Looking for a dog
- Thread starter nmkid
- Start date
I got my latest Heartbreaker from the adoption agency. Beautiful and smart (housebroken in 2 days) I always let the dog pick me. We actually went to the place to get another puppy we had seen on their website. They put us in a pen with several different pups, the one we wanted would have nothing to do with us. Cassie came over and just sat down looking up at my granddaughter and me. She knew who her new family was!
Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
I've had Labs for over fifty years, trained my own dogs and helped others. If you want a 'family' dog don't go to a 'field trial' breeder. Many labs today have the 'hyper' gene breeding. That is exactly what you don't want. If it's a 'family' pet get the book "Family Dog", if you want a hunter get "Water Dog" both by Richard Wolters and written 50+ years ago. I've trained a number of Labs and never used an electric collar. A lot of training can be done in the living room. 'Come', 'sit', 'stay' and 'down' and even 'hand signals' are best taught in a small area. Raising and training a dog is like raising children, "ya gotta be smarter than the kid or dog". Control, discipline, AFFECTION and CONSISTENCY are the keys. Discipline in very important if the dog is a hunter, an uncontrolled dog can ruin your hunting and others hunting. Accent the positive, eliminate the negative and you will have a good dog.
well said! I have read water dog! great book!
I'm going with this right here^^^^.....after owning a GSD, you will have intimate knowledge of some type of vacuum cleaner or system.
My vote is GSD
rockhound78
Silver $$ Contributor
My daughter has a GSD. Thinks it has to be played with or taken for a walk ALL THE TIME he is awake. Whines and whimpers when ignored or when put outside (seperation anxiety!!!). He needs more training ,but they just don't have or take the time.
Agree on the shedding!!! She can vacumn the sofa and I would swear, 15 min later you can't tell. Seems like he intentionally goes to the clean part of the couch.
Agree on the shedding!!! She can vacumn the sofa and I would swear, 15 min later you can't tell. Seems like he intentionally goes to the clean part of the couch.
Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
I like yellow labs, my friend trained the 1st yellow lab to win a National Championship, the dog was 'Torque of Dangerfield', that was in the late 1960s. He was young and didn't have the money to take the dog on 'the tour', so he sold the dog to lady that could afford to take the dog to all the trials. He helped me a great deal over the years. Training with live pigeons was a big deal, it really made a difference. Having near by ponds and fields also were important. We were hunting and my dog was about 6 years old, he asked why I wasn't 'field trialing' the dog. I had very well trained 'retriever', I'm not competitive, I didn't lose many birds and I had a great companion. In the early 1970s there were a lot of ducks in the Pacific Flyway, I had good partners and we hunted a lot. Nothing beats shooting a lot of ducks, that's what makes a good retriever.
Camped in a state park, I was tending to the boat, my partner was cooking dinner, when the dog retrieved 2 steaks (wrapped in paper) from the folks next door, he returned the steaks, my partner not the dog, spaghetti instead of steaks, he wasn't the smart partner. I hunted chukars over him, not a the best dog for chukars, too 'heavy' on their feet. I did shoot a "triple" over him once. I hunted pheasant with him a time or two, but he was getting old and starting to have joint issues. Ducks were what he was bred and trained for. I've trained, had and hunted over other dogs, but 'Epic' is the dog that I brag about. It's said if a man has had one good wife, one good dog and one good horse, he's had a good life. I've had a great life. I'd like to think I still have one more boat to build and one more Lab to train in me, BUT, then the reality sets in!!! I am looking forward to Montana gophers in spring.
Kittitas George
Gold $$ Contributor
I was very fortunate, we moved to a small farm, about 1/3 pasture and 2/3 corn and ponds near by. "Just do what the book says" my friend said. So that's what I did, every day. I bought my last dog in 2004, he was bred to retrieve geese in northern Idaho. The breeder also bred horses, he knew how to get the type of dogs he wanted, good size, willing learners, good temperament not hyper. "Gunner' was a very fast learner and never forgot, just wonderful dog. He was a big Yellow Lab, 110 lbs and not fat. Well, about that time age and reality bit me. I had a very well trained dog that never got to hunt. But still a wonderful pet. Once in a while I'd get out a few bumpers and a whistle and put him to 'work', like I said he didn't forget.
The best horse I had was a palomino Morgan-Quarter horse gelding, well trained by others. He was the best mountain horse, ride him or pack him he was just great. Ride him across a river or stream, I rode him across a swinging suspension bridge, just drop the reins, let him figure it out. I was told I could shoot off him, but he wouldn't stand still long enough to take a picture. I was in 50 feet of three bears (sow w/cubs) he just stood there watching them. He'd see deer and elk long before I would. I'll be 80 in two months, can't do much any more, but my memory is still sharp, and is full of wonderful adventures, people, dogs and horses. What more can you ask?
Dusty Stevens
Shiner
Get a standard poodle
No. I mean a real 4-legged one! My daughter is on a mission to get a Labrador. It must be black. So, I'm looking for a pup within 200 miles of Richmond,
I have this litter on the ground currently. A good ways from you, but I have buyers all over the US. This is a high end litter. Dams MH level just needs to run more test to title.
Really just an example of quality breeding. Find an really good actual breeder. Most people (99%) who sale dogs are not breeders and do not breed responsibly, or know anything. Usually if soneone says embark health tested, run away. AKC registration doesnt mean crap either anymore, all good quality dogs are AKC registrable, but people have lied so much on paperwork that AKC is meaningless as to quality.
Feel free to ask me questions if you have any. Im in the know and have contacts nationwide in every state for quality litters/breeders.
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Really hard to get accurate Intel on anything about a dog. The best way is to get firsthand reports about the previous litter from a cross. If that's what you want get one from the same cross. The amount of time and resources you will put into the animal is too great to settle for less.
I really only posted this to show off my dog, a Ladner's black mouth cur. That's not a suggestion.
I really only posted this to show off my dog, a Ladner's black mouth cur. That's not a suggestion.
JayHHI6818
Silver $$ Contributor
We’ve had two humane society dogs and they both were awesome dogs. First one was chow & golden retriever and second one was a mixed breed that LOVED water. Sad week for us as we had to put Java down on Wednesday. Lost the use of his hind legs. Java loved retrieving rocks out of creek in our backyard.
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Meet Digger, he's an Aussiedor. Which is a fancy name for mutt. Half Aussie , half Lab. My daughter's Christmas surprise. I hope he makes a great farm dog. Farms need dogs, so do kids.
Sorry for your loss. I know the feeling.
Every dog I have had was a rescue. They make the best pets. They are so loving and loyal. Go the pound and you will see a lot of Labs. They are very spunky and a lot of folks don't know how to train and handle them so they wind up in the pound needing a forever home.
I am sorry for you lose. Many do not understand the grief suffered when we lose our special friends. I have been through that more times than I care to remember.
Jeorge says hi from across the rainbow Bridge and to get a GSD cause they are the bestest.
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