tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89099781069415510602024-03-05T10:52:57.280-08:00Dog-Gone FuglyNoting everything from poor breeding, bad management, and lack of ownership skills! This blog is dedicated to the dog lover.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-11478698665340966842011-07-19T02:15:00.001-07:002011-07-19T02:15:58.930-07:00NEW BLOG!Hey everybody! This blog has been long dead, but I have started a new one with the same principles. I now run a successful (in my eyes) dog training business, so you can read about my adventures as well as listen to my usual snark over at the new blog,<br />
<br />
http://www.intertwinedk9.blogspot.com<br />
<br />
Please sign up to follow!LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-69355347882634300902011-05-31T23:30:00.000-07:002011-05-31T23:30:52.674-07:00ATTN ALL DGF FOLLOWERS!I haven't been active in forever, and for this I apologize. But this blog has moved on to bigger, better, and more educational (and maybe a tad more snarky) things. Right now the blog is under construction and should be up within the week. This is a no holds barred blog - much like this one, I say exactly what is on my mind, damned what anyone else thinks. As I progress further into adulthood I will have more amazing stories, helpful tips, and tons of other canine related goodies. The new website is intertwinedk9.blogspot.com. Go ahead and join if you already haven't, and if you have a dog-related website you'd like me to spotlight permanently on my side bar, leave a comment on either this post or any of the postings to come on TCC. I anticipate this blog will have heavy flow, and I'm not afraid to shamelessly self promote. Thanks, dedicated readers. You stuck out my blog as a teen, and now you can follow me into adulthood. Can't wait to see you on the new blog!LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-70975476733375456912009-10-25T13:59:00.000-07:002009-10-25T14:28:20.396-07:00To use or not to use?Let's start off with a few updates. One, I opted not to continue training to volunteer at the shelter. The staff was, in my eyes, unprofessional. I did not like the way they addressed volunteers, and I did not like their policies, so I took my volunteering elsewhere. Now, I volunteer at the local food bank, and I love it. Second bit of news is that when I moved up here, my fathers dog was an absolute nightmare. He would sit inches away from your dinner plate and drool, lick the air, and paw you. My parents aren't very firm with him, wheedling a tiny little "no" when he was begging and expected him to listen. By far, this is the least intelligent dog I have ever worked with, but guess what? It took him around two days to learn that begging was by no means acceptable behavior, and that when I eat, he is to go to his corner and lie down. From time to time I have to reinforce this, but never physically. A loud "NO!" and an "Out" suffices. I have also been working on keeping him out of the kitchen using the same approach. Sometimes, he will creep in, but when I turn around and find him standing there, he beats a hasty retreat back to the living room. My parents still can't grasp the concept, so when they eat, there he is, hovering inches away from their plate. I have tried to show them that all it takes is a firm voice, but they still give him the little baby, "No no, no being a beggar". If they decide not to take up my technique, fine with me, but I will be enjoying my meals drool free. I'm also going to have to teach him to stop scratching at the door, a lovely habit which he picked up from the cat.<br /><br />Anyways, on to my main point. There was a discussion today in which I participated involving the use of Halti-Leads, choke chains, and prong collars. I have used Haltis religiously and have had amazing success, but most people seem to think it's a tool created by Satan himself. They gave accounts of dogs just wigging out over it, but my experience has always been that sure, it will be a bit uncomfortable at first, but after swiping at their nose for a while and giving a vigorous roll in the grass, they figure it isn't coming off and get over it. I have successfully retrained my extremely fearful hundred pound dog with the use of a Halti with no repercussions, whereas when I would use a flat nylon or a choker, he would bolt and leave me dragging on the other end of the leash. I've had pullers that were broken of the habit using a Halti, leash-wanderers (as I call them; the dogs who just can't seem to keep on one side during a walk), overly hyper dogs, and none have had a violent reaction to it.<br /><br />However, in the discussion, a prong collar was deemed the best idea. I have used a prong, and some dogs respond well, but there were some dogs that would absolutely pull until it punctured their neck. Switching to a Halti, the sensation of pressure on their nose and a quick jerk to the side, thus throwing them off balance, I have gotten a lot better results, and more quickly.<br /><br />Then comes to the subject of the dreaded choke chain. I had been using a prong for about a week on my step dad's English bulldog, and it may as well have been that I was trying to walk him using a piece of dental floss. He absolutely did NOT care about it, and would pull and pull, and, well, pull some more. A Halti was not an option, as he's one of the brachycephalic breeds, and neither was a harness, because with his awkward shape he could easily back out of them. What bothered me about it most though is that even though it was brand new, the collar would sometimes lock up with his pulling and I'd be rushing to unstick it before my dog was strangled to death. That is when I switched to a choke chain. He was EXTREMELY dog aggressive and thought he was massive, going after dogs four times his size. A week on the choker, and I could walk him through parks and bring him wherever I pleased. Mind you, I never choked him but he learned that pulling caused an uncomfortable squeeze. I also used a choke chain on my larger dog, who had an affinity for pulling me down the street to investigate all the awesome smelling things he came across. I can now walk him on a slack line, to the point where the chain is dangling off his neck with plenty of free space, and he stays right by my side.<br /><br />IMO, when used properly, choke chains and Halti-leads are absolute miracle workers. Prong collars, however, I absolutely loathe and will never use one. In my mind, you may as well be using a shock collar.<br /><br />What is your opinion on the subject of choke chains, Halti leads, and prong collars? I'd love to hear from you.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-72171085906890615212009-09-22T13:58:00.000-07:002009-09-22T14:09:50.367-07:00In all fairness...I've finally set myself up here in Washington and am on the road to starting my life, college, driving, work, and all the other things that come with growing up.<br /><br />To offset the boredom I've been experiencing sitting here in the suburbs, I decided to take a volunteer job at the new Everett Animal Shelter. This weekend is my formal training for Kennel Hand. I'm pretty excited, but after listening to the whole intro, I found something that set me off quite a bit: The Dangerous Dogs act that is imposed in Everett. Apparently, and "Pit Bull" or dog falling into the "Pit Bull" category are not allowed to be placed in a home if they are older than six months - instead, they are euthanized. What I found a sight more shocking was the fact that they had a dog detained in the back who had actually ripped a woman's breast off and then mauled her arm, losing a tooth and leaving it embedded in her skin, and yet the dog was still in holding. Maybe a quarantine period, but still, I will crap my pants if the owners are able to get their dog back. They also had your assortment of cattle chasers and livestock killers, all alive and well and looking to be adopted. Another thing that bothers me is that they have some sort of dog training guru (can't recall the name) that they swear by at the shelter, and when we're trained, we MUST follow his teachings exactly. I've had amazing luck just using verbal and hand cues, and I haven't been bitten since I was a small child. I prefer to implement NILIF, with positive reinforcement and praise. No listen = no reward, but it never equals harm to the animal.<br /><br />Maybe this post is a tad pointless, but it's something that really irked me. I will be more active now that I have my own laptop (thanks Mom!) and through my work I will have more of the posts you guys crave... To asshattery!LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-15470713692685369642009-07-30T12:19:00.000-07:002009-07-30T12:20:59.811-07:00DogGone goes PNW!Sorry guys, I haven't really had the time to post lately. Life's hectic, blogger is blocked on all of my home computers, and I'm getting ready to move to Washington state and enroll in college.<br /><br />In about a month or so this blog should become more active. Thanks for all your patience and support.