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Post by fureverywhere on Oct 25, 2014 21:47:14 GMT -5
I'll post pics after Halloween. I took Callie up to the dog parade today and he was the perfect gentleman...considering the tutu he did fantastic! I compromised with a Candy Security Team shirt for trick or treating. He looked great today but the costume kept slipping down. The candy shirt is just a nice stretchy shirt from Target.
Some notable "pitty" situations today- The woman who moved her dog and kids TWICE when we sat down. She had an English bull. Hey measure his mouth against Callie, what are you so afraid of Mami? The guy in the open run with a lactating AmStaff and an unaltered male. Breeding more bullies you moron...nevermind the boy was challenging every male in the park.
Then there were the wonderful people- The woman who asked if he was a pit bull. Then after seeing he wouldn't eat her proceed to cuddle and tushy rub, she even gave him a big kiss on the snout before we left. The young man who stopped and told him what a great smile he had and gave him still more lovin'. The older man who had no problem with his elderly Spitz and Callie laying side by side in the shade.
Aye so for all the ig'nant folks there are many who surprise you, terrific afternoon!
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Post by fureverywhere on Oct 13, 2014 17:39:11 GMT -5
Thank you for posting this. It's reassuring to know I've been doing the right thing all along. I don't usually read training articles because they can make you batty. I've scanned stories and posts by people who are so darn righteous that their dog doesn't get a morsel unless they earn it in some way. I'll give my dogs goodies just for having a cute head tilt and regularly bring home a toy for each when I work late on weekends. They aren't fat or spoiled and do what I ask to please me, and I please them back in return. Neither one is food motivated anyway. A kiss and good belly scratch and they would climb Everest with me;)
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Post by fureverywhere on Sept 29, 2014 21:34:55 GMT -5
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Post by fureverywhere on Sept 22, 2014 19:58:12 GMT -5
From what I understand with some dogs prey drive is something hard-wired in there. Sophie is probably around ten years old now. She fears our house cats. Getting claws stuck in her forehead enough times finally taught her the house cats mean business. But her reaction to everything else is the problem. Walking her is an adventure. I've gotten to avoiding other dogs completely with her. If someone pops up when we're walking I'll call out "She doesn't like other dogs!" and get her turned around right away. The other day my kid came running downstairs. The dogs-Sophie, Callie was just tagging along-had something cornered in the yard. I went out with a leash thinking I could lasso her an drag her in the house. There was something in the bushes screeching and I couldn't get to the dogs or creature for all the shrubs in the way. Finally my son got the dogs in and we looked outside. There was a raccoon obviously injured and staggering around the yard. Animal control took it away and Sophie's shots are up to date but . She's killed so many creatures along the way. I guess short of muzzling her in the yard too there's not too much we can do. Feel like a hypocrite sometimes. When the cats leave prizes on the steps it doesn't seem so gruesome. Then again the typical cat is a more effective hunter. One bite to the neck and it's all over. Dogs like Sophie maul rather than kill so you have this poor critter that needs to be put out of it's misery. Thank you for letting me share:(
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Post by fureverywhere on Sept 14, 2014 19:26:22 GMT -5
Oooooh I love the pictures!...I'm kissing the computer screen:) What big feeties heeheehee best of luck to you. It does sound like you have a lot on your plate there. If you can manage it maybe try to schedule even a half hour or an hour walk for each dog separately every day. My dogs are too strong to walk together so I give them each an hour a day. I take my girl to the fenced tennis courts and wear her out playing fetch. The boy doesn't play games, he just likes to chug around sniffing every molecule.
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Post by fureverywhere on Sept 12, 2014 22:18:21 GMT -5
Absolutely Jamie absolutely...I'm so in tune with Callie I know what he's thinking before HE knows what he's thinking sometimes. Just trying to accept that he and Sophie are such different dogs. We'll be walking and another dog and owner will walk around the corner...and I get that momentary panic reflex...but with him he'll greet another dog wagging his stump, do some polite sniffing and walk on his way. Sophie I'd be hauling her off howling like a demon.
Definitely our problem kids give us an education. But please dear G-d when Sophie buys the farm I'll be looking for a female Callie. Does anyone know "Hyperbole and a Half"? They go to a shelter and say "Oooh give us the most desperate dog you have and we'll love it into shape". That dog is a cartoon Sophie. I still love her dearly, but that chapter had me laughing until the tears flew.
