The fellow who gave me Zeus sent me this:


Now's a fine time tell me!!

So how's it going with Zeus, Al? Curious about the breed. I've always maintained I wouldn't get another dog at our age but various media reports, the rise of antisemitism and just yesterday, a horrific article in AARP magazine about a serial murderer in the Dallas area ago preyed upon elderly women has me thinking "how do we protect ourselves as we get older?" This was a guy who stalked widowed in upscale assisted living facilities touted as secure. Entered their apartments under the guise of maintenance, smothered them with their pillows and stole their jewelry. One women was found with her small dog still leashed to her. Authorities weren't alarmed even though multiple families reported thefts of wedding rings and significant jewelry - a few even had safes stolen. All deaths, initially, were attributed to old age! When discussing this with hubby, his response is have a couple of big dogs greeting at the door. We looked at each other and concluded "huskies ain't gonna cut it

Though I love my huskies and always said I'd never get another breed, or that I wouldn't get another dog at our age, this changes the calculus. On looking over what breeds instinctively protect their owners, GSD came up. As well as a bunch that I wouldn't consider either because of cold intolerance or would be easy more dog than I imagine we could manage on our 80s and beyond. One that does speak to me is a trained Belgian Malinois - on first glance they seem to have less health problems than GSD. But again - as high drive dogs, I wonder about the suitability for an aging couple.

Is it possible to find GSD that haven't been bred with the exhausted hind end slope? With good hips/elbows? Is a Malinois a really dumb idea for old people?

Well, at 4 months old (minus a day or two) he's definitely still a puppy.   With rare exceptions he'll let me know he needs out - the "how" of that's still a work in progress, though.

Commands that he'll respond to most of the time are "come" solid!, "set", "crate", "back up" (don't crowd the door), "mine" (don't even think about picking that up!), "drop it" (okay you picked it up, so now get rid of it!), "in back" (in the jeep) maybe a few others that I use without thinking about it.  The little guy *is* smart! Need to get some work in on heel but with him off lead most of the time that's easier said than done.

@Amymeme, I'm with you.  When I put Sasha down I wasn't going to get another dog, at 76 (next week) I didn't want the hassle of a puppy or someone else's half trained hassle.  Well, the puppy is doing pretty well.  He's still crated overnight - but that's going to have to end shortly.  He stretches out to sleep and he now goes from one end to the other of a 36" crate ... when he grows up, he's gonna be one big dog!

Like your comment, if I were going to get another dog (at the time) it wouldn't have been another Husky.  Misty, my first was a charmer; Sasha - well, you've read about her; Sky a fun irritation as she gets older but well, I don't know, personality wise *I* fit better with a trained Lab or a Shepherd.
I wanted something that would protect if needed.  I did VietNam and have seen what guns can do - even when it's not intended, especially when it's not intended.  Oh, I have one but it's a small caliber more intended to scare off 'critters' than for serious protection.  Thankfully with the group of older retired seniors out here we haven't had any break-ins that have resulted in damage (on occasion a migrant will break in for food / water but seldom do any damage and never when anyone's at home.  They're desperate, not stupid!)

As you all now, when Chuck offered me Zeus I wasn't too enthused (putting it mildly) I didn't want three again and I really didn't want a puppy!  So, I have three and I have a puppy and I'm still alive, I think, not too sure about my sanity.

He's off leash most of the time because he stays at home and avoids the road. He does wander around the trailer (patrolling?) but so far has stayed within, let's say, 100 ft unless I'm with him.  I've had him on lead to walk with and to take out and surprisingly he doesn't pull (or at least not too badly)  He will take out after Avalanche but he's not the least interested in the rabbits that go hopping past (now, honestly, that surprised me)  

In all honesty I'm impressed by the monster!

His parentage is Eastern European and there's quite a few of them around.  They're tightly bred to the old lines and IMHO are a much better looking dog for that.  They also don't have the major problems that the inbred US lines do though like most big dogs do have some hip problems.  You night find American vs European interesting though I'm not overly impressed with the pictures.  While you aren't going to find one "for cheap" you might find a kennel who'll give / sell you one 'for a retired couple.'

He is active and I thank the gods that he takes most of it out on Avalanche.  I'm not in to doing a 5 mile hike (need to just don't have the wind for it anymore) but we do get in a round or two of fetch every day (now if I can just convince he that it's not supposed to be keep-away.  He'll drop the ball about 4 feet away from me and then when I reach for it, he grabs and is off again!)

Last part of your list, Malinois - the only experience I've had with them is as guard dogs so I haven't seen them en familia.  If push comes to shove, I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of the ire of either of them!  The malinois remind me a lot of the European Shepherd but more punch in a smaller package.  Take a look at this link for a trainers perspective.

