Hero Came Home Today

[AGBF]

Maybe Hero needs a Schutzhund dumbbell!

Deb, it sounds like you’re keeping an optimistic spirit about you. Hero is lucky to have such an understanding mom.

Please tell more! It being made of wood, not metal, would be lovely! (I never heard of a Schutzhund dumbbell.) And, of course, I did mean "dumbbell", not "barbell". I fell asleep last night thinking about how stupid I had been when I was writing!

Our trainer said if he were 20 years younger he would train Hero for agility. He might not be as magnificent as the dog in your photo, but he is extraordinarily agile, especially given that when he first came to us his rear right leg showed pronounced damage. Exercise has really helped it a lot, although it is not back to 100% function. As I may have said our vet has speculated that he was hit by a car on his rear right side and then skidded on the left side of his head on the asphalt. But we may never know.. It may have been inflicted by a human or a wild animal or a trap or he may have been used as bait in a dogfight. At any rate, he flies through the air now! And he is very, very strong. And very lovable. He lies across my lap every chance he gets.

 

[AGBF]

Sounds like Hero needs some legal chewables!

Sure, sure, blame it on me. If you saw what this dog has to chew on you would be amazed! He has everything!!! His favorite is "No Hide" ("The Healthy Rawhide Alternative") Salmon Recipe Dog Chews. They claim to be "easily digestible" (which they appear to be) and are handmade in the USA with wild caught Atlantic salmon. They are made with organic eggs and olive oil, brown rice flour, and agar sugar. He sticks his head in the bin where I keep the unopened packages regularly.

Deb

 

[House Cat]

Please tell more! It being made of wood, not metal, would be lovely! (I never heard of a Schutzhund dumbbell.) And, of course, I did mean "dumbbell", not "barbell". I fell asleep last night thinking about how stupid I had been when I was writing!

Our trainer said if he were 20 years younger he would train Hero for agility. He might not be as magnificent as the dog in your photo, but he is extraordinarily agile, especially given that when he first came to us his rear right leg showed pronounced damage. Exercise has really helped it a lot, although it is not back to 100% function. As I may have said our vet has speculated that he was hit by a car on his rear right side and then skidded on the left side of his head on the asphalt. But we may never know.. It may have been inflicted by a human or a wild animal or a trap or he may have been used as bait in a dogfight. At any rate, he flies through the air now! And he is very, very strong. And very lovable. He lies across my lap every chance he gets.

You might laugh at me. I really know very little about these dumbbells. When I was about to get my German Shepherd Dog, I had dreams of doing Schutzhund with her. I watched so many videos and even found the local club I would join. Then my girl ended up being so fearful that she can barely approach a grocery bag lying on the ground without counter conditioning.

Anyway, in many of the training videos the dogs were carrying around these dumbbells and it made me think that Hero needed one.

Poor Hero. I’m sorry he was injured! It’s amazing how resilient dogs can be.

 

[lyra]

Haha Deb, they never want the stuff we provide. I think he's doing great with you. He's still a baby really. Two of our chihuahuas ate furniture. I hate to admit this, but Murphy in my avatar took out a leather chair. It started as a nibble here and there. I applied bitter apple. We crated him. I suggested putting duct tape on the chair, DH said no. One careless (on us!) day, he took out the side of the chair. Yikes! Another one chewed on the bottom of a cabinet where we didn't see until it was major damage. One sat under the kitchen table and quietly chewed on the chair stringers. I don't think I ever want another puppy! An adult, sure.

 

[AGBF]

Hero is having a fun day because a crew of four men is rebuilding "his" fence. He has had company, socialization, and entertainment (watching from the couch as he looks out the front window). (He alternates between being outside with the men and coming in when he gets tangled in the long lead he has to be on since we cannot rely on a fence while it is under construction.) He was also walked by "Nick" the athletic young man who walks Pit Bulls and who works for our dog walker. Nick is his favorite but only comes when his regular (female, older) dog walker can't make it. Nick runs with him. So it has been a great day for Hero. He is snuggled down on the couch wagging his tail frequently. I love a happy dog.

 

[AGBF]

I thought that rather than monopolize the thread about our furbabies, that I would bring my problems over to this thread about Hero. I wrote up this story with the idea of giving it out to the children from the elementary school across from my house (in better weather than tomorrow). I would like some honest feedback about what I said in my "story", especially from you, Matata, but also from others.


