OK, I am not really a dog person. I have not had a Dog since I was a Kid.

Reason, my work,and life style was hectic to say the least, and I lived in the City, and did not feel it would be fair to the Dog to have a Dog.

The Wife and I have had Cats. All the cats except the first one have been strays, that first adopted us...

Cats have some advantages over Dogs in that they can take care of themselves. you can have , and we do, a "cat door" so the cats can go in and out when they want.
They will go to the bathrom in their "cat box", and you can leave out a ton of cat food and they only eat what then need...

Still I do not dislike dogs. Since we moved into the country we, the wife and I have talked about getting a dog several times...

We always decide against it, just to much maintaince...


However a couple of days age, the Wife was outsice running HER chainsaw when a stray dog came up.

He looks like a cross between a lab, wimerana [sp] and a visila. I will do a serious internet search when i have time.

He is Rusty brown in color. He has a bad limp on both front feet, his pads have damage like he fell out of a moing gtruck or has been walking for quite a while on hot asphalt.

He is well fed and his "hair" is in good shape. he has not missed many meals.

He is the best mannered dog, most friendly, most laid back og I have ever seen.

He has not mane a run on our ducks, did not attack our cat, or the neighbors female dog, or the Llamas, or the burros or the nutria we have. In shoret he is a Great Dog. He minds, and will follow either me or the wive even with his sore feet, which we are doctering...

We have looked around, and in the paoer and left word with some local stores, and so far, no one has claimed him.

As I type this he is at my feet in my man cave...

So, If we cannot find his original owner, I will have become a Dog Person...

He is one of the best, if not the best Dogs I have ever seen...

The best ones always pick you.

Not that i want to seperate you from your new best friend but have you had him checked at the vet for a chip. He may be ID'd that way.

quote:

He is one of the best, if not the best Dogs I have ever seen...

Somebody is looking for him and will
be heartbroke to lose him.
Search hard for the owner, someone put ALOT
of work and love into him

I dunno.....I live out in the country a ways and people always dumping dogs and cats out there......

Someone dumped a damn fine Aus. Sheppard a coupls of years ago, well behaved and well mannered. Maybe they couldn't feed him anymore???


.

NE 450 NO2, you do know the the difference between dogs and cats, don't you? Here you go.


The Dog's Diary

8:00 am - Dog food! My favorite thing!

9:30 am - A car ride! My favorite thing!

9:40 am - A walk in the park! My favorite thing!

10:30 am - Got rubbed and petted! My favorite thing!

12:00 PM - Milk bones! My favorite thing!

1:00 PM - Played in the yard! My favorite thing!

3:00 PM - Wagged my tail! My favorite thing!

5:00 PM - Dinner! My favorite thing!

7:00 PM - Got to play ball! My favorite thing!

8:00 PM - Wow! Watched TV with the people! My favorite thing!

11:00 PM - Sleeping on the bed! My favorite thing!


The Cat's Diary

Day 983 of my captivity.

My captors continue to taunt me with bizarre little dangling objects.

They dine lavishly on fresh meat, while the other inmates and I are fed hash or some sort of dry nuggets. Although I make my contempt for the rations perfectly clear, I nevertheless must eat something in order to keep up my strength.

The only thing that keeps me going is my dream of escape.

In an attempt to disgust them, I once again vomit on the carpet.

Today I decapitated a mouse and dropped its headless body at their feet. I had hoped this would strike fear into their hearts, since it clearly demonstrates my capabilities. However, they merely made condescending comments about what a "good little hunter" I am. Buttheads!

There was some sort of assembly of their accomplices tonight. I was placed in solitary confinement for the duration of the event. I could, however, hear the noises and smell the food.

I overheard that my confinement was due to the power of "allergies." I must learn what this means, and how to use it to my advantage.

Today I was almost successful in an attempt to assassinate one of my tormentors by weaving around his feet as he was walking. I must try this again tomorrow, but at the top of the stairs.

I am convinced that the other prisoners here are flunkies and snitches.

