Got a New Puppy!

[BKennedy]

Ranger and I go on long walks every morning. Lately, I have been taking him on the trails around the area off-leash. He has gotten in the habit of running ahead, then stopping about 50-75' away and sniffing around until I walk by. Sometimes I will get 50' ahead of him before he blasts by me in search of more stuff to smell. He always comes when I call him and I rarely need use the e-collar. When we get to a road I have him heel on leash, more because I don't trust the drivers around here and stupid people with dogs. I was sitting with him on a table at the local park looking at down on Miramar Lake and some complete moron walked right up next to us with a unleashed little yappy dog. Of course, Ranger jumped down to greet this new potential friend. I asked the guy how he knew my dog's disposition and told him I thought that was a real stupid thing to do with a 100 pound size difference in dogs. I walked off without waiting for a response. Some people are just so clueless about dogs. If Ranger was in any way not friendly it could have turned out very bad.

Took him to a dog beach today, and let him run and play. He actually got me a little worried when he took off at full speed down the beach when we first got there. He was at least 100 yards away before he reacted to me slowly turning up the e-collar by turning around and running back to me. The collar was up to 18 out of 100, so still a mild stimulation. I can barely feel it tingling at that level. After that, he paid attention to me calling him back. The trainer said to not call him back or use the collar when he is actively playing and having a good time so he doesn't get the idea that playing is something I don't want him to do. He was hard core playing today, non-stop until it was time to go. He loves all dogs. He also stops to greet just about everyone in the area. He is first dog I have ever had that was completely without any malice unless you are prey, then its on. He is wiped out and sleeping next to my chair as I type.

Da beach. That is Ranger in the center of the pic stalking his next victim.

Ranger rough housing with my buddies Shepard mix, who is a hard core alpha female. He just kept messing with her until she gave in and started playing. She taught him how to body block. Its her signature move and when he figured out what she was doing, he knocked her down a few times.

Molly, Pirate, Harley and Ranger. Pirate is the big bulldog. She thinks she is a referee at the WWE and will wedge herself in between dogs that are playing hard.

We are going camping on my Arizona property for a few weeks starting Saturday. It will be nice to take Ranger on a hike down the road, or up the canyon without having to have him on a leash. I think I will keep him on a long lead at night when outside just because he is very much still a puppy and can be unpredictable.

 

[BKennedy]

Couple more pictures from our walk today

 

[BKennedy]

A couple of pictures.

Practicing his "Place" command while at a horse show with the daughter on Sunday.

Practicing his "Down" command while on our morning walk

We walked about five miles up and down hills and canyons this morning. I was beat, he wasn't even slowing down. We did that last week and he was wiped out for a few hours, but I guess he got used to it already.

I walk him off-leash about half the time. With the way he was/is trained, its easier for both of us. He tends to pull when on a leash, but we are working on that as well. He heels better off-leash, stays right next to me most of the time.

 

[BKennedy]

I started back with using a training collar so when he is on leash it's uncomfortable for him to be pulling. It's working. When we go on walks, if we are on the street or sidewalk he is in heel. When on the trails he is off leash and never gets very far. Always comes when called. Still working on emergency sit (sit immediately upon command). He comes back to me instead about half the time. If we come across another dog walker on the trails I call him over to me and he sits while they go past.

Today we walked the longest ever. 6.8 miles up and down hills, on trails, sidewalks and even a strip mall (we walked to the ATM). I bet he did 8-9 miles because when on the trails he is all over the place being a young dog. I'm wiped out, but not Ranger.

 

[BKennedy]

Sarah had to put her old pit down, then got this guy about a week later. Studebaker, 9 years old. Very nice, very grateful to be rescued.

 

[BKennedy]

Ranger is is roamer. When we are out camping on the Arizona property I have to keep him on a 20' lead I made or he will wander off. I let him roam when I don't have anything else to do but watch him. He will get a few hundred feet away before I call him back. He always comes back, which is good. We are working on his aggressive greeting of people. He unexpectedly lunges forward to greet people and it scares the heck out of them. I am making him sit to present himself to people.

He is still growing. I don't have to lean over to hold onto his collar, and I'm 6'2". I'm thinking I need to get him DNA tested to see if he is part pony.

Couple more pictures.

He really likes ice.

 

[BKennedy]

More pictures

 

[BKennedy]

Right after we brought him home

A few minutes ago

 

[Rick]

I love the way he's sitting on the table. One of the dog's we had when I first got my '93 Explorer would ride in the back seat with his legs on top of the seat and his feet on the seat itself. He was on the hunt for cows. He loved barking at cattle.

 

[BKennedy]

I love the way he's sitting on the table. One of the dog's we had when I first got my '93 Explorer would ride in the back seat with his legs on top of the seat and his feet on the seat itself. He was on the hunt for cows. He loved barking at cattle.

He does that on the stairs at the house too. Goofy dog

He wants to play with cows. I have to call him away from them.

 

[joney]

Right after we brought him home
View attachment 426364
A few minutes ago
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Big, beautiful dog! Wonder what he weighs - and still growing!

