# Dogs for home security.



## Annie

Okay, so we have one good watchdog right now. He's 10 years old and we've had him since he was a puppy, and now I'm thinking of adding a second dog to the household. I'm thinking of getting a female German Shepherd puppy. Somebody who will do a good job guarding the house as my older buddy goes through the inevitable aging process.

To get a puppy from a "reputable breeder", I'm looking at spending anywhere from 2-3k. That's too high, so a place like Lancaster (aka Amish puppy mills) runs about 500-6. I don't really want to buy from a puppy mill, because I'm told that the dogs are raised in substandard conditions. 

So then I'm looking on Petfinder, which is where I got my last puppy. The problem is these rescue groups are so hyper-controlling. They want to know everything. They even want a link to my social media pages. I'm like thinking WHAT? That's a new one. I didn't have to do that with the last dog I've adopted. What control freaks. I mean, lol, that is rediculous! It's none of their damned business. Am I wrong? Look at this stuff. 

Link to your social media profile (Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram) * 

How did you learn about us? * 

Are you employed? * Yes No Retired
Name of Employer: * 
Who will have primary and financial responsibility for

Do you live in: * 
Own or Rent? * Own Rent
Do you have a fenced in yard? * Yes No
Will you crate your dog? * Yes No
If so, when, why and for how long? * 
Where will the dog be during the day? * 
Where will the dog sleep at night? * 
Do you plan to do any training with the dog? * 
How long will the dog be left alone each day? * 
How do you plan to exercise the dog? * 
How do you plan to feed the dog * 
Do you have any pets? Please specify. * 
Have you had a dog or any other pets before? Please specify. * 
Please list the members of your household and their relation to you. If there are children, please list their ages. * 
Any additional information/questions or comments: 
Veterinarian we should call for a reference: *

So, have any of you gotten a dog recently? How did you get your dog?


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## Kauboy

I got my dog from a private breeder with no papers, just as I've bought ever other dog I've ever owned.
I don't need to know the family lineage of a dog. It's a dog. Not the Duke of Edinburgh.

If I think the parents look fine, and the conditions are decently kept, I buy the dog.
I think I paid $200 for my female GS.
She's been fantastic.


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## Redneck

Annie said:


> So, have any of you gotten a dog recently? How did you get your dog?


I have no problem with any of the questions asked.

I currently have 10 dogs, all living in the house with us and with 24 hr a day access to a one acre fenced in backyard. All our dogs are rescues or captures. The last one came from the local humane society which has a no kill policy & asks similar questions. They only wish to ensure the dog is in the right home & will be properly cared for.

I suggest going to the local pound and rescuing a dog. EVERY dog we have brought home from a pound has been super grateful & very protective of their new home. I prefer mutts over purebred as they are normally healthier both physically & mentally. Too many purebreds are psychos, I guess from improper breeding practices.


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## Annie

Kauboy said:


> I got my dog from a private breeder with no papers, just as I've bought ever other dog I've ever owned.
> I don't need to know the family lineage of a dog. It's a dog. Not the Duke of Edinburgh.
> 
> If I think the parents look fine, and the conditions are decently kept, I buy the dog.
> I think I paid $200 for my female GS.
> She's been fantastic.


I don't need champion bloodlines, either. No can do a dog for 200 around here (NJ), not even a rescue.


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## Annie

******* said:


> I have no problem with any of the questions asked.
> 
> I currently have 10 dogs, all living in the house with us and with 24 hr a day access to a one acre fenced in backyard. All our dogs are rescues or captures. The last one came from the local humane society which has a no kill policy & asks similar questions. They only wish to ensure the dog is in the right home & will be properly cared for.
> 
> I suggest going to the local pound and rescuing a dog. EVERY dog we have brought home from a pound has been super grateful & very protective of their new home. I prefer mutts over purebred as they are normally healthier both physically & mentally. Too many purebreds are psychos, I guess from improper breeding practices.


You think they should be checking out my Facebook page in order to see if I'm worthy of dog ownership? That's required on the application, btw. I think that is over the top.


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## Robie

I've had 3 dogs.

They were all gotten from the local SPCA as puppies.

I had to fill out a form for the last one, Cleo, but nothing out of the ordinary.

I'd never pay for a dog besides the normal fees the SPCA charges. There are too many great puppies wanting good homes.


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## Redneck

Annie said:


> You think they should be checking out my Facebook page in order to see if I'm worthy of dog ownership? That's required on the application, btw. I think that is over the top.


Would you be bothered if a potential employer wanted to do the same? IMO, being entrusted with the well being of a dog is more critical than most any job.

Anyone, anytime is welcome to check out anything I've ever stated... on social media or otherwise. I have nothing to hide.


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## Annie

******* said:


> Would you be bothered if a potential employer wanted to do the same? IMO, being entrusted with the well being of a dog is more critical than most any job.
> 
> Anyone, anytime is welcome to check out anything I've ever stated... on social media or otherwise. I have nothing to hide.


A job interview, I'd put up with it. I would think it's none of their business, but what can you do? If you need a job, you have to comply with it. But from a dog rescue? It's too big brother-ish for my liking. Really turns me off.


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## Annie

double post. :tango_face_smile:


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## Annie

Robie said:


> I've had 3 dogs.
> 
> They were all gotten from the local SPCA as puppies.
> 
> I had to fill out a form for the last one, Cleo, but nothing out of the ordinary.
> 
> I'd never pay for a dog besides the normal fees the SPCA charges. There are too many great puppies wanting good homes.


Up until now I've only ever gotten my dogs from rescue, but I'm re-thinking that decision.


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## Robie

Just put an "N/A" in places that you think is none of their business.

If pressed further, tell them you don't use social media except for email and texting.


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## RJAMES

I agree about not wanting to get from a puppy mill and the adoption groups going over board. 

Last dog I got was for my sister . Pit bull mix that showed up ( was dumped) on my farm. Young female who had pups but no pups with her assume they whined the pups and then got rid of her? She hung around a couple days till I fed her. Started working with her, took her to be fixed and get vaccinations. 

Anyway great dog has become pretty protective of my sister looks the part. Like I said pit bull mix, short hair so easier to keep the house clean . 


Do you have dog pound ? They can also be troublesome but I have gotten several nice dogs over the years from the pound.


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## Redneck

Annie said:


> A job interview, I'd put up with it. I would think it's none of their business, but what can you do? If you need a job, you have to comply with it. But from a dog rescue? It's too big brother-ish for my liking. Really turns me off.


As stated, then just say none of your business or state you don't have a Facebook account. Plenty of places to get dogs.


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## Annie

******* said:


> As stated, then just say none of your business or state you don't have a Facebook account. Plenty of places to get dogs.


Thanks, *******.


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## Gunn

Annie that is not so bad. When or got our wolf (MY Avatar) the hoops we had to go through from the government were nuts. Then on top of that they did unscheduled drop ins to see how she was treated. We went through a lot of BS to have her. background checks etc. It has been 17 years and I think they are still up my backside. But she was the best dog we had for 16 years. so I think it was worth it.


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## Annie

Gunn said:


> Annie that is not so bad. When or got our wolf (MY Avatar) the hoops we had to go through from the government were nuts. Then on top of that they did unscheduled drop ins to see how she was treated. We went through a lot of BS to have her. background checks etc. It has been 17 years and I think they are still up my backside. But she was the best dog we had for 16 years. so I think it was worth it.


