Dogs

[Ivey]

It would never fail when Stretch went to the river he got in the water, without a doubt didn't matter how cold it was Stretch was going swimming. Normally just before we left and he had to get one last swim before he would get into get in the truck. During the warmer months it wasn't to bad because I would tell him load up and in the back of the truck he went, the colder months were different he'd ride in the cab of the truck with me. There was always a towel in the truck because I knew I'd need to dry him off. There was one day it was cold out and I had forgotten a towel so I decided Stretch was not going to go swimming today. We pulled up to the dock and I grabbed Stretch before he could get out and put his leash on him. Now if there were ever a better dog on a leash I haven't seen one. the first time I took him for a long walk off the farm I put him on a leash. The leash never pulled tight unless I pulled it tight, I would tell him heal give the leash a slight tug and he never left my side. This one day I led him to the truck and put him in the cab before he could get in the water. After backing the truck and trailer down the ramp I told Stretch to stay, so he sit there in the truck while I loaded the boat. When the boat hit the trailer I guess it startled him and he jumped and somehow kicked the truck out of gear, down the ramp it went. Luckily the trailer went to the side and bumped against the dock stopping the trucks quick decent down the ramp. It had only gone about half way into the water so I quickly I jumped out of the boat and wadded up to reengage the gear. Now I'm wet and Stretch is dry. After a little doing I got the truck and trailer pulled back in position to load the boat so I hopped out and Stretch was right behind me. Not thinking to tell him to stay I guess he thought time to make a break and that he did. I loaded the boat out and pulled the truck and trailer up the ramp, got out and started tying down the boat. By this time I'm wondering where is Stretch, I looked for him around the ramp thinking he was probably out doing his business. Not a chance, about 30 yards out in the river here came Stretch, huff ,huff, huff swimming back to the bank with a short piece of rope that had fell out of the back of the truck and started floating away. That day Stretch and I both rode home wet.

 

[BassNJake]

I grew up with a dog, I was born on a Saturday, we picked him up on a Saturday, named him Saturday.

He lived 14 years - survived being hit by a car- survived being shot - vet pulled 56 bb's out of his hind quarters

When he died, I was crushed and vowed to never own another pet.

 

My wife is the dog magnet.

All the dogs in the neighborhood seem to come by to get some love and attention from her.

My wife and sister in law were walking back from the lake one day and a pack of dogs started following her.

When they get to the house one of the dogs just sprawls out across the porch like she owned it.

She didn't leave for 3 days. The owner stopped by and said that was their dog but it looked like she decided to live somewhere else. We decided to keep her and she's been giving us non stop loving ever since.

 

She's a husky/shepherd mix, kids named her Misha

 

[Ivey]

12 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

I grew up with a dog, I was born on a Saturday, we picked him up on a Saturday, named him Saturday.

He lived 14 years - survived being hit by a car- survived being shot - vet pulled 56 bb's out of his hind quarters

When he died, I was crushed and vowed to never own another pet.

 

My wife is the dog magnet.

All the dogs in the neighborhood seem to come by to get some love and attention from her.

My wife and sister in law were walking back from the lake one day and a pack of dogs started following her.

When they get to the house one of the dogs just sprawls out across the porch like she owned it.

She didn't leave for 3 days. The owner stopped by and said that was their dog but it looked like she decided to live somewhere else. We decided to keep her and she's been giving us non stop loving ever since.

 

She's a husky/shepherd mix, kids named her Misha

 

Beautiful eyes, I guess some dogs just know where they belong. I never replaced Stretch just didn't seem right.

[BassNJake]

7 minutes ago, Ivey said:

Beautiful eyes, I guess some dogs just know where they belong. I never replaced Stretch just didn't seem right.

I thought the same thing- now I see it as I missed out on that loving companionship for 30 years and a lot of memories I could have shared. As I look back on my life, it's like there are different chapters. These latest chapters have included some kids + dogs and cats.

 

You would not be replacing Stretch, you'd give another dog a chance they might not get in another home

 

Glad to read about what a good boy Stretch was!!

[Team9nine]

1 hour ago, TnRiver46 said:

@Team9nine, Sid vicious! That’s awesome 

My original name proposal after we got Charlie was for Johnny (“Rotten”). Thought it would be great to have Sid snd Johnny as my two dogs, and the latter one certainly had a “rotten” temperament - lol. Wife kind of nixed the idea though - haha

 

[Ivey]

2 minutes ago, BassNJake said:

I thought the same thing- now I see it as I missed out on that loving companionship for 30 years and a lot of memories I could have shared. As I look back on my life, it's like there are different chapters. These latest chapters have included some kids + dogs and cats.

 

You would not be replacing Stretch, you'd give another dog a chance they might not get in another home

 

Glad to read about what a good boy Stretch was!!

I've always considered it, I really enjoyed training Stretch but he was so easy to train it was more like what can I find he couldn't do more than what he could. Sometimes I swear I think that dog knew what I was thinking before I said a word. He never jumped up and was an exultant dog around kids, but if you bent over, 9 times outa 10 you were gonna get licked in the face, he was a drive by licker and if I had known earlier I would have called him Licker

[LonnieP]

Hank is my 8 month old Husky/German Shepherd mix. 

