WAYNE CHIRNSIDE wrote to JAMES BRADLEY, "Hello!?" on 06-20-05 06:41

 WC> Well didn't figure unprovoked belligerance was in your nature ;-)

Unprovoked... No. 

 WC> It was dead simple to train him, he wanted to please, I was pleased.

Win-Win I think they call it!
 WC> Oh yeah he spent his first two years in the hands of those that
 WC> wanted an attack dog.
 WC> When he came into my hands we had one bloodless _discussion_
 WC> over his taking a bath, nothing since :-)

At first, I thought the discussion you referred to was with the x-owner. O-8

"Take a bath you PIG!"
"No."
 -> My bias toward the
 -> breed, is dismay at some of the idiots that don't know
 -> how to raise them, (Two
 -> doors South of me.) or worse, the idiot that thinks they
 -> do! (Your gem's past in consideration.)

 WC> Like the California girl whose Pit attacker owners said, "it'd always
 WC> been friendly" :-(
 WC> It's still a canine morons so you have to establish pack leader status.

Even people with cheuauas don't understand that. When I hear, "Fluffy always
eats first." Don't come bitchin' to me when Fluffy takes a bite out-a your
ankle.

 WC> They can be quite deadly and impossible to beat off if improperly
 WC> raised as most unfortunately are.

My old guy was an enthusiastic guard. The only modification, was to encourage
him to guard quietly. One day, I saw him dart onto the open, enclosed balcony.
I'd seen that before, so I never paid too much attention, until WHAM! He lets
loose like a mad-man, just as I see a fella on a ten speed cutting through the
yard. Until that rider made it to the road, I was never quite sure if he would
stay on his mount. I laughed like crazy, and realized the lesson on that point
could be shelved.

 WC> I don't believe I'd still be walking at all were it not for Spanky
 WC> and our twice daily walk.

The only reason I *don't* have a dog, is it's not like I could take a three day
recovery break, until I get a 'leg under me' sort of speaking. I have a large
enough yard to keep at least a medium size K9 happy, and healthy, but
exercising one... I'm just starting to eat properly myself, let alone change
another watter bowl.

I think I mentioned about my greenhouse? My efforts, and energy has to be
devoted to A) yard salvation B) interior evacuation (I was co-dependent on
auctions for a while there.) C) any strength/flexibility I might be able to
recover. I just don't think I could devote enough to an animal (I even
considered a *CAT*!) at this time. 

 -> no doubt you have a loyal, appreciative fella on your hands.

 WC> Feeling is mutual.

Did I mention "Win-Win"? 

My guy was a shared pet, until she was showen the door. One month later, "He
chewed my Sable Died Mink!" I guess that was his second flight in his life.

 WC> Terriers are smart but can be stubborn.

Then I'd take the mut to an off leash area, and I could tell he remembered the
emergency down lessons, but "forgot" about it. He was off!
Leashed him again,
fine. He was some soldier on a lead, but it could be as simple as a plastic bag
blowing in the wind, and he had to get his nose into it.

He also picked up a greedy food habit from the Cocker Spaniel mother. Came a
point, if he so much as snarled at a visiting kid, he's be off to seclusion
with a bowl of water. 


 WC> worst punishment I've ever given to Spanky was not allowing him to
 WC> sleep in bed with me for a night, expelled from  the pack for a night
 WC> as it were.

That's a GOOD one!

 WC> That's happened three times and not in a few years now :-(

Know the feeling. I told you when Mr. T. Rutherford III nested in the feather
quilt? What a mess! He emptied about a third of one strip, and had another one
started before he felt comfortable. It's one of those, 'I don't how if I should
hug ya, or make dinner with you' moments. What're you gonna do, hey?

One day I brought two mice in from traps, and offered them to my sister and two
friends. "Pencils, and books... Followed the trail to the back
door." as dad
tells it. "I couldn't scold him, I was laughing too hard." A
cousin pointed out
to me, we have a generation or two of *really* strong women in our family. I
just had to give old sis a leveller. {-|[ Had the plan, and mice in the pocket
for quite a few hours too.

 WC> I allow Spanky the freedom to just be himself as well however
 WC> where his safety is concerned he MUST obey.

LOL... We could spend about 90min on the front lawn, and I was quite successful
keeping between him and distraction. Then he'd be ready to bolt. Twice he did
get past me were for stray dogs. (Maybe a cat or three, but those are more fun
to watch.) One day, Queen Shepard (but thinner and not as tall. 50% I'd say.)
comes bargin' down the front row of houses with a few eager boys behind her.
Ringleader and my guy go at it. He's about half the size, so I let 'em go. Just
when the girl was getting an upper hand, I'd tug her tail, and they were havin'
a donnybrook. Besides tugging the tail (They weren't large.) about three times.
He showed her the "back door!" And ripped a new one.

Didn't see more than some missing hair on the grass. No breaks: No Blood. You
can tell my adrenalin is going to this day when I talk about it. Elbows an
A-holes is the tamest I can describe it.

 WC> I've even got one non-English command, a sound, that means
 WC> stop whatever you're doing he responds to.

Another good one! I used "Hup!" quite a bit. It was an
interchangeable command,
usually against gravity, or pay attention.

I can loud whistle without fingers. He was pretty good with that. But, around
cables and music accoutrement, I'd just ask him, "Is that a good idea?" A
couple of good socks on the noggin made it perfectly clear, *something* was
about to fall on him. Didn't take him long to follow a hot-cold game, where if
he used his head, he could still play with the ball. Crafty devil was pretty
good *before* he had reached full hight. 

 WC> Sorry about your losing your Terrier, it lay in the future for me as
 WC> well :-(

Like the sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives.  Or
was that, "As the world turns?" (And turns, rinse, repeat)


 WC> Right now I'm looking at Spanky taking me for my theraputic
 WC> walk in about an hour.

Give him a wink for me?


... The wiser mind mourns less for what age takes, than what it leaves.
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