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a_lipsey
Community Member

How can I say no?

I have finished my breakfast, which included the ever-alluring  slices of bacon. And my retired service dog Astro is giving me these eyes: eyes of all the years we've spent together, reminding me of what  a hard-working employee he's been: how he faithfully accompanied me on a cross-country bicycle tour; how he's endured kayaking expeditions even though he hates water; how he has endured puppies in our house to help prep them for adoption and/or service dog work; how  he's endured all my demands for so many years.  His muzzle has gone from black to grey (as has my hair). His simple request: may I clean up that plate for you, Mom?  

 

Sure, old bud. What's some bacon fat between friends? 

 

220200205_095117.jpg

 

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lysis10
Community Member


Amanda L wrote:

Jennifer M wrote:

Amanda L wrote:


Now we all know who is the boss of Jen M! With her fancy dog food! 


I wanted a Rottweiler too but in Florida Rotties and Pits are banned everywhere, so there is a good chance of getting rejected by an HOA for the type of dog you have.

 

Georgia HOAs seem to be more open. There are pits everywhere, but I hear the shelters are filled with a lot of pits. That breaks my heart.

 

I have to admit Pits scare me because of the stories I read. I will run up to any dog when I'm walking and pet them. One of the Rottie owners laughed when I came up to this adorable Rottweiler and pet her. The owner said that most people are afraid, but not me. lol I am more afraid of bringing one into my house with my little butthead alpha female dog with no fear. This little dummy would take on a Pit on a suicide mission to herd them.


The funniest thing when I still had Fish with me is that everyone would say he was so adorable and ask what breed he was. And I lived in Florida. Also, on the pitbull ban - the apartments (at least) say they ban them, but then they let everyone bring them in. It's kind of ridiculous. They just say they don't on paper but if you call it a mixed breed, they don't care. 

 

My new service dog trainee is mostly pit and staffie, and no one ever knows what breed he is either. People are so afraid of them but then can't even identify them  by sight. 


That was my experience with apartment HOAs as well. They said they didn't allow Pits, but then if someone had one they weren't kicked out. I was too afraid to play that game. I really wanted a Rottweiler though. I might get one as my next dog since Georgia doesn't seem to care too much about what dog breed you have.

 

It's nice to read some good stories about Pits. There are some scary ones out there. I have a 4 year old niece who is used to big dogs. She has a German Shepherd that sits in her room with her and lets her do whatever she wants to him. We think he might have been abused by men. He was left in a shed where he had tied his leash around his foot and almost lost his foot. He has like half a foot. The dog does not like men *at all*. but will let women do whatever they want around him. They have to tranquilize him if the vet is male. It's very strange. He is only friendly with women but can get very aggressive with men.

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23 REPLIES 23
data_divas
Community Member

He's earned that bacon fat and more!  Lovely story. 

petra_r
Community Member


Amanda L wrote:

I have finished my breakfast, which included the ever-alluring  slices of bacon. And my retired service dog Astro is giving me these eyes:

 

Sure, old bud. What's some bacon fat between friends? 

 

220200205_095117.jpg

 


AAaaaaahhhhhhh... He is gorgeous. I love old dogs... A friend of mine routinely adopts giant elderly dogs (mastiffs etc) - because they are the least likely to get adopted.....

 

26220147_10155345289789952_6487841764054936300_n.jpg

This was one of them, letting the terrier steal his bed, he passed not so long after, but he had the best life in his last years.

 

 

I've always trained my dogs that anything that isn't in their bowls is not for them, That training was sometimes less successful (Jack Russell Terrier) and sometimes TOO successful (if I try to give Murphy left over cat food the cats are tirning their noses up at, I have to put the cat bowl physically into the dog bowl before he will eat it. 

a_lipsey
Community Member


Petra R wrote:


AAaaaaahhhhhhh... He is gorgeous. I love old dogs... A friend of mine routinely adopts giant elderly dogs (mastiffs etc) - because they are the least likely to get adopted.....

 

26220147_10155345289789952_6487841764054936300_n.jpg

This was one of them, letting the terrier steal his bed, he passed not so long after, but he had the best life in his last years.

 

 

I've always trained my dogs that anything that isn't in their bowls is not for them, That training was sometimes less successful (Jack Russell Terrier) and sometimes TOO successful (if I try to give Murphy left over cat food the cats are tirning their noses up at, I have to put the cat bowl physically into the dog bowl before he will eat it. 


