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| What I wish for and What I have | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 14 2010, 05:18 AM (81 Views) | |
| TexasCountryGal | Nov 14 2010, 05:18 AM Post #1 |
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I always wanted a Lanseer Newfoundland. I saw one living in Boston in the early 1970s and have been in love with them since. Learned that Nanna in Peter Pan was a Newfoundland and not a St. Bernard. Although I have seen a few Newfies here in Southern Texas, it is really too hot to have them down here. While in college a graduate school drop out that opened a head shop had an Irish Wolfhound. I remember comparing it's size to the guy's ironing board. What a cool dog, and another dog I will never have. To dangerous to have a dog that size that will easily clear a fence chasing a deer out in the country where crazy people shoot anything. Would love to have owned a Bernese Mountain Dog. Outstandingly beautiful animal. Too hot for them down here. I think Anatolian Shepherd Dogs are incredibly beautiful looking dogs and would be perfect to guard our sheep, but would never get one in fear that a neighbor's child might wander onto on our land and the dog attack the child. Lovely looking livestock guardian dog though. As a child we grew up with Boxers. Have always had a least one in my life since I was a toddler. The one in my avatar is Shiro. He is 13 months old, and a handful. He does not really smoke! We also have a German Wirehaired Pointer who came to us through my daughter as an unclaimed stray. Lovely, devoted dog. Would not mind another, but they are rare in Texas and I would have to go to a great deal of trouble to get another. We have an x-city cat, and x-feral cats that were trapped and neutered and are pets now. We have a horse, white ringneck doves, about 100 white homing pigeons, about 100 colored homing pigeons, 19 ewes, 5 rams, 5 hens and 3 French Lops bunnies. We have incredible wildlife all around us! I have been lucky enough to have many dogs and cats in my life. Many Boxers, Goldens, many mutts - strays and many rescued, Peruvian Guinea Pigs, snakes, and uppity eared rabbits and a Lop in the 1970 and 1980s, and many long gone cats. And oh yes, a wonderful horse I bought after my first husband passed years ago. Would love to hear stories about your beloved pets. |
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| goldengal | Nov 14 2010, 06:08 AM Post #2 |
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Mistress, House of Dogs
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Since I have lived in my daughter and son in law's house for the past 6 years, and they got their first dog at that time (sure because Grandma would be here to take care of them when they travel), I consider their dogs mine too. Myself, I have an English Golden Retriever Montana who is a cream/beige colour. I got her 4 months after I moved here in '04 as my Golden Duke died suddenly at 9. Duke was my best friend after my husband died, and now Montana fills that role. The first dog my kids got was Louie a Bernese Mountain Dog, and likely the most 'human' dog I have ever known. Berners (as they call them for short) seem to speak to you with their eyes. Unfortunately, in September of '09 when Louie kept knocking my arm as I was typing, I reached over to pat him and ran my hands down his neck, and knew instantly there was a problem. Turned out he had Lymphoma, and he had chemo until February. They stopped 2 treatments short of what was planned as Louie was becoming suspicious of even going in the car. A month later just after his 6th birthday he was pts as he developed another problem unrelated to the cancer, and was in pain whereas he had not experienced any problem with the chemo. We always said Louie was an old soul as even as a puppy he was so laid back. While he has been gone 7 months now, I am getting choked up as I write about him. In September, 2005 I flew to Vancouver to bring their second dog back. Savannah is a Leonberger. My introduction to the breed was when I had Montana at the vet for something or other and saw a woman with a large puppy about 10 weeks old. At first I thought it might be a German Shepherd, and when I asked she told me a Leonberger. It was knock down gorgeous. I came home and told my son in law they should get one as they were actually thinking of another Berner. He said it sounded too much like a hamburger. laugh123 However, after much research it was decided to get one. Savannah was hell on wheels for the first 3 years, but now at 5 is wonderful. A year and a half ago, they decided they would like a small dog for a change, and hence Harley a Bichon/Poodle mix came to reside in the House of Dogs as I always call our home. He weighs a mere 9 lbs., but is the troublemaker. After the loss of Louie, Savannah and Harley became best friends. It is too cute ...... when you tell them to do something, Harley looks at Savannah as if to say "What do you think ..... should we do it?" Like most small dogs, Harley is the most vocal, and he can jump up so high that he appears to be on a pogo stick. Our arrangement works out great as my daughter and I travel together a lot so my son in law minds Montana when I am gone, and I take care of their 2 when they travel. The years the girls were growing up we had a Collie, and overlapping had an American Cocker Spaniel. Since '84 we have had Golden Retrievers. When we had our first Golden, we had 3 cats, and each Saturday mornng we would take them all to our cottage. Always when it was time to leave Mr. T, the Himalyan, would position himself on top of the kitchen cupboards and refuse to come down. When my kids get another dog, if my daughter has her way it will be a Landseer Newfoundland . However, my son in law has not been able to train a dog the way he did Louie due to a serious moltorcycle accident 4 years ago so for the time being another large dog is out of the question. Great Pyrenees are another great herding/guard dog. I have friends who, over the years, have had 3 Berners, two Pyrs as they call the Great Pyrenees and 3 Goldens. Sometimes I think how nice it would be to have a house with no pet hair, but I think the unconditional love and joy they bring us is worth all the work. Take care, Pat |
