Dogs

People love dogs,......... dogs love people. God must have made them like that.

I guess I could say thew same about your statements as well then, couldn't I?

Trunk Monkey said:

I wonder where you live that human beings aren't vile

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Bible belt country; is there crime in certain areas of certain ethnicities? Yep; but over the years as my wife and I have moved, one of the things we look for are areas where some of the things mentioned in these threads just do not happen. Gave up living in big metro areas a long time ago

We lost our beloved 90lb Dingo in 2018, he was a german shepard/ golden retriever mix and when we had break-ins all around us in Pahrump we never got hit and I think it was because they saw Dingo running around in their fenced area and wanted no part of him.



We still miss him dearly, but at least we have our Izzy who now thinks SHE is our protector:



Oh, but they both shedded hair, Dingo especially.

Jeff White said:

My lab was poisoned years ago. I suspect it was someone who had a grudge about something I did on the job. Rebel was the best dog I ever owned. He had been mistreated by someone who wore a uniform before I got him and it took the longest time for him to want anything to do with me when I had my uniform on.

I know everyone loves their dog and thinks the dog is a vital part of their security plan. It was my experience that unless the dog was professionally trained for security work it can let you down. I took plenty of burglary reports where the owner was upset that the dog didn’t run the burglar off.

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My dog (German shepherd/golden retriever mix) was never trained for security work but showed her natural talent for it more than once, not counting viciously barking at the mailman every single day including sticking her nose inside the inside opening of the mailbox and totally scratching up that wall. The two actual experiences were:
1. Camping trip with a friend, we had to stop at the kiosk at the campground entrance to pay and check in. The guard stuck his hand in the car window and she bit him. (Only time she ever bit a human that I know of.) To his credit he immediately said he should have known better than to breach her territorial boundary.
2. For a short time I had a young lady sharing my old house. One night I was working late at the office, she called and said when she came home she noticed the house was cold and on entering her bedroom found one of the windows broken. I called police and went home. They beat me there and when I arrived they told me I had a really good dog, she had barked like crazy when they arrived and must have done the same when the would-be intruder broke the window, as nothing had been taken. I made a pot of chicken soup especially for her and she had it every night for dinner for the next week.

George P said:

Bible belt country; is there crime in certain areas of certain ethnicities? Yep; but over the years as my wife and I have moved, one of the things we look for are areas where some of the things mentioned in these threads just do not happen. Gave up living in big metro areas a long time ago

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I spent a year researching where to move when I decided I had to leave Cali. I haven't been disappointed with my choice. It's wonderful to live somewhere clean and peaceful.

As someone that has retired for the Electronic Alarm Industry after 30yrs. I highly recommend a Security system no matter what kind of dog you have. Intruders will kill them, hurt them etc. I love dogs more than most people, if you do not want to get a alarm for yourself and family, get one for your dog. By the way, most break in's happen during the day. (when you are gone)
Get fire sensors, and carbon Monoxide sensors as well. Dogs cannot call emergency for fire etc. (at least I have never seen one be able to do)

80# Rat Terrior on crack is the best description for Coco(euro Dobe) when she's chasing varmints. Cpl weeks ago around an abandoned old shed. Sweetie around her(my) Gbabies,goes with me everywhere. She is "off leash" going in stores. Well,she has one on but it's draped over her back. Very nice,will only go up to folks if they invite her. A little disconcerting,but she smiles and wags her tail. Smartest dang dog I've ever been around. Now the Weimaraner before her..... holy cow. Great hunting dog family pet but,she was wide open ALL the time.

Edit:spelling

We have a GSD, Bullmastiff and English Bulldog all kept inside.
Bulldog aint much of a deterrent or warning, he would have to wake up in order to bark.
GSD and Bullmastiff (133#) might be sufficient deterrent to make someone choose a different house if we were not home.
If we are home, the GSD will let us and everyone else know if something is suspicious.

Don't forget cats, and that's why I included a picture of my cat. He is very aware. Better than the dogs. When something outside doesn't belong he meows loud enough to wake the dead. He is usually dead on.