Since I think you're on line I won't amend my previous.

One thing he does know is "NO!" and while that's not really a command, he gets the idea - normally with a time or two - about what I'm saying "no" about ... gross English!

While it might sound odd.  I've had two black labs who were both very protective.  Examples:
I was living in a apartment in Houston and we had a stand of trees in back that the kids used for beer parties over the weekend.  This fellow was out with a bag picking up empties when I took Lady out to walk.  She saw him, was curious and started walking toward him, he took exception and started swinging his bag like he was going to hit her.  She immediately got directly between me and him, barked a couple of times and then stood the growling - daring him to come closer!

The other was Kalah who lived with me for better than 10 years before I came out here.  At the time I was driving for a garbage company and had an RV at the yard.  It wasn't uncommon for someone to drive in with questions (or complaints) and Kalah was always right there with me.  If someone came to the door, she knew whether it was one of the other drivers or a stranger without me ever having to open the door.  She was always ready to play with one of the drivers but seldom was friendly with a stranger.

That said ... okay, a shepherd present a more 'offensive approach' (they scare people just by being there) than a lab who's typically the epitome of 'friendly' (hah!) but the labs I've had are excellent offensive / defensive animals.  Add to that the fact that they're all too willing to be foot mats when it's cold and real willing to laze around if that's what's on the agenda they aren't a breed to ignore if you're looking for an easy going guard dog.

"No" is a great thing for a pup to learn! Probably one of the best. You mentioned the European strain of GSD - that reminded me of one of Josh's friends - he bought a very expensive, stellar pedigreed, pair of German bred GSDs with plans of breeding and training for, ummm - is it shutzhund? Gorgeous dogs. Unfortunately, the male got out, went walk about and hit by a car.

I love a lab's happy go lucky demeanor. I don't like a dog that barks all the time. We believe Archer has some lab in him though I wouldn't rule out a bit of Rottie either. When Archer is here, I often have to call him in because he's barking at the neighbors fence line. Drives me insane. So, a lab, though it may be erroneous thought doesn't appeal because of the battling thing.

That's one of the things that I really like about Siberians. They'll "talk" TO you but won't stand outside and just bark. For years and years, I couldn't even get Ami to vocalize anything when he wanted to come inside - had to buy a doggie doorbell and teach him how to use it. Z'ev, however, taught him of you give one unworldly screech at the back door, it will magically open. So now, very occasionally, Ami will give one big "WOOF" to come through a blocked door. But usually when he's banished to his blanket in the back all when he's covered in mud, snow or drenched in rain (his wooly coat does NOT towel dry.)

I suppose Archer's bark is an alert - I wonder what dogs are breed to alert?

Amy what, we won't be adding any dogs any time soon. Z'ev, even though he's a bit handicapped, is still full of life and Ami showers very little sign of slowing down yet. And, after having Archer this weekend, two dogs is plenty!

Kasper is a barker. I wouldn't be surprised if there's was something else in him other than siberian. He barks when he's excited, he barks when he's not getting his way, and he barks if someone scares him. My husband is beyond over it, and so am I much of the time because telling him no basically escalates the barking even more. He's so wiggly i can't get his neck shaved down enough for a bark collar to make quality contact yet.

Best guard dog I ever had was a non-descript black pit/lab/st bernard/lab mix. He was a straight black dog with a broad head and people didn't give him a test. He was frankly the best dog I've had period. he learned well, was quiet, low maintenance, super loyal.

@amymeme I find your comment a bit odd.  None of my dogs will bark at 'nothing' in fact when they do bark I'm looking to see why.
Avalanche is an excellent alert dog - but when he barks it's seldom more than once or twice unless it's a coyote who's getting uncomfortably close to the house.  Sky doesn't bark - in fact she's probably one of the quietest dogs I've ever had and that's going some.  Zeus is learning, he barks when he's not happy (in the crate when I go to town but he quiets down quickly) and he'll bark when Avalanche does but again, when Avalaceh stops, he stops.
Little yappers irritate me no end since they seem to bark at anything - a leaf blowing across the yard; bigger dogs don't need to bark.
I've been told and I suspect they're right that since I'm quiet (I don't just talk to the pups 'because') and seldom have noise (music) playing my dogs don't feel the need to be noisemakers.  I suspect that in a house where folks are often talking or have background noise my dogs would feel the need to be noisier.