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-25758926670557727492009-04-22T09:55:00.000-07:002009-04-22T12:16:36.135-07:00James Hensley, Dirtbag Dog BeaterAs I looked in my inbox this morning, I noticed I had a "nastygram" about how my website is fake, I'm a hippie, and I don't bring anything informative or useful to the general public.<br /><br />Guess who wrote me the lovely letter? James Hensley, alias Beater of the dog at Devore Animal Shelter, featured in a few posts below.<br /><br />I knew you guys might have something to say, because I sure as hell did, so here's everyone's golden opportunity.<br /><br />James, what do you have to say to defend yourself? Was there a reason for beating that dog? I have a feeling someone wasn't loved enough as a child. You're sick and twisted; beyond a poor excuse for a human being.<br /><br />Step up to bat, baby, we'll learn ya real good.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-44327838801742729572009-03-18T10:46:00.000-07:002009-03-25T12:17:08.415-07:00Long time, no post!As stated in my last post, I have been very busy trying to get all my credentials before the year ends - and I have accomplished just that! I am now officially finished with high school. This means more time to pursue my passions, including blogging.<br /><br />Without further adieu, I present to you the atrocity that is <a href="http://www.sweetyorkiekisses.com">Sweet Yorkie Kisses</a>, a breeding operation somewhat close to home. I found the advertisement in our local Pennysaver, proudly proclaiming the sale of "Yorkies, Shorkies, Morkies, Yorkiepoos, Porkies and Biewer Yorkies". Isn't that what we all need though? Nevermind the fact that Petfinder has 869 Yorkies/Yorkie crosses looking for homes, all which come with a reasonable adoption fee as opposed to the <b>$1500-$3500</b> she is charging for her sickly little dogs. I commend her in a way - she practices the application of OFA and CERF, but that doesn't mean she isn't churning out just as many puppies as your average BYB.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IKMY_IycJfbUkMC9XThyphenhypheneieVTGJ4CfRkEx9sBv_L1rgfbp58upd464XO4wMFPfFQLxVk-CFAfBlCJtA2pE7nPhsD664K8lsDo7ufOrgr1IFnOL3N8XCt4Fee1P6YR-LYWpFQhW-1IWKw/s1600-h/079_52120509.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5IKMY_IycJfbUkMC9XThyphenhypheneieVTGJ4CfRkEx9sBv_L1rgfbp58upd464XO4wMFPfFQLxVk-CFAfBlCJtA2pE7nPhsD664K8lsDo7ufOrgr1IFnOL3N8XCt4Fee1P6YR-LYWpFQhW-1IWKw/s320/079_52120509.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314588252935758274" /></a> This is her idea of breeding quality - anyone want a half mop, half dog? And the tear and beard stains are atrocious - it costs about $10 to purchase tear stain cleaners, give or take, at any pet supply store. As I have constantly said, present yourself professionally if you want to be taken as such. I don't want the "dose of reality" associated with seeing your dogs in their nasty, ratty, pre-groomed state with tear stains down their face, I want them clean, properly presented, and nicely stacked. BTW, nothing can scare me away from a webpage faster than when you have your religious beliefs and quotes smattered all over it. It gives me that "Mormon-at-the-door" kind of feeling (no offense to any). You know, just shake your head and politely refuse, and then laugh about it at a later time.<br /><br />While presenting us with an amalgam of ratty, overpriced mutts, she then moves on to preach about <a href="http://sweetyorkiekisses.com/responsible_breeder_vs_irresponsible_breeder">Irresponsible vs. Responsible Breeders</a>. She hits the nail right on the head when listing things off. While I do not doubt her ability to uphold her golden rules, anyone that has this many mixed breed dogs and continues to breed at such astronomical numbers just screams "Irresponsible!!!" to me.<br /><br />Of course, you can can get your Porkie-Morkie-Poo for about $300 less if you choose not to register (with what club affiliation, do tell?).<br /><br />Sigh. How DO the idiots manage to make bank while the rest of us struggle? We may never know.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-71487521503276586212009-01-26T18:04:00.000-08:002009-01-26T18:25:01.797-08:00Devore Animal Shelter OUTED!Recently on Craigslist, I was made aware of an animal shelter of horrors. Devore Animal Shelter of San Bernardino is yet another classic example of why so many people are hesitant to adopt.<br /><br />A dog named Brownie was recently picked up as a stray and placed in Devore Animal Shelter, where he was found to have a microchip. The owners were alerted, but they couldn't afford to pay the $150 it costed to recover him. Instead of giving Brownie back, or even giving his owners a fair shot, they placed him for adoption. Despite the owners pleads, they refused to give Brownie back and instead euthanized him. I don't even pay $150 in two months to feed four dogs, so what gives DAS the right to charge that much? Ah, yes. Greed. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidX7rMKwtWuEiZ7t_cjsVlSM6LQesaywfy-fftnnfKcqlOEe66KleiqMLeG4dNfIzt66hmYBS6tM8k0qmnFGb7ZrWkOdhqQFi7JVs82Z1X-WiqSuQHb8Jfeyz34OCynvbLGRx-Xh-kVNub/s1600-h/3p13o23l01401gc13991o28c6dc55d358110c.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidX7rMKwtWuEiZ7t_cjsVlSM6LQesaywfy-fftnnfKcqlOEe66KleiqMLeG4dNfIzt66hmYBS6tM8k0qmnFGb7ZrWkOdhqQFi7JVs82Z1X-WiqSuQHb8Jfeyz34OCynvbLGRx-Xh-kVNub/s320/3p13o23l01401gc13991o28c6dc55d358110c.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5295791564796083506" /></a><br /><br />DAS was also found to have over $300,000 worth of security to ensure the safety of the animals. Instead, they decided to use it on something else, what I haven't found yet, but continued their lax security policies resulting in many animals being stolen from the shelter without so much as a second glance.<br /><br />From nokillnow.com, there is a disheartening article...<br /><br />"October 10, 2005 - Devore Animal Shelter<br />See Pictures Bottom of Page<br /><br />October 10, 2005 at 12:32 p.m. I received a telephone message from a distressed female voice. She said she worked at the Devore Animal Shelter in San Bernardino and she had to talk to someone. She said the conditions there were "really bad". She read the petition on this website and read the law and said it is not being followed there. She said the animals aren't being treated right and she didn't know who to tell and she wanted advice what to do about it. She was concerned about retribution if anyone knew she was calling. <br /><br />The same day at 3:45 p.m. I answered the phone and the same woman called back. She identified herself as Kathy Harper and said she was so upset about what she had just seen and now she didn't care anyone if her identity was revealed. She said there had just been a "Rodney King" style beating of a little dachshund-mix by a towering 6' 5" "officer". He was later identified as James Hensley, 'animal control officer' for San Bernardino County Animal Control Services.<br /><br />She said the uniformed Hensley came in that day in what she characterized as "a horrible mood. It was obvious something was bothering him." <br /><br />She described how she heard Hensley yelling and cursing while a dog was screaming. "The dogs in nearby cages were going crazy and were very upset". She said the noise was so deafening she couldn't ignore it.<br /><br />Eric Foor filled in the details. He's a local San Bernardino baseball hero now playing for the Chicago Cubs. He was at Devore working off community service hours when he witnessed the beating. He was equally dismayed over the conditions at Devore and was eager to have someone to talk to.<br /><br />"He [Hensley] was putting the dog in the cage. The dog was hesitating to go in the cage but a lot of them do that. They're scared. Then he went inside of the cage with the dog. He kicked him 5 or 6 times pretty hard. The dog was yelping. He was talking to the dog the whole time, cursing. Then he pulled a stick from his belt...like a baton but they call it something else." <br /><br />Then Foor describes the blows. "He reached back way over his head each time and came down really hard. The dog was crying. He hit him about 10 times or so. He didn't have to. It was just a little dog." He saw the 17 pound dog cowering in the corner. He said he never saw the dog make any contact with Hensley. <br /><br />Foor said, "I wiped off the dog afterward. There was a lot of blood, especially on the dog's head." <br /><br />Harper describes the moments after the beating. "There was blood everywhere. There was blood on every wall of the cage and on the floor. There was blood on the outside and inside of the bars. Some of it was really thick. I took pictures."<br /><br />She continued. "He [Hensely] came out of the cage. He walked about 15 feet, picked up something from the floor and then walked back to the cage and started cursing at the dog again. I couldn't see what he was doing but I heard him. About 10 minutes later he went up to the cage and was cussing at the dog. The dog was just laying there.