# Test driving a Dog



## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

We picked up a 4 year old male blue tick / lab mix today... "free to a good home"

So we are giving each other a week long trial


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Maine-Marine said:


> We picked up a 4 year old male blue tick / lab mix today... "free to a good home"
> 
> So we are giving each other a week long trial


Good luck, and be patient with the dog. Lots of low calorie doggie treaties and lovin' to reinforce good behavior. Otherwise you may end up with a chupacabra from hell!

View attachment 15047


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## Sasquatch (Dec 12, 2014)

No pics?

Tease!


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Show it Show it


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

Maybe he will make a great hunting companion.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

That's a good mix. Glad you opted for the older dog. Puppies can be a real handful! They are worth it but there's lots of older dogs that need homes, too. They usually make the best companions. I have a pyrenees/golden mix that was abandoned. Got him at around the same age as your lab/hound. Been one of the best and most loyal dogs I've ever had. And no puppy stage.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Best of fortunes on the new pup. I love Rotties but am too old to invest two years waiting for a pup to quit being crazy. Afraid an older one would have too many bad habits and might have trouble establishing a good pecking order. Rotties are real picky about who is the boss..lol. Thats why we are now into a real spoiled Shitzu.


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## SGT E (Feb 25, 2015)

Had a dog that belonged to my kids.....One of those Dad I want a dog deals...weeeelllll you know who fed it walked it and picked up shit after it after a month.....After having it 15 years the old boy died and my two asshole kids didnt give a rats ass because they had went to school and moved out long ago...I only spent 8 k on its healthcare...so no worries!

I get lonely and need a dog because I'm sign language deaf(HOOAH ARTILLERY!).....So get this mild mannered mutt from the pound and all is fine.....few months later he seems unhappy...loves the Dog Park with other dogs but hates coming home and I figure WTH....another pup won't hurt me and he will have a playmate...so go to pound....See a bunch of dogs near the end of life...dogs way too big...so finally find a Chihuahua / Pug mix the right size and 14 months old...Dog eats my ass up..I'm bleeding like hell 45 seconds after trying to pet him....Kicks my dogs ass even though my 40 pounder has 20 pounds on this little guy in meet and greet room...I tell the Apologizing staff...I'll take him! I get bit twice more coming home...only once that bled....

Best fricking dog I ever had!

Nobody comes to the door.....If they do they wont come back...best buds now with my dog! Little guy protects us and loves us to death.....Neighbors cant fart without us knowing....And they stay the hell away from us!

Scrappy little Bastard!!









And by the way he smiles.....You pet him he smiles...you give him a snack he smiles....you piss him off and god help you...I love this little guy!


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

here he is


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

The ears and tail are all wrong for hound/lab.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Maine-Marine said:


> here he is
> 
> View attachment 15050


There might be a little "heeler" in him. it should be fun.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> The ears and tail are all wrong for hound/lab.


me and the wife had the same discussion... we were told he is a blue tick / lab mix... when i google image blue tick lab

https://www.google.com/search?q=blu...yIMKHRKtAjIQ_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=644#imgrc=_

I get many that look like this one and many that have the longer HOUND face... I guess it depends on if the hound or the lab is dominate...

So ya I am pretty sure he is a blue tick lab mix.... is that heeler or hound????


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## Doc Holliday (Dec 22, 2012)

My wife wants your dog Slippy!!!!


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Slippy nailed it. Heeler.


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## BagLady (Feb 3, 2014)

Yeah, you've got a Border Collie mix. Should be a good dog. Could be heeler, eh, both cattle dogs. 
Great personality either way.


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## Arklatex (May 24, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> me and the wife had the same discussion... we were told he is a blue tick / lab mix... when i google image blue tick lab
> 
> https://www.google.com/search?q=blu...yIMKHRKtAjIQ_AUIBygB&biw=1366&bih=644#imgrc=_
> 
> ...


Hounds and Labs have folded ears and thin tails. The straight ears and bushy tail combined with the coloration looks like Heeler to me. Good dogs but they're super hyper.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Doc Holliday said:


> My wife wants your dog Slippy!!!!


Thanks Doc!

