lefty's random dog thread.

[A.K.A.]

Originally Posted by robin

Like every other dog.

My wife sent me that photo, because I hate it when he sleeps on our bed. He'll lick his you know whats and leave a wet spot on my side of the bed!

 

[kever]

Originally Posted by lefty

You have more selection in the smaller gazehounds, especially the primitive breeds.

Basenji:

lefty

The Basenji's look like cool dogs. I'll look into those more when I get a chance. What would you say would be the main difference between a Whippet and a Basenji, other than looks??

Originally Posted by dcg

...It'll be my first time meeting one, but I'll be happy to ask the owner about him/her if you don't mind the wait.



Please do ask. I'd like to hear what they have to say, although I'd image that a current owner of a puppy might have a slightly skewed opinion... I'm still curious though.

 

[partycrown]

Originally Posted by kever

The Basenji's look like cool dogs. I'll look into those more when I get a chance. What would you say would be the main difference between a Whippet and a Basenji, other than looks??

Basenjis are one of the more insane of the primitive breeds. I know some people involved in showing and lure coursing, and they joke about being able to gauge how nuts a dog is by how tightly curled it's tale is.

My fave basenji story: http://www.webtree.ca/tree/keeper/dogs_in_elk.htm

Personally, I'd stick with the whippet. Though the ones from racing lines do tend to be higher energy and with a stronger prey drive, they're fantastic little dogs.

 

[Gus]

I've always had big field dogs for hunting. But my wife talked me into an under 12lb dog for air travel. These little guys are a blast around the house and fun to take with you wherever you go. This one, is a rescue dog. I've had people try and buy her from me.

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by kever

The Basenji's look like cool dogs. I'll look into those more when I get a chance. What would you say would be the main difference between a Whippet and a Basenji, other than looks??.

Originally Posted by partycrown

Basenjis are one of the more insane of the primitive breeds. I know some people involved in showing and lure coursing, and they joke about being able to gauge how nuts a dog is by how tightly curled it's tale is.

My fave basenji story: http://www.webtree.ca/tree/keeper/dogs_in_elk.htm

Personally, I'd stick with the whippet. Though the ones from racing lines do tend to be higher energy and with a stronger prey drive, they're fantastic little dogs.

I don't know if I'd say the Basenji is "insane" but they are smart and mischievous - a deadly combination if left to their own devices.

First off, they are very independent, if not aloof. Some breeders have mistaken shyness for aloofeness and bred genetically shy dogs that fear most things, so I would be careful there. A neighbour has one that I love who is a rock but they socialized the hell out of it as a puppy. I can find the breeder if you like.

Also not much of a watch dog since they don't bark. I have heard a few muster up a weak bark once in a while.

Watch for Fanconi's and PRA.

The Whippet is a cool dog and a lot tougher and rougher than most people think. Since they are coursers like the Basenji, it's imortant to let them run something down and kill it once in a while. Try to let that be a squirrel or hare and not your neighbours cat.

The Basenji will get you more girls.

lefty

 

[lefty]

Originally Posted by A.K.A.

lefty,
The Anatolian is a bad ass when provoked by a perceived threat, but this is how they are in the house and most of the time:

That is my boy Hannibal.

Big boy. Do you have any other pics? Why an Anatolian?

lefty

 

[dcg]

Originally Posted by kever

Please do ask. I'd like to hear what they have to say, although I'd image that a current owner of a puppy might have a slightly skewed opinion... I'm still curious though.

Will do. It's possible that the dog is older...the class isn't restricted to pups.

 

[JLibourel]

Originally Posted by lefty

Not sure if the French Bulldog is any healthier than the English. I have some friends with one who have spent 20K keeping him alive through hip and spine operations.

Why I have not gotten another dog...

The picture of the Anatolian on the bed reminds me so much of my Dempsey...painfully so.

 

[lefty]

Something you don't see everyday:

And this:

http://www.dalmatianheritage.com/abo...h_research.htm

Dalmatians have a high level of uric acid in their urine which leads to urinary blockage. The gene responsible lies on the same chromosome as the gene responsible for the spotted coat. Select for one and you get the other. Some smart people decided to breed a pointer into a dal line and select for low uric acid in the progeny. After 5 or 6 generations they had Dalmatians with low levels and slightly smaller spots but still within the standard.

