Driving 1000 miles to get my new girl today

Goldenrod

Goldenrod

Well-known member
Staff member
Leaving shortly to pick a pure bred herding breed - my favourite (the Bouvier De Flanders) and yes she is expensive, comes from one of the top breeders in Canada and their line of dogs excel in health and all sports including protection.
I did my good deed and am saved an abused dog who is working into the pack and is doing well, but in the new world of this Province - shoot or stab a dog (pending you kill them) will end the protection these amazing dogs provide the family. I previously went for a larger male - 125-130 lbs - 28 inches tall, and incredibly powerful. I am getting a female this time who will probably be 75 lbs. I had the pleasure of watching a few smaller Bouviers and they jump just as high, could run faster / longer, and were more agile. Reminded me of a Malinois who was not on nitrox oxide.
I was going to get a Giant Snauzer who makes a wonderful protection dog, and still may given the OK my better half but I miss my Alpha Bouvier and want another one.
Don't care what anyone says or how strong they think they are 75 lbs of dog hitting over 40 kmps and grabs your arm, most likely will dislocate your shoulder, break your arm, and now you are left with one arm to defend yourself. 70-150 lb dogs bred to fight wolves and protect herds can kill any human as you have to kill them to stop them once they are trained properly.
She will not be able to put two men through a glass door like my previous large male Bouvier, but I have a Bull Mastiff who is shorter but 120 lbs now and is protection trained.
I am hoping my rescue will get confident enough to follow suit, but time will tell.
Just typing for the sake of typing - a lot of work ahead of me, but I am excited to pick up our new baby tomorrow to add to the pack.
My dogs are family, but they are working dogs and work for their food, exercised everyday so they build strength and are lean/muscular breeds. I would take any of my protection dogs on a security job, pending the hiring company, can get insurance for a certified protection dog (albeit you can't really certify a dog), as my back up. They never give up, and will give their life for you.
Just happy to get this new girl and be able to mould her into the dog I want - puppy class, advanced obedience, agility and protection, and she will be a dog to respect in 12-16 months. In the short term - you can't take their natural instinct to protect the family even as a pup. She is a brindle Bouvier and just 9 weeks old and 14 lbs. No one can predict if she will be 65 or 90 lbs. I had the pic of the litter and picked her as she is not scared, outgoing, loves to eat, and is very curious which can be a handful at first, but wonderful when training.IMG_6704.jpeg
 
biguglynewf said:
She's so fluffy I'm going to die!

Lol - name that movie quote....

1000 miles? Hmmmm....stop in for coffee if you've got time!
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@biguglynewf - Won't be making it quite that far, it is actually about 1000 KM's into Quebec (@animal-inside0. In Quebec now and going to get her in a few hours. I drove as I won't put a little puppy on a plane, it can be traumatic.
If I was here longer and did land late last night with all my dogs, to a nice hotel that is dog friendly with my better half, I would have liked to make a few days of it and meet some of the people I chat with that live here. Two very nice members, who have become forum friends, and live in Quebec I would have liked to meet in person. If I was headed further to Ontario I would have liked to meet some other folks. Not many people want 125 lbs of drooling Bull Mastiff and 50 lbs of nosy (my rescue that is abused is starting to enjoy dog life and is not destructive) but not trained proper yet so he likes to be nosy and check out every room possible. The huge bed had 230 lbs, 110 lbs, 125 lbs and 50 lbs in it last night lol.
They started on the floor and I woke up and found that my better half let them both on the bed.
Instead of driving to a local breeder, this gent is known as one of the top 5 breeders in Canada for sound temperament and no health issues which are important to me for protection training as it is like power lifting for humans. She is 12 lbs of brindle fluff and his female Bouviers range from 70-85 lbs so no idea but I am excited to meet her, start her intro with the pack, and train her.
When I say 2 people - those are just two that come to mind, but there are lots more on the forum I have come to think as of friends (too many to mention) over 6 years even if I have not met them in person. No slight at anyone.
Was hoping to meet the @The Old Guy but wasn't sure if I could take the pain I would be in from laughing as he should be a stand-up comedian. Unfortunately, some of my real life friends here who infrequently are on the forum - I just don't have time to visit with running a business and have to be back Monday so we will travel back today and if the day is too long as stops every two hours to let the pup out, water, feed 3-4 times a day, and walk, it will be a slow trip and will grab a hotel in NB. Have to look for a dog friendly one again as I will have three dogs now.
Looking forward to meeting this cutie and hope she is as described - confident and outgoing as my last Bouvier was massive but had stranger danger and it took 10 private classes to learn you can't just rip a stranger apart until you know they have bad intentions. Once he was qualified and learned even scary men with masks and bats, masks, etc. were still going to give him liver and I bomb proofed his obedience, he moved into real protection.
This girl will be smaller and more agile/faster - unlike my beloved and in heaven Bouv and my Bull Mastiff. When they are given instructions or were given instructions to protect the family, it was like a garbage truck coming at you and hitting you with a bowling bowl. She won't have the mass, but his dogs excel in Schutzhund and are known to be thinkers trying to determine the best way to take multiple people out to protect the family.
Should be stated I will not stand for attack or aggressive dogs, I like calm dogs who are 100% obedient, and if they are aloof until they trust you that is OK but no scaring the shit out of people for no reason which my best buddy use to do before he was properly trained. I want another dog that will be kind with everyone, but if you try to touch my better half, break into my house or are given a German command, will take action. For anyone who knows the breed - it is natural instinct anyway. They were bred to work in tandem to protect herds from Wolves and other large predators so they naturally become the Alpha and protect the other dogs and people in the pack.
Enough said - I talk to much about dogs but I would be lying if I did not say I wasn't excited.
 
