I hope you all will pardon me for doing this and if it needs to move to the back room, in couple of days, that would be fine. My wife never understood my interest in the computer and the internet. That is until a friend of hers introduced her to blogging. She has had a blog for sometime called Backyard Neighbor. Tomorrow's post is a tribute to our Babette for anyone who might be interested. Thanks for your indulgence. Tribute To Babette
That's a beautiful tribute, Bill. My sympathies - and compliments - to your wife. I'm sure Babette is in heaven with our three Goldens and many other much loved dogs.....and she probably is running the show. :wink: That's a great picture of you and your grandkids.
Bill, A very nice tribute to Babette by your wife. Made for enjoyable reading and a feeling of love for a lost pet. Like Sid, I enjoyed the picture of yourself with the grandchildren. Looked like a lot of happy campers! Don
I just got back from the eye doctor and my eyes are still dilated but I can almost see well enough to type. About those cookies the first filter is do you either live in Franklin North Carolina or close enough to travel here for the day to make them. :lol: :lol: This is only the 2nd time that none of our kids were here to be a big part of cookie day. One of our daughters in Florida will be here Dec 29 until after the new year and the other daughter from Florida will be here sometime in January or February and take their family skiing. There may be a cookie or two left for the first one, but not the second! 8) 8) Reading this post though made me need a cookie. Babette always enjoyed cookie day too.
Yikes you mean inorder to be a cookie consumer you have to assist in the kitchen? You don't want me to help on cookie day unless it's as a product tester/quality control person!! :wink: :wink:
Bill, sorry about your dog. I know how tough that can be. I currently have a brindle boxer and a black sable german shepherd that I care about greatly. I love dogs and actually work with dogs in obedience training a bit on the side when I have time.
Boxers....man, where to start? Let me first say that I love boxers and I am extremely biased in my opinions on them. Hugo (the boxer I currently have) was my first but I think it's safe to say he won't be my last. He's been a great companion. However, let me put out a disclaimer right here, I've seen many boxers who acted very little like Hugo whether this was a result of breeding or training, I'm not sure but they can be disasters. Pros -An almost human like personality that is easy to fall in love with -IMO, very intelligent. Some sites will try to tell you that they're more in the middle of the pack as far as intelligence goes but I disagree. My problem with these lists is that they're not judging intelligence, they're judging how quickly a dog becomes obedient. There is a difference (I'll get to that later) -Gentle but can be that wrestling partner you want if you choose -Easily housetrained, Hugo and most other boxers I've heard about have very few problems learning to go outside -Strong will, you may think that this is a bad thing but I disagree. Some of the softer breeds like border collies for example, are extremely intelligent but they're difficult to discipline b/c they can become scared rather easily. Boxers have a stronger will and more of a mind of their own. -Don't constantly need to be petted. Hugo is very excited whenever someone comes over but once that initial excitement wears off, he is usually content to go over to his pillow and lie down if he's being ignored. -Have a menacing appearance without the aggression in many other bully breeds. There are some boxer lines that I'm sure are more aggressive but most have the look of a mean dog without the bite (if raised correctly, of course). Hugo is territorial but has a great ability to look like he will tear an intruder's leg off without having the actual desire to do so. He has never maliciously bitten anyone and I can think of only one person that he seemed to truly dislike. You would be amazed though at the number of people who naturally associate him with pits and other dogs that most people wouldn't want to take the chance on approaching. Cons -Health Problems-Boxers are prone to have hip dysplasia. Hugo has this problem. They are also prone to bloat and other disorders that many larger breeds have problems with. -Chewers-some boxers (and all dogs) can be chewers if not properly trained to do otherwise. Never had much problem with Hugo but have heard stories from others -Can be hard-headed. Like I said before boxers aren't labs or border collies. They have a will of their own that can be hard to break. However, if you're patient enough, you can train them to do anything obedience wise. It was very obvious to me early on how intelligent Hugo was and he still reminds me often by escaping from virtually any outdoor pen I try to put him in. From leaping 4 ft. fences to apparently lifting up on the latch of his kennel, he's a Houdini. He once escaped his kennel and then proceeded to spring my Dad's German Shepherd by pulling the cinder block from over the stake that she was tied to and then digging the stake out of the ground. No, I am not making this up, which brings me to my next point... -High Energy-This can be good and it can be bad. The general rule with all dogs is that "a tired dog is a good dog." This is true with boxers as well. If you don't get them enough exercise they can be destructive. However, if you're looking for a walking or jogging partner, this is a highly desirable trait. I'm sure I could go on and on but I won't bore you and everyone else with anything further. Feel free to contact me with any other questions through PM.[/u][/b]
Not boring at all, Aquila. Very interesting information. Tells me a lot about boxers that I didn't know and about you. It's obvious that you are a true "dog person." That makes you A-1 in my book. See? I'm not such an terrible ogre (ogre, perhaps, but not so terrible). We have something in common that is much more important than our opinions about coaches.
Interesting comments. I have a trainer as a patient and he commented once that most people buy dogs that are inappropriate for their lifestyle. Like buying a border collie and living in an apartment and being gone all day....not thinking hey this is a dog bred for activity, herding etc...leave them alone all day walk them a couple of times and don't be shocked if they become destructive.
Sid, I have never thought of you as an ogre. C'mon now. I don't even think we disagree that much about coaches. Lou Holtz is a great coach, just not much as a TV personality, IMO. Haha. I think we have a bigger disagreement about Bret Favre who I am convinced has a little TO in him when it comes to being addicted to attention. That's another post altogether and one that I chose not to post about... I think being a dog lover is something that a lot of people have in common and something that more people SHOULD have in common. Dogs can truly brighten your days. I'm finally starting to find the correct balance between my dogs and my infant son. It was difficult for a while trying to find time for my dogs after Braxton was born but I didn't want to neglect them either. Dogs have always been an important part of my life with the exception of a couple of years in college. Terry, your trainer knows what he's talking about. Boxers can be trained to be more content living in a confined space but most working breeds need something to occupy their minds.
George, I'm glad that AQUILA responded because the only thing that I can tell you is that when I taught Math in Florida one of the other math professors, a lady, swore by Boxers. She had as many as three at a time. Loved them all. Sorry I don't have any other info.
Oh yeah, a few cons I had forgotten about and these may be biggies... -Drooling -Flatulence (which smells terrible) -Snoring Yet more traits that make them seem more human-like :wink: but may be deal breakers for the faint of heart.
Ha ha. You triggered a memory from my youth. I remember well sitting in my friend's home when I was 11-12 years old playing monopoly and dealing with his boxer's flatulence which periodically drove us out of the room.
A belated thank you, Aquila. I have had all kinds of dogs but have always fancied the Boxer and am contemplating one for my next dog.