Oh I know the dogs are usually great, it's just the rescue organizations that are kinda rubbing me the wrong way. You'd think I was adopting a child, for pete sake. Lol, it's just too much.


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## Redneck

Annie said:


> Oh I know the dogs are usually great, it's just the rescue organizations that are kinda rubbing me the wrong way. You'd think I was adopting a child, for pete sake. Lol, it's just too much.


Maybe if you spent a day in the lives of the folks that run these rescue organizations & deal with the heartache of what some folks can do to pets, you might change your opinion. My daughter-in-law is the volunteer head of the local humane society and my son & her clean the pens & take the dogs out for exercise once a week. It is a no kill facility and completely staffed & operated by volunteers. You don't want to know how evil folks can be. So I'd much rather these organizations go out of their way to ensure the pets get a good, safe home.

I'm obviously a dog lover & see no difference in adopting a dog or a child. Both need secure, safe homes full of love. I don't buy the argument they are just dogs.


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## Annie

******* said:


> Maybe if you spent a day in the lives of the folks that run these rescue organizations & deal with the heartache of what some folks can do to pets, you might change your opinion. My daughter-in-law is the volunteer head of the local humane society and my son & her clean the pens & take the dogs out for exercise once a week. It is a no kill facility and completely staffed & operated by volunteers. You don't want to know how evil folks can be. So I'd much rather these organizations go out of their way to ensure the pets get a good, safe home.
> 
> I'm obviously a dog lover & see no difference in adopting a dog or a child. Both need secure, safe homes full of love. I don't buy the argument they are just dogs.


They're free to make their own rules, and I'm free to go elsewhere if I don't want to deal with a Spanish Inquisition. Maybe that's not the best thing for the dogs, since I happen to be a dog lover, too and have a nice home for them.


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## MisterMills357

*"I'm thinking of getting a female German Shepherd puppy."

*I found a female Doberman-German Shepard mix, by looking in the paper; and she was the best dog that I could imagine. She was so distinct from her sister pup, who looked pure German Shepard. But, I think that no one wanted her, because she looked Doberman. So there she was, just waiting on someone to come and get her. 
She did not cost me a dime, and turned out to be my best buddy. And she had a natural "guard dog" way about her, it was bred into her bloodline.


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## Smitty901

You are not adopting a Child. Better more private place to adopt a new Dog.


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## bigwheel

As a dedicated Rotty lover I would urge anybody to chose one over a Jeppard. They are very good around other animals of any species..and are smart enough to ony bite bad guys. They have a long childhood in which they act sorta nuts..but after two years they grow up and act nice. I like the long legged American variant. Had one for 14 years and it was like losing a member of the family when he passed. Worked a lot of mid nights over the years..and Mama loved having him to protect her. Knew for a fact the only way a stranger could come in was to shoot the dog which should wake her up enough to get her gun ready to rumble.


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## SOCOM42

Here, I went to a shelter to get one, 

their questionnaire wanted financial references and permission to walk in my home anytime unannounced to inspect.

They also wanted permission to inspect the entire home prior to any approval. 

That ended any probability of getting one from there.


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## bigwheel

SOCOM42 said:


> Here, I went to a shelter to get one,
> 
> their questionnaire wanted financial references and permission to walk in my home anytime unannounced to inspect.
> 
> They also wanted permission to inspect the entire home prior to any approval.
> 
> That ended any probability of getting one from there.


Same thing happened to us up in a hick town in North and slightly West Texas. They pulled the same general bs about coming to visit..how many square feet was my yard..blah blah blah. I told them no thanks.


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## White Shadow

I've purchased AKC pups from top shelf breeders, adopted rescue pure breeds, adopted retired show dogs, and recently adopted a mixed breed from a local rescue. They all had questions, but not too many. Most of them were most interested in meeting us and made their decision from how we interacted with the dogs and staff. I would be willing to do any of the above again, but I would back away from any outfit that got too pushy about invading my life prior to adoption. There is a difference between making sure we will provide a good and safe home vs running an inquisition.


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## Slippy

@Annie

Any puppy breeder, rescue org, pound or private person who wants any private info prior to agreeing to a sale or possession of a dog can go straight to hell.

Find a private owner/breeder and cut a Private Deal.

German Shepherds are a great breed but do not discount a Great Pyranese. Our next dog will be a Great Pyranese, a great protector!

Our last 3 dogs have been Australian Cattle Dog, Yorkshire Terrier and Border Collie...All excellent loyal breeds. The Border Collie can be a bit nuts and require lots of stimulation and work. The ACD (Red or Blue Heeler) is one helluva breed. Loyal, willing to please, smart and easily trainable. The Yorkie, a damn fine family member...


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## 8301

Keep in mind that while your mutts may act as alarms they will also announce where you live in a rural environment. I love my little yappers and use them to alert me when the UPS guy or a customer pulls in the driveway but I know exactly where a neighbor who lives 500+ yds away is because I occasionally hear his little yapper sounding off.

Dogs may be a mixed blessing if you intend to play the "grey man" in a rural environment.


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## Hemi45

Rescue groups, particularly breed-specific ones, tend to be way up your hind parts when placing a dog. It is what it is. Shelters are full of young dogs and if you want a GSD, good news - you'll find one! Large breeds always end up in shelters, even pure breeds. Search all the shelters within 100 miles of where you live and I'm sure you'll have hits in no time at all. One note about the price of some pure breed dogs - if it's a reputable breeder, you're paying for peace of mind, knowledge, and exhaustive testing. Lineage matters for reasons of heath and temperament. To me, those two factors rank 1 and 1A. Always.

That said, I'm a huge fan of rescue dogs and I've brought home puppies and young adults - pure breeds and mixes. Best wishes finding your next pack member!


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## Camel923

both are black lab mixes from the shelter. they let you know if something is out of place.


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## phrogman

When I adopted my Queensland Heeler/American Eskimo mix 3 years ago, they asked a bunch of questions too. I don't remember if they ask about financial status but it did feel intrusive. I remember them telling me that they would do random house checks which I was fine with because I had no intention of opening the door. 

I'm actually looking to get another pup here in the near future too. Please let us know how it went.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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## Boss Dog

Thankfully our shelter is not that invasive, I would have walked away in such a case. Since they were reasonable, I have a great companion and alerting machine, since Feb. A 75 lb (so far) Black Lab mixed with some Pit Bull. He's a handful but fun. I noticed we don't have as many S8 walkers coming by the house since he moved in with me. I tie him out front once in a while just to remind them, he's here.


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## Prepared One

The last dog I got was from the SPCA and I think I paid 75 bucks out the door with little paper work. Best damn dog I ever had. She was part of our family for over 15 years before I had to put her down. That was 2 years ago this Thanksgiving and I still miss her. I am considering a new dog and will either go through a private owner or the SPCA again. I have looked into the SPCA a few weeks back and they have a 60 day trial period which seems to me a fair deal in case it doesn't work out between you and the dog for some reason. If they ask for much more then my money and a simple form to fill out they can stick it. It's not like I collude with the Russians or work for Hillary Clinton or anything. :vs_lol:


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## Smitty901

The reason kennels do this is more political than to help the animals. It is a power and money play on their part. They turn that into political power . I know an old lady that got scammed out of $200 to adopt a stray kennel cat. She was filled full of BS about it being a law.


