Thanks for the info and input, especially on the gunfire issue.

I plan on breaking him in slowly.

Here is a funny/strange thing. I have some Llamas and some Burros here on my place. When ever I start shooting, usually it is a 22lr at turtles, the Llamas and the Burros not only do not run away, they run over to see what is going on.

So any animal that lives here has got to be OK with gunfire.

PS, as always, the dog is asleep at my feet as I type this.

Here is a true story. He and I stayed up late last night, and I got up early today.

We both ate breakfast, and in a couple of hours I got a little sleepy, so I went to the bedroom to take a little nap, and the dog went with me.

The wife got to looking or "us", and when she found "us", we were both asleep in the bed.

She said she could not tell which one of us was snoring the loudest...

He is a real good dog...

My first Golden Retriever, Taylor, was a $75 newspaper dog. I was his 4th owner. I worried about gunfire with him until our first 4th of July - before our first hunting season. My neighbor has kids, and we had fireworks landing and exploding in the backyard. When it would explode, he'd run over and try to retrieve it - which I stopped because it was still hot, but oh, that dog loved gunfire. I'd get the shotgun out of the closet and he'd start bouncing up and down on 4 legs. He snored too <g>

450no2:
(You have a great handle--you must own a no2? Mine is a Lang).
You are a dog person, it just took the right dog to bring it out in you. I never wanted a dog as I didn't want to be tied down. Upon retirement my girl friend gave me a black Lab--probably to keep me grounded and from moving to Zim. This was seven years ago and Blackie is my best friend, hunts grouse with me, and (yesterday) went with me looking for brown bear (left my .450no2 at home and took my .600), and has worn a path between the bed and couch were he spends his time when inside.
Dogs are great. Exwife(s) are a bitch. Should have had more dogs and stayed single.
Cheers,
Cal

Cal

Can't argue with that advice.

Yes I have an Edwinson Green & Sons 450 No2.

It is built on a Jeffery action with Jeffery German steel barrels. They are 28" long.
I haveused it or squirrels, coyotes, deer, wild pigs, eland, wildebeest, giraffe, cape buff and elephants.

It is my favorite double rifle.

Well the dog and I have done some more shooting in the last couple of days.

With him right next to me I have shot a 2LR at a turtle, 3 rounds from a 223 rifle at an Aligator Turtle, and 3 rounds from a 308 at anoter Aligator Turtle.

He stayed right beside me for every shot.

He even stayed right beside me when I fished one of the AT's out of the pond that was still moving around, and I shot it in he head with a 1911.

Gunfire does not phase him a bit.

Tony,

I have never seen any one turn into a confirmed dog lover as quickly as you. Welcome to the club!

465H&H

More Gunfire info. Today I was loading some 45 ACP rounds for an upcomming IDPA match so I wanted to shoot a few of them as a test.

The wife and the dog were filling the water trouphs for the animals when I stepped out on the mancave deck to shoot a few rounds.

So I shot 7 rounds, and when I looked to my side, there was the dog. He had ran up to see what was going on. So again gunfire does not scare him.

Well you all have heard the Good about the Stray Dog...

So now it is time for the Bad, and the Ugly...

The bad.

After a few days I started letting him in the house. Well he did pee a time or two before it was discovered in the hallway where the washer and dryer is. I chalked it up to the fact that he wants to be by our side 100% of the time.
So I did call him over to the site and had a talk with him about "going outside to pee" and then took him outside till I saw him pee. Then brought him back indoors.

We take him outside on a regular basis and if he lays by the front door, or gets up and comes to one of us we let him outside or go outside with him. So far since we have not found where he has peed inside.

I think I have told the story where he did get into some beef jerkey I left out down low...

Could not blame him, as the treats we got for him are like jerkey, and I do not know how long he was on his own, eating out of garbage to survive. Again this is a learning curve for me and the wife as we have not had a dog before.

You cannot leave food/garbage out where a dog, that was a stray, can get to it.

