"Yippy dogs"

[jonathon]

Heres my baby in case anyone is interested..



She's fat, lathargic, quiet, loves kids and most people, and is a good roam around the woods companion... chick magnet at the beach to, gotta love that sexy leather leash

[Capt. Charlie]

She's right around 33" tall (can't get her to stand still long enough to get an accurate measurement). Last weigh in at the vets was about a month ago; she weighed in at 165. Her lines (CH Wiley's Hawkeye Huffman X CH Lionsire Best Kept Secret) are slow to mature, so she won't hit her top weight for about another year. She eats 8-10 cups of Diamond Large Breed 60+ a day, plus whatever she can mooch . I got her from a breeder (Woodmark Mastiffs) near Wash., DC a year ago when she was 10 months old. She's had some obedience work, but not enough. Still, she's very well behaved and very laid back, but her size and bark (wall shaking and window rattling ) are a deterrent to anyone in their right mind. She's not bad on a leash, but she is STRONG! I was wrestling with her in the living room the other night and thought I had her pinned. Wrong! She got up with me on her back like I wasn't even there! The history of these guys goes back to before the Roman Empire. The Roman's used them in the arenas to fight lion and bear! Woodmark would like me to show her, but I just can't get interested in showing. Too much politics .

[Capt. Charlie]

She's cute Jonathon. What kind is she?

gotta love that sexy leather leash

Hmmm...... Nope, I'm not gonna ask.

[jonathon]

Ha, lol.

Boxer dog. Fun critter, was pretty playful when she was younger(She's pushin 6 now).

[CarbineCaleb]

Capt: I think a dog like that would be great fun if well-behaved, but could be downright dangerous if not. I have not handled one, but have seen a guy trying to hold one back when it was going after my dog - fortunately he hung in there and had good coordination and a strong leash, but he was trying to lean back and stay planted, and it was dragging him forward - he could barely keep his feet as he was pulled along. He was a big male - I would guess that dog at around 180-200.

My Shepherd weighed 65lb and I weighed 200 then, and I just got the hell out of there as she tried to mix it up with the Mastiff. This Mastiff had an exceptionally broad skull and looked like it could take my dog's whole head in it's mouth - I did not want to see that. I am not afraid of dogs, and would have certainly helped mine in a fight if she needed it, but that Mastiff could have taken me too, I would guess. I have read that some Brits developed the Bull Mastiff for antipersonnel use against poachers on large estates in England.

[Capt. Charlie]

Yeah, Bull Mastiffs are a whole different breed. English Mastiffs have been bred for a kind, affectionate temperment and a super laid back attitude. They're the giant couch potatoes of the world . But with any large breed, they are what you make them. They want only to please, but if abused, well... I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end either. With these dogs, you also have to pay special attention to the breeder. A good breeder will breed only those dogs that have these qualities. A back yard breeder or a puppy mill? Well, they're in it for the money and could care less, considering that a show quality English Mastiff can cost between $2000 and $2500. These are great protection dogs, but their nature is to pen or pin, rather than bite. I've read stories about Mastiffs penning a burglar in a corner for hours until the owners came home. Never bit the BG, but wouldn't let 'em go either. My kind of dog! Still, you're right. An enraged, poorly trained Mastiff would be a frightening thing indeed.

[CajunsMisty]

Awwwww, they are ALL so precious. I have 2 American Eskimos, and we have 3 Norweigen Elkhounds and a Chessie here also. But the Eskies have alot of LONG hair. Cajun will have to post a pic (I already asked if he would) because I don't know how.

Once you decide on a breed try a rescue. The rescue will have evaluated the dog and will tell you if there are any problems with them. Good luck.

[CarbineCaleb]

My sweetie wasn't real yappy... at all. She a long and lean shepherd, and was demonstrative, but not real verbal.



...and she was a "second hand" dog And absolutely magnificent - I also agree that a "used dog" should not have a stigma - the problem was almost invariably due to incompetent/unsuitable owners, so as long as they haven't screwed them up *too* badly, you can do a great thing by adopting a dog from either a shelter or a rescue organization and there will be two winners - the dog and you.

[CajunBass]

Here's a picture of Misty's dogs. The two on the ground are American Eskimo's. They only bark at three things. Anything, everything, and nothing. The little one she's holding is a Jack Russel. The JR is no longer with us.



Note: Misty has dogs. I don't have any dogs.

[Bullrock]

Captain Charley, nice photo of you both. I think I can see a resemblance!

Hey Jon! I think you could use a little housekeeping there son!!!
Nice Pooch! Nice collar, probably would look good on your horse as well...Only kidding

[guntotin_fool]

I do not think people would believe it , but I would vote for a miniture poodle. A miniture is the second largest of the class for poodles and are the ones most likely not to have been inbred into insanity. A really smart breed, with NO SHEDDING makes a great small-house dog.

