I see the need to start a dog topic. We have done this before, of course, but there were so few of us then. I moved some of Indy's photos here to get things started:




(Indy's Mom said.....)

That\'s Caleb, my 5 yr old. The second one is him on top of a horse trailer. He climbed a ladder to get up there. These dogs tend to have superior nerve strength and better structure for these kinds of physical feats. I live in Oswego, IL, but I grew up in Naperville which I think you may have heard of. About 45mins SW of Chicago. And yep, I\'m thirty.

I like to do military-style agility w/them (more because of the mental benefits and increased stability than any other reason) and Personal Protection, although Caleb is the only one at this point who I would trust in a hairy situation. My others are too young (1.5 and 1).

....and here also is "Rebel". Who belongs to twhboss and is celebrating a BIRTHDAY.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY REBEL!!!

In honor of Rebel's 16th birthday, here's a little music to celebrate.

This is James Taylor singing "Ole Blue", my favorite DOG SONG....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BdeO9nwz7w

That was great Smitty! Rebel really liked it!

OH GOODY - now I know that I have finally found my niche - old people, horses, food & dogs!

Thanks, Grits, Bubbadog and twhboss. Yes, I love Caleb's eyes. Eyes say a lot about an animal, IMO. He was quite a trial as a young dog, but I'm so glad I kept him. He is sooo stable and is scary-smart, which is sometimes not a good thing. He will get out of anything you put him in; he uses garage door openers, opens crates, and I swear to God that dog understands English. I do think part of his, um, oddness is the way I raised him. Temperament is largely genetic, but I think you can mold a puppy's cognitive skills by different training methods. I always talked to him as if he understood me, and he seemed to rise to the occasion. More than once I asked him to do something bizarre and people around me were shocked by his instant understanding. I think dogs are capable of SO much more than we give them credit for. They absolutely CAN and DO think; it's not all pure instinctual reaction.

I'm not sure you guys really want me to get started on my dogs though! I tend to get carried away. I am obsessed.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your 16yr old GSP, twhboss!!!

Here's a pic of my 5mo old w/my friend. This was his first time up this high:
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d33/Jenwilliams918/dogs627050.jpg
http://www.scoutk9.com/index.html
This is our website if anyone's interested.



This is Indy and Caleb the day I got Indy.

Indy's Mom - Honey you are a girl after my heart. I have been obsessed with dogs for over half a century - I was named after a dog, daddy was a field trial judge, my children used to introduce my dogs and me as "This is my mom and these are her friends". The first (yes there was more than one) shrink that my mama sent me to when I was 13 gave them the diagnosis that I related to dogs better than humans. So GO ON - obsess! I'm right there with you!

I think we're all obsessed with dogs. They truly are our best friends, without any strings attached!

Here's some photos of my brother's dog Raleigh. She really belongs to our whole family, as she spends time with all of us at our homes. She's very sweet, obedient and smart, like most Labs, and loves to swim and FISH! She gets quite excited when one is caught. She has gone swimming in most of the lakes here in Kentucky and has also swam in the Gulf Of Mexico. Her swimming resume is quite impressive, although I'm afraid her days in the water are drawing to a close.

We have three cats, no dogs, although I had a dog when I was a kid. He was a Jack or a chihuahua marked like a jack. I picked him out for his facial markings a white stripe between his eyes and named him Blaze. Yes, he was a substitute for a pony.

I do love to watch The Dog Whisperer. I think that's the best self-help show on TV. Better'n Oprah.

Rambler honey, you need to let me hook you up with a dog!
I have long been a Cesar fan as far as I am concerned he brings a much needed common sense approach to living with dogs.

Here's a dog sold to a new owner by our good friend Mason. She has been showing her with much success.



Mason said....

"The Ruby dog belongs to a Lady in Alaska (NOT SARAH) I sent her to her last yr. She has deposits here now for two more. She has won three Shows so far with Ruby even placing over OLDER dogs in Best of breed. This is the ONLY person I know of who is showing any of my Border Terriers...and really I wouldnt fool with all that ••••.
I did sell Mark O'Conners wife a dog. I sold Wynona Judd two dogs one she gave to Ashley, that Ashley gave Micheal Bolton....... must of been a sorry dog they all kept giving it away. She named one dog EMMY LOU.
Sold Tim Mcgraw 2 dogs...one rides (or did) the bus and is called ROADIE. Sold Tony Brown 2 dogs (Producer and WAY back played with Elvis) Sold Tandy Rice a dog (Talent) I have sold others to other Nashville music folks but dont remember their names ...actually some I didnt even know who they were..song writers, & etc.

All the above and aprox $1:25 cents will buy you a cup of coffee in SHELL-vull be SURE to put that on there!!"

Thanks, bubbadog. My big orange cat with the thumbs acts like a dog. Except he uses a litter box.