However, one day the inside trash was full, so the wife put the left over container of Chinease food in a store plastic bag next to the trash.

More later it is dinner time for me...

The Ugly.

Well the dog did get into that trash. So I felt punishment was in order. So I got the 4 foot braded whip we use to direct the llamas, and gave the offender a serious Capt. Bligh Flogging.

So, I do not think we will have any more trash isses here at the house...

You have to correct the dog within 1-3 seconds, better 1 second, or they have no idea why they are being corrected. If you don't catch them in the act, you are wasting your time. A tardy correction makes them think you are a psycho - they really aren't capable of understanding the connection between a pee spot older than a second or so and a correction. Better to catch them in the act. Just like with a puppy, you have to catch them or its too late.

Radioshack used to (and hopefully still does) sell a $25 motion detector powered by a 9 volt battery. I had a terrible trash diver - but she would do it in the middle of the night. I'd leave the motion detector in the trash, pointed up. When she stuck her head in the trash, the alarm went off. Took 1 night and she never raided the trash again. Likewise, its good for couner cruisers. You end up catching yourself a few times, but when the dog finds that counter cruising or dumpster diving sets off an immediate alarm, the soon learn and the behavior stops.

Marking in the house - you just have to catch them. Otherwise, crate them when you aren't paying attention to them, and then let them out frequently. Over time, they develop the habit of going only outside. Dogs are naturally clean in the den, and he just needs to generalize the whole house is the den.

9 times out of 10, a verbal correction is all they need to understand. A braided whip is better suited for breaking up a dog fight than for a simple, untimely correction. They really don't understand a correction if the correction is not immediate, and if its immediate, it doesn't need to be much (depending on the dog)

FWIW from a guy that lives with 6 Goldens, 2 Labradors (one a MH and one an FC if you like titles), and a Llewellyn setter.

quote:

Originally posted by dr_dog_guy:


Radioshack used to (and hopefully still does) sell a $25 motion detector powered by a 9 volt battery. I had a terrible trash diver - but she would do it in the middle of the night. I'd leave the motion detector in the trash, pointed up. When she stuck her head in the trash, the alarm went off. Took 1 night and she never raided the trash again. Likewise, its good for couner cruisers. You end up catching yourself a few times, but when the dog finds that counter cruising or dumpster diving sets off an immediate alarm, the soon learn and the behavior stops.

Wow that is a great idea! Radio shack still has them:

http://www.radioshack.com/prod...sp?productId=2102584


Amazon has some too:

http://www.amazon.com/Sparkoma...able+motion+detector


And as mentioned, correction needs to happen pretty much right away or they will be confused about what is going on.

Pretend you are punishing one of your cats instead, and ask yourself if whatever you would be doing will make a change in your cats behavior as well. If you don't think it would, then it probably wouldn't change your dogs behavior either.

Sorry guys, maybe I did not make myself perfectly clear. I did Punish the offender.

I did not Flog the dog....

I Flogged the WIFE.

She is the one that left the trash out where the dog could get to it.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Sorry guys, maybe I did not make myself perfectly clear. I did Punish the offender.

I did not Flog the dog....

I Flogged the WIFE.

She is the one that left the trash out where the dog could get to it.

Spousal abuse I can understand but not animal cruelty!

465H&H

Had a bad scare day before yesterday.

We were out of dog and cat food, so the wife and I went to town to get some. While there we grabbed a bite to eat.
We were gone less than 2.5 hours.

When we got back home, the dog was nowhere to be found. Normally when he is outside he stays on the front porch, sometimes on the back.

We went to the nearest neighbor as sometimes thier dog comes to our house and they get along so we thought our dog might have gone home with her.

She was on her front porch.

We called for our dog, but he did not come to us.

We drove up and down the road looking for him, but did not find him.

He did not come home all night.

The next morning our neighbor called and said she found our dog on her back porch sleeping next to her dog....

