[axdop]

Hey, Chas!
     I've always loved Siberian Huskies!  We once "found" one many years ago...or should I say, he found us!  We live in Maryland, and a young pup appeared at our house one day.  He was about 6 months old, I'd guess.  We already had two dogs, and couldn't keep another, so we tried very hard to find his owner.  After a week of so, we received a call from a breeder in Canada, who had lost the dog!!  Apparently, there was a sled dog show in New Jersey/New York, and a couple pups had run away.  
     The guy said that it was not cost effective for him to come down and get the dog, as he was now back up in Canada, so we could keep him.  He explained that true "sled dogs" were bred to run for days at a time, so when they "ran away", they didn't stop after a few blocks like "normal" dogs, but would run until they were exhausted, often many, many miles (in this case, a couple STATES) away!  That blew my mind!
     We ended up giving the dog to a good home, but I'm always sorry we couldn't keep him.  Since he was a sled dog, he was not really suited to live in a house in the suburbs, like our other dogs.  He was really more like a wild animal, when it came to house-breaking, etc., so he just couldn't stay with us.  He was pretty well used to outdoor living, and didn't seem interested in trying to learn to be a house pet.  He had an incredibly thick coat, more like a grizzly bear than any dog I'd ever seen.
     One of the neatest things I remember about him was the fact that he couldn't bark...he'd just howl like a wolf late at night (in our kitchen!) when he got lonely!  I was just a little kid in those days, and it sent chills up my spine to be awakened at 3:am by the sound of howling echoing through the house!  I'd go downstairs to visit him, and he'd be sitting in the moonlight, completely black and white, with these awesome blue eyes....just itching to go outside!  He was absolutely the most beautiful animal I had ever seen!
     I'll always remember him fondly, and would still like to get one some day, if my current dog ever seems to want company (not likely).  Good luck with your new puppy.  I'm sure he (or she) will turn out to be a great addition to your family!
Congratulations!
-axdop

 

[axdop]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

Hey, again, Chas!
Just saw the pics of Casper...He's beautiful! I'd highly recommend the Petsmart classes. My current dog (Murph, a Jack Russell) attended two levels, and it's proved to be very valuable. At first, they didn't want to allow any Jack Russell's in the class, as they're notoriously disruptive, but then they reconsidered because there was low enrollment. Murph went on to be the dog the trainer used to teach the OTHER dogs how to do their stuff....JRT's are extremely smart, which is a double-edged sword...you either train them, and YOU become the alpha dog....or they use their intelligence to send YOU to the looney bin!
I decided to train him properly, and make sure I was in control. We've reached a mutually acceptable agreement, whereby I'm the boss and he gets to come to work (and most everywhere else) with me every day! He's become my "third" son, and is an integral member of our family. I can give him commands by simply looking at him, and making hand gestures....he obeys immediately....unless there's a squirrel in the vicinity....then all bets are off!
That's the reason I've resisted my urge to get a Husky...I'm fairly certain Murph wouldn't tolerate the competition, and I don't want to mess with how well things have turned out with him. We've been extremely lucky, considering some of the horror stories we've heard about JRT's.
-axdop

 

[wchasr]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

As I recall the breeder said the incidents of displaysia were less than 2% in that line.

HE's not a runner in terms of flat out at top speed running. He'll trot along at what ever speed we are walking at. So far that's a good thing. Remembering he'll go forever with a moderate load at a moderate speed. States are not a huge problem in some places!

Huskies in genereal tend to be very social animals too. preffering to be in "packs" or family units. Our old husky was very happy to be a part of the family. We were his pack. We are hoping that Casper will make the same adjustment. So far he's not too averse to sleeping on the couch in the studio.

I've been doing some research and reading but near as much as my wife so far.

Chas

 

[markoles]

Axdop,

I guess that's the reason that some folks call their Jack Russells "Jack Russell Terrorists"! 

Mark

PS - what does "axdop" mean?