<br /><br />Foor added, "It was weird. He was talking to the dog. The dog wasn't moving or doing anything."<br /><br />After I received the call from Harper I immediately drove to the Devore pound. I walked to cage 88 where I was told the dog was beaten. There he was. A little black dog, eyes open and breathing but laying motionless as if petrified and in shock. All of the other dogs were frenetic and exhibiting stress. I noted splatters and splotches of what appeared to be blood on each grey wall, on bars each side of the cage, on the ceiling and on the cage floor. I saw blood on the dog's head, neck, shoulders and back.<br /><br />I immediately called the sheriff to make an animal cruelty complaint....<br /><br />"Officer" Hensely has continued to be employed at this same job every day since. Apparently NO action was ever taken against him whatsoever. Reportedly he has refused to talk to the Sheriff and give his account of what happened. As a 'field officer' he is alone with animals all day long. <br /><br />QUERY: Should someone who could be an animal abuser be employed as an "animal control officer"? Wouldn't a more just result -based on Devore worker statements- be the immediate firing of James Hensley, that he be brought to trial and if convicted, be prohibited from working with animals for life and receive the maximum mandatory jail time that the law allows? Shouldn't convicted abusers also receive mandatory long-term counseling so they don't victimize others throughout their lifetime?<br /><br />And shouldn't Hensley's 'buddies', County employees and other animal enforcement 'officers' who attempt to cover up the real facts and give false information also be fired and brought to trial?"<br /><br />You can visit <a href="http://www.nokillnow.com/devorebeating.htm">The Devore Beating</a> for more information and pictures. And as for a trial, not ONE of the select body decided to step up and fight for this dog. All attempts to get them to notice the petition failed because they simply ignored it. I guess these guys have more pressing matters to decide... Like which nice, new, big house to buy or which shiny new boat they'd like to own. While they wipe their asses with their hundred dollar bills, the rest of us continue to see that there are more important things that need to be addressed. It's just sickening to see the lack of empathy in the people who have the abilty to slam the gavel and decide a fate.<br /><br />I've been fairly busy as of late, so I do apologize for the lack of posts. But I graduate soon, and oh yes, there will be more entries. :]LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-29520139556002033782009-01-16T13:20:00.000-08:002009-02-06T16:35:42.391-08:00Glynn Johnson pleads NOT GUILTY!<b><br><center><font size="15">NEW 2/6/08 ****</font>: "The Judge scheduled a Felony Settlement Conference on February 20th at 1:30pm in Dept. 31 at The Riverside County Courthouse 4100 Main St. Riverside, 92501. This will be Glynn Johnson's next court appearance. <br /><br />Glynn Johnson entered his plea of not guilty to all charges on Tuesday, January 13th. He also waived his right to a speedy trial. Glynn Johnson was ordered by the judge to return on any and all future hearing dates. <br /><br />Thank you to everyone who came to the courthouse in support of Justice 4 Karley! We were not allowed in the courtroom because it was full but he had to face all of us on his way in and out of the courthouse. The Bailiff of the courtroom said our group was very calm and civilized and said that our group would be allowed at the courthouse anytime based on our respect for the court and peaceful demonstrations in support of Justice 4 Karley. <br /><br />Our attorney filed a civil lawsuit against Glynn Johnson. He was served immediately following the arraignment. This is another way for our family to seek punishment and Justice 4 Karley."<br /><br />See, it really DOES pay to act civil in public... I know there are some disgusting people out there, but remember: You're a better person than they are... Respond accordingly, be the bigger person, and you will be recognized as such.</center><br><br></b><CENTER><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TCPk73Ad_4">Justice 4 Karley Update</a></center><br /><br />Glynn Johnson, a Riverside Fire Department assisstant fire chief, plead not guilty to the brutal beating that ended in the humane destruction of Karley, a six month old Shepherd mix puppy. He tried snapping her jaws in half, resulting in her jaw breaking, punched her several times with closed fists, claiming that she was attacking, and proceeded to beat her about the head with a rock. She was so severely injured, she had to be PTS. Just how someone could proclaim innocence after having done something like this is beyond me. I haven't been able to find out if he was charged with anything, only that he pleaded innocence, and that's just not going to fly. A website (dailybulletin.com) protecting him and trying to make sense of what he did had this little story:<br /><br />"Who is Glynn Johnson? <br />Neighbors and former co-workers said Johnson - who was recently charged with beating a puppy with a rock to the point where it had to be euthanized - is a rough man. <br /><br />But lawyers for Johnson said he is a loving person, capable of staying calm in high-stress situations. <br /><br />On Dec. 16, Johnson, 54, of Riverside was arrested for allegedly beating his neighbor's pet with a 12-pound rock. <br /><br />The Riverside County District Attorney's Office that day filed animal cruelty charges as well as felony charges for using a deadly weapon against Johnson. <br /><br />He is due to be arraigned today in court in Riverside. <br /><br />If convicted, Johnson could receive four years in state prison, according to the District Attorney's Office. <br /><br />On Nov. 3, the 6-month-old puppy Karley had gotten out of her yard in the 17000 block of Armintrout Drive and walked to a nearby house. <br /><br />A neighbor said he started to take the puppy back home when Johnson approached him and offered to return her instead. <br /><br />Witnesses to the incident said Johnson beat Karley, according to an arrest declaration. <br /><br />The Toole family, who owned Karley, said this is not the first time Johnson has harmed a family pet. <br /><br />About eight years ago, Johnson shot their sheltie-mix Kaulua in the eye with a pellet gun, Jeff Toole said. <br /><br />"Kahlua and my wife were outside when she heard a pellet shot and the dog yelp," Toole said. "Glynn Johnson was there, and she saw him run back into his house." <br />The dog survived, but lost her eye. <br /><br />Johnson was not arrested or cited by police at that time. <br /><br />Since then, the relationship between the neighbors has remained tense. <br /><br />For one of Johnson's former co-workers, the news is not shocking. <br /><br />Dennis Baca, a former employee with Johnson with the county Fire Department, called Johnson a bully, and said he was "always getting into arguments with captains, chiefs, engineers and firefighters." <br /><br />The Toole family said a group of retired Los Angeles County firefighters recently put together a fund to help pay legal costs for the family when they file a civil case against Johnson. <br /><br />Johnson - who has been claiming self-defense in the incident - said that the puppy bit him and he was merely trying to protect himself. <br /><br />And, after reviewing the case, his legal counsel vouched for Johnson's character. <br /><br />Based on job responsibilities, service recognition and supervisor's comments, Johnson is "someone who knows how to respond in very stressful times and knows how to keep his cool," said Angela Powell, one of his attorneys. <br /><br />"This is a man who dedicated his life to animal rescue, rescuing individuals who are in peril and has to remain calm in situations of danger. <br /><br />"This isn't a man who just for no reason would strike out at a dog." <br /><br />Riverside County sheriff's deputies spoke with Johnson on Nov. 3 while he was being treated at a local hospital for injuries to his left forearm and right thumb, according to the arrest declaration. <br /><br />Johnson told officials he was acting in self defense because the puppy "turned on him and latched on to his right hand" as he was walking her home. <br /><br />"After talking to (Johnson), we are confident that he had a good self-defense," Powell said."<br /><br />What the fuck? Someone who knows how to keep their cool? Didn't I just read that he shot a dog in the eye with a pellet gun for no probable cause, and beat a puppy to death with a <b>12 pound rock</b>? Maybe we should use a 12-pound rock on the DA's head... Really, where do our morals lie today?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Here is their petition:<br /><br />http://justice4karley.com/index.html <br /><br />Please sign and help get Justice for Karley. He was posted with a $10,000 bail, and is currently FREE with a hearing on February 20th. Please, don't let this monster loose on the streets.