Do you like this story?
Good starts and not so, but great dogs nonetheless
By Gina Spadafori
August 1, 2009
No, I can’t believe how big Faith is, either!
Above is my puppy flat-coated retriever Faith, with Jennifer Fearing’s dog Griffith. Both Faith and Griffith are getting lots of socialization these days, so Faith and I met Jennifer and Griffith for coffee.
Griffith is a wonderful dog! He’s a classic pariah dog type, with a lean body of moderate size, erect ears and a short, clean coat. He also has a really nice outlook on life. He’s smart, easy-going and gently friendly to everyone. Hard to say who got luckier on this match-up, Jennifer or Griffith.
Faith was raised with everything we know about how to raise puppies right. Griffith was found running loose in L.A. with coyote bites, road burn and tire tracks on him.
What do they have in common? They’re both great dogs, with solid temperaments and oodles of trust.
Jennifer hadn’t seen Faith for a couple of months, so she was pretty surprised to see that Faith and Griff are about the same size, around 30 pounds. The difference, of course, is that Griffith is done growing, and 17-week-old Faith is surely not.
***
Last night I was sitting out on the patio when this fellow flew in and settled on the wires above the chicken area. He’s probably not big enough to lift a chicken, but I think he has learned from past experience that the grain found around chicken areas attracts rats and mice up from the creek behind me.
He hung out long enough for me to get this grainy shot at dusk, but finally decided to look elsewhere for a meal.
Today I’m finally going to get the electric poultry netting up keep the chickens safe from ground assault. At night they’re safe from aerial assault as well, since their pen is covered with chicken wire. By day in the chicken yard, well, we’d all just better hope the raptors find the mice more realistic a catch.
Share & Enjoy
|
Facebook
|
Twitter
|
Google Buzz
|
Digg
|
|
Technorati
|
StumbleUpon
|
Delicious
|
Email
|
Home
Not a falcon…looks like a juvenile Cooper’s hawk. They mostly go after small to medium-sized birds, like doves and pigeons, but a juvenile who’s still learning what it can and can’t handle might consider a chicken. An adult female Cooper’s can definitely take a chicken, especially one of a smaller breed. Carrying it off might be an issue, but they can definitely kill a chicken. I’d be careful. Cooper’s hawks are ambush hunters and like to fly in from cover.
Comment by Selasphorus — August 1, 2009 @ 1:07 pm
Griff’s good start may have been delayed (to about 3 weeks ago)… but he’s sure had a run of luck with the ladies lately.
From Amy D in LA who snagged him off the street, to Betsy R who posted his mug to Facebook, to Crystal S who drove him up to Sacto, to Megan A who built his confidence and taught him a dozen tricks last week. And now he can add Gina S who gave him the “two thumbs up” today.
Like Faith, my dog Yoda (now 8 years old) got the most careful and loving upbringing. Despite this, I have never been able to fully solve his innate insecurity issues (earning the “red light” dog sign hung on our HSUS office door - if you wanna know what means, check out my book co-authored by PetConnection blogger Liz Palika).
And along comes Griff, who at an estimated 2 years old is simply unfazed by having been attacked, run over, and God only knows what else. Megan calls him “bomb-proof” and among the very nicest dogs she’s ever trained.
Just goes to show the futility of trying to pick between nature and nurture.
Comment by Jennifer Fearing — August 1, 2009 @ 1:08 pm
I knew someone would ID this bird. Thanks!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 1, 2009 @ 1:16 pm
I love Griff updates!
I particularly love this one because it brings up such an interesting dynamic/hurdle for a rescuer like me.
There is such a strong bias against older (older than a puppy) rescue dogs. People always say, but ‘won’t they be messed up’ or something of the like. I feel like I am constantly trying to battle this mindset.
And yes, rescue dogs do sometimes come with issues, however I like to encourage people to realize that raising a dog from puppyhood isn’t always a guarantee.
And buying a dog from a breeder and paying a lot doesn’t mean that you’ll be free of challenges either!
Thanks again for the Griff update!
Comment by Betsy — August 1, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
Betsy … can we get this point through once and for all: All breeders aren’t the same. What you get when you buy from a reputable breeder (which isn’t about “paying a lot,” by the way) is a head start on socializing and training. And yes, in a good home, that’s going to mean fewer behavior problems because it’s always easier to prevent behavior problems than to fix them.
I have no problem accepting that you can find a great dog like Griff — and I have no problem helping people see what great dogs are out there for the finding.
