tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post242107731959946669..comments2024-03-26T22:16:26.572-04:00Comments on Terrierman's Daily Dose: What's Wrong With Working Dogs as Pets?PBurnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-66099036478134658782017-10-27T00:00:25.568-04:002017-10-27T00:00:25.568-04:00My first dog was a Lucas Terrier (out of Jumbo Fro...My first dog was a Lucas Terrier (out of Jumbo Frost's lines). He was utterly brilliant--the complete package. Then, as now, nobody seriously associated with the breed had interest in Kennel Club recognition. But by the criteria defined here, he'd likely be considered yet another irresponsible cross.<br /><br />Still, I felt beyond fortunate to have one from that era, and replacing him with another remains my first choice for a pup. Considering there were two (2) pups born during all of 2017, I'm not holding my breath, and have begun looking at Norfolks and JRTs.LRMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12489475842507956497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-50073391060495942232017-10-26T09:42:57.486-04:002017-10-26T09:42:57.486-04:00All of my dogs are rescues, and some are just unad...All of my dogs are rescues, and some are just unadoptable. All mixes, though a few are mostly one recognizable breed or another. Some are couch potatoes, some just want to play a lot, and some want to herd or hunt. My contract with myself is that I got them off the street into a safe home, usually my own. But the "contract" with them is a little more complicated, as they still have a somewhat diluted code. I've learned not to keep other animals loose around the house and yard, and to keep most of them crated separately when I'm away and can't supervise. These aren't show dogs, they don't learn any tricks, but they all learn, to some degree, basic obedience. I'm their pack leader, and there is a minor amount of shuffling of the pack order whenever an older or dominant dog dies. My job is to keep them healthy, mentally and physically, and let them live as long a life as they can, without extreme measures at the end. We all deserve a good death, including our critters.Rickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06721130066588282491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-51364915374614025492017-10-24T22:49:52.688-04:002017-10-24T22:49:52.688-04:00What about those of us who love JRTs? I don't ...What about those of us who love JRTs? I don't want a fox terrier, i don't want a cairn terrier, I love everything about my Jack Russell. Even the time i had to walk him home with woodchuck blood all over him. He was my companion, but i never asked him to be anything he wasn't. Well, I guess i did ask him nicely to leave the kitty alone. I didn't get him to hunt, or to work him, but I did take him places where he could do all of that. I will never recommend a JRT to anyone, but I know one day, when i have a place with a huge yard, maybe a forest to terrorize the local wildlife, I may just get another one. On second thought, how are border terriers as pets?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13644424226945247751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-66452145534259435332017-10-24T11:24:18.895-04:002017-10-24T11:24:18.895-04:00"Conflict" is the better term. The code ..."Conflict" is the better term. The code inside wants to do one thing, and the code outside says something else. Since the code inside is immutable, a natural neurosis can get set up. But not always. PBurnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-57555735648914054272017-10-24T07:17:26.184-04:002017-10-24T07:17:26.184-04:00Passionate and true. This is a way to raise succes...Passionate and true. This is a way to raise successful humans too: "free of self-loathing, fear, and long-term psychological conflict."<br /><br />For dogs, I wonder about self-loathing, though. Can a dog be so afflicted?Richard Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02295157685034187345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-54942399136204289382017-10-23T16:06:52.240-04:002017-10-23T16:06:52.240-04:00Pit bull types are a good example. The only way t...Pit bull types are a good example. The only way to ensure one is selecting against animal aggression is to test for animal aggression by trying to elicit animal aggression with the right stimuli. What breeder of dogs for the pet market is able or willing to try to "explode the code" in their pit bull types before breeding?PipedreamFarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15689373141070251132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-57280159152135263602017-10-23T14:33:23.444-04:002017-10-23T14:33:23.444-04:00One possible caveat--dogs whose function is someth...One possible caveat--dogs whose function is something no longer wanted (or no longer considered moral or legal) should have good devoted breeders selecting against that instinct (basically making them pets), or not breeding them at all. Thinking specifically of Pit Bull type dogs. They don't need to have hardcore dog aggressiveness lurking in their genetic code. Some aggressiveness for hunting feral hogs etc. would be fine, and is related, but not identical to, dog aggression. Would love to see 2 strains, pet "Pibbles" (because they really aren't dog fighting or baiting pit dogs) that are a moderate short haired dog, and working/hunting dogs that are used feral hog work and similar... But tired of visiting the dog park and meeting high-drive dogs with clueless owners.