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## bigwheel

Best way I ever heard to get a good dog is make friends with the dog catcher lady in your town. They know all the old widder ladies which is fixing to have pups etc. Or they tell you which is the best hassle free dog pound and get a free certificate to get it fixed. Also a good way to find goats..rabbits..chickens..blah blah blah. Pigs? Too many muslims to allow anybody to have any of those. lol.


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## The Tourist

My fear about using dogs as "living burglar alarms" is that the scum that invades houses would shoot a dog without caring.


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## bigwheel

Thats the point. They shoot the dog instead of we'uns on a home invasion. Been proven by some fairly exotic studies among real burglars that a dog is the best burglary prevention tool invented. Course you never hear that on CNN for several reasons. Mainly because of the multi millions of dollars the insurance companies pay out on dog bites. Most burglars just come to steal quietly. Dogs work and the size dont matter all that much. A little yapper can scare them off.


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## Redneck

The Tourist said:


> My fear about using dogs as "living burglar alarms" is that the scum that invades houses would shoot a dog without caring.


You would be amazed at how many folks are scared of dogs... any dog. Generally the last thing a burglar wants is to be noticed, so barking dogs & guns going off just don't work for them. My 10 dogs are very protective of our property then we have neighbor dogs also to join in the racket. Can't tell you how many times I've had workers in my house say how afraid they were of our dogs but how safe we must feel.


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## bigwheel

Our large bosomed young single lady friend from across the street has two dogs..which are best pals. One is a little ankle biter who is hyper and barks and the other is a big Rotty who gets woke up to kill stuff. lol.


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## Jammer Six

We just picked up Panda from a rescue shelter in Texas. We got him out about a week before the storms hit.

A dog from a rescue shelter isn't a dog from your local breeder. If you're not a good fit for a rescue dog, then you're not a good fit. There's no problem here.


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## Slippy

Note to thugs...Don't mess with Dogs!


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## Hemi45

Slippy said:


> Note to thugs...Don't mess with Dogs!


I can watch these heartwarming dog videos all day! God bless all the K9's and MWD's ... start some shit and you're gonna get bit!


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## Annie

Jammer Six said:


> We just picked up Panda from a rescue shelter in Texas. We got him out about a week before the storms hit.
> 
> A dog from a rescue shelter isn't a dog from your local breeder. If you're not a good fit for a rescue dog, then you're not a good fit. There's no problem here.


ETA: I'm happy it worked out for you, Jammer.
But it's not a good fit here. I've had two dogs from rescue. Not the next. I'm tired of Nazi style interogations from the doggie gestapo. lol Going to the breeder this time.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Are you interested in adopting one of our rescued puppies or dogs? Great! At Home for Good Dog Rescue we strive to find you a perfect canine match. In order to do so, we need to learn a little bit about you and your lifestyle. We don't mean to pry or be nosey, but we must ensure that our rescues are being placed in the best possible home or situation.

The following is important information regarding our adoption process, policies and procedures. Please read each point over thoroughly before submitting your application.

1. All potential adopters must fill out an online adoption application. We have volunteers who work from home to process your application. Please be patient. The application process typically takes 2-5 days. Please fill out the application completely and honestly in order to ensure that your application will be completed in a timely manner.

2. Our volunteers will be contacting all of your references, including your Veterinarian (if applicable) and landlord (if applicable), so please notify them prior to submitting your application to speed up the process. Be sure to check your email, including Spam folder, for a response from Home for Good. All communications regarding your application must go through email.

3. Any pets currently in your household must be up to date with vaccines, including Rabies, and be seen for annual wellness visits. We DO NOT adopt dogs out to homes with un-altered animals.

4. All dogs placed by HFGD are to be house dogs. NO dog will be placed in a home where they will be outside-only dogs or farm dogs. HFGD reserves the right to schedule a home visit to ensure the safety of our rescues.

5. Approved applications are valid for 6 months. After 6 months, you must re-submit an application. This applies to previous adopters as well.

6. Please keep in mind that HFGD may have already received applications on the dog you are interested in. For this reason, the dog you are interested in may not be available once your application is finished being processed.

7. Upon approval and acceptance, you may schedule a Meet and Greet via email only with the dog of your choice, subject to availability. Meet and Greets will be scheduled in the order they are requested. If the dog you applied for is no longer available or is not the right match for your home, HFGD will work with you to find another dog that will be a great fit for you and your family.

8. Please be advised that your entire household, including any canines or caregivers, must be present for the Meet and Greet. HFGD does not allow adoptions as gifts or surprises. The entire household must meet the dog and be in agreement to bringing the dog into the home. NO EXCEPTIONS.

9. Approved Applications do not guarantee adoption. A meet and greet is the final step in placement of our dogs. HFGD wants to ensure that it is the right fit for all humans and canines involved.


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## 1skrewsloose

What is that crap all about? CYA from some lawyers?


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## Annie

1skrewsloose said:


> What is that crap all about? CYA from some lawyers?


I know, right?!?!?! They be too picky. You would think I was applying to have the president come over for tea in my home, not for pet adoption. crazy.


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## 1skrewsloose

What struck me in particular was the no farm, outside dog thing. Not to be harsh, but if I own the dog and want him to be outside who are they to say. Not left to freeze outside of course. Better for him than being in a stinking cage! jmo


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## Annie

1skrewsloose said:


> What struck me in particular was the no farm, outside dog thing. Not to be harsh, but if I own the dog and want him to be outside who are they to say. Not left to freeze outside of course. Better for him than being in a stinking cage! jmo


These people are part of the problem. It's no wonder the puppy mills exist.


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## 8301

Annie said:


> I know, right?!?!?! They be too picky. You would think I was applying to have the president come over for tea in my home, not for pet adoption. crazy.


I looked into it but they wanted so much information and had so many requirements that I just said no. Found a mutt when the local shelter set up at the pet store. $80 and I had an acceptable dog that was fixed and had all shots.


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## Annie

John Galt said:


> I looked into it but they wanted so much information and had so many requirements that I just said no. Found a mutt when the local shelter set up at the pet store. $80 and I had an acceptable dog that was fixed and had all shots.


Shelters might be the better way to go. Better than rescue groups.


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## 8301

Agreed.


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## Annie

******* said:


> You would be amazed at how many folks are scared of dogs... any dog. Generally the last thing a burglar wants is to be noticed, so barking dogs & guns going off just don't work for them. My 10 dogs are very protective of our property then we have neighbor dogs also to join in the racket. Can't tell you how many times I've had workers in my house say how afraid they were of our dogs but how safe we must feel.


A pack of ten barking dogs all running towards me would scare me, too! *******, that's a lot of dogs. Wow, how do you manage?


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## Redneck

Annie said:


> A pack of ten barking dogs all running towards me would scare me, too! *******, that's a lot of dogs. Wow, how do you manage?


When we built our house, we designed it around our pets. We have mostly stained concrete floors and have zones where the dogs can be restricted. They have a one acre fenced in backyard with doggie door where they can go outside at will. We have to clean very often & feeding is choreographed so that certain dogs are fed in different areas. Most aggressive dog eats alone in the laundry room, two most docile whimps eat together in the kitchen breakfast area, 4 sisters eat in the garage and the rest in the mud room. All those other locations are immediately off the mud room.

