FYI for dog owners

[Divedoggie]

I live in the mountains and I have 2 standards for my 3 dogs. When we are in town, they are leashed. Even though they are trained well with voice command. I love my dogs and other people's, too. I just don't want to risk injury due to fighting, vehicles, garbage, etc.
On the other hand, when we ride horses in the mountains, it is impossible to leash the dogs...plus it just wouldn't be fair to them to deprive them of the running, swimming, and exploring that they love so much.

 

[Divedoggie]

Petey looks like a real cool guy...I wouldn't risk him against an intact Mastif!!!
Or for that matter, against anything that could cause him pain and disfigurement.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

Atticus, who I completely agree with, and you aren't so far away.
You punished the person that did something wrong, which was the right thing to do.
Nevertheless, posts like OffTheWall (no offense) made reflect the whole problem. He has a troubled dog because of bad history but instead of working on it and trying to socialize the dog, which is possible through hard work, he expects everyone to have their dogs on the leash.
Let me tell you that about 70% of all dogs that are being euthanised in North America are put down because of behavioural problems and these problems are to 95% home made because of mistakes made during the upbringing.
The biggest mistake done is: not to socialize your puppy from the beginning or missing to do so with older adopted pets.

Best behaved dogs I ever saw were on my dive trip to Key Largo. They followed their owners into the bars without leashes and worked the room like they owned the place. It would have been a shame to have to put them on leads. Not pushy or annoying just very friendly and easy going. Seemed like they were local celebrities.

 

[Avic7]

Speaking of leashes, there used to be a large german sheperd dog living across the street from me. Since my friend lived across the street as well and were next door neighbours with the owners of the german sheperd, I would always run across the street and go play with my friend whenver he was out. One time as I was running across the street to knock on my friend's door, the german sheperd got loose and attacked me and had a grip on my hand. Being 9 years old at the time, I was so scared! Next thing I knew my dog, a lassa apsu, the size of my lap, comes streaking out the front door( he was in the kitchen at the time and the front door was open b/c mom was doing the gardening) and bit the german sheperd on the leg. The dog let me go and starting attacking my dog. Good thing the owner came out by that time and grabbed hold of his dog. My dog saved my life and sustained some bruises. I still don't know how he knew I was in trouble, he was at the back of house on the second floor and in the kitchen. The german sheperd was 2 times as big as my dog. I miss my dog ever since he passed away 4 years ago.

 

[Mrs.Prages]

Avic - I'm glad you got through this, I'm sorry your dog is gone now. Dogs really are great for knowing when we are in trouble.

I am of the belief that even the best intentions can sometimes go terribly wrong. You let the dogs run loose because you think it's cruel to keep them fenced in but then a neighbor shoots it because it attacks a cow or chicken, or it gets run over, or other terrible things, I think that's cruel. But I also think it's cruel to think a dog should live at the end of a chain for it's whole life. That does make a dog crazy.

My dogs live in that big yard with a pond to swim in, they have a doggie door into the house, they sleep in the king size bed with me and always have shelter, food and water.

By the way ClevelandDiver, I feel your pain on the couch. My huskies and the lab while going through puppy hood, ate two couches, a carpet, and so many other things I can't even count. I'll learn to live with that and teach them better for that payback I get from them. Of course, there's also the time my one husky brought me a live snake, while I was home alone.

 

[BabyDuck]

my dalmatian once clawed through the drywall and ate the insulation. in two rooms.

 

[dlndavid]

my dalmatian once clawed through the drywall and ate the insulation. in two rooms.

Some Dalmations just ain't right in the head.

 

[Jason B]

Some Dalmations just ain't right in the head.

...and sometimes it's the owners (like me for taking pictures of mine wearing hats!).
Say hello to Cassie everyone.

Jason

 

[dlndavid]

Hi Cassie...love the pictures, love Dalmations too, close to being like Labs.

 

[starfish365]

nice puppies - beauty blue eyes.

I am also a firm believer that all dogs are good until they are exposed to evil. We as humans place too much of our influence on animals around us....that's all good if we are good but many people really shouldn't be allowed to own animals or have children. Nasty parents cause nasty kids or animals. While some dogs are bred to be more aggressive they can still lead a healthy happy life with the right human at their sides.

It all stems from good training, lots of love and attention - and sometimes that can be a long slow process but well worth it in the end. Consistency is the key - lots of love, praise and reward.

My dog is a sheppard/retriever mix...120lbs....now although he'd rather be a lap dog he has got in the face literally of someone trying to play too rough with his mommy (me)....he didn't bite, but he definitely made his prescence known and felt. He is now 12yrs old and has been a good friend and companion. When he's gone it will break my heart.