"Hero’s Story

Hero is a dog who lives at xxxxxx, right across the street from xxxxx School. He lives with the xxxxxx family in a house with a picket fence. The fence is supposed to keep Hero in his yard. Hero is usually a good dog, but sometimes he forgets the rules and is naughty.

Hero didn’t always live at xxxxxxx. He was born far away in a state called Oklahoma. But when Hero was still a puppy his owner was mean to him. Hero got a very bad cut on his head and also hurt his right hind leg (that is his back leg).

A kind person found Hero wandering alone in the woods and tried to save his life. He took Hero to a veterinarian (a dog doctor) who took care of Hero. But it took Hero a long time to get better and his wound hurt him a lot. The cut was so bad that he still has a scar and some people think the scar makes him look scary. Hero doesn’t want to look scary. Hero is happy now and he likes people. He especially likes children. But he does not like other dogs. That is why Hero has to stay behind the fence in his yard. Hero does not like to stay in his yard. He wants to run free. So he often tries to escape. Once Hero even jumped over the fence and escaped, which was very naughty. If he gets out he may fight with another dog and he will be in very big trouble! He can hurt the other dog.

Hero needs help learning to be a good dog. He went to class for dogs called “obedience class” and got a certificate from there. At obedience class dogs learn what dogs have to learn at dog school. Instead of learning numbers and letters, Hero learned to sit and stay. He can do these things if he doesn’t get too excited and forget. But Hero forgets easily. He is still very young. So he has a special helper called Ken Berenson. Ken is a “dog trainer”. Ken helps the xxxxxx family to teach Hero things like not to bark at people who walk by the fence. He also reminds Hero of how to sit and stay when Hero forgets.

Hero needs a lot of exercise. Since he is very, very strong the xxxxxx family pays special people to walk Hero for 45 minutes every day. These people can hold Hero on a leash so that if he meets another dog, he will not try to fight with it.

If you meet Hero you do not have to be afraid of him. He may look scary because of his scar, but he is not mean to children. He is just young and sometimes naughty. He does bark a lot, though. And he should not visit with your pets because he does not know how to play nicely with them.

He is going to keep working with is trainer, Ken, but he may never be able to play with other dogs. That is OK with Hero. As long as he stays inside his fence, he is happy playing with humans, especially children.

If you want to meet Hero, you can ask your mother to talk to Mrs. xxxxx. She will be able to arrange for you to meet Hero when he is calm, not when all the other children are going to school. Even though Hero never hurts children, he needs to learn a lot and learning to stay calm is one thing he still has to learn.

"

 

[Matata]

@AGBF

I did quite a bit of editing. No worries if you don't like this version.


My Story
By Hero

Hi, my name is Hero and I am a handsome yellow lab. I live with my family across the street from xxxxx School in a nice house with a picket fence. The fence is supposed to keep me in the yard. I am trying hard to be a good dog and follow the rules but sometimes I forget the rules and do naughty things.

I was born far away from here. My first owner was mean to me and hurt me. I got a very bad cut on my head and also hurt my back leg.

A kind person found me wandering alone in the woods and took me to a dog doctor who helped my hurts feel better. It took a long time for the hurts to go away. I have a scar from the bad cut on my head and some people think the scar makes me look scary. I don’t want to look scary. I am a happy dog now. I really like people, especially children.

I do not like other dogs and that is why I have to stay behind the fence in my yard. But I do not like to stay in the yard. I want to run free. I try to escape and once even jumped over the fence and escaped. If I get out of the yard without one of my people, I might forget my manners and try to fight with another dog. And I can’t visit with your pets because I do not know how to play nicely with them. I would never hurt a child or an adult. I make my mom unhappy when I am naughty. I sometimes make people who live near me unhappy when I am naughty.

In addition to being very handsome, I am also very, very strong and need lots and lots of exercise. My family has special people to walk me every day. They hold me safely on a leash so I can’t do naughty things like try to fight other dogs I meet on my walks.

If you see me, please don’t be afraid. My scar makes me look scary but I am not mean. I do bark a lot, though. I have so much to say that I have a hard time keeping it all inside.

My mom says I must follow rules and learn manners so I went to dog obedience class and I earned a certificate. I learned to sit and stay. Good Boy Hero! But sometimes I get so excited at being a good dog that I forget my manners.