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10500770639220028694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-20784307461010854312017-10-23T08:01:03.451-04:002017-10-23T08:01:03.451-04:00It would be like saying I'm breeding out the w...It would be like saying I'm breeding out the white in red and white dogs without ever looking at their coat color.PipedreamFarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15689373141070251132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-64888553766735302592017-10-23T07:59:28.590-04:002017-10-23T07:59:28.590-04:00It should be understood that if your not testing t...It should be understood that if your not testing the code you have no idea how good the code is (if you're not working the dogs you cannot be breeding working dogs). Here's a question to ponder. How does one breed out the code if you're not testing for the code (how do you know you're breeding out the work in working breeds if you never test their working ability)?PipedreamFarmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15689373141070251132noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-4417929691081902282009-06-19T00:09:23.416-04:002009-06-19T00:09:23.416-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13644424226945247751noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-73724820100109425882009-06-12T22:45:44.754-04:002009-06-12T22:45:44.754-04:00A local newspaper in Melbourne Australia published...A local newspaper in Melbourne Australia published the most popular breeds of dogs according to animal registrations at local municipalities. They turned out to be; Labradors, Maltese / Shih Tzu crosses and Jack Russells. I can't believe that the mass of the urban dwelling population is that stupid as to make a highly prey driven dog such a popular pet. That must mean that most of the local "Jack Russells" are not as prey driven as yours. One possibility is that many of them are not Jack Russells but are instead Miniature Fox Terriers or crosses thereof. Miniature Fox Terriers are a non kennel club breed (http://www.minifoxie.org/) which are endemic in Australia and New Zealand and which are actually much more common than the Kennel Club Australian terriers breeds, the Australian terrier and the Silky terrier. They're tiny little dogs who seem to have a history of being the dog kept in the farmhouse as a pet and catching the odd rodent whilst the working dogs lived outside.Amanda Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05997180528147657311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-24221826510607461062009-06-12T00:59:13.754-04:002009-06-12T00:59:13.754-04:00I get it, I swear to you I get it... but I have to...I get it, I swear to you I get it... but I have to say our three JRTs were game hunters (in the barn and on the farm, we didn't formally hunt as you do, Patrick), raced like crazy at terrier races, were almost always well-behaved (the daughter was snarly to her mother, but that's same-gender issues for you) and not only lived with two cats, two parrots and a parade of horses, but never bothered any of them. I confidently say they lived healthy, happy lives and had one helluva long, good ride. Having said that, training animals is a given in our home, I'm home nearly all the time, we live on a farm with lots of room to run and play and I don't take crap from any species in our family. There is routine and order here. So, I would offer up the possibility that one can make it work with other small animals in the family but it has to be a situation more than a family wanting the next "Wishbone" puppy. I discouraged most who asked about our terriers from getting their own. <br /><br />I also believe that getting two puppies at the same time is the way to go. That way they always have each other to blow steam with and their humans can get some peace. <br /><br />I was disturbed by the rescue sites I was reading the other night. The symbols beside each dog's picture indicated their incompatibility with children, cats, other dogs, etc. Many, MANY of them had every "not" symbol available attached to their profiles. Damage done already, probably by human malfunction, and kid/dog/cat "rehabilitation" a pipe dream. Good thing the rescues understand each dog and (I hope) don't allow inappropriate placements. <br /><br />SeahorseSeahorsehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00133454380103294333noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-7348147762226530932009-06-11T16:17:27.095-04:002009-06-11T16:17:27.095-04:00I recommended a Cairn terrier for my brother and h...I recommended a Cairn terrier for my brother and his 3 kids and he has been happy. Westies are very soft and poodle-like -- not a scrap of fire in them at all. I cannot stand the angulation damage that has been done to fox terriers, so I would never recommend them, and Scotties have too many health issues (as do Bull Terriers and Boston terriers). Norwich and Norfolks are nice dogs and if you can find one, an Australian Terrier is a lovely animal. <br /><br />PPBurnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-21540711142337850962009-06-11T15:14:57.743-04:002009-06-11T15:14:57.743-04:00"Exactly why I recommended your first Welsh T...<i>"Exactly why I recommended your first Welsh Terrier to you 30 years ago! Fine dogs, not too loaded for bear, but still excellent little terriers in the house. Their gene pool is now far from the field and that only improves their quality as a pet"</i><br /><br />Which other breeds of terrier would you say make better pets than workers nowadays?Paihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14108169893140762249noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-40827440769176625812009-06-11T11:22:01.895-04:002009-06-11T11:22:01.895-04:00Excellent post Patrick. I will be sending the link...Excellent post Patrick. I will be sending the link to all potential buyers of our blood tracking dachshunds.<br /><br />Jolanta JeanneneyJolanta Jeanneneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13113765650029370103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-89378149987146654292009-06-11T09:49:58.402-04:002009-06-11T09:49:58.402-04:00I only wish that when someone selects the work rig...I only wish that when someone selects the work right out of a breed or strain, they would have the good grace to change the name.<br /><br />Calling something by a name that only its most remote ancestors earned is misleading. Calling something by a name that is still used by functional distant cousins is a disaster.<br /><br />Much misery when someone buys a Siberian Snarklehound whose recent ancestors were selected for their ability to trot in a circle with a noose around their necks, and then tries to get that confused, lazy, vague animal to hunt for Snarkle.<br /><br />Even more misery when someone buys a quivering beast who was born afire with the need to engage Snarkle, and expects it to lie on the hearth and look all Ralph Lauren.<br /><br />Call. Them. Something. Else.<br /><br />Which is why the one AKC decision of the past forty years that has been a good one (okay, one of two -- the CGC program is a good idea) was the decision to change the name of the JRT to the Parson Russell Terrier.<br /><br />So now people can read the label, if they so choose.Heather Houlahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13891198124130533198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-33751587128453978732009-06-11T09:21:02.280-04:002009-06-11T09:21:02.280-04:00For a provocative twist on this thinking, especial...For a provocative twist on this thinking, especially in terms of the influence of the show ring vs. working dog trials on breed behavior, see http://tiny.cc/EUPDs (abstract - pdf available for $$).Mikihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05996904035040371660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-43703148036593515222009-06-11T08:51:55.852-04:002009-06-11T08:51:55.852-04:00Exactly why I recommended your first Welsh Terrier...Exactly why I recommended your first Welsh Terrier to you 30 years ago! Fine dogs, not too loaded for bear, but still excellent little terriers in the house. Their gene pool is now far from the field and that only improves their quality as a pet. I tell the history of the Welsh Terriere here >> http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2004/11/non-extinct-terriers-other-mysteries.html <br /><br />Suffice to to say that their working analogues (the working root stock) is still to be found in the Fell Terrier, an animal I think best kept out of pure pet homes.<br /><br />PatrickPBurnshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05781540805883519064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7684843.post-6166977811945556712009-06-11T07:52:40.840-04:002009-06-11T07:52:40.840-04:00Pat, our Welsh Terrier will be 14 at Christmas. Sh...Pat, our Welsh Terrier will be 14 at Christmas. She is an ideal 'companion dog.' I do not detect any conflict with her 'instincts' and her 'job' as companion. She seems completely happy and comfortable.<br /><br />I love your column.<br /><br />With love, Ol' DadDavehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08714758362452833076noreply@blogger.com