I have three Jack Russell terriers, a full brother and sister from consecutive litters and their mom. the girls are not bothered by any noise from anything. the boy however, is one psychotic little s.o.b. if a noise bothers him, he becomes a panting, scrambling, drooling, panicked pain in the a s s. we’ve tried all kinds of drugs, training, etc to absolutely no avail. but the weirdest thing is, there seems to be no consistency whatsoever to what freaks him out.
thunder- even the most distant, faint roll- forget it
fireworks- the most inaudible “pop” in the distance, it’s hissy fit time
but the concussion of the neighbor across the road sighting in his .300 wby. mag? no problem, almost sleeps through it.
i can step out the back door, fire a round from a 12 ga. to run off the screeching hordes of starlings- nothin’
if he sees a cat, that cat better run for its life- if he only hears a cat meowing, it’s time to do his idiot dance
so, i’ve been keeping track of his reaction to various powertools and motors:
most things with big induction motors are no problem. doesn’t pay any attention to the drill press, the jointer/planer is mostly ok, and the tablesaw is not his favorite sound but he only acts wary, not scared. hasn’t been around the new bandsaw enough to tell
jigsaw- bosch- couldn’t care less, but wasn’t thrilled with my old no-name junker
circular saw- gets as far away as space will allow
chopsaw or miter saw- HATES them- his least favorite
routers (now you’d think these screaming things would really be a big deal, right?)- doesn’t do anything worse than walk away
air compressor motors bother him some, but using the blowgun or draining the tank- any sort of leak flips him out! i even have a little high-end silent compressor that barely hums whens it’s charging, but when it shuts off, the switch releases the back pressure with a tiny “pfft”- that scares him.
anybody else have similar experiences with their creatures?
m
Replies
His ear anatomy could possibly explain this varying reactions to noises. What makes me think this? Because my ear anatomy explains how much certain noises bother me. Turns out, according to a nurse who offered the info unsolicited, my ear canal(s?) are shorter than normal. Now, I've always known that I'm much less tolerant of certain clanking noises than just about anyone, and other types of high pitched sounds. For instance, metal on metal clanking, change being tossed into my cash register when someone's "doing the drawer" at the end of the day, high-pitched-voiced girls or women in one of there chatter-orgies, a two-year-old screaming that very special scream.
All of these noises absolutely grate on me, and at times literally hurt. I also have a pretty low voice for a "girl" which might, I suppose, be attributable too.
Other than that, the way an animal reacts to noises is based on such primal instinct, and influenced by genetically tied traits such as their general anxiety level (leaving out in your instance specific threats tendered by the noise source in the past), that I doubt there's any figuring it out or fixing. I'd give the poor guy a break and doin't expect him to learn to deal with the ones that really freak him out.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Mitch... When I first looked at the title for this thread, I thought you were going to talk about the sounds small animals make as they get sucked up into the monster dust collectors we all have in our shops. Mini-poodles make EXCELLENT swabs to get out all the small dust from the 6 and 8" metal D.C. pipes. Cats on the other hand make too much noise! My goldfish don't care the least about noise from any machine but they do raise a fuss about the fine dust that settles on the water surface in their tank. They aren't too happy when I spray finish either.
SawdustSteve
Steve,
Thats not right! LMAO though.
Steve
My Chesapeake X Aus. Sheperd goes nuts for any kind of explosion or thunder. He once ate most of the way through an exterior wall to get in. Another time peeled the metal off a metal door and chewed the lock like bubble gum. Left downstairs during a storm, he ate a door jamb to the upstairs. He seems to be fine upstairs/indoors, so i gave up on drugging him and just let him be. The other 3+ mutts are not a problem.
