Actually, I'm probably the weakest person around. I think any harm done would be to me and not to the dog. I don't harm lives. Even if they may scare me. I use to work for a local rescue company, cats and dogs. And even though the dogs scared me, I helped to rescue them from the streets. They scare me, sometimes. And I don't have good stories when it comes to dogs sometimes. But I wouldn't cause them harm. I enjoy their presence to a certain level. But wouldn't harm them. Or any animal. There is no honor in that.
Okay, that's good. Paranoia abated! We're friends now. Sorry 'bout that. :] But yeah, some dogs are just...crazy. I remember as a child there was an evil little dog that kept nipping at my heels whenever I visited a friend's house. It got so bad that I actually told my friend's mother to just take me home early, that I couldn't stand that dog. I came back a month later, and the dog was gone. Not to be seen at all, wasn't even out back! Sometimes I wonder if I made them do something I didn't want them to do.
Dogs I've had Golden retriever Chocolate lab (about 140 pounds WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYYYY over weight but we where giving her like that) Basset hound (love their holw Beagle Short legs enough said Chihuahuas a heck of a lot of them Mastive: Can weigh more then a full grown man AND be tallar they are basicly small horses one problem with them is form what i see and owned they tend to think they are small dogs and want to play by jumping which is follow by broken ribs But the are big loveable Dogs and most seem to love kids and gaurd them but if they get hyper.... there is no stoping them
I do admit. Bad dog, no bad owner. And so with that said, I never always blame the dog. I always try to interpret their environment. And whom may have raised them. I interpret the dog about whom its surrounded by, what kind of people, and why it behaves the way it behaves. It is not always the animal to blame. But the environment that influences them.
I've had a grand total of: 1 Golden Retriever (Female) 1 Fox Terrier (Female) 1 Beagle-Terrier Mix (Male) 1 Black Lab Mix (Female)[ When I have my own house, I plan on having two cocker spaniels. =3
I've met very few dogs I didn't like. I wish I could say the same of people. And no, I'm not misanthropic. I just really, really get along well with dogs.
I'm the same exact way, Cogito. I'm more comfortable around dogs than people, and I'm not misanthropic either. I'm a very reclusive introvert.
Breed isn't important to me. I love all animals, any breed or species. Of course I'm only human so I admit that there are some animals I find particularly stunning, but I adore any and all of them. (Anything with four or less legs anyways... I'm afraid of things with more than four legs. ) Just wanted to add, not that I assume anyone's interested, but: My very first full length story, which I wrote when I was nine years old, was about a Border Collie named Domino. Hence my user name. Always been an animal lover. Always will be. No matter how much stress they put me through. lol.
I had an extra roommate in college. My roommate Howie acquired a dog, a Great Dane named Bruce. Bruce took up more space in the room than the other two of us put together.
Just a note, Irish Wolfhounds are by breed standard bigger, though the world's tallest dog was a Great Dane. I have a really big German Shepherd/Malamute mix. I got him for free from some farmer whose priced German Shepherd had been violated by a pesky mutt (was a pure breed though). Apparently the Malamute had torn down his kitchen door to get to his dog.
Great Danes are huge dogs, but mostly in height. They are lighter and more slender than other large breed dogs though. My friend's Great Danes are taller than my Saint Bernards but my Saints have much bigger heads and bodies and weigh a lot more. My female Saint is 2 years old and weighs about 150 pounds. My male Saint weighs about 135 right now but he's only a year old and still growing. I used to have a third Saint, named Tobias, and he weighed 200 pounds. He was huge but a complete sweetheart and loved kids. He looked just like the Saint from the Beethoven movies. I was devastated when he passed away last year. Saint Bernards are often called gentle giants and it's definitely true. I always advise people looking to get a dog to do LOTS of research on any breed they are considering. I love all dogs but every breed has different basic traits and needs. It's important to pick a dog that you like but that also matches your personality and lifestyle. Many problem dogs are that way, not because an owner or the dog is deliberately bad, but because the owner is not a good match with that particular type of dog, which leads to frustration on both sides. Large breed dogs are beautiful and have wonderful personalities but they are also a lot of work, very expensive to care for, both daily care and medical care, and they are also prone to health issues. It breaks my heart that so many wonderful dogs end up in shelters because owners didn't take the time to make the right choice when getting them in the first place. Taking on a pet is, or should be, a lifelong commitment.
