The dog.

23-03-2019 7:35am

bodhrandude wrote: »

Had a few adorable border collies in our family over the years, but my two favourites are Alfie my sister's pointer, she does that trick where she puts a piece of kibble at the end of his nose and he sits there obediently and she says 'Take' up goes his nose and the food lifts off in a circle straight into his mouth every time. Then there's Dinny my house mate's dog, if someone knocks the door the dog has learned to lean on the door handle and open the door, there's been many a shock to the postman or one of my friends when greeted by the dog who is a lovable rogue.

Yeah it always amazes me what animals can be trained to do. The entire canine world seems to be very intelligent animals and constantly surprise me about what they can be trained to do when you put your mind to it. You hear people say it is "Unlikely" an animal could be trained to do X. I find the opposite very true very often - it just takes a bit of imagination to figure out a way to get them there.

Something like this for example probably took a lot of effort. But it looks super cool

I could watch it all day.

Paddy Cow · 23-03-2019 10:01am

Deleted User wrote: »

Having imported a wolf from a Canadian/Alaskan mixed breed we have no end of amusing stories.

Lets clear up the argument. Are you saying you imported a wolf or a wolfdog hybrid? I'd be with everyone else and agree there's no way you have a full wolf. A dog with low wolf DNA maybe.

I can't believe you're using GDPR as an excuse not to back up your claim :pac: At least post a photo. The dog wolf won't mind

JohnnyFlash · 23-03-2019 10:43am

A wolf!! Jesus, Tax, you’re a gas ticket altogether. Do you bring this wolf out hunting with you?

23-03-2019 10:56am

Who mentioned GDPR? What I did say was due to it not being a legal animal I will not be providing information that could cause me or my family issues.

I am going to stick with the actual experts who actually have the data on this one and not argue the point any more. After hours is full of threads on terrorism, child abuse, suicide and more right now - and this is a very positive and happy thread full of love and happy anecdote. My piece is said and I will not be derailing one of the few positive threads we have to fulfill one users need to have a fight.

Though - I do not actually hunt so much as trap most of the time. I do enjoy both of course but most of the meat I get from the wild like rabbit would be done by way of traps not active hunting.

McMurphy · 23-03-2019 11:14am

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLrLlu6KDss

Paddy Cow · 23-03-2019 7:12pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Who mentioned GDPR? What I did say was due to it not being a legal animal I will not be providing information that could cause me or my family issues.

I am going to stick with the actual experts who actually have the data on this one and not argue the point any more.

Your story just gets stranger and stranger. What kind of "experts" would facilitate the illegal importation of a wolf? As Wibbs pointed out there are very strict laws governing wolves. I wouldn't be very knowledgeable on the subject but even I know that you can't keep a wolf as a pet. It's just not possible. A wolf hybrid maybe but not a full wolf.

23-03-2019 7:39pm

Ive really said all I intend to on the subject at this point. It is not the topic of this thread. If you have an issue with me take it up with me in private lets keep this thread positive and on track shall we? Funny and nice stories about our animals.

Another great laugh I tend to get with mine is his method of greeting me and my girlfriends. He has a way of opening his mouth really wide and basically trying to envelope our face. Or just biting lightly on our face to the point of actually pulling on our cheek or nose with his teeth lightly. To anyone not warned he does this it looks pretty dramatic and almost hostile. Mostly I remember to warn new people but I have forgotten on occasion and it gets some pretty hilarious reactions. Including outright screaming.

I had a dog in the past - a springer spaniel who had a way of greeting you after an absence which basically looked like a huge smile. It was not like any other baring of teeth I have seen a dog do. He just ran at you with all his lips pulled back in what looked like the biggest grin. It was seriously hilarious especially when you saw it the first time. Must be something about the breed because I just quickly you tubed it and someone else has pretty much the same thing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjTdEAcdpFg

lazeedaisy · 23-03-2019 7:44pm

Who needs words, this is our house right now

Sciprio · 23-03-2019 8:20pm

I have a cat that knows some words like if he's sleeping and hears someone call me by name he gets up. If i open the microwave/oven door he knows there's chicken and the fridge it's ham. He comes when called and if i'm home he's always in the same room as me like if i get up to make tea he'll follow me downstairs and wait till i make my tea and follow me back upstairs again.