I am still a young dog and remembering everything I have to do to be a good dog all the time is hard. So my mom got me a special helper, Mr. Ken. Mr. Ken helps my family teach me things like not to bark at people who walk by the fence. He also reminds me how to sit and stay when I forget. Mr. Ken is going to keep working with me but I may never be able to play with other dogs.

If you want to meet me, you can ask your parent to talk to my mom, Mrs. xxxxx. She will be able to arrange for you to meet me when I am calm and there aren’t a lot of people around to distract me. It is easier for me to remember my manners when I am not distracted. I have to practice my manners and learn to stay calm and you can help me.

 

[AGBF]

Matata-

I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your working on Hero's story for me. My best friend in Maine, who rarely feels well enough to talk on the phone, rose to the occasion since I was upset over this issue and talked with me about it. She was enthusiastic in her praise for you to do so much work, and she is surrounded by people who help with dog rescue since that is her main mission in life.

I have been paralyzed since you did the edit, however. How I feel reminds me a bit of how I used to get back in (history) graduate school when I had to write a research paper. I feel as if I don't know where to start in melding the two versions. I am actually giving both to a friend (my cleaning woman) who has two sons, ages 9 and 11, today to see what they like in each version. My friend thinks I should have more pictures in the story to make it child friendly. She likes it when I say something like "veterinarian" and the say that it is a "dog doctor" (perhaps because this model is used in a lot of children's books and is familiar to people with young children).

At any rate, I love some aspects of what you did, for instance saying that hero is "handsome" yellow Lab who lives in a "nice" house with a picket fence. I am not sure, yet if I think the story works better in the first or third person. I think children's books can be wonderful when done either way.

At any rate, your help is very much appreciated. As I said above, I am hoping for some real child feedback, but I don't mind more adult feedback, too, if anyone here wants to comment further.

Thanks again,
AGBF

 

[AGBF]

Hero just escaped again and if the neighbor had been home to see it and had he gotten further than our yard (which he didn't) we could have had a disaster. And it really isn't fair.

I have four men outside working to reinforce the fence. (Well, three right now. The contractor drove off somewhere leaving three workers, but he was here all morning with them.) But I did not rely on the fence. Inside the fence I had tied him to a thick chain that I have been told looks very unsightly and like one made to hold a junkyard dog. I did it using a strong, oversized steel clip that screws on. When he slipped through a tiny gap in between the fence and the house, the men were able to get him to come back.

Usually he wouldn't have returned, but he had had his 45 minute walk (as he usually has had when he escapes) and he enjoys the company of the workmen who surround him with their saws and hammers and treat him like on of them. (I see that during lunch hours they surreptitiously feed him.)

It is just so frightening that on a chain inside a fence he still can escape. I have always said I cannot handle an escape artist! (Oh. the problem was that the big clip was not attached to the chain. Someone had fooled with it. Too many cooks spoil the broth.)

He has me at my wits' end. I hope this fence is solid everywhere!

 

[cocotate]

I’m so sorry to hear Hero is not successful contained despite your sincere effort to reinforce your fence. Though this is a serious matter to prevent any further accountability with your neighbors. Please look into wireless radio fence and also possibly keeping him in the house for better containment. I love animals but I have no patience for people who let their dogs roam without leash or cause harm and nuisance around our neighborhood. I love the neighbors as people but their dogs ruined relationship with the constant harassment while walking and jogging and very recently killing off my beloved 4 pet chickens, one lovely 6 yrs old that followed me around like a puppy.

 

[AGBF]

I’m so sorry to hear Hero is not successful contained despite your sincere effort to reinforce your fence. Though this is a serious matter to prevent any further accountability with your neighbors. Please look into wireless radio fence and also possibly keeping him in the house for better containment. I love animals but I have no patience for people who let their dogs roam without leash or cause harm and nuisance around our neighborhood. I love the neighbors as people but their dogs ruined relationship with the constant harassment while walking and jogging and very recently killing off my beloved 4 pet chickens, one lovely 6 yrs old that followed me around like a puppy.

Hero does stay in the house except when he is being walked with a positive correction collar by a professional (strong) dog walker or with that collar plus a muzzle by a family member. He has never bitten anyone on a walk due to these precautions and all of our vigilance: we keep away from other animals when walking.

