[Stonehedge]

Originally Posted by growsjoe1

Great looking dog, Stonehedge. Yep, unusual color and quite striking. I can see why your youngster fell in love.

Thanks my friend! He is a handfull but we love him...

This was my old American Bulldog hands down one of the best looking animals i ever seen im talking massive head with a rib cage so well sprung when he stacked his chest looked as wide as a 55gal drum. He was 98lbs and 22" to the withers.

(RIP) Pistol Pete

[Goats]

here is my girl Kya

4 year old husky x border collie rescued and now living the happiest life.

[944s2]

Had the familys last rottweiler put to sleep a few months ago,,our third Rottweiler and my departed fathers dog who my sister took in,,,
love the rotties and he lived to just over 12 and vet said that was good for a rottie,,,s2

[moose eater]

I can't recall when I haven't had at least one dog. Hitch-hiked all over much of North America in the 70s and 80s with my first Norwegian Elkhound. Had numerous dogs before her, and many dogs since.

In a more jaded time in life, I told others that "I've never had a dog take the contents of my wallet or steal my stash, and I've never had a lover go for a cop's throat."

The unconditional acceptance and friendship from each of the unique pups we've had has been a true gift.

We have three at the moment; a neurotic 7-1/2 yr. old German Shepherd female who is my best friend (literally) and protector, another Norwegian Elkhound (a rescue we acquired from people who'd found her wandering, and after not being able to locate an owner, gave her to us for my youngest son; now his best friend), and my wife's 13-1/2 yr old smaller male poodle, or poodle cross; also a rescue.

'Joe' the poodle. All of 15 lbs., curly sheep-dog like fur, soft grey on white Like a miniature sheep dog, and a sheep dog hair cut to boot. Smart as a whip, kind, gentle, and funnier than all hell. A stellar sense of humor. Having Joe come to us by way of some hard knocks was a gift to all of us; Joe, my wife, and the remainder of our household, too.

Joe's only been with us for maybe 5 months or so, but seems to know he's now a permanent member of our family, and is safe here. He travels everywhere with me, sitting on the center console in my truck, sitting in the boat, and seems at home hopping up on our snowmobiles, as though he's traveled by all these means before, he's -that- comfortable with them.

I hold a somewhat somber outlook in life for many reasons, but all of these critters have given me pause to really laugh. Joe in particular, most recently. And I don't always laugh that easily.

This morning when I was on the computer, too little sleep once again, still feeling the joint I'd puffed to get to bed at 3:00 A.M., and needing to get a vehicle to town on exceptionally slick roads in order to get some repair work done for an upcoming lengthy drive, I heard a subtle commotion at the breakfast table.

Laughter at 7:00 A.M. nearly always causes me to be a bit suspicious.

"What the hell's going on??!!"

My spot at the head of the table was unoccupied due to my being at my desk, and Joe, it seems, had hopped up into my dining chair (he's quite agile for his age), squared himself to my table setting, sitting properly in my seat, and laid his chin on the table (which required very little slouching, due to his size). (*Mind you, I never tolerate a dog getting comfy at our dinner table.. except for this morning, apparently...).

There Joe sat, in my chair, chin on table, staring straight ahead, looking at no one in particular, and seemingly waiting for a plate of what ever everyone else was having; a fried egg on whole grain toast.

His behavior told me he'd done this before, elsewhere, and perhaps even had been served in this manner.

When Joe runs on our property, off-leash, he gives it his all. He can jump higher than many bigger pups, and runs so hard and fast that his long curly gray and white ears flop out behind him like Snoopy's WWI flying ace scarf..

Just watching him run causes me to laugh out loud at times..

And he seems to have no knowledge of his size. Whether it's a moose in the yard, or a person in the driveway, he's ON IT!! The shepherd and elkhound both seem to humor him, and permit him to think he's bigger than he is.

Joe needed a family and some love, my wife needed a companion of her own (aside from me, that is), and I needed a reason to smile and laugh. Something to help me find the rays of sunshine again.

We received a true gift for free, and Joe received a family and a reprieve from what would've likely been euthanasia..

This Thanksgiving, when or if we do that whole corny "What I'm thankful for " thing, I intend to tell those present that I'm thankful for my family that remains here, my canine friends, and especially that Joe found a safe place with us.

[UncleBens]

Originally Posted by Goats

here is my girl Kya

4 year old husky x border collie rescued and now living the happiest life.

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Thats a bonnie dog

[wolfhoundaddy]

@mooseeater, we had the pleasure of having a norwegian elkhound. He was a serious guy, always on duty . He was sitting next to my truck at a party and a friend wanted to walk by. Oakley gave him the Look,tenderly grabbed his wrist with an evil eye, and shouldered the guy around my truck. He meant business but always seemed to allow for foolish humans to go with a warning.
He loved to slide down hills on his belly in the snow. I think it cooled his man balls.
I once was out too late on the mountain bike at dark. I followed his curled white tail back to the trail head. He never lost a beat.
We have been married for almost 40 years and always had 3 or 4 dogs. From rat terriers to irish wolfhounds. My hope is that when i die, they will all meet me... my pack.

[moose eater]

Originally Posted by wolfhoundaddy

@mooseeater, we had the pleasure of having a norwegian elkhound. He was a serious guy, always on duty . He was sitting next to my truck at a party and a friend wanted to walk by. Oakley gave him the Look,tenderly grabbed his wrist with an evil eye, and shouldered the guy around my truck. He meant business but always seemed to allow for foolish humans to go with a warning.
He loved to slide down hills on his belly in the snow. I think it cooled his man balls.
I once was out too late on the mountain bike at dark. I followed his curled white tail back to the trail head. He never lost a beat.
We have been married for almost 40 years and always had 3 or 4 dogs. From rat terriers to irish wolfhounds. My hope is that when i die, they will all meet me... my pack.

Yep. I intend be buried with pics of all of my pups, and my current family members.

Elkhounds tend to be hunters, and many people grow frustrated with their tendency to wander when loose outside, sometimes being gone long periods.

That first registered bitch I had and hitch-hiked with was present for ONE relatively violent raid when I was 16, and present for ONE raid on our smoker by a young black bear. In both cases, she decided that cops and bears were horrible beings. With cops, the trigger was the uniform (had a neighbor and mentor when I was a kid, and he could stop by in plain clothes and she was good. In uniform he was toast).

If she growled at a ride, I didn't get in.

One of her pups was kept by me, 1/2 elkhound, quarter shepherd, 1/8 husky and 1/8 coyote, was born outside at better than -40 in January 1982, & often stayed in my old '64 Ford F-100. The doors didn't lock, so when I was at work, and there might be any number of valuables in there (weed, firearm, etc.), he would sit in the truck with his blanket, and the window and vent cracked open a bit.

A coke head I worked with, decent guy, but swallowed by his own desires, went to reach inside my wing-vent one day, and my elkhound-cross reportedly turned kujo on him.

At that time, I'd never seen him become aggressive, thus didn't believe the guy's report. All I'd ever seen that pup do was locate carcasses to roll in and play with the neighbor kids. But I came to realize a couple things; after a while, that dog thought my Ford was his turf, and treated it that way, and the fellow who had tried to "reach in to pet (my) dog" was likely up to no good, and my pup likely knew it via pheromones, just like his mother had a sense about her concerning prospective rides.

The breed dates back to beyond 5000 B.C., and the Vikings were often buried with their 'moose hounds,' I assume to help get them safely to the next plain.

[wolfhoundaddy]

Oakley was a hunter too. He would stand in the leaves in the woods, and tap his foot and wait to see what would pop out.