She has been the best dog me or Mrs Slippy ever had. Taught her to ride on the toolbox on my truck around Slippy Lodge. How cute is that!:joyous:

View attachment 15054


Also taught her to fetch some bourbon for me. That didn't turn out so damn cute... to come home and your dog is drunked up and passed out, half a bottle of the good stuff gone, damnit.:stick:

View attachment 15055


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Wife said no! I said, hey lets keep him for the week and see what we can do.. but she does not like some of the things he does

We are going to look at getting a younger dog, it appears this one has too many bad habits.

I feel bad, I guess somebody else had taken him and returned him too...


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Maine-Marine said:


> Wife said no! I said, hey lets keep him for the week and see what we can do.. but she does not like some of the things he does
> 
> We are going to look at getting a younger dog, it appears this one has too many bad habits.
> 
> I feel bad, I guess somebody else had taken him and returned him too...


What were his bad habits?


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Slippy said:


> There might be a little "heeler" in him. it should be fun.


YUP!















Great dogs. But you gotta work them. They live to serve and need a clear alpha to worship and a family to protect. Give them a role in your house and train them. They are stubborn but they catch on quick.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Slippy said:


> What were his bad habits?


Last night he got into the trash can.. 
Last night, we have a kid gate going downstairs - he kept trying to get it open, again and again... it was loud 
this morning he squirmed out through the fence (I was surprised at this) and took off
as wife was getting kids breakfast he jumped up and started to eat their food
He jumps up and puts his front feet on counter
He pulled the rug out from under the trash and ripped it up
He bite the bottom edge of the couch and tried to rip the fabric off

I think he is a fairly good dog (and good looking) and we could help him overcome some of the issues.... BUT

we all know, Happy Wife, Happy Life....

now we know we need a younger dog


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Worst punishment for a Heeler is to remove them from the family. They get separation anxiety and in the new fam he doesn't know his role or the schedule yet. If you get a younger one you will really have to work him.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

You don't test drive a dog.do you wonder how many people he has had that felt like you before he was returned?.dogs have to build trust with their new people,it takes time.
the dog is probably anxious and checking out his new home.give him a chance!.we have trained a number of our dogs over the years,even some friends dogs.

All of our dogs have been shelter dogs.our current furbaby is Bindi.she was unwanted by her first family and probably abused,(she is very shy and wary around men)but,has taken to me and her mommy very well.her second family did not want her because she messed on the floor.well,they lived on the third floor of an apartment building!.wtf do you expect with that?.
when we brought Bindi home 8 short years ago now,she jumped up on the kitchen counter,went into the garbage and messed the floors until she was showed the ground rules.you have to take time with them.they have to be trained with love and respect,that is how all of our dogs were trained.if you DO NOT have that time to spend with your new pet to get to know each other,maybe a pet is just not right for you period.....MM,I am not picking on you,just letting you know that dogs need time to adjust and to get to know their new people.

Here's ours,she was very headstrong and a complete wacko until she was trained correctly,with love and respect.she was so good after her first year with us,she does not need a leash except in public,when required.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

MI.oldguy said:


> You don't test drive a dog.do you wonder how many people he has had that felt like you before he was returned?.dogs have to build trust with their new people,it takes time.
> the dog is probably anxious and checking out his new home.give him a chance!.we have trained a number of our dogs over the years,even some friends dogs.
> 
> All of our dogs have been shelter dogs.our current furbaby is Bindi.she was unwanted by her first family and probably abused,(she is very shy and wary around men)but,has taken to me and her mommy very well.her second family did not want her because she messed on the floor.well,they lived on the third floor of an apartment building!.wtf do you expect with that?.
> ...


he has been at one family for 4 years, went to another place for 1 week -they had a dog that did not like him, we are the 2nd new home... unless the folks lied to us

The wife has settled down and we are going to keep him for at least 72 hours

no worries, I did not think you were picking on me.. my concern is that my kids are safe and my wife is happy


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

MM,

Not trying to be intrusive, but how old are your children? I was under the impression that your kids were out of the house and grown. Did I miss this? 

Reason that I ask is with any herding breed, you will constantly fight the dog's urge to "herd" small children and nip at their heels/tangle them up etc. If your wife and children are used to it and able to handle that breed specific instinct, go for it. You can "train" some of out of the dog but the pack/Alpha instinct is a hard drive to "train" out of them, especially with an older dog. 

