Dogs.

[5030]

Here's a reason to have small mutts .... mine are both over 100 pounds. On Juy 5th I was walking to the lower barns and the heathens ran behind me coming to look for a rabbit to chase for giggles. The female ( on the left ) does not look were she runs and hit me square in the back of the legs.
I went up and landed on the back of my head and back. Now I have to cope with a broken rib just under my left shoulder blade. Truly screws up the summer for this year and yes .... still hurts like hell.
View attachment 3752724

Nice puppers. I love all animals, especially medium to larger sized pups and to me they are all pups no matter how old they are.

Never met a dog I could not get along with. My rule when metting a strange dog is don't move fast, never reach out for them and let them come to you and smell you before anything else and speak to them in a low voice and always let them lead the encounter and I've been around what people term viscous guard dogs and I've never been bitten. Maybe barked at but you can alsways read a supposedly vicious, agressive dog by looking at their facial expression. Never look a strange dog directly in the eyes either and alwys have a biscuit ready as well.

I always let them start the encounter and I never get at all agressive. Dogs especially can sense body language so I'm never tense, just good old me...

Been round some certified 'junkyard' dogs and in the end they want to come home with me...

Dogs are especially astute when it comes to body language and they all want to be accepted but on their terms. I respect their terms always. Never had the chance to try that with a police K9, but I bet the result would be the same.

Wife feels the same way and we'd have hundreds of cast off pups if we could afford it. But our rule is, they all (cats and dogs) get nutritious food, no table scraps ever and proper veterinary care so they are expensive to keep and why we have a limit on the number of animals we have.

We want them to live comfortable lives, not be abused and 'want to live here' and they all do.

 

[Torvy]

Here's a reason to have small mutts .... mine are both over 100 pounds. On Juy 5th I was walking to the lower barns and the heathens ran behind me coming to look for a rabbit to chase for giggles. The female ( on the left ) does not look were she runs and hit me square in the back of the legs.
I went up and landed on the back of my head and back. Now I have to cope with a broken rib just under my left shoulder blade. Truly screws up the summer for this year and yes .... still hurts like hell.
View attachment 3752724

Ouch! That's my future. 3 big dogs totalling 265 lbs. All about a year old, so they still have some growing to do.

Anatolians are all muscle and can be a bit clumsy. They 'play' by smashing into each other at full speed. They have come close to knocking me down. Wife has hit the turf once or twice.

They are very sweet with people, but think every dog wants to play rough.

 

[1 Old Man]

I want to remind you guys in the HOT climate zones to watch
your dog for excessive heat. My GSD will play fetch, chase the
ball, run etc as long as I will play with her. She will overheat
just because she wants to be with me. So excessive panting,
tongue to the side drooling thick saliva etc ..... your pup
could probably use some water and some rest. My dog is blk & tan
and just petting her I can feel heat from the sun.
One of the great things about being on the farm...we have fishing
ponds and tanks.....and this is one water loving GSD. She goes
swimming whenever she wants to. She doesn't just wade. She
actually gets in and swims around. I'm sure that feels great to her.
Anyway, just remember to provide a constant water source and
some shade and "rest" time for your pup.
The heat in Tx is just now starting to crank it up a few notches.
Try to stay cool

 

[1 Old Man]

Ouch! That's my future. 3 big dogs totalling 265 lbs. All about a year old, so they still have some growing to do.

Anatolians are all muscle and can be a bit clumsy. They 'play' by smashing into each other at full speed. They have come close to knocking me down. Wife has hit the turf once or twice.

They are very sweet with people, but think every dog wants to play rough.

I like those dogs. Just got to watch your 6 with the bigger breeds.

 

[Torvy]

I like those dogs. Just got to watch your 6 with the bigger breeds.

Hehe...the "little" one (not pictured) is a GSD. They treat her like a younger sibling.

They spend the bulk of the day indoors this time of year. Kennel has a dog door directly into a 'mud room' with their crates. Wife also got a couple of those cheap plastic pools. They all like to flop in there. When we get rain, they have a couple of temporary mud holes they lay in as well.

So far, it hasn't been hot (at least for July here). There aren't any 100 degrees days in the 45 day forecast (I don't believe them, though). This part of the state is very humid. A walk to the mailbox will leave your shirt damp.

 

[Jstpssng]

^^^^^
Do you have problems with their toenails punching through the pool?

 

[ponytug]

^^^^^
Do you have problems with their toenails punching through the pool?

Not here. I admit to making tubs out of items here and there around the ranch. I cut down a used cattle supplement bucket (beer tub size) for my sister's dog (cattle heeler type) who loves nothing more than getting wet. So far it is holding up great.

All the best,

Peter

 

[1 Old Man]

.... There aren't any 100 degrees days in the 45 day forecast (I don't believe them, though). This part of the state is very humid. A walk to the mailbox will leave your shirt damp.

In East Tx and I get it. I don't believe them either. Next 2 weeks supposed
to be mid 90's and no rain predicted in the near future. We were not
supposed to get rain this week and we got a short summer storm almost
every day (just enough to keep that humidity level up). And maybe a
shower on Sunday.....wish they would decide which it's going to be,
hot and dry or hot and humid.
Just got back from going out to eat dinner. Was going to let the dog in.
Nope. She went swimming while we were gone. Hope she's dry by the time I
go to bed. Otherwise she gets to sleep outside.

 

[tallyho8]

I have owned, bred, raised, trained and competed with dogs for over 70 years. If you asked me to give 10 names of who I would want on a desert island I was marooned on for the rest of my life, 3 names would be people and seven would be of my past dogs.