He'll also wait outside the bathroom door for me or the front door in i go to the shop. I've known lots of cats and were all unique in their own way but my current guy is very friendly and had him since he was a kitten so he grew up with me. Here's two pictures of him.

Ariadne · 23-03-2019 9:03pm

Beautiful pics everyone

My boy

Sciprio · 23-03-2019 9:17pm

Succubus_ wrote: »

Beautiful pics everyone

My boy

I like the two teeth barely showing.

Paddy Cow · 23-03-2019 9:18pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Ive really said all I intend to on the subject at this point. It is not the topic of this thread. If you have an issue with me take it up with me in private lets keep this thread positive and on track shall we? Funny and nice stories about our animals.

Fair enough. I have no issue with you because you are a stranger on the internet who has no impact on my life. You posted a story. I find it implausible. We'll agree to disagree

CarolineBee · 23-03-2019 10:09pm

Love this post!

George is a mastiff/staffy cross rescue. He has a bad history as was bred for dog fighting, abandoned after being rescued from that and then spent a year in rescue centre.
Despite all of his reasons to be a nob he isnâ€™t.

I would never have seen myself taking on a staffy (even a cross) but this lad has changed my opinion so much. Heâ€™s an absolute baby. Has to sit on my knee when I come home (heâ€™s 8 stone), scooby chats when heâ€™s giddy, knows masses of tricks and learns so quickly, very obedient and his bed time routine is ridiculous. He has to have a duvet (blanket will not do) and brings his stuffed dinosaur with him.
When going home to my parents house they love dogs but in a typical older generation country way... dogs get no further than the kitchen and certainly no eating what people eat. George has ripped up those rules. He gets his bed in front of the fire and has been found snuggled in bed with my Dad before now. He also gets a mini breakfast cooked for him when my Mum does a fry.

Widdershins · 23-03-2019 10:20pm

Dogs are incredible but the reverse is that they're needy .

You get attached to a dog and they to you and you're gutted if something happens to them. I prefer an emotionally detached cat to an emotional support dog. The cat thinks humans are pricks too so any interest it bestows on you is actually an honour.

Always remember your dog is genetically programmed to fawn over you while the cat knows in her very bones that you're beneath her.

.

BBFAN · 23-03-2019 10:26pm

I have both a dog and a cat and love them in different ways as you do your kids. The dog is so loyal and loving unconditionally and that's their attraction but the cat is so independent and not half as needy. My current cat must be 110 years old in human years and needs food and water and an annual visit to vet for vaccinations, that's it. She gets in and out the window and goes the toilet outside so zero maintenance.

When she gives affection it's such a big deal that we all fight over it! The dog on the other hand will give undying love to whomever is the nearest to her.

:D:D

Teapot22 · 23-03-2019 11:24pm

We have two dogs, a golden retriever and a border collie crossed with god knows what. We got our retriever from a couple, they owned her mum and dad. Our other fella was dumped on a farm and was about to be put down so we took him. He was a tiny pup at the time.

Both so lovely and so different. Retriever is our laid back lady and collie is hyper but both amazing with our kids. When the youngest came home from the hospital almost three years ago they nearly went mad, in a nice way!, loved the new baby. Lovely moment. Collie will play fetch forever, a stick and he's happy. Retriever loves her walks. Lovely thread, I've written an essay and could go on!

McMurphy · 24-03-2019 1:45am

CarolineBee wrote: »

Love this post!

George is a mastiff/staffy cross rescue. He has a bad history as was bred for dog fighting, abandoned after being rescued from that and then spent a year in rescue centre.
Despite all of his reasons to be a nob he isn’t.

