Al - do you have a crate for the Jackass? Before you do anything with the dogs, crate the A-hole. Then, methodically take care of the rest, when all is ready, Jackass can be let free! Or - back to house leash and tether to something sturdy.

Hey - was something wonky going on with the forum last night? I tried on 2 different phones to get on and some really weird stuff came up. Hoping I don't have to go hack hunting on 2 phones!

Kasper used to try to rush either of my dogs when they were trying to come up the back stairs after being in the yard to the point they wouldn't come up the stairs until he was removed from the top steps. Understandable, he was going to knock them down the stairs. We still struggle with overexcitement and how it turns him into the biggest jerk ever. The boot to face works. I usually get nasty with him and shove him back telling him no strongly then making him sit and wait while the others can get up the stairs safely and he has to stick to it until they are completely back in the house. Making him just stay in a sit until he chills out has been key for me. He just gets way too excited and I have to get him out of that headspace before he can really interact with the other dogs again. He's way better than when we first got him almost 6 months ago but he still regresses a few times a week and it's exhausting. If he would respond to an ecollar when over excited that could be an option. Kasper did have some response to the vibrate mode on mine as long as I didn't let him get super overexcited before buzzing him. If he was already too far gone then it would just make him even more excited.

Silly puppy is not going to learn that going near Avalanche when there's food involved is not a good idea.  Fed puppy in his crate (door open) and fed Sky.  Zeus comes out to see what he can scarf up on as I'm putting Avalanche's food in his bowl ... Avalanche tore him a new one and Zeus hobbles off crying like he'd been hurt (nothing except his pride!)  'Course since I was putting A's food in his bowl, I was right over them as the little one got his comeuppance again

96° with 30% humidity ... I took a nap and woke up soaked!!!!

amymeme wrote:

Al - do you have a crate for the Jackass? Before you do anything with the dogs, crate the A-hole. Then, methodically take care of the rest, when all is ready, Jackass can be let free!  Or - back to house leash and tether to something sturdy.

There are times when it seems as if he's crated way beyond anything I'd like ... but then I'm not sure the other two would agree with me.  I've tried closing the crate when I feed them all but as soon as I start to feed them he raises an ungodly racket.  (It's getting to the point that I'm not sure I have anything sturdy enough.)

He's beginning (( beginning??? )) to piss me off. I try to leave water on the porch for the dogs who are outside. So far it's 2 'tank type' water bowls and 4 jugs for same. That alone is starting to get expensive - empty 5 gal jug cost $15.00. He just pushed them off the porch and the 3 foot drop is enough to trash anything with any weight (like a 5 gal just 1/2 full of water).

If it makes you feel any better about crating i sectioned off squirts room with chicken netting so she has a 6x14 foot space that has her crate and a window seat that she likes. The peeing stopped but she has a much smaller area and no more queen sized bed. Shes only out for about 5 hours a day.

We went through water issues when we were truely off grid. And shadow when it was hot would dump the water and lay in it. And then the truck flipped so it was ride the horse 4 miles with a gorilla wagon to the closest person with a well. When you have to either walk or ride a horse 8 miles for water well things got rashioned.

So shadow ended up on a 30 ft cable attached to the horse trailer. If you feel bad about the crate that or a dog run is always an option.

Wonder if you could drive a couple of the big U shaped staples into the porch floor and bungie strap the water containers down so he can't knock them around. Or sit them down in a wooden box that is nailed to the flood.

TwisterII wrote:

Wonder if you could drive a couple of the big U shaped staples into the porch floor and bungie strap the water containers down so he can't knock them around. Or sit them down in a wooden box that is nailed to the flood.

Archer was a terror with water bowls as a teenager - he would dig art them, splash them paw at them until water was everywhere, frequently dumped out completely. I got a pail with a handle and bungied the handle to a tree! Little obvious pisser that he was

Well, since the Desert Pack is back to being just my pack I figured I'd share the email I got today.

I submitted Avalanche's sample for DNA and the short and simple was sorta like this mess.  Which actually breaks down into:
   Herding
       46%        Australian Cattle Dog
       5%         German Shepherd Dog
       1%        Chinook
   Asian and Oceanian
       38%        Siberian Husky
       5%        Alaskan Malamute
       2%        Chow Chow
       2%        Samoyed
   Guard
       1%        American Pit Bull Terrier

Since Huskies and ACD's are both common around here I can see both of these breeds and quite literally, in his behaviour, I can see the breed breakdown.

