The Rottweiler-German Guard at my side

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And More Updates

Yep that's me and Scrappy! Who also has a huge Pit Bull smile on, maybe cause he knows Spring has Sprung! We had just come back from a long and leisurely walk on the beach and he was about to settle down in the sun for a little nap when the camera came out and he was ready for his close up! Such a clown that boy! You'd never know that the chubby little bugger was capable of so much chaos!
We have grown to know each other rather well these past few months. An example; when Scrap takes a dump it's a major event! And he likes spectator's! I do not! enough said there!
Maybe you can't tell by the pics but he's not very tall, about knee high to me and he has no tail so his bum is kinda out there. About knee high! So if you see us walking and there's a brown stain on my knee you can safely assume he has wiped!
He is my sister's dog and any one who knows her would not need to know that, as he is a reflection of her personality! He is smart and I mean smart! He can easily out wit me before I even know what's up. He is a little clumsy, I figure it's those damn short legs of his but it doesn't stop him from giving it his all and that sometimes gets him in to trouble. Like falling of picnic tables on his head, or smacking face first in to windows! One day he got high centered in the Jeep and squealed like a little pig until I pulled his legs free and rescued him.I had some trouble cause I was laughing so hard!
Deana taught him to say, "I love you" and he uses that trick to get my undivided attention. Kinda hard to talk on the phone or drive when you got a big old dog muzzle in your face howling out,"I love You"!
He has been a learning experience and a joy to care for and I must admit that one day when he is reunited with his girls, and goes to live with them, I will miss him very much, there will be an empty spot in my heart. But I won't let it sadden me because that's the ultimate goal here is to see them all back together again happy and healthy the way it should be.

I am glad that I can share my experiences here in this way, and I hope that some one finds my writings helpful. If not I hope they at least got a smile out of it I know I will be smiling for years to come. I intend to continue my work with dogs and people, helping to make a clearer understanding of how a dog thinks, learns, and loves to the people who love them and to the people who don't yet understand why we love them and how rewarding and fulfilling the relationship with a good dog can be.
I will go on one dog at a time educating any who will listen. Why? Because it's worth it.

More Updates

The sun came out and shone down on some of the shiniest, healthiest dogs on the beach! And they smiled back at it glad to be loved by such a powerful force of nature. Well, here he is the picture of health! Love has found a way! No, I can't solve world hunger, or stop needless death, and I doubt highly that I can do much about the financial state of the world but I can change the doomed life of a neglected and misunderstood Rottweiler! Look at the obvious changes that have occurred here! From a crazed and vicious killer on a ten foot tow chain to sweet floppy love monster in my lap! Did you know that when Rottweiler's are happy they do a little dance? Have you ever seen one smile?
He has been with us  a few months now and I have finally gotten his diet perfected and he has put on a bit of weight, his eyes are clear, his coat is soft and shiny and thick. He is stronger and his endurance level has improved by a good 60%. His attitude has softened and he is calmer by far. We have begun to understand each others language and that has made a huge difference. Thank you to all who gave advice and help when we needed it most.

Rick and Fatboy have always been friends but their bond has grown stronger and they have a language all their own now. Rick has discovered that Fatty likes to be up high on a perch, so he has provided him with box platforms at 3 different locations so that he always has a look out spot! He still has his favorite spot right under the window closest to us though.
I just bought him a new halter for walking and we are going to fit him this afternoon. I have never used one like it so I will have to review and rate it later.

Sometimes the smallest things can make worlds of difference, just try love.

Spring has Sprung on the Dog Farm

So I will start off by apologizing for such a long block of time in between updates. I have no real excuse except I have been busy with life and all of it's complexities. News on the Dog Farm? Well, Rebel turned 7 years old on February 5, 2011. Seems like only yesterday he was that crazy little bundle of energy that had needle sharp teeth and no end to his puppy terror! When they come in to our lives we never think about the short time they actually have with us. I'm not burying my pup yet just sort of noticing that he doesn't have so much crazy dog go as he once did. The other day I was observing with a smile the birds on the deck eating seeds that had fallen practically on his snout while he lay there dead to the world soaking up the sun. There was a time when the birds didn't come to our feeder for fear of the huge monster that nearly got one every day!  Now they mock him.

     We have been together so long that we no longer need words to communicate, and he often finishes my thoughts! Hell, if he had thumbs he would be the one writing this damn blog entry!

I have been very fortunate in my life to have shared it with so many excellent dog friends. I never forget that.

I can't imagine what it must be like to live a life that never knew what the love and companionship of a good dog felt like. I shudder to think of it.

I must be rich in that I have not just one but 3 1/2 good dogs to have and to hold!

But of all of the dogs, this one is special because he is so much a part of me and who I am. He has been there through it all and never ever did he hesitate to walk beside me even when the outlook was grim, Rebel remained loyal and I know he is committed to our journey with everything he's got.

I reminisce about the stuff we have accomplished like dog school! Boy was that an experience! All the while my smart boy humoring us as we went round and round with all the other dogs, doing dumb dog stuff!

September Morn was our instructor and she called him "Teacher's Pet" because he was so calm so lay ed back.

I think about all the times he would come to me and just be there when my world was upside down, gently distracting me and using his big dog heart to sooth my sadness and my pain. I could never repay him for all the times he made me laugh when all I wanted to do was cry! I was never alone because he was always there.

If I could ask him just one question, it would be, "How did I do?"

I look forward to many more birthdays with Rebel.

