Washingtonians

[Totalcolour]

There's two smells in life that I just can't stand... wet dog, and dog poop! If we had a big yard, I'd be OK with it, but our place is just too tiny for a lab. They need a lot of space to run and play. My girlfriend has 2 acres, and her brown lab still drives her crazy. We ended up giving her our chain link dog kennel because her lab is so out of control, chewing up everything, mastering the art of escape, etc.

I didn't like the smell either - THEN I switched her to a raw meat diet and there's barely any smell at all, plus, the poop just dries up and turns white in less than 24 hours (unless it rains) because of the high calcium from the raw bones. AND, my dog looks great, no extra fat and easy to feed.

 

[StarryEyzz]

For those of us on the West side....YEAH another beautiful day. So good for one's soul.

I just caught up with 200+ posts. Its so nice to have time to sit and read. So many times I have questions and it seems they all are answered just within the posts themselves. LOVE this WA group.

Yesterday, we took advantage of nice weather and started painting the exterior of coop. We detached the run from the coop so we could paint all sides. Moved the run over a few feet and blocked the entrance. In the evening around 8ish, Blaze, my Chantecler, was just talking up a storm. It old DH that she prolly was ready to go inside. We werent ready to move run back and I was doing stuff inside the coop. So we decided to let them free range around the yard. Boy I was nervous. I had visions of them running away.... But they stayed fairly close....and went to town on all the new grass and other goodies they could find. It was nice to just relax with them around the yard and watch them.

Today I filled a suet feeder with kale, lettuce and carrot shreddings. I hung it out for them. I am totally cracking up...they approach it and just stare at it like its a monster. They still haven't really went at it yet....we will see.

Oh one more tidbit. Let the girls out this morning and noticed Blaze had some red streaked through her feathers. FREAKED out, thought it was blood. No injuries on any bird....then I realized she must have brushed up against the coop last night when it was still wet. PHEW......

Have a good day everyone.

 

[Totalcolour]

My girlfriend has 2 acres, and her brown lab still drives her crazy. We ended up giving her our chain link dog kennel because her lab is so out of control, chewing up everything, mastering the art of escape, etc.

Hmmm, my dog was that way when I got her. And while she is no angel 2 months later, the is pretty close to perfection. I did go to a professional trainer for some help (I think he trained me more than her) and it really helped. I also spend at least 2, 10 minute sessions with her daily on training, and a big romp in the afternoon.

My property isn't fenced, but Scruff knows the boundary line, and the heavy exercise in the afternoon calms her down a lot. I also expect her to calm down when she's mature, but am not counting on it, since she's a Terrier. (and we are Terriorists - she's helping me type)

 

[SadieSue]

Quote:
Dogs aren't for everybody - they are a huge commitment and can make a mess, be a nuisance, take up time having to entertain them, feed them, etc. We have two dogs, a Pomeranian X who is the apple of DH's eye. Worthless little piece of fluff as far as I'm concerned. He is a lapdog who can be yappy and hates to go outside when it's raining so too often has chosen to do his business inside. My crate training methods 12 years ago were thwarted by DH who couldn't stand to see his precious baby in a crate and would let him loose before it was time to let him out to go potty so "accidents" happened and DH would try to clean it up before I found out, not always successfully which perpetuated the problem. (Dasher still loves going into crates BTW, he feels safe in there which I tried to explain to DH!)

However - my Golden boy, I LOVE. Not a perfect dog by any means, but he is truly what the breed is supposed to be. He needs his entertainment and exercise whether it's in the form of a long walk, or 20 minute retrieving sessions a few times a day. But then he's content to sleep by my side like he is now with the chicks chirping happily nearby. He loves the babies. One of them flew out of the brooder while I had the lid off the other day and landed right in front of his face. He opened his eyes, I picked the chick up easily and Gryffin sighed and went back to sleep.
In the yard with the big girls, he shares treats with them from my hand and never bothers them, and will often just find a sunny spot in the yard to doze while they're free ranging.

But one early morning a raccoon made the mistake of coming onto our upper deck and Gryffin was on him, teeth bared, snarling, lunging and determined to win. DH finally had to hold Gryffin to hold him back long enough for the raccoon to escape. I did not want my dog to suffer any injuries, so we let the raccoon escape, not to mention we're not prepared to dispatch an animal like that. I have not seen a raccoon in the yard since, but I know they are rampant in the Chambers Creek area. Squirrels are also not welcome.

Gryffin was just 4 years old when we got the chickens and takes to training pretty easily. I was confident that he was safe around the girls in no time and feel much better that he is there to keep our yard protected from intruders. Unless you're a two legged intruder. He'll not only welcome them with an exuberance unbounded, but show them where the valuables are kept. However, if we were being threatened - I believe all bets are off. I am crazy about that boy.

 

[SadieSue]

I put in the automatic door yesterday. I love that I am so self-sufficient!! Very proud of myself. Went outside this morning to see if it worked and it was open! WOOHOO, just in time for me to get down to Oregon for a few days.

Fantastic! Good for you!

 

[StarryEyzz]

Newly painted coop. Next is trim and finish the roofing

 

[Farmin Momma]

Quote: I have been thinking about switching my boys over to a raw diet, but I have a great dane and a mastiff. I think it would be to expencive, also I would have no idea how to go about it.

 

[BerrytangleFarm]

I have been thinking about switching my boys over to a raw diet, but I have a great dane and a mastiff. I think it would be to expencive, also I would have no idea how to go about it.

Nala has had the curse of a Boxer. Personally, I think it's IBS. I feed her pumpkin to help a bit, but she was 10 lbs underweight when we got her and the EVO dry food was a magic key for her. She quickly put on weight and has lessened a bit in the IBS symptoms. I hear EVO is the dry food alternative for those on a raw diet. It's the highest in protein, I know. But, definitely, it's expensive!

 

[itsren]

Hm And while she is no angel 2 months later, the is pretty close to perfection. I did go to a professional trainer for some help (I think he trained me more than her) and it really helped.

Training makes a huge difference. My friend doesn't train her dog, and I know that's why she's having the problems she is. I figured we could help her out though by passing our kennel along. It's not for me to judge how someone else raises their pets. She takes very good care of the dog, the dog is truly a family member, the dog just gets the best of her stuff. Expensive items get chewed up.

If my husband gets another dog (I say "if" but I really know it will be a "when"), he will train the dog. He's a bird hunter. He's into Ducks Unlimited and National Wild Turkey Federation. That's what those guys do - train their hunting dogs to do exactly what they were bred to do. I gotta give them man credit, while I may not like the smell of a wet dog or dog poo, he knows how to care for and train dogs.

He's holding back on getting a dog because of the cost. The last dog he had (a French Brittany that he had for 15 years), was the son of a grand champion. When he gets a dog again, it's going to be spendy.

 

[FirewifeJess]

Quote:
Can you tell me the difference between hatching LF breeds and silikies? Why is it easier to leave the bator alone?

silikies are very broody birds.

Haha, I feel like an idiot!