Bull Terrier

Why would I consider purchasing a Bull Terrier? I love bull dog type breeds and my choices today will deal with bull dog types. Although I have never owned a Bull Terrier; they appeal to me in a basic way. Other than a general interest, my consideration for this breed is based on research of the various breeds of dogs from books and watching dog shows. I also have to admit that I loved the Bull Terrier in the movie Patton. My research showed that they are much more versatile than I would have guessed based on their original purpose of fighting. Some have been used to herd sheep and hunt.

Brief Description: True to it’s original purpose the Bull Terrier is strong, agile, and balanced on it’s feet. Since they are not breed for fighting any longer, modern breeders breed for disposition rather than the desire to fight. Today’s Bull Terrier is not at all quarrelsome, rather they seek to avoid trouble. You can observe their easy going personality at dog shows. An unusual byproduct of its origin’s breeding is that these fighting dogs had to be able to keep its head and think for its self because the owners did not want an out of control dog which would bite them when it was wounded and hurt. This makes the Bull Terrier unusually reliable with children. The most notable mental characteristics of the Bull Terrier are desire for human companionship, longing for affection, unusual intelligence and an apparent sense of humor. He likes to be lead, not forced. He responses much better to positive training rather than a lot of punishment.

Positives:

1. Great companion and faithful protector.

2. Usually a calm breed.

3. Intelligent

Negatives:

1. Do not tolerate teasing from children.

2. Can be possessive and jealous.

3. Need a lot of companionship or they can be destructive.

Boston Terrier

Why would I consider purchasing a Boston Terrier? Although I have never owned a Boston Terrier, my Uncle owned one and loved him. The Boston Terrier is one of the few breeds developed in America. Like all bull dog types, the Boston Terrier was used for fighting. At one time the Boston Terrier was one of the most popular show dogs in America.

Brief Description: True to it’s original purpose, the Boston Terrier should be lively, highly intelligent, smooth-coated, short round headed, compactly-built, and short tailed. They should convey an impression of determination and style with easy carriage in its movement. They should not weigh over 25 pounds. Most Boston Terriers are black with some white markings generally on their shoulders.

Positives:

1. Well mannered and intelligent.

2. Easily trained.

3. Friendly with a sense of humor.

4. Great with children and the elderly.

Negatives:

1. Skin and heart tumors are common in the breed.

2. Can be difficult to house train.

Boxer

Why would I consider purchasing a Boxer? I have always liked Boxers and have owned a couple plus one half Boxer/half Bull Dog. The Boxers were great family dogs but the half Boxer was the most un-trainable dog I have experience.They are beautiful dogs in my eyes, especially the brindled ones. Boxers are very popular in America and Europe.

Brief Description: The Boxer is a clean-limbed dog of great strength. This characteristic is greatly enhanced by their sturdy beauty, good nature, good sense, and utter dependability. They are widely used by law enforcement and security agencies. The boxer is a median-sized, sturdy dog, squarely built, with a short back, strong limbs, and short tight-fitting coat. His muscles should be well developed, clean, hard, and appear smooth (not bulgy) under taut skin. His movements should denote energy.

Positives:

1. Playful and curious.

2. Highly intelligent.

3. Loyal and affectionate.

4. Great guard dogs

Negatives:

1. Love to jump.

2. Very energetic and need a strong owner.

The tasting of wild food could become the cornerstone of teaching your children or even yourself about conservation. What’s wrong with a few botany lessons while we enjoy the great natural world? What’s wrong with learning a few lessons which might be helpful in surviving in an emergency?

All regions have a good many wild edible plants, fruits, and nuts. I will cover plants that are at least in the south east. Many of the plants covered can be located in most other regions. Beginners should build their knowledge of wild foods slowly and carefully. Learn to identify a dozen or so species, and learn how to use them in their full potential. Check out plant books from your local library, search the Internet, or buy a plant key book for your region and start learning a few wild plants very thoroughly. Better yet, maybe a grand parent or elderly friend could assist you while taking a slow walk around a park or farm.

Below are some common wild edible plants:

Arrowhead (also called swamp potato, tule potato): It is a plant of marshy soils, found in shallow, mud-bottomed sections of ponds, lakes and rivers. The large arrow shaped leaves and three pedaled white flowers make identification easy. The plant may grow to three feet with it’s roots growing up to five feet. The entire root section is edible but the best food is contained in the tubers attached to the root.. Although the tubers can be peeled and eaten, they are much better boiled for 30 minutes before peeling and seasoning with sat, pepper, and butter. In an emergency you may wrap them in the leaves and roasting them in fire coals.

