Episode-286- The Homestead Dog
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (23.3MB)
Yesterdays final question about choosing a good dog for a suburban homestead inspired me to dedicate a full show to choosing a great family dog and providing a good environment and training for your furry friend along with some basics on prepping to be sure you can care for your animals if the shit hits the fan.
We also have an “assclown of the day today“. Today’s assclown is the British government and this article speaks for itself.
Tune in today as I discuss…
- A dog is first and foremost a companion – the “working dog” BS doesn’t mean a dog is not part of the family
- Thoughts on some hunting breeds such as the Brittany, the Springer, the German Short Hair, the Lab, the Golden, the Beagle, Coon Hounds, the Feist and the Cur
- Some of the “protective breeds” who are still gentle such as the Cur, Labs, Goldens, Sheppard, Sheppard mixes and Rottweilers
- What do you want in a dog and a cool online dog picking quiz
- The ins and outs of crate training and how to do it properly and why it is so effective
- The basic commands, sit, stay, heel, lay, leave it, take it
- Advanced training, dead, shake, fetch (wait) and walking leash free
- Why walking is so important and how it will solve many problems before they occur
- The “touch” and the “bite” as corrections
- The psychology of a dog’s world
- Being prepared to take care of your buddy if the shit hits the fan
Resources for today’s show…
- Members Support Brigade
- Join Our Forum
- Tea Party Silver– (sponsor of the day)
- Tactical Response Gear – (sponsor of the day)
- Online Quiz to Help Pick a Dog
- The British Government is Assclown of the Day
- Region 8’s Meet and Greet
Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show.
You also now can call in questions or comments for the host at 866-65-THINK, (866-658-4465) please read the suggestions for calling in before you do for the best chance of getting your comments on the air.
Hi All,
I just wanted to recommend a breed, the Standard Schnauzer. It is an excellent companion dog, fearless when portecting home and family, weighs in at 40-50lbs, and is one of the non-shedding breeds making it an option for people with certain typews of animal allergies.
In terms of guarding, they are very alert and will bark and even rush an intruder. At 50lbs they are large enough to not get carried off by the local fauna, but small enough to fit in any household. A pair of Schnauzers would make the perfect survival companions and part of any family.
Frank
@Frank,
Good input my old Army buddy Brad has a pair of miniatures (about 20 pounds) I agree that the full size versions would be better defenders but they are wonderful dogs for sure. Even his little guy and gal are indeed fearless as you say.
They bred the female twice, made a good profit and then had both of them “fixed” as to not wear the female out. Imagine if that was how most breeding was done.
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/33068650/ns/today-parenting_and_family/
Your “Assclown of the day” may as well have been the state of Michigan. This woman got in trouble for letting her neighbors’ kids wait for the school bus at her house, after making arrangements with the neighbors. She doesn’t have a day care license, and is now breaking the law by letting the children wait for the bus at her house.
When she asked what should happen if the children are waiting outside and it is raining, she was told by the Department of Human Services, “Tell the parents to buy an umbrella.” Wow, you said to watch out or we may experience the problems England is having… Well, too late.
@Burnt Hollow
I am becoming saddened by how many times I state the ridiculous only to have someone point out that it has already happened. I think at some point people are truly going to snap out on some of these government types and their arrogance.
I have a half wolf dog as my off grid doggie. Coyotes don’t come around the property.
I really appreciated what you had to say how to train dogs. We want to have a dog sometime in the future. My inlaws have a dog that runs their lives…a royal pain!!! We “dog-sat” for a week & I worked with her all that time. It was like she was a new dog when we got done with that time. Then nutcases got back and un-did everything I worked so hard to work into the dog… Gotta love that!
Sorry Jack i dont agree on one thing the BEAGLE if you live in the country good but if you live in town every one that lives around will want to shoot the dog.They howl and bark at everything that moves if the wind blows a leaf a 3 am they howl the bark is not agressive but the howl is so loud it will wake the dead 3 miles away trust me.
Hey Jack, Great show even though I don’t own a dog or see us getting one soon. But someday when we make the move to the country, I will have one as I always had one growing up. But I was wondering what your thoughts were about having a porch dog. Growing up, our dog was always outside on the porch. It was trained to stay around and never wandered off and we never had any issues. A lot of people now think it is cruel, but they always had their own box/house and bedding. And when it got real cold would come in the basement. I never thought anything of it until lately. But I think I would do it the same way when I get a dog. Any thoughts?
I don’t agree 100% with the training techniques. I have a dog that adopted me off the street. He is very smart but hard headed. I’ve had to learn new ways to teach him sit, down, etc. To paraphrase the saying about cats: there is more than one way to teach a dog. If one doesn’t work, there will be another that should. You just have to find it.
How do you store several hundred pounds of dog food without pest problems? I want to start stocking up on dog food but don’t want to feed the mice and bugs with it instead.
I recommend a bullmastiff. I owned a fantastic example of the breed for 12 years, and now after a break rom dog ownership I am ready to get another one.
The bullmastiff is the only breed specifically bred to protect large tracts of land from humans. It is the only dog ever specifically bred to capture humans. My bullmastiff, Grendel, was 135 lbs, 30 inches tall at the shoulder, and had a 28 inch neck. People with bad intentions are on their best behavior around a dog like that.
Grendel was trained to understand about 200 words, and would walk off-leash and follow had signals from a block away. He was very stable around strangers and children, but had a second sense about bad people. It was like walking around with a loaded 44 magnum that kids could pet and friends could horse around with. Everyone loved Grendel, except a couple of folks who tried to pick a fight with me when he was around.
The bullmastiff is an expensive breed ($2,500 +/- for a really good one), and need a real ‘dog person’ (e.g. pack leader) as an owner; but what a great dog.
Crate training is good, but there is another way (that can be used instead of or in addition to crate training). I’ve always referred to it as leash training. Simply put, the new dog is only allowed to be on a leash at your side. I’ve used this to establish who owns the place both for inside and outside issues. It also establishes a bond of companionship.
Also for training commands, I’m a huge fan of hand signals in addition to verbal commands. Like people, many dogs go deaf eventually. Hand signals taught since puppyhood won’t be forgotten when verbal signals become worthless. Most hand signals build off of ways to teach the command. Sit for example is taught by holding a treat in your open flat hand just over their head. In order to get their head back the dog will sit. It then get the treat. Eventually holding out your open hand palm up is seen as a command to sit.
The other advantage to hand signals is that they are silent. If you want your dog to accompany you while checking on something out of place, being able to tell a dog to go/do what you want it to with out making a bunch of noise has value.
@Inbox485, great input and suggestions man, thanks for the contribution.