Hetzer

I'd like to see an episode where they whipper-snip the snide smirk off the Burke's face along with that filthy bird's nest that resides there.

Seriously, I haven't heard anything this funny since or Monty Python. You can't fake spontaneity like this with a script. It's GOLD!!

What's Latin for "One of Television's most enduring irritations"?

I'm guessing you've got Russian blood in your veins... nice choices. Seeing dogs like these run is a real joy to behold! I love the sleekness and the speed.

Right on!!

Except the Australian Shepherd did not originate in Australia.

The Dog is the best training partner you can have! Great story.

That's AWESOME TO THE MAX. Love the power of nature.

Howling is fun!

I grew up with a Dobe as my constant companion. When I look back Sheba was the best friend a kid could ever have.

Hungarian Vizsla, Dobermann, German Shepherd, Czechoslovakian Wolfdog, German Short-haired Pointer, Weimaraner, Great Dane, Akita, Husky AND A WOLF!!

Go Riot Dog! Nice to see a dog that won't just "roll over" for "the man" hehehehe

I think the breeds are pretty much interchangeable really, and if I still had the option of having a dog of this size I'd be totally happy with either. In first world war photos, I see Dobes and GSD's side by side in the field, to locate the wounded. Robust, intelligent, capable, with similar size and weight. There's nothing one can do that the other can't, speaking in broad breed terms. I think it boils down to whether the Wolfish charm of the German Shepherd appeals, or the uber-neatness of the Dobermann. If you're after specific dog character traits then with sufficient research you'll find what you're after, either way. Even nowadays they can work on a "trench" - definitely on the same wavelength...

Just for fun, here is an example from the silly end of the animal communicator spectrum. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7vD3c0xzwI. How high do you think it rates on the gullibility index?

I just had a comment about the use of the term "energy" in animal communication discussions. I think most of the time, its just a slightly esoteric way of talking about how animals (including humans) pick up on the posturing and non-verbal body language queues during communication, which are a function of emotion. The emotional energy is what forms an input into the communication - and since a human would release millions of particles (via breath, perspiration etc) that a dog can pick up on, then there may be an perception from the human side that something extra special is happening - something akin to a sixth sense. I think very often a "whisperer" is just someone who is confident with animals, and doesn't release adrenalin-charged scents that animals generate a negative response to - the classic "smelling fear" scenario.

I quote from the website: I'm Sarah, your resident animal communicator (aka animal whisperer) who talks to animals and translates their messages....

That's NOT 'whispering'... I think they call themselves 'pet psychics'... and while I believe psychic communication is possible- these who tout it publicly do not have my vote of confidence OK I see where you're coming from... but have a peek at http://www.wildinsights.com.au/ and see what you think. The idea is that "whispering" is communication that goes above and beyond. "Whispering" could be a type of intuition - which is what being a psychic is as well. Perhaps its more in the labeling rather than the content.

I think the skills come from experience, and if a person grows up with dogs and spends a lot of time with them, then they may have a heightened instinct and perception of what's going on. But if you mean the type of "whispering" which claims to delve into the inner machinations of the canine mind and spirit... then that's sus. I've seen a couple of supposed animal whisperers on TV put their hands on animals and then tell the owners essentially what they wanted to hear to comfort them. And the animal can't say "Hey that's a load of baloney!" or cancel payment on the consultation. I guess there is a temptation to make Gurus out of people, and I agree that's great for drumming up business.

I think the fundamental issue is whether it is OK for an enthusiastic dog to come up and say Hi to another dog in an off-leash dog area. I reckon it is. In fact, that's why I go there. There's plenty of other places I go when I am doing other stuff with my dog. If I see dogs that look suspect, we walk around the situation. Sure, my dog has had a few anti-social moments like an intrusive sniff, an attempted herding or a unprovoked snap from a SWF, but she's wiser for the experience and its part of life's journey. Thanks to playful Labs in particular, I've seen my dog become a lot more dynamic in her active socialization. To have the adventure, you have to be out there with other dogs. And that means taking a chance that it won't be an orchestrated event where everything runs according to my own envisaged script. I have high expectations from my dog regarding recall and obedience, but to anticipate anything like that from others would set me up for constant disappointment. So I just go with the flow, and thank goodness that that there are places where dogs can stretch their legs.

Once a certain image is downloaded it remains in the browsers cache on a person's pc so duplicates are loaded from that and don't take additional bandwidth.

That assessment merits a HIGH FIVE!

You gotta learn to LOVE the body slam. Embrace the pain. Maybe one day you'll "go pro" and be a dog wrangler/wrestler. Woops... sorry that's my dream!! :p PS - your Amstaff sounds like a sassy beast. I hope he doesn't miss out on revving up and zoomies in the future. Yee-ha!!

I have seen the joys of a small white fluffy and a 30KG dog playing... off leash... in real life... with no collateral damage or bruised human egos. Believe it.... or not! Voila!

Sorry I thought my posting was clearly referring to the SWF owner that is in the topic of discussion (ie the "husband" who made the accusations about Mrs Turnsock's Lab "going for" their SWF and how it was stressing "everyone at the park").

Unfortunately, Hetzer, the dogs who live with us in our human 'civilised' world aren't "in nature". They don't have the daily freedoms they used to have, to wander and mix freely with other dogs as they used to in my childhood days, to self socialise. And what that means is that there are many dogs who aren't always 'stable' in themselves, so to allow your dog to wander freely using off-lead parks for the purpose is not something that will assure you your dog will learn appropriately or fairly or sufficiently, because those dogs themselves have not necessarily learnt appropriately or fairly or sufficiently. By comparison to the UK, for example, our dogs aren't as settled as theirs seem to be (generally speaking). In contrast, our society regards dogs in general as something that is anti-social to be around. In the UK, they have the freedom to travel and mix with humans in their day to day lives outside of their homes. Here, we've battled laws that suggest they shouldn't be in outdoor cafes for fear of a dog hair floating and making its way over to someone who might be eating. , to name just one. Here, the push seems to be to isolate the dogs more and more from 'life', yet somehow miraculously expect the dogs to be completely comfortable with 'life'. Which means that after generations of dogs not learning well enough themselves, we have many enough who are bad teachers. So, to suggest (which I think you were) that it is a better thing to let your dog run up to other dogs (whether that be because you allow them to or whether that be because you have no control to stop it) ...... I'm afraid I can't agree. Hi Erny I've had a think about what you wrote and I you're right. I guess a dog park can be a bit like a prison yard on occasion where you don't want your dog, especially a younger impressionable one, to be at the mercy of bullying dogs of unknown psychology. As Kavik mentioned to me, the element of human control and supervision is important. However in off-leash zones, it's hard to please everyone all the time. In such a zone, its a bit unrealistic to expect that your dog will not be approached by another dog. That's why, in this threads example, I find the SWF owner's comments and attitude really irritating. Given the choice, I'd much rather have a playful Lab run up to say Hi than a fear-aggressive SWF and human combo.