No reactions to machinery at all, but i try to keep mine out of the shop so their hearing and breathing won't be affected.
years ago i gave up and built what we call the "nuclear kennel" it's 4'x8'x4'h, heated in the winter, ventilated in summer, water, blanket, nightlight and radio. basically a sturdy box of 2x lumber, 1/2" ply and styro insulation with a roof, but the most important part is the 18ga galvanized sheathing on all four walls and the door. the metal is all bent back 1 1/2" at the sides and bottom edges around the framing so there are absolutely no edges on the inside- only smooth bent corners, including the door, which closes tightly with a very small gap. it's in a corner of the garage.
they used to be kenneled in the garage in an enclosure of four 4'x8' sheets of plywood, hinged together at the corners to make a big square i built the heavy duty model after coming home one day and there had been a brief thunderstorm. the boy had clawed and chewed his way thru a couple places, ripping out #12 wood screws at the hinges (we're talking about a 20# dog), blood everywhere- cut up his paws and gums pretty bad.
now i know they're all safe. if a storm comes up while we're gone, first of all, it has to get pretty loud to be heard over the radio and fan and through the insulated walls, but if he freaks out he can pace and scratch and paw all he wants and not hurt himself. they're our kids. (don't tell social services we lock them in the garage)
m
Never saw a dog that was comfortable with thunder. Mine responds to every machine I use by coming at a run to get the offcut. The only noise that really seems to bother her is a nail gun, and my last dog hated them as well.
My English Springer Spaniel has a similar habit, but with a different trigger. Dusty likes to hang outside when I'm working in the shop, but when he feels like he is not getting enough attention, he races into the shop, looks at me, walks over to the cutoff bin and grabs a piece of wood, then trots off to chew it into toothpicks! Now he knows that he is not supposed to do that, but how can I get mad at him? Besides it must be a pain in the @$$ passing all of those white oak splinters! ;)
Dr. Bill
It hurts me just to think about it.
Mine dont seem to mind any noises, the only thing they really hate is the vaccuum cleaner, and even then the worst they do is leave.
Workshop noise elicits either leaving, or the "Yoda face", which really does look just like him. <G>
The scraps game however could go on all day. each piece being taken outside and shredded, along with stringlines, paintbrushes etc.
The worst for getting into stuff are the geese. like small children.......just have to grab things off benches etc for a wee chew and see what it is. Hilarious.
Considering their acute hearing they doint seem to mind loud noise. The circular saw just makes them come over and start yelling. as if it wasnt loud enough before........
Wood Hoon
Many years ago, I worked in a graduate lab at UC Davis, Wildlife and Fisheries it was. We had a flock of geese that lived in a huge pen right next to the driveway. What a great group of watchdogs!!! Never any doubt when someone was driving up.
Have you ever hear the noise 20 or 30 Guinea fowl make first thing in the morning? The best alarm clock Mother Nature ever made!
Every cat I've ever know, except one, was petrified of the vacuum cleaner. The exception was a 15-pound tabby named Alex. I adopted him from the blood-donor group at the Vet School (they retire the cats after a couple of years, and they always find homes amongst the employees and students). He was afraid of absolutely nothing, mellowest cat in the world, and would practically sit on top of the big Craftsman indoor/outdoor vac. He played fetch just like a dog, what a sweetie he was.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Forest Girl,
Sounds like Alex was a nice cat, but as a fellow cat lover, I beg you not to tell anybody that he played fetch. Through the years I have always used the "fact" that cats don't play fetch as proof of their superior intelligence. "No cat is stupid enough to go chasing after a stick just to get a pat on the head."
Jeff
Oh, but Jeff, he didn't do it for a pat, LOL! He did the fetching thing just out of the blue, no prompting by me. He was instructing me to toss the little felt mouse! And if he accidentally dropped it in a place he couldn't get to, he'd come over and inform me it was lost and I should get it out so he could go on with his business.
My current cat, a Maine Coon female, is more into "beseeching" (pose, pose, upside-down, big mitts in the air, sweet face) than instructing. She is quite a clown.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Geese dont miss much thats for sure. One of ours will climb right into your lap and ransack your pockets if your carrying peas or beans, and whilst she is at it will nibble some fingers, undo your shoelaces and weasel a bit of rubber off the soles. <G>
I must have the same sort of ears you do. That particular "sound" that comes out of small children.........makes my brain bounce around inside my skull. uuuuuggggghhhh
Neither of our cats likes the vaccuum, wont fetch worth a damn though. They do earn their food during summer with all the mice they catch however.
