Ya know, Fran...

witzend

Well-Known Member
Your avatar of your dogs is so cute, I almost want them. Until I realize that they must out-shed Mandy and Bubba by a mile... ;)
 

GoingNorth

Crazy Cat Lady
I am currently spending nearly a month in a local pet-friendly hotel. I should be out of here on Thursday assuming the work on my place is done (replacing flooring, etc) and I can get my stuff moved back in by them.

Early the other AM as I was on my way to the gratis breakfast, I ran into an older gent walking two huge Pyrs.

He was just thrilled that I recognized the breed. Pyrs are great dogs if you have the space to keep them, are willing to exercise them, and don't mind all the grooming
 

LittleDudesMom

Well-Known Member
I, for one, can attest to the sweet nature of Fran's "pups". They are very loving and so calm - they make my Spot (a jack) look like a Mexican jumping bean!

Sharon
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Witz, the breed suits us. Thanks.
It is a lot of shedding, I must admit but it should slow down as they grow their winter coats. I try to contain them to an area that is mostly hardwood so I can use a quick dustmop. I brush them as often as I can. I try for 2 to 3 times a week.

I do walk them every day. One long walk, usually one shorter. They have quite a large fenced yard that is partially wooded. They get to bark and run the fence after deer, squirrels and bunnies. Mr. Darcy has a hidden area that he digs and stays in the cool dirt. It's ok since it's not ruining the landscaping.

In the summer, they are more house dogs. It is brutal hot for them with their heavy coats. I look forward to the cooler weather so we can do longer more strenuous walks.

I probably didn't appreciate how seldom they are seen as a breed until I try to walk them in more populated areas. I don't get very far, very fast. They are really livestock guardian dogs or farm dogs so not too many people are stupid enough to keep 2(or 3) at a regular house. They take up a lot of room in a kitchen. I get stopped often which is why I walk in the woods and at odd hours to avoid having to stop. I appreciate their interest but I don't want to use them as props or attention getters.

They are not hyper dogs but are quick to be on alert. Cowboy is always watching for attacks on his flock(me and the 2 new kids). The younger two are still goofy and coming to learn about being with a family and not act as strays.

Having 3 is probably more than I should have but when Honeysue died I couldn't fill that hole quick enough.
Cowboy is really a massive beast and he isn't the largest I have seen. He is about 112 (down from 120). He is mild mannered but I have seen him bare his teeth when it was appropriate for him. I don't let anyone hang on him unless he invites it.
The two younger ones are smaller. Miss Elizabeth appears to be a runt. Perfect pyr but small to the tune of about 80lbs. Very smart and a survivor. Found on the streets as a stray.
Mr. Darcy looks different than the other 2- not sure whether he is a mix but he has the right coloring, double dew claws and is watchful. He is much more energetic than the other two.

There is no doubt Witz, that when easy child left home that I transferred my mom nature to the dogs. I didn't think I needed someone to take care of but I must. Now I have 3 and a bit of work yet with training the two younger ones. They aren't too keen on all the social rules they must observe when living in the house. They are good about not jumping up on people.

Maybe you have a suggestion Witz. I can't seem to get one or the other(not sure which) to not relieve themselves in the house when I'm not around. It doesn't seem to be because they haven't been out. I have to crate them at night now. No accidents but if I leave them out to sleep in my room, one of them seems to feel a need to relieve themselves. Very frustrating. Any suggestions? They get plenty of outside time and they are seldom left for more than an hour or two.
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Fran, there is a commercial for that little canned dog food, the one with the little white dog? Begins with a B. Cute little dog.

Well the new commercial shows all these very large mostly white dogs like sheep dogs, great danes, and a Pyr wanting this dog food. The sheep dog is trying to get through this little doggy door, one dog is trying to sit in a purse, the Great Dane is trying to sit in the basket of a bike, and the Pyr is sitting on a woman's lap! I swear she looks like you...lol. All you can see is a gigantic white dog and a brown head peaking around the dog!
 

donna723

Well-Known Member
I saw that commercial this morning! Really cute!

