Smartie's Bar & Grill #70

Discussion in 'Member Casual Chat' started by Smartmouthwoman, Oct 23, 2018.

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  1. Smartmouthwoman

    Smartmouthwoman Bless your heart Past Donor

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    Belly up to the bar and take a load off, folks! This is the place to get a break from politics. Plenty of hot coffee and cold beer :beer: with a little hard stuff :alcoholic: for those times ya just gotta have a snort!

    Talk about anything EXCEPT POLITICS and we'll all get along just fine. Everybody is welcome here. Ladies drink free, gentlemen watch your wallets. :whisper:

    Pull up a barstool and join the party, y'all. :)

    FB_IMG_1484858917812.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2018
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  2. Crownline

    Crownline Banned at Members Request

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    Unplugs jukebox.

     
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  3. ArmySoldier

    ArmySoldier Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    @Ddyad (moving this response to the new bar that just opened)

    You make a great point about having a yard for the dog and to train without a leash. This pup is 3 years old and is very good without a leash. Yesterday I could tell he was really nervous about being in his new home so we ran to this huge pond in Arlington (if you're familiar with the DC metro area, there are a surprising amount of trails). I used the leash though lol since him and I are new acquaintances.

    I am not kidding when I tell you he swam in the water for 25 minutes. He would come out of the water every couple of minutes, shake, and then dive right back in.

    So now I know where to take the goofball when I need to tucker him out.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2018
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  4. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    I put a few treats and a little kibble in my left pocket while he watches. He starts to drink as soon has he hears the bag of treats crinkle. Then I make a big deal out of breaking a large Milk bone and putting half in my right pocket before opening the door.

    After 10 - 20 mins of running or working I start walking back - whistle once when I am about 20 yards from the door if he can't see me. He always beats me to the door. Phase 2: I drop the small treats on the floor - takes him about 20 seconds to scarf up 20 scattered bits. then I throw half the Milk Bone as far as I can through the house as he runs after it - three rooms if I don't clip a doorway. This routine seems to be just about his favorite thing in life.

    He refused to stay close enough or return when called a few times in the beginning - years ago. Result - no treats.
    After 3 or 4 missed opportunities he became 100% reliable - for me. Others ignore the details of our little routine and end up having to chase after him - sometimes on the ATV. They are convinced I am the dog Svengali, but I am just consistent and reliable. ;-)
     
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  5. ArmySoldier

    ArmySoldier Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    That makes sense. I just took him for a quick walk. We've known each other for 2.5 days and I already understand the stare he gives me when he's got to use the bathroom. He's a funny guy. When I put his food in his bowl, he eats a little bit, then goes and plays with a toy, or naps. Then he returns to eat more.

    Every dog I've had growing up ate all the food at one sitting. He treats it like it's a 5 course meal.

    He's VERY good about sitting when I ask him to. We walked past a family and they had small children. Nicky got so excited he tried to run right up to them. I tugged on the leash and asked him to sit, and he did just that. Tongue hanging out with a big smile on his face.

    Sorry, I feel like a parent babbling about their kid.
     
  6. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Dogs are a lot like kids. We live in an essentially rural environment so the dog is only tempted to run after wild animals. He runs them off and comes back fast. The rare human being will get nuzzled, but one whistle and he is back - or else. Works like a charm - wild animals and other people are not reliable Milk Bone pitchers.

    BTW, chocolate Labs apparently have a shorter lifespan than other colors - 10 years as opposed to 12+ on average. Odds are that your Lab will be around longer than the dark brown version. 12 years is a long life for a big dog. We had an Airedale that managed 14 years - vet said it was a record in his experience - great dog.
     
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  7. ArmySoldier

    ArmySoldier Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    14 years, that's a long life! Must have been a happy dog.

    I'm so excited to have brought this guy home with me. I feel like we have a bond already. When I get up to go do laundry (which I have a ton to do today), he follows me downstairs. He's always smiling.

    Taking him to the dog park today in Alexandria. Looking forward to seeing how he will do there.
     
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  8. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Labs are better with other dogs and people than Airedales I am sure he will be fine and enjoy himself. Labs are popular for good reasons.
     
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  9. ArmySoldier

    ArmySoldier Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Do you think he will learn to sleep more during the night? I decided not to crate-train him and to let him lounge in certain areas of our home. He's 3 and doesn't need to be in a crate, in my opinion.