A memory does come back - my first Siberian was a black and white female, Sasha, on the smaller side, I could pay my chest and she'd jump up into my arms. Since I'm on the smaller side, is guess she was in the 35-40# range. She had a black mask and a way of lowering her head and looking at people that always made them step away, usually saying something like "whoa" is she a wolf? Is she gonna bite me? I also remember the one time Ami stepped up and gave a very convincing, single bark "woof" on a tone I had never heard before or since. We were traveling, at a motel, it was late and I was walking him for one last pee. A man stepped out of the shadows, it was vaguely unsettling and Ami's whole body went taut and that one chilling "woof." Made me head straight for the office as that was the closest place with light and people!

Archer, I suspect, would give his life protecting his family, were all fairly certain of that. At the same time, I have to be somewhat careful with him when non-family come on the property. I sometimes get the feeling that one wrong move and someone is gonna meet some teeth. Hasn't happened and he always retreats when I call him back but there's just "that feeling." With my two, oy, it's yay, company

Al - there's lots of things to bark at here - the neighbor's have dogs, cows, chickens, cats and lots of people activity. Then there's deer across the road, I hear coyotes nearby but never see them, tons of other animal activity. Ami likes to lie in the driveway and watch. Archer likes to tell me about it

I'm gonna kill 'im!! I swear I'm gonna kill him!!!

He's gotten big enough that he's started counter surfing ... I don't think he can see much, even standing up but he's obviously big enough to see enough to knock things off the counter!

Sky is not doing well, she's doing rice and I need to go get something to put with it. She's not eating much and what she does eat comes out shortly thereafter as brown gloop. Gonna call the vet tomorrow and see if I can get her in for a checkup quickly.

Ugh - the problem with dogs is they come with NOSES!!! They don't need to see, THE NOSE tells all. Np hiding nothin'from the THE NOSE

Sorry to hear about Sky. Hopefully it's a brief indisposition.

Hope sasha does ok.  Way funny about the pic and shadow didnt have a terror phase. He just stalked and bit people and that lasted until he went blind.  We have a monastery guard dog style set up. Squirt and splinter run the alarm system and shadow is the teeth behind it.  And i really do think if the boys go after someone (and they have before) that spider would join in.  Spider is not a barker but lately she has been barking almost every day and when i really payed attention my neighbor across the ditch got a pure sibe puppy. Not sure why barking at the puppy.

@amymeme there is a rescue in houston that specializes in retired military dogs. Mostly mals and gsds. I get it, thats why i got shadow when i lived in abq. Wasnt safe to be without a dog or a man off the base.

Years ago my mom had her house robbed while she was at shul and came home to the guy hiding in a bathroom from the dogs covered in blood. She called the cops. He was bit over 20 times.  She had 2 dogs at the time a very very well bred accident when a fbi gsd in training climbed a fence and got with a lab that they bred for sar and and a pure bred English springer Spaniel. Turns out the spaniel did more damage then the lab/gsd.

Speaking of counter surfing i never did break spider of that habit.

amymeme wrote:

Ugh - the problem with dogs is they come with NOSES!!! They don't need to see, THE NOSE tells all. No hiding nothin' from the THE NOSE

This is a first in a long time.  I've been able to leave things like steak out on the counter and the dogs have always known that it's mine.  Even when I drop things on the floor they've almost always looked at me to make sure it's okay if they get it.  He's got a few things he gets into that are going to have to stop.  I collect coffee grounds and orange peels, etc to put in the garden - trying to loosen this bentonite up at least the top 12 inches or so - I may not be the most attentive to the quantity I've gathered but I sure don't need them all over the kitchen floor!

amymeme wrote:

Sorry to hear about Sky. Hopefully it's a brief indisposition.

Actually it's been both Sky and Zeus ... not sure what they got into but I didn't need it.  Mopping the floor does need but I have others reasons to mop it (mostly that it always needs it, living by myself I'm not the worlds best housekeeper!)
She's seeming to feel better, at least no squirts today and when I went up to the mailboxes she let me know she was in for a ride (probably for a chance to get away from the monster!)

@Lostmaniac did you mean Sky, Sasha hasn't felt anything for a long time.  

Mine got a round of Sentry WormX the other day. The old folks weren't having issues but Kasper was having runny poop issues when he was in rescue and I couldn't find anywhere in the paperwork where they had done a fecal at any point so I'm putting him through a round of WormX since it has prazi and if that doesn't clear things up then he will need a fecal to make sure he doesn't have giardia or something. I don't think he does. I was getting nice poops in the morning and then the runs in the evening so I think it's more stress linked. Hopefully she will stay squirt-less and bounce back soon.

Yeah sorry

Lostmaniac wrote:

Yeah sorry

Oh, that's okay. I can go out and look at her grave now without wanting to cry - though that took a while.