But I am done letting pass unremarked the assumptions that a “breeder” is bad, expensive and always a second choice to adoption. Choosing a dog from a reputablem ethical breeder — not a pet store or puppy-mill — is a completely legitimate choice. And it’s not knocking a shelter dog out of a home. Jennifer was looking for a dog like Griff, and the people who took Faith siblings were looking for a dog bred for a purpose.
Griffith is a wonderful pet. Faith is a wonderful pet who, along with her siblings, was also bred to preserve a heritage breed and the work they do.
You want people to open their minds? Open yours.
We are not getting anywhere until we accept that we have common ground.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 1, 2009 @ 4:22 pm
I’ve been debating making this comment, because I do not want to come off as snarky or trying to diminish anyone’s accomplishments with their pets.
I agree with almost everything in this article Gina, except, you are making the assumption that Griffith had a bad start.
Now there’s no doubt that the end of his tenure in the Southland sucked!
Somehow he ended up on his own and the worse for wear.
But that does not mean he had a bad start.
While it is highly unlikely that he received the sort of careful, cultivated socialization McKenzie’s pups enjoyed, he may very well have been born in the backyard of some family, maybe they had kids. He and his litter mates might have been carted around, played with, gotten to hang with people and other dogs. It could have been a “neighborhood” litter which also usually attract attention, at least while being small and cute.
Whatever it was, it’s possible that even by accident, he might have received quite decent socialization. Even if later experiences made him more cautious, that foundation would endure.
This is not any sort of any kind of a dismissal of the sort of intense, mindful socialization that breeders, myself included, do. But it is in fact another reason for people who are flexible in their pet choices to consider an adult in need of a new home. Some rescues have serious deficits and baggage but a lot are dogs with a family/people socialized background who fell off the grid somehow or another.
Currently I have one rescue foster from each category. Otis came in with contagious mange, neglected ears and heartworm. But he loves people, old, young male or female. EVERYWHERE Otis goes he becomes everyone’s instant best pal ever. While we don’t know much, we do know that he loves cars, had no manners but was completely housetrained. Kaluha on the other hand likes kids. Initially he froze in near catatonia if adults are around and would not eat with another dog in the room. He has zip zilch and zero skills so far as meeting people or other dogs. He’s come light years in just a few weeks but has a long way to go.
As we’ve been talking about with pit bulls, dogs, all dogs, are individuals. There is a very human desire to save things and I think we sometimes allow ourselves to imagine that the lives of homeless pets must have been all vinegar, no honey. THAT does scare off and intimidate many potential homes. But even if it was unintentional and accidental, many of these dogs did get the start they need to be good family pets, even if it all went south when the cuteness of puppyhood ended.
Comment by JenniferJ — August 1, 2009 @ 4:59 pm
You’re absolutely right: We do not know Griffith’s background, and we don’t know if he had the benefit of socialization or is just a cool dog despite not getting that as a pup.
What we all do agree on: All dogs deserve a chance.
What I’d like us all to agree on: Reputable, ethical breeders are not the enemy. (And I know you do agree, JenniferJ, and I know Jennifer Fearing does, too.)
But what I’ve had it UP TO HERE with is that whenever anyone saves a dog — a decision that I wholeheartedly endorse — the people who believe all breeders are bad always feel compelled to say, “See, great dog! You were right to avoid a breeder!”
Wrong. You are right to choose a shelter or rescue dog, or a reputable, ethical breeder. These are ALL good choices, and they are ALL the right choices.
Only bad choice: Supporting puppy-mills by buying from a retail mill outlet a/k/a pet store or an Internet mill outlet.
In any case, I’m here to tell you that Griff is cute as a bug and darn-near bomb-proof. A real handsome sweetie. However he got that way, he’s one helluva nice dog.
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 1, 2009 @ 5:57 pm
Whoot! So glad that Gina got to see the beautiful boy that Griffith has blossomed into! He is so fortunate that he has had a happy ending as we all know so many are not as fortunate. Thank you, Jennifer (and Gina) for continuing to expand his world. He has many human and doggy friends/fans (and even kissed my cat, much to her dismay). ;-)
Comment by Megan Alexander — August 1, 2009 @ 6:10 pm
Megan, kudos to you for working on his training while Jennifer was away. Griff’s “poodle up” trick is absolutely adorable!
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 1, 2009 @ 6:15 pm
Oh, I agree on the need to end breeder bashing.
Honestly, in some future, do we want to rely on irresponsibility and dumb luck to provide all pets?
Breeder’s like dogs, need to be judged on their merits. :)
I am also however tired of the underlying assumptions made about rescued dogs. Because right behind the assumption of a abusive or tragic past, there is the assumption that in the case of purebreds, a bad breeder who was greedy and heartless must have cast the poor little waif out the door to the potentially irresponsible buyer with nary a care.
