The Dog Lover Thread

[UtahDan]

Saw this on Yahoo today:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technolog...rthals/257145/

Basically some theorizing about dogs may have been the key to us putting neanderthals out of business. But this part was particularly interesting:

There's another intriguing -- if conjecture-filled -- theory here, too. It could be, Shipman suggests, that dogs represented even more than companionate technologies to Paleolithic man. It could be that their cooperative proximity brought about its own effects on human evolution -- in the same way that the domestication of cattle led to humans developing the ability to digest milk. Shipman points to the "cooperative eye hypothesis," which builds on the observation that, compared to other primates, humans have highly visible sclerae (whites of the eyes). For purposes of lone hunting, sclerae represent a clear disadvantage: not only will your pesky eye-whites tend to stand out against a dark backdrop of a forest or rock, giving away your location, but they also reveal the direction of your gaze. It's hard to be a stealthy hunter when your eyes are constantly taking away your stealth.

Expressive eyes, however, for all their competitive disadvantage, have one big thing going for them: They're great at communicating. With early humans hunting in groups, "cooperative eyes" may have allowed them to "talk" with each other, silently and therefore effectively: windows to the soul that are also evolutionarily advantageous. And that, in turn, might have led to a more ingrained impulse toward cooperation. Human babies, studies have shown, will automatically follow a gaze once a connection is made. Eye contact is second nature to us; but it's a trait that makes us unique among our fellow primates.

Sorry about your dog PU.

[Portland Ute]

Well, our Golden Retriever, Tucker, finally succumbed to cancer over the weekend.

The steroids kept him comfortable and active for a few weeks, but he went downhill quick.

We put him to sleep on Friday night.

[bluegoose]

For those of you with Labradoodles...did you buy them from a Breeder? I have been looking for one because my wife and son both have dog allergies, but damn they are expensive...

No, we scoured a number of internet aggregate websites that reported which dogs were available within a certain radius of us.

One Sunday night 2 rescue labradoodles showed up at the local shelter. My wife called first thing in the morning. One was already gone, and she went and picked ours up 2 hours later.

We paid only pennies for him (I think it was about $25). We still had to do all of the shots ourselves, but compared to the price of a dog with papers it was a steal.

2 1/2 years later and he has been a great family dog.

[Non Sequitur]

For those of you with Labradoodles...did you buy them from a Breeder? I have been looking for one because my wife and son both have dog allergies, but damn they are expensive...

Buying from a breeder significantly reduces the odds that the dog will later develop hip dysplasia, very common in labs.

[Drunk Tank]

For those of you with Labradoodles...did you buy them from a Breeder? I have been looking for one because my wife and son both have dog allergies, but damn they are expensive...

[hostile]

Getting ready for the duck hunt.

[ERCougar]

Pit Bulls are by far the most common source of dogbite business for us, accounting for over half. Next would be German Shepherds, followed by Rottweilers and Dobermans. Maybe 10% are other dogs.

I can think of one owner who wasn't completely shocked and surprised that it happened.

[LA Ute]

Because a dog can't tell the difference between another dog and a person?....I saw a black lab kill a yorkie at the top of our street a couple of years ago. So what does that say about black labs as a breed in relation to its behavior toward humans?....absolutely nothin'.

Well...in my case the two PBs were long-time pets and had never caused any trouble. Somehow they both got out of their yard -- that had never happened either -- and some other poor little dog got out at the wrong time, they all met up, and it was a pretty horrible experience. The police had both dogs removed that night. It all made an impression on me about that breed.

So when I see a black lab coming my way without an owner who has him on leash, I will be very cautious. When I see a pit bull doing the same, I am reaching for my pepper spray and looking for an escape route. This probably means I am a breedist. But I think it is very rational.

In any case I am keeping my eyes on both dogs, and my distance, until I am far away from them. But if you like the breed and are a careful, responsible owner, good for you. Just not my cup of tea.

[mUUser]

They make me pretty nervous. After I saw those two kill a smaller dog in the street in front of our house I don't want to be around any of them.

Because a dog can't tell the difference between another dog and a person?....I saw a black lab kill a yorkie at the top of our street a couple of years ago. So what does that say about black labs as a breed in relation to its behavior toward humans?....absolutely nothin'.

[LA Ute]

I saw pit bulls face to face for the first time a couple of weeks ago. The owner had rescued them after being abandoned as puppies. I noticed three things about them. First, they are very friendly. They loved human interaction and stayed close to us while we were visiting. Second, they are extremely strong. The 2 that I saw were only about 1-2 inches taller than my wheaton terrier, but when they brushed beside you, you felt it. When I pet them, it felt like all muscle. Third (and I only noticed this near the end of the visit), they had large collars with a black box on them. When they were out of the house with us, so was the owner. And he had some kind of remote control shock device in his pocket.

I don't know if the shock collar was more for the comfort of people or for the dog, but I now have a cautious respect for pit bulls.

They make me pretty nervous. After I saw those two kill a smaller dog in the street in front of our house I don't want to be around any of them.

[FN Phat]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1142439

[YOUTUBE]B1xndiXQJsc[/YOUTUBE]

[Northwestcoug]

I saw pit bulls face to face for the first time a couple of weeks ago. The owner had rescued them after being abandoned as puppies. I noticed three things about them. First, they are very friendly. They loved human interaction and stayed close to us while we were visiting. Second, they are extremely strong. The 2 that I saw were only about 1-2 inches taller than my wheaton terrier, but when they brushed beside you, you felt it. When I pet them, it felt like all muscle. Third (and I only noticed this near the end of the visit), they had large collars with a black box on them. When they were out of the house with us, so was the owner. And he had some kind of remote control shock device in his pocket.

I don't know if the shock collar was more for the comfort of people or for the dog, but I now have a cautious respect for pit bulls.

[YOhio]

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/nati...icle-1.1142439

A pack of pit bulls ripped through the front of a Southern California man’s minivan in a stunning display of force that would make Cujo cringe.
So what drove the dogs to such destruction? A kitty stuck in the bumper area, Palm Springs police Sgt. Mike Kovaleff said Tuesday.

[LA Ute]

http://news.yahoo.com/mass-couple-di...144113788.html

I'll stipulate, counsel, that some people are idiots about their pets. Now pipe down or I'll start sharing tales about you and your goldfish.

[UtahDan]

http://news.yahoo.com/mass-couple-di...144113788.html

A Massachusetts couple boating on a lake drowned after jumping into the water to rescue their dog, who survived.
Police say the small dog named Sadie jumped into Hampton Ponds in Westfield on Monday night, prompting 64-year-old Donald Cyr to follow his pet into the lake.
Police told The Westfield News that he became distressed and his wife, 61-year-old Patricia Cyr, tried to rescue him.
Their daughter, Miranda Landry, told The Boston Globe that her mother jumped into the water despite not being able to swim.
"It doesn't surprise me at all," Landry said. "I know that's what she would do."