 

[axdop]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

Hey, Mark!
Oh, Murph can DEFINITELY be a terrorist! He isn't nearly as destructive as some are said to be, but he's a total "Jack" in many respects, such as chasing any fuzzy objects that move, feeling compelled to pick fights with 180 lb German Shepherds (our neighbor has one, who is totally afraid of Murph!), playing "ball" incessantly...at any time of day, etc. I can wake him up from a sound sleep in the middle of the night, and tell him to "go get yer ball", and he'll run and find his ball and be ready to play fetch without hesitation!
They say that JRT's are big dogs in little bodies, and that's 100% true. He's a trip! I wouldn't trade him for a million bucks, though! He's alseep at the side of my desk here at the office as I type.
"Axdop" is the combination of my first and middle initials and the first three letters of my last name.
I see you're in Lancaster! I guess it's safe to say you spend a good amount of time at Strasburgh and the PA RR Museum? I do, and I'm from Baltimore! We try to get up there a couple of times a year.
-axdop (Chip)

 

[markoles]

Chip,

I guess there's a happy medium where the big dogs start to think they are small dogs.  Lucia, a 55lb lab, thinks she is a lap dog (when I let her up on the couch or bed.).  Like your dog, Lucia can usually be found at my feet, or not very far away. 

We go to Strasburg quite a bit.  Probably a half dozen times a year.  RR Museum not so much. We do get down to the B&O museum more.  

Mark

 

[axdop]

Hey, Mark,

     Yeah, we belong to the B&O museum also.  We get there maybe 4-6 times a year.  My boys love it (as do I).  Are you going to the ECLSTS this year?  We're going on Saturday.  I hit maybe five train shows a year, but this is the only one which interests me, as virtually NONE of the others deal with large scale....I go anyway, in hopes I'll find one or two vendors with LS stuff, just to get my "fix".

-Chip

 

[markoles]

Chip,

I'll be at the ECLSTS, too.  I'll be pushing Luke around on Friday and Saturday. 

Mark

 

[wchasr]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

Well between the puppy, the Euchre tournament I have to help run at Lodge on the 29th, and not ahving enough vacation time this year there is again simply no way I'm going to get to the ECLSTS darn it!

Chas

 

[Nick Jr]

My adopted was dropped off on Sunday afternoon.  She is 4.5 years old and needs to learn how to play, wag her tail and other things that I thought came naturally.  She has definately been 'over disciplined', but we will work through that.                         Nick Jr 

 

[axdop]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

Hey, guys,
I was out of the office yesterday, and just getting back to my computer to check messages. I'm looking forward to the show! I think we'll be there on Saturday. Is there a way I can be sure to find some of you guys? I'd love to meet some of you in person (finally) after talking with you on-line for a couple of years.
-axdop (Chip)

 

[wchasr]

Ok last night was rough (or is that ruff?). Casper started teh night out barking as we wen to bed. He calmed down as far as I know. I was coming down with a cold and passed out relatively quickly. To be awakened about 3 am. Tried to put him out on the lead and he wouldn't come to me. Got some clothes on and took him out for a walk (Brrr!) in the snow and he seemed to not want to walk. We went out back towards the woods and then turned left along the power lines for a ways. He squatted and either peed or crapped (i'm not sure) and we continued for a ways. I started to see some tracks in the fresh snow and tracked far enough to see they were dog tracks. BIG dog tracks. Yup shortly after that there the dog was. As I spotted him and vice versa here comes another one. Boxer and shepherd mix I think? It was dark and cold and windy and I didn't have my glasses on. I shouted at them and they spooked a litle bit. After a bit of a stand off they took off barking at each other. Casper simply stood and stared at them. No growling, no wimpering, no sound, just attention. First time in 2 years I've seen loose dogs roaming the area though.

Anyhow Casper & I headed home and he still didn't want to settle down. Barking and fussing at the gate in the kitchen. He's limited to the Kitchen and the attached garage which is not a garage but heated living space we use. I went and laid with him on the couch in the garage and he spent the rest of the night there with me. Wife put him outside when I got in the shower to get ready for work. Today I've got a full blown head cold. 

Chas

 

[markoles]

Chas,

Sounds like fun...right...

Lucia used to do that, too.  At night, if I woke up to take her out, that was it.  None of the 'fun stuff' like walks or tracking dogs.  (Not that you intended to do that).  It will eventually get better.  

My personal favorite was when Lucia would get the cha-cha-cha's in the middle of the night and I'd have to do a quick clean out of her crate.  In fact, I have an 'awesome' picture of me the day after one of those early mornings:

Luckily, I was at Shippenburg U's homecoming and there was beer.

