Big Paws Only Dog Forums

Just thinking about this is hard.  How do you pick your favorite dog breeds.  Least favorites are easier.
In order, (since my dogs may be reading this over my shoulder):
Irish Wolfhound
Tibetan Mastiff
Great Pyrenees
Caucasian Ovcharka
Afghan Hound
Newfoundland
Leonberger
Springer Spaniel
Saint Bernard
Great Dane
I guess I really like furry dogs, but I also like great big dogs.  If they could somehow get an Irish Wolfhound in size, structure and heart, with the protective and aloof nature of a Tibetan, the love of water like a Springer and the fur coat of an Afghan, I would be in doggy heaven.
Kathy

I love your mob.  They are all beautiful dogs.  How old is Amy?  She is a beautiful IW.  I am sooo jealous.
Kathy

The hair definitely keeps them warm in the cold and cool in the heat.  We live in Orlando and when I worked a pet fair back in September for Pyr rescue, we took all 3 dogs.  Cody, my TM, Jake, my Pyr and Max, my IW.  Cody spent the entire day laying under the tent, out in the heat and was just fine, no excessive panting, nothing.  Jake was okay for a few hours and then started the panting and non-stop drooling.  Max was dying after about an hour and I sent him home.  They all live in my house in AC constantly, however, Max just can't deal with heat at all.  We have to crank the vehicles and cool them down if we want to take him anywhere in summer.  Jake does much better with heat than Max does.  He still wants to run on our walks no matter what the temp is.  I brush him twice a week and never trim him.

You are kissing and holding them in your heart and in your mind and they know that.  I don't believe that anything or anyone that we have ever loved, truly leaves us.  They take part of our heart with them when they go, but they also leave us a part of theirs to fill the hole.  I'm sitting here crying with you.  This will be my first Christmas without Chichi.  I got out her little elf hat with ears on it and tried it on each of the boys last night and then sat down and cried.  They look so cute in it although it is way too small for any of them, but they are not Chichi.  They won't be picking out their present from under the tree, like she did.  They won't open up all the presents with chocolate in them and eat it all, like she did.  They won't sit under the smoked glass dining room table and give me sad looks, begging for food like she did tomorrow.  They are not her.  All we can do is hold onto our memories and cherish each and every minute we were blessed to have them in our lives.  You will be in my thoughts and prayers, along with every other person who has lost a pet and is facing their first, second, third, etc. Thanksgiving and Christmas without them to share it.  Bless you.
Kathy

Our Tibetan Mastiff Cody, is very protective of me and our home.  He barks, growls at every person who comes into this house, other than myself and my husband.  I have a large metal gate that keeps the dogs in the kitchen, master bedroom area of the house.  I go out the gate to let people in and then let them meet the dogs at the gate.  If it someone the dogs don't know, it takes a minute for them to calm down.  Once they have sniffed them, Max and Jake are fine and shut up.  Cody will bark/growl until I tell him that is enough.  He will then back up enough to let them come in and watch me until I sit down.  He lays at my feet, quietly, and watches every move a stranger makes.  Cody had a very rough life before he was rescued and we adopted him.  I love the fact that he knows what he is and what he is supposed to do and that he feels that he is home now and is supposed to be protecting us and our home.  In public, he has never growled or barked at anyone.  He is super at the vets office, petsmart, dog park (on the leash), craft fairs, pet fairs, etc.  I trust him completely, because I know he takes his cues from me and looks at me every time he growls or barks.  I got him to protect me and that is exactly what he does.  I agree with everything that has been said.  Your dog is maturing and just needs to understand that you are the alpha person.  You also need to remember that dogs will react differently if you are alone than when your husband is around.  Our Springers, both deceased, would not bark or growl at anyone or anything when Joe was home or in the car, would not let anyone come near the car or get close to me when I was alone.  Friends could come over when Joe was here and pet and play with them just fine.  If Joe was gone, they could come in and pet the dogs as long as they did not come too close to me.  The dogs would get between us and not let them touch me.  Dogs just have their own ideas of what they think is acceptable and when.  Either YOU set their boundaries or they will.
Kathy

I boil whole chickens, ground beef or beef meaty bones, strip off all the fat, grissle, skin and meat, everythings but the bones, goes into the food processor.  I then mix a little of the broth with it and freeze meal size containers.  I also cook brown rice and freeze meal size containers.  I microwave enough for their supper and mix with their kibble.  In the morning I feed kibble mixed with cottage cheese.  I like variety in my diet and like to give them variety.  I tried adding chunks of boiled potatoes and carrots to their food.  The Pyr and the IW like it but my Tibetan Mastiff takes a mouthful of food, wallows it around in his mouth, then spits out the potatoes or carrots as he eats.  When he is done, there is a small pile of veggies on the floor by his dish.  It is kind of funny to watch.  I also sometimes mix salmon with their food.  They all seem to enjoy it.  They like the chicken best, but the beef gives me something different to switch their meals up.  My dogs have great coats and I get the security of knowing what I am feeding.  I also give them fish oil capsules.  My IW chews them up and swallows, the other 2 I push it down their throat. You can use the same cooked, pureed meat and broth to make biscuits.  Just mix in eggs and flour (I use soy, oat, and brown rice organic flours).
Kathy

God Bless You,
I know it is hard to believe now, but in a short while, you will not even recognize the dog you wil have as the same one you have now.  Our Tibetan Mastiff was 2 last February when we got him from rescue.  He was living in doggy h*ll before he was rescued, fostered and we adopted him.  His collar had grown into his neck, he weighed around 80 lbs, he was very leery of everyone, scared to walk through doors or any tight area.  I literally had to corner him and grab his collar to force him to let me pet him.  He would not even take raw meat or bones out of your hand, you had to lay them down and let him pick them up.  Now, he squeezes between me and the kitchen counter if he smells something I am cooking that he thinks he wants.  He meets me at the door and follows me around if I don't rub the sides of his face and rub noses with him when I come home.  He barks and growls at anyone who comes into my house.  I don't know what he would do if I didn't intercede and tell him OK.  Basically, you have to decide that he is going to be a normal dog and get treated just like his siblings.  Force him to accept you and whatever you choose to do with him.  I forced Cody to go with me to Petsmart, doggy park, pet fairs, craft fairs, anywhere I could take him to get used to strange people, sights, sounds, etc.  Socializing him is going to be your best bet to get him to come around and be comfortable with you and his new life.  Just feeding him good food, preferably in at least 2 separate meals, treats and snacks, vitamins if you feel he needs them, supplements like fish oil and Vitamin C are good for him also.  Cody has gained over 40 lbs in the last 10 months and grown a new extremely thick shiny coat that feels just like velvet.  He takes treats out of my hand, sits, stays, and comes when called.  The first time he curled his tail up over his back walking through the house I cried.  Your dog is soo young, he will come around quickly and hopefully think his past life was just a nightmare and never happened.  Seriously, he is young enough that it should not affect him at all.  Good luck with your new boy and I am sure he will come around quickly.  It is amazing what children and puppies can go through with seemingly no after effects.
Kathy

The Great Pyrenees Club is going to be in the Christmas Parade on December 1 if any Pyr owners would like to join us.  It is a relatively short route to walk with the dogs, so it should be fun for us and the dogs.  We would like to have as many Pyrs and Pyr owners as possible to make an impact with all the big white dogs.  Let me know if you are interested.  You do NOT need to belong to the club.  We are doing this to get the rescue group in the public eye and hopefully generate some interest in fostering and adoptions.  Thanks.
Kathy