Deer & Dogs

[skent]

Lab Puppies. . . . .Best dog we ever had around children. We have a Black lab, about 6 years old now. She had a litter of 14 puppies, father was golden retriever. Pups are 6 months old now. Some were yellow labs, some were black labs. Truely a devoted family dog. All they want is attention.
Good choice!

Steve

 

[Billc]

Some really good stories.

My wife loves anything with fur. We have lots of strays around our place. People drop stuff (dogs, cats, pot belly pigs, etc) off on our road all the time. I won't let my wife take any strays in, I know we'd end up with a zoo. We also have coyotes around. Most are half breeds.

Anyway, all was going well until our neighbor's dog attacked our 8 lb. ****zu (spelling). ****zu is a Japanese word meaning: Critter with big bug eyes and a large wang on a tiny body. We don't have kids, so this dog is my wife's baby. After the attack all bets were off. She said for me to shoot anything that didn't have a colar.

I get really angry at the city people who buy a cute pup for the kids, then the cute pup grows to 80 lbs or so and is tied up in the back yard alone. Finally they carry their dog into the country and let it go thinking people out here will take care of it.

Yea, I get to take care of the strays, but I sure don't like it.

Bill Cook

 

[Boondox]

We get that all the time in our work with golden retriever rescue. Folks buy that cute little golden pup in the pet store, knowing nothing about the bad breeding and terrible conditions in many puppy mills. They can't understand why the dog develops health and aggression problems, or simply know nothing about dogs' needs and wind up with an out of control youngster. Typically the adolescent dog winds up in the back yard with little or no care. Once we actually took in a golden that had been kept in a basement for three years!

The most difficult part of rescue is being nice to the jerks who abuse or neglect the dogs...at least long enough to get their signatures on the surrender form!

Check out the rescue page on our Web site.

Pete in Dog Paradise

www.GatewayToVermont.com

 

[skent]

The thing I found with Golden Retrivers is the 6 month to 18 month range. It's the time their body grows faster than their coordination. The are very active, and very active, and did I say very active? But let me tell you, It's well worth tolerating their "activity" during that period, because once they grow out of it (around 2 years old) they are THE most devoted family breed around. Hard to fing a more forgiving and loyal dog.

Steve

 

[M. Sullivan]

You did the right thing imo. The fact they were there (either by design or as escapee's) shows the possibility for a repeat (16 miles is WAY too far). Also, in that they tore into the deer shows their propensity to do so in general (again, imo). I had a great dog (Akita) that would chase them all day, but never attack--only in it for the exercise... Finally, the fact that you were unable to seperate them labels them flat-out dangerous imo. You did your neighbors, their livestock, pets and kids a favor.

 

[JOR_EL]

Interesting thread.

Brings to mind that hallway-attack/death of the young woman in SF, ...as a prime example of people ignoring their responsibility re. ownership of potentially-dangerous animals(dogs)! When people get that "MY DOG can/will do-no-wrong!" mentality, it's time for them BOTH to go.

Larry

 

[skent]

Agreed!

I'm ALWAYS telling my kids (when they play with the labs) to always remember it is an animal and is not always capable of communication!

Steve

 

[MarkV]

Jag,

I am glad you started this thread. I have the same situation going on at our place, in the mountains, in N. Georgia. There have been a couple of hounds running deer the last few weeks. I can tell the dogs have collars but have not gotten close enough to see who owns them. The deer seem to be holding there own, but I worry about my dogs getting into it with these hunting dogs. Our dogs are city dogs and I don't think they would stand a chance against these country hunting dogs. Our dogs are family, to us, and I would do what ever I had to to protect them. Just hope I don't have to. Let us know what happens.

MarkV

 

[Jag]

Mark, like I said here in Arkansas it is illegal to run dogs this time of year. You need to ckeck with the state game and fish department. At least call the local game warden and let him know that you are having problems. I get to talk to my local officer about once a month and he has keys to get into all the gates on my property. Hope they can help...

 

[Boondox]

Reading between the lines it sounds to me like the dead dog showed some aggression toward you...and that you feared for your personal safety. Might make a world of difference in the legal world, though I'm no lawyer.

Pete

www.GatewayToVermont.com