The wife was already on the road looking for him, so she went and got him.

That was one long night for sure.

Now I have another question. He does not seem to like very much the canned food and the "dry" food we have fed him so far.

He does seem to really like the Fancy Feast cat food.

So I am looking for recommendations on a good canned food and a good dry food.

My wife buys Fancy Feast for her 3 cats. The price of that product is through the roof. Canned Friskies cat food is less costly and in larger cans.
I feed my dog a dry food, which I make more appealing by stirring in a cooled soup I make by boiling beef bones and beef scraps (fat removed) I get at a slaughterhouse. The dog prefers it that way ....as I would were I a dog. There are so many varieties of dry dog food, that you can make wise choices (components, price). If you don't find a satisfactory dry food in your local supermarket, visit a pet store (Pet Supermarket, Petco, others) where you will find an overwhelming variety. "Blue Buffalo" is one such, that has been highly touted lately. I don't think that canned dog food is a wise choice, unless you use a partial can mixed with water to make a slurry which is then used to mix with dry food.

He's gunshy. Tread lightly. The fact that he didn't bolt completely out of sight does not indicate otherwise. I've had that happen too and that dog could not be salvaged. Yours might, but it will take some work.

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Now I have another question. He does not seem to like very much the canned food and the "dry" food we have fed him so far.

He does seem to really like the Fancy Feast cat food.

So I am looking for recommendations on a good canned food and a good dry food.

He is a dog, he will eat what you put in front of him if he is hungry. Skip the canned food as it is mostly water and way over priced. The amount of canned that I would have to feed my 80 lb. lab would put most people into the poor house. Buy a quality dry food and give him the amount that keeps him at a good weight. If you feel that the dog absolutely has to have a wet mix then follow conifers instructions or some form of it. I had to do it when my lab was deathly ill.

If you give in and eventually give him the cat food then he will wait you out until you cave every time until he gets so hungry that he has to eat the dog food.

There are lots of opinions on dry food. Read and decide for yourself. My lab has been on Diamond his entire life and is a very healthy 11 yr. old.

quote:

Originally posted by lavaca:
He's gunshy. Tread lightly. The fact that he didn't bolt completely out of sight does not indicate otherwise. I've had that happen too and that dog could not be salvaged. Yours might, but it will take some work.

Sounds like he loved the gunfire to me.

I took him to the gun cub today. I was testing loads in a 470 and testing a 1911 in 45 ACP.

The gunfire did not bother him at all.

He rides in the cab of a truck just fine.

We went back to the Gun Range today.

The first time I had him "tethered" to a pole, so he could not run/wander off.

Today I did not tie him down. I was testing loads in a buddies 470 double, and while it cooled, doing some plate shootng with a 22LR handgun. He stayed right beside me when I was shooting the 470 rifle most of the time, or he would go and sit next to the truck right where I had tethered him the other day. When ever I went to check the targets he would walk down there with me.

When I went to the pistol range he stayed right by my side, just behind me, while I shot.

So again gunfire is not a problem for him.

On the way home we found a doe whitetail deer that had just been hit and killed by a vehicle. So we stopped and I let him "sniff" and "study" the dead deer.

He seemed very intrested, and acted pretty serious, while near the deer.

I cannot wait to take him pig and deer hunting...

I have a golden retriever female who is an incredibly intelligent and delightful individual. She has never reacted positively to Purina or Alpo products. So, it has been to those that I had added the broth I made from boiling bones and trimmed scraps. But, Alpo has recently greatly reduced their quantity of dry food in the same, large bag, while raising their prices. So, the dog's reluctance together with my annoyance at the price increases, drove me to Pet Supermarket to find a good dry food. One internet web-site suggested avoiding any dry food with "grains" in the 1st 3 components. So, I chose "Canidae" ...marketed by "Natural Pet Food Company". The dog eats it dry, willingly.
No, I do not feel that I am catering to or spoiling the dog. Life (especially a dog's) is short. Giving a decent food is not indulgence; it is animal care.

