OT: Had to draw my pistol today

Are you saying that both dogs knew to go for the money shot, Wes? ;-/

-- Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. -- Storm Jameson

I think they wanted to be IRS agents ;)

In 1985, I picked up a stray 3-4 month puppy of mixed heritage, although she did look to be pure Dingo. The only member of the household who she didn't nip at one time or other was SWMBO, signifying that she recognized her as "Head Bitch" in this pack!

At one point around 1989, we had a neighbourhood "feral child" who liked to play rough with neighbour hood pets to the point where she would inspect any unlocked door to determine if there were any animals therein with whom she could indulge in rough play involving sticks etc. One day she discovered our dog on her 20' chain in our back yard; now, mind you, there was ready access via the driveway with no gate to bar access; and incurred minor skin perforations. After the officer interviewed our neighbours, two of whom had witnessed the attack, he advised us to keep our vicious animal confined to our property and he would return in two weeks to verify that she had not perished from Rabies. Then he visited the "Victim's" parents and suggested that they should confine their child to their own property for a period of five years or until she knew better than to approach strange animals while swinging large sticks. Gerry :-)} London, Canada

Well, you didn't a few years ago when I was down there. They barked up a storm and only quieted when you yelled at 'em. I consider that half trained, but you're not alone. Happily, the two barkers next door are now gone. I'm praying that the next renters don't have any pets.

Why is it that dog owners can't hear their own pets' noises, I wonder?

And speaking of more important things, I was in Harbor Fright yesterday and looked at the 20-60x60mm spotting scope they had on sale for $50. With my 20% off coupon, I got it for $39 and change. It's much, much better optically than the $69 job at Big-5 that I looked at. No purple ghosting. I look forward to using it. At 60 zoom, I can't wear my glasses. The image is down to a 6mm diameter with 'em on, yet a full 17mm if I can get my eye into the cup. I doubt I'll use the full zoom very often, maybe when I use the scope as a tele.

And now that I've bought my 4th spring-loaded center punch, the other

3 I've misplaced will surely turn up. I even use 'em to mark wood to be drilled, and they do make a difference.

Machete? Spear?

It's extremely inhumane. The stomach and upper intestines rip themselves to shreds and if the cyanide doesn't kill them first, the toxics in their innards will, also painfully.

-- Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. -- Storm Jameson

Of course they barked. I had a stranger on the property. Notice they did quiet when commanded?

If I wasnt there to command..they would bark and notify neighbors there were strangers on the property.

That good eh? Ill have to look at it. Ive tended to shy away from HF optics..the stuff Ive looked at in the past...frankly..sucked.

Those too. However they kill rather slowly. The fast JOINK!! as the neck vertibrete that parts is very quick. Even on a pit bull, though in their case..the head is often nearly turned 360 degrees.

Indeed.

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

Talking of dogs chasing you, and what to do, when I was about 16, which was

1964, there were two neighborhood dogs that were holy terrors.

My friend's uncle, an old farm boy put gunny sacks on the rear wheels of his dualies. Around the hubs. One of the dogs ran out and chomped down, and did summersaults for about a block before getting loose. Never ever chased the truck again.

The truck had loud exhaust. One day, they were trying to start a Kaiser Frasier, one of those with the butterfly windshields. The other mean ass dog came running out at the Kaiser, and missed his timing by a nudge, and wound up under the duals. That dog never chased anything again.

We could ride our motorcycles up and down the street, and no dogs. We had hit those dogs with ammonia, water balloons, bricks, 2 x 4's, and still they'd lay sneakily in ambush. The one would just watch Al's truck from his yard, and not move a muscle, not wanting to take that ride again. The dead one went wherever dead dogs go.

Steve

1959, I was staying in a boarding house near work and driving a junker home (60 miles) for weekends. One dog used to hide behind a gate post and chase each car that came along. About the third trip by, I opened the driver's door and watched the somersaults in the rear view mirror. Next Friday, I got to watch the somersaults between the gateway and the road as I drove by when the dog recognized the car. Gerry :-)} London, Canada

On Sep 4, 4:20=A0pm, "J. Clarke" wrote

Sounds a bit like my experiences with dogs. I think dogs know when you are not afraid of them. The only dog that ever bit me was a dachshund. I was suppose to wait in the car while my father was inside talking business. But it was at a really nice house with a nice garden. So I wanted to look around. The dashshund did not think that anyone should be there and barked at me. But I was not the least bit frightened. Tried to make friends with the little dog, but it would not come closer than about 25 feet. So eventually it stopped barking and I quit trying to be friends and started to look around. I was not paying attention to the dog, so it crept up behind me and gave me a nip on the leg and ran. No harm done. The skin was reddish, but not broken. I think the dog was upset that I was not afraid.