I would never have seen myself taking on a staffy (even a cross) but this lad has changed my opinion so much. He’s an absolute baby. Has to sit on my knee when I come home (he’s 8 stone), scooby chats when he’s giddy, knows masses of tricks and learns so quickly, very obedient and his bed time routine is ridiculous. He has to have a duvet (blanket will not do) and brings his stuffed dinosaur with him.
When going home to my parents house they love dogs but in a typical older generation country way... dogs get no further than the kitchen and certainly no eating what people eat. George has ripped up those rules. He gets his bed in front of the fire and has been found snuggled in bed with my Dad before now. He also gets a mini breakfast cooked for him when my Mum does a fry.

George is a beauty.

Tea-a-Maria · 24-03-2019 2:16am

We've had a long tradition of Springer Spaniels in my family. I'm sadly old enough at this stage to have ahead a few come and go in my lifetime, but what that has also made me realise is that each has their own wonderfully endearing personality traits.

When I was a teenager, we had a dog who would wander over to you and force her snout into your lap when she wanted attention. I remember one day when my brother and I started a rally with her across the living room, holding our hand out so she would come over and back for head rubs.

Our current hound is 9, and I'm not home much anymore, but that doesn't stop her from going nuts when I visit. Every morning she'll run down to my room,jump upon the bed and roll around, whinging with excitement, then tear out of the room again. Best alarm clock ever!

God dogs are the best.

CarolineBee · 24-03-2019 2:21am

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

George is a beauty.

Thanks. Means a lot, cause of his breed he’s often judged unfairly so really lovely when it doesn’t happen

MyStubbleItches · 24-03-2019 10:26am

We woke this morning to find our eldest girl had died in her sleep. A 16 year old mini Yorkie called Bobby. We knew she’d been going downhill lately and I was dreading having to bring her to the vets if things went bad but thankfully she seems to have just stopped breathing in her sleep in her bed with her 9 year old daughter. She was originally a Mother’s Day gift for my mom, who passed away four years after so it’s sad that it’s another link gone but she had a great life and the end was as good as it gets. We’ll miss her but her daughter and our 5 year old lab will still keep us busy.

RICARDO1982 · 24-03-2019 10:50am

Have 2 Jack Russells , they are great little dogs , would walk anywhere not a bother,Not a dog to be left in the garden ... Not bad with other dogs socialised from puppies.
The male lad is smarter than some people I know ......... the female has a heart of gold!!

DrPhilG · 24-03-2019 10:50am

MyStubbleItches wrote: »

We woke this morning to find our eldest girl had died in her sleep.

Sorry for your loss.

That said, "died in her sleep" is the best way. Nothing worse than having to make the decision to put a dog down. You don't want to do it too early and deprive them of quality time, but you don't want to do it too late and have them suffer.

Our first Rottie had to take that final trip to the vet. Absolutely heart wrenching. The second one was getting old and stiff, but was having a whale of a time on cannibis oil. Then she slipped away in her sleep and that was that.

Give your other dogs a big hug today, and don't ever watch the film "Marley & Me".

24-03-2019 11:05am

DrPhilG wrote: »

That said, "died in her sleep" is the best way. Nothing worse than having to make the decision to put a dog down.

Yeah we had a tri-color pure bred rough collie in our family quite some time ago. I had forgotten this until you wrote the above but those kind of dogs can have genetic issues and problems.

Anyway he never seemed to have any until he died of some very sudden brain aneurysm one day. Age 7. How he died though I could not have picked a better way.

We were out on a long long walk he was chasing squirrels at speed - he leapt clear over a large fallen tree to catch one of them and when he landed on the other side he was already dead I think. Just hid the ground in a heap.

So his last thought and emotion and experience was the leaping thrill of the chase. I got a lot of comfort from that.

