Dog Groups

:-D Heck, they're ALL soul mates, I think.

Jake was ours, and a big, lumbering beastie he was. He had the face of a German Shepherd (although a bit lighter), the butt of a Rottweiler and the body and overall demeanor of a Mastiff. Mastiffs are one of the most ancient breeds, and they are good watch dogs but also excellent family dogs as they're just so mellow. When our nephew was less than one, we had him (and his folks, of course) over. The dog endured all manner of banging (which I think our nephew thought was petting) with hardly a care. Our other three dogs would've been indignant. Jake was just, yeah, whatever, but I hope there's something good in it for me afterwards.

He was a love.

PS Do you have pics of Iffy? We might be able to upload one.

Hi Everyone --

Of Course, I voted for 'Herding'..... thanks to Jack, super Border Collie...


Have you heard about the new breeds of dogs.....

Collie + Lhasa Apso: Collapso, a dog that folds up for easy transport.

Spitz + Chow Chow: Spitz-Chow, a dog that throws up a lot.

Pointer + Setter: Poinsetter, a traditional Christmas pet.

Great Pyrenees + Dachshund: Pyradachs, a puzzling breed.

Pekingese + Lhasa Apso: Peekasso, an abstract dog.

Irish Water Spaniel + English Springer Spaniel: Irish Springer, a dog fresh and clean as a whistle.

Labrador Retriever + Curly-Coated Retriever: Lab Coat Retriever, the choice of research scientists.

Newfoundland + Basset Hound: Newfound Asset Hound, a dog for financial advisors.

Terrier + Bulldog: Terribull, a dog that makes awful mistakes.

Bloodhound + Labrador: Blabador, a dog that barks incessantly.

Malamute + Pointer: Moot Point, owned by ... oh, well, it doesn't matter
anyway.

Collie + Malamute: Commute, a dog that travels to work.

Deerhound + Terrier: Derriere, a dog that's true to the end.

Bull Terrier + Shih Tzu: Oh, never mind ...

That's great, Peace and Love. Great avatar, too.

All four of us have allergies to dogs, so we went with a miniature poodle. Poodles are, supposedly, the most hypo-allergenic. He's about 15 inches at the shoulder, so he's a nice size. He's the third one that we've tried, the other two were when the kids were younger and lasted a day each before they were returned to the breeder.

We manage the allergy problem by bathing him once a week, having him clipped very short every six weeks, washing his bedding a couple of times a week. Central vac and an air cleaner help as well. We manage and he's worth it.

Except for the lack of freedom.

Hi mckenzie -- I like your avatar, too!!!

I'm glad you're able to have a dog.... I couldn't imagine being without one.... my Jack sleeps on my bed.... he's my baby!!!

Actually, Border Collies have only been an official AKC breed since 1995. Border Collie breeders fought against having them recognized by the AKC. They even hired an attorney to try to stop the AKC from adding Border Collies. Border Collies were being bred for their brains and for their herding instincts. For AKC shows, Border Collies will be bred for their physical appearance. Some of the old-time breeders fear that the brains will be bred out of the Border Collies. We always advise people who are looking to buy a Border Collie to avoid the AKC breeders.

This is what happened, somewhat, with the Laborador Retreivers. The Labs that are competing in the field trials look different (sometimes) than the Labs that you see in the AKC shows.

One of the best dogs we've had was a Pound Puppy. Mickey. He lived in the pasture with the sheep. He didn't want to come into the house. One cold snowy February night, he saved two little tiny newborn lambs by barking his head off until we went outside to see what was wrong. The lambs had arrived earlier than expected and would probably have frozen to death by morning. We were able to move them into the lambing pen and under a heat lamp, thanks to Mickey. We always called those two lambs "Mickey's Babies".