 

 

[Ski213]

These two are Rocco and Molly. Rocco showed up on my porch when he was about 10 months old. There are a lot of theories on what mix he is, but it doesn’t matter. He’s been very difficult at times. Super insane prey drive and he is real assertive. He’s a working dog but usually he freelances. He has been and continues to be a great dog. He’s 14 now and although he’s in great shape for his age he is certainly in his golden years. Fighting a little arthritis from a torn acl and maybe a touch of cognitive dysfunction. We are keeping that in check for now though. 

 

Molly was dumped at a friends house most likely because she had a severe fear of storms or was sensitive to pressure changes or something. I called her my k9 meteorologist. When I first got her, if the wind shifted I would have a gift in the kitchen when I got home.  She was super nervous about everything.  I’d guess she was 7 or so when I got her. I only had her for about 5 years. She died from kidney failure 2.5 yrs ago. She was a sweetheart. Rocco and her bonded and I think he really helped calm her nerves. She never 100% got past the storm thing but she had zero fear outside of that after a year or so. I miss her. 

 

This is Diesel. He showed up last January. We had him for about three months. He showed up one day at the front gate. We went through the usual shelter report and social media stuff to try to find his owners. We resigned ourselves  to the fact that maybe somebody dumped him given there was no response. He was able to live at my then fiancés house until we could get he and Rocco properly together. After quite a bit of accelerated training we got them together and shortly thereafter found his owners. It was kind of bittersweet but we were glad to get him back home. He busted a lot of pit stereotypes. He was young and tough to deal with sometimes but also eager to please once he started figuring it all out. 

 

I love my dogs. The only bad part is that we have to say goodbye. 

[Patrick Reif]

This is Charlotte. She was our rescue black lab.  Probably the best dog we ever had. We put her down about 9 months ago for cancer.

 

We also have a pitbull rescue named Abby.  She's likely the sweetest dog we've ever had.  She really wants to be your cuddle buddy.

 

Our newest pup is another mixed mutt. The mother was a black lab.  The father is likely a german shepard.  She's a handful that loves running a tennis ball more than any dog I've ever seen. 

[Koz]

This our our dog Boomer. He's a Chiweenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix) we picked up at a shelter where he had been abandoned twice before. He had previously been named Chico and Grover, but those just didn't fit. So my then 8 year old son started rattling off names and nicknames of Yankee players and when he said Boomer (nickname of David Wells) this scared little dog popped up his ears and tilted his head like, "Yes! Finally a cool name for me!"

 

The second weekend we had him we had a baseball tournament and had to be gone for most of the day so we crated Boomer while we were gone. When we got home he was still in his crate, but the crate had moved almost 10 feet across the floor! So the next day we put a towel over the crate hoping to keep him calm. When we came home he had eaten most of the towel and was pooping bits of terry for days.

 

So the next times that we had to go out we decided to let him roam the house. Over the next week he tore up 3 sets of window blinds. This little dog would climb on desks and furniture and just rip them apart.

 

He had abandonment issues and had been mistreated in the past. For the first few weeks he'd sit near us but not with us, but he slowly warmed up. That was 6 years ago and now he's a great companion dog. If I go to the living room he follows and sits with me or my son. If I move to my office he gets up and moves to his dog bed in my office. At night he goes to bed with my son and halfway through the night he jumps on my bed.

 

As for fishing, I didn't take him with me when I lived in the SC Lowcountry because he'd end up being a gator snack. But we've gone to the lakes here in the SC Upstate and he's come along for the walks, but he likes to be on the move when he's outside so I don't see him being a fishing buddy. But that's OK, my son is still my fishing buddy for a few more years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FordsnFishin]

This is Buster. He enjoys truck rides,  and boat rides. I take him out hunting too.

 

When he's not chasing squirrels, rabbits, or neighbors cats, he can be found sleeping under my feet or in his mommas lap. 

 

 

[imbatman]

Have always had dogs.  These two came from some crappy people in a rental that just left them behind.  Had them almost 10 years now and they are the best "hot mess" i could ever ask for.

 

 

[imbatman]

One of the things I am most proud of in my life.  I don't have kids so dogs are a big part of my daily life.

 

This is Josie and her story is in the video.... All I will say is once she settled in I never locked my house, there was no need.  She knew and no one was coming in!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[volzfan59]

First, I want to thank you for posting pics of your dog's, they are beautiful. I wish that I knew how to post pictures, just not very tech savvy.

Anyway, I have a Bassett Hound, Daisy. She's almost one year old. Beautiful girl.

[N Florida Mike]

My favorite dog was Charlie, a black lab. He was small for a male. Rescue dog my son originally had. He tried to keep him inside because he would escape and jump over their short fence. He chewed up a lot of furniture and other things in the house, including metal Venetian blinds that had been there since the house was new( my childhood home).

Joe asked me if I wanted the dog and I told him Id think about it and let him know. When I came home a few days later, He had staked the dog out on the front porch!! He had already wrapped around a tall sprinkler head and broke it off.