My parents had a Fox Terrier who would stand still and quiver whilst the vaccuum was on, she was waiting her turn. She would go into orbit if you ran the nozzle down her back and sucked up her tail. very funny dog.
We have just aquired dog No.3. all from the pound. certainly keeps life interesting. Just suckers for the "face". :)
Wood Hoon
Adam none of the noise I make seems to bother my rabbit at all...
Darkworks: We support the US military "We kick your #### and take your gas"
Oh my goodness, tooo toooooo funny! Maybe that terrier is a reincarnated ground hog -- don't they vacuum them up out on the plains to save them from development?
I wish my MC would let me vacuum her. All that long hair sheds something frightful, and I am not a neatnick.
A friend of mine once had to rescue a little girl (4-year-old or so) from a waterway at the UC Davis campus. She was given some bread by her mom so she could feed the ducks and geese, and they scared her to death. They were converging, and she was rapidly backpedaling, unfortunately directly into the water. Yikes!
Sheesh, the Maine Coon's in heat and she's trying to seduce our 14-year-old spayed fat-cat. Fat cat is not interested. Disgusted is more like it. Whap! Whap!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
You serious!!? Sucking up ground hogs................WHAAHAAHAAHAA, I would pay to see that.
Simple solution for your horny cat...............trip to the vet and a hundred bucks later..........quiet, non horny cat. <G>
Ron, tame rabbits are dumb. wild rabbit smart. simple law. who knows why. same goes for sheep. never managed to figgure it out.
Wood Hoon
As Steve corrects me above, it's prairie dogs, not ground hogs. That's pretty obvious to me this morning, I knew something wasn't right last night but was too tired to figure it out.
The horny cat is a purebred, hence the willingness to put up with her instensity. Although, if it looks like I'm not going to be able to breed her soon I think I'll get her fixed. It's just that once those accessories are taken out, they can't be put back! I'm a true believer in "fixing" otherwise.
You haven't seen the prairie dog gizmo?? Some very smart (or very weird?) guy figured out that if you need to relocate a prairie dog colony, you can use a specially padded (and clean) sewer-vacuum truck to do it! The prairie dogs and other burrowing critters cause all kinds of problems for ranchers with grazing animals, but are also an important part of the environment (read: important prey species).
The truck's sign reads "Dog Gone: Prairie Dog Control." Here's a link to the story CNN did in 1996 (complete with video clips, free of charge): http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9612/16/sucking.dogs/
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 3/12/2003 11:25:00 AM ET by forestgirl
What they don't tell you is that the prairie dog populations will stabilize at the carrying capacity of the land. Vaccumming them up means that you make room for more prairie dogs. Nothing like job security.
The best solution so far for feral cat populations has been to remove and spay/neuter individuals, then return them to their locations. This reduces fighting/sickness and maintains a stable population in lieu of one that is constantly diseased and fluctuating. Like the p-dogs, there isn't any way to get all of them in a raid.
Girl, we have to have The Talk about spaying and neutering. Maine Coons--and other innumerable purebreds and their oopsies--come throught the shelter all the time, surely with *responsible* breeders somewhere in their history. Getting in on the decision as to which perfectly healthy animals to euthanize THIS week bec there isn't enough room might change your mind about making more of them. Just a thought...
I can't swear to it, but I think some of this vacuuming was going on prior to development in the prairie dog habitat. Who knows, was just an aside anyway.
No need to go on the soap box about the spay/neuter thing. I give that speech whenever and wherever I am if the topic comes up. This is the only cat (or dog) I've had in the last 35 years that wasn't spayed, and I don't feel guilty at all about considering breeding her. Those who are looking for a Maine Coon may, due to an incredible stroke of luck, find one at P.A.W.S or the pound, but they [the humans] could die waiting for that to happen too. And, they are not likely to relieve the crowding at the shelters as a substitute.
