tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4955077234995938266.post4238888276082965437..comments2024-03-15T03:43:53.437-04:00Comments on INSIDE THE GERMAN SHEPHERD DOGS WORLD: TRAINING FOR THE ENVIRONMENTBarbara J. Galassohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06374747787599553697noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4955077234995938266.post-41036271530056198932010-06-14T14:10:48.615-04:002010-06-14T14:10:48.615-04:00This was a great article Bruce and Barbara. I don’...This was a great article Bruce and Barbara. I don’t live in the untamed country as Bruce, but it still can be quite wild at my house as well, or not too far away where I walk my GSD. My husband wants me to carry my gun on my walks. I told him, “I want to relax!” He said, "You're not going to relax if you run into something dangerous some day." I’ve walked down a side walk with my GSD and had two coyotes run right across my path like I wasn’t even there. Another time I’m walking down the side walk and thought I saw a kitty up ahead of me. As I got closer it became a gray fox. I was only some yards away from the fox and it didn’t run from us. I felt there was something wrong with it, so I turned around and went the other way. I also have Javelina (wild pigs) often crossing my front yard. In the spring I have to be careful because they can’t see well and would attack without hesitation. They can kill a GSD quite easily. And I know at night when my dog growls or barks at something out side it’s not always just a little kitty. We have lots of wild life here and I respect that. And I want my dog to do this as well. <br /><br />I live in Northern Arizona and it’s once again hot and dry. And that means the wild critter’s need food and water. And I have to say, we have our share of wild dangerous animals coming off the mountain to our homes looking for what they need. Forest ranger’s just removed a young hungry black bear from my sister and brother-in-laws next door neighbor’s yard a few days ago. It ate all of the coy in the neighbor's pond. They live right in the middle of a housing project. Now, if those people would’ve had a dog/s would they have chased that bear away? And another man was attacked by a cougar fifty miles from us. I don’t know why he thought he could out run the cat. Yes, cougar’s love slow prey. The man survived the attack thank heavens. Then there was a black bear walking around our grade school a mile away. And to top it off, we have rattle snakes. We have special people who will train your dog to stay away from the snakes. I hope my dog remembers that. There’s a variety of serious situations that confront you, or your animals. When the monsoon’s come in the beginning of July we have toads that come out of the ground that make our dogs sick if they mouth them. And in the Phoenix area there’s another strain of toad that can kill your dog. Of course puppy’s can be the ones that will probably go after the toads more than an adult.<br /><br />I know people that run donkeys with their different herd animals for protection. If you’re not aware, a donkey will attack a cougar, bear, even strange people, dogs, coyotes or what ever threat they might encounter (http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex9396). There were a number of photographs circulating the internet some years ago of a donkey pounding a cougar into the ground to its death. He saved his two owners on horse back, plus their two hounds. They are amazing animals! Who would ever think a donkey could be so brave?Kathy Partchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07659038664711640570noreply@blogger.com