The dog receives special privileges. He is regularly released, and seems to be more than willing to return. He is obviously retarded.

The bird must be an informant. I observe him communicating with the Guards regularly. I am certain that he reports my every move. My captors have arranged protective custody for him in an elevated cell, so he is safe.

For now....

L.W.

NE450,

All 3 of our dogs were strays, well I take that back the last one belonged to a house down the road but when she was a small pup she got loose and wandered over here and started playing with the kids and our other dogs. She had been abused where she was scared of me, her neck was rubbed raw and she was more skeleton than dog, but still loved playing with my kids. So I didn't even bother contacting the original owner....

Anyway, all 3 of our current dogs are either full or part lab, and have the manners to show for it so I don't think you've gone wrong there. Also, mix breeds always seem to be a bit tougher health wise in the long run too IMHO.

Anyway, congrats on the new member of the family!

BTW, if you are concerned about the original owner showing up take the dog to the vet and run up a $100 vet bill, which is easy to do especially with a heartworm test. Then if the owner does show up tell them they can have the dog back, they just need to pay you for the vet bill. If they love the dog they'll do it but we took in a stray once and had the owner show up a week later and it was obvious when he put it in the car he didn't care anything about the dog. I felt sick and said never again, and a vet bill is a good way of being sure you made the right decision.

LW, our cat is not quite "that" bad.
Actually he is a pretty good pet.

Also let me add that "the DOG" HAD BAD EARS. Filled with ear mites. We have treated them several times, and they are looking a lot better. Like wise his limp is gone and his front pads are healing nicely.

Still no info on the original owner.

First of next month if nothing is heard we will take him to the vet, and the vet bill info is a great idea, thanks.

He is asleep just a few feet from right now.

He just has to be with in eyesight of me or the wife. He rode in the truck with her today to the feed store. Yesterday, she was driving her ATV with trailer picking up firewood she had cut, and when I let him outside, he jumped up on the back of the ATV and rode all around with her.

So, until we know anything, we will keep him.

He seems perfectly happy here.

He has a home here forever.

Plus, he and the Cat are getting along fine, no Drama between them.

I think I have become a Dog Person.

N e 450

PLEASE post him on the net Craigs list and everywhere you can, Humane society's , lost per sights, put up found dog flyers and call the local vets people who loose dogs contact to ask if any found their dog. lost and found on Craigs list id best and many lost and found sights on the net.
I lost a golden 7 months ago out in the country and I STILL Look at the internet for found dogs.
I put over 10,000 miles on my truck and my wife's car looking for him. Went to dozens of homes up to 200 miles away to make sure what they found was or wasn't him. You state your not really a dog person, SO PLEASE take it from someone that "IS" and has 4 used to have 5 and I live for my dogs.
SOMEONE MAY HAVE a big hole in their heart right now, and you could fix it by finding them and reuniting the dog and the owner...
Thank you

Don't just keep him without trying...
You OWE it to the owners and after you have become a dog person you will understand you owe it to the dog....

N E 450 No2,

post a picture of the dog,

I am curious what breed it is.

Get him checked for intestinal worms and heartworms. The wormer you can buy at the feed store is the same as your vet would use. Pyrantel pamoate. Get him vaccinated for distemper- DHLPP- and Rabies. Probably no need to vaccinate him for canine influenza or kennel cough unless it is a problem in your area. Heartgard is still the best heartworm prevention. Good luck with him

From what we can gather It looks like this dog was dumped. A lady a few miles down the road, at an intersection seems to be the dumping ground for dogs and cats...

She is feeding several of them.

No doubt this dog has done some traveling.

Also his ears are in bad shape, mites.

He is mostly Vizsla, with maybe a little lab mix. He is maybe a little bit big and thick for pure Vizsla.
But his temperment and actions are pure Vzsila.

Yesterday the wife shot a "logger head turtle", ie aligator snapper, in the head in our pond.

Today he floated up, so she went out in the boat to get him.

