The Dog companions....

[growalot]

I have had shepherds on and off over the years...from a toddler and Duke to Angel and her boys ...They have protected  and even hunted with me...Watched over me when sick...warned me when they sensed something amiss....Yesterday I was a bit slow coming back from feeding the chickens ..Angel smelled or heard what I didn't and ran ahead to the house...not often have I heard her ...back off....low menacing growl/bark ......so knew something was wrong ....,,I called her name a few times and hurried along...she stopped barking at the second call but I rounded the garage to see the Fed Ex guy Standing very still with my package in the ready to swing position...Angel standing head low ...shoulders set and hair up all along her back in the drive at the corner of the house...I yelled ......sorry and the down command...she promptly went to the house door and sat...LOL poor guy...said I knew you have them out back but didn't know about her...I explained she's always with me when I'm out..you see why..... and she is fine as long as I give the it's OK....So I called her down to introduce them...Have to laugh...he turned around and called back to me several times...Thank You as he walked down the drive...it was almost comical...but she does have a scary scary ..."you'd best stand there " growl bark....So that is why I choose Shepherds...loyal protective...darn easy to train and they are home bodies

 

What breed(s) as companions have you chosen and why?

[UpstateNomad90]

Growing up my mom was always a cat fan so we didn't have many dogs. During my junior year of college she sent me a picture of a dog she adopted and it looked like a black lab. So on the weekend I hurried home and as I was walking in to the yard BAM there was this huge monster barking at me! Turns out it was a great dane that we named Lilly, She loves to go camping, fishing and hiking so it is a good find. She is also very protective of my Mother, Every night when my Dad gets home from work, Lilly will make it be known she can hear someone outside yet will rarely leave her spot on the couch. 

[PREDATE]

My companionship with my 10lb. Pom is the same way, except the low growling, scowled eyebrows and lip curl come from me.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

My companionship with my 10lb. Pom is the same way, except the low growling, scowled eyebrows and lip curl come from me.

Come on...That is a cat that barks, not a dog....just kidding.

[Doewhacker]

Come on...That is a cat that barks, not a dog....just kidding.

 

 

I consider them chew toys for real dogs. : )

[Doewhacker]

We have three now, two Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and a German Wirehaired pointer. All three are protective to the point I cant have the blinds open in the front and god forbid some one comes to the door and knocks or rings the door bell because all hell breaks loose. All three are obiedient, protective and HUNT, what more does a guy need.

[Daveboone]

our mail lady asks if our Rottweiler (Lucy) can come out to play, when she stops. of course she can!

[Culvercreek hunt club]

We have three now, two Wirehaired Pointing Griffons and a German Wirehaired pointer. All three are protective to the point I cant have the blinds open in the front and god forbid some one comes to the door and knocks or rings the door bell because all hell breaks loose. All three are obiedient, protective and HUNT, what more does a guy need.

For them to train your wife the same way?

[growalot]

Your bad...lol

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Sorry, couldn't resist

[Doewhacker]

For them to train your wife the same way?

I'm telling her you said that! Lol

No obedience in her hehe

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Yeah I know my wife doesn't even know thie site exists so I can talk all tough and stuff...lol

[Water Rat]

I stopped over at a friends house ,whom I haven't seen in years . As I approached the front door I saw this big , black German Sheppard barking , growling , showing it's teeth in the front picture window . This dog was going nuts knowing I was outside . When my friend came to the door and invited me inside , I asked him if his dog bites . He told me just don't act scared..............I told him ,  I ain't acting !!!

 

[Doewhacker]

Hahaha.

[bluecoupe]

Over the years I've had German Shorthairs, Weimaraners, and a Husky. 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I stopped over at a friends house ,whom I haven't seen in years . As I approached the front door I saw this big , black German Sheppard barking , growling , showing it's teeth in the front picture window . This dog was going nuts knowing I was outside . When my friend came to the door and invited me inside , I asked him if his dog bites . He told me just don't act scared..............I told him , I ain't acting !!!

My response to a friend in a similar situation was that I would pass getting out of the truck when we got back from hunting. His brothers dog was at the truck door growling and showing teeth. I asked him if he like out friendship. He said yes. I said me too and after that thing bit me my actions would probably put too much of a strain on it. I have a zero tolerance policy for biting dogs.

[Jeremy K]

Im to much of a dog lover to pick a dog solely by breed , just about always had mutts except for my yellow named duke when i was a kid.

[Lawdwaz]

I chose Labrador Retrievers cause I own guns.  If I didn't have a means to protect myself, it be a Shepard or some other mean ass looking thing...............................................      

[Kot2B]

I have a pitbull rescue, the dog thats in my Avi actually. Great dog, very loyal, and great with kids. I have had multiple friends and their pregnant spouses have my dog cuddled up to the pregnant belly. When the child is born he always lays down next to the baby. He is protective of the house, no one can sneak up without him getting a mohawk and a growl. Great dog in the woods, runs 100 yards, stops and waits for you to catch up and then continues on. I always wonder if I will ever have another dog as great as him.

