My neighbors dogs

[95XL883]

I don't see why folk want a dog that can be mean anyway. In many places if a burglar enters your home and your dog attacks, the dog will end up put down. Same scenario and you shoot the intruder, there is no issue.

I prefer a "watch dog" over a "guard dog"... My dog has no fence, has no chain, and doesn't even wear a collar. He is as friendly as the day is long, but alerts me to anything going on that shouldn't be. He never lets me out of his sight and goes everywhere I do. It isn't that he is well trained, it is simply in his nature.

Maybe I'm reading too literal. I believe any dog can be mean. Some breeds seem to have a tendency to viciousness but most aren't. Sysop, you are obviously a good owner. Your dog has you as its leader and has learned very well. It has learned that the majority of people are good and that friendliness is a good thing. I appreciate and applaud you for that.

I can think of two types of owners that are bad. The first is ones who train their dogs to be mean. The second is less obvious and is the type I am dealing with. He has a dog capable of being vicious and provides it no leadership. He just feeds it. Left to its own, the dog has grown into a pack leader and hunter with vicious tendencies.

I had an interesting discussion with a dog rescue group on Saturday. They class aggression into four levels, totally non-aggressive, aggressive towards other animals, somewhat aggressive to humans and having demonstrated vicious, uncontrollable aggression to humans. In one rescuer's view, once a dog got into the last level, it is almost beyond salvation and can never be trusted. He has one in that category. It will never be adopted out. He carefully controls its access to other animals and people. When he is around it, he always keeps an eye on it. He believes the dog could turn on him or his wife in a second. He just doesn't have the heart to put it down so basically he acts as its jailer. He treats it well but it is always contained. Using their classification, the boxer/pitt I am dealing with is playing with that last level. Since the owner isn't going to do anything to stop it, I am left with no alternative but to put it down if it doesn't flee at the sight of me on my property.

And yes, my wife and I are considering adopting a rescue dog. We have certain requirements first of which is no viciousness towards humans. We would be very concerned about viciousness towards other animals but have seen my son train his rescued rott/beagle to be submissive to their cat. (I thought that would never happen but can now see that his rescue has consistently shown a desire to please its people.) Like Sysop, our dog will almost always be in our company. It will be a cherished family member, not some creature locked outside, thrown food and left to roam.

 

[TomSeller]

Wow, what a different culture.

In Minnesota any dog running game is bad news.
.

Sheriff here says to shoot the dog and give him the collar. He then visits the owner and explains life's consequences to them and he doesn't disclose where the dog was killed. Very effective, my dog problems are very few and far between now. I saw some tracks last year in the mud at a watering tank, but no spooked cows or jail breaks. It is not fair that a dog has to pay for it's owner's transgressions, but it is also not fair that a dog kills livestock for fun, then goes home to sleep at its negligent owner's feet to be let loose the next morning. What do they think these dogs do all day?

 

[TomSeller]

. We would be very concerned about viciousness towards other animals but have seen my son train his rescued rott/beagle to be submissive to their cat. (I thought that would never happen but can now see that his rescue has consistently shown a desire to please its people.) Like Sysop, our dog will almost always be in our company. It will be a cherished family member, not some creature locked outside, thrown food and left to roam.

Exactly. Most dogs need a leader of the pack and that is a responsible human. The same dog can be a cherished family member or a neighborhood terror. It depends on the human mostly.

 

[jlgurr]

Continue calling the police out to their house until the dog attacks the cop and he shoots it.

A local story where someone did just as you suggested. Thankfully no one was hurt but the "Oh, he was a good dog" garbage makes me sick. Trying to blame a respected police officer too. Pet owners need to keep their pets to themselves for their own safety as well as neighbors.

Family dog shot by officer in Spindale neighborhood | The Daily Courier

It's been said here many times already, a fighting breed has the tendency in it regardless of the puppy like demeanor. First time it gets it's hackles up on someone then it's days should be numbered. Also, like others stated here, I will *NOT* be intimidated by any animal on my property, especially one of a type known for it's aggressiveness. Why in the world a "family" would have an aggressive breed for a pet is totally beyond my comprehension.

 

[Sysop]

The same dog can be a cherished family member or a neighborhood terror. It depends on the human mostly.