To live such a life one has to love dogs more than a pristine, always spotless house... which we do. They are all rescues & captures. Didn't ever plan on having this many all at one but we had noticed someone had dropped off a momma dog & some babies on the highway headed to our house. My wife and others fed them & tried to capture them, but they only caught one female pup and she lived at the no kill humane society. Eventually a couple pups got killed by cars so my wife was determined to get the mom & her last remaining male pup, who was mostly feral. Nobody could catch the mom until she got pregnant again and was too sick to run. Got her to the vet where she had another litter and it was my job to capture the feral male, who was now all by himself. So every day after work, I would bring blankets & all sorts of food, and sit out and attract him to eat. He gradually got accustomed to me, so I set up some kennel panels around the blanket, with a very wide opening. Every day or so, I'd narrow the opening until I finally attached the last panel with a door in it. I attached a rope to the door & sat on the far side of the enclosure. When he finally came in, I was able to pull the rope to close the door. I then had the vet tech come over to grab him & took him to the vet.

Long story short, we brought the momma home along with the male... plus 4 baby sisters from this last litter. Kept the male in a separate fenced enclosure in the back yard & worked many weeks to tame him & get him used to our other dogs. Went great & quickly became part of the family herd. The male's sister, from the first litter was never adopted, so we brought her home to live with her family. Sadly, the mom didn't live much longer. We treated her for heart worm, and cured her but her kidneys gave out from living such a hard life. The two docile dogs that eat together in the breakfast area are the male & female, brother & sister, from the first litter, that were abandoned... the female brought to the humane society & the male I captured.

Yes, we are crazy.


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## Annie

******* said:


> When we built our house, we designed it around our pets. We have mostly stained concrete floors and have zones where the dogs can be restricted. They have a one acre fenced in backyard with doggie door where they can go outside at will. We have to clean very often & feeding is choreographed so that certain dogs are fed in different areas. Most aggressive dog eats alone in the laundry room, two most docile whimps eat together in the kitchen breakfast area, 4 sisters eat in the garage and the rest in the mud room. All those other locations are immediately off the mud room.
> 
> To live such a life one has to love dogs more than a pristine, always spotless house... which we do. They are all rescues & captures. Didn't ever plan on having this many all at one but we had noticed someone had dropped off a momma dog & some babies on the highway headed to our house. My wife and others fed them & tried to capture them, but they only caught one female pup and she lived at the no kill humane society. Eventually a couple pups got killed by cars so my wife was determined to get the mom & her last remaining male pup, who was mostly feral. Nobody could catch the mom until she got pregnant again and was too sick to run. Got her to the vet where she had another litter and it was my job to capture the feral male, who was no all by himself. So every day after work, I would bring blankets & all sorts of food, and sit out and attract him to eat. He gradually got accustomed to me, so I set up some kennel panels around the blanket, with a very wide opening. Every day or so, I'd narrow the opening until I finally attached the last panel with a door in it. I attached a rope to the door & sat on the far side of the enclosure. When he finally came in, I was able to pull the rope to close the door. I then had the vet teck grab him & took him to the vet.
> 
> Long story short, we brought the momma home along with the male... plus 4 baby sisters from this last litter. Kept the male in a separate fenced enclosure in the back yard & worked many weeks to tame him & get him used to our other dogs. Went great & quickly became part of the family herd. The male's sister, from the first litter was never adopted, so we brought her home to live with her family. Sadly, the mom didn't live much longer. We treated her for heart worm, and cured her but her kidneys gave out from living such a hard life. The two docile dogs that eat together in the breakfast area are the male & female, brother & sister, from the first litter, that were abandoned... the female from the humane society & the male I captured.
> 
> Yes, we are crazy.


You're a big-hearted guy for sure.


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## Redneck

Annie said:


> You're a big-hearted guy for sure.


Maybe, but surely not the sharpest tool in the shed.


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## Annie

******* said:


> Maybe, but surely not the sharpest tool in the shed.


And a good neighbor. You're smart enough to be a prepper. Plenty of people who haven't the sense.


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## Piratesailor

So my dog found me. He was in a neighbors back yard, dumped. Great dog. Probably the best I've every had. Mostly red tic **** hound but also just a good 85lb mutt. He was 65lbs when I found him. Great guardian but also so gentle with other dogs and kids it's almost comical. 

Ok. To the point of the people being overly intrusive. I was tangentially involved in a a group called "corridor rescue" in Houston. You can look them up online. They rescue/capture and place dogs in adoption and foster care. I fostered 3 of their dogs. A representative of the group would come meet you and look at your house/apt/property before allowing you to foster or adopt. There was also a short form to complete. Not overly instrusive. 

What I subsequently have found out is that unscrupulous people would volunteer to foster or adopt a dog but turn around and sell the dog to a breeder or worse, a fight group. Any dog with any pit in it was a potential for this abuse. So the group was very careful about placements and I don't blame them for that. 

The three fosters, Wally, Gertie and Maggie, along with my beast Harley, are all the sweetest dogs and I swear at some level they know they were saved and are grateful. 

On a side note, because of Harvey, lost and abandoned dogs are being sent out of state and to other cities in Texas. I read a headline recently where some are being adopted in Kalifornia too. That might be worth investigating.


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## Redneck

Piratesailor said:


> The three fosters, Wally, Gertie and Maggie, along with my beast Harley, are all the sweetest dogs and I swear at some level they know they were saved and are grateful.


I've seen the same with ALL our rescues & captures. They know what the real world is like & appreciate being in a safe, loving home. No doubt at all.


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## Moonshinedave

Just my two cents; We have two dogs, and both are puppy mill puppies. One was gave to us because the person who had her didn't realize that cute little puppy would grow up to be a dog, if you know what I mean? The second, my wife got a great deal on.
Ok, that was several years ago, and both dogs are now part of our family. The point is now that they are getting older, they are having medical problems, and to be honest costing us mucho money. Yeah I know there are those out there who will say simply just get rid of them, and I know some people would do just that, but that is not us, they are our babies, we love them, and will do whatever we can to help them live as long and healthy as we can. 
So, all I am trying to say is, the money you may save when getting a cheaper puppy you might spend ten fold with his/her medical bills. Now, with that being said of course, there are no sure things with anything alive, a puppy mill puppy may live to the the healthiest dog you have ever owned, likewise the dog with a great lineage may wind up being a medical disaster, but the odds are better with a better bred animal and may wind up costing you less money in the long run. Best of luck.


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## Redneck

Moonshinedave said:


> but the odds are better with a better bred animal and may wind up costing you less money in the long run. Best of luck.


For what it is worth, my lifetime of experience with many, many dogs, both pure blood registered dogs & Heinz 57 mutts, is that the mixed breed mutt is by far & away the healthiest dog... all things similar.


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## Jammer Six

Annie said:


> ETA: I'm happy it worked out for you, Jammer.
> But it's not a good fit here. I've had two dogs from rescue. Not the next. I'm tired of Nazi style interogations from the doggie gestapo. lol Going to the breeder this time.


I'm calmer, now.

The thing that stuck out when Panda came home was that he'd been beaten. I've never seen a dog that didn't love to chase sticks, but when I picked up a stick to throw for Panda, he cringed. He _cringed_, and ran from me. It broke my heart. When I pointed it out to my wife, she broke down and cried.