Old dogs are the best dogs! And I love large breeds. I used to own a great dane, but it was not quite the right breed for me. I'm a border collie mixed with a pitbull person. 🙂  You know, high maintenance, too smart, and bored easily so gets into lots of trouble. 

 

When Astro went cross-country with me on a bicycle, we went self-contained, meaning no vehicle support and we had to buy food along the way. It was too strenuous to bring dog food, so all the meals I bought and cooked had to be shareable. Hence, he got used to me cooking for him and putting his bowl down next to me while I sat on a log and  ate by the fire. I miss those trips.  But that was the end of no table scraps for my dogs. Fortunately  they know better than to beg from anyone other than me, and usually it's a polite "request" versus begging. 

 

He is an old boy, but he is still competing in agility and kicking butt: from November, just before he turned 11, now competing in veteran class: (purple ribbons are perfect runs, blue is first place, red is  second, and  the big one in the middle is a title)

 

Astro2019-12-01amLL.jpg

petra_r
Community Member


Amanda L wrote:


Old dogs are the best dogs! And I love large breeds.

 

Astro2019-12-01amLL.jpg


Astro is amazing. Bless him

 

I also love large breeds but they do break your heart because they just don't live that long. Dogs are not designed to be that big 😞

 

One of my most loved dogs was Flint, a Scottish Deerhound. He was as lovable as he was at times infuriating. Another rescue, as most of my dogs. He only made it to 7 years of age. Vet said it was par for the course.

So unfair 😞

I adopted Panda, 9 years old,  had been at the shelter 3 months.  One of the best dogs I ever had, never regretted taking her home for a second.  4 years gone now. 

FB_IMG_1580933493157.jpg


Julie J wrote:

I adopted Panda, 9 years old,  had been at the shelter 3 months.  One of the best dogs I ever had, never regretted taking her home for a second.  4 years gone now. 

 


Panda reminds me of Fish, my sweet pibble who died in late 2018 from cancer. He was only 3 and it was aggressive and fast. 

 

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lysis10
Community Member

I keep telling friends that my Corgi and I got old together. She's 12 now, so we both old ladies together. I know I'm getting another dog, but she's so alpha and old she would never tolerate another dog here.

 

My neighbor brought her Goldendoodle over, and my dog was all "wtf get this thing out of my house!" and the poor goldendoodle just wanted to play. My dog *thinks* she's a Rottweiler.

a_lipsey
Community Member


Jennifer M wrote:

I keep telling friends that my Corgi and I got old together. She's 12 now, so we both old ladies together. I know I'm getting another dog, but she's so alpha and old she would never tolerate another dog here.

 

My neighbor brought her Goldendoodle over, and my dog was all "wtf get this thing out of my house!" and the poor goldendoodle just wanted to play. My dog *thinks* she's a Rottweiler.


When Astro was a young boy, he had a Corgi girlfriend named Chica. She stayed with us one weekend while her owners were out of town, and he even gave up his spot at the foot of the bed for  her. Such a gentleman! She was quite awesome though. Very sweet and snuggly. 

lysis10
Community Member


Amanda L wrote:

Jennifer M wrote:

I keep telling friends that my Corgi and I got old together. She's 12 now, so we both old ladies together. I know I'm getting another dog, but she's so alpha and old she would never tolerate another dog here.

 

My neighbor brought her Goldendoodle over, and my dog was all "wtf get this thing out of my house!" and the poor goldendoodle just wanted to play. My dog *thinks* she's a Rottweiler.


When Astro was a young boy, he had a Corgi girlfriend named Chica. She stayed with us one weekend while her owners were out of town, and he even gave up his spot at the foot of the bed for  her. Such a gentleman! She was quite awesome though. Very sweet and snuggly. 


Corgis are great dogs. They are big dogs in little dog bodies.

 

I've been buying her expensive dog food because I figure she's old and deserves to live her best life and eating delicious food is what I'd be doing if I knew I only had a little bit of time left. Getting fat is on the final bucket list. 😄

a_lipsey
Community Member


Jennifer M wrote:

Amanda L wrote:

Jennifer M wrote:

I keep telling friends that my Corgi and I got old together. She's 12 now, so we both old ladies together. I know I'm getting another dog, but she's so alpha and old she would never tolerate another dog here.

 

My neighbor brought her Goldendoodle over, and my dog was all "wtf get this thing out of my house!" and the poor goldendoodle just wanted to play. My dog *thinks* she's a Rottweiler.