One other point is most mutts, by the very fact of cross breeding seem to isolate out those wacky genes and seem to be pretty darn good dogs.
If you go to the pound and find one about a year old that seems to have a good disposition, you most often seem to have a winner. My moms current dog was a schnauzer poodle mix we got for her at the pound. This dog is the most loyal and best behaved dog I have seen. My mom is an experience dog owner and has done a very good job of getting the dog to understand his role. His job is to be her companion. every where she goes he goes. he is also the protector. Mom has taught him that he should not bark till people get close to the house. This means calming him till people get within fifteen or twenty feet of the house and then rousing him as soon as they break that barrier.

It started with holding him in her arms when she knew the paper boy or the mailman were coming.... hushing the dog till the reached that line she had created then asking the dog in an agitated voice "who is that? who is here?" within a week the dog had it down. NEVER criticize the dog for sounding the alarm or barking at someone new unless you pick up the dog or you touch it's collar. The dog should never bark when you are holding it. when you let go the dog should fly into a frenzy but learn that when you hold its collar or you pick it up, it must relax. The dog will get it right away. Teach the dog to play tug of war. do it alot. develops strong neck and mouth muscles for a good bite if ever needed.

hand feed the dog. teach the dog that you give it food and take it away. Never tolerate a dog that will nip at your hand if you reach into its bowl or if you hand feed it. teach it that if it bites you, it loses its food immediately. this is not mean. but it puts you over the dog in the hierarchy, forces him to serve you and allows you to feel more comfortable around him. I would not go for the ankle biters. but I would go for a shin biter...22 to 30 pound range is a great size for a small place. Also in a small house, a no shed dog makes even more sense.

[jonathon]

Wayne did you ever find yourself a doggy?

[Shorts]

NEVER criticize the dog for sounding the alarm or barking at someone new unless you pick up the dog or you touch it's collar. The dog should never bark when you are holding it. when you let go the dog should fly into a frenzy but learn that when you hold its collar or you pick it up, it must relax.

I feel it is fine for the dog to alert, but when it is TOLD to hush, it must obey, as well as leave the distraction alone. That means walking away from the window or door or person. That does take scolding and correcting when the dog continues to bark after his concern was noted and he was instructed to hush. Another tangeant that comes to mind are dog with nuerosis. By letting them freak out and display aggression at anything, even ordinary, is not well socialized behavior.

Teach the dog to play tug of war. do it alot. develops strong neck and mouth muscles for a good bite if ever needed.

I don't wholey agree that playing tug is best until it is trained to release objects on command. Playing tug while the pup is young is the exact opposite of what you want him to be doing. Once he has mastered his release command, then go ahead and allow tug to be played.

As for hand feeding the dog, it's not always necessary to get a food friendly dog, but it doesn't hurt. From day 1 we were in Chester's food dish. He knows we feed him and that when we want the food, he stops chewing and steps back until we release him to continue eating. Chester has never growled at me, but he did jump the gun and did not wait to be released to eat. He paid dearly (don't worry, I didn't beat him). When he did this, he was 100% waiting, he just brain farted. But since, he has not forgetten.

Dogs can quickly manipulate their humans into letting them live the way they want..continually barking, snapping, growling, possessiveness with anything. As "cute" and funny as these behaviors are they're really not. Unfortunately, that is when behaviorable problems take over the house and you are embarassed to have people over or you cannot take the dog out in public because he acts out. Then they are heck to correct.

The imagine I have in my mind are all these scruffy little old dogs that are barking and growling at everything. They just don't shut up, they rule the house, they don't let anyone sit where they want, they are possessive, they bite when you pet it... :barf:

Oh hey, if yall get a chance, check out "The Dog Whisperer" with Cesar Milan on the Animal Channel or discovery. He deals with dogs with problems. Very interesting show. I keep picturing dogs from that show

[Bullrock]

Shorts, no offense! I have a very beautiful, scary smart, well trained, fun loving terrier. I don't think she would like being owned by you.

[Shorts]

lol None taken, my lack-of-little-dog-love is not a big secret They're right behinds kids in that, I will play with them when they are clean, nice, not annoying and somewhere other than my place. But as soon as that changes, good-bye!

My well trained, handsome, crazy 11mth old Lab is more than enough

Actually with that "crazy" business, I'm thinking of looking into agility for him. He's certainly got the energy and knows his obedience, so that's a start right there. Has anyone gotten into any kind of agility/sport with their dogs?

[USP45usp]

Jon,

No, not yet. I've been really thinking about it and I'm kind of in a "moral" dilemma.

I am fighting the local humane society about their "rules" on ownership of the dogs that they have. They don't wish a single male to adopt because they think that I just want one for abuse or use in fighting or something. I don't know, these libs around here will rather kill a dog then to let it get adopted it seems

I went to look at the breed that I was interested in but I just can't justify buying a papered dog at the cost of $500 when I can try to adopt at a lesser price but more importantly, give a dog that no one wants a second chance. I've always been a sucker for 2nd chance dogs.

So, no, not yet. I figure that I have some time to decide what to do. I would like to get a companion right at this moment but I can't just think about what I want but what I can offer to the dog once I bring her (I'm partial to the females of the species, just seem to be better companions IMHO) home.

Unlike my sister, who went to the pound and got a dog, which she abandoned, and they considered her "safe" because she was a single female and not a single male.