<br /><br /><a href="http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r269/dearaewi/Blog/Karley.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 800px; height: 474px;" src="http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r269/dearaewi/Blog/Karley.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-6571265810640128992009-01-11T15:50:00.000-08:002009-01-11T16:25:45.812-08:00A few notesI still haven't been able to get to the breeding farm and take pictures. In another unfortunate turn of events, I went through my school files and found that my BSL report was never saved. Go figure. Right now I'm sick and sweaty, and it's 80 degrees outside on this fine January afternoon. Damn California. But apparently someone is trying to brighten my spirits, as the Chargers are currently getting shit on by the Steelers. Woo hoo! I may not be a Steelers fan, but I'm always happy to watch the Chargers get a mudhole stomped in them. It doesn't happen all that often, so party it up! :-)<br /><br />Tank is now very responsive to basic obedience commands. The family is thrilled and they work with him whenever he's out (looks like I've got my work cut out!).<br /><br />To Monday... huzzah.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-67688989464461911032009-01-06T09:05:00.000-08:002009-01-06T17:57:39.805-08:00Some people need training...Yesterday I came back from giving my friend her (very late) Christmas present, and my sister told me a story. A family friend came over today; a <a href="http://doggonefugly.blogspot.com/2008/09/god-i-hate-breed-profiling.html">family friend</a> mentioned a while back, and he was giving my stepdad advice on "training". Tank bolts to hide in his little corner to hide when something scares him, so to try and retrain him, he puts him on a "choke collar". He sits with Tank, and every time Tank tries to run, he gets jerked back. After a while, he let him go and Tank ran straight in his corner to hide and wouldn't come out for quite some time. "The collar is still around his neck", she said, so I went over to see it.<br /><br />I couldn't see it at first, because it was in his layers of skin (you know, wrinkles), but when I moved them, I was shocked. It was a nylon rope with a sliding ring and metal clip... and I couldn't even fit a FINGER under it, without the dog struggling. It was literally so tight I'm surprised he hadn't died, or at least suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. And to even think you would put something like this on an English Bulldog is beyond me, let alone recognize the fact that the collar was too small in the first place! I will get a picture of it with my camera phone when I get home.<br /><br />And guess what? It only took me about an hour to teach him watch me, sit, lay, and get out of the kitchen, with gentle praise and lots of treats because he is a timid dog (until he sees another dog). Isn't it great what you can do when you actually understand an animal? I am constantly reminded that not all people out there can be so gifted as to know things such as "Thou shalt not strangle an animal", or "Thou shalt not overbreed", or even, "Thou shalt not pretend to be a trainer when you don't know SHIT!".<br /><br />The end.<br /><br />EDIT : Here are your pictures and again, I find myself banging my head on the desk. My stepdad is yelling at me for removing this horrible thing from around his neck. I have TINY fingers, size 4 1/2 ring, and I still couldn't get but a finger in. I know it goes behind the poll, but even there it is VERY tight and constricting. But "he'll take awesome trainer's word over mine". SWEET. Because I have no idea what I'm doing. Tried taking it off, but got in trouble and again it was put back on. With a little niggling I can fit an index finger through with a tiny bit of spare room, but still, not acceptable. This isn't a case that requires this kind of collar, and my stepdad doesn't seem to get that training collars are for training purposes, not everyday wear. I let Buddy wear his choke collar because it was loose fitted, rust-free, and had all his tags and registrations on it. This is a case that needs to be solved with a neutering, dedicated attention to the dog, focused and consistent training (sit stay leave it watch me lay down come), and, when the time is right, a fitted collar (in his situation a prong collar would be best for moments like walking, on the off-chance we do see another dog).<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJxPIQS9x0LImFs00GJm1NScanHmlXT2i9YRiL2I_l6kJsA7IncAPQ2S-vrFOYtzTFGpA-on1fooTU04N6SntTL-QraZHgLJKdqt3Y1XdouHgOeH-ER_Ml2Rk0Nvz4jAuEaS07T_F2C8a/s1600-h/4b1bc2ae2b25.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOJxPIQS9x0LImFs00GJm1NScanHmlXT2i9YRiL2I_l6kJsA7IncAPQ2S-vrFOYtzTFGpA-on1fooTU04N6SntTL-QraZHgLJKdqt3Y1XdouHgOeH-ER_Ml2Rk0Nvz4jAuEaS07T_F2C8a/s320/4b1bc2ae2b25.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288357496266202338" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDzkLV_2Go2P_A6ySdU97ydIMLYDg4gcUWaZM9DxnuqPS3fSOxyoSBkScCf5oH9vyOaTRrc6RNpBWTuWd8rZBmCCP2J4O0nTXoayntRDBvWhVn0OoKx5sgnBQRnklDxb_mvW4NxLQxF8k/s1600-h/86f724635bd0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDzkLV_2Go2P_A6ySdU97ydIMLYDg4gcUWaZM9DxnuqPS3fSOxyoSBkScCf5oH9vyOaTRrc6RNpBWTuWd8rZBmCCP2J4O0nTXoayntRDBvWhVn0OoKx5sgnBQRnklDxb_mvW4NxLQxF8k/s320/86f724635bd0.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5288358037574006914" /></a>LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-6882829233483606612009-01-05T15:27:00.000-08:002009-01-05T15:29:29.777-08:00Updates and Craigslist HumorFirst off, I'd like to apologize for the lack of updates. I should have pictures of the farm by Wednesday, but my schedule is stretched as I'm completing everything I need to graduate earlier. Wazzu vet program, here I come!<br /><br />Here's something funny I found on CL after browsing for jobs. For your entertainment. ;)<br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrIQLYGwD2MMhIq9b4yeYg39IoFFeE0xi6MxSV_-lxla1PM7UxPxhLkTVvjdgJlh_he9lEq2I2oz-c_1bnbxBREprKcyvb6qmDh3hr8I6vmxDxX9trbCPeWNr6E5g0Ds-oSHekmLuZitQ/s1600-h/lol.bmp"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRrIQLYGwD2MMhIq9b4yeYg39IoFFeE0xi6MxSV_-lxla1PM7UxPxhLkTVvjdgJlh_he9lEq2I2oz-c_1bnbxBREprKcyvb6qmDh3hr8I6vmxDxX9trbCPeWNr6E5g0Ds-oSHekmLuZitQ/s320/lol.bmp" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287955813840958498" /></a>LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-15484432709381606282008-12-31T13:00:00.000-08:002008-12-31T13:01:37.361-08:00Must Love ProgressionWell.... I've done it, with the help of my mom.<br /><br /><center><b>TANK AND BENTLEY ARE GETTING NEUTERED!</B></center><br /><br /><br />Has a nice ring, doesn't it?LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-41159163018334939162008-12-30T05:07:00.000-08:002008-12-30T05:12:01.254-08:00Still awake...Just thought I'd drop a note on the status of <a href="http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/pet/965840912.html">Justice For Karley</a>, the 6-month-old puppy beaten to death by an assistant fire chief earlier this year. The arraignment is scheduled, and I'd LOVE to see the book thrown at this asshole! You just don't hurt an animal without getting retribution, IMO.<br /><br />Good luck, and hope you're sentenced to be tied nude to a tree, covered in melted marshmallows, and left to the destruction of various species of rainforest-dwelling ants with extremely large mandibles.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-21155548035592697682008-12-30T04:26:00.000-08:002008-12-30T04:46:03.822-08:00What do you think of this?I'll admit it... not only am I a pro-speuter activist, I'm also a bleeding heart when it comes to animals overseas in poor situations where the owners <br /><br />a) do not have the knowledge required to own an animal, ie no inclinations to vaccinate or speuter<br />b) have no money and are suffering themselves<br />c) do not have animal clinics near them<br />d) have to rely on other methods of euthanasia (because it is an unavailable option) like poisoning or hanging. <br /><br />It breaks my heart to watch videos of people suffering in other countries without enough food to eat, let alone feed their pets. So imagine my surprise when I stumbled across <a href="http://www.worldvets.org"> WorldVets.Org</a> - an organization looking to overturn the pet population in foreign countries - for FREE. Of course, it doesn't come free to an applicant of the program - for starters, there is an upfront $40.00 fee for membership. I think that sounds a little odd, but hey - I'm no business genius. I am not the most job-savvy person; in fact, my only occupations have been a self-employed neighborhood car washer, earning me around $200 some on a few odd days of working with my siblings, and a sign flipper, earning roughly $80 a weekend for 8 hours.