Peace and Love
Sandra

...somehow knew that dlow would show up talking about cattle dogs (red heelers, blue heelers, whatever you want to call 'em). not a breed recognized by akc, but very distinct, and when mixed with other breeds offers the dominant body type. one of my dogs had a heeler mother and god-knows-what for a father. he's got german shepherd face, aussie shepherd ears, husky eyes -- but that stock body, volleyball butt, stumpy tail, and the dusty topcoat on his belly are all aussie cattledog. people who know the breed pick this up right away. everyone else just says, "shepherd mix, huh?"

he's crazy as all hell, though...

will probably only ever take in mutts, but i'm a big sucker for working dogs, esp. the really big 'uns.

I prefer that type of dog referred to by the vet as "All American Mix," which is to say, the mutt . . .

My experience has been, you get most of the best of the breeds which have been packed into that small frame, and lose most of the worst . . .

okbye

I voted toy as I currently own a Miniature Pincture as does Matrix500's ZaZu, her name is Bean. She was not purchased but rescued through the DFW animal rescue group. They found her in a box in down town cow town (Fort Worth) in a box with an open bag of food. She had been physically abused and still is very wary after two years. She never leaves my side when I am home. She is asleep on my feet right now.

In the past I owned a black lab/golden retriever mix, I bought her from a farm in the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. Only paid $110.00 for her and she did not have a pedigree although her parents did. The mom was the retriever and the dad the lab. Her name was Dorothy and I loved her so much.

What a difference between a working dog, Dorothy and a toy breed Bean. If and when I get the room I will some how get another lab but until then Bean is perfect for apartment living.

Hi...

I've had several kinds of dogs over the years, but the ones that really won my heart were my pair of purebred Dobermans and my last dog and present puppy, both Miniature Pinschers.

Dobermans have a reputation...people assume that they're killer watchdogs. That couldn't be farther from the truth. They're such silly, loving animals. They are my vets favorite breed of dog, and he told me long ago that the only reason that they'd ever really need to be watched around a small baby or child is because if they ever heard it crying, they'd want to pick it up to comfort it. Mine weighed 70 and 90 lbs., and were extremely gentle with my son as he was growing up, and never acted agressive in any way unless I was afraid of someone or something, and even then, they were always under my full control. They lived to be very old dogs.

My Miniature Pinscher puppy, Zazu, is now 4-1/2 months old. He's a total sweetheart, although the breed can be overly protective of their family if not socialized properly when young. He's extremely playful and full of energy. For him, a bowl of food is a game waiting to happen...It's not worth eating until he can scatter the pieces on the floor and chase after them. He'll run around the house several times at high speed on a whim, then want to collapse on a lap. I love the fact that he looks like a 4 lb. Doberman, but a Doberman with his energy would be a very dangerous thing! We bought him from a breeder who is well known in both the U.S. and Canada. She has a spotless reputation and is a board member of the AKC. We put a lot of effort in to checking her out before we even called her, because we wanted to be sure that we would be getting a healthy puppy who'd had a healthy start...

The past two dogs we had were Pound Puppies, and we loved each of them dearly, but both only live for about 5-6 years after adoption. One, a mix, was older when we adopted him, and the last dog was a MinPin who was a little less than a year old when we got him...It turns out that he was probably the result of a puppy mill, and because of that, his short life was filled with one medical problem after another. We had to have him put down suddenly right after this past 4th of July. That was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do in my life...It's one of the things that's made me the maddest, too. Because of that, I doubt that I will ever get another dog from the pound...not for a long time, anyway. A heart can only be broken so many times, and mine was broken badly by those experiences.

Hi Matrix!!

Oh... a puppy!!... What fun!!... Puppy kisses!!...

When we go to the Agility Trials, we often see a man who runs 2 or 3 Dobermans. They are Really Fast!! And, the deciding factor in Agility, they can stay focused on their handler!! He and his dogs are usually way up in the top placings.

Are you planning to show Zazu at AKC shows? Sounds like he comes from a very impressive breeding!!

