Darn Dogs!

[Kirsty Blair]

Hi All,

Apparently having 5 dogs of various breeds doesn't stop burglars. Our dogs slept soundly, as did I, whilst intruders walked up our long driveway, got into my car and stole my bag from the passenger seat . One of the dogs was sleeping on the verandah about 5m from the vehicle. I think he was the one who told them where to find my wallet.

The two house dogs, sleeping on my bed, normally bark at a leaf falling from a tree 3km away but didn't say a word when the intruders dragged our mailbox, still on its post, up the driveway with them. Since its common knowledge that we have dogs I have the sick feeling that the post was to be used to subdue any canines intent on defending my property. They needn't have bothered

Nevertheless, very thankful that none of my critters were injured - it could have been worse. But just in case you're considering purchasing a watch dog I DON'T recommend any of the following breeds; Golden Retriever, Shetland Sheepdog, Schipperke and Whippet .

Kirsty

[Brian McMillan]

Kirsty;

Sorry to hear about your misfortune. Hopefully, you didn't lose too much; but isn't it still a pain in the arse to have to cancel credit cards get a new driver's license, etc.? You might as well enter labs on your list of bad watch dogs. Mine would not only invite the intruders in, but probably fetch anything they might want. And if they had a mind to, he'd happily hop in their get away car and go with them to the next heist.

Brian

[Bo Curtis]

Kirsty,
[ But just in case you're considering purchasing a watch dog I DON'T recommend any of the following breeds; Golden Retriever, Shetland Sheepdog, Schipperke and Whippet . ]

OK, OK, what DO you recommend them for?

Bo

[Annie Warner]

Oh come on, Whippets are great on cat burglers!!
Annie

[Kirsty Blair]

Hi Bo,

General consensus amongst the retrieving fraternity seems to be that my small dogs would make good blinds or wounded game retrieves

I contest that, however, for they make very good hot water bottles in the cold winter months. Have yet to find a use for them in Summer....

Kirsty

[Prue Winkfield]

Know exactly what you mean - my GSPs once they are in the kitchen for the night will let someone walk in the door before they bark - off duty I suppose! So don't get a GSP for a guard dog either!

[Kerry Webster]

Something has obviously gone wrong with your dogs. Maybe, too comfortable.........too well fed.......too content ?????

Can vouch that all four of my dogs bark their heads off at the slightest disturbance at night. I have a Lab and Rottweiler in kennels outside and placed between the garage and the house (we are on a small farm), and the other Lab and Golden Retriever are in the house. No burglar in their right mind would dare come within 200 yards of our place. Even the neighbour, who knows the dogs well, won't venture into the property if we are not home. Very protective instinct in the dogs keeps us safe. Mind you, once our dogs get to know a person, they are very happy to hop in their car and go for a ride. Retrieving freaks always think a ride in the car mean "training". Yeh !!!

Kirsty, sorry to hear about the theft, but was it a windy night, as this can cover up noise very well ??

Kerry

[Kirsty Blair]

Something has obviously gone wrong with your dogs. Maybe, too comfortable.........too well fed.......too content ?????

The answer is; (d) All Of The Above

My dogs also bark their heads off at any visitors, the neighbours, the neighbours' dogs and children, people walking past the front gate, the mail car, motorbikes, possums, sticks falling out of trees, rabbits, rats etc etc. They were obviously so exhausted from guarding the property from those serious threats all day that they fell into the deep sleep of the hard-working

Mongrels.....


Kirsty

[Kate Eltringham]

afternoon allm

Well you can add Flatcoats to the list of none threatening home defending dogs as well as the labs.

Have returned from work opened the very squeaky front gate, unlocked the security door then the front door walked down stairs and have woken up Tess, sleeping in the back room, gone into the laundry to find Callie and the pups all asleep, looked out the back windows and the other three are all in their kennels not even a nose poking out

Burglars would have had a field day, especially considering as Tess is in the house I can't set the alarm

Kate

[Bo Curtis]

Kirsty;
[quoteHave yet to find a use for them in Summer....

]

Well now.......try this!!
Get them into an appropriate size squirrel cage, (no squirrels in Australia?), have a clever plumber type (perhaps Mark D. could advise here) connect said cage to a compressor/pump and voila!! you have the beginnings of a rather inexpensive air conditioning system.
As for the golden.....much too big for your average squirrel cage. I have read (and I personally think this is so SICK) that you can hollow them out, fit a zipper or perhaps a strip of velcro, and with all that hair they make a half decent eskkie, esky, skey......not in my dictionary, however squirrel was.
Think of the the jealous looks you'd get when you show up to the GSP trial in the heat of January, sit back in your camp chair, point dog cooler in the direction of the mark, pat its head and say "Watch!" as you crack a coldie.
Glad I could help.
Bo

[Kirsty Blair]

He he

This could add a new light to the Central Highlands stubby holder concept We could have Gareth Calcutta which retrievers are to be transformed into canine coolers - practical AND stylish

Kirsty