Pretty sure hab meant waif as in tiny stray taken in from the pound...

good luck with the biz red... are'nt there any other mine jobs you could do? equipment mechanic for example if your own biz does'nt work out...

Akitas can be a good choice for a dog... good thick coat and can stand the cold good with kids [for down the road] gentle but very protective of their families.

 

I'm excited for you, nothing like the companionship and potential protection and definite deterrent of a good dog.

I did mean the dictionary word waif. A Humane Society lost and unfound. When I met him I'd been searching for awhile but he felt right. He's turning out (with training) to be a heck of a good dog. His particular breed needs training and exercise, a job to keep his sharp mind from getting bored. A consistently bored dog is a bad dog.

He's an Australian Shepherd, possibly with something else thrown in. Like most Aussies he is high energy, very smart and velcro. My personal favorite is German Shepherds but the Aussie is more of a family guy, which is important for my current situation. There are many different traits to choose from, do your research to find which general breed fits what you are looking for whether you want a purebred or a mix. Remember that, like children, they must be taught to be the best they can be. Rare is the dog who is perfect from the get go, just like people.

Don't worry about 'biggest' or 'most protective' in your search, just what best fits. One of my acquaintances was defended from a rapist who attacked her while walking in Forest Park. Her dog was not a breed you'd consider a force to respect, a Whippet, but he bit the guy multiple times and the guy ran off. He was caught later when he went to the hospital for multiple bites to his neck.

I know that's a lot more than you asked for, sorry! Best wishes on your endeavor, I'd missed that you were injured somehow. Hoping for a good recovery on that!

PS. Those mega-sharp baby teeth start falling out around 4 months, then there's another teething around 7 months and lastly around a year and a half. These boogers also go through adolescence during this time too. If you haven't thought about it, crate training is a really good thing. And obedience training too, if you haven't picked up on that one.

Good books, usually available from the library:
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With
and possibly
Second Hand Dog

I also found Roger Caras' Dog Book on AKC breeds (easy to read, out of print, archaic info that still holds true) useful for info on personality, care and exercise needs of different breeds.

Geez, I'd better shut up now.

 

Hi Hab! Any plans for special training for the pup like S and R? Or, just a well behaved family guy? All goes well out here. :-)

 

Glad to hear you're good and well.

Tracking, agility and obedience are what I'm planning and have kind of started on. Number one, though, is well behaved hiker/camper/family guy. Like Red's wife will have, it's also nice to have a fuzzball about when out hiking or walking alone. I have thought very seriously about search and rescue but don't think I can wrangle it properly until there are less kid duties and a more flexible job. It's a strong possibility in my future, though prolly too far away in years to be with this guy.

 

Thank you!

I want a medium sized mutt with some terrier in her. I think I'd like to get a female dog as well. Not a pure breed or anything for sure. Just a good looking mongrel that looks like it will grow into a nice medium size.

My best friend growing up had the most amazing dog. Got it as a stray, had some terrier of some sort in him. He could eat a pig hip in 5 minutes, could hear the bones exploding across the yard. However, you could rough house with Red and he was gentle and loving. If he ever chomped a bit too hard on you he always knew and would calm down. We would rile him up of course.

He also used to be an escape artist. He would jump/climb a 7 foot fence and hunt rabbits. You only knew he escaped because you would find the dear rabbits in the back yard. He would break back into the yard before anyone got home from school/work. I only ever saw him scale the fence once. Not very graceful but damn he was a great dog. He's the dog I compare other dogs to in the scale of awesome.


Thanks for the advice. My missus is a little worried. She's too soft she thinks.

 

Hab, it will be fun to read periodic updates on his progress. Me thinks he has a great teacher.
Do I remember it right that you previously had a trained tracking dog?

 

Hi! ..... Good onya, lass!

 

Red-
My dad's terrier mix (male, intact, Manchester terrier mix) would climb the ladder when he was working on the roof just to be with him- and pick a fight with anything canid, unfortunately. It can be a terrier trait, as is independence. Lots of socialization would be a plus (in any breed). Read up on learning about how to identify the mid-low position in the pack puppy for best trainability and to better match your wife's softness. Also have her do the obedience training in a good class setting if possible. I came very close to adopting a mid to small size rat terrier mix, but the smell of her indicated hound and the size, beagle. Stinky independent incredibly stubborn dogs are not a plus for me. Hounds do have their own special smell and brand of stubborness.

It sounds like you've already put a lot of thought into this- good for you! More people should give careful consideration. After all, you're talking a 12-18 year commitment that's at time a lot of work and a pain in the butt AND totally worth everything you put into it.

RW-
How'd you remember that? I did train my Terv to track and he earned his TD. We then got up to 5 hour old tracks but I let life get in the way so he never got that TDX. Still, it was the coolest thing to be a part of, watching him do his thing. I would call him more a talented dog than me a great teacher. Best of all, I can see the talent in this puppy too, now I've just got to exploit it.

Chef.
Thanks. When it comes to dogs I tend to talk too much. I'm not the best or the brightest when it comes to the furry beasties but I'm trying to learn.

