Random Musings From An Ex Dog Trainer

In terms of hunting style, Akitas were hounds. In terms of ancestry, they're Nordic dogs.

I feel lucky I was able to more or less teach Kang to let me have the dead animal, let alone any of the other stuff. Only dog I've ever owned that I'm pretty sure could survive without me.

"Hah! What do you do with a lab/blue heeler mix? :) "

Figure out a way to get him to stop bringing you cattle?

Hah! What do you do with a lab/blue heeler mix? :)

Amen Brother Aussies all the way. Our's lived to be 14. Kept the children out of the road and in the yard when young.. Did everything but open the gate when bringing the cows to the barn. The few folks she did not trust and I did, I lived to regret not following her instincts. Could get a cow in 2 languages..
When we had to put her down, the then 9 year old insisted she was going as it was her AUSSIE!! Never took her hands off her until she was gone, 3 grown men including the vet had to leave the room as they were crying like babies. Tears still get in the way when i talk or write bout this. Sorry i'm doen cant see the screen to keep typing.

The Chessie loves to hunt. He is however a merciless critic of my wing shooting abilities, if I miss the first duck of the morning he gives me a nasty look and goes back to the truck.
The cow dog is working hard on training me to fetch her chips and beer while she lays in front of the fire.

Living with 3 corgi's, I have to frequently remind myself I have a college degree and opposable thumbs. There have several occasions where the dogs exercised their problem solving skills and did end runs around me to get what they wanted.

I am only the human.

I had an Aussie. Loved her beyond tears but her insistence that I go into the kitchen instead of the living room almost killed me a few times. And her attempts to herd the cats and kids...maddening.

Ah, Aussies, yes. I lived with a blue heeler bright enough that the dog pulled practical jokes. There's something disconcerting about a dog that's laughing at you, not with you.

All the same, sometimes when dealing with a certain faithful, water-loving, vacant-eyed retriever, I wish for a dog again who gives you dirty looks because you haven't figured out what it's trying to communicate instead of a brain that has seen The BALL and will have no other thoughts than "Ball? Ball? Ball?" for the next half hour.

LOL That's why I have Labs instead of Border Collies. I don't want a dog that can out-think me. In fact, with my last Lab rapidly aging, I've switched to American Bulldogs. Built like an ox, and just about as smart as one.

Amen to that. Our 2 year old pit/rott mix doesn't hunt. He once found a baby bird and loooooved it to death (poor thing died from fright without a mark on it). Our 6 month old coonhound/rott mix? She's already bagged two adult birds by herself.