Border collies, Aussie Cattle Dogs are a tough breed but they don't take to a harsh hand training style very well. 

Smokin04 and Denton probably have more insight than I on this but I thought I'd chime in since I hijacked your thread earlier with our chupacabra from hell! 

Your friend,

Slip


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Slippy said:


> Not trying to be intrusive, but how old are your children?
> Slip


HOW DARE YOU!!!!

my kids are 26, 24, 21, 7, 4, 3.... although we have tried to get rid of the 3 youngest they keep finding the house


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Maine-Marine said:


> HOW DARE YOU!!!!
> 
> my kids are 26, 24, 21, 7, 4, 3.... although we have tried to get rid of the 3 youngest they keep finding the house


25, 24, 21, 7, 4 , 3...

(Slippy pulls out his calculator, punches in some numbers...then eases out of this conversation chuckling something that sounds like "Better you than Me...):miserable:


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## sargedog (Nov 12, 2012)

These are my boys, they are 6 months old now.


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## Grinch (Jan 3, 2016)

I've had **** dogs before, and one thing I think you'll notice with them is you'll receive what you invest with them, my first three I got when I was very young all three came from an abandoned litter, Bluetick Redbone mix, the one seemed lazy and I showed favoritism to the other two because of it. The lazy one I called Bummer took off one night when I was hunting, neighbor found him and called me, later he took Bummer and exclaimed of how he was the best hunter he ever had. Since then I also got a Redbone who I put with the other two, he's turned out to be an excellent hunter even after both of his mentors passed away, I also have an Australian Cattle Dog who is a funny little shit. Bottom line is if you put the time in for the dog, they will see it and respect it and give you equal amounts of time.


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## Montana Rancher (Mar 4, 2013)

Maine-Marine said:


> We picked up a 4 year old male blue tick / lab mix today... "free to a good home"
> 
> So we are giving each other a week long trial


I agree, if that bastard has any bad traits, give up on actually training him and put him into the meat grinder and eat him for dinner

Rant off


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Montana Rancher said:


> I agree, if that bastard has any bad traits, give up on actually training him and put him into the meat grinder and eat him for dinner
> 
> Rant off


I can handle some bad traits.. this is not my first rodeo... however some dogs are truly BAD dogs... having said that this is not BAD dog...

I had a bad dog one time... he was beyond redemption after suffering abuse from a prior owner... I felt bad but I had to put him down

AND AGAIN-- much depends on how the wife feels... and my wife is an animal person.... she is a follower of the Ray Hunt school of training... Her dad knew Ray and she learned lots from her dad....


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Maine-Marine said:


> I can handle some bad traits.. this is not my first rodeo... however some dogs are truly BAD dogs... having said that this is not BAD dog...
> 
> I had a bad dog one time... he was beyond redemption after suffering abuse from a prior owner... I felt bad but I had to put him down
> 
> AND AGAIN-- much depends on how the wife feels... and my wife is an animal person.... she is a follower of the Ray Hunt school of training... Her dad knew Ray and she learned lots from her dad....


That I agree with.

We took in a hard luck case that didn't fit with the family dynamic. I was assured of my abilities to rehabilitate the dog. She lived with us for about 3 years and then mauled our Catahoula/Cattle Dog mix and tried to attack my daughter. Obviously if she was that way on day 1 we would never have adopted her and I would have saved someone else the heartache by shooting her right there in the shelter. But there were warning signs all along that I kept dismissing. Tried to be the kind and generous soul. Never again. If it ain't a good fit, don't force it.

My sister did similar. She took in a dog that her husband hated. Dog was great but their personalities clashed. She had to give it up about three years later because it had rotted the family dynamic.

Just like not every person is of the caliber to be a friend, not every dog is of the caliber to live in your house. You have every right to be as picky as you want to be.


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

Maine-Marine said:


> We picked up a 4 year old male blue tick / lab mix today... "free to a good home"
> 
> So we are giving each other a week long trial


anything mixed with a lab will be a good pet ,, I have a lab-chow mix she is the best dog I have ever had .


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