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| TexasCountryGal | Nov 14 2010, 10:18 AM Post #3 |
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Super Poster
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Oh My Pat, You are a Lady after my own heart! Large sized, large headed doggies! I was not sure what the English Golden Retriever was, so I looked them up. Best I can tell they are a sturdier, squarer, bit larger Golden than what I have seen as Golden's at dog show. Am I right? I also looked up the Leonberger and totally fell in love. What a beautiful dog! I have only see a couple of Berners and they were at dog shows in Houston, and once at a vet clinic where I worked. They had that look like they would have the intelligence and nature of a good old fashioned mixed breed. So exciting to hear how wonderful Louie was. So sorry you lost him and you Duke at such young ages. Growing up with Boxers in the 1950s and 1960s we were surrounded by family and friends who owned Rough Coated Collies. They were very popular back then too. I rarely see the breed anymore. Their temperament was much like my wonderful Goldens. Such devoted dogs. I do know Texas sheep shepherds that keep Pyrs as livestock guardian dogs. They insist they do fine in our heat. I saw about 8 working Pyrs when we recently bought 3 Dorper sheep. Everyone once in awhile I see ads for Pry pups out of guardian parents. Sometime I may give in and purchase some, but using them as LGDs only would be hard for me. You, of course, know how much I love the Bernies and Landseer Newfies. So jealous you have had had a Bernese Mountain Dog and will be REALLY jealous if ya'll get a Landseer. BUT, I am happy for you, all the same! My last Boxer, My Max, became suddenly sick a little over a year ago. He had been a rescue and was a wonderful Boxer. I had to have him euthanized. I became so depressed that he was gone I started searching on petfinder.com. The day I drove to Houston to look at a rescue Boxer my daughter told me a friend of a friend had Boxer pups and that one was a white. We had a white in the 1890s to early 1990s. Like an idiot, I called the breeder and when I learned the white was a boy, I got in the car and went to see him. I held him for hours. He was too young to take home then, so I had to wait. He is a total hand full, but I love him! Thanks for sharing with me. Maurene |
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| goldengal | Nov 14 2010, 11:27 AM Post #4 |
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Mistress, House of Dogs
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Hi Maurene ...... Yes, the English Goldens have a more boxy head and are more sturdy, but Montana's breeder is striving for smaller Goldens so Montana only weighs 60-65 lbs. Louie weighed 118 and Savannah is currently 113. Louie had a really big head so there was lots to hug, but Savannah has a slimmer face. There is a breeder here in Ontario who is breeding Bernedoodles and mini Bernedoodles. Not quite sure how she arrives at the minis????? She charges a fortune for them and in fact more than the pure bred Berners which her mother breeds. The average life span of a Berner is 7, but more and more are living to 12 and 13 if the dreaded cancer doesn't get them. I had never heard of bloat until we got Louie and I joined the Berner board. It is one thing I live in fear of in case it ever happened on my watch as you only have a limited amount of time to get to the vet once the stomach twists. Leonbergers do not seem to have as many health issues as Berners although that Leo puppy I saw at the vet over 5 years ago died with cancer last year. I enjoy watching the interaction of the dogs. My Montana used to be bad when it came to resource guarding but has improved a lot. Savannah, the Leonberger, is our Miss Congeniality until it comes to welcoming a dog into the house, and then she can be a brat. Even when Montana and I are at the lake a few days and return home, she is nasty to Montana for about 30 seconds and then all is well. Wee Harley has not met a dog or a person he doesn't like. The big dogs did not like him at all in the beginning, but he persisted and once they realized he was here to stay oooh 02 , they gradually came around. Next weekend I will be minding them when my kids go to Cabo sans Lucas for a week, and that's when the fun begins. Last time they were away Harley was sleeping beside me and Montana further down on the bed when Savannah came and got them all up, so thinking she needed out we all went out in the yard. Of course, no one needed to do anything, and Harley being black was so hard to see. I tried to catch him and would just get up to him when he would jump back and head in another direction as little dogs seem prone to do. Take care, Pat |
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