# Nothing in the shop, but pups ears good



## Tim9 (Dec 30, 2019)

I haven’t had a spare second in the shop lately. Had to put my 15 y/o Ridgeback down a month ago. Was really bummed but his hind legs just gave out. I had to constantly help him stand and at 110 lbs... it was no easy matter.
   Anyway... after a week I just knew I had to get another pup, and soon. Found a breeder in Palestine Tx .... drove there @3 weeks ago, and got my new Ridgback puppy. I forgot how time consuming it was training a pup. But it’s worth the trouble in my opinion. 
   So... to the project. After a couple of days I noticed one of her ears wouldn’t stand up. It was weak. Read up and watched a few YouTube videos before I stumbled upon a breeder who cracked the ear code in my opinion.
   She suggested Breath-rite strips. That and ostomy skin glue. It worked like a champ and the pup wasn’t at all concerned that there was this nose strip taped/glued inside her ear.
   As was pointed out by several breeders & vets.... it only took a few days. Took it off after about 4 days and now her ears are both strong enough to stand and move on their own.


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## Tim9 (Dec 30, 2019)

Here’s the pic of her weak left ear before I taped it.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Dec 30, 2019)

Glad to hear shes ok.....Shes a Beautiful Pup for sure.


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## Tim9 (Dec 30, 2019)

Latinrascalrg1 said:


> Glad to hear shes ok.....Shes a Beautiful Pup for sure.


Thanks. She is a cutie. Of course I’m partial.
FWIW...if anyone is curious, here’s the video of the breeder who cracked the code. Really brilliant because I must have looked at 5 videos of which they taped the ears down with tape from ear to ear and looped under the chin with tape. Tried it that way and drove my pup crazy. After five minutes I took it off and kept reading and watching more videos. Breath Rite strips were perfect. Only used it on the one weak ear and she could care less it was there.Breathe rite strip for dog ear


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## bakrch (Dec 30, 2019)

sorry for your loss ... and beautiful pup! Trying to not think about the inevitable sad moment and enjoying the good times. Hoping he will get to 15 like yours!

He is 3 now @ 104lb.


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## Tim9 (Dec 30, 2019)

bakrch said:


> sorry for your loss ... and beautiful pup! Trying to not think about the inevitable sad moment and enjoying the good times. Hoping he will get to 15 like yours!
> 
> He is 3 now @ 104lb.



Oh... 3 is a great age. He’s a big handsome guy who will give you many more years. 
    I’ve always had big dogs. They don’t last as long as the smaller breeds but I like the protection factor a big dog affords me. Between a big loyal dog and Smith & Wesson... I sleep good at night. 
   That said.... Ridgebacks are so awesome once they reach a happy understanding with their owners.  No... they don’t do silly dog tricks. They do protect and are as smart as any dog on earth in my opinion.


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## bakrch (Dec 30, 2019)

Tim9 said:


> Oh... 3 is a great age. He’s a big handsome guy who will give you many more years.
> I’ve always had big dogs. They don’t last as long as the smaller breeds but I like the protection factor a big dog affords me. Between a big loyal dog and Smith & Wesson... I sleep good at night.
> That said.... Ridgebacks are so awesome once they reach a happy understanding with their owners.  No... they don’t do silly dog tricks. They do protect and are as smart as any dog on earth in my opinion.



It is funny how protective he is at home, takes it so seriously. I see him as a goofball and a princess most of the time (likes to be clean and warm by the fire or under a blanket).  He is oddly social in large crowds and loves his attention.

You aren't kidding though, had him out in Colorado and he got after a pack of Elk ( after busting clear through a screen door) ... luckily he was smart enough to keep his distance after the male gave him a bugling. Prey drive is my only issue with him. He is a great listener and loyal companion, but when that prey drive kicks in it all goes out the window for a minute or two.


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## Dhal22 (Dec 30, 2019)

Beautiful dog.  We replaced our 14 yo Lab recently, after a yr or 2 of mourning, with a Labradoodle.  A wonderful smart dog.  New puppies are a great way to get over your previous dog.

I grew up just outside of Palestine.


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## Tim9 (Dec 30, 2019)

Yeah... I have a friend who has always had Chocolate Labs. Great dogs. Labs are really great pets. 
   My Ridgeback/ black lab was a great dog. He lasted 16 years but he truly was the most amazing pet I have ever owned. He really was special. And he didn’t shed. That was huge !
   First time I ever visited Palestine. I’m not a worldly traveler.... but I really liked that city. Can’t really put my finger on it but I liked it.


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## mmcmdl (Dec 30, 2019)

Anyone not " liking " every post on this thread should be  …………………………...

Beautiful dogs , all of them . We lost our Sheltie in my pic a few years back . We replaced her with 3 more Sheltie pups …………………...what was I thinking ?


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## rock_breaker (Dec 31, 2019)

Mmcmdl  is right about the dogs, I lost my Schipperke last fall, in my avatar she is telling me she needs to go outside. I believe they have inherent values, for example on many occasions we were face to face (close enough she could check for food scraps in my mustache) she never licked my face. 
Have a good day.
Ray


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## Silverbullet (Jan 1, 2020)

I'm a terrier dog guy. But my daughter just had to put one of her dogs down he had been getting spells and found out he had diabetes she did his shots daily and mega vet bills but he kept going down hill went blind and it was hard to see him so active and just withering away.  He was a white curly hair dog about 35 lbs. Thanksgiving was his last time here. But my truck buddy is 19 yrs old having some issues vet said he wouldn't last much longer that was a year or so ago. He's a brown terrier Tiger Hunter Wills , catch birds in flight chase squirrels and climb trees to try harder. Yet defend me with his life. YUPP dogs are family members.