Doggon' Beach

It's a funny thing that happens to dogs  when they meet the beach! It some how magically changes them in to crazy creatures. They find the energy they didn't have and sprint huge circles or bounce like super balls all around. Once I saw a nice little couple with their Golden Retriever pup, I recognized them from an earlier encounter at the local gas station where they had asked me for directions to the motel they had booked. They had only been married 3 months, and had only been dog owners for about a month. Boogie was his name and he was about 6mnthes old. Boogie was appropriately named because when they opened the hatch on their SUV he came shooting out like a rocket and hit the ground running, I don't know if they ever caught up to him. I watched him until he was out of site, chuckling cause Boogie done boogied!
         We loaded up our pack one at a time and took them all to the beach. I took the camera to catch the beach crazies on film but was only able to get a few shots of Scrappy and a short movie because he was moving to fast to get a clear shot! I got none of the other two, as they were to crazy to hold still for even one shot! For a short time we wondered if big old FatBoy was going to get back in the car or not! But when the engine turned over he panicked and ran back to me almost knocking me off my feat! Seems strange to me how such a big dog, with such a big tuff woof could ever be scared of anything, but he was, trembling and whining.
I have been reading my new books and studying the web lots to get a better understanding of the Rottweiler breed, and so far I know this; they are guardians, protectors of things. They are a breed that was designed by man to do a specific job and from what I can tell they have not varied in their characteristics in all this time. How very different they are from the Bully breeds I have known all my life.
Now that I have a better understanding of what he is, I can better who he is. Dogs are not people, they don't think like people nor do they behave like people. Most folks don't get that. I have seen people who get frustrated and mad because Fido keeps pissing on the floor and beat the crap out of him, then state that he should get it by now we have told him over and over! Well it doesn't work that way. Puppies are like babies in  the sense that they don't have full control over their bladder yet. Would you expect your 7 week old baby to go use the john when he has to go? Probably not. Yelling is another thing. Your dog is more about to listen to you if you talk softly than if you yell. After you yell at him long enough he is going to do what the kids do and block that sound out. I believe in positive training. My dogs have all been trained with a clicker, and yes I do reprimand them but not with a big club and never for things that I don't have a right to. So it's important to recognize that your dog is a dog, and 2nd he is what ever breed he is. Do your home work and I mean study and learn all that you can about the breed of dog you think you want to own long before you go out and bring one home. If you don't you are looking at a huge chance that neither you or the dog will succeed in a quality life together.

FatBoy's Progress

Love has found a way. And another dog has found his way in to some body's heart! Look at those two! What a pair! Learning all about each other in new ways every day! Can you see that Rotti Smile a mile wide on that big dog mug?!

They have been walking and talking in this pic, that I snuck in while they weren't looking!

       So I settled on learning all about this breed, with a couple books that some one recommended, the Internet, and all the dog knowledge I have I took my own crash coarse in the Rottweiler breed and all the things that go with it.

FatBoy's not mean or even pissed off, he is simply a Rottweiler.

They were designed to be one thing, a guard dog. The people who were at the design board were simple but smart and they knew what they wanted in this dog and they got it! A man stopper who will probably never need to do any thing other than just stand around and look like they mean business but if they needed to be a bit more convincing they are well prepared.

They are easy keepers in a sense that they don't really require fluffy pillows and bon-bons. They are hardy, strong dogs that can endure hard work and long days. They are loyal and very protective of their people. I never read it but I know that they are very appreciative of any goodness given them, and they don't forget who gave it either.

Fatboy refused to sleep in his dog house for 3 days, until we moved it right in front of our bedroom window where he had slept on the ground so that he could be as close to us as possible. It rained all three days hard, he stayed right there anyway.

Thank Gawd we finally figured it out because we were crazy trying to get him to go inside his shelter, worried he would freeze or be sick.

His coat shines and his eyes sparkle he is the picture of health! He grins non-stop, and he has really grown fond of the full body massages I treat him to!

Today he flopped down at my feet rolled over on his back and lolled his head back in full trust for a belly rub! First signs of real trust and comfort. Yes, love is a strong medicine, strong enough to move mountains, and part seas, and not to bad at making dogs smile either!

DOG UPDATES

Here's Scrappy! That all clown, fun boy who eats other dogs for breakfast! Such a handsome boy and so healthy! He loves Human's, especially girl humans! He has healed up with only a few scars from the battle. His anxiety is off the charts still. A new bought of kennel cough came on 2 days ago and is now quieted. His people are now in phase two of their program so it won't be long and he can be reunited with them. He has no idea but if he did he would do a few back flips over the news. I am personally thrilled that he will be with them sooner than later as he is such a good dog and has suffered much being away from them. It is the root and cause to all his anxiety issues. I hate knowing he is so stressed and there is nothing I can do to help him with it. His girl's will be here to visit soon. He will be over joyed!

FatBoy is now officially our dog as of January 2011! He has come a long way from a chained-up-back yard-forget-about-him-dog!
He has completely healed from the battle and has put on some weight. He has started to settle down in his new environment, enjoying the clean run. He has had some minor territory issues that seem pretty strange to me but we managed to work through them. He wouldn't go in to his dog house even in the worst of weather! He would burrow out a spot under a tree or just sit in front of the dog house in the weather!
We never really figured it out but we think that it was the new dog zip-line. The zip line is over head with a cable hooked to it that comes down and hooks to the dog. It was to short and it coupled with the tow chain that was his collar at the time, didn't give him enough length to go inside the dog house comfortably if the wind was blowing.
When we got word that he was officially ours, I bought him a strong, comfy collar with ID plate and all! Rick got him a new line that was longer and much lighter, but just as strong, and he is a new dog! He no longer stands in the weather!
This dog is a mystery to me. I have not spent much time in the company of Rottweilers. I do not know their behaviors or characteristics. And because he was kept the way he was, he would not show normal behaviors any way. This has been a challenge and will continue to be a challenge. His attitude has changed and he has softened a bit. He shows more affection and gentleness now. Rick has taken him for 2 short walks, and he is so strong! We are investing in a no-pull harness asap!