When Astro was a young boy, he had a Corgi girlfriend named Chica. She stayed with us one weekend while her owners were out of town, and he even gave up his spot at the foot of the bed for  her. Such a gentleman! She was quite awesome though. Very sweet and snuggly. 


Corgis are great dogs. They are big dogs in little dog bodies.

 

I've been buying her expensive dog food because I figure she's old and deserves to live her best life and eating delicious food is what I'd be doing if I knew I only had a little bit of time left. Getting fat is on the final bucket list. 😄


Now we all know who is the boss of Jen M! With her fancy dog food! 

lysis10
Community Member


Amanda L wrote:


Now we all know who is the boss of Jen M! With her fancy dog food! 


I wanted a Rottweiler too but in Florida Rotties and Pits are banned everywhere, so there is a good chance of getting rejected by an HOA for the type of dog you have.

 

Georgia HOAs seem to be more open. There are pits everywhere, but I hear the shelters are filled with a lot of pits. That breaks my heart.

 

I have to admit Pits scare me because of the stories I read. I will run up to any dog when I'm walking and pet them. One of the Rottie owners laughed when I came up to this adorable Rottweiler and pet her. The owner said that most people are afraid, but not me. lol I am more afraid of bringing one into my house with my little butthead alpha female dog with no fear. This little dummy would take on a Pit on a suicide mission to herd them.

a_lipsey
Community Member


Jennifer M wrote:

Amanda L wrote:


Now we all know who is the boss of Jen M! With her fancy dog food! 


I wanted a Rottweiler too but in Florida Rotties and Pits are banned everywhere, so there is a good chance of getting rejected by an HOA for the type of dog you have.

 

Georgia HOAs seem to be more open. There are pits everywhere, but I hear the shelters are filled with a lot of pits. That breaks my heart.

 

I have to admit Pits scare me because of the stories I read. I will run up to any dog when I'm walking and pet them. One of the Rottie owners laughed when I came up to this adorable Rottweiler and pet her. The owner said that most people are afraid, but not me. lol I am more afraid of bringing one into my house with my little butthead alpha female dog with no fear. This little dummy would take on a Pit on a suicide mission to herd them.


The funniest thing when I still had Fish with me is that everyone would say he was so adorable and ask what breed he was. And I lived in Florida. Also, on the pitbull ban - the apartments (at least) say they ban them, but then they let everyone bring them in. It's kind of ridiculous. They just say they don't on paper but if you call it a mixed breed, they don't care. 

 

My new service dog trainee is mostly pit and staffie, and no one ever knows what breed he is either. People are so afraid of them but then can't even identify them  by sight. 

lysis10
Community Member


Amanda L wrote:

Jennifer M wrote:

Amanda L wrote:


Now we all know who is the boss of Jen M! With her fancy dog food! 


I wanted a Rottweiler too but in Florida Rotties and Pits are banned everywhere, so there is a good chance of getting rejected by an HOA for the type of dog you have.

 

Georgia HOAs seem to be more open. There are pits everywhere, but I hear the shelters are filled with a lot of pits. That breaks my heart.

 

I have to admit Pits scare me because of the stories I read. I will run up to any dog when I'm walking and pet them. One of the Rottie owners laughed when I came up to this adorable Rottweiler and pet her. The owner said that most people are afraid, but not me. lol I am more afraid of bringing one into my house with my little butthead alpha female dog with no fear. This little dummy would take on a Pit on a suicide mission to herd them.


The funniest thing when I still had Fish with me is that everyone would say he was so adorable and ask what breed he was. And I lived in Florida. Also, on the pitbull ban - the apartments (at least) say they ban them, but then they let everyone bring them in. It's kind of ridiculous. They just say they don't on paper but if you call it a mixed breed, they don't care. 

 

My new service dog trainee is mostly pit and staffie, and no one ever knows what breed he is either. People are so afraid of them but then can't even identify them  by sight. 


That was my experience with apartment HOAs as well. They said they didn't allow Pits, but then if someone had one they weren't kicked out. I was too afraid to play that game. I really wanted a Rottweiler though. I might get one as my next dog since Georgia doesn't seem to care too much about what dog breed you have.

 

It's nice to read some good stories about Pits. There are some scary ones out there. I have a 4 year old niece who is used to big dogs. She has a German Shepherd that sits in her room with her and lets her do whatever she wants to him. We think he might have been abused by men. He was left in a shed where he had tied his leash around his foot and almost lost his foot. He has like half a foot. The dog does not like men *at all*. but will let women do whatever they want around him. They have to tranquilize him if the vet is male. It's very strange. He is only friendly with women but can get very aggressive with men.