This is how I wanted her to sleep:

There's one thing I just remembered about the second pic.  We had to put a sheet over Lucia's crate to keep her from crying at night.  See how the crate is stuck between the bed and the wall? The cover made her feel like she was in her 'cave' and safe.  Are you still doing the crate?  Is it a big wire one like I've got?  try putting a sheet over it to make it more like a confined space.

 

[wchasr]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

We haven't tried the crate again, but yeah it will get the sheet treatement next. Tomorrows project is to make a space for the crate so hopefully that will help too.

Chas

 

[tmejia]

Chas,

Videos are on the way.  There are three of  them.  

Puppies, what fun./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif

Tommy
Rio Gracie

 

[tmejia]

Hey Chas,

So it's almost been a month with the new puppy./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/doze.gif How is he doing. Still in the Honeymoon phase./DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif

Tommy
Rio Gracie

 

[markoles]

Yeah,

What's the latest? I was wreslting Lucia last night. Well, more of the game "I got your leg", but with my long limbs, and lightning fast moves, its becomes a game of grabbing her back legs before she gets her mouth on my arm! Luke didn't like me messing with 'his' dog, however, so I had to stop.

Mark

 

[wchasr]

/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/shocked.gif

Yeah, as you said we are all still in the honeymoon phase. He's getting noticeably bigger now. Bolder as well to some extent. We of course had to ruin the routine this past weekend as my mom took the girls but we didn't feel she could ahndle two toddlers her two cats and our puppy all together so Casper got his first trip to the Doggy hotel on Friday and my wife picked him up Monday morning. She unfortunately made reservations for next week as well. More on that later.

He did well at the kennel apparently but it was a different routine than what he's used to at home so he's a little more hyper than he was. Some of that might be just that we are home and he's so happy to see us.

His first visit to the vet's went well. They thought he might have a testicle that hasn't dropped but saw no other apparent problems. At that point it was obvious he'd grown as he no longer fit in my wifes lap on the way to the vets. The following weekend we took him overnight to my mother's. She lives closer to Buffalo and it's about an hour drive. He handled that well, again in my wifes lap, but he's definetely getting bigger. My mother will be retiring in June and moving in with us so this was another chance for him to get used to her and the cats she has. The "old grumpy man" Gabby won't be making the trip south when mom comes. The younger cat will be coming though. Casper never got to see much of Princess as Gabby kept him at bay for the most part. Even chasing him thru the house and cornering him in the bathroom where he pooped and peed himself (family forum)/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/whistling.gif.

Anyhow we've not found any training for him/us as my wife forgot to ask teh vets (need to remind her to call on that) and the timing has become horribly bad too. MY mom's aunt that was spinster in the Pittsburgh area was found dead last Friday (we found out on the way to Connecticut Friday night) So we'll be headed there next week for the funeral and such. Getting prepped for my mother's move and so we'll have a bunch of contractors and a lot of work on the house to do. Then the move itself. Simply no time between now and June to get it all done! (sigh)

Anyhow, he's sleeping thru the night and playing with anything he can during the day. He'd been doing good with paper-training until the kennel trip and he's back pedalled a bit.

Anyhow I'll keep you updated as we go along guys!

Tommy we've not had a chance to watch the videos yet and I've got a return package for you too! Just got to get it in the mail! I'm hoping to convince the wife to sit with me to watch the movies this week. Thanks again!

Chas

P.S. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/sick.gif I've been sick as **** to top it off so I've not been in my right mind. Forgive any oddities/ divergent trains of thought/or what have you in this post.

 

[Mik]

RE: OT and NT but relevant: Dogs & puppies

We always had dogs. Now I'm in a place that says "no pets"...except fish.

The last few dogs we had before the big D were mostly beagles from the pound. Somebody must have beat them because they were scared of EVERYTHING. Raise your hand to toss a ball and they ran yelping, and don't even THINK about raising your voice... even to call "dinner!" -- I don't think there is anything much sadder than a beagle with a broken spirit.

We also had a border collie for a bit, but had to get rid of her...beautiful dog, but I think she was a bit, well, retarded. She would scatter the neighbor's cows (not herd, scatter), and rolled in a yellow jacket nest. The last straw was when she played tag with a skunk in the front yard for half an hour (because it was black and white too?)

 

[vsmith]

Wow I hope thats a 6 month old "puppy"/DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/shocked.gif" border=0>" border=0>" border=0>,
other wise he's going to rival "Clifford" when fully grown. /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/tongue.gif" border=0>" border=0>