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Maggie’s Man's Best Friend Thread

This thread is the best and simultaneously the hardest to open on the hide. I love to see peoples dogs but I can’t stand to read the pain and sorrow of losing them. It’s one of the biggest sorrows to lose a dog and every time I see that I am reminded that my old man is on his last lap and I’m about to lose the best bud and cow wrangler I ever had. But that day isn’t today, and he’s still getting around so he gets all the human food and scratching he wants. No more cattle though, he got rolled up by a cow on an easy herd job a while back so he’s in full retirement.

I’m seriously thinking about trying to get semen out of him to AI a young female I have. has anyone done this? Don’t know if it’s even a procedure with canines.
 
My best friend for the past 14 years passed away in his sleep last night. 14 years wasn't long enough.


Hades helped me keep my shit together during the divorce. He was always there for me when I came home from a bad day at work. He liked to lay on my office floor and watch me while I work after I started telecommuting. His favorite thing to do was go for rides in the pickup truck, but over the past year, he's been having trouble jumping in and I'd have to help--I'm no spring chicken, and he didn't get as many rides as he used to.

He had been slowing down a lot over the past year, and lately, I noticing his legs trembling when he'd get up from his naps--but he'd always recover quickly and he wanted to do anything at all to please me and be with me. If I went outside, he'd go outside. If I was wrenching on a car or motorcycle, he'd be laying in the shade, just watching me work. When I went for walks around the property, he was always within 3 feet of me--never needed to be leashed, just being a good companion and always on the lookout for snakes.

My gf's granddaughter came over yesterday and he played like he was a puppy again while the 2 y/o sprayed him with the hose. I wish I had taken pictures.

He had a wonderful habit of making the rounds to visit everyone in the house before he went to bed. He got his evening snuggles from everyone in the family and laid down in his kennel around 10 pm last night.....he slept peacefully with the people he loved close by, and he never woke up.



Hades did his job well--he was my friend, my protector, my anchor. He was with me when my wife left. He was with me when my daughter left for college and started living her own life. He was my reason to come home instead of staying out all weekend drinking--or just driving off into the sunset.

He made the house not quite so lonely during the 3 years I was by myself after my life came apart at the seams.

Hades helped me choose my girlfriend--he immediately liked her and that was all it took for me to let down my guard and really let her in. His intuition was right--she's the best person I've ever known.

In 14 years, he never gave me a reason to be angry at him--he didn't chew, didn't roam, and took to his role of protecting the house very seriously. Hades took to his training unbelievably fast--because he wanted to please me. I have never had a smarter dog.




I just buried him at the edge of the pasture under a tree that he liked to lay under......I hope I was as good to him as he was to me.


If you have a dog, give him/her some love. It all comes to an end too soon.


Hades 2008-2022
Sorry for your loss sir
 
It’s very much a procedure as well as freezing semen. We have been interested in the freezing route for our shorthair for future use.
 
has anyone done this? Don’t know if it’s even a procedure with canines.

I haven't done it...but it is very much an industry that is becoming more accessible and widespread. There are even video's on how to collect your dog's ...well. I assume you would rather go to a vet. Start with a call to existing vet - I think "farm/agri" vets have much more experience but today any vet can probably do it with the right equipment.

www.suburbiavet.com › collecting-and-freezing-your-male-dogs-semen

https://adbadog.com › everything-you-need-to-know-about-frozen-semen
 
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More pictures of my vicious guard dog. 🤦‍♂️😂

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Sometimes my brother in law drops off his little dog and we watch him for a couple days. It's always seems to confuse people when walking a pitbull and a 3 lb fluffy dog next to eachother.

Got both of them from rescues. Both are phenomenal dogs. My male turned 10 and the brown female turned 12 this year. We still go for hikes for miles and they still think they are young pups. They are just now starting to slow down and not make it as far as we used to. Don't be afraid to visit your local shelters.
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Sometimes my brother in law drops off his little dog and we watch him for a couple days. It's always seems to confuse people when walking a pitbull and a 3 lb fluffy dog next to eachother.

Got both of them from rescues. Both are phenomenal dogs. My male turned 10 and the brown female turned 12 this year. We still go for hikes for miles and they still think they are young pups. They are just now starting to slow down and not make it as far as we used to. Don't be afraid to visit your local shelters.View attachment 7924173View attachment 7924174
Dude that pit bulls mouth looks like he could swallow a bus in that 2nd pic. Lol. Good looking pups!
 