Absolutely true in the case of puppy and web mills and others unscrupulous producers, utterly untrue in many other cases wherein the breeder, if they find out that the dog ended up in dire straights, would have a shit fit and be arranging to get him/her home, to a vet, to a safe place ASAP. And not true in the case of some BYBs who really thought that the price paid for the pup might confer safety.
I am trying, but poorly articulating, the idea that all of these automatic assumptions tie together. And they don’t help anyone. The BIGGEST reason I am given when a family would be perfect for a rescue, and really a puppy is not the ideal fit for them, that they will not think about an adult dog as they don’t know it’s background and they fret that the dog will not adapt if it has been abused, and why would a “nice” dog end up in rescue?
And, hello!, when you run down breeders and lump them all together, it makes it hard to convince the public to stay away from puppy mills, commercial breeders and web millers because hey, if ALL breeders are the same what difference does it make WHERE you buy that puppy from?
Not all breeders are the same, not all rescued dogs have the same story or issues or lack of them, not all people who adopt are automatically virtuous, not all people who make the choice to purchase a purpose bred pet are ignorant, status seeking or somehow heartless. Shelter pets are not the perfect choice for everyone, but they are a fantastic source for some awesome pets, just like caring careful breeders are too.
How about, in addition to Christie’s “Family Pets from Family Homes” we add “Get Your Pet from Someone Who Cares.” ?
Comment by JenniferJ — August 1, 2009 @ 6:33 pm
Not all breeders are the same, not all rescued dogs have the same story or issues or lack of them, not all people who adopt are automatically virtuous, not all people who make the choice to purchase a purpose bred pet are ignorant, status seeking or somehow heartless. Shelter pets are not the perfect choice for everyone, but they are a fantastic source for some awesome pets, just like caring careful breeders are too.
How about, in addition to Christie’s “Family Pets from Family Homes” we add “Get Your Pet from Someone Who Cares.” ?
Comment by JenniferJ — August 1, 2009 @ 6:33 pm
You’re gonna end up as one of our bloggers. You have more comments that are worthy of being posts on their own. :)
Comment by Gina Spadafori — August 1, 2009 @ 6:38 pm
Cooper’s hawks are Chicken Hawks!
It’s a myth that the red-tails are big-time chicken killers. It’s those little accipter hawks are major chicken killers.
The sharp-shins (a very close cousin) are known to go for the chickens around here.
But everyone thinks it’s the Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk, which is a true buzzard) that they have to worry about.
I’d watch the chickens. Those little hawks have a lot of power for their size.
Comment by retrieverman — August 1, 2009 @ 6:54 pm
Oh dog, i’d better sit on my hands!
My kids already think that the computer is Mommy’s job. ;-)
Comment by JenniferJ — August 1, 2009 @ 7:24 pm
I have to say, I didn’t perceive Betsy’s comment as being critical of breeders. What I saw her saying was that A) ‘good’ pets come from all manner of places, and B) there are never any guarantees. And I don’t think anyone is going to disagree with that.
I’m noticing a bit of sensitivity on here as of late to any post that mentions breeding and fails to explicitly enumerate all the extras and advantages a responsible breeder can provide, or otherwise laud responsible breeding. I get that there are a lot of extremists out there who can’t seem to differentiate between a milling operation and a responsible breeder, but I’m not getting that vibe from Betsy’s post. At all.
Just my two cents.
Comment by 3FabulousFelines — August 2, 2009 @ 3:16 am
Interesting discussion.
I believe in rescue, and in responsible breeders. Currently, we have 4 dogs. Two are straight up rescues, one from the pound, and one from someone who was going to shoot the *&$* dog if it wasn’t out of the house today. The other two are from breeders. One breeder is great, does absolutely everything right. The other, not quite so much, but still a solid member of the doggy community.
That said I’ve had a lot of good dogs. A couple of dogs with major issues. But only two absolutely bomb proof dogs. One was a puppy from the aforementioned great breeder. My late Mica came to us as a nine week old, almost house trained, well socialized bundle of joy. In her 15 years with us she never gave us a minutes doubt about her soundness.
Ace on the other hand came to us a a 4 year old from a puppy mill auction. He’d never spent a night in a house, had never been on a leash, had major health issues, knew nothing about children, or car rides… And yet he too had a rock solid temperament. Well OK, he was scared of thunderstorms. When the lightning came calling he got anxious, and looked for cover. Wouldn’t go out for last outs that sort of thing. But otherwise? A great solid, calm loving dog.
Great with kids, other dogs, bunnies, and cats.
Our lesson? Who knows.