I was sorry to hear about your experience Matrix. I have some thoughts on that experience, though. The older dog you got no doubt lived a good life, and died a happy, contented pack member. As for the puppy and the medical problems, it is possible to avoid that. I hate to hear it when people say they won't go to the pound, because so many thousands of dogs are abandoned each week, and many are put to sleep, without ever having known a good home. Perhaps some day, you could try again, and take more time with a selection. I do hope you'll always have dogs--they've been so faithful and worked so hard for the human race, they certainly deserve better of people then they often get.

Such a sentimental post from Setanta. ('Tsaright.) Actually heard someone say once, about going to the pound, "I can't do it. It's so depressing."

Well, that's why you go take dogs away from there, isn't it?

BTW, PaL, I start volunteering at the Humane Society in Bellevue soon. Cheers!

Hi Patiodog --

Good on ya!! for volunteering at a Humane Society!!

There are some great discussion group websites for people involved in helping with rescues and Humane Societies. It's not easy to read some of the messages that are posted at those websites. You will be joining a very special caring group of people!!

Both of Lovey's dogs are rescue dogs, and fine friends they are . . . Miss Cleopatra, whom she acquired about nine months ago, was neglected, left in a basement all day. She was about three years of age when Lovey got her. She has made wonderful progress--she positively sashays when we go for walks now, prances down the street, now a very happy doggie . . .

I"m not seeing a picture, just a box with a red x.

(now why'd i think you'd be at the one in bellevue. you said quite plainly that you're in pierce county....)

Piffka??? are you OK? What are you talking about???? Was your avatar just a red X????

Hi Patiodog --

Yes, I'm in Pierce County. I live in Roy.... work in downtown Tacoma.... let me know if you ever get down this way.....

I don't go in to the Humane Society to volunteer.... but I got involved (through my friends) in a few investigations... my friends are occasionally called upon to help haul out horses that are being removed from homes. Each time, it was Very Sad and No Fun. I also support the Humane Society by attending the annual Humane Society's Fund Raiser Day-In-The-Park-With-Your-Dog, and raise money for the Walk-A-Thon.

There's a discussion group at MSN Communities, called "Just Dogs". The man who runs that discussion group works at a Humane Society, and the website is full of all kinds of stories about rescues, etc.....

Yeah, it's such a shame to see a horse doing poorly.

Oops... we kinda got off-topic.... sorry, Jespah....

I chose the Herding group.... my second choice would be the Sporting group.

I grew up with a Black Labrador. As a puppy, she had been smuggled, from France, into the United States by a guy in the army.... in a suitcase. For all of her eleven years, she would not go near a suitcase. She never forgot!! We spent a lot of time on Puget Sound, where 'Cindy' would go swimming. We'd throw sticks out into the water for her to fetch. She had a great life!!

Hi, Peace and Love...

You're right about Dobermans being fast, and they're so smart. I really love them. I'd have one again, but they're really big dogs and just wouldn't fit into my lifestyle at this time-that's why I switched to a Toy breed...I do have to stop and look at them every time I see one, though.

Miniature Pinschers are smart and extremely fast (can easily run 30 MPH) and coordinated, but they are easily distracted...Living with one is kind of like having a two year old with ADD around the house all the time. It keeps you on your toes, that's for sure. I admire anyone who has the patience and skill needed to show or compete with one, but that's not for me. And, although Zazu comes from a long line of champions, and we could show him if we wanted to, the closest to that he'll ever get is being the resident show off. He's just the family pet...(and, yes, he has an appointment with the vet already scheduled, so there won't be anymore little Zazu's.)

We went to the dog show in Enumclaw in August, I think, to watch the lady we bought Zazu from work her dogs and to buy doggie toys and other stuff. Things are sooo cheap there! While we were there, we watched some of the Agility Compititions and they were a blast. We'll probably go back again next year just to watch and buy more doggie things. Do you compete with your dog there?