This is an old picture of him (2013) but he still looks about the same.  A little whiter around the muzzle and the roach back is more prominent but pretty much the same dog.

Wow! I would have thought more husky. With a bit of GSD. But seeing the results, perhaps i can see a bit of ACD and Pit in the shape of his head. But I probably would not unless I knew the mix was in there.

Still - he is one handsome brute.

Brute?  Brute??  Oh, Okay, I forget that brute is used in the sense of brute (animal) as opposed to a human.  I sometimes wonder if we speak the same language ... or maybe just a good dialectal variation.
Brute in my vocabulary, translate to someone human or animal who is violent.

And don't let him hear you accuse him of being a brute - in either sense - he might just object! though I've never seen him anything other than gentle. (Grab his tail and he'll grab your hand but there's never more than enough pressure from his teeth to tell you to "Let go!")

I've been wondering what's in his makeup.  The Husky (of some kind) was pretty obvious but the second breed wasn't at all to me.  I posited GSD and <something> but really wouldn't have put ACD high in the mix.

Of course all the dogs I've ever had have been intelligent but he's one of those few dogs who, I swear, understands most of what I say - whether to him or not.  

In that picture he's obviously looking a something 'over my shoulder' and it was taken out front of the trailer but I have no idea what he's looking at.

I was thinking more in terms of and animal with strength and power. Referencing his musculuture and alert posture!

What you don't see in the picture is that he's one of the happiest dogs I've ever seen. He loves people and, generally, other dogs - big or little. I've wondered from time to time if he's going to wear out the hinge on his tail cause if there's a person around (or maybe not) his tail's going .... and he's got one of the best grins I've seen, though not in that picture.

Last time at the vet Zach was giving a shot in his hindquarter and grabbed A's tail so he wouldn't knock the hand holding the needle around ... at which point A grabbed Zachs hand (not the one holding the needle, thankfully!) Zach was laughing when he brought A back out and explained why with "I don't think I've ever seen a happier dog!"

Sounds much like Ami! A daycare once dubbed him "the gentle giant" 🥰

My kids are confused (and I agree) it was a beautiful 80 yesterday. We got to a chilly 60 today and it's now dropped to 45 ... we're supposed to have 3-5 days of this 'stuff' before it warms back up to a normal 80ish! Can't happen soon enough!

They went out earlier today and were playing in the front yard <yard, well> they went out this evening - just about sundown - and decided they wanted back in ... quickly!

Friday it was 76⁰, today it was only 43⁰. With tomorrow night, for the first time this year, below freezing at 30⁰. Sigh. Winter is definitely coming, we're using one wood stove, probably both end of next week.

Ami is getting doxycycline for another bout of Lyme. And wow! What a difference - he's bouncing off the walls and woo woo wooing is head off. Big time energy. We have so many ticks here that even a product that's 98-99% effective still lets one or two of the critters through. And in our region 60-70% of them carry borrelia burgdorferi, the nasty offending organism. This will be his third visit that I know about - his usual tell is more energy and an intermittent limp, usually one of his front paws. What concerns me is my nephew's Golden retriever, shortly after surviving chemo for nasal cancer, does from Lyme nephitis. But, apparently Goldens are especially susceptible.

Sigh. Old dogs...

Friday tshirt weather upper 50s and sunny saterday sweat shirt upper 50s and rain, today why are my snow tires not on the exploders because it snowed.

I need to figure out my wood stove now that its installed. Like how to load it mostly.

@amymeme at least its not bubonic plague or hantavirus. We have both here.

@aljones got any tips on staying positive post op? Having enough depression issues about my truck and i think its what made my hip start hurting again.

We went to 29 degrees last night. High of 40 today I think. It rained all day yesterday. We didn't have a frost this year, just went straight for the hard freeze. 26 degrees tonight and 18 degrees tomorrow night. Think High of 36 Wednesday. Then we go back to the low 60s.

My husband still wants a golden. All I hear is cancer galor out of them at pretty young ages. Can't even begin to wrap my head around how to find a good quality one that isn't as likely to have cancer between 8 and 10. Not sure good quality is the route to even go with a golden. Might be better off with one that is a little lower quality and might have some higher rates of genetic diversity.

