Won 1st place in photo conest - HAPPY DOG CONNECTIONS

hunterws

Member
[size=10pt]This was a facebook contest for an on-line magazine called "K-9 reporter" by Happy Dog Connections.[/size] https://www.facebook.com/happydogconnections (see my Buck there!)


[size=10pt]Here is the prize list[/size];
Hello Kevin and Buck

A big congratulations, you came 1st place and win the big prize

A $50.00 gift card from Amazon Sponsored By Embrace Pet Insurance

One hour session with Karen Nowak Animal communicator (value $75.00)

A Customized Greeting Cookie Card with Shake A Paw Greetings (value $25.00)

Your Dog On the cover page of The K9 Reporter May issue (Priceless)



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They asked me to write a few lines for the article, and since there is no limit on characters here, I'll share that to ;;;

I received Buck at 8-weeks old and took him through training school, he's a very social dog and really loves the outdoors. One of our favorite stomping grounds is a state forest where there is a large stream running through, and we walk the main trail ... when I see his tongue start to hang out, I just tell him "get some water" and point to the stream, he makes his way all the way down to it, and then all you can hear is splashing. One day I heard the splashing stop, and started looking for him, there he was just laying down in the water, soaking up the moment while cooling off. Very much a water dog.

He didn't really like to get his paws touched, so would never 'shake'. Inadvertently whenever he would lick my face I'd tell him "good kiss", and after a while, he would kiss on command, even if he was busy doing something else, if you asked, he would break away and come give you one. He was easy to train, very attentive.

By looking at him you'd swear he was black lab, but his mother was Golden Lab, and the other half is 'mystery sneaky neighbor dog', which we don't know for sure. He never really wanted to put game in his mouth until later in life. We would go pheasant or duck hunting, and he would locate the game that was down, but would not put it in his mouth, no matter how hard I tried to teach him that. Maybe too city slicker, and didn't want to get a feather in his teeth? One day hunting, a lone goose came over, Buck was right next to me. I shot and winged the goose and I had to move out of the way, as it was going to hit me. When it came down to the ground with a broken wing, it looked at me, looked at Buck, Buck looked at me, then the goose took off. Of course, while I went to get the goose with the boat, Buck stayed on the island and watched me retrieve ... talk about spoiled. Later in life, he "got it" and really enjoyed being an amazing bird dog. One November on the shores of the Mississippi we were in a blind hunting, there were a lot of ducks around, they were even coming into the decoys as we were setting up before dawn! It was cold, about 10 degrees, and there was ice on the shore, but the water was still open. Buck retrieved 5 ducks that day to my amazement, as I had accepted he wouldn't do it, but that day, something clicked and went at it. (I really praised him for the first one) One duck had sailed out almost 70 yards, and Buck had spotted it. Without even telling him or having eye contact, he just went for it. He was able to walk out in the mud about 50 yards, then swam out the rest of the way, got the duck and started back. I really wish I would have had a camera that day ... as when he got back to shore, to my amazement the duck was still alive! The Mallard Drake had its head resting against Bucks muzzle, maybe thinking it was being rescued, but fate made it dinner. I'll never forget that moment when he came up on shore with the live duck, carrying him, and the duck was content just watching where they were going.

When Buck was about 5, he jumped the fence in the back yard, as I was asleep on the couch. Some neighbors woke me and told me he had been hit by a car and was lying in the road. I assumed the worst. He came to, and walked back to the yard in a daze, just walking around pretty shook up. There was luckily a vet tech that was on scene by chance, and she told me to just hold a compress on the wound above his eye with some cold water so it didn't swell up. Buck loves a beer now and then, and I thought this was a good time to help him stay still. So I poured 2 beers into his water bowl, dashed it with salt to kill the suds (tickled his nose) and he drank every ounce of the 24 ounces of beer. We went in by the TV and he laid in my lap as I tended to his wound, and he passed out. I attribute that happening to his seizures later in life. From what I understand, seizures are caused by head trauma earlier in life. The seizures are a frightening thing, to him and to me, because there is nothing you can do other than to ride them out. Whenever he has one, all I can do is hold him tight and talk to him, it seems to calm him, that and the proper meds helps keep it under control.

We have many parks local to where I live, and we take advantage of them often. Before his hips gave him problems, we'd be hanging out in the park playing frisbee or just soaking up some sun. Dogs are not allowed in parks, but being we don't have any dog parks, I bent the rule a bit. So, if ever I saw a police car coming, I could just yell at buck to "kennel" and he'd run for the car and jump in an open window. Then once the cop was out of eyesight, I'd tell him to "come" and he'd come running back to me. I miss those days when he could jump and catch a frisbee, or dodge the cops ... cherish your young dogs ability, their life span is too short.



HO81yf



Once the May issue is constructed, she will send me the .pdf magazine. I can't wait to see how it comes together. Received the $50 this morning and already spent it on some things I needed. As well I have already got an email from Karen Nowak about our 1-hour session, not too sure what to make of that. Have not heard from the treat people yet, but have a neighbor dog that I adore, and will surprise them with it. Buck has passed away, I had to put him down April 1st of 2008, but am glad he lives on in not only my heart now, but will be famous even posthumously
:)
 
congrats we lost our maggie after 14 yrs she started having the same problems with hips synflex was a miracle and gave her a few more active years,the seisure were bad also in the end then her kidneys went it's just so hard losing a family member. I 'm glad buck could bring some smiles
 
What a wonderful story to go with a wonderful dog I have a 14 year old border collie with leg problems
who is done with his running days (my running companion). He is still the love of my life though, & I will keep him as long as he has quality of life.