However, the DCA voted to oppose the registrations.

A club getting in the way of the health of their animals.

lefty

 

[lefty]

I hate a lazy dog:

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lefty

 

[JLibourel]

^Pit Bulls! You've gotta love them!

 

[dcg]

Since a few of you have owned dogs that are potentially DA: what are your thoughts on dog parks? The Pit Bull forums I've seen strongly discourage taking pits to them, citing not only the potential for aggression but also prevalence of disease.

I'd avoided them up until this weekend but finally took Ripley to a local park. She had a blast. For some reason I had always pictured dogs parks as cramped, fenced in dirt areas, but this was a nice open 5-6 acre grass field with about 20-25 dogs present. Every owner there was keeping an eye on their dog(s).

Obviously it only takes one incident to have (potentially) a big problem, and I understand the concept of not setting your dog up to fail. However, I'm wondering if the benefits of socialization outweigh those concerns. She's only 10 months old so I realize that things could change in the coming years, but so far she has not had problems with other dogs. She's been to obedience/socialization classes and I'm continuing those, but of course that's only a few dogs and she's seeing the same ones every time.

 

[A.K.A.]

Originally Posted by lefty

Big boy. Do you have any other pics? Why an Anatolian?

lefty

Thanks for asking.

We had a 2yr. old Kuvasz, and wanted another dog as a companion for the whole family. We like the livestock guardians, and after reading an article on the Anatolian in Dog Fancy and perusing the Anatolian Shepherd Dog Club of America website, we were hooked. My wife prefers a dog who is loving, yet above all protective, which is exactly the temperament of the Anatolian.

As you know, many respectable breeders want to interview prospective owners of their future litter pups. We found a fine breeder in FL, Alaturka Anatolians, and we were lucky to get on the next list.

Hannibal has been great. When our Kuvasz goes "out to pasture", she will be our last Kuvasz and we will get a second Anatolian.

This is Zsa-Zsa:

and another of Hannibal:

 

[JLibourel]

Originally Posted by dcg

Since a few of you have owned dogs that are potentially DA: what are your thoughts on dog parks? The Pit Bull forums I've seen strongly discourage taking pits to them, citing not only the potential for aggression but also prevalence of disease.

I'd avoided them up until this weekend but finally took Ripley to a local park. She had a blast. For some reason I had always pictured dogs parks as cramped, fenced in dirt areas, but this was a nice open 5-6 acre grass field with about 20-25 dogs present. Every owner there was keeping an eye on their dog(s).

Obviously it only takes one incident to have (potentially) a big problem, and I understand the concept of not setting your dog up to fail. However, I'm wondering if the benefits of socialization outweigh those concerns. She's only 10 months old so I realize that things could change in the coming years, but so far she has not had problems with other dogs. She's been to obedience/socialization classes and I'm continuing those, but of course that's only a few dogs and she's seeing the same ones every time.

I am very anti-dog park for any dog. I see them as places of filth, fighting, fleas and disease. It is sheer folly to take a DA dog to a dog park. I tried it with my first Tosa Zuma. When he was very young, he would play nicely with other dogs, but by the time he was a year old he would get into a fight within a couple of minutes of his arrival. I would add that it is also folly to take tiny, vulnerable dogs to dog parks and beaches. We have had a couple of incidents locally of late where tiny dogs were killed by Pit Bulls at these places--stupidity on the part of both owners.

Saphead "dog lovers" seem to enjoy these establishments. Real "dog people" tend to shun them.

 

[dcg]

Thanks for your thoughts, Jan. The reason I finally relented and went is that while I take her out for multiple daily walks and let her run around frequently, she never really tires herself out like she does if she's running/playing with another dog.

Do you tend to avoid other dogs altogether? I'd like to keep her socialized as much as possible, at least until I see signs of DA. There's a neighbor down the street with a couple of Rhodesian Ridgebacks that she plays with from time to time.