If I review her papers, which I don't currently have, and her breeding is sound and I can find an appropriate tom who may complement that breeding, I'll see what she "throws" (old horse term). When our old fat cat goes to kitty heaven, I'll be over at the P.A.W.S. adoption center right next door to my business picking out a new rescuee. Sopie the MC is the first, and most likely the last, pure-bred cat I'll ever have.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 3/13/2003 12:11:17 PM ET by forestgirl
Give 'em hell, Baby.
Those who are looking for a Maine Coon may, due to an incredible stroke of luck, find one at P.A.W.S or the pound, but they [the humans] could die waiting for that to happen too.
Do you know about http://www.petfinder.org? I just checked for Maine Coons in the US and got a list of 450. Some are mixes, to be sure, but it doesn't look like there is a shortage of Maine Coons. Lots in your area, btw... <G>
A few years back i was at Ground Zero of a sweep of my neighbor's puppy mill, so making money from selling animal babies is just too close to slavery for my comfort. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.
Yep, I think you're right Splintie, agree to disagree. I will, however, pass that web site along to anyone who hears me talking about Soph and comments that they've "always wanted a Maine Coon." And, now that you've pointed it out, will probably make that my first stop when we "need" another cat. I love the personality of the breed, despite the shedding, shedding, shedding.
I would never be able to engage in the "mill" approach to breeding. I don't even like having more than two cats at a time, because I don't feel they get enough attention otherwise. One or two litters (generally about 4 each I hear) and she'd be retired to 100% pethood. She is my buddy, for sure. (Right now, she's losing her faith in me because I can't get it to stop raining outside. Oh, us humans, we're just not all we should be, eh?)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
I love the personality of the breed, despite the shedding, shedding, shedding.
I read up on these guys and think i must have had one! Sushi B. Kadota was an enormous red tiger with the most astonishing tail, came to us as a stray kitten who climbed half-way up the screen door and hung there for at least half an hour staring us down. He would drift into sleep on the side of the bathtub while i soaked, that splendid tail eventually falling in the hot water. He'd become groggily aware of the weight, then leap up like Satan himself was pulling him down into the Inferno, and race around until he smacked headfirst into something that brought him back to reality. There he'd sit and groom the offending tail until it was light enough to carry around, climb back onto the side of the tub...
Too funny! The falling asleep on the tub thing sounds like something an MC would do. The tricks to telling MC's apart from other long-haired breeds: The long hair is very specifically designed for snow, warmth and moving through vegetation. To wit:
Silky-flat along the topline and down most of the side, so burrs and stuff will mostly slide through. This goes all the way down the top area of the tail.
Raggedy and fluffier under the belly and on the back side of the (long, long) tail, for warmth.
Lots of hair between their toesies, tufts on the tips of the ears, "wings" out behind their elbows, bushy in back of the hind legs, neck ruff, but not fluffy on their legs per se.
Large size -- the largest of American cats if I remember correctly, and the oldest breed. My not-so-big female weighs about 14 lb., is over 30" from the tip of the tail to the tip of her nose. Males especially can be quite, quite large.
Of course, they don't have the smuushed nose of the Persians, nose and head are not super-tapered like many cat breeds, a little more squarish. Big paws from what I've seen. Almost dog-like personality, very self-assured, friendly, relaxed and athletic. I've read that they're not as "vertically oriented" as other breeds, but you sure can't tell it by Soph's behavior. She climbs to the top of everything. Mine is quite vocal, but in a sweet chattery way, not like a Siamese.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Edited 3/14/2003 3:53:38 PM ET by forestgirl
We have an eighteen year old silver-tipped Persian - "Merlin" (apple-core face, not the extreme pug of show-quality Persians). He coos like a pigeon. It's a strange sound coming from a cat, but very soothing.
"apple-core face" -- I've never heard that expression before! I'm more than a little miffed with CFA about some of the extremes they've pushed various breeds towards, but it's an American trait with animal breeders it seems.
Sounds like he has a special purring gear!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Yep, his face is shaped like somebody took a bit out of an apple - much more attractive (and healthy) than the extreme push/runny eyed cats who win all the shows.