TwisterII wrote:

Mine got a round of Sentry WormX

Question time:  First off which version of Sentry WormX, there seem to be about 6 different varieties?
Second:  When I was a kid and we wormed puppies / dogs it seems as if they shit everywhere and it was always the consistency of a cow pattie.  Is it the same now?
Third: Any other recommendations for worming??

The last time I wormed a dog several years ago I used the old farm strategy of taking about half a cigarette and putting it in their food. (( Nicotine is a natural poison )) What that dog put out isn't even worth considering unless you're in for ........

I'm ignorant here, not having had puppies for a long time I haven't dewormed adults. (What does one have to do with the other?)  I'm seeing that the worming folks are recommending worming adults on a six month cyclic basis ... say what??  I'm not overly concerned here since we have few, if any, of the vector insects but Zeus is like a baby, everything he finds goes into his mouth, sometimes for a taste, sometimes for a good chew.

While I'm responding to @TwisterII, anyone can feel free to chirp in.

Um so we dont really get worms BUT when i do worm mine i go to the vet and get 2 drontal tabs. Its super cheap. Not much survives our winter. Our worry is more mange/lepto/ giardia. On the farm we wormed everything (dogs/cats/horses) at the same time with ivermectin. But the last few years when we suspect worms weve had a fecal done to make sure we treat everything. But my dogs are old now.

The biggest issue with wormers is that if the dog has different worms than what the wormer covers....

I get Sentry WormX Plus 7-way

Different types of worms cause different responses but in general whether puppy or adult there will be some loosening of the stool as a symptom of most worms. With tape worms though there can be a lack of energy or a struggle to put on or maintain weight. High load of some worms can cause bloating and gas. I don't worm on a schedule. My dogs don't get into much foreign stuff to need it. Now if you have a dog that runs loose and cleans on carcasses then a cyclical worming could be of value. different wormers also work on different worms. Best to know what worms are likely in your area and cater to them.

It's been a while since I've made any notes here and I really do need to get a picture or two of him in action!

"52 weeks of Zeus" might happen and then again it might not, I might just kill the little fart before he makes the year.  He is managing to push just about every button I have with a dog.

After he and the others had been out for their morning constitutional, I was in the kitchen making some coffee and he comes in - with no notice at all and - pisses, right next to me!!  That got him put back outside pronto.

I've got a bag of rice that need to go out tomorrow to feed the birds, it got wormy setting on my shelf since I use Basmati rice rather the long grain that the commodities gives out.  Heard something go "thump" and looked to see what it was, of course it was the bag of rice that I'd left setting on the counter to remind me (CRS is a real bear!!)  I haven't had a dog in a long time that counter surfs and I don't appreciate it!
I also have a mouse (or two or three) and after having peanut butter and cheese stripped from the traps I finally decided to put out a couple of glue traps. They're far enough back from the edge that he'll have to stand up to get to them but if he does ... well, he's on his own!

He's come close to tripping me up a few times.  Like a cat getting between your legs ... he'll come up behind me and try to go between my legs to get out in front - that has gotten him kicked, literally!, a couple of times.  I'm too old to take a tumble on the steps or in the house, haven't had more than a couple of broken bones in my life and don't want any more.

He's insisting that he's going to get in front when I take the other two out to put them on lead ... (see above note) and then stands there nipping at them.  I can't put a leash on them if they're trying to get out of his way ... that's gotten him popped more than once.

He doesn't understand "ENOUGH!" when it comes to play.  I'll let them play in the house, run between the living room and the kitchen but there reaches a point in the confusion that he's been told by the older (not bigger!) dogs that it's time to quit.  That's when I chime in with "Enough!" and normally shortly thereafter he ends up in jail.

It's been nice out for the past couple of days, in the 70's and 80's so we've been playing fetch outside.  Normally that works but today he decided that "drop it" meant drop it and then get it and run before I could get the ball, I'm not into chase!!  So he ended up playing fetch by himself ... and I have no idea where the ball is.  Oops, really slows down fetch for tomorrow.

The final that's about to do me in.  They've had there evening treat and I'll be letting them out one at a time (well one of the older dogs and Zeus) and they let me know when they want in. (More on that later)  If I don't crate him overnight either he or Avalanche will leave me a mess in the kitchen (and Avalanche will die before he shits in the house.)  He's rapidly getting too big for the 36" crate and I'm not sure I want to buy a bigger one since at the rate he's growing he'll outgrow the XL crate.

