Tell Me About Your Love of a Dog

[anotherbob]

I think my all time favorite dog was Bella Crindy. My friends "broken" Golden retriever. Sweet dog always super happy to see me, but it was broken. What do I mean. I thought oh you're a retriever lets play fetch. That dog gave me the most why would you throw that. Basically if I was talking to the O.P. said check this out and rolled a tennis ball down the street, that would be the look.
Side note my Cats keep thinking that they're dogs. Current one begs like a dog.

 

[lraisch]

Our Anatolian is 150 lbs bred for aggression and independence. If she wanted, there would be no way for me to restrain her. But, with some obedience, she knows to look back at me for a sign if she is wondering whether to attack or not. She is always disappointed that I never give her permission, ha ha. I need to walk her in more dangerous neighborhoods, ha ha.

My daughter has an Anatolian as a livestock guardian dog on her farm. She's a real sweetheart. So far she has treed a bear and a bobcat and chased an eagle who had caught one of the ducks. The duck survived because of her. When my daughter was walking her and they surprised a possum, she looked for permission to attack it. Instead, my daughter got her husband to bring a cat carrier and capture it and the dog kept between the possum and my daughter the whole time, protecting her.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

My daughter has an Anatolian as a livestock guardian dog on her farm. She's a real sweetheart. So far she has treed a bear and a bobcat and chased an eagle who had caught one of the ducks. The duck survived because of her. When my daughter was walking her and they surprised a possum, she looked for permission to attack it. Instead, my daughter got her husband to bring a cat carrier and capture it and the dog kept between the possum and my daughter the whole time, protecting her.

The oldest breed, even mentioned in the Bible. We had a bit of an issue introducing her to my daughter's Irish Wolfhound. We still cannot ;leave them together in the house, as they play very rough, and broke our couch. Flipping each other up in the air as if they weren't dogs that weigh more than most people.
But, to us, her pack, she is a total sweetheart. Love her to death.

 

[sasquatch]

Do yourself a favor, Milk, and get a book called "How to Speak Dog" by Stanley Coren. It's not a training book, there's a million of those, it's a book about how dogs see the world, how they react to us and to each other. It will give you a huge step up in terms of interacting with your dog and meeting its needs.

I've spent my adult life owning dogs, and with the kids grown and gone, with owning high-needs dogs. I took in a pitbull no one wanted in 2019, a real head case, and he'd been savagely abused. I had no idea what I was signing up for. And it was the ride of my life. I lost the big guy to cancer last September and I cried and cried. But we had a magic 4 years together as he grew to trust me and learn that his world was safe and controlled, that there were no threats to him. It was a wonderful process and very soul-filling. I couldn't have done it as a "first dog" though, I needed all the experience I have.


Enjoy the dog, they are lovely animals, eager to please, full of life and fun. All they mostly want is to be a part of whatever the hell is going on. It's a lifestyle to own a dog, you have to plan around the dog's needs. But it's hugly worth it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

This is Storm.

Her favorite thing to do is take the Amazon driver by surprise. I like to save the videos from our Ring doorbell of them jumping backwards off our porch.

Her second favorite thing is when I take her on a walk as I ride my bike, she has learned that she can set her 150lbs ass down in the road and jerk me off of my bike. My wife thinks it’s funny also.

 

[tbradsim1]

My first Catahoula named Ki, short for Kiyan the hot pepper saved me from an ass whipping, one morning 2 young men were on my cane loading site throwing trash out, walked up with only a cup of coffe in my hand and told them to pick that trash and hit the road, well they advanced on me, Ki was onmy side growled, bared his teeth, so I said that’s not a good idea, they reloaded the truck and left. Ki was the hero. I Garronte!

 

[warren]

Labs are slaves to their nose. That said with proper training a lab makes a great family dag. They need exercise, lots of it. Two boys should be sufficient to provide such. Easily bored, Labradors require fairly close watching and monitoring was they will search out exciting odors, rush to join up with other dogs, chase anything that runs and so forth.

I've had Labs and Goldens and the occasional "husky" over the years. Labs are loyal but, easily led astray by their acute sense of smell. So, proper training is mandatory if you wish to co-exist relatively peacefully. The reward of Lab ownership is loyalty with, for sure, a lapse here and there.

I simply cannot stress enough proper training/discipline for all concerned, dawg, children and adults. With such you'll rarely have problems with either the dog or the boys. It's my experience that kids growing up with furry pets learn empathy. An important lesson to be learned early.

Hopefully, you'll give the pup proper training. The boys and dog will bond and will entertain and enrich each other. Lots of luck, Labs can be a handful!

They easily gain weight. Pick a proper food for them, changing as they grow and needs change, no human food, ever, if you want a healthy pet that'll live into their teens. If you opt to train using rewards, Hills Prescription has a healthy, training nibble which, properly administered speeds training and doesn't add weight.

 

[tbradsim1]

Big, Regal, loved him, Kiyan!