Thanks for sharing with us. ;o)
 
Congrats on your win :) I read your story and shed a few tears to hear that buck is in Heaven. He sounded like he was your best friend. I like many others had to put our dog down, he was 16. It was almost 20 years ago and i still get choked up. I am really touched by your story and i'm glad you won, wishing you many more wins :)
 
Awwwwwww.... congrats! I love my Greta - she's 8 years old and starting to slow down. Nothing like unconditional love! :love: :love:
 
Wow! What a great story. Congratulations on your win. Have to go now and get a tissue to wipe my eyes...
 
Kevin, that was wonderful. But I'm mad at you - my nose runs like a faucet when I cry!!! :crazytongue:
 
Thanks Amy ;)

Basically since I taught him to "kennel" when someone came to the door, it just meant to him "get in".

sorta like "gopher" ... didn't matter if we were going for a walk, ride, potty .... he knew "gopher" meant we were going out. I learned this after I was talking slow one time, and I never said "gopher walk", just 'gopher' and he got excited, heh.

We started a trend here in my town, maybe larger. Actually 2. 1. He loved to go for a bike ride, I'd put him on the flexi-leash and would keep a moderate pace, but it allowed him to get a gallop on instead of my slow pace. 2. He would "heel" to the car. We would get somewhere outside the city, and I'd let him out and tell him to 'heel' and he would stay with the car, if he stopped to potty or something, I would stop. If there was another car coming or people on foot, I could yell at him to "kennel" and throw the rear door open, bam, he's in the car.

In Wisconsin and I presume most places, there are leash laws. If you watch court shows though, it comes down to who has the control of the dog ... more so than if they're on a leash or not. You could have your dog on a leash, but little Timmy walking an 80lb dog isn't going to have much control if that dog really wants to get away.

;)
 
Don't I know it - I used to walk a neighbors Doberman "puppy" - correction, I was 12 or so and that dang dog walked me at a run all over the place!!! She {the neighbor - the dog was male :laughing: } paid me in tiny pecan pies, lol!!! :whistle:

Gopher - now that is funny - my cat knows "gout" means go out. :laughing:

I've had run-ins with unattended dogs - bitten, chased, and almost run off my scooter {pit bull in Bermuda} so I appreciate a well heeled dog, whether on a leash or not!!!

IMHO, the leash is just another well intentioned law that gives false security - we'd be MUCH better off if people took responsibility and took the time to train their dogs!!!
 
Yes, there is no need for someone to have a dog with that much BITE POWER ... dont' want this to become a breed thing ;) I'm lobbying in my town right now, that anyone that owns a breed that has massive bite per square inch force .... should require training and insurance in order to obtain their city license. Too many accidents, and over and over it's those aggressive types with huge bite power.

A few years back, Buck was attacked while on a potty break. he was pinned to the ground screaming bloody murder, as I hammered on the dog with a recycling bin to no avail, then my dad came running (he had been waiting in a vehicle). He took the bin and continued beating the beast, while I tried choking it by twisting its collar. Would not let go. Having had my hunting gear on to go do some shooting, I pulled out my hunting knife and went to town on him, we won. I felt terrible afterwards, as it WAS someones pet, but ... they chose the breed, they chose to not have a fence, and it got loose. We were in my yard even. The police came to investigate as they do any stabbing, after hearing our story and taking photos of "the scene" he told me on his way out "I have to report this to the D.A., , , but don't lose any sleep". I never got charged. Weeks later, I saw the owner walking a puppy ... take a guess what breed it was *rolls eyes*

Here's the article from the tribune on the happening; http://lacrossetribune.com/news/police-and-courts-prison-time-given-in-drug-case/article_82b69ad0-1739-5d7a-9e6f-c759a570e17c.html
Crazy stuff! Apparently the owner had gone to let her dog out, she only had night close on. When she went to clip him to the chain, she thought he was clasped and dropped the chain, and she had missed the collar! In the time it took for her to get clothes on, get in the car and go to find him, that is what happened. She had no insurance, and since she took care of any vet costs, I didn't go after her ... I did and do still feel bad, but I'd do anything to protect my buddy.

The term pit bull comes from their ferocity ... like a bull in a pit ready to fight. How people can have these and defend them (especially with kids in the house) is beyond belief to me.
 
Those dogs terrify me - a different pit bull in Bermuda had the hots for our shelter dog, Duchess. They told us she was neutered. NOT. :nono:

Anyway, she had another beau, a beautiful, lovable German Shepherd we called "Boyfriend" :crazytongue:

I was pregnant, riding home on the back of DH's motorcycle one night, and we pulled right into the 2 of them fighting. I jumped off the bike and DH kept ramming the pit bull with the motorcycle but it didn't faze him one bit. :nono:

Our landlord came running over with a stick {it was one of thoses things you stick in the ground with a poster stuck on it to vote or advertise on} and she just waled on that pit bull, but it wasn't until another guy showed up with a bat that they were able to break up the fight! :cussing:

I was bawling, and Bob told me to go inside JIC the dog turned on me, so I don't know how it ended, but I never saw him {the pit bull :crazytongue: } again so either he died or his owner finally got wise.

Personally, my experience has been the owners are the problem, and the dog just magnifies their faults - there was a sweet pit bull my son played with who *never* caused problems.
 
Sorry to hear it. I assume you never saw the dog again, because the bat took care of the problem.

Those dogs I think are ok if they're in their own territory, around people they know, but once you threaten their territory as an unknown ... there's a huge problem in their mind.

Just last year a gal had her pit bull in their loosely gated yard. Went after 2 phone (pole) workers in the alley, one guy needed stitches, and she got her dog back.
Weeks later, same gal, same dog, same yard .... the gate was open and when a 10 year old walked through the alley, his wrist got crushed, requiring multiple surgerys ... and she had the gall to still defend the dog as a "caring animal". Those types never 'wake up'.
 
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