NOT look like a standard poodle, everyone asks what he is. He is smarter than he should be hehe.

This is him with his hair getting LONG.
We get him trimmed to a #7 all over, and #10 on the feet and privates.
Keeping him short is KEY in the mountains.
Daily he is wiped down with a wet rag and it's brown and nasty. He has stained the carpet where he lays with dirt from his hair even.

More pics upon request.

Any poodle questions let me know.

He loves to run today we ran a couple miles keeping at least a 13mph pace, when he's fresh he often runs 20mph. This is in my yard, climbing hills, over logs, etc... (I of coarse take the ATV).

He has a huge vocabulary, and before he was even 6 months old he was understanding "sentences" which for me was uncommon with other dogs. I could say things like I have to go, I`m leaving, gotta go bud, go in your crate, and no matter where he was he'd get in his crate.
Everyplace around the house has a name... the garden the basement, "inside", he picks up on that stuff fast, and the same with people's names he knows what "go get __name__" means. In the woods 1/4 mile away I can say GO HOME and he'll run home. Stuff like that is SUPER important for emergencies, attacks, etc...

**Rick** · 09-18-2009, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Mountain Man

I've heard him yelp once when I accidentally fell on him but other than that I've pulled out his hair in bunches, play with his nose making him look like Mr Ed, play with his feet, dance, pull out ticks, give him shots, bangs his head on stuff, cuts himself, and NEVER doe she complain like most other dogs....Electric collars are awesome!"

I suggest we take up a collection to save this poor dog.

Originally Posted by Mountain Man

The weirdest things freak him out like plastic bags, and stuff on my head heh.

I suggest we take up a collection and send poor MM some games, books and magazines. The plastic bag on the head game is a bit dangerous if you ask me.

He sounds like a great dog, MM.

**pocomoonskyeyes** · 09-18-2009, 11:47 AM

Yeah dogs can be pretty darn smart that's for sure. We can spell - out - and Sadie knows what it means. Same with bed. Sadie is a Border Jack - 1/2 Border Collie 1/2 Jack Russell. People think we are crazy when we tell them this....until we show them.

**Mountain Man** · 09-18-2009, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by Rick

I suggest we take up a collection to save this poor dog.

I suggest we take up a collection and send poor MM some games, books and magazines. The plastic bag on the head game is a bit dangerous if you ask me.

He sounds like a great dog, MM.

Yeah, he's not to fond of bags on his head or mine... he runs and hides

**equus** · 09-18-2009, 10:57 PM

the bear dog i don't think is to vocal. I think they were bred to stalk the bear and then to hold it there while the owner catches up. the one that i was around didn't bark that much. she barked at me when i first arrived but then she was quite once she realized that i was not going to harm her. either way if it was me i would go for either the elkhound or the bear dog.