Reply to: Im feeling broody.

[doodab]

I was going to mention the wood green animal shelter for comedy effect, but it looks like the domain I was expecting belongs to the west gloucestershire art society.

West Gloucestershire Art Society

WGAS, indeed.

[Diver]

Must try harder, Diver.

There is one blessing

The blessed things don't live long

Especially if they cross the road in front of my 4x4

[RasputinDude]

So you whistle and wave your hands and she takes the dog out?

Oh well done. I salute you.

[northernladuk]

I have a five year old German Shepherd.

We do obedience and agility training and I am currently working with her on long range commands using hand signals and whistles.

So you whistle and wave your hands and she takes the dog out?

[Old Hack]

I have a five year old German Shepherd.

We do obedience and agility training and I am currently working with her on long range commands using hand signals and whistles.

They're cracking dogs in teh rigth hands, Neighbours used to have a couple when I was a kid and they were always in the garden piddling about with us all.

[RasputinDude]

I have a five year old German Shepherd.

We do obedience and agility training and I am currently working with her on long range commands using hand signals and whistles.

[Old Hack]

Some (not all) rescue centres do offer full behavioral vetting of their dogs to see if they are suitable for a house with children. But I suspect that when I get another dog, I also will go for a puppy for very much the same reason.

It's not that I don't think it's worthwhile, for obviously it is. But it's just not worth the risk, imo.

What do you have?

[RasputinDude]

I think I'd have been happy getting a shelter dog, puppy, before we had kids, but now we have 3, it's too risky to take a guess on a dog, which has probably also been poorly treated, if you look at the stats of it all.

Cheers

Some (not all) rescue centres do offer full behavioral vetting of their dogs to see if they are suitable for a house with children. But I suspect that when I get another dog, I also will go for a puppy for very much the same reason.

[Old Hack]

Absolutely. I rescued my GSD as a puppy (just looked at the pictures of her, she was adorable) and I had time to train her before the children arrived. She is very protective of the children - when they were babies, the dog kept a close eye on any visitors that picked them up. Nothing threatening, just a constant watch - and when the children play with her she is much much more gentle then when she plays with me.


Good call.

Now I want to go home and muss my dog; but I can't because I'm stuck on site

I think I'd have been happy getting a shelter dog, puppy, before we had kids, but now we have 3, it's too risky to take a guess on a dog, which has probably also been poorly treated, if you look at the stats of it all.

Cheers

[Old Hack]

I'd always get an adult dog myself. Puppies are cute, but grown dogs need love too, and will respond to kindness just the same.

I am not a psychiatrist, but are you projecting here? I mean, this could be put down as "young girls are all lovely, and firm and fun, but middle aged ladies need affection too, I can respond to kindness you know"? Is that why you blog too, you know, to put yourself out there.

I can see why you're getting upset about all this puppy/young women talk. And now I feel bad for you.

[RasputinDude]

I agree with you about knowing a dogs provenance; it's important you bring a dog up as you will know how s/he responds to most situations, and know there's an element of control that they understand. Now put them amongst kids and it becomes even more important, as you really need to know a dogs personaility before you let them near kids.

My kids want a shelter dog, but there's no chance, unfortunately, in hell. We're looking at a Hungarian Wizsla this week, whhich are apparently great as family dogs. Need lots of exercise too, and are alert and intelligent.

Absolutely. I rescued my GSD as a puppy (just looked at the pictures of her, she was adorable) and I had time to train her before the children arrived. She is very protective of the children - when they were babies, the dog kept a close eye on any visitors that picked them up. Nothing threatening, just a constant watch - and when the children play with her she is much much more gentle then when she plays with me.

It was that or a spaniel.

Good call.

Now I want to go home and muss my dog; but I can't because I'm stuck on site

[Old Hack]

Totally agree with you. My last shepherd got away with murder, sleeping on peoples beds, the sofa etc, as we all loved him to bits. As we had him from being very young, he was used to being told what to do, and certain tones of voices that meant really do it now. You also get that bond having raised them, I remember on one of his very first walks outside he saw another dog and he was so scared he literally climbed up my body into my arms. I know as a full grown dog he would have given his life to protect any of the family, not because we somehow dominated him, but because he loved us and had been brought up correctly to know his place in our family.

I agree with you about knowing a dogs provenance; it's important you bring a dog up as you will know how s/he responds to most situations, and know there's an element of control that they understand. Now put them amongst kids and it becomes even more important, as you really need to know a dogs personaility before you let them near kids.

My kids want a shelter dog, but there's no chance, unfortunately, in hell. We're looking at a Hungarian Wizsla this week, whhich are apparently great as family dogs. Need lots of exercise too, and are alert and intelligent. It was that or a spaniel.

[escapeUK]

Judging by your posts, a fooking female chihuahua would rightly think they were top dog compared to you, loser.

Oh, how disappointing, I thought you had died in your old peoples home.

[escapeUK]

Absolutely right, but many dog owners interpret this as needing to totally dominate their dogs. They also forget that as well as Alpha male and female, there is also the status of "enforcer". Which is where the dog should be - it does what the alphas tell it to do.

With dogs like GSDs, they need to have a job to do as well. It's no use just owning a big intelligent breed dog and then not doing anything with it. You have to work with and train your dog continually. If you want a bone idle thing, don't get a dog that has been bred to work.

Totally agree with you. My last shepherd got away with murder, sleeping on peoples beds, the sofa etc, as we all loved him to bits. As we had him from being very young, he was used to being told what to do, and certain tones of voices that meant really do it now. You also get that bond having raised them, I remember on one of his very first walks outside he saw another dog and he was so scared he literally climbed up my body into my arms. I know as a full grown dog he would have given his life to protect any of the family, not because we somehow dominated him, but because he loved us and had been brought up correctly to know his place in our family.

[Gentile]

The dog however is a pack animal and will not be thinking like that. If you don't show them you are the boss they will assume they are.

I've never owned a dog, so you may well be right. I have noticed that they're quite shy animals; other people's dogs usually don't let me pet them on first meeting and instead stand behind their owner. They're fine after you've met them a few times, but very evasive on that first encounter. Maybe they're just looking to their leader for protection from the new and unknown person until they work out where you fit into the hierarchy, or something?