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16231. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 2:28:34 PM Hello, Mac, and everyone!
I have a hard time making Flexy understand that since we have Butch because he wants protection for us in this house, he should not deviate from the rules we first set for the dog. I really was not interested in forming a relationship with a dog at this time of my life and a gun would have been fine with me: I rather looked forward learning how to use one.
16232. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 2:49:33 PM I should add that Flexy took care of his mother during the ten years before her death when she had Alzheimer’s disease. The only times Elisabeth was peaceful were when her little female dog slept on her lap. The dog would not go to her unless Flexy petted her first and not before she wanted to go to his mother. I think that he believes if he is affectionate to Butch, then Butch will be a better guard-dog. 16233. Macnas - 8/17/2005 2:57:24 PM Hello Mago.
What rules did you set? if you don't mind telling me. 16234. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 3:10:47 PM Well, here are a few sof ar, Mac: Butch must be heeling at all times--he is not leading you, you are leading him. He should know how to sidestep from us when we walk around the house. He cannot choose to sleep anywhere he wants. No snacks unless he accomplishes some sort of feat for us. The commands given to Butch should be same for both of us. Excessive affection like climbing on your lap and demanding you caress him until he walks away from you is out. 16235. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 3:12:27 PM Oh, one more rule--he has a place to sleep, that's where he should sleep. 16236. Macnas - 8/17/2005 4:03:30 PM Sounds like a good set of rules if you can keep the dog to them.
I'd differ interms of all ways walking to heel. If he needs to be under careful control, like a busy path or somesuch, then fine. But I think that sometimes you have to give the dog his head, so to speak, and let him wander while you walk him if circumstances allow.
Also, no dogs in-doors makes for an easier time for all concerned. But I'm cranky that way.
16237. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 5:33:17 PM Well, the property is still too large for letting Butch wander around. We can’t put a fence yet to what we will eventually keep because the prospective buyers for two of the lots are squabbling about what they each want. Until then Butch has to be on a leash because if he follows, say, a squirrel, we could be severely fined by the Association in charge of our area.
For now, we let him lead us wherever he wants to go on the property, but we are at the end of his leash. Once we have what we plan to keep, just an acre, we will fence the area and let him wander around.
16238. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 5:36:53 PM ...if he follows, say, a squirrel,...
By this, I mean that if he follows a squirrel to another property, across a road, we would be responsible if he causes mayem somewhere. 16239. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 5:37:45 PM mayem=mayhem 16240. judithathome - 8/17/2005 8:33:57 PM Well, I am one of those dog owners who consider the dog to be one of the family...Klaus lives inside the house and he is well behaved. He is showered with affection and returns it in kind.
Today he is cooling his heels at the clinic, however. He stopped eating...two days now...and paced the floor all night, wanting to go outside and wanting to come in. Neither he nor I got any sleep at all. Took him in to the vet this morning and they are keeping him over night. 16241. thoughtful - 8/17/2005 8:52:19 PM we've always been very affectionate with our dogs too and have always had that affection returned in kind. But opening your heart to them sets yourself up for heartbreak as the odds are good that you will outlive them.
I think that's why my desire for pets is greater than my husband's...it's much harder on him as he is so sentimental and really gets hurt when we lose a pet. Me, I hurt, but I so enjoy the years with them that it's worth the loss.
But as far as I know, there is no evidence that being affectionate with a dog will make them less of a guard dog..in fact I think it's the opposite. If you look at the canine units, the handlers usually have the dogs with them at work and at home to develop the strongest of bonds. And they work and play together in a most affectionate way
16242. Ms. No - 8/17/2005 10:13:44 PM Hey, Arky,
What can you tell me about the Ozarks? 16243. Magoseph - 8/17/2005 10:35:21 PM Try this:
1. Grab a calculator. (you won't be able to do this one in your head)
2. Key in the first three digits of your phone number (NOT the area code)
3. Multiply by 80
4. Add 1
5. Multiply by 250
6. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number
7. Add the last 4 digits of your phone number again.
8. Subtract 250
9. Divide number by 2 16244. arkymalarky - 8/17/2005 10:47:31 PM Hey No! Don't know why your post struck me funny. I'm filtering through my smartass off-the-cuff stuff about their family reunions and the complex network of dirt roads to consider what I actually do know about the Ozarks.
Are you interested in the civilized places (such as they are) or outdoors-type stuff? I do know that the best time to visit the Ozarks or the Ouachita Mountains (south and west of them) is coming up in a couple of months. 16245. arkymalarky - 8/17/2005 10:54:46 PM I hope Klaus is alright, Judith. Sounds like he must've really been feeling bad.
Bob was like Mac about indoor dogs until I reformed him (heh), but after Diva died he was as as interested in getting another little indoor/outdoor dog as I was (though Mazie's much less an outdoor dog than Diva was).
I think it's whatever suits your purposes at the time, but it's very important you get the right dog for your own family's needs, rather than what people are suggesting you should have. My grandparents never had any but yard dogs until they were robbed in Dallas (they were lucky they weren't killed) in their own home in broad daylight. The police suggested they go to the Humane Society and get a dog, and the dog they chose was a part of their family until the dog died. They really grieved over him, but never got another one (they moved out of Dallas not too long after they got him). 16246. arkymalarky - 8/17/2005 10:55:36 PM And I can attest to the fact that Klaus is a great house dog--polite and sweet. 16247. Ms. No - 8/17/2005 10:57:37 PM I'm interested in the civilized places. What are the biggest towns? What's the climate like? I've been told that it's very similar to the Blue Ridge. What's the average elevation?
This is really ignorant, but I didn't even know there were any mountains there. I had no idea where the Ozarks were. 16248. arkymalarky - 8/17/2005 11:08:09 PM Eureka Springs and Mountain View are small touristy towns, and very nice. Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville, and Fayetteville are bigger. Fayetteville is a great town, and in fact a lot of Californians have been moving into that area in the last few years because of the atmosphere, scenery, climate, and housing costs. It is similar to the Blue Ridge, but probably warmer most of the year. It's not as hot and humid as where I live, but it's plenty hot in the summer. I don't know much about the elevations. Our highest mountain is Mount Magazine, which Bob says is under 3000 feet.
Someone thinking of moving there? If so, will they have time to come check it out before deciding? 16249. arkymalarky - 8/17/2005 11:10:55 PM Draw a line northeast to southwest through the state and the northwest half is mostly hills and low mountains. It's supposedly the oldest range in America. 16250. Ms. No - 8/17/2005 11:15:18 PM Yes, it is the oldest that's why the elevations are low. I think it may be one of the oldest ranges in the world.
Somebody's mother mentioned it as an alternative to the Blue Ridge because it's closer to Dallas, but that Somebody is just thinking up possibilities at this point having had previous plans collapse into a flaming pile of crap.
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