When they're out and want in, Avalanche will come to the door, paw at it and I'll let him in; Sky just comes to the door and stares at me, it may take a few minutes but I'll eventually see her.  Zeus hunkers down and bounces off the glass. He's bouncing up to well over 5' now ... I'm more than a little afraid that he's going to go through it and I don't need to take a 60+ mile run to get him stitched up. I can't seem to convince him that pawing the door gets a lot faster service than being a jerk!

I know, he's still just a ( BIG! ) puppy and I have to tolerate it for a while longer but if he doesn't start paying attention to me ... well as you've noticed he's gotten kicked and popped a few times - not my idea of good training technique but push my patience long enough and I'm gonna get frustrated!

Time to get them out and all of us to bed!

For the bouncing at the door? Try a Pebble Smart doggie door bell. Works for keeping Ami from jumping up and scratching the door. Z'ev just screeches a god awful sound so not really needed for him.

Ami, like Zeus, also appears to be trying to kill me. About 2 weeks ago he wanted a belly rub, was lying quietly while so have him a good rub. Thought he was quiet enough, I learned over to kiss him on the head before getting up - he bolted and smashed the top of his very hard skull into the lower side of my left nostril and left upper lip.. briefly saw stars but no blood so didn't think anything of it. A few days later I start having intermittent tingling in my left face, my left lateral incisor feels numb, left side of nose is tingly and intermittent burning in my gums, roof of mouth and tongue. At first thought it was a tooth or him problem but Wayne couldn't identify anything. Then I remember the bash to my face - appears I might have a bruised trigeminal nerve, similar to what I did to the ulnar nerve in my hand last winter. And then about 5 days ago, I was napping on the couch and it was doggie dinner time - so the big boy swipes his paw at my lower shin bone and leaves a good sized skin tear. I clean it up and Wayne patches me up with steri strips. Despite daily wound hygiene, last night began to sting, took off bandage and there's cloudy bloody cloudy discharge and it smells like rotten meat (doctors are weird, if something doesn't look right, they smell it ) Also first sized halo of heat and redness. So, clean it up, bacitracin, tenant's and now twice daily wound care. Fortunately at last check, looking better without further antibiotics. Last thing I need is sepsis -a real concern at my age and asthma meds. I feel bad for Ami at times - I know he wants to rough and tumble, he's such a bouncy boy, but I can't risk the injuries any more. Fortunately - he had developed a taste for a good, peaceful rubbing. I just have to be alert to when he's gonna revert to bouncy boy again.

Your comment about a doggie door bell made me laugh.  I can just picture Avalanche coming up onto the porch, ringing the bell, going back down into the yard --- repeat ad infinitum.  It might be a good idea but the little one is learning that bouncing just gets him a longer wait and yelled at.

Hope you're healing well and quickly. Having infections pop up from dog scratches tends to scare me, never know just what's in there. Avalanche is my head butter, not intentionally but he'll jerk his head while I'm putting leash on (or off); Zeus is the one with the razor sharp claws but he's learning to tone down his rambunctiousness ... at least my arms don't look like they went through a meat grinder any more.

I have to admit that that last post was more a case of venting.  While he can (and does) irritate the hell out of me, he really is getting better at some things.  Calling him doesn't immediately cause a "I'm gonna play" reaction - and he plays rougher than the Huskies do!  I can call him just to pet him without him needing to nibble my hand.

Right now all three are crashed.  It's the middle of the day and normally they want outside ... but we do have a front moving in with the potential for high winds.  They may be sensing the advance ... who knows!

I have a lady from north of you @amymeme (up in St Lawrence county) who's looked at my gggrandfather and has developed a hypothesis for who his parents might be.  I really need to follow up on that, examine the hypothesis and see if I agree or not.  If she's right that leads me Scotland and trying to find one particular Jones in the British Isles ... that should be fun!!

I need to get out for a while and see if I can get some outside work done before the weather hits. Short trip, the temp is not bad but there's just enough of a breeze that it's chilly on my bare skin (never wear a shirt outside if I can avoid it.)

so kenzi scratches at the back door when she wants in. On more than one occasion she has walked up to the door, hit it once, and by the time I get there she has left. It's so frustrating to the point I now don't get up unless she has hit a couple times.

I still cannot get the two of these monsters in the same picture so here's a shot of Zeus.  He'll bring everything he can find onto the porch!! and I just kick it all back off again ....


My god, if he ever grows into those ears!!!  It's odd, I normally look at two things to determine how big a dog is going to get. First the paws, if they're bog then we're looking at a BIG dog and then the ears. In this picture his paws don't look to be as big as they are but his ears, oh my god!!!

Yah, this is really the same little mostly black monster that Chuck was holding onto 5 months ago!!!!

He has some really nice color coming in. But god doesnt it take forever for them to grow into their ears and muzzle.