He's been here about three months, now, and he's starting to trust me. I picked up a stick yesterday after a windstorm (I've been extremely careful, and haven't touched a stick since I realized what was happening) and he romped right over to me to see what I had in my hand. Then he locked onto the other end of it, growled ferociously, and started tug-of-war with me. I think he's starting to believe that I'll never hurt him.

It was at once a tiny victory and the finest moment of my week.


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## Smitty901

He is smart , 62 pounds of mussel. And great friend and if need be he does a great job of security . He is a Blue Heeler not that it madders a lot he is a pure bread from a local farmer we know. I was looking for one. Our vet is also faimly he mention the name , went right over and picked him out he came home a few weeks latter. He no longer wears the shock collar. It was to protect him but it did not work on him anyway.


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## Redneck

Smitty901 said:


> He is smart , 62 pounds of mussel. And great friend and if need be he does a great job of security . He is a Blue Heeler not that it madders a lot he is a pure bread from a local farmer we know.


When younger, our Blue Heeler was a pain in the neck, in that she wanted to herd everything, including us & our other dogs. They didn't appreciate her nips at their heels. Once she got out of the backyard and was in the pasture with the horses. Oh my, she must have said, now here are some real animals to herd. She promptly started chasing the horses & nipped one's hind leg. In return she promptly received a kick. She then decided she wanted no part of that pasture or the horses.


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## Smitty901

******* said:


> When younger, our Blue Heeler was a pain in the neck, in that she wanted to herd everything, including us & our other dogs. They didn't appreciate her nips at their heels. Once she got out of the backyard and was in the pasture with the horses. Oh my, she must have said, now here are some real animals to herd. She promptly started chasing the horses & nipped one's hind leg. In return she promptly received a kick. She then decided she wanted no part of that pasture or the horses.


Our heeler's sure did herd children. When they were little I could put them by the swing and sand box walk my Heeler around them and he would keep them in that circle all day if need be . I have had Blue Heelers save my tail from a 1200 pounds steer,cow and once a very large bull that was pissed. Dogs when trained know no fear. This one was with my wife when two large Raccoons were in the chicken coop. he killed on and chased down the seconded and killed it before it got away.


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## MountainGirl

******* said:


> Yes, we are crazy.


You, sir, are my kind of crazy. Major kudos for doing this; and, like us up here, I know you receive from them as much love as you give - which is a lot. Good on ya!


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## rice paddy daddy

Over the past three decades my wife and I have had many rescue dogs. As many a 8 at one time, we have 5 right now. A pure bred boxer, two labs, a hound/pit mix, and a long haired mutt that appears to be part chow, but has none of the chow's bad traits.
We have rescued them from the side of the road - ditch dogs we call 'em. We have had them dumped in our area. We've got them from shelters. All that interrogating paperwork must be an "up north" thing, we've never encountered any.
In fact, after my wife had volunteered a few times at the county shelter, twice we got called to please adopt a dog that was scheduled to be put down that very day. We did, both of them.

Living where we do, anyone looking to burgle the house must just head for easier pickins when they hear the Hounds Of Hell behind the door. Others around have been hit, including the family right across the road, but in the 20 years we've been here crime has passed us by.

I think you'll find the average rescue dog will be very loyal and territorial to those who saved them. At least we have found this to be so.


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## Joe

******* said:


> When we built our house, we designed it around our pets. We have mostly stained concrete floors and have zones where the dogs can be restricted. They have a one acre fenced in backyard with doggie door where they can go outside at will. We have to clean very often & feeding is choreographed so that certain dogs are fed in different areas. Most aggressive dog eats alone in the laundry room, two most docile whimps eat together in the kitchen breakfast area, 4 sisters eat in the garage and the rest in the mud room. All those other locations are immediately off the mud room.
> 
> To live such a life one has to love dogs more than a pristine, always spotless house... which we do. They are all rescues & captures. Didn't ever plan on having this many all at one but we had noticed someone had dropped off a momma dog & some babies on the highway headed to our house. My wife and others fed them & tried to capture them, but they only caught one female pup and she lived at the no kill humane society. Eventually a couple pups got killed by cars so my wife was determined to get the mom & her last remaining male pup, who was mostly feral. Nobody could catch the mom until she got pregnant again and was too sick to run. Got her to the vet where she had another litter and it was my job to capture the feral male, who was now all by himself. So every day after work, I would bring blankets & all sorts of food, and sit out and attract him to eat. He gradually got accustomed to me, so I set up some kennel panels around the blanket, with a very wide opening. Every day or so, I'd narrow the opening until I finally attached the last panel with a door in it. I attached a rope to the door & sat on the far side of the enclosure. When he finally came in, I was able to pull the rope to close the door. I then had the vet tech come over to grab him & took him to the vet.
> 
> Long story short, we brought the momma home along with the male... plus 4 baby sisters from this last litter. Kept the male in a separate fenced enclosure in the back yard & worked many weeks to tame him & get him used to our other dogs. Went great & quickly became part of the family herd. The male's sister, from the first litter was never adopted, so we brought her home to live with her family. Sadly, the mom didn't live much longer. We treated her for heart worm, and cured her but her kidneys gave out from living such a hard life. The two docile dogs that eat together in the breakfast area are the male & female, brother & sister, from the first litter, that were abandoned... the female brought to the humane society & the male I captured.
> 
> Yes, we are crazy.


2" In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you". John 14:2 @******* Your mansion will be equipped with a doggie door. God bless you.


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## Smitty901

Friends of ours run a Dog kennel . They took it over from a retired couple years ago. Made some major upgrades to it and turned it into a not only a great place for Dogs but a profitable business . They go out of their way to care for and find good homes for abandoned Dogs. Some end up at their house. There are times when we go away Our Dog Stays with them. He knows the place and loves it. You know they have it right when the Dog is excited about going there.
Over the years we have had a few Dogs that just show up here. We have always provided for them.


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## rice paddy daddy

Smitty901 said:


> Over the years we have had a few Dogs that just show up here. We have always provided for them.


My wife jokes that there must be some kind of invisible sign in dog language on our gate telling passing strays to "stop here."


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## Smitty901

rice paddy daddy said:


> My wife jokes that there must be some kind of invisible sign in dog language on our gate telling passing strays to "stop here."


 Many years ago we had a BIG dog the size of a small Holstein cow show up here. It even looked like one. Sat on the back pouch and said This will do. He lived here the rest of his life like he was born here. Never cause a bit of trouble.


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## Annie

Update: I set the new dog crate up and now hubs is telling me "no more dogs for now", 'cause we just had an expensive vet bill to the tune of $300---something and they're "too expensive". *sigh* Okay for now. I'll give it the tincture of time and wait until he comes around--again. I really feel like 2 dogs is better than one security-wise. If someone was gonna break into the house, maybe they'd be willing to take on one dog, but two? I think that's a far bigger deterant. 

In the end, he will change hismind. Hubs always gives me what I want. :vs-kiss:


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## 8301

Annie said:


> In the end, he will change hismind. Hubs always gives me what I want. :vs-kiss:


Dam, women can be sneaky.


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## Annie

John Galt said:


> Dam, women can be sneaky.


Not sneaky, I'm just waiting until it's something he's okay with. We've been married over 27 years...I know how he operates. It has to be his idea.