Fran, your dogs are gorgeous but I don't know where you find the patience to groom three large dogs! I only have one that really needs brushing and she wears me out! Bostons have very short hair and no fuzzy undercoat - a hair from them looks like an eyelash when it comes out. I wouldn't know they shed at all unless I saw the black hair on the bottom shelf of my white book cases. But my mixed breed, Freebie, is the sheddingest dog I've ever seen (except for the Husky my daughter once brought home) and she's only about 35 lbs. I do brush her but the more I brush, the more fuzzy hair there is! I've brushed her on the porch before and filled up a whole big grocery sack with hair. And when I vacuum my small living room and dining room, I have to empty the container at least twice before I'm done! Fortunately, she's almost exactly the same color as the carpet and the hair blends right in. :D
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Somedays I wonder how I have the patience myself. Having a difficult child helps. LOL. :bigsmile:

When I'm a little older, I'm getting a small non shedding puppy. Something that I can lift with one hand. Right now, my favorite is a french bull dog. They look like a fire hydrant on it's side.

Donna, I think Boston's are adorable. I love their faces. Do you have trouble with their breathing and sinus'?
 

Kathy813

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Fran,

I have to keep my two on the bed with us or they will pee somewhere during the night. Of course, two shih tzus take up a lot less room then your three would. LOL

Gracie, who will be two in November, is good about her housetraining when she is in a closed room with husband or me or is gated in the kitchen. When she gets out of sight, though, and wanders into a part of the house she is not used to being in (we have a big house and don't use the living room, dining room, or guest room very often), it never fails. I think that she thinks that she is "outside."

I should take out stock in Nature's Miracle. It works wonders.

~Kathy
 
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donna723

Well-Known Member
Fran, my two are very different from each other. Ragan's nose is a tiny little bit longer than Katy's and Ragan doesn't have many problems at all. She doesn't even snore like other Bostons do ... but most people with Bostons tend to find their noises endearing rather than annoying. Katy (the one in my avatar) is more smooshy-faced than Ragan and her nostrils are smaller (stenotic nares?). There is always some kind of noise coming out of Ms. Katy. She snorts and snuffles and grunts and snores like a buzz saw! But it's cute when she does it! And I LOVE their rubbery little faces too. They can get almost every expression on their faces that humans do. And they smile all the time! Really smile! You always know what kind of mood they're in because it's right there on their face!

Some of them do tend to have breathing problems. There's a surgery that Katy could have to enlarge her nostrils (they burn them out with a laser!) but I would never put her through that. And they do this thing called reverse sneezing - repeated hard snorting like they're trying to clear their sinuses - that will scare you to death the first time you see it but it's completely harmless and they all do it. The thing about the smooshy-faced dogs (Bostons, English bull dogs, pugs, and French bull dogs too) is that you have to be very careful with them so that they don't get over-heated. When they're hot, they pant like other dogs do but it doesn't do them much good because their nasal passages are so short. They're strictly indoor little guys. They can be out for a short while when it's really hot but not long - mine just go outside to potty and then right back in again.

And some day I plan to have a French bull dog too! I think they're adorable! They're not tiny-tiny though - most of them are 20 lbs. and up and they tend to be built a little wider and chunkier than Bostons. When you're ready to get one, there are some people on my Boston board who also do Frenchie rescue. One girl has a gorgeous little black male Frenchie now that she's been fostering for quite a while. He has allergies and needs shots every few weeks - one couple adopted him but then returned him to the foster family because they decided that they didn't want to contend with his allergies. But if you ever decide you might want one from from rescue, I can put you in touch with a few groups.
 

Fran

Former desparate mom
Kathy, I'm glad my goofy dogs aren't the only ones. Maybe they think the bedroom rug is a free zone.

Having my 3 in the bed would pretty much put husband on the couch and me in divorce court. LOL. :2dissapointed:
 
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