Very funny post, Gunsmith. Certainly true about the dog.
My last dog, an Alaskan Malamute died on Nov 11 at age 13. He had brought joy to my life for the last 10 years.
Jan 3, the GF and I drove 1300 miles round trip to the grand metropolis of Fayetteville, TN to get another mal out of their kill shelter.
He looked great in the photos, but he turns out to be a big bum -- a very bad boy! About a year old, he started out by fighting everything I wanted him to do. And he marks (pees) in the house. So far, he's been an outside dog and I want an inside dog. He weighs 50 lbs less than my Zeudi (last dog), looks different, and has terrible manners. So I was going to repost him on the Mal rescue network as an outside dog.
However, I committed a few fatal errors: I walked him, fed him, struggled him into his crate at night, visited him on the back deck, walked him, fed him, struggled and wrestled with him to get him to do what I wanted him to, visited him on the back deck, loved him up (and he reciprocated).
Did I mention wrestled with him about everything I wanted him to do?
Oh, yea -- and LOTS of wrestling. And though he's lighter than Zeudi, he's still a big boy at 80 lbs -- as tall as I am when he rears up.
Don't forget the wrestling.
But he's getting better. My right arm is nearly back into it's socket now (he pulls like a locomotive on walks).
My fatal error(s) led to the usual result: I fell in love with him.
He came with the name, Montana, so that's who he is for now.
Montana is actually a sweet dog, wants only to be with us. Just a little unruly.
He's MY dog, now.
Anyone HAVE EXPERIENCE with a good dog-training book.
Montana WILL become an inside dog. I'm even more stubborn than he is.
But I could sure use some help with training him. And I'm gong to do it myself. Too cheap to pay a trainer.
Also it is well known that pets promote health and well-being in their owners (see article below):
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How a dog's life can make you happier
By Martin Hodgson
Published: 22 January 2007
If you are looking for a healthier life, get a dog. Scientists have long believed that the companionship of a pet can be good for you, but new research suggests that dog owners are physically healthier than cat owners.
According to Deborah Wells from Queen's University, Belfast, dog owners tend to have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, possibly thanks to regular walks with their four-legged friends.
Writing in the British Journal of Health Psychology, Dr Wells said that dog owners appear to suffer from fewer minor ailments as well as fewer serious medical problems.
In a review of dozens of previous studies, Dr Wells found that dogs also seem to aid recovery from serious illnesses, such as heart attacks. One study published in 1995 found that dog owners were more likely, by about 8.6 per cent, to be alive one year after a heart attack than those who do not own a dog.
Dr Wells said: "It is possible that dogs can directly promote our well-being by buffering us from stress. The ownership of a dog can also lead to increases in physical activity and facilitate the development of social contacts, which may enhance physiological and psychological human health in a more indirect manner."
One British study found that the presence of a dog can help chronically ill children endure potentially painful medical procedures.
With their heightened sense of smell, dogs also appear to be able to sniff out malignant melanomas, a kind of cancer, or the onset of low blood sugar in diabetics, research suggests.
A study in Israel, meanwhile, suggested that pets can help people with schizophrenia to feel calmer and more motivated.
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That last line probably better explains why I love him.
Gotta go get my arm set back into it's socket, now.
See ya,
matis