I don't think Cocker Spaniels could be classified as big, but I've seen small ones and then more...medium sized ones. Overall, though, I think they're fairly small. Especially in comparison to dogs like Great Danes. Officially, I think Saint Bernards are technically classified as the largest dogs, based on a combination of weight and height. But apparently the world record largest dog is an English Mastiff. I would totally want a Saint Bernard if they were less hairy. They seem like such sweethearts.
When I was little, my folks had a Great Dane crossed with a Laborador. Size of the Great Dane, personality of the lab. Hilarious animal.
I have the hairy ones, which are called rough coats. They do shed a lot, all year round, and they blow their coats twice a year. And yes, they are absolute sweethearts. But there are Saint Bernards that don't have all that fur. They are called smooth coats. Their fur is shorter and sleeker. They still shed, but it's not as bad. They all drool though.There are ones that are bred to be dry mouth but they aren't completely dry. They just drool a little less than the regular ones. They still drool. My female is a dry mouth and my male is not.
Goldens are great. They never lose that puppy joy for life, and are smart and loyal. And they shine beautifully if their fur is hand rubbed continually. You can always tell a Golden who is loved.
A few friends of my family's used to have goldens (they've since passed away) and they're so friendly and amazing with kids. My younger siblings always loved being around them, they were so gentle.
This is my baby: Her name is Sugar. She's a boxer, and possibly the best little girl on the planet. She is six years old; we brought her home as my dad's father's day present. But don't let that fool you --she is my dog! I picked her out by myself when I was fourteen, and she slept in my room. I don't even have a room at the house anymore (well, I do, but I have no furniture in there), and she sleeps with me on the couch now when I'm home. My parents have said that they will always have boxers from this point on. She is the sweetest little girl. The only thing I positively cant stand about college is the fact that I am away from her. I love big, cuddly dogs... I would love to have a Newfoundland one day. Look at this face! Can you really say no to that?? Newfoundlands aren't the tallest dogs, but they are some of the biggest in weight. They can get up to 200 pounds! I just love that they're huge and fluffy! And they like to swim too! And if you're scared of big dogs, never fear! Newfoundlands are considered the gentlest and most kid friendly dog out there. I am also a fan of Great Danes, Rottweilers, Akitas, Great Pyrenees, Mastiffs, and Australian Shepards. I am not a big fan of terriers, but I will gladly adopt a pit bull when I have a home and the money and the lifestyle for it. Anything to get those poor babies out of kill shelters. WELL SAID!
Yay! A dog thread These are my boys... The white one is a male Great Pyrenees named Judgement (10 months old in this pic) who survived parvo (after 1800.00 and a lot of worry and desperation), but has kidney and liver damage from his fight with the illness. The other one is a male Golden Retriever named Drake (3 years old in this pic) who suffers from severe allergies (to everything). Both are absolute delights! Judge, despite his kidney and liver damage has grown to be a massive 38 inches tall at his shoulder and 230 pounds (and he's not fat). To put that in perspective my Golden can walk underneath of Judge's belly without ducking down... at all. To further put his size in perspective... Love my doggehs
Ohh my god, Trish. I'm so in love with those dogs. Also, I'm really glad to hear your doggie survived parvo! Two of my best friends lost dogs they'd had longer than I've known them to parvo, and it was one of the saddest times I've ever gone through with both of them.
A dogless house is pretty grim, I always feel. I have a Patterdale Terrier. An extraordinary temperament. Gentlemanly when with kids and other dogs. Affectionate about the house. Wonderfully boisterous and vigorous when playing or out in the wild. Just perfect.