<br /><br />They perform spay/neuter clinics abroad (usually exotic locales - fancy that!), and help hundreds of owners. They have a high fee, however - $550 and excess, airfare NOT included, and you are told that you will be sleeping in guest villas usually. They say that most of these places can sleep many people, but unless you are a vet (which warrants having your own bedroom and bed), you'll probably be sleeping on an air mattress.<br /><br />I just don't know what to think of it. It seems like a wonderful and compassionate thing to do - I'm just not sure on it. I'm a little leery of websites, just because I've heard of too many frauds. I'm also quite tired, and don't know why I'm awake at 4:30 in the morning instead of asleep in my warm bed.<br /><br />Give it a look - what do you think? From a business standpoint of view, are these fees reasonable? Do they look like a legitimate organization? My mind is racing a mile a minute as I envision a world where I can help promote the welfare of animals. I have definitely bookmarked this page and will be giving it a more inside look in the morning, preferably after a large cup of caffeinated coffee resulting in my eyes plastering to the screen for a good four hours. :o)LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-76628882692558478592008-12-30T01:34:00.000-08:002008-12-30T01:35:44.141-08:00Check this out!<a href="http://www.filecabi.net/video/dogsteal.html">Check this out</a>! How cute - a shoplifting Siberian.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-79716275596183940702008-12-29T13:43:00.000-08:002008-12-29T18:15:34.036-08:00A Little Knowledge Goes a Long Way<center><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6tzbgvIL2Iw">Off the Chain - An Inside Look at the American Pit Bull Terrier</a></center><br /><br />An interesting, if short, documentary on the history of the American Pit Bull Terrier. It is always best to combat unjust assumptions with knowledge. There is a full version available for download, but my computer gets temperamental and decides on some days what I can and cannot do on the internet.<br /><br />However, I do have to disagree with the idea that dog fighters do not love their dogs. Certainly, in a more malicious and twisted way, but they do have affection for these dogs nonetheless. I do believe the desire for money, power, and status overrides any feelings of "love" these people have for their dogs. I am pro - APBT. There are a lot of debates that spark from the topic, but IMO, a dog is what YOU make it, regardless of weight, gender, or breed. When you deal with a dog like the APBT - be prepared to be tested. They are tenacious, like so many of their fellow terriers, and have a high prey drive. Not unlike other terriers, they need an outlet for all their energy, otherwise things WILL go from bad to worse. A firm handler (note "firm", not "mean") is a must. The APBT excels in many dog sports.<br /><br />Contrary to popular belief, the American Pit Bull Terrier does not have "lockjaw", in which the dog bites down and will "never let go". What really happens is that due to their prey drive and their stamina, an APBT can hold on even when people are yanking at it's face. In truth, the larger an animal's head, the more damage it can inflict by PSI (pounds per square inch). A mastiff has much more ability to inflict damage than an APBT, and an APBT has more capability of causing harm than does a Schipperke.<br /><br />When we hear the name "pit bull", our mind races over a broad variety of dogs. The only true dogs in the "pit bull" (alias "bull baiting") group are the American Staffordshire Terrier, the American Pit Bull Terrier, and the Staffordshire Terrier. Many other breeds confused with these guys include the Cane Corso, the Fila Brasiliero, the Presa Canario, the Dogo Argentino, and all other dogs of similar muscular build. It is indeed, hard for the average person to pick out a true American Pit Bull Terrier in the list of lookalikes.<br /><br />For the record, I have not owned any APBTs. I have met my share of dangerous dogs, none of which fell in the "pit bull" category. I have seen nasty boxers, nasty goldens, nasty labs, nasty border collies, and, of course, a whole brigade of ankle-snacking lap dogs. It requires a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvFXvUqOoGY">special person</a> to own a terrier; someone who knows how to stand their own and show a clear cut path between right and wrong, regardless of whether you're raising a Jack Russell or a full-bodied Gottiline APBT. <br /><br />Who creates a monster on a leash? Why, the monster holding the leash, of course. All dogs, regardless of breed, must be raised with patience, understanding, and love. Keeping a dog chained is detrimental to his health and his mind, as is smacking him around for being a "bad boy". In the terrier world, this just does NOT fly. You must teach and master the rules of sit-stay-come-lay-leave it and recall. A proper time of socialization, standing from age 6 weeks (8 weeks being ideal for bringing a puppy home) and well up until the dog's first year, is always necessary. Many people like to cut it off around the 6-8 month mark, but learning continues all throughout life.<br /><br />I have heard many aggressors speak out against the APBT - that it a vicious, vile animal with the will to snap at a moment's notice. APBT owners and lovers are often called out as "irrational". While I've heard the hysterics, I try my best to formally educate, but sometimes there is no fixing ignorance. I do not call it being "brash", or being "over-the-top" when it comes to defending any dog, regardless of breed. There are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLBZNwqIBV0">bad owners</a> - no bad dogs. Because a dog follows commands, regardless of whether they are instructions to attack or instructions to sit, does not make it bad. I hear all too often that APBT lovers are "unreasonable" or "stupid", and that they're just trying to get more people to own a vicious breed, and how it MUST have been staged when they post pictures of a pit bull cuddling a child, or <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2OC5Z1Fii8">loving on baby chickens</a>. What stand would you make to protect your favourite breed? It must go into account that while some breed lovers may be a bit too fanatic, they are often called out as "insane" for defending their dogs. I have yet to see an irrational response regarding the APBT on the defendant side. Most people try to calmly educate, but are told they're being unreasonable because it's just <i>not</i> possible for an APBT to be safe around other animals, let alone children. Well, there are many, many things and people that could disprove that theory. I'm an unreasonable jackass because I don't advocate killing off an entire breed based on horror stories and looks alone? Touche! Half the videos I've seen of "Pit Bull Attacks 3 Year Old!!!" don't even have a picture of the offending dog. Way to educate and teach tolerance! The mentality that people have regarding APBTs shocks me. How horrible would it be to come home and find that your beloved family pet has to be destroyed because it "looks like it may have Pit in it"? I don't think that's an irrational idea - it can happen, and it has. Breed-Specific Legislation affects more than pit bull owners.<br /><br />Fortunately, the hooligans involved in the dog-fighting blood sport usually end up caught red-handed thanks to vigilant neighbors and caring SPCA members. This is what gives the APBT a bad name - the reputation to fight and kill, when really, <a href="http://www.igorilla.com/gorilla/animal/2001/pomeranian.html">all dogs</a> have the ability. There are even <a href="http://www.woofpetbakery.com/dogfireprnir.html">incentives</a> in the form of cash to encourage people to bust dog fighters.<br /><br />Just a wee bit of information. When I return to school on the 5th, I'll share an anti-BSL report I wrote a while back. It's very informative and eye-opening.<br /><br />Until then, don't forget to hug your pooch!LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-47632052955611341212008-12-24T11:43:00.000-08:002008-12-24T12:25:20.112-08:00What's fair is fair... Right?Now, don't get me wrong, I love my family, but they are certainly not animal-savvy, with the exception of my mom and I. I am solely responsible for walking my two dogs, bathing all four dogs (although sometimes my sister will bathe our Dachshund), and training, for the most part, has fallen on me. I love animals, and find them easier to be around than humans most of the time.