Thanks for the info conifer.

This dog likes some weird brand of cat food the wife found. She also puts some Franco American Slow Roast Turkey Gravy on the cat food and mixes it in.

My only problem with this is that I think we need to find a variety of different foods for him as I know I would not want to eat the same thing every day, even if it was lobster...

And I also feel there is nothing wrong with "catering" to your pet, be it dog or cat, as they deserve to eat something they like IMHO...

quote:

Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
Thanks for the info conifer.

This dog likes some weird brand of cat food the wife found. She also puts some Franco American Slow Roast Turkey Gravy on the cat food and mixes it in.

My only problem with this is that I think we need to find a variety of different foods for him as I know I would not want to eat the same thing every day, even if it was lobster...

And I also feel there is nothing wrong with "catering" to your pet, be it dog or cat, as they deserve to eat something they like IMHO...

I don't know for sure but I'm assuming the "catering" comments are directed at me. You asked the question and I apologize if it wasn't what you wanted to hear. I see that you are a dog expert already as this is your first dog and you are feeding him cat food and all. A food that isn't formulated for dogs and won't give him the nutrition for a long healthy life like he deserves. Dogs are creatures of habit and will eat the same thing day in and day out without a grumble if they get proper exercise and have a proper appitite. Dogs aren't you or I and don't think that way. Switching the dog to different foods is only going to make you feel better and give the dog the trots.

But what do I know?

You have to watch the cat food. It has extremely high protein levels compared to what a dog should have, so too much can be a problem.

There are a million dog foods out there, and for the most part you get what you pay for. Find a good, premium or super premium food that he likes and he should be fine. FWIW, they do like the same food every day. Or at least mine do. You do have to watch changing foods once they are set on a particular brand. You wouldn't think these rough, tough retrievers are sensitive, but boy howdy are they. Changing food can provoke diarrhea, so its better to make any transition gradual.

Dogs are so different individually, too. Based on age, health issues, and allergies I'm feeding Pro Plan Performance, Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream, Wellness Core Ocean, and that prescription Purina Allergy food with the hydrolized protein. But I have a million dogs (well, 7 because the old one just died), one with bad allergies, one with pancreatic insufficiency, and so on.

Caution with cat fod as dr_dog_guy said. Wrong nutrition for dogs. Too much protein can cause digestive issues. Check the net for foods if you find something you want to try research it first. I feed raw people grade meats and veggies, but that's not for everyone and it's expensive. Lot's of bag dog foods have had issues and recalls so always check. Sounds like you have a great companion and maybe just a bit unsecure, but that should resolve in time.

Gentlemen

My posts were not directed against anyone, not were they ment to be any sort of barb or criticism.

My comment on "catering" to the dog was ment to express the fact that I am willing and trying to find the right foods for my new dog.

I appreciate any and all info you guys are giving me, as this is the first dog I have had since I was in grade school.

However I did look on the one can of cat food we have left that the dog liokes vs a can of Alpo diog food we still have and the cat food has 9% crude protein min, and the Alpo can states 9.5% crude protein min...

Also the cat food states it is 78% moisture max and the Alpo states 80% of moisture max.

So we will be trying some of the dry foods you have recommended, with maybe some canned food as a treat every so often. How does that sound?

On another note, he has ridden in my truck a few times and he now knows the sound of it.

Even if he is way out on the property with the wife, when he hears me drive in, he takes off and heads for me and the truck.

If somebody else drives up to the house he pays them no attention.

The wife claims I am stealing her dog...

Also speaking of "catering" to your pets.

Our Tom cat likes Fancy Feast cat food. It has 11% protein. [We keep dry food out for him as well.]

He likes the Classic series not the Grilled or any other of their styles.