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Post by fureverywhere on Sept 10, 2014 14:50:53 GMT -5
Isn't it bittersweet how in tune we get with our problem doggies? We've had Sophie for eight years now. She was fearful and neurotic from the beginning, made vast improvements for her, then progressed backwards again. She went from seeing other dogs and barking hysterically...then tolerating them for a few years...then the attacking started...she can never be around other dogs again. She was always timid with people outside family. No changes there. But you learn to live with their personalities. You've made a lifetime commitment to love them and you do. But it also means avoiding the everyday things that set them off and never being able to truly relax when you have them in public. A sturdy leash and sturdier mindset and lots of patience to keep them safe. But then you find that special dog. No quirks, fearless, stable, easygoing, well-adjusted, almost bomb-proof. Callie's philosophy of life would be he doesn't have anything to fear. He can make friends with it, confront it, pee on it, or ignore it, but there's really no situation worth getting excited about. We took him out the other afternoon. Panera is a local sandwich chain with an outside patio. The surrounding stores are all dog friendly. I brought lunch from home for him. He laid beside my chair and had his meal n' politely shared ours. People and other dogs strolled by and he just watched. A full tummy and the breeze in his ears, life is good. Then I walked into different stores. He wagged and smiled at everyone that approached. Something really cool that I noticed. In some of the more crowded aisles there were some folks who instinctively saw a friendly dog to pet. I know there must have been some people mixed in there that saw him coming and thought "AIEEEEE!!!", but when they saw others crowded around showing the love they realized he was harmless. Ditto for other dogs, he sniffs, he wags and walks on his merry way, no problem. Maybe he's just an average well-balanced doggie, but for us this is brand new. I can't say enough about my handsome man!
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Post by fureverywhere on Sept 10, 2014 14:12:04 GMT -5
I totally agree with you. That's the kind of situation that leads some people to just abandon Boomer out on the side of the road hoping someone finds him before he dies. I've had a similar argument over adoption fees. In some areas where the majority is low income households they need some kind of program that can place animals in appropriate homes and would include follow up and affordable vet clinics.
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Post by fureverywhere on Aug 19, 2014 13:51:22 GMT -5
If I was answering the poll for Sophie I'd probably say anything less than a broken bone or something serious I try to take care of the problem myself. When she goes to the vet the office cats have to be out of sight, no other dogs can be around or she growls like a nutjob. She's afraid of people.
The last time we were there she had to have a pill. They tried a pill pocket. She ate the pocket and spit out the pill. Then they tried another treat. She spit out the pill. The doctor pried open her mouth, threw it down her throat and she spit it across the room. Finally my husband held one end and the doctor the other...
They got the pill in her mouth and held her snoot shut and massaged her throat till she finally swallowed. When it was shot time she almost peed herself. Then getting her back out without seeing any other dogs or cats. Totally exhausting for a half hour visit.
I took Callie for the first time since we adopted him. The only problem he has is being watchful of strange men sometimes. The doctor an nurse were both women so he was happy as a lark. During the exam he wagged his stump. After his shots he gave the nurse a big kiss. He needed to take a pill and the doctor opened those big old jaws.
He swallowed with no fuss and went all waggy again. On the way out he stood in the doorway looking at another dog and an office cat a few feet away. He wagged at them and smiled and then walked to the receptionist desk to say hello to her again. I couldn't ask for a better dog!
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 30, 2014 20:29:30 GMT -5
I can sympathize. I can only walk Sophie on leash now, but she's so damned determined to pick off stray cats I'm considering a muzzle. She's killed two in the past and any squirrel she's quick enough to get. Even on leash she spots something and it's like WHEEPWHEEPWHHEP.
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 22, 2014 23:04:07 GMT -5
Hi all, I'm so disappointed...I got Callie a collar today. It was called PetMate super bling. A silvery leather collar with a rhinestone band. I love to put him in bright colors and cutesy designs. He looks imposing enough. I think rhinestones and cheetah prints make him seem more approachable to strangers ya know?
The problem is I have to return it, beautiful on him but the large even on the loosest ring is really too tight. Can I have suggestions for stores or sites that specialize in unique glitzy collars for my big boy?
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 12, 2014 21:49:42 GMT -5
Beautiful! I have a friend that just lets the wildflowers and planted flowers grow together. So many remarkable colors, thank you for sharing
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 12, 2014 21:44:42 GMT -5
An after-thought after a day of crying I felt strong enough to realize, I didn't want her to think "Another human gets to know me, another human abandons me". I went to see her today. We walked her around the block. She was still overwhelmingly happy to see me. So sorry what Sophie did to her, but it could have been far worse. Have to accept I can't have her with us near Sophie. But I can walk her each day and give her the love she needs. Pray they can find her a forever home that can give her the undivided attention I can't. If it was just Callie it would have worked, but Sophie was Ms. Needy from day one. So I can be there for her each day and then go home to my dogs. Sad but at least I can love her too.