Well the "Dog" jumped in the boat with her, while she rowed out to retrive the turtle for the shell.

He truely is a "velcro" dog. He must be in the same room with one of us, and he will lay within contact/touching distance...

Nothing as turned up in local stores or in local papers, nor have calls to vets turned up anything. He is a fairly young dog, and it looks like he was dumped...

Yes he will get a trip to the vet soon.

quote:

Originally posted by The Artistry of Wildlife:
N e 450

PLEASE post him on the net Craigs list and everywhere you can, Humane society's , lost per sights, put up found dog flyers and call the local vets people who loose dogs contact to ask if any found their dog. lost and found on Craigs list id best and many lost and found sights on the net.
I lost a golden 7 months ago out in the country and I STILL Look at the internet for found dogs.
I put over 10,000 miles on my truck and my wife's car looking for him. Went to dozens of homes up to 200 miles away to make sure what they found was or wasn't him. You state your not really a dog person, SO PLEASE take it from someone that "IS" and has 4 used to have 5 and I live for my dogs.
SOMEONE MAY HAVE a big hole in their heart right now, and you could fix it by finding them and reuniting the dog and the owner...
Thank you

Don't just keep him without trying...
You OWE it to the owners and after you have become a dog person you will understand you owe it to the dog....

You are doing fine and you do not OWE anyone anything.

NE 450,

My honest guess is the dog was dumped. Unfortunately for pets, one of the first things that happens when their owner has financial trouble, has to move, or the pet grows up is they are let go. (Maybe that seems less cruel than ending up in the pound?) I just adopted a dog about a month ago and around the DFW area the amount of dogs in the pound is ridiculous - they had a half off adoption fee special last month since so many dogs had been coming in. I think the economy is still taking its toll on people and these poor dogs (and cats) find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. If no one has claimed the dog by now, I'd say you have yourself a new best friend.

I talked to a lady 6 or 7 miles down the road. I stopped at her house because she had several dogs, and dog food bowls in her yard. She had several cats too.
She is at an intersection. It seems that people seem to dump quite a few animals there. She said that she thinks the dog I described stayed near her house for a few days them dissappeared.

Again his foot pads were blistered, and he was limping badly, so it looks like he had been walking on the asphalt for quite a while.

I have done some more internet research and he is definately a Vizsla. He might have some lab mixed in, but his temperment is 100% Vizsla from what I have read.

He truely is a "Velcro Dog".

When he is inside the house he MUST BE IN THE SAME ROOM WITH ME. Or if I am gone in the same room with the wife.

When one of us goes outside, he sticks to us like glue. After he and I have walked together for a while I can get him to Range out a few yards, but he is always checking back with me.

I think he fed himself while out and about by getting into trash, as he has ripped open a baggie of beef jerkey I left out, and got into the trash the wife left out on the porch.
Then again that just might be the dog in him???

His feet have healed up and he no longer limps. His ears are doing better,[mites] but we still treat them a couple of times a day.

He is at my feet as I type this.

So I am becomming a "Dog Person".

When I am in the kitchen cooking, he has to be in there with me. So I am learning to walk/step around him. Same for any room I am in, he stays as close to me as he can.
When I open to door to go in our out, I need to open it up wide enough for both of us as he is always by my side.

He is a smart dog and IF I tell him to stay, he will, but he wants to go where ever I go. I have taken him on a couple of short turck rides as has the wife. Inside the cab of course, he is very well mannered inside the vehicle as he is everywhere.

He still acts a little shy, a little nervous, most likely as a result of being dumped and on his own for a while, but each day it seem a little less.

So, in short he has a permenate home here...

For as long as He wants it, after all He chose Us.

We have a big male cat, that is a great cat, but he is shy of other people and dogs.

However strange enough he and the dog are getting along just fine, no Drama.

They have been nose to nose a few times in the last few days, the dog shows no signs of agression to the cat, or the ducks for that matter, and the cat will now walk right by the dog. So all is going well on that front.