So when we buy a bunch of cans, of the different flavors of Classic, I always sort them out and number them so he does not eat the same flavor 2 days in a row. I also arange them so that he has a different variety ie fish, beef, chicken turkley etc. so he does not even eat the same "species" of meat 2 days in a row.

So If I do this for the cat

I can at least "cater" to the dog as well.

Listen, you do what you need to with that dog. I for one never meant a hint of criticism, just passing on information when it seemed relevant and which I feel you took as intended. You have a wonderful buddy and it seems your learning curve has been pretty short, helped by a great dog.

Occasional high protein treats sounds fine to me.

I have a dog box on the diesel (look like the dog catcher) and 90% of the time at least one of the dogs are up front with me.

It was only 18 years ago (am I old or what?) that I was in the same boat as you - hadn't had a dog since high school and couldn't have one because I was in the field at least 6 months out of the year. When I moved here, I found work was close enough to the house that I came home at night, so I got a dog. One dog led to the next and now here I am with a houseful and involved in dog sports up to my eyeballs. And even though we compete in obedience, field trials, hunt tests, and conformation, my dogs are not spoiled. They don't get on the couch, go to the office, or sleep on the bed. If you believe my dogs aren't spoiled, I have this bridge in Brooklyn you might want to come take a look at....

You really lucked out. Your dog found you.

I've been reading through all these posts and you're doing a great job!
I grew up out in the country and would find dumped dogs all the time. Alot of them would end up in a pack of wild dogs that would chase/kill anything...worse than coyotes because they weren't scared.
Some of my best dogs were ones that I found early in their dumped career. We kept some and nursed then gave away some.
Currently I have a Weimaraner and they are also "velcro dogs". She is with me every chance she gets.
I don't bird hunt, but I always heard Weims are that way and I wanted a dog to just hang out with me.
She will get in the trash sometimes...when I leave the damn pantry door open.
She is a great guard dog at night because nobody will get to the house that she won't bark at...not sure if she would ever bite anybody.
During the day nobody will ever break in the house and steal the couch...cause that's where her lazy butt is sleeping!
She is perfectly fine laying around the house if it's one of those cold winter days...but she is equally happy to be running around at the barn when I'm feeding horses...in -30 degree weather.
No matter how bad of day I've had, when I get home she's there wagging her butt, happy to see me...kinda makes me forget all the crap.
Basically, sounds like you have a great friend...enjoy it!!!

Oh, ABBY is kinda spoiled...not sure how that happened, but she will do almost anything I ask.

Mmmm...Jenga!

That is a cool picture.

That is just wrong, that's inhumane LOL look at his eyes or should I say eye he's thining " Really if I do this I get them all"

I LOVE dogs. They have added immeasurably to my life. I had to "put down" my best friend of 15 years a couple of weeks ago; his life had become too painful. He was the finest of gentlemen, a golden lab who had been a stray at my friend's farm. Now, I have a golden retriever, and she is UNBELIEVABLY sweet and responsive. I am very grateful.

conifer

I do how hard that can be.

However many times it is the best thing to do...

Ammohouse

After my wife saw that picture of your dog, she sais "Our Dog" is smart enough to be trained to do that.

After loosing 4 fingers, she then said., Our Dog is smarter than his dog. He is too smart to let his food rest on his nose.

We found a canned food he likes, it is Purina One Classic Ground.

Lol, I guess 4 fingers are better than 8 treats then!

Actually he is very soft mouthed when giving him a treat.

I did manage to balance a single dog bone on his nose yesterday.

Cool story NE. I am a certified dog person who also enjoys when cats tolerate my presence. I have been waffling the past few days on a dog that showed up at my girlfriends farm and needs a home. But, I am a vet student and spend most of my time at school or studying, so I don't know if I have time to be fair to him. However he is approx one year old and neutered, and I have decided to bring him home and see how it goes. If it turns out I can't give him what he deserves, I should not have too much trouble finding him a home. Dr. Dog Guy, I assume you are a veterinarian, where did you go to school? Auburn University C/O 2016 here.