Bee~ Journal of then...

[Quail_Antwerp]

Now, Aly....just because I think it's one of the saddest things to see doesn't mean you have to feel that way also, you know. No need to get offended and all!

Still....the dog sounds like a potential law suit waiting to happen, Aly. A dog that bites people just because they are "in his space" isn't really a safe thing to have around children or anyone else, for that matter. With all the nice dogs in the world, why would anyone want a dog that can't be allowed off a chain for fear he'll damage someone?

I have to keep him UTD on rabies shots because we know he'll bite anyone who trespasses.Chaining him is the only way to keep trespassers (and friends) safe. We can trust him in our yard if it's our family ONLY.

A dog that bites someone breaking into your home can be excused, I guess. But what if that someone was trying to get your child out of a burning bedroom?

But then...this is America and you are free to have any kind of animal you wish on your property. If you have to chain it to keep it there and to keep it from biting someone, well, that is probably the best thing.

Bee, I wasn't offended, it's just a sore spot. Everyone tells us to get rid of him. We know if we did, he'd be put down. We trained him to be the way he is, and we'll probably never find another dog who would protect our family to the death the way he would.

The other three people he bit while he was chained came at him in an aggressive manner. I can walk right up to him and pat him on his head, tell him to SHUT UP, and he'll listen.

The people he bit? Not a one of them felt it was the dog's fault. We apologized profusely, but they still didn't blame us. We tell everyone who comes here (you can ask keljonma and Becca) to stay away from him because we can't guarantee he won't bite. If they don't heed our warnings, we then tell them, "We are not responsible if you get bit, because we have informed you the dog may bite!"

He has complete respect for our vet though! First dog I've ever seen that literally gets scared stiff going into a vet's office. We have to drag him through the door.

I also want to say, the people who wants us to rehome him have never been bit by him, they just dislike him because he barks at their car when they come in the driveway.

 

[Henrietta23]

FF, this is so weird. Didn't I just the other day tell you that my pug's dam was named Casseopeia (sp?)?? Well, my mom had a cockatiel named Corky!
Anyway, here's one that drives me nuts. We have neighbor two houses over who has two fat Labradors. He has an electric fence but it doesn't seem to work very well because every other day or the black Lab is wandering the neighborhood. What drives me nuts is that when this guy leaves his house for errands he chains them near the side of the house. They bark constantly the entire time he is gone. And he wonders why people have called the police to complain about it! He seems to be a nice guy and I personally have told him that they bark while he's gone without stopping to take a breath. He has no real explanation as to why he can't have them in the house while he's out for short periods of time. They're in there while he's at work. I am not one of the people who has called the police. With a rooster and 5 noisy female ducks, that would be pretty ironic....
These dogs are not barking to warn of anything. They're simply ticked off and very unhappy that they've been left behind. Not to mention bored.

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, exceptions to every rule. I still feel mighty sorry for them. Like when I went to RI for a nursing contract for 3 months. I had to leave Lucy with my parents and they would not tolerate her being loose. Dad made a huge pen for her and my brother's dog. They mostly did okay and Dad made a big deal over her every time he went out to feed and water....but it was still kind of sad to see her confined. The folks didn't want dog poop in their yard...


I am so blessed to have found this electric wireless system for the dogs, as we could never live this close to the road without it. It has paid for itself a hundred times over and the dogs get to run. They still have to wear the receiver, which I'm sure isn't comfortable...to have a "thing" around your neck all the time.

We all have to make compromises, don't we?

I hate a barking dog too! Sometimes Lucy wants to sit and bark all night. I let her bark for about 15 minutes....then I yell at her and she goes in her house. This is usually only at night. She hardly ever barks in the daytime. I always wondered why their throats didn't get sore!

 

[lorihadams]

I hate to see dogs sitting around chained up with no food and water. It's different when people actually interact with their animals and give them love and attention.

Our 2 male labs are sweethearts that are not chained but in a covered pen (2 car tarped carport) on rock dust with a calf house to sleep in on cedar shavings and with a 20' x 30' grassy run. We have to keep them penned when we are not with them cause they run off. We still let them out and play but for their own safety we have to keep them in the run.
They even have a baby pool to lay in in the summer time......rotten dogs.

Bee, I love black betty! How can you not love that face.....even if she is and addict!!!

 

[Farmfresh]

We used to have a VERY CUTE schnauzer/poodle mix that was totally bizarre. In addition to chewing up EVERYTHING including the wiring in my garage, the swing off of the swing set and any thing left withing 100 yards of her, she was a mentally ill barker.

The ONLY time this dog would stop barking is if you were actually staring at her! Ultimately this was the ONLY dog I ever voluntary took to the pound and God help anyone that adopted her.

During the time we had her I worked hard to retrain her. The thing she seemed to respond best to was the rolled up newspaper, which made lots of noise but really caused no pain. If we had the money a bark collar might have had more effect. As it was I NEVER was able to stop her barking ... but I DID teach her to whisper! Really. She would just bark quieter and quieter until she was barely audible, but she would never actually stop. I often wondered about the sore throat thing. So who ever ended up with her, if anybody did, had a trained whispering dog.

 

[delia_peterson]

I hate to see dogs sitting around chained up with no food and water. It's different when people actually interact with their animals and give them love and attention.

Our 2 male labs are sweethearts that are not chained but in a covered pen (2 car tarped carport) on rock dust with a calf house to sleep in on cedar shavings and with a 20' x 30' grassy run. We have to keep them penned when we are not with them cause they run off. We still let them out and play but for their own safety we have to keep them in the run.
They even have a baby pool to lay in in the summer time......rotten dogs.

