Re: Dobermans
Reply #51 –
Still reading Mav
We spoke at length last night about it. That's code for Mrs.W talks and I listen - and we decided to wait for our current Labrador to pass away before we bring a new canine into the family. Why? Because she is twelve years old, her hearing is mostly gone and the old girl has struggles lately with her rear legs, standing up and jumping into the car. We are going to make her as comfortable as possible and spoil the old girl rotten. As everyone knows, Labs have the sweetest nature. How long will she last? As long as we can ensure she has a good life. I don't like the thought of making to call when it is "time". Gonna be a hard, hard day.
So we will wait for her to pass on and do our griving. Then we'll speak to these two breeders in particular, take up the offer to visit them and talk to them and make a decision then. Make no mistake though, the dog will be professionally trained and we will make damn sure that we reinforce the rules and know what to look out for.
That is always a difficult decision Woody but you know your dog better than anyone else does.
It's two years since the second of our pair of Staffies had to be put down (she was 14) and we're just starting to think about replacements. Not that you can really replace one dog with another; it's a whole new experience.
While Mav and I seem to have a difference of opinion on the relevance of wild canid and domestic dog behaviour, we're actually on the same page when it comes to dog training; there's no place for pain and/or stressing dogs by acting out a parody of imagined dog behaviour. The social organisation of dog packs actually serves to minimise aggressive behaviour and physical attacks.
My daughter's Ridgeback wanted to protect the family and acted aggressively to other dogs (she was a rescue dog who came to them at about 12 months of age). She learnt that wasn't her role in the pack/family through being encouraged to relax when other dogs approached. My daughter's family (and the dog) is fortunate to have kilometres of off lead dog beach and the Ridgeback now shows no aggression towards other dogs. If the dog feels threatened (usually by little yappy dogs), she retreats to her adults/pack leaders for protection.