I think for most people, the easiest way to get a great dog is to find someone you trust to provide one. Either a good breeder, a rescue group, or frankly, when one of the neighbors dogs produces a litter of puppies. If you know Mom to be a nice, friendly, healthy dog, her puppies are apt to be the same. Yes, back yard breeding is to be discouraged and all, but there it is.
The last time I took on a neighbor dog, was when people we knew thought it would be a good idea to have some puppies. They were expecting to have an average litter for their breed. 4 puppies. They wanted to keep one, so they lined up 3 homes. They had 11 puppies. They were desperate to find homes. They offered me as many as I wanted FREE, :) I took two, one for me and one for a friend on the condition that they allow me to pay their vet to spay Mom. But the puppies were good dogs for 15 & 16 years.
Comment by schnauzer — August 2, 2009 @ 8:27 am
I have to agree with 3Fabulous Felines; I didn’t detect criticism of breeders in Betsy’s post either.
What I took away from it was the frustration that often comes with having to overcome a bias about rescued dogs (who “must have something wrong with them”) while facing an equally unwarranted stereotype that getting a dog from a breeder is a promise of a perfect pet. And I agree with that sentiment.
To JenniferJ’s point about Griffith - I have to say that upon observing his great character, sound temperament and all-around awesomeness, that I, too wonder if he didn’t have a better start than his “life on the lam” would suggest. It seems just too implausible that he could be this solid without having had at least some positive attention somewhere along the way. And that’s why I tried to be careful to focus exclusively on the facts I do know - that he was attacked by some creature with serious canine teeth, hit by at least one car, and on the run for some time. To my mind, those experiences alone (added possibly to the heartbreak of missing his people) would be enough to justify some trust and confidence issues. The fact that he doesn’t have those is remarkable to me, especially when compared to my Yoda who’s known nothing but the lush life.
Not that dissimilar, I suppose from we humans. You hear about kids who grow up in bad environments and somehow, through grit, determination and some sort of DNA-coded will, break through and achieve the sorts of success that seems to defy all odds. And on the other end, those kids who want for nothing, and are given extraordinary advantages, and then go on to live only ordinary (or worse) lives.
The point with both humans and dogs is that we can’t write off any one being based on what we know (or assume) about where they come from, or any prevailing stereotypes. We shouldn’t rule out that information completely (because some times it’s helpful), but we should be guided more by what we ourselves observe.
Comment by Jennifer Fearing — August 2, 2009 @ 8:31 am
“The point with both humans and dogs is that we can’t write off any one being based on what we know (or assume) about where they come from, or any prevailing stereotypes. We shouldn’t rule out that information completely (because some times it’s helpful), but we should be guided more by what we ourselves observe.”
Hear hear!
Comment by JenniferJ — August 2, 2009 @ 10:59 am
Gina, I am so glad that Jennifer is continuing to exercise Griffith’s tricks (i.e. “Poodle up!”) as I think many people will see what a cute pup Griff is and increase his positive interactions with humans! :-)
Jennifer, I thought of my “Bubby Boy” when I read your statement (quoted below) and could not agree with you more. He had every reason to fear and dislike humans yet he held no grudge. Thankfully by the time that you met him the only indication of his previous abuse and torture were the visible scars.
“The point with both humans and dogs is that we can’t write off any one being based on what we know (or assume) about where they come from, or any prevailing stereotypes. We shouldn’t rule out that information completely (because some times it’s helpful), but we should be guided more by what we ourselves observe.”
Comment by Megan Alexander — August 2, 2009 @ 12:41 pm
While I certainly agree that background information is incredibly helpful when training or rehabilitating any dog, simple observation of behaviour can lead to all kinds of assumptions that prove to be false.
My girl Lex took until her fourth year to be calm around sticks, brooms, umbrellas, etc. Nope, she has NEVER had a bad experience with one.
My boss’s JRT simply HATES black shoes. And no, she’s never had a run in with a pair (or a single, for that matter).
Both dogs are constantly faced with comments about how they must have been beaten, abused, or otherwise terribly treated in days past for them to harbour such intense fear of their hated objects.
The truth is quite the opposite.
The worst example is the adoption example. Dog comes home from shelter, shies from men, hands, leash, whatever… immediate deduction = ABUSE! Which of course leads to the owner babyfacing the dog until the poor thing is riddled with irrational anxieties. The reality is often simply that the dog is insecure after such emotional turmoil and is being a bit reactive. A few weeks to settle and some consistent handling = whole new dog.
Every situation is different of course - and I’m not suggesting that every adopter who gets a dog who shows fear jumps to such conclusions… just that it happens often enough to pose a real problem, and needs to be mentioned.
Comment by Kim — August 2, 2009 @ 1:06 pm