Bad Habits

[SteelyDan]

What kind of bad habits will you put up with or not put up with?

Hole diggers? House chewers? Chain fighters? Dogs who run themselves down to nothing constantly?


Are these bad habits something that is hereditary for your dogs? or a learned behavior? or just a fluke?

I have a few with bad habits. Some were had habits that i despised enough to cull. Chain fighters left toothless before they ever saw maturity, a habit i didnt care to invest anymore time in. Possible to ruin dogs for years to come if left unchecked.

[CrazyRed]

I agree with you on the chain fighters, it's one of worst habits to have because as stated no teeth before maturity, most other things I can put up with but that is one I don't like at all..

[Officially Retired]

I agree, I don't like a chain fighter or a rock-chewer ... however, I disagree with culling because of it (depending on the dog).

My Icon dog lost all his teeth by 6 months of age, and yet he would whip 99% of any dog alive his weight.
His relative Gr Ch Zukill won 6x without a cutter in his head.
Ch Robert T Jr. stopped four 4xWs from making Grand Champion (including Indian Sonny's SDJ Cover Dog Ch Bootlegger), and Robert T also did that without a cutter in his head.

So I absolutely don't agree with culling dogs for this.
I think a fair assessment of the dog's performance abilities, as an adult, should always be made before any culling decision is made.

Jack

[loot]

I agree, I don't like a chain fighter or a rock-chewer ... however, I disagree with culling because of it (depending on the dog).

My Icon dog lost all his teeth by 6 months of age, and yet he would whip 99% of any dog alive his weight.
His relative Gr Ch Zukill won 6x without a cutter in his head.
Ch Robert T Jr. stopped four 4xWs from making Grand Champion (including Indian Sonny's SDJ Cover Dog Ch Bootlegger), also without a cutter in his head.

So I absolutely don't agree with culling dogs for this.
I think a fair assessment of the dog's performance abilities, as an adult, should always be made before any culling decision is made.

Jack

Agree whole heartedly

[S_B]

Dogs with nasty habits can make for a whole yard of nasty habits. I knew a dogman who culled dogs for dumping over their waters. Whether or not I agree is not important, my opinion has no place on another mans pursuit to happiness.

We've been lucky in that we've never had any chain fighters, not to many hole diggers, and with wood houses not to many chewers. As soon as a bad habit shows up, we try to break it offering other outlets of energy.


@SteelyDan Bolio dogs are known to dig and fight their chains!

[SteelyDan]

I've noticed that SB. With a certain cross at least. The one I gave up on cared for nothing but that chain. I could care less about chewing houses. Easily repaired. Digging holes, dirt is free.

I've seen dogs learn chain fighting n leaving that around to perpetuate itself through genetics or a learned behavior is not going to occupy my time while I wait for one of those chain fighters to be an exception like Jack listed.

[S_B]

Right on @ SteelyDan, as far as dirt being free. Not so much when you break an ankle in one of them holes! LOL

[Officially Retired]

Dogs with nasty habits can make for a whole yard of nasty habits.

That can be true in some cases.

I knew a dogman who culled dogs for dumping over their waters. Whether or not I agree is not important, my opinion has no place on another mans pursuit to happiness.

Mmmm, I disagree. There are many things that are "important" besides one man's utterly-selfish devotion to "himself" and what pleases him.

This could potentially open-up a whole can of "off-topic" worms, but I for one do not believe that "only man" is entitled to be happy on his property. I believe that, if a man is going to keep animals, he has a responsibility to keep them in a good state of health, conditions, etc.

But, without even touching these issues, functionally-speaking (and by that I mean, selecting for the best dogs) I can still suggest that MANY dogs that are, in fact, the problem dogs turn out to be the smartest dogs on the yard

At least on my own yard, the ones that created the most problems very often just wanted to be with me ... and would throw a perpetual FIT (knocking shit over, digging holes, hanging from trees screaming, etc.) ... until I paid attention to them. If I took them off the chain and brought them inside, they were quiet and content as church mice. Poncho himself was one such dog, as was Diamond Girl, Icon, etc.

To me, it was clear as day these dogs just wanted to be with me, and ran around all day, destroying shit, simply because they could NOT be with me. It would be hard for me to want to kill a dog that just wants to be with me ... and almost always they were my very gamest dogs.

We've been lucky in that we've never had any chain fighters, not to many hole diggers, and with wood houses not to many chewers. As soon as a bad habit shows up, we try to break it offering other outlets of energy.

I think that is the best solution, trying to offer constructive outlets of energy ... like a springpole by the chainspot, etc.

Jack

[Officially Retired]

I've seen dogs learn chain fighting n leaving that around to perpetuate itself through genetics or a learned behavior is not going to occupy my time while I wait for one of those chain fighters to be an exception like Jack listed.

Two things:

1) Sometimes those determined chain-fighters are determined in other areas as well ... more often than you might think ... for if they have the intelligence to know that "the chain" is what is confining them ... and relentlessly attack it ... they often have intelligence and are unrelenting in other areas as well

and

2) Wouldn't a much more compassionate/intelligent solution for such a problem dog be placing it in an above-ground pen as opposed to executing it?

Jack

[Wise]

Some of these dogs just come out down right stupid so they do stupid shit. Others develop these habits out of stressfull situations to them. Some like it on chain and belong there, some like it inside and belong there.
Keep in mind that we all actually like the not so normal dogs anyway, i mean that is if you like those that scream to be released! That aint normal! Lol