Here’s my 11 week old female Rhodesian Ridgeback. She’s the first larger house dog I’ve owned. My question to you all who have owned dogs is, is it ever safe from a noise perspective, to take a dog to a gun range and or is there a way to protect their hearing. The last time I had a dogs this size was when I was a kid in the 80’s. They were outdoor only dogs and regularly followed me out when I went to shoot. I had a range on the property. I didn’t think anything about it as they were free to go back to the house if the noise hurt them, but they typically stayed with me.

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Here’s my 11 week old female Rhodesian Ridgeback. She’s the first larger house dog I’ve owned. My question to you all who have owned dogs is, is it ever safe from a noise perspective, to take a dog to a gun range and or is there a way to protect their hearing. The last time I had a dogs this size was when I was a kid in the 80’s. They were outdoor only dogs and regularly followed me out when I went to shoot. I had a range on the property. I didn’t think anything about it as they were free to go back to the house if the noise hurt them, but they typically stayed with me.

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I would take the dog somewhere outside where the concussion won't be as bad as indoors. You can also start with the dog a good bit away from the shooter. After he gets acclimated, you can move him closer until the dog is standing next to the shooter. Take your time, no reason the rush it.
 
I would suggest NOT taking your dog to the gun range.
Taking dogs out hunting is very different in how the sound propagates and the attention and such.
If you are training them to be dogs you go hunting with then, replicate more the outdoors where you are only going to have a shot or two at a time and usually a fair bit away from where the dog will be.

That being said, she is a nice looking puppy.
Around the 2 year mark with plenty of regular running you'll be amazed at how fast those dogs can go when they are after something and they get all four legs off the ground at once mid stride.
 
Here’s my 11 week old female Rhodesian Ridgeback. She’s the first larger house dog I’ve owned. My question to you all who have owned dogs is, is it ever safe from a noise perspective, to take a dog to a gun range and or is there a way to protect their hearing. The last time I had a dogs this size was when I was a kid in the 80’s. They were outdoor only dogs and regularly followed me out when I went to shoot. I had a range on the property. I didn’t think anything about it as they were free to go back to the house if the noise hurt them, but they typically stayed with me.

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Gotta introduce her with a name please...
 
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Thats kind of what I’m thinking, don’t rush it. I definitely do not want to cause any trauma at this young stage. She’s a wonderful dog. She runs off leash with me now once we hit the wooded trails. I keep her on leash when in the neighborhood. At this point, I’ve only gone two miles at a time with her as they say you shouldn’t run pups too much. Shoot, this girl loves running and she all out sprints home once we get on our street. She’s going to keep me in shape! I can’t figure out how to post a video here, but I have a funny video of her going after a large stuffed zebra my step daughter was dragging around. She goes for the rear foot or hind quarters first, then when my step daughter drops it, she goes right for the neck and then clamps her jaws around the snout. This dog has defiantly got some African hunting genes in her!
 
She goes for the rear foot or hind quarters first, then when my step daughter drops it, she goes right for the neck and then clamps her jaws around the snout.

Thats exactly how lions hunt and kill!
 
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Yep don't run them too long and hard as a puppy, let them work up to it as they get older.
You'll notice a big difference once they are in the 1-2 year time stretch.
 
I get home after a 2 mile jog/run with her, half of which is in the woods, and she’s like, “Your done already”?!?! I don’t want to mess up her joints, so I’m definitely not going longer until she gets older.
 
I'm trying to remember how we trained our black labs. First was to heel and stay, throw a decoy and teach only to retrieve on command. Once they got this down we would take them out on the property and get them used to the shot gun blast. I can't remember how dad did it? Then put the two together throw the decoy fire the gun, then they would only retrieve on command. This was for duck hunting.
My last two dogs (pit bulls) are scared of thunder, but then they were homeless rescue dogs. Great looking dog!
Good luck, you'll have a buddy for life! (y)
 
Thats exactly how lions hunts and kill!

Her actions, including the way she walks, reminds us of lions. I know they were bread to hunt lions, but I never expected them to act like lions. When you watch her walk from behind, her plodding along movements look just like a lion. It’s interesting. Her instincts are predator/lion like as well. She will play with other dogs well when we are on a walk with her, but about 30-60 seconds into it, her countenance changes, you can see it if you pay attention, then she starts “hunting” the other dog and trying to figure out how to take it down. It’s exactly like that scene from the first Madagascar movie where the lion, all of a sudden, sees all the Lemurs as a steak instead of a Lemur. Call of the wild on the end of a leash, except she’s a silent stocker, no sound, and very focused.
 