 

[Sig]

I have honestly never been without a dog.
We currently have six dogs, but several are farm dogs and livestock guards.
Only two live full time in the house.
Two Mastiff/Dane mixes and a Kangal dog for protecting the farm.
A Piitbull who roams where she likes.
And a hound mix and a Chorgi (Chuihaua/Corgi mix) as "house pets".
They truly are mans best friends.
Here are the Chorgi and the hound mix, they're the only ones here right now. Bad picture form my Kindle.

 

[jpmcwjr]

What warren said.

 

[Merton]

Loving a dog will bring you joy, affection, occasional irritation, love, companionship and, in the end, a sorrow which you will never lose. The last part is the steep price we pay for letting them in our hearts and the very real fact that our dog's let us into theirs too. If only there was a breed who lived as long as we do. However, as I approach 70 I have two 10 month old Basset Hounds who will, I hope, see me into really old age...If there is an afterlife I truly hope to see my old friends again....if only that were true

 

[tbradsim1]

Warren always gives good advice, you can take it to the bank!

 

[Chasing Embers]

I'd choose them over my siblings.

 

[VDL_Piper]

They are mates but mine also work beside me day in day out and I couldn't do my job without them. They protect you when working cattle and always have your 6 and there have been a couple of occasions that I can remember when a bull or cow with calf have tried to get me when I was busy with other cattle in front of me and my dogs intervened. I love them unashamedly and the more I see of the world the more I love them.

 

[milk]

Immediately start obedience training. I've always had well trained dogs, and there's no excuse not to do it. It really helps the dog also, to know what behavior is expected.

Our newest Anatolian Shepherd has been a challenge. They have free will like a cat, but we stay at her, and it really helps... especially when we have to get her to let go of someone's face.

We’re watching a lot of training videos so we’re going to work hard to train him.

 

[milk]

Labs are slaves to their nose. That said with proper training a lab makes a great family dag. They need exercise, lots of it. Two boys should be sufficient to provide such. Easily bored, Labradors require fairly close watching and monitoring was they will search out exciting odors, rush to join up with other dogs, chase anything that runs and so forth.

I've had Labs and Goldens and the occasional "husky" over the years. Labs are loyal but, easily led astray by their acute sense of smell. So, proper training is mandatory if you wish to co-exist relatively peacefully. The reward of Lab ownership is loyalty with, for sure, a lapse here and there.

I simply cannot stress enough proper training/discipline for all concerned, dawg, children and adults. With such you'll rarely have problems with either the dog or the boys. It's my experience that kids growing up with furry pets learn empathy. An important lesson to be learned early.

Hopefully, you'll give the pup proper training. The boys and dog will bond and will entertain and enrich each other. Lots of luck, Labs can be a handful!

They easily gain weight. Pick a proper food for them, changing as they grow and needs change, no human food, ever, if you want a healthy pet that'll live into their teens. If you opt to train using rewards, Hills Prescription has a healthy, training nibble which, properly administered speeds training and doesn't add weight.

My wife seems to think she can prepare her own food for this dog. She has researched this. I’m worried though.

Thanks again everyone! I’ve read everything everyone posted and looked at the fantastic pictures. This is a look into people from another angle and informative on how a dog can enrich one’s life and family and be a loving friend.

 

[Chasing Embers]

We’re watching a lot of training videos so we’re going to work hard to train him.

It'll be worth the effort.

 

[Sig]

Im not sure if this is an appropriate story for this group, delete if you must.
A few years ago I was inside our house bathing our two Mastiff/Great Dane mix farm/livestock protection dogs. They had decided that cow crap was a good scent to roll in.
After the baths, while drying them, I hear my wife screaming outside.
I look out the door to see her with our 20 pound Chuihaua/Corgi mix held above her head with three coyotes leaping for him. Moments before one had him in its mouth but my wife attacked(with her voice ), so the coyote dropped our dog.
In an instant my brain said....357 magnum....shotgun.....then I looked down and remember I had 400 pounds of coyote ass kicking dogs with me.
So, I just opened the door.
The dogs went to work.
Two of the coyotes didnt leave the yard, and the third was run down in the woods and.....um......ended.
These dogs have chased off bears, coyotes, bobcats, "wild" dogs, raccoons.....
In fact, they chased a bear yesterday. They have tangled with black bears and coyotes but never ended anything until this time.
My point is, I honestly believe this time was different because my wife was screaming and our little dog was screeching...... like a psycho.
I will grab a picture of them together when I see them. Here is one from an "incident" last year when he got grounded to the house.
When we adopted them their names were Odin and Thor. But those names didnt do it for us. This is Bubba and his twin brother is Roy.

 

[Sig]

 

[milk]

View attachment 309303

Just a small feature of this for me is that I do work late sometimes. There are no coyotes here in Osaka Japan and there is not even any real street crime to speak of but there are weirdos everywhere in the world so there’s peace of mind knowing the dog is there.