Blueberry: Most are very aware of commercially grown blue berries. Many may not know that wild blueberries and their wild relatives such as Huckleberries are common in the wild. Look for wild blueberries in burnt over woodlands, and along the edge of log roads and trails. They are delicious eaten raw but may be cooked and added to oatmeal. Maybe even better, gather them and cook a blueberry pie back home! Double this treat by making home made ice cream and your kids might nominate you for the hall of fame.

Bulrush: This tall, green-stemmed plant is another edible plant located around marshes and wetlands. The shoots and young root stalks can be eaten raw or cooked. The root stalks need to be peeled before boiling. Bulrush stall can be added to camp stews. Even the roots can be roasted after carefully wiping away their root hairs.

Burdock: This sunflower family member grows in disturbed soils all over the country. The young shoots and leaves make an excellent salad or they can be cooked like spinach. Young stalks may be also be eaten raw or added to stews after the outer rind is removed. Burdock roots may be roasted and ground into a coffee substitute.
Please let me of your favorite wild foods and adventures you had in gathering and preparing them.

Irish Setter

Photo by  bri-1970

Why would I consider purchasing an Irish Setter puppy? When I was about 13 or 14 years old, my Aunt Susie gave us a grown Irish Setter. I will never forget how beautiful he was running in the pasture behind our house. When I hear the phase, “grace in motion”, the Irish Setter comes to mind. Unfortunately, he was not much more and we did not keep him very long. I also recall that he chased our chickens which did not set well with my Mother. He was not that bright and uninterested in learning anything.  Even today, many people think that they have been breed for beauty and not for intelligence or hunting ability.

Brief description: The Irish Setter is an active, aristocratic mahogany red bird dog, substantial yet elegant in build. Standing over two feet tall at the shoulder, the dog has a straight fine and glossy coat. Afield he is a swift moving hunter; at home he is a sweet natured companion and very loyal. He can easily become a one person dog.

Positives:

1. One of the most beautiful dogs in the World.
2. Very loyal companions.
3. Friendly and outgoing.

Negatives:

1. Daily grooming of their coat.
2. Some experience hip dysplasia.
3. Require lots of exercise if they do not have a large yard.

Collie

Photo by  Leo-Avalon

Why would I consider purchasing a Collie? Once again a dog from my past is part of my consideration of a Collie. My cousin had a rough coated Collie and he was a great dog. He was with us on our childhood adventures for many years. I can still remember how watchful and protective he was. We never doubted that he would protect us from any potential enemy, people or animal.

Brief Description: The Collie is an intelligent, strong, responsive, and active dog which stands naturally straight and firm. They have deep and moderately wide chest which shows it’s strength. It’s face shows high intelligence and quiet confidence A Collie presents a proud picture of balance, no part of his body is out of proportion. In summary a Collie is a beautiful herding dog that makes a wonderful companion.

Positives:

1. Very loyal and protective companion.
2. Very intelligent and capable of learning almost any task.
3. The breed comes in many different sizes and styles (rough, smooth, miniature, etc.).
4. Generally healthy if purchased from a reputable breeder.

Negatives:

1. Some may have a problem with temperatures in the South.
2. Very popular, so be sure to buy from a reputable breeder. Many dogs are out there that have health and genetic problems.

Airedale Terrier

Brief Description: The head should be well balanced with little difference between the length of skull and fore face. The eyes should be dark, small and full of terrier expression, keenness, and intelligence. The dogs should measure approximately 23 inches at the shoulder; females slightly less. Movement should be free and quick.

Positives:

1. Good companion and protector.
2. Versatile and intelligent.
3. Can be trained at a high level.
4. Very healthy and hardy.

Negatives:

1. Some times challenge dominance.
2. Rowdy if not trained properly.
3. Very energetic and need a lot of exercise (especially the first 2 years).

We recently lost our family dog, Minnie, a ten year old yellow Lab. We are considering getting another puppy and I thought I would write an article about how to select a puppy or new dog.  Man’s best friend provides so much pleasure for us in the outdoors. One of my favorite times with my grandson was shared with a chocolate lab puppy who had escaped his yard and took a walk with us.

The first question to ask is why do you want a dog? Many people see a beautiful puppy and purchase it. Consider asking yourself the following questions: Do you want only a companion? Do you have job for your dog such as herding animals, hunting, etc.? The answers to the above questions may assist you in deciding whether to adopt from an animal shelter or buy a pure breed from a breeder. An estimated 2 million puppies or dogs are not adopted each year and are put down. Many of these animals would have made great family pets. Also part of this decision is whether or not you only want a young puppy or will an older dog meet your wishes.

Second: Decide on a breed. There are hundreds of different breeds which have special abilities or talents. Each breed also has it’s own needs and exercise requirements. Breed selection is the cornerstone of the puppy selection adventure. I will write following article on the 15 or 16 breeds we are considering.

