Dogs in one's lifetime

[Northwind]

Our girl is a golden. Goldens are known for having a good temperament. When we got her she was about a year to a year and a half and hadn't had some of the socializing and training she was supposed to have by then. I believe she has become such a great dog because we're in a community that's helped. It takes a community to raise a child. She was abused in her first home. I think being part of this community has showed her she's loved and people are safe

 

[paradox3]

I heard singer/ songwriter Ian Tyson talk about horses at one of his performances. I wish I could remember his exact words. But he believed good horses were born with the potential to be that way. And not all horses can be good horses.

 

[Nancy]

All of our dogs were good dogs. The middle one that was given up by a couple that were extremely ambitious workaholics was namesdTessa. She didn't like us at first (tried to run away), but ended up becoming the happiest dog ever. To this day, when I see a picture of her, I see the dog smile. She always walked to the Pet Store with me on Saturdays so we could get dog food and/or treats. The people there loved her so much (and they saw a lot of dogs!). When she died, I stopped in to tell them, and we all had a good cry together.

 

[Mendalla]

I would say our beagle was a good dog mostly. He was, however, very high-strung at times which I understand is a common temperament in the breed. So many of his faults were the result of that rather than being "bad". E.g. the time he bit me when I was trying to retrieve something he was using as a toy.

 

[Nancy]

We had two horses when I was growing up. Goldie (a palomino quarter horse) and her offspring Nugget. Goldie was wonderful. Nugget was truly mean. He never did get broken in, even though a real expert horse person tried to work with him. We figure the father must have had a horrible temperament.

 

[paradox3]

We had two horses when I was growing up. Goldie (a palomino quarter horse) and her offspring Nugget. Goldie was wonderful. Nugget was truly mean. He never did get broken in, even though a real expert horse person tried to work with him. We figure the father must have had a horrible temperament.

Did you ever see Amy on Heartland working with the horses? I always wondered how realistic her approach was.

 

[Nancy]

Yes...I've seen that. I think there are people who have a special touch with animals, so maybe it is realistic for some people. I had a great uncle (died before I was born) who was renown in our township for his ability with horses. Years later, in my 20s (so about 30 years after he had died), I met people who still talked about him. Besides training horses, he became the go-to person when there were no veterinarians in the area. I wish I had met him.

 

[GordW]

First Dog: A Cocker Spaniel mix my parents got as a puppy when I was 1. Actually Dusty came into the house as a young puppy at Christmas time while family was visiting and my mother was 6 months pregnant -- mom was known to say that this was not the best timing. He was a bit of a runner when he got a chance, and a bit of a fighter at times. Developed cancer when I was in Grade 11 so lived over 15 years.

Second Dog: A full-bred Cocker. Friends of ours had a litter so we got Sherlock the fall of my Grade 11 year (so had both dogs for about 3 months). He was among the friendliest dogs I have ever known. Everybody was his friend, little seemed to bother him. Even when he had an ulcer on his eye that no treatment would heal he remained happy as can be (Eventually the vet removed the eye so his last 5 years or so he had one eye--which got him lots of sympathy and pity everywhere he went). Eventually the body wore out and mom and dad said good bye in 2002 -- at 17.

Third Dog: Sheba. A mixed breed, mom was apparently a dachsund-lab cross and they think dad was a golden. Anti-social from the time she was a puppy. Generally really good with her people, she wanted nothing to do with others and showed it through aggression (you did have to make sure she never felt trapped/cornered though, as my dad forgot a couple times). She joined us when our 2nd child was 3 months old and was with us until that daughter was 18.

 

[Mendalla]

She joined us when our 2nd child was 3 months old and was with us until that daughter was 18

Wow, sounds kind of like my family's old kitty. Born in the basement when I was four and died at 20 just as I finished my Master's. The dog came along as a pup when I was maybe 13 and lived a decade.

 

[JayneWonders]

I think a combination of nature and nurture.

Cockers were known for lovely family dogs.Springers, also being spaniels have the same. Retrievers as well like to take care. Our first springer came from a breeder that was aiming for intelligence over looks and he was so smart

The lab got aggressive once after we rescued her , and my spouse was able to stop that by teaching it it's place in the pack. I actually had to lay on her a couple of times in the early days.

My parents, on the other hand, and particularly my father did a mixed bag at training. Dad had a lhaso apso. Gorgeous, but downright miserable. Also had a wee cockapoo that was spoiled rotten.

 

[Nancy]

I forgot to say that Tessa was part Chow and mostly black lab. So very sweet. We got her at about age 5 I think...and she was very anxious, and barked a lot. That didn't last long. She really settled into our household.

 

[JayneWonders]

We hired a woman who was a vet but moved into dog training.

She gave us great tips for teaching our current springer. Helped a lot.

Probably should have her back to get tips on a few more things.

I also find that I have to lower my voice for him to obey commands, even ones that he wants to do

 

[BetteTheRed]

And I forgot a dog. Buster, my beloved basset hound, who I had alongside Lucy for a couple of years. He was 8 when I adopted him; his Mom died, and it was discovered his Dad had dementia, and their kid already had a dog, so I adopted him, but he only lived to 10, average for the breed. Lucy hated him, he loved her.