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## dcaven

I know a fair amount about dogs. I have a European Doberman I purchased to be a guard dog/ protection dog. There is a lot I could tell you but the first thing is this. If you want a dog that will simply alert to an intruder, you don't need a very special dog. A nice Golden Retriever will do that. Second, if you want a guard dog/ protection dog it is going to require a lot of work and the process never ends. Those kinds of dogs need to work. They need to be constantly learning and if they are left unattended without training, they will be destructive. That is not meant to deter you. It is just a fact. Before you think about buying a dog, find a local Schutzhund club and start going. Schutzthund is the sporting version of that kind of dog but you can easily get more out of the dog with additional training. You will meet people who know dogs and who know breeders. 3k is not out of line for a good dog. I'm happy with the choices I've made and love working with my dog. The experience has turned out to be much more satisfying than I had imagined. If it seems it is for you, go for it. If not, get a pet who will bark when strangers are near. You can message me if you want more information. Hope I helped you.


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## Jammer Six

If I spent 3K, I'd want twenty dogs, minimum. I have other uses for money.


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## bigwheel

I used to work with a K 9 handler who said they gave the dogs hand jobs so they could bond. Sounded purty kinky to me.


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## RedLion

I finally gave into my two Daughters and we got a dog almost a year ago. An Australian Cattledog/Chow mix that was two years old at the time. He was a Humane Society pooch who had just been transferred to MN from OK Humane Society. A runaway that I guess was actually dropped off somewhere. I ended up spending about $350, but did not have to provide any of the crazy info that others have been asked for. They did not ask a thing about my home or request any background info. In to look at dogs and out with "Easy" in 30 minutes. He is a very good dog (I have always had a soft spot for mutts), very smart, compassionate, loves my Daughters and is a good guard dog from the standpoint of being my eyes and ears at night. He loves to chase critters, but those rabbits keep getting away. Lol


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## MisterMills357

RedLion said:


> I finally gave into my two Daughters and we got a dog almost a year ago. An Australian Cattledog/Chow mix that was two years old at the time. He was a Humane Society pooch who had just been transferred to MN from OK Humane Society. A runaway that I guess was actually dropped off somewhere. I ended up spending about $350, but did not have to provide any of the crazy info that others have been asked for. They did not ask a thing about my home or request any background info. In to look at dogs and out with "Easy" in 30 minutes. He is a very good dog (I have always had a soft spot for mutts), very smart, compassionate, loves my Daughters and is a good guard dog from the standpoint of being my eyes and ears at night. He loves to chase critters, but those rabbits keep getting away. Lol


I have always had mutts, they can be the best dogs to have, since they do not have inbreeding weaknesses. My two smartest dogs were half-breeds, and my last dog loved to chase rabbits too. It was fun to watch and to participate in.


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## RedLion

MisterMills357 said:


> I have always had mutts, they can be the best dogs to have, since they do not have inbreeding weaknesses. My two smartest dogs were half-breeds, and my last dog loved to chase rabbits too. It was fun to watch and to participate in.


Funny coincidence that you mention chasing rabbits as I found my pooch had finally caught and dispatched one earlier today.


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## MisterMills357

RedLion said:


> Funny coincidence that you mention chasing rabbits as I found my pooch had finally caught and dispatched one earlier today.


I would take my Doberman/German Shepard mix, and a Black Lab, named Rowdie to chase rabbits. I lived close to the Ohio River, and there are plenty of rabbits on the banks of it. 
When I would leave the house with them, they knew where we were headed, and they would be all abuzz. It was some of the best times of my life, watching them as they went bonkers, sniffing and chasing.
My dog caught a mother rabbit at her nest, and that rabbit took off, and left her brood. My dog, Kody, picked one of them up, and meant to eat it. I scolded her and she dropped it, but it had an open cut on its stomach, from her bite. So, I figure that it died, but the trip was still fun.


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## bigwheel

Yall are reminding me about why I like cats so good. Thanks.


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## Ken S LaTrans

My dobes are from the same breeder where our department got their K9s. The department used Malinois, but I have always preferred the land shark. I have had dobes in pairs for 30 years. I don't think there's a better security/protection/family dog combination in one breed than a trained dobe.


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## rice paddy daddy

Annie said:


> Update: I set the new dog crate up and now hubs is telling me "no more dogs for now", 'cause we just had an expensive vet bill to the tune of $300---something and they're "too expensive". *sigh* Okay for now. I'll give it the tincture of time and wait until he comes around--again. I really feel like 2 dogs is better than one security-wise. If someone was gonna break into the house, maybe they'd be willing to take on one dog, but two? I think that's a far bigger deterant.
> 
> In the end, he will change hismind. Hubs always gives me what I want. :vs-kiss:


Between the horses, chickens and dogs we spend about $500 per month on feed and medicine.
Two of our dogs need ongoing meds at $132 per month, for both.


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## Annie

rice paddy daddy said:


> Between the horses, chickens and dogs we spend about $500 per month on feed and medicine.
> Two of our dogs need ongoing meds at $132 per month, for both.


Oooh, that's a lotta kibble etc! What kinds of meds are your pups currently on?


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## The Tourist

We tried, we really did. First he would put his entire paw on the telephone buttons. When he was old enough to discern a differing tone, he started to play tunes from "Barney the Dinosaur," not the local Federales.

I told the best breeders in the area about our problem. Finally, one of the AKC breeders leaned over as she whispered to me, _"He's never going to be a watchdog. He's a Bichon, he's French, they have a natural dislike for Americans..."_

So, I bought a Kimber and had ADT put in their best system. And this breeder ought to know. She confided that as the owner of a German Shepherd puppy, it took her almost six months to get him to stop goose-stepping...


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## SGT E

Got a really calm sweet 1 year old part terrier mutt from the shelter after my old pup died at 15 years. I figured I'd get him a brother!....Went back to the shelter a month later. First dog I found that bit me when I stuck my hand in his cage went home with me...A little badass that would die for me and the wife he's so protective now!...Burglar alarm galore!...Keep's my asshole neighbors from coming over to boot! Pound Puppies Rock!!!


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## The Tourist

Wow, what a coincidence! I used to look for girls who did the same thing!

They were all very protective, too...of my VISA card.


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## rice paddy daddy

Annie
Two dogs get prescription meds, both are on Apoquel for skin allergies.
All dogs plus the horses get homeopathic supplements and remedies, the chickens are on an as-needed basis.
Wife gets the supplements from Jeffers Animal Supply.

When our Social Security checks hit each month, the wife puts in an on line order with Tractor Supply. They pull it, and load it into wife’s pickup truck, I unload it. One month’s supply is 300 pounds of chicken feed, 100 pounds of dry dog food, 50 pounds of grain and 40 pounds of shredded beet pulp for the horses.
Also, square bales of hay. We go straight to the hay farmer and get 40 bales at a time for $6 each. During the summer when the grass is growing we only use less than a half bale per day when the horses are put up for the night. During the winter when the grass dies back that will become 2 or more bales per day. Since there are so many variables, between a good hay crop or bad hay crop, how many bales we need during winter, etc we don’t like to get below 50 bales on hand in the hay shed.

The animals are a large part of why I went back to work part time after retiring from full time work.
But that’s OK, the animals bring us joy, comfort, companionship, security.