Third: The size of the dog may be a factor for some people but is not really an issue for us. We live out in the country on a two acre lot. Apartment dwellers should generally have a smaller dog.  Most large breeds are not suited for apartment living due to the exercise needed. 

Fourth: Type of coat is a consideration for most individuals. If your animal is to spend considerable time inside, how much do they shed may be a factor. How much grooming would your dog require is a factor.

Fifth: The energy level of the breed and your own energy level should be considered. Directly related to this is the required exercise required. I think it’s unreasonable to keep a hunting type dog in a kennel all day. I know many people do but I do not think it’s fair to the dog.

Sixth: Can you afford to feed and care for your dog as it should be cared for? Good nutrition and regular vet visits are essential to the well being of your dog. Therefore, one should pay a great deal of attention of the health of the puppy or adopted dog. Look around the owner’s kennels to see if they are clean and well maintained. Many pound dogs have health issues and may have been exposed to various diseases.

Seventh: Consider your neighborhood and neighbors. A constantly barking dog is never appreciated and sometimes may be illegal. This leads to another point; research the local laws to determine any restrictions which need to be considered.

One of my favorite childhood memories is of a family reunion of my Mother’s family. My Mother’s family did not get together much as I remember. Probably one reason was that her parents were divorced. Although they were divorced, they both lived in the same community and got along well. The reunion that is burned into my mind was held at a “rock mill pond”. Many of you probably have never heard of a rock mill pond but during the 1960’s and 1970’s they were home of some record sized bass. The reasons for the large sized bass were the thousands and thousands of bream which grew in these ponds.I grew up in Crenshaw County on a small farm outside of Luverne, Alabama. Much of the land in Crenshaw is of the heavy red clay soil type which constantly stained our cloths and bare feet. In this clay was a sometimes vast amount of iron ore which was mined in a pit. A critical part of the pit was the pond constructed to provide water required to wash the clay off the ore.The iron ore pits and ponds were crude affairs and built as cheap as possible. To construct a pond, they would locate a small stream and dam it up with out clearing up the pond site. Therefore, years after the mining operations had ceased, the trees had died and fallen down into the water. You can imagine the vast amount of cover afforded the bream which made full use of it to produce thousands of offspring.

In nature when food is plentiful, prey animals such as bass also increase. Although these ponds contained vast number of fish, they were difficult to catch and mostly all you caught were small bream. My Aunt and Mother often took us fishing and we caught hundreds of small bream while replacing many hooks and broken lines. Of course for a young boy the size of the fish and lost hooks did not matter because we were fishing! Young boys and fishing have always been for each other. I am sure it was during one of these trips when my Mother and Aunt decided to have a family reunion at this old rock mill pond.

On the selected date Grand Parents and most of my Aunts and Uncles and their families showed up and starting fishing. Grand Daddy was placed in charge of cooking rather than Grand Mother who loved to fish. Someone had brought a few cast iron cooking pots and oil to fry the fish and hush puppies. I helped Grand Daddy locate a few large rocks, probably iron ore left over from the mining. I remember that the site was fairly clear due to the lack of top soil on top of the red clay. After we got setup, I joined my many cousins and started fishing.

After we had caught a good many fish, the adults began cleaning them and Grand Daddy starting cooking. In my memory it seemed that we fished, cleaned fish, and ate fish for several hours. I do not remember anyone catching a large fish but it created a large memory for me about a great family reunion in the outdoors.

Photo by Jwinfred

Being outdoors in nature and having a great time doesn’t require much money or equipment. I wonder if that old pond still exists where I can take my grand son for an outdoor adventure and catch a few fish.

On the trip up my son, always the thoughtful young boy, asked how we could distinguish between the wild doves and the “tame” doves.  After a few minutes, I told him that the neighbor’s doves could not fly that far.  Although he did not come out and say, I was certain he was uncomfortable about shooting the tame doves.

As anticipated, we had a great time and shot a few doves.  One or two landed a few feet from us just like I had bragged in my stories.  We were thrilled that we were able to create a similar experience as I had as a young boy.  What cemented the memory in my mind was when he put his arm around me and asked if we could spend another day and hunt again.

Although my new job prevented us from spending another day on this trip, I made a special effort to spend as much time as I could with him.  I now have a grandson and I can not wait until we get to take him dove hunting in the black berry bushes on the family farm outside Luverne, Alabama.  Maybe my little grandson can shoot the 20 gauge shotgun that my son now owns.

Take time out of your busy schedule to spend time with your children.  Outdoor adventures are a great way to spend time with your kids and you will create memories that will last a life time to you and your children.

Photo by NotQuiteSonic