Trunk Monkey said:

My dog Mutt

View attachment 947064

Seriously, I watch crackheads walk up and down the street with purebred dogs (the one that sticks in my mind was a purebred Rottweiler) that they couldn't possibly afford to buy every night.

Where do you think those dogs come from?

When I lived in a house I caught my neighbor throwing rotten meat over our fence to our dogs just because she was fruitier than a nut cake.

We no longer own any dogs (except Mutt) but when we did they were not allowed outside unsupervised under any circumstances.

ETA Mutt is no longer an outside dog. She stays inside now.

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My sister! Is that you? (my daughter's feline companion)

Dogs are a major part of our lives. We currently have 5, all rescues, and all really good dogs. We are in a rural setting, our dogs go in and out as they please but stay on our property unless we take them off it. They get two long walks cross country each day, morning and evening (getting ready to go out shortly). We have been here long enough that we have buried several generations of our friends. If they come here they are here for life and get very good care and diet. They are wary of strangers and alert us to any out of the ordinary event. Oh, and every dog has a cat....The pet cemetery.


Snack time

Kleanbore said:

In our case, we want an intelligent, non-aggressive dog with a long life span that is not apt to have congenital health problems . One that does not shed. And one that can be taught to stay in and/or return to the yard.

Sadly, some of those rule out the Parson Russell.

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Right up till you said ' one that does not she'd ' I was going to suggest a JRT. Our smooth coated boy throws an amazing amount of short tenacious hairs. We call it 'Dog Glitter ', and we've learned to live with it.

^ why dogs are much cooler than people. Great story.

Standard Poodles and Portuguese water dogs are both great breeds and non shedding. Standards are great hunting dogs too.

George P said:

Bible belt country; is there crime in certain areas of certain ethnicities? Yep; but over the years as my wife and I have moved, one of the things we look for are areas where some of the things mentioned in these threads just do not happen. Gave up living in big metro areas a long time ago

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Fantasy Land is where you live. Bad things happen everywhere.

@Kleanbore I reread the OP.
GSD sheds like he is trying to clone himself, otherwise he is obedient, smart, and alert; I would get another GSD despite the shedding.
Bullmastiff sheds very little (I had a Pug that shed more than him, so does Bulldog) and he rarely barks. Not "mouthy" not even as a puppy.
Bullmastiff is not GSD obedient, more of an "independent thinker" but he is not stubborn like a Bulldog. I would get a Bullmastiff again.
Pic of Bullmastiff with my wife for size reference - he was 13 months / 130# in April:

Not really firearms or 2A related;
Jake was not at all surprised with his win at the recent Best Dog in the World Competition.

This is Ruger, our gun shy Cocker/Springer cross keeping an eye on the neighbors at our daughters place in Missoula. Ruger is not used to close neighbors (we don't live in town) and he used to be a nervous wreck whenever we were at someone's house where he could hear or see the neighbors outside. He's 12 now though, and almost completely deaf. So unless a burglar laid on their car horn for a while before breaking down our front door with a battering ram, Ruger would sleep through the whole thing.

Dirtybob said:

I don't think there is a dog breed that does not shed.

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This is my Wheaten Terrier, a little overgrown at 60 lbs. He sheds not one hair, even when brushed, nothing comes off. I shed more than he does.

He gets groomed every couple of months.

He loves people, and I've used that to my advantage. If someone comes to the door, he wants to rush out to greet and lick them. If I don't know them, I hold him by the collar while he pulls towards them, saying "no biting, no biting". You'd be amazed at how many people who really have no business with me decide to go elsewhere. I'd be more likely to bite someone than he would. lol

But he barks when he hears a noise outside, so there's that.

That's him in the signature picture, and overlooking the Hudson on top of Bear Mt.

bdickens said:

Fantasy Land is where you live. Bad things happen everywhere.

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Nope, nice semi-rural small town is where I live. I never said it was Mayberry or crime free. I did say we just do not have the BS that some folks seem to live with. Way too many folks can't seem to get out of bed without immediately strapping on a gun to even go to the toilet. I do not live in that neighborhood, nor will I live my life in constant fear - that is no way to live.

We're out in the country,too many folks here with shovels...... personally,I like backhoes.

There,got that in BTL.

Gotta have hair before it can shed,just sayin.