Forumites and their Dogs

[-Deborah-]

Took this one today. Reba wasn't up for chewing I guess. So she sat there for about an hour like this, refusing to give it back to me.

[Greg H]

They are buds.

Although, the cat still looks a bit weary of the arrangement.

Yeah, I wasn't overly impressed either as the cat is sitting on my lap. The animals have no respect for my personal space.

[Tony G]

[bimmer84]

Hey big fella, nice leaf you have there.

[Tony G]

[-Deborah-]

Awww

[Trickalicious]

Agenda:

Butt sniff meet and greet.
Crazy hats photo op.
Eat meat cupcakes.
Lick naughty bits.
Poop in a shoe.
Butt sniff farewell.

Oops wrong thread. Where are we supposed to post our holiday party invitations again?

[Tony G]

[ame="http://youtu.be/jabyN6ZBQGs"]http://youtu.be/jabyN6ZBQGs [/ame]

[ame]http://youtu.be/n_1rWqu8jtA[/ame]
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[Trickalicious]

Are retrievers known for chewing stuff up? Everyone says they are great dogs and they seem to be but I need one that lays around for hours like my mutt (minus the Nyquil chewies).

[Tony G]

They are by nature mouthy dogs and that's how they investigate things. The first two years can be trying, as they often are for any dog. I've had some that were very much chewers those years and others that were more laid back.

[Malto Marko]

I have had the same experience. I had one that was a real chewer but I kept her supplied with chew toys and bones that she would work on for hours at a time and rarely did she do any damage to things I didn't want her to chew.

I agree with Tony though, the first two years are a learning experience for pup and you and you should be prepared for any and all types of "mistakes" They are very smart though and learn quickly what is not acceptable behavior.

.........with that said, my current doggie is a mixed hound. We rescued her from the Humane Society where she was bounced around for about 4 months before coming to our home. She was a bit hyper because her experience was every time she got attached to a human, they were gone plus she had to spend most of her time in a cage.

The second day she was in our house, I made hamburgers for dinner and left the formed patties on the counter as I went outside to light the BBQ. I came in to find she had got up on her hind legs and ate all of the patties she could reach (which was about half of our dinner).

My first reaction was anger and she looked at me while sitting by where she consumed the goodies and just hung her head.

I quickly realized that it was my fault for leaving them within her reach and not her fault for helping her self.

I scolded her and started to teach her what the word No means (because I was not sure what words she understood yet) and filled her dish with her dog food.

She never attempted to raid anything off a table or counter after that and was always respectful of us eating our meals and would never beg.

We have had her now for 4 years and that lesson taught me she really is a smart doggie and she really wants to please me/us because after getting over a brief period of separation anxiety and realizing we were not abandoning her all she wants to do is please us and play with us.

She is a chewer and has a ton of chew toys and only once chewed something she was not supposed to (a pair of my sandals when I was not home) and after a scolding with emphasis on No! she never chewed anything of mine again although she would bring me a shoe when she wanted to go for a walk.

I have since taught her to bring me her harness when she wants to go for a walk and does so dutifully every day when I get home from work.

[Greg H]

Once it gets cold in Southern California, we have to bust out the coats. Of course cold in Southern California is 50 degrees, but still.

[-Deborah-]

Are retrievers known for chewing stuff up? Everyone says they are great dogs and they seem to be but I need one that lays around for hours like my mutt (minus the Nyquil chewies).

You should adopt an older one. A puppy will require lots of exercise and activity for the first couple of years. If you provide enough of this and appropriate chewing toys, they won't destroy your stuff.

My 11 year old Golden Retriever is very happy to lay around, however.

[Tony G]

39 Dog Portraits That Will Take Your Breath Away



www.buzzfeed.com/lyapalater/39-dog-portraits-that-will-take-your-breath-away/
this and 38 others

[CreepyLion]

We have four or five dogs. Five if you count the one my daughter left at the house. Which is ok since my wife and I had fed him after he was 3 weeks cuz the mother (my rotty) decided to be a bitch and stop feeding for the most part. A litter of 15 btw.

One dog is Champ a half brown lab and half Weimaraner.. I love this dog.. Got him at 5 weeks old. He never chewed up anything but can dig as fast as he can run. This dog can run fast.. Great to hunt with.. The perfect hunting dog. But the digging can be frustrating. Not only will he dig to get out of the yard, but he will make sure the hole is big enough to get the rotties fat ass through also.

Never had a chewing problem thank god.. Unlike the rottie when she was less than one year she would try to pull the couch cushions through the doggy door. Or chew up the patio furniture that was a gift by my inlaws. Or take down a peach tree untill it looked like a sun dial.. That pissed me off. This list goes on and on.

But back to Champ.. One evening Champ decided to eat freshly baked brownies off the stove.. I was shocked.. He never did this before and he is now 1 1/2 years. I caught him in the act and just said "dammit Champ WTF!" He never did it again.. Its great to have a smart dog at times and other times it can get them into trouble.

Why do we have so many dogs? To keep the coyotes and Mountain Lions away. They do a great job at that.