<br /><br />To the point - my stepdad spent an upwards of 1.5k on our English Bulldog, Tank. For the record, I reccommended to him that he take his business elsewhere and find another breeder, as the sire was extremely aggressive (tried to attack people through his fence, but my parents thought "It's okay, because he's protecting mama dog!". NO. Human aggression is NOT okay, in any circumstance, unless it comes when needed, ie, you're walking your dog and a stranger approaches with some nasty intentions.), and on top of it, the dogs were way off the breed standard. We all have heard my complaints about breed standards; even being age 15 at the time, I knew that if he was looking for a genuine bully, he'd be better off looking somewhere else. But of course, with the parent mentality, I was wrong about all aspects of the breeder and Tank was brought home with our two other dogs. Our intention was not to have any dogs at first, but after seeing Aero and Qrikket, we fell in love and were at their house nearly every day from puppyhood to handle them. Off the bat, Tank was aggressive, dominating, and was a bully. Even after being housetrained, he still has no qualms about lifting his leg on various objects in the house, and nor does our Dachshund. Interestingly enough, we got rid of Qrikket, who I had bonded to and taught 20+ tricks by age 4 months, for piddling (you know, hyperactive puppy stuff), and Tank continued to soil the house.<br /><br />Fast forward two years. I have been the only one who has ever taken Tank for a walk in his three years of life, and I have only taken him around five times. The last time I walked him, he slipped his harness and chased a lady and her kids down the street to attack her dogs. Unlike many people, I do not try to fix problems that I know are beyond my range of skill because it can cause many more problems in the long haul. I have not walked Tank because I cannot control him if he decides he wants the dog on the other side of the street. He goes insane when any dog comes into view, female or male, German Shepherd or Yorkie. MY stepdad didn't take the effort to socialize him. IMO, if you don't have the time required to properly raise a puppy, you shouldn't have one.<br /><br />My stepdad, who bought him purely on the premise of loving English Bulldogs, has nothing to do with him. Tank sits in a 6 x 4 cage almost 20 hours of the day, with exception to potty breaks and someone occasionally letting him out. I like Tank, and I think it is EXTREMELY unfair of my stepdad to keep him caged away. He cannot be let out with Aero and Buddy, as he is an instigator of fights (although he usually ended up in the vet with puncture wounds in his earlier days), so we have two packs going on in the house - Aero, Buddy, and the family, and Tank and Bentley. My stepdad refuses to neuter Tank (and trust me, I have suggested it on multiple occasions only to be waved away and told that "Tank will be a stud dog"), and he is, I believe, a cryptorchid. I cannot confirm this, as I'm not a vet, but one testicle appears to be undescended, which may mean he is sterile anyways. We all know the benefits of speutering, but apparently my stepdad was left out of this knowledgeable circle. There is even a lady wth four Englsh Bulldogs (the females are almost always bred on their heats, sadly), who offered a breeding to one of her female bullies. BIIIG no no. Never breed a dog with issues such as dog or human aggression.<br /><br />My stepdad plays the computer for hours a day, whereas he could be walking the dog he loves so much. Recently, we have found someone who wants to adopt Tank - a good idea, IMO. He would be somewhere where he'd be loved, neutered (!), walked, and played with. He would be an only dog, so all their attention could be focused on him, like he deserves. Unfortunately, this hits a sour note - my stepdad refuses to give him up because he "loves him", and always suggests getting rid of OUR dogs (Buddy and Aero), although they are extremely well behaved family pets. The people are still willing to take Tank, but time and again it's refused. This is how I see it - Tank does not get exercise. He has spent most of his life in a cage, which I think is cruel beyond reason. My stepdad refuses to walk him, although he has plenty of time to do so and has more capability of controlling him should an issue with another dog arise. He also makes my siblings and I feed and water Tank... although he is usually sitting around 10 feet away from the crate, playing the computer. He loves Tank, but I think for him it's more the fascination with owning an English Bull. He certainly didn't do his homework when bringing the dog in, and now Tank is suffering for it. Sometimes I play with Tank, who loves nothing more than a good cuddle and playing fetch, but my stepdad has nothing to do with him unless it's the off occasion he decides he wants Tank out. He then spends about 10 minutes playing with the dog, and then goes back to his computer.<br /><br />The situation angers me more than you know. I have told him to swallow his pride, it is in Tank's best interest that he goes to a home where there will be a more devoted owner, as has my mom, but he refuses to let go. It's sad seeing him sit around all day. My question is, what the hell do I do about this? As mean as it sounds, I've thought of letting Tank loose so that AC can pick him up and place him since my stepdad won't. My mom has tried to talk him down, as have I, but it just doesn't work. I am beyond frustrated by this.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-67300857982380689412008-12-23T19:53:00.000-08:002008-12-23T20:02:12.070-08:00Update on BuddyI promised updates and Buddy, my obese lap dog, so here you go.<br /><br />Buddy has lost about five pounds since I posted about him. The family is getting better at feeding, but there is still room for improvement. Currently (I know this will make me sound like a horrible owner), he goes on 3-4 walks a week with his brother about 45 minutes to an hour long. Also, my friend has brought my old GSD mix puppy Donovan to play with Buddy. At first, Buddy was a bit stand-offish, but them warmed up to him, realizing this was the puppy who he had spent three months with playing all the time. I've got to bring him over more often; Buddy spent nearly two hours running and playing with Donovan, and none of our other dogs are really that "into" playing with other dogs. They'd rather play with people. I'm working on upping exercise, but it has been gloomy and rainy on the days I have been home. None of my family is so inclined to walk any of our four dogs, so the job rests on me, even though I have 5 just-as-capable people in the household. I know I sound wimpy what with all you PNW'ers getting dumped on, but I'm a Cali girl whose town's temperature was somewhere in the mid 80's low 90's about two months ago, hehe.<br /><br />I am now starting to be able to see a waistline, and his tummy is gradually shrinking upwards. I will post pictures as soon as I can. Have a safe and happy holiday!LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-59059040905115152832008-12-18T09:13:00.000-08:002008-12-18T09:21:14.263-08:00An old man in need of a home.Found <a href="http://www.petfinder.com/petnote/displaypet.cgi?petid=9995167">this</a> guy on Petfinder. This chilly holiday season, it would be nice for him to find a warm home and a family to love. Older dogs come with advantages; they're more often than not housebroken and many know basic obedience and even advanced commands. <br /><br />Doesn't he look like a sweetie? His name is Adam. He is currently homed with the Washington German Shepherd Rescue in Arlington, WA., awaiting a loving home. <br /><br />About Adam: "Adam lost his first home with a family move and was given to a second family...The second family ended up leaving him at their vet when someone in the household became very ill..and there Adam remained for 4 months..without a home. The vet office asked us to take him in and find him a new home! <br /><br />Update: Adam loves to hang out with his doggy friend in the yard, ignores the farm animals (horses, chickens) and he does his best to keep up with the younger dog's energetic antics. He loves getting out and playing in the snow and has enjoyed just being outside with his family on short outings to finish the chores. He is an affectionate boy with great house manners, great with the cat in the household and he happily enjoys being inside with the family. Adam can be somewhat shy at first, but warms up quickly when given a few moments to get to know new people. Adam is a great dog to have around. He is easy to please, happy to be loved and eager to return his affection. If you'd like to give an old guy a comfortable retirement, please consider Adam.....he most certainly deserves the very best in his golden years. Adam is best suited in an adult only home. <br /><br />Please fill out an application to meet me at http://www.washingtongsd.org/application.html The adoption process includes completion of an adoption application, a vet check, a home visit and a lifetime adoption contract."