Why don't people listen... Rant

[Shadrach]

I knew I liked you.
I'm odd too but maybe more than a bit.

There is an old folks home down the road from me but the property is pretty big and extends behind my property. A neighbor's malamutes got out and just minutes after opening one of the coops I brought water out and there was a dog killing birds inside the building and another killing birds in the yard.
In the mayhem a hawk grabbed a Wyandotte pullet and flew off with it. The hawk dropped it in the courtyard of the retirement home. The home owner came to my house while I was still agitated about the dog attack. He asked if I was missing a chicken. I kind of went off saying I'm missing a whole bunch of chickens elaborating about the attack.
He drove me to the home to retrieve the chicken that didn't have a mark on her. On the way back home, I asked him how he knew I had chickens. He said, "I didn't, I just knew you had a lot of weird stuff up here so I figured you must have chickens too".

I had two Huskies attack the sheep here and kill a chicken a few weeks ago. I had to drag the Husky off the ewe by the ears. The dogs owner was lucky to go home that day. One of the dogs killed Ruffles ( a hen) who saved Tribe 1 from extinction and had survived here for over eight years.
I read all your posts that I'm aware of. I think we would get on.

 

[Building Bridges]

90+% of dog training is training the dog owner...and I believe many owners are incorrigible.

Main reason I don't want another dog after the 3rd and last one died is I know I don't have the energy and right attitude to train properly...not fair to the dog and not something I want to live with.

95%!! And people can call themselves a "trainer" with very little experience. To my way of thinking....you must have tons of experience with different breeds....and have trained some dogs to titles (because that's evidence of successful training for a specific purpose.). Too many people don't bother to ask the trainer "what is your experience?".

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Perhaps I'll be fortunate enough to make it to Catalonia. It is on my bucket list.
Vilafranca del Penedes.

 

[Building Bridges]

I have actually refused to sell birds to several people.
A friend of my wife's had been buying eggs from her and he decided he wanted to start raising his own and wanted to buy some chicks from me. Over and over I tried to talk him out of it and I offered to find some other breeds for him. He insisted he wanted some of mine. In less than 2 weeks the chicks were all dead. That still steams me.

That's a shame. I would be steamed too!

 

[Building Bridges]

The people that ask have been sent here by others and they are aware when they come that I'm a bit odd.
Because I give, not sell, I find it very easy to say no.
I'm polite, but I tell them I don't think they know enough about chickens to keep them. I don't get many ask and most who do have done their homework.

I admire that!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I had two Huskies attack the sheep here and kill a chicken a few weeks ago. I had to drag the Husky off the ewe by the ears. The dogs owner was lucky to go home that day. One of the dogs killed Ruffles ( a hen) who saved Tribe 1 from extinction and had survived here for over eight years.
I read all your posts that I'm aware of. I think we would get on.

When I was in the army, I vacationed in Tossa de Mar.
That was almost 50 years ago.

 

[Shadrach]

When I was in the army, I vacationed in Tossa de Mar.

I live about half an hour by car inland from there. I go to a beach not far from there from time to time.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Well, every dog owner as an idea of the "perfect" companion. Some are comfortable with dogs being all over the furniture, sleeping the their bed, and snatching food out of kids' hands. They shrug and feel like "the dog is being a dog....oh well". For myself, I feel I have a responsibility to raise a dog in a way that would allow them to become a dog that would be welcome anywhere. If I am hit by a bus tomorrow....I want people lining up to take my dogs. I want my dogs to have the confidence to blend into any household, short or long term without undue stress on them or the people. What steams me is when people come, ask for help to fix a situation they have created...and then don't do anything you suggest/demonstrate. I not only spend an hour each week with them talking, demonstrating, coaching...but I follow up with long written training summaries. They come back the next week and have all the reasons they couldn't work with the dog. Recently, I had a student say they weren't coming to class because they were tired from the weekend.
I will help anyone who wants help....it's the ones that waste my time (and leave me feeling terrible for their dogs) that really make me angry!! I've trained and shown dogs for 4 decades....but only started working with other people 10 years ago. My motivation was to help more dogs stay in their homes. I just work on management/relationship issues...and basic commands. The people who do the work and invest the time are amazed at what they accomplish. I'm just about done. My move to Connecticut will mean the end of my training other people with their dogs. I'm somewhat sad about that....but in many ways it will be a relief.

I used to teach obedience classes at a local college in NM, it was a lot of fun and we usually had so much overflow we ended up teaching three groups a week when we only offered one (ten to a class). Even then, I also offered private lessons. I found that if people had to pay so much a week for a private lesson, and commit to six weeks of lessons, they usually listened to what I had to say, and found time to work with their dog each week. People tend to value what they pay good money for.

 

[Building Bridges]

I used to teach obedience classes at a local college in NM, it was a lot of fun and we usually had so much overflow we ended up teaching three groups a week when we only offered one (ten to a class). Even then, I also offered private lessons. I found that if people had to pay so much a week for a private lesson, and commit to six weeks of lessons, they usually listened to what I had to say, and found time to work with their dog each week. People tend to value what they pay good money for.

I did group classes the first two years and wasn't happy with the results. So for 8 years I have ONLY done private lessons.

 

[Ladies-Eight]

Why not?
Okay, I'm from a different culture and have a different view, but, we legislate against people doing harm to animals in Europe. It isn't always effective but at least the intent to guard other species from human mistreatment is there.
It really doesn't work hoping and praying that people will do the right thing, or even listen to advice; they just don't. You have to force people to behave in an acceptable manner. It's part of the reason we have laws.

We have laws in the US against animal cruelty. The only ones I see in the paper are dogs, cats, cows, and horses. If it covers chickens I don't know.