Pits are great dogs, you have to keep them socialized and used to other people and dogs.  If they become unsoicalized they can be weird.  They are the clowns of the dog world, super goofy and playful.


Julie J wrote:

Pits are great dogs, you have to keep them socialized and used to other people and dogs.  If they become unsoicalized they can be weird.  They are the clowns of the dog world, super goofy and playful.


OMG, TOTAL CLOWNS! Andy, my pit/staffie/golden/basset mix (yes) mostly pit and staffie, but he is an absolute clown. And he knows it too. He knows doing silly things makes people smile at him, so he yucks it up. 

 

At our last agility competition he decided to lay down in the middle of the ring, roll on his back, and then sit up and let out a loud AROOO! at me. The audience was rolling in laughter. I was not quite so pleased. 

That must have been so funny.  I'm always amazed at people who do agility,  such patience and so rewarding when they get it.

 

Panda would half hang out the car window and entertain the masses with her giant smile and zest for life.  People would stop on the street and laugh or talk to her from their cars.

 

Her mission was making humans happy. 

I'm taking a weekend off to enjoy my other hobby, dog agility. I run two dogs, my border collie, Astro, and Andy, my pitbull-golden-basset mix.

We just finished day 1. Of course Astro, who has been doing this for years is having a great trial (although he's been forgetting who's the boss on the course a bit, maybe hes had too much bacon lately). But the real triumph has been Andy's performance today. It's his third trial, and he's been very challenged to get the hang of competing and actually finishing a course without being eliminated from the run entirely.

But today Andy gor two Qs and 1st place runs! (Q means clean run; in NADAC it's more coveted than 1st place unless it's a regional or world champs). He got his first ever clean run today after having two full trials of Es (runs where he was eliminated and got no score - you get Es for training in the ring or pooping in the ring, yup, it's happened, or if they are jumping on you in the ring, yeah, he's done that too.)

But today he decided to play the game and I was SO proud of him. Of course these awards are in the very beginner, pre-novice Intro class, which is very easy and short. It was a class created some years ago to get younger dogs used to trialing.

We have one more day to go and I'm sure he'll do great again. And I certainly hope so because we like purple ribbons!

petra_r
Community Member

That picture is so cute, Amanda! I always used to think if you are serious about agility you have to have a Border, but I've seen all sorts do well, even at the highest level, Crufts etc.


Jen, I like Rotties (they originate from Rottweil, just up the road from where I grew up) but like most giant dogs they just don't last. 7 or 8, maybe 9 years...

 

 

a_lipsey
Community Member

Border collies, aussies, labs, other herding breeds and sporting breeds tend to do well. But any dog with drive and training can do it. Andy could actually be quite good if he can just get the hang of competing. Being at a trial, handling the stress, handling the pace of the day, it's a challenge for dogs (although it never bothered Astro who nailed his first ever trial, lol).

Astro will finish his champion agility title, but I won't pursue AKC with him since he's one of the oldest dogs in the veteran (senior dog) class. I really want to go all the way to a world team with a dog at some point in life. Not sure if that dog is Andy. Andy is pretty unique and has serious speed, if I can train him to use it. We got a glimpse of some of that speed today, but I've seen him put it into 5th gear and out run dogs that he has no business outrunning. He has a unique frame and genetic makeup that I think could work in his favor.

But when Astro is done I will likely go with another border collie. I love the breed, but unlike many agility handlers, I will adopt a rescue border collie. I would love a well bred puppy, but Astro was a rescue, 100% BC, and an amazing agility dog. I might have to go back to Montana to get a rescued BC, but I would do it in a heartbeat.

Besides, a trip to Montana, and maybe throw in a trial up there along with a new rescue pupper, that would be awesome. And of course it's not like I have to ask for time off!

I'm sorry. I must have stumbled into the ladies' room by mistake. Pardon me.

 

 


Anthony H wrote:

I'm sorry. I must have stumbled into the ladies' room by mistake. Pardon me.

 

 


No problem, now you know what ladies talk about when they go to the bathroom together. Dogs. Not guys, no, dogs. Always.

The war was a first wife, 

Somebody's blunder.

Who was right, who lost,

Held no interest.
The dog on top

Was as bad as the dog under.

 

 

Or something like that.

01d6f887
Community Member

Such a beautiful article 

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