<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2-WM40qavPmiXAELt4tSOfHaNriTP1vvNnSOnhWdKJaoqSbTLGQmU8gkzNfEyF2IUJmI0Bg7S-ORq1EvojWN9cPItav0UHIg0j3Uh2pArRwhWEW-SaZ-9LvH5fFKEcTzpDAogw8WwHhq/s1600-h/WA214.9995167-2-pn"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 225px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2-WM40qavPmiXAELt4tSOfHaNriTP1vvNnSOnhWdKJaoqSbTLGQmU8gkzNfEyF2IUJmI0Bg7S-ORq1EvojWN9cPItav0UHIg0j3Uh2pArRwhWEW-SaZ-9LvH5fFKEcTzpDAogw8WwHhq/s320/WA214.9995167-2-pn" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5281181315746183970" /></a>LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-38904101233197428992008-12-17T18:21:00.000-08:002008-12-17T19:19:31.703-08:00Pictures I dug up.You know what it's like to go through a photo album. So, I present to you the dogs of my album. They are all either personal pets or pets of my relations. No sticky paws!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIFIwWRPjGrQzAPScfQzlJayAfsFcPQ5pFSCV0Ryekiz3A7_ZnZz7iAImwPHgPg_d_u9DlJawk3BRbnJgYRU140v2xodEO452TFfX1mUHcOuk8olV6eFX6U6KUlJ2TJw718t8n4z4mJH0/s1600-h/100_0343.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHIFIwWRPjGrQzAPScfQzlJayAfsFcPQ5pFSCV0Ryekiz3A7_ZnZz7iAImwPHgPg_d_u9DlJawk3BRbnJgYRU140v2xodEO452TFfX1mUHcOuk8olV6eFX6U6KUlJ2TJw718t8n4z4mJH0/s320/100_0343.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280949961671419250" /></a> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbnE3RBl_azfripfaf8MKZca8-7k0Xjc32b80UNPpiUpCkzZ_bPE-ZrgnBon6iURKwFDjJCP9U_wIHI4K7CEAIcbTD8JHFcRo26kVcqx-FF7FdONbOhwlsiNhwcoaWoUkos51-e430Y4q/s1600-h/DSCF0117.JPG"><img style="float:center; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMbnE3RBl_azfripfaf8MKZca8-7k0Xjc32b80UNPpiUpCkzZ_bPE-ZrgnBon6iURKwFDjJCP9U_wIHI4K7CEAIcbTD8JHFcRo26kVcqx-FF7FdONbOhwlsiNhwcoaWoUkos51-e430Y4q/s320/DSCF0117.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280950809660420018" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AkeF6kTuzVPkTIk-PsPVu5WNccLkJ2_nllSXn1H0iSTTydN6DgYUP9_ftxIFZGt8_zfdtNFBbqhTQzIR8DTUp-9topeZcHbkWLm5xr4uJBntKeuPTYx9kKZk9GxPbqwZ3khYhtQ8Q0DK/s1600-h/bed024.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 214px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2AkeF6kTuzVPkTIk-PsPVu5WNccLkJ2_nllSXn1H0iSTTydN6DgYUP9_ftxIFZGt8_zfdtNFBbqhTQzIR8DTUp-9topeZcHbkWLm5xr4uJBntKeuPTYx9kKZk9GxPbqwZ3khYhtQ8Q0DK/s320/bed024.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280952110508931490" /></a> <br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzP5_jAHWuGGgvtNDQXzU0k1VONowspaRqd1lHEbikmEoV6pD-SbFzokfTKDE7PKHCE-2ipeqP1Dp73rKVEBhHXp7msbArDDtSkxPNtrFjFzEQ4rXiBuel9V4ymWCzwRSyb5SZc5Fqr9lx/s1600-h/BANDIT.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzP5_jAHWuGGgvtNDQXzU0k1VONowspaRqd1lHEbikmEoV6pD-SbFzokfTKDE7PKHCE-2ipeqP1Dp73rKVEBhHXp7msbArDDtSkxPNtrFjFzEQ4rXiBuel9V4ymWCzwRSyb5SZc5Fqr9lx/s320/BANDIT.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280952727508667170" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPWk87L6okOLImeYAFpGVaGQU52R7m5uFEiTeyrmB0ja_W201pMlEoaamDuEVkNf76XZ699ENHSwSiEV61kWqxGmKKSxGH3CRb6L7SErt3N1LflGuNs6ZW3MnGJ2q3FFEuuC6mmt2cMsV/s1600-h/MarkandAlex2.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrPWk87L6okOLImeYAFpGVaGQU52R7m5uFEiTeyrmB0ja_W201pMlEoaamDuEVkNf76XZ699ENHSwSiEV61kWqxGmKKSxGH3CRb6L7SErt3N1LflGuNs6ZW3MnGJ2q3FFEuuC6mmt2cMsV/s320/MarkandAlex2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280953145895273490" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVF3XLFzdxByv989P5wEqEsfsuXN0wQCu4ZYEfV3JI8G8AKLwEYef-UT3TpxoGsEh0TZJrclvjnjdDucP8GlIhZdC7KsIWK2C9nUtryWaPkhZVRxtVWDxAFaxxlow6TqZNKGDFdjf_HHh/s1600-h/DSCF0032.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFVF3XLFzdxByv989P5wEqEsfsuXN0wQCu4ZYEfV3JI8G8AKLwEYef-UT3TpxoGsEh0TZJrclvjnjdDucP8GlIhZdC7KsIWK2C9nUtryWaPkhZVRxtVWDxAFaxxlow6TqZNKGDFdjf_HHh/s320/DSCF0032.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280953789589044578" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza8K1BCW2NoOb8gZxlGjCNRKuB094-SQkAoo_pq465SYeHQD74stClDALsyk5dNcUkeoEbldOQlUv1kWyG2EYA-dO6D0NS_oYMPNAhyphenhyphenHxy1kjwnZudPE3DSg0ZIHdD5jc2bQo69gSd7gT/s1600-h/5621ab2e.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjza8K1BCW2NoOb8gZxlGjCNRKuB094-SQkAoo_pq465SYeHQD74stClDALsyk5dNcUkeoEbldOQlUv1kWyG2EYA-dO6D0NS_oYMPNAhyphenhyphenHxy1kjwnZudPE3DSg0ZIHdD5jc2bQo69gSd7gT/s320/5621ab2e.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280954480179822690" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fswdmzPGeCXgoH2jRUrpXZBL6va1J7czIsJjbRoYzlyttwcdAsXuY5OUCk_3K8P-djFEA315Ibx3uKmNE-FKmAYtcq9no_raWmuD8M18LRynyB8900_533jkvdkf9kxuNBsIl-0sPQN-/s1600-h/DSC00185.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fswdmzPGeCXgoH2jRUrpXZBL6va1J7czIsJjbRoYzlyttwcdAsXuY5OUCk_3K8P-djFEA315Ibx3uKmNE-FKmAYtcq9no_raWmuD8M18LRynyB8900_533jkvdkf9kxuNBsIl-0sPQN-/s320/DSC00185.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280954775273323522" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjectuoOnDFBdfZ6_j7g8ai3nGjJgs0tCRElDEMuaAsTLuyj8EEvIBGgovUFXbcbcDubjYz99nZx_SOk2vMxbCK2IWa55g4jSYrZEFEmbwn9dsrliFq7zzAq7F3HSRSynaZb-mbkvYSFtRX/s1600-h/DSC01460.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjectuoOnDFBdfZ6_j7g8ai3nGjJgs0tCRElDEMuaAsTLuyj8EEvIBGgovUFXbcbcDubjYz99nZx_SOk2vMxbCK2IWa55g4jSYrZEFEmbwn9dsrliFq7zzAq7F3HSRSynaZb-mbkvYSFtRX/s320/DSC01460.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280955284827586866" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1_yux7ssA5Ng25-pPOX-BFpa4dpYkl1RobZrmYN22VVayUmn_GnAVL1apPewLczYIr84UPAhqflIcz7pEv3C5hhIieUBmOmdrvUOqoipGo6YmTNM_tlQZXtNypY2Q_AZe0FOEteTdpMN/s1600-h/Camping05040.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 319px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl1_yux7ssA5Ng25-pPOX-BFpa4dpYkl1RobZrmYN22VVayUmn_GnAVL1apPewLczYIr84UPAhqflIcz7pEv3C5hhIieUBmOmdrvUOqoipGo6YmTNM_tlQZXtNypY2Q_AZe0FOEteTdpMN/s320/Camping05040.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280955773223721618" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cy_rsGqQUEqe0A1DPU3mYxnjyq793fG7ctqh0a_PJ2r5c1_pNYUTIg7l0AHmLDpf79NqX69qIGPWHgE1FN0K1fx8O7Ti5Kwr-mavr9V0z90BxrQZY5-m_eCx8pcvB_KEhzxkb87TkRWs/s1600-h/Picture007.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cy_rsGqQUEqe0A1DPU3mYxnjyq793fG7ctqh0a_PJ2r5c1_pNYUTIg7l0AHmLDpf79NqX69qIGPWHgE1FN0K1fx8O7Ti5Kwr-mavr9V0z90BxrQZY5-m_eCx8pcvB_KEhzxkb87TkRWs/s320/Picture007.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280956230262880530" /></a><br /> <a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ovwWH0B43dScKrR4qPww-xcZr7NwAZcB4nAhOEoabbIbBU_qc2xDA9LiIhvrqBl3npiNkXIxLvFX0j1rf2HD79E-AsKc7PcpcYkROPD2ZZphW9fuJxOmM3YLNdHmGtpFkJHvVLscbXJJ/s1600-h/l_f40150d3590242c78c2acfccf22a9c37.jpg"><img style="float:center; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 256px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ovwWH0B43dScKrR4qPww-xcZr7NwAZcB4nAhOEoabbIbBU_qc2xDA9LiIhvrqBl3npiNkXIxLvFX0j1rf2HD79E-AsKc7PcpcYkROPD2ZZphW9fuJxOmM3YLNdHmGtpFkJHvVLscbXJJ/s320/l_f40150d3590242c78c2acfccf22a9c37.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5280956956015091570" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br><br>From top:<br /><br />1) My dad's Golden Retriever, Tug, playing with their friends Malinois puppy.<br />2) Tank my stepdad's English Bulldog, as a puppy. Cheese! I love the fat little paws.<br />3) My uncle's APBT/Dalmatian/Pointer cross hiding from a thunderstorm in the cabinet. Isn't it strange how a dog who has lived in Florida for his entire 10 years can still be afraid of storms?<br />4) Bandit, my uncle's elderly border terrier who passed away a few months ago. He liked to play hide and seek.<br />5) My old Basset, Alex, and my uncle. Cute, huh? Nothing makes the heart melt like wrinkly, slobbering hound dog. Childhood dog.<br />6) Sister to my dog Buddy and his brother Aero as a puppy. She was probably 4 weeks old in the picture. Smartest dog I've ever had.<br />7) Older Qrikket, this time around 3 months old.<br />8) More Qrikket, featuring me. I was around 14...? <br />9) Buddy and Bentley, our Miniature Dachshund, cuddling. Please note, that's not my toe in the picture. <br />10) Buddy, Aero, and Tank hanging out with my cousin while camping. <br />11) Baby Black Bear hamster, runt of the litter from our old hamster Kush.<br />12) My friend's blue APBT puppy.<br /><br /><br />Got any candid cams of your favorite four legged friends? I'd like to see them! If you do not know how to create a link, feel free to post the URL. I'm sorry about the funky way everything's arranged. I can't seem to get it right, but you get the idea, right? :)LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-11375533274745387232008-12-11T21:22:00.000-08:002008-12-16T09:24:30.644-08:00Keeping your dog safe in the backyard.I'd like to share with you a few things I've picked up along the way that come in handy as a dog owner. Everyone has their tools and tried-and-true methods, so here are mine.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HQKsQM58VbxA4QxZzwGXvYrQVlXuMxqJ4KPbClKTH7RghqGBr3QwTyR0HzEY9xdpoYdIljDGraMMttg0xgAJlQp3UMsPfjnkpbKj6e5Mo5CBIgjHrDN3ygme7flQY-2Q7pG3yS22cEcV/s1600-h/stubborn-dog-radio-fence.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 176px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3HQKsQM58VbxA4QxZzwGXvYrQVlXuMxqJ4KPbClKTH7RghqGBr3QwTyR0HzEY9xdpoYdIljDGraMMttg0xgAJlQp3UMsPfjnkpbKj6e5Mo5CBIgjHrDN3ygme7flQY-2Q7pG3yS22cEcV/s320/stubborn-dog-radio-fence.