The dog did chase one of our nutrias into the pond yesterday, when we were out for a walk, but I was able to call him off, before he got to the nutria.

I cannot wait to take him on a pig hunt down at the lease...

Well the wife thinks the "dog" is 100% Lab. She brought home a book today that shows some Labs that are the same, or nearly so, color as my Rusty, the Wonder Dog.

I think the area around is eyes and the color of his gums, nose and claws, are more Vizsla than Lab, but I could be wrong.

Doesnot matter, he still has a home here for life.

Again he is at me feet as I type this.

We bought a collar and leash[bright orange, with reflector, making it easy to see] for him today, and I took him for a walk with them. He did great on the leash, and there may be some times/places where the leash is necessary, but really, he does not seem to need a leash, as even when he "ranges out" on my direction, he responds to every command.

Several times he went to the edge of the pond, he likes to get into the water, and I as able to call him back before he "got wet".

Most of the time he walks a half step behind me, to right beside me.

Sounds like you have a really good dog!

quote:

Originally posted by pennfly:

You are doing fine and you do not OWE anyone anything.

True that ^^^^

If the previous "owner" was so all fired concerned it's a simple matter to put a tag with a phone # on the collar. (Something you should think about too.) Almost any of the online vendors will stamp and install one for free on even their cheapest collars.

Labs or Vislas are both great breeds so I'd say you're GTG either way.
Luck
Charlie

Congratulations on joining the world of dog people . Sounds like you have added a wonderful family member.

It does not look like he has ever had a collor on him.

He does have one now.

And as always he is asleap at my feet right now.

Whe had a bunch of Drama here yesterday.

We had a couple of ladies cone out to shear our 4 llamas, and 2 guys come out to work over the hooves on our 5 burros.

After yesterday, I told the wife I am ready to treade alll of them in on some goldfish.

Well the new dog did great, he got along with the people and even with the dog one of the guys had with them.

When we roped the donkeys and the rodeo began he did want to get in on that action.

Both you AND the dog are lucky!

Well I think I should clarify my opening line in my first post.

ie "I am not a Dog Person"...

The reason I say that is because back when I was living in the City and working a lot, I just did not feel I was Dog Worthy.
I felt I could not give a dog the attention they deserve, and also I had a very small yard.

It was not that I disliked Dogs in any shape form or fashion. I just felt it would not be fair to a dog to "live with me"...

Now that I live in the Country,and have the time, and this Dog has Adopted me, and the wife, he likes her too, I am happy to have him here.

Yesterday the wife talked to the nearest neighbors down the road west of us.

A couple of days before he showed up here the "Stray Dog", stopped off at their house, but they already have a couple of dogs so they did not feed him and ran him off.

Again we have checked all around and checked all the papers and no one is looking for him.

His ears are still in bad shape but getting better we treat them twice a day. He is asleep at my feet as I type this, as usual.

He loves to swim in our pond.

well guy - it sounds to me like you now converted to a dog person welcome to the club

Just today the wife said "How did we go so long without a Dog???" I replied I do not know. Again he is at my feet as I type this.

A few things we have learned about having THIS dog.

When you open the door, open it wide enough for you AND the dog to go through it.

Learn to step over him, as he is going to be next to you, WHERE EVER in the house you are.

If I am in the kitchen cooking he will be in the kitchen. If I leave the kitchen to go to the bathroom, he will follow me and lay down just outside the bathroom. When I go back to the kitchen, he is there.

He likes the wife almost as much as he does me, and will go outside with her. He will follow along with her when she is mowing on HER John Deer lawn tractor, or hang out with her when she is fishing the pond.
When I go outside he follows along right beside me. He loves to ride on the ATV.

He likes to jump up on the bed and roll around, and will stay there for 30 to 45 min before he wants to go to sleep on the floor next to the bed.

In short, he is a joy and a hoot to have around.

You have a good dog AND a good wife. Nothing else needed.

Allen

Thanks. The truth is, I would not want to try and retrain a new wife, or a new dog...