Her actions, including the way she walks, reminds us of lions. I know they were bread to hunt lions, but I never expected them to act like lions. When you watch her walk from behind, her plodding along movements look just like a lion. It’s interesting. Her instincts are predator/lion like as well. She will play with other dogs well when we are on a walk with her, but about 30-60 seconds into it, her countenance changes, you can see it if you pay attention, then she starts “hunting” the other dog and trying to figure out how to take it down. It’s exactly like that scene from the first Madagascar movie where the lion, all of a sudden, sees all the Lemurs as a steak instead of a Lemur. Call of the wild on the end of a leash, except she’s a silent stocker, no sound, and very focused.

They tend not to be excessive barkers and are almost silent when actually hunting something.
They will bark to warn you of things or if something is out of the normal as well as to talk to you, get your attention and then also bark at other dogs.

A lot of different breeds were put together to make that breed, including native African breeds.

If you take the time to socialize her around humans a lot, you'll find she is very safe around humans, unless they look or act sketchy.
You pretty much just have to introduce her once to guests and then she'll be fine with them.
 
Hunting, your dog gets exposed to one, maybe two shots. The range consists of many repeating shots. Leave him home or in the truck when going to the range.
 
I have had some form of hound since I could walk. We always start them out around .22s and when they are comfortable with that move to something like 410. Give them some treats as your shooting to take their mind off it.

Had a weimaraner we used for doves and there's a lot of shooting going on and never fazed him, he loved guns. Was shooting a braked gun one day and he got through his fence. I didn't see him and he came up beside as I shot, really ruined his hearing but never even flinched.

He loved being around it but I would be leary of taking one to a public range.

Here's a pic of him hanging out by a suppressed gun. Been gone a year and still miss him.
 

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Here’s my 11 week old female Rhodesian Ridgeback. She’s the first larger house dog I’ve owned. My question to you all who have owned dogs is, is it ever safe from a noise perspective, to take a dog to a gun range and or is there a way to protect their hearing. The last time I had a dogs this size was when I was a kid in the 80’s. They were outdoor only dogs and regularly followed me out when I went to shoot. I had a range on the property. I didn’t think anything about it as they were free to go back to the house if the noise hurt them, but they typically stayed with me.

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100% do not take her to a gun range. Send me a pm and we can discuss a lot of details of what it takes to end up with a dog that’s good with gunfire. It’s a very intricate process coming from someone who has raised many bird dogs and someone dealing with breads who typically enjoy gun fire and it’s still a process. I’ll be happy to help you privately if you like.
 
Isn't 11 weeks too young to be doing 2 mile runs??? I thought 6 months at the earliest, 8 months for larger breeds?
 
Possibly, I’m not sure what breeds that applies too, but this girl loves to run and two miles doesn’t even fatigue her in any way. That’s a good question for sure. I need to dig into it a bit more with this breed, but if desire and ability are any indication, two miles is a walk in the park for her. I’m the limiting factor, not her.
 
Possibly, I’m not sure what breeds that applies too, but this girl loves to run and two miles doesn’t even fatigue her in any way. That’s a good question for sure. I need to dig into it a bit more with this breed, but if desire and ability are any indication, two miles is a walk in the park for her. I’m the limiting factor, not her.
Talk to your vet. Their joints are all loosie goosie at that age. Too much running and jumping isn’t good for development.
 
I’ll chat with the vet, I definitely don’t want to mess up her joints. She’s a high energy dog. If she doesn’t get exercised she goes nuts in the house. A little exercise and she’s cool as a cucumber.
 
Here’s my 11 week old female Rhodesian Ridgeback. She’s the first larger house dog I’ve owned. My question to you all who have owned dogs is, is it ever safe from a noise perspective, to take a dog to a gun range and or is there a way to protect their hearing. The last time I had a dogs this size was when I was a kid in the 80’s. They were outdoor only dogs and regularly followed me out when I went to shoot. I had a range on the property. I didn’t think anything about it as they were free to go back to the house if the noise hurt them, but they typically stayed with me.

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I used to take my dog with me to range all the time. Unfortunately, she's gotten to the point she can't take the high heat and humidity like she once could. I will have to add that any time she went, i was shooting with a suppressor.
I've seen these used on some working dogs:
 
My current two friends, both are corgi-aussie mixes. One is corgi and blue heeler and the other is corgi and mini aussie shepherd. Surprisingly high body counts on both of them...
 

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Another picture of my goofball. He had a seizure last night, it's the first one since May when we started him on phenobarbital. He was having them once a month before the meds. He's gained some weight since he started the medication so I'm gonna have to put him on a diet and get him some more exercise. Poor little guy can't catch a break
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It seems the only thing big government seems to do better than private enterprise is waste money. Inefficiency seems to be the cornerstone. Executive outcomes showed that even the military was done better in smaller, bite-sized pieces. Decentralization is a good word for many things.