In a way, I'm hoping (have faith) that any puppy or adult dog will enter into my life as my Georgie did. I was talking with a fellow co-worker and he said that he and his wife were foster "parents" to animals when the local shelter was full. He said that they had a cat there that I might be interested in. I went to meet her and decided that I would give her a chance.

For the next couple of weeks, I went to work with marks on my hands and arms, you see, she was part (about 2/3's) feral. She had her ways, I had mine, and after about a year, we came to an understanding and I've loved her ever since (liked her for the first year but wasn't sure if it would work out).

She wasn't a second chance cat; she was on death row basically.

She was estimated at 4 years old when I got her. I've had her for around 11 years now, so she is at an estimated 15 years old (and acts like a kitten ).

So, in a way, I'm biding my time. Instead of doing what I've done for years, jumping into something without really thinking about it, I've decided that the dog that I get isn't going to be one that I pick out, it's going to be one that picks me out.

Wayne

[jonathon]

Wayne,

Thats pretty pathetic that they won't let you adopt a dog..

Chloe(the pic I posted) sort of jumped out at us. We've been partial to Boxers, since our first dog was a boxer and just AWESOME. We went to 5 different places trying to find "the" puppy". These were all "paper" dogs, pups from AKC registered. They were all absolutly perfect physically...

Now, for some reason none of them really caught us. Well, we went to a back yard breeder(something most frown upon).. and saw this scrawny dog with a crooked back, a small head(with the lump), and an oversized chest. That was her. Now its 5 years later and she's been great. Lazy. But great. Its odd, but I think a dog and its owner become mirror images of eachother in personality and habbits

[USP45usp]

Jon,

With a crooked back, she probably doesn't move very well .

As for dogs being an extension of their masters, if the dog chooses you and you not it then that seems to be the case. Like my "sisters dog" (I put it this way because she abandoned it), it's hairy, fat, lazy and sneaky... same as my sister.

Capt. Charlie: Nice puppy. 200lbs, wow, she'll be able to knock anyone down and like just having a gun, a great deterrent .

Thanks to all that have shown your puppies. Nice looking dogs there and great stories on how they came into your lives.

Wayne

[625]

I have yet to see a small breed dog I like. If I want to listen to loud annoying noises, I'll just call my mother-in-law. To be fair, I have not spent that much time with many. I have spent considerable time with a ****zu mix and a pure bred Maltese. The ****zu was a pretty good dog, even though I don't really care for small dogs. The Maltese was beyond awful. I can't imagine a dog being much worse. I'm sure other people have had better luck with this breed.

As a side note: Are there any dog related threads on this forum that are shorter than 5 pages? Not a bad thing, mind you, just interesting.

[Bullrock]

I have yet to see a small breed dog I like. If I want to listen to loud annoying noises, I'll just call my mother-in-law.

LMAO

Well the ****zu (I can't spell it either) has the reputation of being a very laid back breed, although a former neighbor of mine had one that was Wacko. The beautiful white Maltese breed has a reputation, and tendency, to be a little agressive.

I think breed as something to do with the way a pup turns out. I also think love, care and enviroment have allot more impact. My two West Highland Terriers (White Scotties) were both loving, intellegent, non-barking dogs. Until they sensed someone on the premises that didn't belong. For my wife and I, that kind of barking is desireable...

[jonathon]

With a crooked back, she probably doesn't move very well

She gets along fine, just when she runs, her back legs seem to be to the right of the front ones.

Lets say shes tried to catch a deer a few times(and would have succeed if she were smarter..), went FLYING down the hill at it, with her head down charging. Looked up to see the deer gone, put on the breaks and went tumbling, funny to see for sure.

[farmall]

Do not waste time or dogfood on a Miniature Pinscher, unless unprovoked, nonstop nuisance barking is what you are looking for. These are the most worthless breed of dog I've ever seen. Can't train these defiant little bastards and my wife's vet tells me they live a very long life. They are the most brave dogs ever, IMHO. The two my wife has aren't smart enough to back down from anything!!!

[stephen426]

I know you are thinking of a small yippy dog but why not a larger quiet dog? I also just wanted a chance to show off pictures of my big "puppy". She has so much character that she swears she is human!

[CajunsMisty]

As this has gone to 5 pages, I don't recall if I mentioned this before or not, but when you decide on a breed you might consider a rescue agency. The people we live with are part of the Norwiegen Elkhound rescue, and as far as I know have never discriminated because of marital status when it comes to finding loving homes for the rescues.

Elkhounds are wonderful dogs, in their own way. But I have not, EVER seen a more STUBBORN breed of dog. They are, however, some of the most loving animals I have ever been around.

Once you decide on a breed (if you want a purebreed) the web has listings for rescues for all different breeds of dogs. The cost is usually about $50 and the dogs have all their shots and usually have been fixed already. These, too, are second chance dogs.

[stephen426]

CajunsMisty,

Have you dealt with Akitas before? They are pretty stubborn as well. I know my dog fully understands what I am telling her but sometimes she just has a mind of her own. I guess it is good training for when I have kids!