McMurphy · 24-03-2019 11:19am

CarolineBee wrote: »

Thanks. Means a lot, cause of his breed he’s often judged unfairly so really lovely when it doesn’t happen

There's a couple who live down the road from me who have an American Pitbull bitch, and she is the most beautiful dog ever, she is also as placid an animal as you'd ever meet, it's unfortunate that a few unscrupulous people have let that particular breed have a completely unfair reputation.

There's no such thing as a dangerous dog, there's just dangerous owners imo.

24-03-2019 1:26pm

MyStubbleItches wrote: »

We woke this morning to find our eldest girl had died in her sleep. A 16 year old mini Yorkie called Bobby. We knew she’d been going downhill lately and I was dreading having to bring her to the vets if things went bad but thankfully she seems to have just stopped breathing in her sleep in her bed with her 9 year old daughter. She was originally a Mother’s Day gift for my mom, who passed away four years after so it’s sad that it’s another link gone but she had a great life and the end was as good as it gets. We’ll miss her but her daughter and our 5 year old lab will still keep us busy.

Ah, that's so sad. So sorry for your loss.

Widdershins · 24-03-2019 1:28pm

On certain breeds being predisposed to certain problems . Don't read this if you're feeling sad.

I had a wolfhound. An incredible creature, everyone loved him. I thought he'd make it to 10 or 12 because he was very fit. At 8 he collapsed and couldn't get up. Big strong back legs, useless . He was a huge dog .
I couldn't lift him. Ex husband 2 carried him to his van and into the vets. Vet said he had a tumour on his spine.
He said nothing could be done and the breed nearly always succumb to that disease.

Ave Sodalis · 24-03-2019 2:16pm

Widdershins wrote:

I had a wolfhound. An incredible creature, everyone loved him. I thought he'd make it to 10 or 12 because he was very fit. At 8 he collapsed and couldn't get up. Big strong back legs, useless . He was a huge dog . I couldn't lift him. Ex husband 2 carried him to his van and into the vets. Vet said he had a tumour on his spine. He said nothing could be done and the breed nearly always succumb to that disease.

8 is even on the higher side of average for a wolfhound. 6 wouldn't be unusual. Absolutely stunning dogs and I would love to own one but they'd break your heart.

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly · 24-03-2019 4:37pm

We have a greyhound. She's more like a cat in many ways though - very independent, quite enigmatic and not a pet like dogs I had as a kid growing up - she doesn't know what play is. She spent her life coursing until we got her so it must be strange for her to adjust to life in the retirement home.

Paddy Cow · 24-03-2019 7:01pm

Roger Mellie Man on the Telly wrote: »

We have a greyhound. She's more like a cat in many ways though - very independent, quite enigmatic and not a pet like dogs I had as a kid growing up - she doesn't know what play is. She spent her life coursing until we got her so it must be strange for her to adjust to life in the retirement home.

When my mother was in Hospice, a woman came around and asked would my mother like to meet her emotional support dog. My mother loved dogs and was delighted and said yes immediately. The lady brought her dog in and it was a greyhound called Mouse. I had this idea in my head that greyhounds were high energy dogs because all I knew about them was that they ran around the track really fast. Meeting Mouse really changed my opinion of them.

She was a lovely, placid dog and petting her head was like petting silk. Her owner explained that she was a retired greyhound and like yours, when she first got her, poor Mouse didn't know what "play" was. Her life had been so regimented she was almost like a robot. She obeyed commands easily but didn't know how to relax. It took a couple of years but eventually Mouse started to let loose and a big step for them was when she felt comfortable enough to sit on the couch.

She had another name to start off with (why do race dogs have ridiculous names, like horses?) but they called her Mouse because of her colouring and the fact she was so shy. She was a lovely dog and really made my mother's day.

Skylinehead · 24-03-2019 7:30pm

My mam has a greyhound lurcher, and yeah, greyhounds are the opposite of high energy. Total couch potatoes 95% of the time. But when he gets out into a field, oh boy. Ridiculous speed compared to the collies, although they want out all the time.

Here's the eejit

The dog.

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