 

I dunno. It just popped out of the gray matter from an old thread that I browsed...'pets of YotaTech' maybe?

I've never been around a tracking dog but have been around a drug dog. It was very cool to watch the dog work through some of the training with the LEO handler.

 

Yeah, Red didn't like other dogs much if they where threatening. He never attacked them or barked but if they where aggressive to him in any way he would retaliate with a much higher scale of force. He killed the next door neighbors dog while they both off leash. The small rat dog came tearing straight at red barking madly. Red chomped him shook and toss without even a bark. Only reason he didn't get put down was he was in his own yard.

He was great with other dogs normally. I think he had some pitbull like mix in there. Wide jaw with lots of bite force. He was awesome with kids too loved them and would put up with the bugging kids do to dogs before they know better. He would just lick them to death. He was never fixed either.

I've put a great deal of thought into owning a dog. It is a lifetime commitment for the animal. I am always disappointed in people who treat dogs like a throw away toy. They are a pack animal and it is devastating for them when you abandon them. My brother in law just got rid of two dogs because there wouldn't be room in their new house..... They where just little dogs too. Really nice, yappy and loud like little dogs but good boys nonetheless. Can't say I'm impressed.

Medium sized short hair that can bite if it has too is what I'm after. I'll do some dog courses with the missus as well. I want to make sure the dog is well behaved and social. If my work plan goes through after I heal I'll be around to be consitant with training.


Hopefully your Australian dog doesn't take on all Australian traits. Aussies misbehave a bit more than our North American sensibilities are used to. I know because I'm going to marry one next year and I'm also a citizen.

Good looking dog.

Any advice on how to find a puppy? I don't want to buy one from a pet shop.


Thanks!!!

__

 

Red what ever you get make sure it's a breed that can handle the cold if the mrs. is going to take him/her on bush hikes you need to think about them being caught out by a weather change or getting lost and having to spend more time then they planned outdoors... we have a staffordshire/dalmation mix... great dog short hair but she needs to wear a sweater out in winter... also short hair won't save you from shedding... twice a year everything here gets covered in fine white hairs... the carpets, the chairs, my bed [she like to snuggle at night when it gets a little chilly [and sometimes when its really hot and she wants to be under the fan too... that is no fun lol]
best of luck... sorry to hear your bro in law was a bit of a tool... to bad you could'nt take them in...

 

We will be moving back to British Columbia so not as concerned. The heat from when we move back to Australia will be worse to deal with I think. The cold we can dress up for and a dog. People have booties and stuff for dogs here in Yellowknife.

I wouldn't take their dogs. I don't want the yappy little buggers. Thing is I wouldn't have bought them in the first place.

Dogs shed, not too worried. At least it wont be like our former room mates dog. They have a Samoi, lovely dog who LOVES the cold but come spring time it's like finding balls of wool all over the house.

 

There's a reason I like you guys!

I don't know what you have in dog rescue groups or humane societies or animal control. I'm a bit spoiled here, lots of places and dogs (unfortunate when you think of why) to choose from. The Aussie (lol, Aussie comment!) was from the Humane Society of Missouri, my Terv from a very good and reputable bre(auuugh...dog faarrrt...ack ack ack..)eder, both my Malinois from Malinois rescue and so on. My in-laws have been lucky with petfinder.com and of all things, rescues on craigslist but again, USA.

I sure wish I could be of more help.

There were a huge number of pits and pit mixes at all the pounds around here. Some of them were very sweet and will make incredible pets, but as you noted, their jaw strength makes a small thing or even a mistake into a lot bigger thing. Experience and a strong pack leadership often apply in their case, but there are some real softies here and there.

 

With you planning to move back to oz Red you ought to check with them IK there are a hella lotta restrictions and hoops to jump through when importing livestock/pets... you may also want to check with the local town council where you will be living for any breed restrictions/bans...

Never come across any kind of pit yet that was'nt the biggest suck in town... as long as you did'nt take any guff from them... too bad they ended up with a bad rep.

fwiw for rural urban pet and protection duty you can't go wrong with a Ger. Shepard or Shepard cross.

 

If I get the proper shots it shortens the quarantine by many months. I think as little as one month with shots and paperwork.

People make animals mean. I had a friend that did that. I was the only one it didn't bite. I didn't trust it one bit.

I don't think I would get a Pitbull. I don't want the missus frightened of the family pet.

 

Sound thinking on the family pet idea, Red.

Whenever, wherever, I think we'd all enjoy seeing a pic or two.

 

Will do Habs!

Thanks.

 

Well, this is interesting....

Finally found *one* of the creaky squeakies.....









The bolt with fender washer is one of the four attaching the dual battery box to the truck. The other three are bolted to the battery platform welded to the fender. Shall I assume the extra weight of the box has caused the flex that did this? The box itself is still sturdy within its spot. I've done some pretty good drop-offs and wheel stuffing, maybe something like that? Perhaps a combination of the above.

Anyway, what do y'all think? A sturdying patch of steel welded in do the trick? Something else?

 

It's gonna catch fire!!!

 

Lol....there is that phrase spoken by the man himself.
Hope all is well down your way.