lefty's random dog thread.

[JLibourel]

How about the Flat-Coated as long as we're talking about retrievers?

For that matter, lefty, what are your thoughts about the Chesapeake Bay Retriever? I know they are supposed to be a good deal tougher and more severe than most of the retriever breeds, which I quite like. There was a male Chesapeake in my neighborhood whom my Tosa ***** Tessa seemed to fancy, but he was rather intimidated by her. He seemed like a nice dog otherwise, more friendly with me than the breed is reputed to be with strangers.

They are supposed to be good natural guard dogs, and they don't carry the stigma that regrettably has attached itself to the bull and molosser breeds.

 

[lefty]

Another good dog for Teger - big, hardy, wash-and-wear. I think there's a Ring 1 out there somewhere.

lefty

P.S. came across a story of the Peruvian Army stringing dogs up and stabbing them to train knife skills. Can't get the pic I saw out of my head.

 

[lefty]

Nice counter to the dog that stole the baby. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americ...ef=mpstoryview lefty

 

[dcg]

Originally Posted by lefty

Nice counter to the dog that stole the baby. http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americ...ef=mpstoryview lefty
Nice story. Can't help but wonder what the reaction would be if it happened in the US, given that baby was found with "superficial scratches and bruises". Hopefully the dog and her pups will get adopted as a result of her good deed.

 

[lbcgav]

Took a pic this morning of this American Bull Dog. The guy told me they're related to the Old English Bull Dog. The chocolate lab's mine.

Attachment 26722

Jlibourel,

This was taken at 1st and Hermosa in Long Beach. Aren't you in the area?

 

[lefty]

People will argue forever about the origin of the American Bulldog. Original British Bulldog? Large Pit? Boxer?

Nice dogs though. Anyone looking for a large bull breed with a decent genetic diversity would be well served to look at the Am Bull.

lefty

 

[Dburr]

The rat terrior in my avitar is "Shorty". The big dog drives, the small dog rides.

 

[JLibourel]

Originally Posted by lbcgav

Took a pic this morning of this American Bull Dog. The guy told me they're related to the Old English Bull Dog. The chocolate lab's mine.

Attachment 26722

Jlibourel,

This was taken at 1st and Hermosa in Long Beach. Aren't you in the area?

I may actually have encountered that dog. There are several American Bulldogs in the area. When you say, "the Old English Bull Dog," do you mean the original bull-bating dog of 19th century (and earlier) England, or do you mean the contemporary Olde English Bulldogge? The latter is purely a "re-created" breed, and ABs were used in its creation. Sometimes it is hard to tell an AB from an OEB, so similar are some individuals. As to the AB being a direct continuation of the original English Bull Dog, that's very debatable. They are certainly larger and look different from the 19th century Bull Dogs. On the other hand, there are 19th century photos of dogs from Georgia and thereabouts that look a lot like the original Bull Dog, so there may be something to such claims, but I am more inclined to think it is largely a comparatively recently manufactured breed.

Some people I know who've had 'em swear by the breed. Others despise them. Most of those I encountered seemed pretty nice.

I'd consider one, but as one friend remarked, "You'd probably get all the stigma of the Pit Bull with the health problems of the Tosa."

 

[lefty]

Jan,

interesting dog experience this weekend. My wife (waiting until I was out of town) bought a cabin in the woods and naturally the job fell to me to check it out and get it up to snuff.

It seems there's an older fellow who owns most of the surrounding property that lives at the head of the dirt road. I was at the edge of the property when I heard a deep sonorous bark that froze me. Looked up to find two giant full coated dogs staring cold death at me. A moment later the fellow walked out of that woods and called the dogs to heel. They were Akbash, he explained and he often took them for walks on his property. Sitting at his side the head of the male came to abdomen. I've never seen one of these up close and i can certainly see why they are effective as guardians. If the owner wasn't there I'm not sure I would have made it far.

lefty

 

[JLibourel]

Interesting about the Akbash Dogs. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that there was one in my neighborhood some years ago. It seemed pretty benign. At least it never fired up on Zuma, as a lot of dogs would. This may simply have indicated it was a mature, confident dog. Dogs that barked and growled at Zuma, he would usually ignore contemptuously. Dogs that gave him the "death stare" he would go for. The Akbash never challenged Zuma in that matter either. Of course, when you have a Tosa, especially one like Zuma, who came directly from very intense fighting lines, almost anything else seems like a "rat dog."

The Akbash, as I think I mentioned before, seemed a lot more level-headed than that Kangal in my neighborhood.

 

[JLibourel]

Curious the odd dogs one sees. I just got back from driving about on my weekend errands, in the course of which I spotted a full-sized Xoloitzcuintli in a car going past. You don't see many of them.

Any experience with them, lefty or anybody? What's their temperament like?

 

[lefty]

To my understanding . . . shitheads.

lefty

 

[lefty]

Just read this breeding post on another forum:

When I was a kid, b###hes dug holes and had pups. We would wake up in the morning and just like magic there were the pups. Holes in the dirt kept the pups at just the right temperature and were just the right size. Some would die, some would be culled. They would be fed weetbix, cow's milk and raw meat, they were fed sulphur or washed with kerosene and soap or thrown in the cattle dip to control fleas and ticks, they were barely wormed and never vaccinated. The best they could hope for (if they were a promising pup) when badly injured was to be stitched up, given a shot of penicillin and locked in a cage with an old sack to sleep on. Pups who were timid were shot, as were those who were sickly or didn't work. There was no socialisation, positive training or desensitising.

While I do not advocate treating dogs like this it does have its merits. Health problems didn't exist. If it interfered with a dogs purpose he was culled. Temperament problems didn't exist, again, if it interfered with a dogs purpose he was culled.

Now I see breeders advising to take 8 weeks off work to help the little darlings into the world, the b###h needs to be scanned by ultrasound to see if she is in pup, NEVER allow a b###h alone with the pups, even for a minute, every pup needs to taken from the sack, towel dried and have the umbilicus cut and dabbed with iodine. Pups need to be wormed every week, vaccinated to within an inch of their life and treated with residual chemicals for fleas they don't have. They must be born in a super sterile, climate controlled whelping box inside your house and can only be fed premium, specially formulated, hypoallergenic, organic dog food. Breeders battle to save every pup no matter how what the cost, genetic problems such as cleft palates are fixed with surgery, dogs that cant mate naturally are AI'ed, fed supplements or given drugs. Dogs with allergies are treated with drugs and bred from, dogs with epilepsy are the same. If his immune system is weak we bombard them with drugs and supplements to stave of infection and disease. If a dog has a poor temperament we must smother him to cover it up or get around him like a closed up pocket knife for the rest of his life. We must never give a pup a correction for the first 12 months lest it damage his fragile mind. We can't let them walk up stairs, run, jump or chew on bones.

I think it's fairly evident where I stand, but what does the average pet owner say?

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Pitbull named Hummer getting his makeup for the new A Nightmare on Elm Street.

lefty

 

[distinctive]

My boys

 

[lefty]

Cardigans? What are they like?

lefty