Since I don’t like dogs in the house, he became a yard dog. The problem was, he would swim off in the lake and come back whenever he felt like it, or when he got hungry enough. The grandkids would have to hold him when I was going fishing or he would swim out and follow me.

A neighbor across from me shot another neighbors dog for swimming over and getting in his yard . When he tried to catch it, it snapped at him and drew blood. He got 60,000 dollars settlement for the slight dog bite, and still shot the dog 6 times , but it lived somehow.

Anyway, my dog would swim over to his house for some reason . He never shot my dog but would just open the gate and let Charlie out on the road! Nice neighbor huh?

One day Charlie swam over and was chewing on and throwing around the neighbors shoes. I laughed out loud. 
But it wasn’t long before I found a Charlie dead outside when I went out  to feed him?. I always wondered if the neighbor poisoned him. Could not afford a autopsy.He had come home one evening a few days before bleeding at the mouth, tail between his legs, head down. Like he’d been in a fight. Next day he was better so I didn’t take him to the vet. A few days later- dead. I didn’t cry but came close. All Charlie ever wanted was to be around us. Have not had the heart for another dog since.

Wish I had a pic, but never took any because I didn’t know he would die suddenly like that.

[J Francho]

Wow, I'm sorry man.  That's a horrible story!

[Mobasser]

3 hours ago, N Florida Mike said:

My favorite dog was Charlie, a black lab. He was small for a male. Rescue dog my son originally had. He tried to keep him inside because he would escape and jump over their short fence. He chewed up a lot of furniture and other things in the house, including metal Venetian blinds that had been there since the house was new( my childhood home).

Joe asked me if I wanted the dog and I told him Id think about it and let him know. When I came home a few days later, He had staked the dog out on the front porch!! He had already wrapped around a tall sprinkler head and broke it off.

Since I don’t like dogs in the house, he became a yard dog. The problem was, he would swim off in the lake and come back whenever he felt like it, or when he got hungry enough. The grandkids would have to hold him when I was going fishing or he would swim out and follow me.

A neighbor across from me shot another neighbors dog for swimming over and getting in his yard . When he tried to catch it, it snapped at him and drew blood. He got 60,000 dollars settlement for the slight dog bite, and still shot the dog 6 times , but it lived somehow.

Anyway, my dog would swim over to his house for some reason . He never shot my dog but would just open the gate and let Charlie out on the road! Nice neighbor huh?

One day Charlie swam over and was chewing on and throwing around the neighbors shoes. I laughed out loud. 
But it wasn’t long before I found a Charlie dead outside when I went out  to feed him?. I always wondered if the neighbor poisoned him. Could not afford a autopsy.He had come home one evening a few days before bleeding at the mouth, tail between his legs, head down. Like he’d been in a fight. Next day he was better so I didn’t take him to the vet. A few days later- dead. I didn’t cry but came close. All Charlie ever wanted was to be around us. Have not had the heart for another dog since.

Wish I had a pic, but never took any because I didn’t know he would die suddenly like that.

Mike, that's a sad story. Makes me get mad just reading about it

[OCdockskipper]

I have been around dogs my entire life, and always owned medium to large dogs as an adult.  Typically we have two at all times, so the dog doesn't have to depend on us for companionship, he has a buddy there 24/7.

 

Pictured below are our 2 current dogs when they were about 2 years old (they are now approaching 12 years).  The one in the back is Dumbo, a retriever mix that is sweet as they come & dumb as a brick.  While he is still kicking, he has slowed down a bit, he has a bad hip and is nearly blind.  Nonetheless, he is still a happy dog.

 

The dog in the front, Captain, is another story.  We originally thought he was just a cream colored shepherd when we got him, later we figured out he was a breed called Anatolian Shepherd.  It is a breed from Turkey, descendants of Mastiffs, bred to guard herds of livestock & fight off bears & wolfs.  That breeding is so reflective in his personality, an alpha who must know what is going on, will always move to protect those he believes he is responsible for, smart, stubborn & independent.  Even at 12, old for a 100lb plus dog, Captain has the energy of a puppy, well at least for a few minutes.  I have never seen a dog be so enthusiastic about being fed.

 

The 2nd picture is Captain at about 6 months, it gives you an idea of how solidly built this breed is.

 

 

[Bird]

I adore every dog, animals in general. 

Growing up, our house was like a zoo from Aquariums, birds, cats, ferrets and dogs. 

 

I've had several Border collies, super dogs. Never had an outside dog though. 

Dogs and cats are piled up in the bed with the wife and I every evening, we love it , they are family. 

 

Our family does a lot of bird hunting , mainly pheasant and quail and I'm always amazed how effective and efficient a good bird is, amazing. 

 

Must admit, loosing a dog in this family is absolutely devastating and tough to recover from, required days off from work. Dogs are the best.

[N Florida Mike]

6 hours ago, J Francho said:

Wow, I'm sorry man.  That's a horrible story!

I still feel really bad about it.

[Tim Kelly]

Mine have a miserable life.