But truth be told, IT has taken me 29 years to train the wife ... The Stray Dog showed up already trained.

quote:

If I am in the kitchen cooking he will be in the kitchen. If I leave the kitchen to go to the bathroom, he will follow me and lay down just outside the bathroom. When I go back to the kitchen, he is there.

Probably just making sure ya wash your hands.

Kidding of course.
A dog's loyalty is truely unwavering.

You've probably heard this one, but there's allot of truth to the adage that to find out who really loves you, put your dog and your girlfriend in the trunk of a car for an hour and see which one's happy to see you when you open it.

PS,,, don't forget to get a name tag for your new friend.

Tony,

The tears are streaming down as I read this. This morning we lost our 2 1/2 yo lab/german shorthair mix.

You describe her to a T. Always at your side and must be touching you whenever she can.

Most of the time she would only eat if we were standing in the kitchen with her. She did not have time to eat otherwise.

PLease give him a big hug tonight and thanks for giving him an excellent home!!


Keith

Tony, From one long time dog man. You are now one and welcome to the club. I did have a rust colored chocolate and will try to post a pic of him.

Mike

Keith

I am sory for your loss.
Strangely enough this dog will not eat unless you tell him to and stand next to him till he starts eating.

I have had other very good friends that have lost dogs that were a part of the family, the best thing is to get a new dog, a new member of the family.

The wife and I have done the same thing with cats we have lost over the years.

retreever

Thanks for the comments, he is here at my feet as I type this.

We went fishing this evening at our pond. He stayed right beside me the whole time.

Tony,

You found out something about dogs that I learned 40 years ago. They truly are man's best friend.

Take the dog out in the field where there are some upland birds and see if she has been trained for bird hunting. If it is a visla that is a definite possibility.

465H&H

In addition. it seems that your dog is a little timid. I suggest being careful on seeing if it is gun shy. If you want to know how to do that, PM me.

465H&H

450, does your dog like to retrieve? Have you tried tossing a ball for him yet? Also, post a pic when you get an opportunity.

I'll second what 465 says about being gun shy, none of my dogs like guns but what I did was take them for walks with a pellet gun, so they assocciated the guns with walks and they tolerate it now, but talk to someone who actually knows how to condition them would be my suggestion.

He does not seem to be gun shy. I shot a turtle off of my deck and he was asleep on the back porch about 20 yardsaway, he just got up and ran over to see what I was doing.

I have taken him on several walks where I was carrying a rifle and he did not act any different, but I have not had the occasion to shoot around him yet. I will do that in a week or two, as I wantd to wait till he felt comfortable for sure around me.

Whe wife bought him a big bone and he would "retrieve" it, but he does not retrieve sticks or chase a ball yet.

On several of the walks, he has put his nose to the ground and apears to be tracking something for 30 yards or so.

Well I did give the dog a shooting test today.

We have had a couple of good rain showers in the last couple of days so I went to the pond to dump the water out of the john boat.

The dog was right with me. I pulled the boat up on shore as far as i could and lifted up the front end to dump as much of the water out as I could, so I could pull it the rest of the way and turn in over to dry.

When I lifted the front over my head I saw a scake that had been under the boat.

So I drew my 1911 LW Commander and fired one round. There was an "eruption" of mud and water, the snake flew up, hit the bottom of the boatand fell back down. I could see he was hit but not cut in half so I shot him again, this time he flew in two different directions.

I looked for the dog, ahd he was walking up the hill about 20 yards away, not running, walking. So called out to him, he stopped turned and looked at me then I told him ot come, and he ran down right to me and sat down as he normally does.

I finished draging the boat out of the water, turned it over and dug out one of the bullets and the dog was right there with me the whole time.

So it looks like him and guns will work out OK. When I try to train him better I will start out with a 22LR Rifle.

I'm with 465H&H. Be careful with the guns. Once it starts its very hard to fix and it appears he's only slightly sensitive now.

And you can pm me, too, about the introduction to gunfire or go to Retriever Training Forum (RTF) and use their search function.