The Old Guy said:
@Goldenrod again congrats on the new pup. I’d be happy to meet you in person at some time but must warn you I’m very reserved and boring in person.

😏
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You're that chick that talks huge game through text and when you finally do the 3am hook up she's too shy to even touch my weiner and insists "how about we just cuddle instead"..
 
It has been a long time since I had a very confident strong breed. Sweet mother of F, the work. She is not afraid of anything and at 12 lbs on her first night, did two flights of stairs and explored every inch of the house biting and tasting everything. A sign of a dog that makes an excellent protection dog and comes from a good breeder.
She is pushy, after eating will go to a dog 10 times plus her weight and try to eat out of the same bowl which I had to correct quickly, but my dogs all know they can't kill each other - growl, show teeth, but no fighting each other other than play fighting to determine who is top dog as that helps prevent fights. For those that don't know per the PM's. I recently rescued an abused 45-50 lb dog that was taken from a well known person who had 43 dogs (all seized). I took one who is a gentle, kind, submissive, guy who needs help to bring his confidence up.
I lost my Alpha Bouvier 6 plus months ago plus and love the breed. He did not come from a good breeder and learned my lesson. I did my research which is why I drove to get this little girl from one of the top breeders in Canada.
She will make an excellent protection dog with no need to help her with stranger danger or dog aggression. As far as she knows all dogs and people are great. After puppy classes, 6 months of strict obedience mixed with base protection training, I will be able to do real / not mock protection work with her. The safest dog for biting (if anyone cares) is one who has been trained to read people, are confident and taught when to bite and when not to. Dogs fear bite - my abused rescue does not and I have tested him to see if there is any aggression in there - nope.
He will move out of the way of this little puppy and let her have his supper, which of course I stop and build up his confidence.
3 days in he finally told her enough when she tried to take his favourite antler and she backed off. Waited until he was done and took it lol.

People think a dog who growls and shows their teeth is a bad thing - it is not. It is better than a dog who can't say I am uncomfortable to tell another dog don't eat my food and finally explodes and bites. Dogs that tell people with a growl/show their teeth are normally saying they are scared. I am not referring to a giant Rottweiler who is known to be aggressive, with a dumb ass of an owner who likes it, and the dog takes it to attacks and hurts or worse a kid.
My point is they can't talk - most dogs if given leadership and know their place have to be able to say they are not comfortable. The only people they can't do this to is me and my better half as I cut their nails, shave them, train them, wash them, clean their teeth and so on and they have to accept the Alphas in the house can do what they want. If they were allowed to growl and show their teeth to me, which will occur and be corrected - it can turn into fear biting.
For people who don't know, most dogs who aren't intact fighting for breeding rights, want to be submissive and don't want to lead the pack. They are happy to defer to another dog who leads the way and I am sure this little bundle of fur is going to be the leader when she is big enough to take that position. So happy to have a Bouvier who came from a breeder who introduced them to the outside, children, strangers, toys, lived with their litter mates to learn social behaviour, were shown affection, and so on.
If it isn't obvious I think the world of her and will post pics as she grows, but she is a ton of work as she will taste and chew anything lol.

I will shut up now. As a final note - if you are not used to reading dogs/training or working with a professional...dogs that show aggression with growling and teeth need to be assessed as that can escalate but usually does not with most breeds.
 
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