lefty's random dog thread.

I've seen many good Am Bulls and depending on the line I think them better for manwork than a pitbull. I'd probably rather hang out with a pitbull.

Working BM are to be found - hell, working BTs can be found - but it is a challenge.

D d B would be a hobby. Like a vintage Jag - cool to look at but you'll spend some time in the shop.

I like BBs and have seen one or two good ones - add to list.

Tosas I have no experience with. That's your area of expertise. How's the puppy? Big by now I imagine.

lefty

Originally Posted by JLibourel

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Some big Ridgeback males are so massive and blocky headed that I think they might be Tosas until I see the ridge.

One time I was hanging around just outside the Beverly Hills Kennel Club dog show (which was being held at Cal State Long Beach) with my red male Tosa Dempsey (29 1/2", about 128 pounds), and a Ridgeback exhibitor actually thought Dempsey was a Ridgeback, in spite of the fact he had too much dewlap and flew to pass a good Ridgeback.

That sounds like my kind of ridgeback. I don't remember this, but my mom tells the story of us visiting the breeder one day and me being convinced that the ***** was a puppy because my experience was exclusively with our monster.

While I'm partial to larger dogs, the small ridgebacks have to be respected for their grace and agility.



This video in particular impressed me.



And then there what seems to be the universal ridgeback response to water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7Jmh...eature=related

I love these dogs. I'd be interested to know Lefty's general opinion on them.

Originally Posted by lefty

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Tosas I have no experience with. That's your area of expertise. How's the puppy? Big by now I imagine.

lefty

He's 11 months now. Big by ordinary dog standards--not very big by American Tosa standards: At the moment he's 27 inches at the shoulder and a few pounds north of 100 pounds. He should top out around 115, I'm guessing. This is right on the average for the fighting Tosas in the 1989 East Japan Tosa Studbook. A lot of the American Tosas come from lines that I believe have been spiked with English Mastiff, hence are way bigger.

He's quite different from the others I've had--he is more rowdy, more playful, more athletic and less trainable (although not bad) than the other four. I really think he may be about a quarter pitbull. His dam looked more like a Tosa bandog than a pure Tosa. His ears are asymmetrical: His left ear is a good Tosa ear, but his right ear is a "lazy rose ear," which is very pitbull-like. Also, he has yellow eyes, which are not proper for a Tosa, but very common in black Pits and Staffies. (It may not be in the Standard, but the yellow eyes look neat, I think.) He is also very mouthy and given to play biting, unlike the others. Not at all dog-aggressive so far but intensely interested in other dogs in a playful way.

Thanks for the opinions Jan. Why do you guys think its so hard to find a healthy boxer? They're such nice dogs, at least the ones I've seen, and are rather popular. Saw a gorgeous tan one today.

I'd be especially hesitant about a bulldog. I know two people who've owned/own them and they're nothing but problematic. Rott's sound interesting but the few I've seen have struck me as sort of Bull Mastif esque - big lumbering sloths. Beautiful though.

Boxers are poorly bred. The US Boxer is a pale imitation of what the breed is in Europe, but there are some breeders in the US breeding and testing dogs in sport and work. http://www.usboxer.org/ Like all bull breeds you will have problems with hearts, cancer and longevity. look for tested animals. There are a lot of good American Bulldogs out there. You need to know where to look. There is nothing sloth-like about a working Rott. Spend some time looking at video on youtube or http://www.working-dog.eu/. left

Originally Posted by JLibourel

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He's quite different from the others I've had--he is more rowdy, more playful, more athletic and less trainable (although not bad) than the other four. I really think he may be about a quarter pitbull. His dam looked more like a Tosa bandog than a pure Tosa. His ears are asymmetrical: His left ear is a good Tosa ear, but his right ear is a "lazy rose ear," which is very pitbull-like. Also, he has yellow eyes, which are not proper for a Tosa, but very common in black Pits and Staffies. (It may not be in the Standard, but the yellow eyes look neat, I think.) He is also very mouthy and given to play biting, unlike the others. Not at all dog-aggressive so far but intensely interested in other dogs in a playful way.

I like yellow eyes as well. There's was a very famous Corso with yellow eyes appropriately named Devil.

Nothing like the glass eyes of the Catahoula though.



lefty

Originally Posted by lefty

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Boxers are poorly bred. The US Boxer is a pale imitation of what the breed is in Europe, but there are some breeders in the US breeding and testing dogs in sport and work. http://www.usboxer.org/ Like all bull breeds you will have problems with hearts, cancer and longevity. look for tested animals. There are a lot of good American Bulldogs out there. You need to know where to look. There is nothing sloth-like about a working Rott. Spend some time looking at video on youtube or http://www.working-dog.eu/. left
You often mention working or sport breeds. Is it just that the only "good" dogs come from lines with extensive training? Or is it just a preference?

Originally Posted by lefty

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I like yellow eyes as well. There's was a very famous Corso with yellow eyes appropriately named Devil. Nothing like the glass eyes of the Catahoula though.

lefty
That dog looks possessed

It's not training; it's testing and then breeding only those dogs that are worthy of their names. In fact, if I was asked to evaluate a dog I would prefer a green dog with no training.

I like working dogs and have spent many years training and testing dogs. What I really admire though is a dog that can complete the job he was born to do - whether that's as a protector, hunter, retriever, herder, or worker. A dog that looks like it can perform but falls apart at the first sign of stress is a dog that should be removed from the breeding pool - either by the surgeon's knife or syringe.

lefty

Cool Dogo pic:



(I believe credit goes the the breeder that lefty mentioned in this post.)

Great pic.

lefty

Originally Posted by lefty

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Dogue de Bordeaux (hard to find a good one but chick magnet)

Any hit a nerve?

lefty

Thanks for making my point.

lefty

Anent the DDB, I heard a sad story a few months ago from a fellow who had owned one. I was in a pet store getting some stuff for Cyrus when I encountered a fellow with a Bullmastiff puppy about Cy's age. I naturally chatted with him. It turns out he had had DDB previously. He was out on a hike with the dog, when the poor dog bloated and died right on the trail. The dog wasn't very old--only about two as I recall. I hope he had better luck with his Bullmastiff.

Sad.

lefty