My Thoughts Of THIS FORUM.

gahustle

thats alright too, that goes back to protecting me and mine. She wouldnt turn on the people she sees everyday and knows. Feed her, Play with her, Look familiar and your fine.    People walking down the street know there is a dog on that street. Have had police come by and play with the dog and at the same time tell me to tie her up or i got a hundred dollar fine.  i have a good bond with my dog, and so does my family and the people across the street. she would be across the street playing fetch with there son. and im in the house watching tv. 

So your dog is allowed to roam the neighborhood?

If that is the case, that is dangerous. Someone could hit her with a car, pick her up as a stray and drop her at the pound, or just steal her as their new family pet. There are also sick individuals out there that may just torture her for the fun of it. We had a case of that in a community my parents used to live in years ago. Some teenagers picked up a lost dog and shot it with bb guns and then poured gas on it and caught it on fire.

go to youtube...watch her fetch  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dIRAk8RX8-k

Very nice dog!  However, she doesn't look pure shepherd.  Not that it matters to me, but others were giving advice based on breed.  I don't think that's really going to apply here.  She is a VERY pretty mix!  Kudos for having her spayed.

mixed with chow! 

This is what I think different:

gahustle

 pack animals. well her pack is  the neighborhood. she knows who lives across the street, next door, and behind us. knows people 3blocks down.   THATS HER PACK those are who she see everyday... on top of the dogs next door and around the block.  her house is outside. when its cold on a warmspot, when its raining under something, when its hot in a big whole of dirt

gahustle

 i have a good bond with my dog, and so does my family and the people across the street. she would be across the street playing fetch with there son. and im in the house watching tv. 

She always comes back for a good bowl of nuggets and water! 

The relation my husband and I have with our pets is that we all conform a pack. The cats are cats, the dog is a dog and we are humans, sure. We treat them humanely, as Callie said. My dog knows our neighbours, if we are in the street he is leashed always and with me or my husband. I don't leave him alone wandering in the street or playing unsupervised with a kid. But, of course, that's me.

Looks like she's indoors in that picture... Or else it's an awfully interesting yard. She's cute! 

I don't care where you keep your dog. I let mine go indoors or out as they please. Most of the time, they choose to be indoors with me. They have their own couch and 4 dog beds. They're spoiled rotten. But I don't treat them as humans. I treat them as dogs.

She is SOOOOO cute!  Now, it looks like you live in a pretty suburban type neighborhood.  Do you worry about her getting hit by a car? 

 I treat my dogs very well, I spoil them, I baby them, I talk to them, I take them pretty much everywhere, but in the end I always know that they are dogs. The humans come first and I would never put my dog in front of a human.

 The humans eat at the table off of dishes with utensils while the dogs lay in their beds and watch. The humans sit on the furniture and watch tv while the dogs lay at our feet. They are allowed on the furniture but if a human is sitting on the couch they must be invited to join. The humans eat a variety of foods, the dogs eat dog food. So all in all I think they are treated like dogs and not humans, although they are spoiled dogs who have it made.

 I recall having a conversation with a lady once who stated that if she saw a stranger drowning and her dog drowning she would save her dog. I could never do that, no matter how much I love my dogs they are dogs.

 I dont need a trainer to tell me how to train and how to teach my dog. My dog will learn how to act from how i interact with her. She is intellegent enough to learn quickly.

No i dont worry about her being hit by car, i live on a quiet road, that goes all the way across town on my side of the city. Cars go 30, she is smart enough to see and hear to get out of the way. And cars see her well enough no one speeds down the road. its slow. Now just left of my yard there is a busy road the main road...she dosnt even go down that way...and since my street is small slow paced cars dont turn down it much 

that picture i posted is a day when it was too hot and i didnt want to take pictures with her outside.  So i brung her in the den room and took pictures...she knocked nover things slobbed on the couch..and out she went! 

gahustle

she gaurds my block, my street, my house, me. knows the neighborhood from 5blocks down!   Her house is outside because i raised her outside.    She is a Gaurd Dog and a friend.    Nothings wrong with a dog being outside. 

Actually, there is.  A dog that is left alone outside could be stolen, attacked by other dogs or wildlife, abused or taunted, hit by a car, etc.  Even a guard dog deserves to be treated humanely and be part of the family and not left to fend for itself.

timsdat

I'm not saying that you should treat them as little kids because I believe that can cause just as many problems.

It's funny you say that because I've always felt I am treating my dogs in quite similar ways as I'd treat my own child.  For example:

1. When they are young they get more leeway with accidents, etc. 

2. Positive reinforcement works far better than negative consequences.

3. When they are doing bad behaviors redirect them rather than scold them.

4. Excercise and outdoor activities are your friend!

5. Don't excessively console/make a big deal over a hurt or scared dog/child.  Rather stay calm and upbeat.  Offer comfort but don't reinforce negative behavior.

6.  There are rules we must learn and behaviors that are rewarded and ones that are discouraged.

 Well, you get my point!    To me, raising a well-socialized dog is much like raising a well-socialized child (though far less complicated in many ways).

she is not left un attended. She is loved. But i wish you to try and steal her. If you can get close to her. Police Deparment cant even get close enough to put the pole loop around her neck ha! She loves out doors. If you know your dog enough to say she loves being inside with you...then respect me to know my dog enough to know she likes outside. lol.

When she was a puppy i try to get her to come inside she scratches the door untill she is let out To go play with the neighbors dog. 

kelliope

  Well, you get my point!    To me, raising a well-socialized dog is much like raising a well-socialized child (though far less complicated in many ways).

That's just using positive training and teaching techniques.  Applies in many situations. 

dgriego

 I recall having a conversation with a lady once who stated that if she saw a stranger drowning and her dog drowning she would save her dog. I could never do that, no matter how much I love my dogs they are dogs.

 I have really never understood the need to make sure everyone knows one places humans above or below animals/pets.  To me the whole concept of continually saying "I treat my dogs like dogs" is alien to me.  What does that even mean????  What does it mean to treat a dog like a human?  Let him drive your car?  Send him to the grocery store?  Have him hire the contractor to fix your roof?  Seems so strange to me that this is even a question.

 BTW, my mom was told this very thing by someone who told her she favored animals over humans because she did animal rescue.  She turned the them and said, "The difference between you and me is that if there was a baby and a dog on the side of the road needing help, you'd save the baby.  I'd save both."  Well said Mom.