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278949336979651074" /></a>When someone says that they have an electric fence to keep their dog from jumping over, I shudder. I can't stress this enough: electric fences are dangerous and are NOT an effective tool. Electric collars are designed to zap your dog once it leaves the boundaries of marked fencing. The dog is expected to stay behind the fencing. But what happens when the dog ignores the collar and goes over the fence anyway? An unpleasant surprise and a nasty shock. Not only does it cause physical pain, but can damage a dog psychologically, so much so that they may even be afraid to enter their own backyard. What do I reccommend in place of an electric collar / fence combo?<br /><br />a) Vigilance. Keep an eye on your dog at all times in the yard.<br />b) A long lead with which to walk your dog in the backyard (10 ft and excess is good). These leashes are often seen on dogs who are learning recall, or are sometimes used by the conscientious owner to keep a hold on their dog while it's swimming. Note, I don't reccommend you go out and walk your dog with this same leash.<br />c) A run. If you set up a cable to have your dog tied to, make sure they can move freely with probably a 7 foot lead. Also, make sure your cable is tied securely and <b>away from fences</b> to prevent the chance of accidental hanging. Yes, it happens. A dog can go right over and never reach the ground on the other side. Make sure to provide food, water and shelter as appropriate when the dog is outside.<br />d) This is the simplest solution of all, but a bit more costly. If your dog is a notorious fence hopper/climber... get new fencing! On average, you should go two to three feet higher than the previous fence, but of course, depending on the dog, you may only need to go a bit higher. Wood is the reccommended material, chain link fencing, not so much. Dogs may get their toes or paws caught and injured.<br />e) Keep the backyard interesting. Hide treats, play games, stash toys around the yard. Kong balls filled with kibble and treats will keep your dog entertained, and if not, a bone would do good (I like to give my dogs raw shank bones).<br /><br />A few tips to help you keep your escape artist in the yard. Enjoy! I haven't had internet access the past few days, sorry.<br /><br />PS: To clear up the confusion: There is no problem between Fugs and I. I'm not quite sure where that comment came from, but it's totally untrue.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-24610861603316378272008-12-10T13:24:00.000-08:002008-12-11T21:12:55.783-08:00Adopt-a-Kitty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC_W1yW50MKCgdsng3UV0223VnWizXr-ExqJXQnfNMmi-jh_docL_7CPuQ4pzgN-HARG67Bu91w0nJyi_gHd1_mVn7LXj6fmXUpbzqCM_4laNbpWldFpbz8XLqUqdoqdYaLe_YzATumqy/s1600-h/kitty.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 213px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFC_W1yW50MKCgdsng3UV0223VnWizXr-ExqJXQnfNMmi-jh_docL_7CPuQ4pzgN-HARG67Bu91w0nJyi_gHd1_mVn7LXj6fmXUpbzqCM_4laNbpWldFpbz8XLqUqdoqdYaLe_YzATumqy/s320/kitty.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5278767229267093314" /></a><br />I know this is a dog blog, but this one hits a personal note.<br /><br />About a week ago, my mom woke me up saying she had found a hurt stray cat. Upon further observation, we found kitty had two large bite wounds in his right side. Kitty was sweet. He never hissed or scratched, despite the pain he must have been feeling. After giving him a warm place to sleep overnight, my mom and her friend brought him to the Lake Elsinore Animal Friends of the Valleys shelter. Kitty, now dubbed Chester, is up for adoption. Unfortunately, as with many cases, the owner did not come forward to claim him. He was obviously domesticated and used to handling. He is now looking for a new home. If you have room in your heart, please visit <a href="http://www.animalfriendsofthevalleys.com/page3.html">their website</a>.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-1911138600000079262008-12-03T09:15:00.000-08:002008-12-03T11:40:54.219-08:00Ogle of the DayHave a look at this. It's plagued me for a long time... "Old-Fashioned German Shepherds". Meaning an overweight, oversized, and generally unattractive (imo) version of a GSD. Something I certainly wouldn't breed, regardless of OFA scores. You see, I'm a person who believes that when you breed dogs, you should focus on the standard, rather than trends, eye appeal, or whatever other reason there may be for breeding poor quality dogs. Is it just me, or do <a href="http://selah1.homestead.com/pg1.html">these</a> guys look like oversize, plush teddy bears? I'll give them kudos, as "Zack" is very cute. On the side of their page, it links more "oversize GSD breeders". <b>OVER</B>sized. Too big, wide load. Good thing you have OFA testing going on, because I have a feeling most of these guys' hips are going to cave in by the time they reach 6. While they aren't breeding the "roach-backed" GSD variety we so often see, it's still disheartening to see people trying to blow the GSD out of proportion and way off from the breed standard. And gluing puppies ears sounds kind of cruel to me. I know many people do it (we had a lady in our Schutzhund class glue her pups ears), but I just can't imagine how annoying it would be to have your ears glued together. I am a natural dog owner - let them stay as they sit! If your dog's ears aren't perky, then maybe it's time for better breeding practices (omg, yes, prick and non-prick ears are hereditary, who knew?) and maybe NOT letting your oversize drop-eared GSD breed so you can glue more drop-eared puppies.<br /><br />I just don't get it - it's like breeding shortwide pits, IMO. I think "Old-Fashioned" GSDs are too bulky, and that takes away a lot of their utility and athleticism. The GSD loves to work, and the added weight just may hinder that ability. Maybe I'm a little stiff with my notions on breeding, but (with the exception of the brachycephalic breeds) the standard is there not only for looks, but with the dog's health in mind.<br /><br />I'm not calling these people out as bad breeders or anything (most I have seen do OFA testing), but I don't support breeding outside the standard. If I had it my way, 3/4 of the canine population would be spayed and neutered... but I don't. :P<br /><br />Have a great Wednesday!LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8909978106941551060.post-47646027094339924772008-12-02T08:58:00.000-08:002008-12-03T08:11:57.725-08:00My Cuddle Buddy<a href="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/slorgums/mewyearsandfrends033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v75/slorgums/mewyearsandfrends033.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Woah people, it's not what it sounds like. I swear, lol.<br /><br />But, giggling aside, this is my dog Buddy. If you read my previous posts, he's my hybrid mix family protector / beanbag / aspiring lap dog. At about 120 pounds now, and his head just level with my hip (I'm about 5'6"), I'm afraid he may be a little <b>too</b> cuddly. He is overweight, and I'm concerned. My parents and siblings overfeed him. He's in a pen with his brother (that's their "house" when it's sleep time), so when it's food time, Buddy scarfs down a big silver bowl (no joke, like an industrial size mixing bowl) to keep Aero from eating. They never fight over food; Buddy just hogs it. Aero is a normal weight, about 95, and about a half inch shorter than Buddy. I do try to intervene. I take out the bowls, when I see them, and give each dog about 3 cups to eat separately, BUT... I'm not always there, and though I've spoken with my parents, they insist the dogs be allowed to free feed. I've tried to explain that yes, dogs can get diabetes, and yes, they can get arthritis and Buddy's fat isn't going to make him feel any better when it's bearing down on his joints. I no longer give Buddy table scraps. Next time I get money, I plan on buying him a doggie backpack and going hiking since it's getting cold outside.<br /><br />So... thus begins the transformation. I can only try to get people to stop feeding him so much, but I can definitely up the exercise. Every once in a while I'll let you guys know how he's progressing (it's like having his very own Lifetime drama, lol). <br /><br />I'd also like to request some information from the readers. If my parents are going to feed him so much, I'd actually prefer it be diet. I've never had to put a dog on a diet before, so I was wondering if any of you more experienced readers could drop me a tip. What are some good brands to look for when putting a dog on a diet? Right now they eat whatever gets picked up from the store (yuck I know, but at least we never bring home Ol' Roy or Kibbles 'n Bits or Beneful), but they're usually on Canidae... which, I heard, went through some nasty ingredient changes and kind of ruined it.LegendsLiveOnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11898180271512555569noreply@blogger.com12