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## bigwheel

Things have sure changed since I was a young whupper snapper. If our dog go sick we waited to see if it got well or died. If it died we cried..buried it in the back yard with a full funeral..and went and got another one. One of my Daddys earliest lessons on life that I an recall is when he said.."Son dont everly attached to dogs or cats..cause you will most likely out live them." Now at the current age bracket not so sure if that good advice would be applicable.


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## ThePuebloKid

Interesting thread....guess I'll add my 2 cents. Had this dog 4 years now. He's a Borador ( Lab/Border Collie), 130 lbs last time I took him to the vet, and has turned out to be the best dog I've owned. Found him on Craigslist, paid $200.00 for him and no questions asked. Great personality, sometimes scary smart, and very protective. Bro-in-law stopped in for a visit the other day and my wife said that the whole time they were chatting our dog stayed/sat by her, always between them. When I mow the lawn he "paces" me as I mow. Also, when my sister lived in Colorado Springs they had 2 big Boxers that had full run of the property--front, back, and in the house. After about 3 years they were the ONLY house in their neighborhood that hadn't been burglarized.


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## GoneSouth61

Our older dog, we got from people down the road. They had a litter and couldn't afford to feed them and 1 is all we could take at the time. A dog that's always hungry from birth until 2 months is always going to be protective of its food, so you have to know that. It's also going to know very well that where it is now, it gets fed every day. That one was free, they needed the help.
Our younger dog we got from the county pound. I have no idea why he ended up there, everything they told the shelter when they abandoned him was a lie. But he was free too, they were running one of those clean out the kennel events. About a month after we got the little guy, he's about 70 pounds or so, the neighbor brought home some of her horses from where she winters them. I have no doubt the dog had never seen a horse before, he came from Tampa, he probably thought it was just another huge, ugly dog.My daughter went over to the fence to see them and one reached his head over and nuzzled her. He was being friendly. But it knocked her down. And Bruce went apeshit. He took off full speed, hit the end of the cable and came flying backward. Got up, shook his head, and did it all over again. The horse would have stomped him to death, I know. But he was going to get between it and my kid no matter what. After just a few weeks with us.
So we have 2 mutts that no one ever wants to adopt, let alone buy. They're both black, both "pit-bulls", because every stray dog in Florida is at least half Pit. But really they're American Staffy mixes. And they've both demonstrated more than once that they're going to defend their humans and home.
I'm fine with my free, worthless dogs.
And since it's only a couple months to puppy season it may be time to start looking for a third loser.


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## jimb1972

I paid over $400 for a mutt from a rescue. They came and inspected my home, asked a ton of questions, and had a bunch of requirements to be allowed to adopt a pup. They also would not let us take her home until she was 10 weeks.


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## Smitty901

jimb1972 said:


> I paid over $400 for a mutt from a rescue. They came and inspected my home, asked a ton of questions, and had a bunch of requirements to be allowed to adopt a pup. They also would not let us take her home until she was 10 weeks.


 That is because they have turned it into a big money making deal. I would never get an animal from them. My Australian cattle dog came from a good blood line for far less and they already knew us. 62 pounds of loyal home protection.


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## Slippy

jimb1972 said:


> I paid over $400 for a mutt from a rescue. They came and inspected my home, asked a ton of questions, and had a bunch of requirements to be allowed to adopt a pup. They also would not let us take her home until she was 10 weeks.


There is no way in hell I'd allow some flunky from an Animal Rescue Organization come to inspect my home and ask me anything or demand I adhere to any "requirements" in order to adopt a dog. Put that on the list entitled "Things Slippy Will Never Do." :vs_no_no_no:


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## Smitty901

Slippy said:


> There is no way in hell I'd allow some flunky from an Animal Rescue Organization come to inspect my home and ask me anything or demand I adhere to any "requirements" in order to adopt a dog. Put that on the list entitled "Things Slippy Will Never Do." :vs_no_no_no:


 Here the so called animal shelters had out Democrat prefilled in voter reg at their fund raisers. Money meant of the animals goes to DNC.


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## Deebo

My twenty year old FINALLY took her brindle pit bull mix doggie home Sunday, been with us for about a year.
Now, my chiahua (all alone) thinks the big dog is in the house, and whines a bit at night, she never has done this at the new house. 
Don't plan on anymore dogs, but, If the Good LORD puts one on us, I wouldn't feel bad..
I might get one from the pound, but would never allow some govt or greedy corp flunky to view my house...


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## rice paddy daddy

jimb1972 said:


> I paid over $400 for a mutt from a rescue. They came and inspected my home, asked a ton of questions, and had a bunch of requirements to be allowed to adopt a pup. They also would not let us take her home until she was 10 weeks.


There are many rescue groups around, and as long as they are saving dogs from euthanasia they fill a role.
In the defense of the arrangement you encountered, many "free to a good home" dogs are "adopted" to be used as bait dogs by dog fighters. Horrible end for the "rescued" animal.

That said, I would not let anyone inspect our property, nor pay an outrageous fee.
In our county, there are two No Kill shelters, one run by the County Animal Control, and the other by the Humane Society. For either one, there is no home inspection, and the adoption fee is modest and helps cover neutering and other expenses. When they get full, they hold a "Mega Adoption" event at the local Petsmart where adoption fees are reduced, sometimes to zero depending on the need for space.

Also locally there are a few breed specific rescue organizations who DO do the high fee-home inspection deal. And there will be a lot more since Florida just made greyhound racing illegal. (I fully support that, the dog racing industry kills a lot of greyhounds when they don't win races)

We have rescued dogs from the side of the road where they were dumped by previous owners. We call them Ditch Dogs. We have also got them from the Animal Control pound.
Of our current four, one was a ditch dog (a chocolate lab and the best dang dog I have ever had), two were from Animal Control, one was from a family that was having a baby and wanted the dog gone - a beautiful pure bred black lab.
Wife and I have been rescuing for over 40 years. Had as many as 8 dogs at one time, only have the four now.
We have rescued three horses over the years, too.


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## jimb1972

rice paddy daddy said:


> There are many rescue groups around, and as long as they are saving dogs from euthanasia they fill a role.
> In the defense of the arrangement you encountered, many "free to a good home" dogs are "adopted" to be used as bait dogs by dog fighters. Horrible end for the "rescued" animal.
> 
> That said, I would not let anyone inspect our property, nor pay an outrageous fee.
> In our county, there are two No Kill shelters, one run by the County Animal Control, and the other by the Humane Society. For either one, there is no home inspection, and the adoption fee is modest and helps cover neutering and other expenses. When they get full, they hold a "Mega Adoption" event at the local Petsmart where adoption fees are reduced, sometimes to zero depending on the need for space.
> 
> Also locally there are a few breed specific rescue organizations who DO do the high fee-home inspection deal. And there will be a lot more since Florida just made greyhound racing illegal. (I fully support that, the dog racing industry kills a lot of greyhounds when they don't win races)


 That would work for me now, but at the time I had very small children and wanted a puppy. Not knowing a dogs background or what kind of abuse it may have endured made me hesitant to bring one into my home with an infant and toddler. It worked out great, she is very protective, and lets you know if anyone is within a few hundred yards. I was working out of town frequently at the time. After the knee surgery though I have more invested in my dog than my car.