He runs to meet the pizza guy.
He cuddles.
He whimpers when I'm distracted (like now.)
He plays in the toilet.
Drinks from said toilet.
Runs to meet the doorbell.
Plays fetch.
Chases cats (our other cats.)
Chews wood (he used to wake us up by chewing on the windowsills.)
Chews anything (to get attention.)
He's the alpha. Thanks to Cesar, Rod and I have learned to be pack leaders with cats.
He weighs about 13 pounds (the cat, not Rod).

I have a Border Terrier, too!! And a Pug, an American Field Pointer, and 3 German Shorthaired Pointers, 2 cats, and 4 horses. Hmm.....I used to think my kids cost alot of money! OH! And a husband, too! He's like having another kid.....

I was named after a Pointer - at the time it was my daddy's favorite dog - he had just won a national futurity with her when I was born - so it was actually a compliment to be named after a "good" dog. During my dog show days, I showed pointers for a while - a short while - they are sweet pretty dogs, but a little slow on the uptake for me.
Now those border terriers - they are a different story - smart dogs - been trying to get mason to give me one of his culls, but he won't. I had an "accident" with a brussels griffon and broken coat jrt and they came out looking just like border terriers.

Bubbadog,

My dad raised Pointers & Setters when I was a kid. He still has a few. Used them mostly for quail & grouse hunting. He did have one highly-bred pointer named Rex, but he wasn't into showing them. He did the field trial thing for a while as well, but not on horseback.

I got a Chihuahua and he's Daddy's little boy

Are u gonna take him to see "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" ??

E honey I can just see you with your chi-hoo-a-hoo-a. I bet you talk to him don't you? What's his name?
Smitty, my daddy would have turned up his nose at my conformation Pointers - if they couldn't run big he didn't have much use for them. He was always at a field trial in the fall and winter and then at the horse shows in the summer. He had some really good dogs. And in one of the pictures taken at Dixie Plantation, I think one of the roan horses could be a horse named George that he gave Mrs Livingston - looks just like him anyway. He was the perfect field trial horse. Daddy and Jimmy Black's daddy brought him back from Shelbyville. He was pulling a wagon around Shelbyville and they claimed that they traded some watermelons for him.
They used to go to Tennessee in a big old truck full of watermelons - they would come home with the truck full of horses.

Bubbadog
His name be Smokey, you know i talk to him and he make's me do what ever he wants me to do, swear they are smarter than most folks

I have an English Toy Spaniel...Just lost my Cavalier Spaniel last year at the age of 16.
We also have Jackie our Blue Tick....She is in all the Tennessee prints.
I also have a parrot....Lucy.
I'm trying to talk Bill into a dog for my birthday but I'm not making in progress.

Just get another dog that looks like the one you have. For a couple of weeks try not to have them in the same room. By the time he notices there are two, it will be too late! Sneaky I know, but it works.

Connie, TWH Boss is right. I have been bringing home various and sundry rescue dogs for so long that I have developed methods of keeping them "blended in" until they have been there a while so that it is not a big deal. And if it does happen to be a big deal - just say - "I promise he/she won't be here long. I'm just looking for a home."
Bill Bobo won't mind if you get you a dog - what kind you want me to send north? Want a cute little blue long hair dachshund puppy?

CB, I have an African Grey Parrot named Tobyann what a card she is...
Bubbadog, do you ever get your hands on a english bulldog you know like the marine mascot, my brother wants one so bad but they are sooo expensive. I have 2 strays that the hunters left behind they are the best dogs I have ever owned. I wonder how many I will have at the end of this hunting season...

The Bulldogs are a breed in trouble. Their recent rise in popularity has spurred irresponsible breeding and even more health problems for this already compromised breed. They are so expensive here that buyers are importing even more inferior specimens from the Ukraine and Russia. They are a MESS! Heart problems are a monumental problem, in addition to issues with eyes, skin. the deformed cork screw tails not to mention structural defects. Yet they continue to be in demand. I have had a couple to come my way and I never know from one day to the next what I will be "blessed"? with. I think that if your brother did some research on the expense that comes with the bulldogs, he may just change his mind. But if one should come my way, I'll surely let you know.
Sunday is the day that I barely leave the bed - after working 6 days, this old hag is wo out. My dogs went nuts earlier and when I went to check on the source, it turned out to be a purebred chocolate lab puppy. I sure hope that the owners are looking for it - no collar or tags. Another day another dog!

LOL...yeah right...I'm sure he wouldn't notice.
We have 3 blueticks and he told me I could just have one of those.....I thought I already owned them.


Grits....Lucy is a Sun Conure...She says, Bill and Momma. A few other mimics but that's about it.
My Granddaughter named her Lucy because her head is red.
I bet your Grey really talks...I have heard they are the best talkers.