When wife calls tells you come check on your dog....

[Limomike]

Training has already began on the red heeler, Shes a year old now, and I started about 6 months ago taking her around my cattle (on a choke chain) and letting her get used to being around them. Work extensively with her on voice AND hand commands. The mix breed is only 4 months.. so I havent started with her yet except the basics of "come here, sit, down, stay" She has gotten most of them down already.
Are you looking at getting another dog ?

 

[skyhightree1]

Limo thats good sounds like you are on the right road. I probably will not get another dog I have 41 hounds left. However my kids want a pet dog and I am undecided what to get them. I want them to get a rottweiler because they love to play outside and they are protective over kids and I need that since we live close to the road. The dog would have minimal human contact other than the people that live in my house.

 

[Limomike]

A friend of mine has a Rott for a family pet and he loves it. He too has kids aged 8-12, and they all get along good. He says that dog watches over them when they are playing outside.

 

[highgrit]

The bigger the dog the shorter it's life will be on average. Just putting it out there for what it's worth. I want to get a heeler one of these days, never had one yet.

 

[MO_cows]

Sorry you lost your dog. Some of them are just extra special. I can think of some no account relatives I could live without a lot easier than a few of our "extra special" dogs we have lost over the years.

As far as getting the Rottie - we had 1. He jumped our son, who was 8 yrs old at the time and apparently got too close to his food dish. I do mean he jumped him, put teeth in him and left holes and extensive bruising. If me and hubby hadn't been right there I hate to think how it could have turned out. The rot died of lead poisening very shortly thereafter. When a dog will go after "his" kid that he knew since he was a bitty pup, that is not a breed of dog I will ever own again. Yes, I know, they ain't all like that. But there's too many other breeds out there to take the chance.

 

[High Cotton]

Sorry you lost your dog. Some of them are just extra special. I can think of some no account relatives I could live without a lot easier than a few of our "extra special" dogs we have lost over the years.

As far as getting the Rottie - we had 1. He jumped our son, who was 8 yrs old at the time and apparently got too close to his food dish. I do mean he jumped him, put teeth in him and left holes and extensive bruising. If me and hubby hadn't been right there I hate to think how it could have turned out. The rot died of lead poisening very shortly thereafter. When a dog will go after "his" kid that he knew since he was a bitty pup, that is not a breed of dog I will ever own again. Yes, I know, they ain't all like that. But there's too many other breeds out there to take the chance.

I'm very sorry that happened to your child, but I don't think that's the dogs or breed of dogs fault. I had a lab puppy at about a 1 year old want to play this my food dish if you touch it I will growl at you game. After two come to Jesus meetings he got the hint that it's not his bowl that's just where I allow him to eat. From there on you could take his bowl or even stick your had in his bowl while he ate. He would just slow down as to be sure not bite you as if he was taking a treat out of your hand. Since then I add that to things to teach a new puppy.

 

[MO_cows]

With all due respect High Cotton, you weren't there. I was. I drug the 90 pound snarling, snapping beast off my kid and out the door by the scruff of his neck. Could never have done it normally, but adrenaline and "mother bear" instincts work wonders. You'll just have to believe that it wasn't "lack of training" and the dog just snapped. Or not. If you want to, you can own 100 Rotties and have them around your kids. Probably all will be well. Because of our experience, I won't give another one that chance. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me...type of thing.

 

[High Cotton]

That may have come across different than I meant it to. No offense was intended at all. I was making a point one bad apple doesn't not mean that the whole breed is that way. Similar to that all pit bulls are terrible vivacious killing machines. I don't have any but have been around several. It's all in how they are raised and trained. I have been around some that didn't mind for crap and played to rough. I've been around some that were as well behaved as any working dog. Then you have the pathetic low life's that fight them, but that's a whole other story. The example of the lab that I have was just to show that even the loveable "great with kids" breeds can do the same thing.

Sky I meant to put this in my other post put forgot. I'm sorry about your hound. I haven't had that great dog yet, but I'm sure it's tough.

 

[skyhightree1]

Thanks High and Mo-Cow yea any dog can be really protective over its food I plan on having the kids feed the puppy I get them and play around the food and get them use to him and him with them around there food im not worried about me. I have shock collars the trashbreaker system and plan on soon as hes big enough to wear the color put it on him and see if he has any food agression and if he does turn it all the way up and lay him out for a good 30 secs each time he will get the hint lol