    But he will wake me up every 30 minutes. Not intentionally, but let's take last night for instance. I fell asleep, woke up to him chewing his rubber toy that I got him. I gave him a good petting, and then tried to go back to sleep. He got up, and just stared at me lol. I had my eyes close but I could somehow know he was staring.

    I took him out for a walk at about 0200 hours and he seemed tired. Boy was I wrong.

    Is it just because he's in a new environment that he's not sleeping well at night?
     
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  10. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Not sure. My dogs have all slept in a comfortable dog bed in the room next to our bedroom with the door open. They seldom bothered us unless they had a bad dream or there was some disturbance. But all dogs are different. The dog door really helps them look after themselves.
     
  11. Collateral Damage

    Collateral Damage Well-Known Member

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    Insert dog: It's never too early to feed the cat.jpg
     
  12. ArmySoldier

    ArmySoldier Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    Maybe if I just stay up all the time, he'll go to sleep. Because during the day when I'm awake, it's his favorite time to nap.
     
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  13. daisydotell

    daisydotell Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    We had a dog that wanted us to go to bed when he went to bed, if we didn't go when he wanted us to he come to where we were like he was saying, "It is time to go to bed." When your dog gets use to your routine he will be ok and you will be surprised at how well he knows you. Dogs are in tune to their masters and know more about you than you know about them.
    When I say, "Here." to my BC he will come to me right away and when I say,"Kitchen" he beats me to the door. The amount of time you spend with him will be rewarded. He will be your best buddy.
     
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2018
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  14. Durandal

    Durandal Well-Known Member Donor

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    Seems to me like big dogs should live longer. I've seen cats beat 12 years.
     
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  15. daisydotell

    daisydotell Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    @political Center, I didn't know foxes made noise when they were hunting. Learn something every day. I did learn one thing about foxes they will climb trees, never knew that till I saw one climbing a tree. We hear coyotes howl quite a bit and that can get downright spooky.
     
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  16. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    A 7 year old Irish Wolfhound is really old.
     
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  17. daisydotell

    daisydotell Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    I had a mixed breed, (dachshund and beagle) that lived for 18 years. I just lost a cat that lived for 15 years. You think you have them trained but they really have you trained.
     
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  18. Durandal

    Durandal Well-Known Member Donor

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    It's symbiosis :D
     
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  19. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    Hybrid dynamism is amazing.
     
  20. Collateral Damage

    Collateral Damage Well-Known Member

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    Certain breeds don't seem to age well, and others stay healthy for a good long time. Got to take good care of them though, either way. You can make life miserable for a pet by feeding them cheap food, not changing their water often enough, and denying them affection, to name a few things.

    Love them, and they WILL love you back.
     
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  21. Collateral Damage

    Collateral Damage Well-Known Member

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    We have a few foxes out by us, and we've heard them howl for a mate, bark at their pups, and yip when hunting. or is that yip for their mate? Either way, we make sure the cats are in when we hear them.

    One year, we had to remove an entire family of fox, as they killed the neighbor's cat, and went after ours when they were training the pups. I was NOT happy that we had to eliminate them. You can't catch and release like you do raccoons, unfortunately.
     
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  22. Ddyad

    Ddyad Well-Known Member

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    A dog that can drink from the toilets will seldom run out of water. ;-)
     
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  23. Collateral Damage

    Collateral Damage Well-Known Member

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    ACK!!! While my cats have been known to occasionally go submarining, it's not to drink, its to play in the water, which isn't much better, but I don't recommend encouraging them to drink toilet water. Bacteria and chemicals, ick!
     
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  24. Smartmouthwoman

    Smartmouthwoman Bless your heart Past Donor

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    Pouring rain again. Remnants of the Mex hurricane. Wish it woulda blown in some tamales. :hungry:
     
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  25. ArmySoldier

    ArmySoldier Well-Known Member Past Donor

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    My little dude got muddy as hell when I took him to the dog park. Came home and was giving him a wash with the hose and I found out that he loves it. He hasn't drank any toilet water yet, but that's because I keep the seat down.

    Little guy is still exploring our home. He's currently in our closet (about 10 feet from me) sniffing clothes. I'm letting him be. Even though he sheds hair like CRAZY, I want him to be as comfortable as possible in his new home. Just means extra laundry for me :wall:

    Anyway, that's the latest update from lil Nicky and I
     
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