@amymeme ... yeah, old dogs (we won't talk about old folks, okay?)  I know that the time I have with these two is limited but we go on as well as we can.
We've been lucky in that there is only one tick that lives in our part of the desert and it seems to like the flesh around a dogs eyes and, to my knowledge, doesn't carry anything dangerous. I've seen them but not on any of my dogs. Generally speaking there aren't any insects that are a problem down here ... barring the occasional 'grease ant' invasion (very small black ant) even the big red and black Texas ants would rather wander around than bite.

@twisterII whoever in Canada sent this norther down to us can, please, take it back!!  We're supposed to get cold ( into the low 40's which means I'll be in the 30's ) but nothing like your 29°  I do wish that were 29C not 29F!  After tomorrow we're supposed to be on a gradual climb getting back into the 70's on Thursday (( PLEASE!! ))

@lostmaniac yep, same type weather.  A high of 70 for Thur - Sat and then the bottom fell out of the thermometer (not so bad as others but cold for me!)
The only way that I've been able to keep my mood up is to realize that overall it's healing.  I expect to heal quickly but age (or the injury itself) have hindered that ... which is aggravating! I walked / worked a lot yesterday so it hurts like bloody hell today and tomorrow it'll just be sore and the day after tomorrow I'll be feeling like I can get out and do what I need to do and then it hurts ... but it's better!!

Im in the same boat i feel ok then i seem to overdo it then i hurt..repeat. got my snow tires put on the explorer today. Turns out all that is wrong with it mechanically is an oil leak and busted linkage in the front. Not too bad for a 31 yr old exploder. Way to scared ill get partway through and stuck if i try to do it myself besides lacking a floor jack.

Every time it hurts i try to remind myself tbat its a 1 yr healing time snd im 2.5 months post op. Seems like forever and a day ago considering the state of everything.

First frost of the year last night - and, like Jenn, straight to hard frost with 28⁰. I'm still struggling to get my garlic in - garden has been strangled with goldenrod, blackberries and an occasional multiflora rose. I started attacking it with the trimmer plus brush cutter attachment i bought for the Poulan tree pruner. But was highly annoying, despite having an easy pull start, i could NOT get it started and had to ask hubby to start out for me. Worked well for about 20 minutes then died. Hubby got it started again but would only trim off choke keep full on. Bought fresh gas. Now won't start at all. Not an expensive piece of equipment so the conundrum is take it into shop for estimate, try to fix myself out just but a new power head?!!? In the mean time, I'm using my "baby chainsaw" - a Stihl rechargable pruner. Not ideal but sorts get the job done. Just requires lots of bending. And the body is not happy. The knee allows me maybe an hour or two before requiring icing but at least the icing helps. The back, not so much, the back demands a rest. But ido not want to waste the beautiful seed garlic i purchased this year from a new supplier. I have my missions, though - the soul never dropped out this year and it's been raining at least half the time. Not sure what will happen with heavy wet soil

Lostmaniac wrote:

Im in the same boat i feel ok then i seem to overdo it then i hurt..repeat. got my snow tires put on the explorer today. Turns out all that is wrong with it mechanically is an oil leak and busted linkage in the front. Not too bad for a 31 yr old exploder.  Way to scared ill get partway through and stuck if i try to do it myself besides lacking a floor jack.

Every time it hurts i try to remind myself that its a 1 yr healing time snd im 2.5 months post op. Seems like forever and a day ago considering the state of everything.

Getting over Tuesday where I went to Alpine (the 80 mile trip) to see the ophthalmologist where I was told that I'm far sighted after being severely nearsighted since I was 8 or so. Yeh, I know, they gave me 20/20 with cataract surgery 10 years (or so) ago and then I got old. Then went to see Zach to make sure he knew I'd given Zeus to Nancy (damnit!) then to the grocery store where I pushed a cart around for a half hour of so ... do I need to say that I was SORE yesterday?
My check engine came on and when I looked to see what it was, it was telling me that I have an o2 sensor that needs replacing and on the Jeep there are two under it just fore and aft of the muffler. I flat refuse to do anything on the vehicle if I don't have a solid base to work on 'cause dirt and dust from the desert are worse than the original problem ... ramble ...

You have my sympathy 'cause it hurts and there ain't much you can do 'cept take some painkillers and hope they work. Sorry ....