Bee, I love black betty! How can you not love that face.....even if she is and addict!!!

I have two dogs. Layla is a 2 yr old black lab/greyhound mix rescued from the pound, and Pig is a 7 month beagle mix I picked up at the cemetary where he was dumped when a very small puppy.
They have a nice run attached to the barn with two
doghouses, lots of shade and room to play. They also have a wading pool!! Layla loves it! They get taken to the beach once a week to run for a hour or two-really early in the morning when no one else is around. They are spoiled and come in at night and go back out in the morning . They start off sleeping in the livingroom..then when they "think" I am sleeping, they creep up on the bed to sleep with me! Its funny to watch as they think they are way too smart for doing it that way! When I go to visit my kids for a few days, they go with me. I love both of my dogs.
They bark at strangers, also anyone who comes in the yard. I have no doubt that if I was ever in serious trouble that Layla would completely kick some butt..Pig would probaly cheer her on from the sidelines!
And after "meeting" my chickens for the first time, they pretty much ignore them but do start barking when a cat comes in the yard, to let me know I need to come check on the chicks!

 

[dragonlaurel]

We used to have a VERY CUTE schnauzer/poodle mix that was totally bizarre. In addition to chewing up EVERYTHING including the wiring in my garage, the swing off of the swing set and any thing left withing 100 yards of her, she was a mentally ill barker.

The ONLY time this dog would stop barking is if you were actually staring at her! Ultimately this was the ONLY dog I ever voluntary took to the pound and God help anyone that adopted her.

During the time we had her I worked hard to retrain her. The thing she seemed to respond best to was the rolled up newspaper, which made lots of noise but really caused no pain. If we had the money a bark collar might have had more effect. As it was I NEVER was able to stop her barking ... but I DID teach her to whisper! Really. She would just bark quieter and quieter until she was barely audible, but she would never actually stop. I often wondered about the sore throat thing. So who ever ended up with her, if anybody did, had a trained whispering dog.

My brother's Schnauzer/Poodle mix is very similar. Yap, yap. . . every time anyone is walking down the street. He gets much worse when my brother leaves for work, or a friend walks by. I taught him the words yelling (for what he usually does) and talking for the more quiet version. Lots of petting for the talking and said "No yelling!" then dropped my voice softer and said "just talk" to me when he was barking too much and on my lap. It worked for a few days. My brother didn't stick with it. Dog almost made me deaf sometimes. I loved the little one but . I think he would lick a robber to death as long as he was constantly petted.

 

[FarmerDenise]

Aly, your dog sounds like he is perferct for your family. It is important to have a watchdog under certain circumstances!
We have been training our dog to be a guard dog. We lock her up, whenever a stranger to her comes over. We don't want her to be all friendly with people. We have had too many people come and help themselves to what's in our yard and we want everyone, including friends and family to know, that she might bite them (we hope). The only exception we make is children. When someone comes with a child, we let her stay out with us and the child. We want her to be really good with children and never hurt them. Sometimes she gets to be a little much for the child, then we do lock her up, so the child is more comfortable.
Our dog is only two, but so far she is doing exactly what we wanted. She is a great farm dog.

My daughter and I also got 2 parakeets from the Animal Shelter. They were taken from a horder and had been confined to a small cage with many other parakeets. Several of which were too sick to save. These two stay in their now much larger cage. They get frightened very easily. They seem to feel safer in their cage. It is sad though, that they never got to feel the freedom of flying away in the sky; the way a wild bird would...
We have swifts building nests in our chimney. One day earlier this summer, I heard a noise in the woodstove. When I opened it, a swift flew out. I caught it and after showing it to SO, I released it. I so enjoyed watching it fly in ever widening circles higher and higher, until I could see it no more. That is the freedom of flight, I wish our parakeets could enjoy.

 

[Beekissed]

I don't know if my dogs would bite someone who was seriously threatening me....I like to think they would! Would be kind of neat to find out that they look upon me as something to salvage!

Of course, I really don't need that amount of guarding, as my house pretty much has an open door policy. That's the beauty of having nothing worth stealing and not being afraid of intruders. My front door key has been in the lock for nigh on 3 years now!

If they hurt me, it would only be for a little while. If they kill me, then I'm fine with that! Can't wait to see the other side....

I just don't have the level of fear that most folks do, I guess.

I've been through some pretty bad stuff in my life and there isn't much else one could do to me that would surprise me. My kids are no longer little enough for me to worry about them, so that probably makes a difference.

My mom has lived with my dad for far too long(paranoid schizophrenic) and has developed a fearful attitude from that. Of course, she brings her own guns and ammo to the mix, so she will feel pretty safe!

I told her I refuse to live in fear....no matter what she may want, the windows will not be lowered and locked in the summer, the door key remains in the door, and I will not be taking the keys out of and locking my truck at night. Period. She says she understands and will try to take her learned fears down a notch or two.

 

[Farmfresh]

We never lock up our cars either ... they break the windows if they can't get in!

My brother in law had his Blazer stolen when he left the keys in the floorboard and went inside of a store for LESS than 5 minutes to buy cigarettes! They found his car shortly afterwards but failed to let him know about it for over a month and then wanted to charge him so much STORAGE fees that he could not afford to bail out his own vehicle!!

Once again ... gotta LOVE the city.