Farm Dogs

[Beekissed]

I had one like that, Bay....there's that one dog that's more special than all the rest, though the others be special in their own way. Mine was a Lab named Jim and he wrote an awesome story. He goes down in the memory of many and will never be forgotten...after that, no dog can compare.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Mine was a Norwegian Elkhound named Yukon Jack...

 

[Beekissed]

Care for some, but not the other

Bee your dog houses look so cozy, I want to go sit in there myself.

I do that all the time in the winter, just snuggle down in the hay with the dogs and pray, pet the dogs and enjoy the time.

 

[Chic Rustler]

the city I live in just passed a new law and says they will arrest anyone who leaves their dogs outside in winter.

My pitbull who is short haired has a heated doghouse. The great Pyrenees won't go in a dog house period. He will come in for a few mins but raises he'll to go back out shortly. I don't think he sleeps at night because he's always barking and running the fences and he sleeps in the sun or shade depending on weather all day.


Guess I'm an outlaw. Next they will be locking my neighbors up for leaving the cows outside too

 

[CrealCritter]

Here's a pic of my wife's german Rottweiler "Baby Bear", I call him Big Head I had to go wide screen with my camera to get all of him. My wife says: "he's stronger than I am". I say - you wanted a Rottweiler, so I got you a Rottweiler. But she sure does love her "baby bear" most of the time anyways. I'll say one thing... he sure has a deep loud bark, that says "I'm a big dog" to anyone approaching the house uninvited. Most people stop dead in their tracks and holler before knocking on the door.

 

[CrealCritter]

She ever watch any Cesar Milan? He's got some great vids on YT and such on how to break a dog from pulling on the leash. It really works!

I tried it one time, briefly, on my sister's dog and they didn't have to use that prong collar anymore, which wasn't working anyway...and this was after she had already caused rotator cuff surgery on my 6'4" BIL by pulling him over an embankment and did the same to my sister, resulting in a bad ankle injury. She's part Newfie, part Visla, so big dog with a hard head.

I'm not 100% certain but I believe she has. Thanks for the info I'll look it up on YT and pass the links on to my wife. He doesn't pull me around because he knows he won't get away with it, but he will my wife. She's not mean and nasty like I am

 

[Beekissed]

My internet service sucks, videos are start, stop, circle, start, stop, circle, start, stop, circle.....you get the picture-coz I sure don't! So @Beekissed can you give me the description of what the video says? I am now training our new pup, and he will be a big dog. Right now he is gangly, clumsy and cute. Soon he will sharpen up on that and the cute will go away. I don't like ill behaved dogs and want to do my best for him.

In a nutshell, he uses a slide leash set up....I just reverse my leashes to use the handle as the slide/tensioner portion. He places it up high, right under the ears, as CrealCritter described for his dog. This lessens their chance to pull and also puts the ability to turn their head more easily into your hands. His round, nylon, so it releases from that pinch better than a flat leash like mine, but I can stop and loosen it if need be and then reposition if needed then also.

Leash short but not tight...important to not maintain tension on the leash nor have a frustrated attitude while holding the leash as it feeds into the dog. Head up, shoulders straight, back straight, and wait until the dog is calm and waiting before walking....if you wait calmly and ignore all the jumping about and pulling, they have to eventually stop moving. Wait for it...then stride out. If he tries to go ahead of you, a short jerk to the side and immediate release. This is to get his attention and also turn his head towards you. All this is done without you stopping your walking....don't look at the dog, just the quick correction and continue with a confident walk.

Some dogs who are older and more habitual pullers who don't seem to respond well to the head correction, he'll often tap them in the flank with his shoe to snap them out of it...sort of a side tap, but I've never mastered that ability while walking along. I lose my balance. Haven't really needed it, though, as the quick jerk of the leash while it's up tight behind the ears seems to work very well.

They are not allowed to sniff, cast or otherwise be a dog while on the leash, but must walk by your side. If they have to use the bathroom just pause to let it happen, but no sniffing and casting about afterwards...back to the walk. The walk is everything and you lead it, they must follow.

You can stop and stand a minute, placing them in a sit position or not, your choice...and wait. If they pull during the wait, give a correction and place them in a sit. Then, when you decide to move, you don't say anything...you just start walking. Always be the one that moves first, the dog must follow. He must go when you go, stop immediately when you stop, sit when you say to sit and wait until you let him go. This all gets him tuned into being a follower and not a leader.

It's all best if done without sound, without frustration, with a calm purpose...they can feel it. They also know a weak person when they feel it in the leash...I can walk these dogs on the leash, then hand it to my little granddaughter as we walk and they immediately change from being a follower to walking in front of her. Same with my mother...give her the leash and they start leading her. Not a word is spoken but they know. Hand it back to me and they start following again and not a word spoken. Because Aliza nor Mom will give a correction when they walked in front, they got poor results...I've tried and tried to show them how to give a correction but they just can't seem to do it with purpose or in a timely fashion and they both get frustrated first, before ever trying the correction!

Don't know HOW they know, but they know a leader when their hand touches that leash. A person just has to BECOME a leader by changing their soft, weak mindset and determine they WILL be the leader in THIS instance, if not anywhere else in their life. They will lead firmly, without frustration with the dog...he can't speak English nor can he read minds, so he must receive from you clear direction in how you stand, walk, feel and how you give instruction through that leash.

New puppies are pretty quick learners, so it can be fun...especially Lab puppies. They LOVE to please, they are smart and they are very food motivated, so if nothing else gets their attention, food rewards can do it. Those are the lessons Labs learn the quickest!

I hope I explained that well. I've tried this on various dogs that were not mine and not known to me previously and it works~a 4 yr old Newfie cross, a 5 yr old Great Pyr, a 4 yr old Lab/GP cross....none of which had proper leash training previously, if any at all. Within a few short turns on the leash they had got the message and were walking calmly and without pulling, right by my side.

I've also tried it on new pups, Ben being one of them, and it was still quick results...they are easier to turn by the head, less prone to be sniffing territorial scent markers, etc.

 

[Beekissed]

Awwww, how sweet!!! Unusual for a hunting dog to not chew on a hen, so that's one special dog you've got there.

I hope he can deter the 'yotes from your place....and especially keep them from sitting in your living room.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

In my first marriage I had an English Setter. My exH fancied himself a bird hunter. He missed more than he got lol. But, this dog was awesome. She's go through a field, snap a point and never move - unless the bird moved and she'd creep along for a few seconds and snap into a point again. DH would ease up to her, flush the bird and take the shot. IF he missed... I swear the dog would give you a dirty "go to he** look" before she'd start hunting again. Awesome retriever too...if you shot it - even in heavy brush she'd find it. She was a great dog!

 

[baymule]

I'll be back, I like this! But it's late-Goodnight!