Another time I told a friend that had a paper route that I was not afraid of dogs. And he claimed that there was a really vicious dog on his paper route. He left the newspaper in the mail box and did not deliver it to the house. Anyway I was dared to deliver the paper. As I went into the yard, a very old German Shepard came out barking and showing it teeth. So I walked the bicycle, but kept going toward the house with the dog biting the front tire and the bike between me and the dog. The owner came out and took the newspaper and apologized for the dog. I was sorry for the old dog. It was doing its best to protect the property without actually biting me.

This is not to say that there are not dangerous dogs, but almost all of them are more bark than bite and are cautious about attacking someone who isn't afraid. I always let a dog know that I am aware of them and make eye contact. Also call to them and try to make friends.

The US is much different than when I was a kid. Dogs were allowed to roam free for many years, but that no longer seems to be true.

Dan

Very well said and a very good man.

Indeed. Most dogs are happy go lucky carefree pack animals but there are genetic differences between most dogs and pit bulls for a noted exception.

Collies used to be one of the scourage dogs..bit nearly anyone that didnt belong. Then German shepards became common, with much inbreeding and that caused problems..then Dobies, still more problems (far too many Dobies are frankly...nuts), Rotts and then Pits with their inbreeding and pyschopathic personalities in many of them.

The first "bad dog" I ever encountered was a collie that bit my girlfriend in the face, while we were walking hand in hand down a dirt road, enjoying a nice warm fall day. It came out of a gate and attacked. Period.

I broke its back.

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

One of my friends had a bird dog that he had to go to court over a couple of times. There was a certain person that would walk by his house, the dog would go nuts. A couple of times the dog ran and knocked the back door open and would chase that one person down and bite them. The dog didn't act like this with anyone else, my friend thought the dog maybe barked at them through the window and they did something to taunt the dog. The same person took him to court 2 or more times over that dog biting them. Seemed odd the dog picked on one certain person. The guy needed a squirt gun full of ammonia I guess.

RogerN

The one exception to this is if you run into an aggressive alpha maile. In that case, eye contact will be read as a challenge that must be dealt with. Standing your ground but avoiding eye contact tells the alpha male you are not intimidated but also not a threat to his alpha status.

I've met two dogs on the trail since the bad guys. One startled the hell out of me by barking behind me. When I whirled, it was instantly obvious that he was just saying "hi". He had his human at the other end of a leash. I saw the other coming. He was free-roaming, but when his owner saw me in the distance he called the dog and leashed it. When we got close the dog rushed me, nearly pulling his owner off his feet. It was a golden retreiver with a great smile and typical golden enthusiasm. The owner was about to apologize but saw that it wasn't necessary since I was laughing. Nearly all labs and goldens love everybody and just naturally assume that everyone loves them.

Ankle biter = musky bait. Dachshunds work better if you spray them with day-glo orange or chartreuse and hook an Indiana spinner blade to each ear.

"Don Foreman" wrote

They do lists of dogs that bite each year, the top ten. In my book, doxies are at the top of that list. Have never met one that wasn't a biter, and sneaky snaky little bastards to boot.

Steve

A niece had a chocolate Lab, every time I visited, he would plant his paws on the arms of my chair and drop his well dampened toy on my lap! Gerry :-)} London, Canada

Ayup. Ive never met a golden that was bad tempered or a one man dog, and labs nearly the same.

If all dogs were Goldens..life would be good!

The only problem is..Goldens are getting smarter every generation..and they may evolve past humans.

Which on second though..really isnt that bad an idea......

The daddy of my dogs is a golden and thats why his pups are so smart.

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

For years it was the Cocker Spanial as the largest biter breed.

They have been so inbred that they are for the most part..absolutely retarded

Gunner

I am the Sword of my Family and the Shield of my Nation. If sent, I will crush everything you have built, burn everything you love, and kill every one of you. (Hebrew quote)

My cousin had a couple Dachsunds, Annie and Goldie. They were friendly with everyone I saw, and the first greeters when I'd drive up to their country place. Both got torn up pretty good a few years ago by some critter a few years ago, but they healed up. Matching scars on their backs. They lived to a ripe old age, but Annie passed a year ago, broke Goldie's heart. Goldie was run over last week and had to be put down. They're buried next to each other.

Pete Keillor

Hey, that's a GREAT idea! Those damned little yappers won't be yapping long underwater. If someone had a fishing license, he might see if the salmon and steelhead of the Rogue River like 'em, too. Or bits of 'em.

-- Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed. -- Storm Jameson

I knew a number of dogs growing up that you could greet and pat on the head all day long...as long as you arrived on foot and not on a bicycle or motorbike. There were several I can remember that just flat out did not like bikes. If you dropped the bike on the grass, they'd attack the bike and leave you alone. A few were smart enough that if you talked to them as you rode up, they'd stop barking and sort of go "oh, it's you..." --Glenn Lyford