 

[BKennedy]

Ranger is a lean 100 pounds. He's so strong now. I work with him every day so he will behave. He's very friendly with just about everything. Saw a coyote walk out from the brush at a local park we go to, about 5 minutes after I put him back on leash. We were working on his sit, down commands and just a little while before I was about 75' away from him. He went nuts, meanest growl and bark I have heard from him. It was also real loud. He was pissed off like I've never seen him. Coyote just cruised across the grass and into some more brush. I was tempted to let him go after it, but if he caught it, then what? A trip to the vet, that's what.

Ranger resting on a picnic table about a minute before the insolent scavenger showed itself.

Coyote, healthy, looks to be well fed. Very unusual for them to be out in full daylight.

 

[gmanpaint]

Ranger is such a handsome boy! All these pictures made me smile for miles!

 

[BKennedy]

We went for a good walk today. He was very good off-leash so me working with him is paying off. There were people out today and he handled himself very well. He is starting to show a slight serious side lately, so he might be growing up. He postured and didn't want to come back to me when we came across a guy walking towards us on a narrow trail carrying a hiking stick. I think it's the way he was carrying it, in front of him, that got Ranger a little defensive. I asked the guy to hold up a minute and got Ranger back to me without incident.
Poser pic at Miramar Lake

We were taking a break at the park that overlooks the lake after the majority of our walk. I like to go there on the way back because its quiet, a good place to take a break, it's about a 1/2 mile from the house, and there is a large grass area so I can work him after he's blown off a bunch of puppy energy before we go home. Usually during the week there is hardly anyone there and everyone keeps their distance so we can work on the grass.
Today, we were sitting on a picnic table and this stupid woman being drug around by a Newfoundland walks right up to us saying "Hello". Ranger of course stands up. I ask her what she is doing and she keeps coming, obviously not in control of her very large dog. I start to walk away while saying "Really, Lady". Of course she takes offense and starts talking nonsense about wanting our dogs to greet each other. I then tell this stupid woman I don't know her or her dog, she doesn't know me, she has no idea of my dog's temperament, and its a very stupid thing to do without stopping 25' away and asking if its alright with the other dog's master. I am walking away after this and she starts following me, still blathering on about our dogs wanting to greet each other, completely clueless. I ended up telling her to please leave me alone in my cop voice and she finally figured out I wanted nothing to do with her or her dog.

This is the second time that something like that has happened at the same place. I guess it's a reoccurring theme because my neighborhood is full of overeducated people with no common sense. Maybe I should just start saying what my inner voice is saying when I come across these people, but they would probably call 911.

 

[BKennedy]

Well I have been corrected: Idiotic dog owners is not a community thing, it's all over. I was at the dog park in Kingman with Ranger. He is really good with other dogs, doesn't have any alpha nothing. A woman gets dragged up to the gate by the largest dog I think I have ever seen. Looks like someone bred the biggest Great Dane with the biggest gray Pit Bull they could find. She yells from the gate that this behemoth is "not friendly". I was talking to a dude while our dogs were playing and we both said at the same time; "Why are you bringing him to a dog park?" She now appears to be irritated and shouts "So he can get socialized." "He's been isolated his whole life." The guy I'm standing next to says that's the stupidest thing he has heard all day.

I call Ranger to me and put him on his lead, because no way am I getting involved in this. She is now really upset, "So, your just going to leave?" I replied that you can't force socialization on a dog, it doesn't work that way. I didn't want to shoot her dog, so I said goodbye and left. Today, same dog park. Saw the same guy. He said after I left the dog went after him and his dog. It was muzzled, but he got the heck out of there. I hope that dog/new master gets professional help before someone shoots her dog. That dog getting shot is a real concern in this part of Arizona, where half the people in Safeway are openly carrying, I bet half of the other half are carrying concealed.

 

[410Fortune]

“I see stupid people, they are everywhere”
Exactly why I have 2 miles between my house and my gate

 

[Mr. Alligator]

^^^ and a rifle and four wheel drive...

 

[Fix4Dirt]

 

[FROADER]

There will never be a shortage of stupid people in this world… Glad you got out of there before there were any issues.

 

[BKennedy]

“I see stupid people, they are everywhere”
Exactly why I have 2 miles between my house and my gate

I'm working on that, but it will be a mile to the highway and about 1200' to the gate.

^^^ and a rifle and four wheel drive...

I have those too.

There will never be a shortage of stupid people in this world… Glad you got out of there before there were any issues.

Even with all I have experienced in this world, sometimes people still surprise me. I remember having a conversation when I had a few years on the job, with a much older and wiser law enforcement veteran. I remarked I used to think I was of average intelligence until I started this job. He said that half the people in this world are idiots and the worst part is they are completely unaware of that fact. If they knew they were stupid, maybe we wouldn't have so many problems. Maybe there should be some kind of advice hotline people could call before embarking on questionable activities...
Like the utility company's call before you dig line, there could be a call before you do anything line.