[Lawdwaz]

I've had a few close calls with dogs in my business as I can be in a couple or three different homes a day and most have dogs.  Had a scary one a month or so ago.  I start up the driveway at a house in Akron and a BIG dark Sheperd pushes his way out the door and the homeowner screams, "DUKE, NO!"  I'm half way between the truck and the front door and have nothing but the brains in my noggin to protect me.............

 

I turn sideways and put my right arm out as that is my much stronger one and he comes running up and stops; barking and growling.  The Mrs. grabs "Ol Duke" and starts to apologize for the scare, saying her hubby gave the dog a bath the night before and neglected to put his collar on!  When i started up the driveway she went to grab the collar and it wasn't there!

 

Oh well, that and a cup of black coffee gets things rolling PDQ.

 

Don't even get me started on little dogs, I'll take big breeds over the little nippers any day............. 

Edited December 19, 2013 by Lawdwaz

[Water Rat]

The last dog I owned was a Norwegian Elkhound.......the dog loved the cold weather.

Owned a few mutts and strays growing up , but I hope to own a pure breed German Sheppard someday as they have always been my favorite . Unfortunately , some have been known to have hip problems as they get old....kind of like me .

I vaguely remember a cross breed called a McKenzie Timber Wolf.....it was an awesome looking dog .

[bluecoupe]

I stopped over at a friends house ,whom I haven't seen in years . As I approached the front door I saw this big , black German Sheppard barking , growling , showing it's teeth in the front picture window . This dog was going nuts knowing I was outside . When my friend came to the door and invited me inside , I asked him if his dog bites . He told me just don't act scared..............I told him ,  I ain't acting !!!

 

When I was young, my Dad had a HUGE male Weimaraner. I don't know how much he weighed but he was BIG and solid muscle.   His collar was a Haynes strap (think: calf collar). He was out back chained with a new bullchain one day when my sisters were home alone. We were outside and a friend of ours drove in the driveway.  Now, this dog knew this girl since he was a puppy.  Before Carolyn could open the car door to get out, Laddy had snapped that bullchain and was standing in front of her car door "suggesting" that she stay in the car.  My older sister pet him and said "it's ok Lad" and his tail started wagging and he just sat down. Eventually she got out and he was all friendly.   

He was one hellofa ringneck dog as well. I could tell you stories you wouldn't believe about that dog.

[greybeard]

I tried to post here before and lost it..

 

My last  3 dogs were Black and Tan Coon Hounds, one was an old fashioned Black and Tan with ears like Dumbo. I loved having those hounds and they made me a "coon hunter", even though they were the ones hunting, I just followed their lead.

I have many great memories, in my head, from those hounds.

 

One night we were hunting on Long Island and the dogs treed, and I shot a big boar coon. I grabbed the coon and threw it over my back and my Buckwheat jumped and grabbed it to try to pull it away from me. That was  VERY unusual for her.. I had a tug of war with her and  I finally let go. The "dead coon" grabbed Buckwheat by the ears, with it's teeth. It didn't end well for the coon, and could have ended up bad for me if it wasn't for that hound....She knew it was alive and saved my little ass, I woulda been the one gettin' chewed on instead of her. Now that was loyalty !!

 

I had beagles as a kid, one, when I was a teenager, taught me to rabbit hunt.  I never had money back then so one New Years Eve I took my girl friend, now wife, out to a woodlot to show her how my little beagle ran rabbits. It was snowing lightly and we heard and saw that little hound run 3 cottontails.. Whatta date !! My wife loved it.. She hated the dog though because she said it gave her dirty looks, which I swear was true. They weren't on good terms. But that little hound loved me(She was born in my house on my birthday )

[Jeremy K]

I tried to post here before and lost it..

 

My last  3 dogs were Black and Tan Coon Hounds, one was an old fashioned Black and Tan with ears like Dumbo. I loved having those hounds and they made me a "coon hunter", even though they were the ones hunting, I just followed their lead.

I have many great memories, in my head, from those hounds.

 

One night we were hunting on Long Island and the dogs treed, and I shot a big boar coon. I grabbed the coon and threw it over my back and my Buckwheat jumped and grabbed it to try to pull it away from me. That was  VERY unusual for her.. I had a tug of war with her and  I finally let go. The "dead coon" grabbed Buckwheat by the ears, with it's teeth. It didn't end well for the coon, and could have ended up bad for me if it wasn't for that hound....She knew it was alive and saved my little ass, I woulda been the one gettin' chewed on instead of her. Now that was loyalty !!

 

I had beagles as a kid, one, when I was a teenager, taught me to rabbit hunt.  I never had money back then so one New Years Eve I took my girl friend, now wife, out to a woodlot to show her how my little beagle ran rabbits. It was snowing lightly and we heard and saw that little hound run 3 cottontails.. Whatta date !! My wife loved it.. She hated the dog though because she said it gave her dirty looks, which I swear was true. They weren't on good terms. But that little hound loved me(She was born in my house on my birthday )

 

Our current dog is a Black and Tan / beagle mix . I only posted it because of your story that included both breeds

 

[Kot2B]

Our current dog is a Black and Tan / beagle mix . I only posted it because of your story that included both breeds

How do you you pick what you're going to go hunt? Rabbits or coons ?