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## Tim9 (Jan 2, 2020)

Yeah Silverbullet. I know exactly how you feel. It’s really tough. We actually had two pups. One was a Shih Tzu mix. Really a great pup for my mother. She was 20 y/o. She was blind. Couldn’t hear. And was peeing everywhere because she had diabetes. I moved in with my mother because she’s getting up in years.
So I was really beside myself....mopping pee all day and then taking care of my 16 y/o Ridgeback  pup who was also having trouble controlling his bowels with his bad hind legs. He was dragging one rear paw due to paralysis. Anyway I just realized that it was wrong to keep both of them alive just for our selfish needs. They were both struggling.
It’s really hard. We had to put both down within 5 weeks of each other.
    The void was just huge. I knew I needed another pup. Found a breeder in Palestine and drove there to get my Ridgeback pup. I can say.... that void is gone. This little pup is wearing me out too. But it’s worth it.
*I’ve never met a dog I didn’t like. Can’t say the same for people.  *


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## Silverbullet (Jan 2, 2020)

Tim9 said:


> Yeah Silverbullet. I know exactly how you feel. It’s really tough. We actually had two pups. One was a Shih Tzu mix. Really a great pup for my mother. She was 20 y/o. She was blind. Couldn’t hear. And was peeing everywhere because she had diabetes. I moved in with my mother because she’s getting up in years.
> So I was really beside myself....mopping pee all day and then taking care of my 16 y/o Ridgeback  pup who was also having trouble controlling his bowels with his bad hind legs. He was dragging one rear paw due to paralysis. Anyway I just realized that it was wrong to keep both of them alive just for our selfish needs. They were both struggling.
> It’s really hard. We had to put both down within 5 weeks of each other.
> The void was just huge. I knew I needed another pup. Found a breeder in Palestine and drove there to get my Ridgeback pup. I can say.... that void is gone. This little pup is wearing me out too. But it’s worth it.
> *I’ve never met a dog I didn’t like. Can’t say the same for people.  *


Dogs can tell good people from bad real quick. If they show anger ,,growl,, ya know there bad. My pup liked most but he sure warned me about the no good which I had already known from past experience.


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## Latinrascalrg1 (Jan 2, 2020)

Dogs are incredibly intuitive creatures that more often then not become more then just a Pet.....They truly are Mans Best Friend that Become Family during the great adventure we call life!


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## rock_breaker (Jan 3, 2020)

Intuition is right, it is not uncommon in this area to  see dogs riding on flatbed pickups pulling gooseneck stock trailers.
Many without leashes. As for my dog she owned the John Deere Gator utility truck I have. To keep from getting stuck in his pickup a neighbor borrowed the gator to do some work on his irrigation sprinkler. The second he started the Gator she jumped aboard, went to his field, waded in the sprinkler wheel ruts (one of her favorite things to do) got the seats all muddy then rode back home.


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## Harlech (Jan 13, 2020)

Doggos are the best!


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## Turner (Jan 17, 2020)

Just came across this thread, sorry about your friend. Just went through same thing a couple of weeks ago. Had to put down a five year old Rottie due to lymphoma. It’s a heart ache for sure. But, like you, I can’t go dog free and am listening to a pup whining now as I’m getting ready for bed. 
Here’s to four legged friends come and gone. 







Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Tim9 (Jan 18, 2020)

Brutus is a very handsome guy....that’s for sure.


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## PHPaul (Jan 18, 2020)

Consider all above posts "liked".   

I love dogs.  Always had at least one up until a few years back when my wife's thyroid went berserk.  When they finally got it under control, she was allergic to darn near everything, and especially pet hair so having a dog was no longer possible.

I'll limit my dog pictures to two:






Our Rottie, Beebop and our mutt Gator Bait.  

Beeb was my daughter's dog originally, named by my granddaughter.  When my daughter decided to open a daycare, the Rottie had to go for insurance reasons.  He had a loving home here until cancer took him.

Gator Bait was a Springer/Airedale mix as far as we could determine.  I was stationed in Charleston SC when a coworker brought a box of pups to work and said any that weren't adopted by the end of the day would get used to troll for gators in the Cooper River.  (He was kidding.  I think.)  Gator rode around in my uniform shirt pocket for the day and was a faithful companion for 15 years.






Fate is a purebred Akita.  Technically, she's "mine" but due to wife's allergies lives with my younger daughter.  We had gone to the breeder to visit my daughter's new pup (a male Akita) and start socializing him.  Fate was about 6 months old and hadn't been placed as she didn't seem to care much for people.  As soon as I came through the door, she attached herself to my leg and never left my side the whole time I was there.  The breeder couldn't believe it.  When we left, she laid by the door whining.  I wound up buying her with the understanding that she'd live with my daughter and her new pup.  I give her a "child support" envelope every month to cover her chow and vet bills.


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## Downunder Bob (Jan 18, 2020)

Yes dogs certainly are special. Many years ago we had a Kelpie Dingo cross, She was a beautiful animal, very intelligent and clever. when the local cops found out she had dingo in her (It's against the law to have dingoes as pets) they wanted to put her down, but all the folks in our street got a petition up and saved her. Dont know who told them, we had her registered as a Kelpie. 

All the kids around loved her she would walk with the kids to the local primary school, about a mile, and then come home. When it was time for the kids to come home from school she would be waiting at the school gate for them, and walk home with them. There was great sadness when she expired at 14. 

I'll never forget one Saturday night when she was about 2 or 3 I had gone to the local dance, I had new shoes and my feet were sore it must have affected my gait. When I walked up the drive, she started growling as I got to the gate, she as getting really angry as soon as I spoke to her she was back to normal, tail wagging and waiting to greet me. She was the perfect guard dog.


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