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## Hemi45

Timely to see this thread has been resurrected. A little over two months ago we added a rescue pup to our family. Our two males are knuckleheads and not the loyal friend we wanted for our daughter. This little GSD mix girlie is AWESOME! Definitely in the top three dogs of my lifetime, a true blessing. The rescue group fee was $175 (but we gave them $200) for a spayed 7-8 m/o pup that was UTD on all vaccinations. For those of you who don't know the cost of care that's easily a $500 value. Moreover, she's just one of several dozen that they take in and re-home over the course of a year. They deserve every dollar they get for the work they do. I'm not saying some groups don't scam and others don't suck but that's just life, isn't it? 

One more note on rescue groups. These pets are living in real homes with real families. The foster families have daily experience with the dogs and can speak to specific behaviors, tolerances and personalities. You cannot get that from the county shelter. The greatest dog of my life came from the shelter but with a little girl I felt much more comfortable adopting a pup that had already been vetted.

When you do your homework and deal with reputable people you usually get what you pay for. In our case we got many, many times more than we paid. They also brought her over for a home visit. This allowed us see her in our environment and interact with our dogs, in our yard, and give them piece of mind that she was going to a good home. I call that good customer service and a win-win.


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## rice paddy daddy

One of our Ditch Dogs was so tiny when my wife found him on the road he easily fit in the palms of her hands. Barely weaned from momma it was thrown away like trash. Completely hairless from mange and being so tiny we didn’t even know what he was.
He was found on the 4th of July, so of course we named him Sammy, after Uncle Sam.

With treatment and some growth we discovered he was a mix of Australian Cattle Dog and German Shepherd.
If I was to guess, I would say he was thrown away because he wasn’t purebred.
A wonderful dog and very loyal we had him 16 years until he told us it was time.

We keep the cremains of our dogs rather than burying them. We pay an extra fee to have them cremated separately from other dogs, they come back in an urn with a certificate and a lock of hair.
If you pay for a regular cremation they do a bunch of dogs at once and then portion out the ashes.

Sound like we go overboard for our dogs? Based on the unconditional love each have shown us, I think not.


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## Hemi45

rice paddy daddy said:


> We keep the cremains of our dogs rather than burying them. We pay an extra fee to have them cremated separately from other dogs, they come back in an urn with a certificate and a lock of hair.
> If you pay for a regular cremation they do a bunch of dogs at once and then portion out the ashes.
> 
> Sound like we go overboard for our dogs? Based on the unconditional love each have shown us, I think not.


I have the ashes of my best, true once-in-a-lifetime, dog. A dog that was so exceptional my daughter has her name (although my wife says its a beautiful name and pure coincidence - lol). I get it. The plan has always been to have her ashes mixed with mine when that day comes and both of us become part of a reef ball. Y'all can call me crazy too.


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## Deebo

Love has no boundaries, or price tag.


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## Annie

Here's my latest watchdog. He barks, I get the gun.









Sent from my SM-S337TL using Tapatalk


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## rice paddy daddy

Deebo said:


> Love has no boundaries, or price tag.


Those who say money can not buy love have never paid an adoption fee at the animal shelter.


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## Deebo

Annie said:


> Here's my latest watchdog. He barks, I get the gun.
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-S337TL using Tapatalk


OMG, don't let @Inor see that Hippy Dog..
Dudley, I like that...


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## bigwheel

Snappy dressing pooch.


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## Slippy

Annie said:


> Here's my latest watchdog. He barks, I get the gun.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sent from my SM-S337TL using Tapatalk


No offense Annie, as I am sure Dudley is a fine and loyal member of the family, but I can't help but think if Dudley were a human, he might drive one of those Chrysler PT Cruisers...Just sayin'....:vs_blush:


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## The Tourist

I like dogs better than most people. No, that's not right. Better than all people.


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## Annie

Slippy said:


> No offense Annie, as I am sure Dudley is a fine and loyal member of the family, but I can't help but think if Dudley were a human, he might drive one of those Chrysler PT Cruisers...Just sayin'....:vs_blush:


You like his outfit? My daughter put that hat on him. He wears clothes all the time on account of the fact that he has alopecia (that's a fancy word for balding).


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## Annie

The Tourist said:


> I like dogs better than most people. No, that's not right. Better than all people.


Yeah, I love my dogs.


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## The Tourist

To be honest, I don't really like dogs for security. Too many aggressors might shoot them. It's my house, I'm armed, I know my way around in the dark. I'll leave the dog with my wife and go shoot the interloper myself. We have the castle doctrine, but then, we just got a libtard governor.


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## StratMaster

The Tourist said:


> To be honest, I don't really like dogs for security. Too many aggressors might shoot them. It's my house, I'm armed, I know my way around in the dark. I'll leave the dog with my wife and go shoot the interloper myself. We have the castle doctrine, but then, we just got a libtard governor.


As an early warning system, they can't be beat. You can still go out and handle business on your own after being alerted.


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## The Tourist

StratMaster said:


> As an early warning system, they can't be beat. You can still go out and handle business on your own after being alerted.


Okay, that I agree with. But I'd rather take a beating than find my dog even bloodied for my sake. You start to love the little mutts like your own kids.


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## Smitty901

Some breeds like the Australian cattle dog will be on you before you ever know he is there if he wants it that way. 1,200 pound bulls don't phase them . Even more than one at a time. But to those he protects he is harmless. Oh they do like to sneak up on you now and then.


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## Piratesailor

I’m torn by the thought of my dogs as security. I think they are, however I think they are more an early warning system. I’m not sure how they would react to an intruder as they are all pretty well socialized and behaved. 

Now, with that said, the little one would eat them from the ankles up and the big one from the neck down. Seriously, I think my little guy is the early warning and my brute will indeed attack an intruder. Of that, I have no doubt. I think an intruder would rather be shot that attacked by my big guy. Now, if I was to break in, knowing my dog, i’d bring a female dog with me and watch my big guy roll on his back like a complete whimp. 

The little guy is a shitzu and the big guy is red tick **** and pit mix. I do have a third dog but he’d sleep through it all.


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## rice paddy daddy

Our property is fenced and cross fenced, mainly for animal control.
The dogs main security job is to alert me to anything wrong. 
Whether that be a human or a coyote. I take over from that point.
Any human will be held at gunpoint since he trespassed by climbing over a fence.

Our dogs are inside dogs, and I have learned over the years their alerts - certain sounds mean rabbits or armadillos, other sounds are more serious threats


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## bigwheel

Piratesailor said:


> I'm torn by the thought of my dogs as security. I think they are, however I think they are more an early warning system. I'm not sure how they would react to an intruder as they are all pretty well socialized and behaved.
> 
> Now, with that said, the little one would eat them from the ankles up and the big one from the neck down. Seriously, I think my little guy is the early warning and my brute will indeed attack an intruder. Of that, I have no doubt. I think an intruder would rather be shot that attacked by my big guy. Now, if I was to break in, knowing my dog, i'd bring a female dog with me and watch my big guy roll on his back like a complete whimp.
> 
> The little guy is a shitzu and the big guy is red tick **** and pit mix. I do have a third dog but he'd sleep through it all.


The large bosomed single lady from across the street uses the same system witha different cast of dog characters. The alert litlle chewawah wakes up the throat biting big Rotty when an alleged perp democrat shows up. I would send a pic but those dogs dont like me either for some reason.


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