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 11, 2014 20:23:50 GMT -5
And like human kids we can't always control bad choices on their part. I forgave her, it was hard. My daughter went to visit the other dog today and she's doing better. Worst wound was a deep bite on her front leg. They said they'd split the cost of the vet. I'm too sad to visit, praying she finds the right home, I wanted to name her Honey she's such a sweetheart.
Just feel so awful. But now I know Sophie isn't safe around any animal outside our house. If she turned on Callie or the cats then we'd have a difficult choice indeed. I hope she never steps out that far. But when we adopted her we made a lifetime commitment to care for her. If she were human she'd probably be on every psych med in the book
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 10, 2014 19:38:21 GMT -5
Okay very sad follow-up to this thread. In fact erase this thread if you wish. Sophie wasn't stable enough for the situation and I should have known that. After an easy afternoon after dinner she gave a short growl and mauled the other dog. Not fatal but enough to have us all in tears.
Something that all prospective bully owners need to remember. Some dogs even with best intentions aren't wrapped too tight. Sophie was fortunate to come to us when I could give her my undivided attention, teach her how to walk on leash without pancaking and socialize her somewhat.
But I know now that she is also severally fear aggressive and considering how gray her snout is that may never be unlearned. In her lifetime we will never be able to add any other dogs or cats to the family. And I can accept that because I love her still. But she is still a powerful girl and I have to keep her safe and other critters safe.
My beautiful Sophie, so sad I don't know what else to say
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 10, 2014 14:46:54 GMT -5
Okay the other day we were at a rare visit to the groomers. I don't do my own nails, I don't do dog nails. I've been going to this groomer several years and she does rescue on the side. On our way in there was a young man being walked by a rather exuberant bully girl. They went in ahead of us and disappeared into a back room. The owner came out to clip Callie's nails while I held him. I'm slightly hard of hearing so I couldn't understand everything she was saying as she fussed over Callie. She was telling me about the girl I had just seen, that she'd been found locally and caged for months for lack of a forever home. At heart I am a cat person, I was a cat person for fifty years jeez. I have a special needs kid, my hubby is being gradually disabled, I need a second job. We have several cats and two doggies dumb as rocks. For two days I mulled over this. Imagining a dog my girls size caged for even a day...she'd have a breakdown in minutes. So I just had to go and look, maybe take her for a walk. But out of the question. We don't need another dog, enough with what we have. Always something needing to be fed. But my word she walked so nicely on leash I thought something might be wrong with her. Sophie in her younger days pulled me off my feet regularly. For a while there I looked like I was being beaten. She's slowed a bit with age and/or I've gotten stronger. Callie is more the gentleman but rock hard shoulders he can fly at least a couple blocks easy. But this dog, pacing right along beside me. Sophie is fearful of people especially men and young children, sudden noises, shadows, other dogs, she kills stray cats, helium balloons, imaginary noises...Callie is fearless to a fault. Humans in the dark and humans in uniform and he growls like Cujo...some ambassador for the breed... This dog as we walked was amazing. We walked right next to humans and no reaction. Stray cats and other dogs and she didn't even blink. Noise and traffic and she barely acknowledged it. She was just so happy being free to walk and sniff. Young kids petting her okay fine she'll sit down. You know I brought her home today Sophie Callie and cats all accepted her from the first sniff We are blessed
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Post by fureverywhere on Jul 5, 2014 13:30:16 GMT -5
I'm sorry about this situation...poor dog. I can't speak from experience because we didn't have dogs until my kids were almost grown but from observation it must be tricky sometimes. We had a border collie who used to herd people. She was rehomed to a working farm, the kids were afraid to walk her. That was my fault I didn't research the breed. I would talk to the screener in a very direct way that perhaps Diego would be better with a family with older or no children and experience with dogs. I know from my Sophie...children and noise terrifies her. She would probably snap with a child trying to hug her or give her orders. But that doesn't mean she's dangerous with us. Especially with a former farm dog adjusting to house living Diego needs an experienced household with time to devote to him.
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Post by fureverywhere on Jun 25, 2014 18:54:21 GMT -5
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Post by fureverywhere on Jun 19, 2014 22:17:08 GMT -5
by Isabel George I scanned this at Barnes and Noble and added it to my wish list. Sgt. Stubby was a decorated war dog in World War I. Wonderful pictures and great reading!
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Post by fureverywhere on Jun 18, 2014 22:34:43 GMT -5
I work in a store with a bunch of people...maybe fifty?...from Latin America, I'm not really into sports but they're teaching me all about futbol and the Cup.
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