When Hero is in his yard he cannot escape now. The fence is high and strong. If he is out to relieve himself inside the fence he is watched by us from the door. We do not want him to be a danger to anyone because we love animals.

One of my friends (in Keswick, Virginia) kept bantam chickens until a fox killed them. Another friend in Maine kept chickens outside for eggs and three inside (bought as chicks at a state fair) as pets. She now has ten dogs and four cats, but at one time she also had the chickens and goats. All of her animals are cherished pets.

An electric fence would not work on Hero. We needed something stronger and we built it. In Virginia a large Golden Retriever whose drive and threshold for pain wasn't nearly as great as Hero's kept breaking through his electric fence and landing on our property. The allure of chasing a deer was just too much for him. The neighbors' teenage son was always coming over to get the miscreant when he charged through the electric fence. I did extensive research into the electric fence, believe me.

I have fixed my printer so that I can print up leaflets and I decided to go with Matata's version of Hero's story. So when I get a chance to format it I hope to get it printed up and distributed in my neighborhood.

Deb/AGBF

 

[YadaYadaYada]

This reminds me of a coonhound we had years ago, we adopted her from the Hartford animal shelter she was a love but hounds always follow their nose!

We quickly learned that we couldn't just let her out in the yard so our solution was to put a run in the back just for when we let her out. Now mind you I had to leave the part that hooks onto her collar in the door so she was secured when she went out.

First time we tried this we hooked her up and opened the door, she ran so fast and with such strength that she pulled the lead clear out of the deck and snapped the bannister. I had to run gazelle speed around the corner and chase her all the way down the street. This happened at least half a dozen times. Thank God I was in better shape then and could physically do it!

The point is that I can relate to having an escape artist dog, when they are determined forget about it. Of course that doesn't negate our responsibility as dog owners to keep them contained but it can be a very frustrating game of trial and error.

I hope that you're able to find a good reliable solution for Hero.

 

[cocotate]

It’s great to hear Hero can’t escape and safely confined now. I’d rather a fox attack than my neighbors” dogs. A fox will run with his kill but a dog kills multiples for fun during bright daylight when I let my chickens out to free range. If I didn’t go out to chase away the dog, my entire flock would’ve been killed....

 

[AGBF]

This reminds me of a coonhound we had years ago, we adopted her from the Hartford animal shelter she was a love but hounds always follow their nose!

We quickly learned that we couldn't just let her out in the yard so our solution was to put a run in the back just for when we let her out. Now mind you I had to leave the part that hooks onto her collar in the door so she was secured when she went out.

First time we tried this we hooked her up and opened the door, she ran so fast and with such strength that she pulled the lead clear out of the deck and snapped the bannister. I had to run gazelle speed around the corner and chase her all the way down the street. This happened at least half a dozen times. Thank God I was in better shape then and could physically do it!

The point is that I can relate to having an escape artist dog, when they are determined forget about it. Of course that doesn't negate our responsibility as dog owners to keep them contained but it can be a very frustrating game of trial and error.

I hope that you're able to find a good reliable solution for Hero.

StephanieLynn-

I do not know if you remember this, but the emaciated dog that whitewave rescued and nursed back to health was a coonhound. She ran away (and miraculously reappeared) for whitewave and then whitewave had to keep her confined. When whitewave found her I was between dogs. I had lost my Newfoundland, Griffin, and had not yet decided to adopt a new dog.

I posted that I would have adopted her but that while I knew I could handle a huge Newfoundland, I didn't think I could handle an escape artist! Little did I think I'd ever get conned into taking one! I am glad you survived your coonhound!

Deb

 

[AGBF]

Hero, my super dog, has added another heavy item to his retrieving repertoire: a heavy duty box of aluminum foil. He brought it to my cleaning woman. I had to show her the 2 lb metal dumbbell he regularly brings me in my office to show her that his handling of heavy weight is not new. She was holding the aluminum foil in one hand and the dumbbell in the other to see if the dumbbell was as heavy. The dumbbell may not be quite as heavy, but it is certainly not as unwieldy!









At his last check-up, my vet said that when she used to visit (she is a mobile vet) that Griffin used to poke his head up out of one of his holes and look at her. This dog is everywhere. She said he is "a machine gun". Then she added a few minutes later, "Griffin was a musket...and if you ever tried to fire him, he probably wouldn't fire because he hadn't been fired in so long. But this one's a machine gun."