Is it normal for a gas pedel to have play. What i mean is i can lift it the direction of the seat about a full inch. Between temp and dirt i really dont want to mess with the throttle body cable. I really am having a very hard time figuring out if the explorer with the 85 mph max on the dash anyway is just way under powered or is it normal for it to have a hard time staying 65 going uphill? Had it going about 75 on the floor of the valley today with no problem but it seems like it struggles with a climb at speed. I am very used to very overpowered trucks so im not sure what it should drive like exactly.

In re the gas pedal, yep, it's common for them to have quite a bit of play ... your inch isn't the worst I've seen.

What year explorer, what size engine, how many gears and what's the gear ratio? I've never had and Explorer but a one time neighbor had one, it didn't have a lot of speed but it could pull anything out of its way ...

1992 xlt like the one that got chomped by a trex in the 1993 jurassic park. Little 4l v6 engine. Small oil leak might need some engine work but could just be that it runs 2500 rpms at 65mph. I wouldnt even tow pallets across the yard with it until i have something else if it breaks. Needs front radius arm bushings and better brakes next. Sadly auto tranny that im guessing is a 4 gear. Dunno the gear ratio or the milage because after 99,999 it rolls back to 0. Its just SO redneck and close to the ground.

Runs decent for 31. Needs a shit ton of work to handle the va appointments though. I dont think the little exploder can handle 30k miles a year without. Really torn about what to do about my truck. We have a va back pay and an increase happening sometime this month but 17k to drop a new engine in and if im lucky, I'll have my truck back in march. Or i can sell it on the side of the road with the running but blown engine and buy basically what i had.... not to mention i am dealing with some delusional bankers known as the va appointed fiduciary who seem confused about who the money in the account belongs to and doesnt seem to grasp the idea of needing both the 4x4 and the ground clearance for my road and something that can tow a camper for all these way far away va appointments and staying in hotels with 3 dogs. I had great credit before my identity was stolen but now its a problem even though they removed the items it tanked my score and 20ish doesnt go very far on a truck.

that explorer isn't geared to go over over 55mph most of the time. They are mad tough to go anywhere in any weather with the right tires but they aren't designed for highway driving at the speeds we think we need to go today. You will blow the motor if you do much interstate driving. It will tow a small camper just fine but they aren't tow rated for large campers. Limited to 5200 lbs max. If the one in the picture is the one you have the body looks to be in really good shape and it would be worth throwing some money at if it would suite your needs but if it won't really suite your needs best to move it along before you destroy it and it isn't worth anything. These are starting to become sought after year models because they are so tough. People will put mild lifts on them then they make really nice snow rigs. Unfortunately, too many people spent too much time ramrodding them down pitted gravel roads at 80mph and tore so many of them up. They aren't for the impatient speed demon driver.

Yeah ugly but good shape the opposite of my driveway right now (as seen in the background) and down the road no pun intended i have 2 ideas. Turn it into a nice 4x4 show truck. Or do the crazy mod and paint and rip the interior up and turn it into explorer 4. Its ironic that it was the only vehicle in the slv not seriously broken in the price range i was looking at. Sticker on door says 3500lb tow capacity but its not quite running right so tow limit is 0. Potentially its either the throttle cable or the the tranny bands that need to be adjusted. Rpms are too high. It goes 65 70 just fine flat or down hill handled poncha pass at 55 just fine. It wanted to go 35ish up the grade of wolf creek pass. And the 0 to 60 is like a tractor. Its almost like it wont hit the overdrive gear unless i force it in. Just put new tires decent all terrain winter tires on. Hopefully the right ones.

And it doesn't suit my needs without major work and well my 4x4 mechanic said he could buy a used engine and drop it in my 250 for 6k. Truck is the focus because the explorer is never gonna haul firewood the way i need to pick it up. It also doesnt have the ground clearance and if we get a foot of snow even with 4x4 ill bog it before i get to the mailbox. Same with the water crossing when the road floods. Probably once the truck is fixed i might use it to go to work once a week and the va appointments in aurora because its so much easier to park then my 4 door 8 foor bed truck that is about 3 feet longer because of the bumper. The va parking garage is only 2 inches higher and lacks the turning room i need.

But if you have something you want to trade me for it im by all means not attached to the explorer. I just cant be without a vehicle where i live.