It's been said here many times already, a fighting breed has the tendency in it regardless of the puppy like demeanor. First time it gets it's hackles up on someone then it's days should be numbered. Also, like others stated here, I will *NOT* be intimidated by any animal on my property, especially one of a type known for it's aggressiveness. Why in the world a "family" would have an aggressive breed for a pet is totally beyond my comprehension.

Everyone should own Wheaten Terriers. In my opinion, they're the best dogs in the world. Very independent and very-much are "man's best friend".

 

[95XL883]

Everyone should own Wheaten Terriers. In my opinion, they're the best dogs in the world. Very independent and very-much are "man's best friend".

Sysop, that tractor is immaculate. And the dog is very well groomed. And the truck is very clean. And the grass is nicely gut. How long did it take you to prep for that picture?

It is very nice picture. Tractor looks good. Looks like a nice dog. Does he run the back hoe? :laughing:

 

[tractorshopper]

I read that story and they say the officer shot the dog in the behind. Well no doubt it may have tried to run after the first three shots which likely missed, then hit it as it fled. I have no issue at all with this. Try pulling a handgun and shooting three times at a leaping dog. You'll probably miss too. I'm glad the officer took care of the problem.

I love dogs and have had plenty of them in my lifetime. But if my dog got killed on someone else's property (whether he seemed to be threatening them or not), that would be my sadness and my problem exclusively. It is the owner's responsibility to care for their pet and if they truly love the animal, they'll make sure it doesn't become a problem for others.

I'm just upset that it actually took the real victims 3 times of calling the police to get it finally taken care of. Once should have been enough and maybe was already was too many.

 

[Sysop]

Sysop, that tractor is immaculate. And the dog is very well groomed. And the truck is very clean. And the grass is nicely gut. How long did it take you to prep for that picture?

It is very nice picture. Tractor looks good. Looks like a nice dog. Does he run the back hoe? :laughing:

Thanks, but in that picture; the tractor was new, the grass around the barn gets cut weekly, and the dog gets shaved monthly during hot weather, so everything was as ready as it could be for a picture without any "extra" effort. The truck really wasn't clean, it doesn't set still long enough for me to wash it, it is my work truck and I drive it about 30,000 miles a year on average... It just doesn't get real dirty very often.

As far as the dog running the hoe, if he had thumbs I'd let him try it... He certainly seems smart enough.

He was my youngest boy's girlfriend's dog originally. She wasn't able to keep him and dogsitting for her ended up making him ours. He was about a year old, didn't even know the word "NO", wouldn't come when called, and most times acted deaf when trying to give him commands. I've came to the conclusion the dog is simply so smart and headstrong, he is going to do what he wants to do. That coupled with the fact she had no time to spend with him, he just simply didn't care to listen.

I work from a home office, but do spend much of my time on the road. When we first started dogsitting, she brought him over with a dog crate which we used when nobody was around. With me being around most often, it was generally me that would let him out and tend to him and keep him out of trouble. It wasn't long before all he wanted to do was follow me around. I started taking him places with me, he'd not try to run off. The more time we spent together, the more he figured out the things I was telling him to do.

Now it is to the point he goes everywhere I go, stays in the truck while I'm on service calls (unless it is too hot out). If he needs to do some business I can pull over at any wide spot along the road and let him out, he'll go tend to his business and come right back to the truck. He wants to ride anything I do. He is commonly laying on the floor of the tractor between my feet sleeping while I am working around the farm.

Everything I've learned about the breed suggests all his behaviors are just the nature of his breed, he is one of man's best friends. I know this one is mine.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but Wheatens really are amazing dogs.

 

[95XL883]

Sysop,

That's a great experience. Thank you for sharing. No apology necessary. It does my heart good to hear good stories as really I am heartbroken as I will probably be the one to put the boxer/pitt down. (Maybe I will get lucky and it will stay off my ground. I'm not counting on it.)

Hopefully the GSD we're looking at will turn it as well your WT experience. Sounds like they have similar backgrounds as in the first year of an owner that didn't spend much time with it.

Thanks again for sharing.

 

[MinnesotaEric]

Maybe I'm reading too literal. I believe any dog can be mean.

Careful: labradors will love you to death.

L--O--V--E Y--O--U

lol