Nope, never seen a prairie dog sucker upper. Hardly surprising though cos we dont have them here, nor do we have ground hogs, gophers, squirrels, bobcats etc etc.
We DO however have any amount of australian possums. what fun. <G>
I also have no idea what horny cat looks like. something like a coon perhaps?
Our cats are both male, the instant they started spraying..... the vital tackle came off.
I am also very much in favour of the practice, esp as we are now in the habit of saving condemmed dogs, cursing the previous "owners" all the way.
As for wild cats, the very simple solution to that problem here is a small bit of very fast moving lead. they wreak havoc on the native bird species, who until mammals arrived had no predators. Sooooo easy.
Wood Hoon
I tend to like females for pets, but I rescued an adorable little (~10 weeks) male kitten off the side of the road in Placerville eons ago, and he became the mascot at my boarding stable. Was fortunate to have 2 vets as boarders. The first time PJ backed up to the tackroom and let it fly, one of them was there. I looked at Vince, he looked at me, and PJ was on the way to the operating room!
"I also have no idea what horny cat looks like." -- If she was still in heat I'd take a picture, LOL, but this was a short cycle. You've probably seen a dog trying to get a toy or critter out from under a shed or somethin', right? Chin flat on the ground, rear end up in the air? That's the pose! Humorous, yes, but accompanied by intermittent ear-piercing caterwauling for 2-3 days, not fun.
As much as I love cats, I'm glad you're working to protect the birds. I feed a plethora of songbirds here at the house and they bring their babies every summer. Fat cat doesn't hunt them for obvious reasons, and I've worked out a system where I feed a small portion early in the day, and when the birds have gone off somewhere else, Sophie can go out for an hour or two while I'm working outside. Then, when I go off to work in the afternoon, I put out the rest of the day's food.
Have a good one.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Well, to be totally honest, the birdlife is but one factor. The other is when some scrawny tom starts fighting mine and stealing their food. After a few brawls and puss limping around the house I started to get peeved.
The final straw came when said tom picked a fight on the porch inches from the window. Things got evened up somewhat quickly and peace reigned once more.......................until the next one showed up.
If I ever get my hands on the moron who dumped a box full of kittens a couple of years ago.................
Wood Hoon
Is FELV a problem in Australia (feline leukemia virus)? That's a big problem in our area, and the biggest risk with cat fights. I'm lucky that there's only one other cat in our rural neighborhood, and he's pretty timid. Still, I chase him off if he's around when Soph's going to go outside.
Sounds like the capture-and-neuter approach isn't much of an option for you.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Is FELV a problem in Australia?
Uh, I wouldnt know, I live in New Zealand. Geeze, how could you possibly get me mistaken for an ozzie?? :)
I dont know what FELV is, we have feline AIDS if that is anything similar. So far I dont personally know of anything contracting it. Its fatal anyhow.
the problem with neutering a wild cat is not so much the catching it unharmed, cos i did that last time. But more putting an arm in the same box to fish it out ( ! ) and then transporting very angry puss to the vet. I figgure all the trauma to the cat and for no gain where the birds are concerend.......... a swift end is better.
Wood Hoon
Oooooops! Sorry! Gave myself a vigorous series of dope-slaps on that one.
Problem with those fatal diseases is that they spread to other cats before the carrier dies. Saw a beautiful Silver Maine Coon on Splintie's rescue link that was a carrier, but had not developed the disease. Has to find a home with no other cats, or cats who are already FELV+forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
LOL, its OK. I did think though that the accent would have given it away.........:)
How come a cat with a serious contageous....contagious.....conti......ggrrrrr spreadable disease is available for a home? I know poor puss didnt get it on purpose, but how can anyone be certain it wont go for a wander and give it to someone elses cat?
Wood Hoon
The stipulation is that he (she? can't remember) would be an indoor only cat. It doesn't spread via casual contact, but via blood or semen exchange, so it's very workable for it to be a dedicated indoor cat. Here, take a look at him. He's gorgeous. If I were in another situation, I'd take him in a heartbeat.
Many moons ago, there was a Knothead who had a vasectomized tom who turned out to be FELV+. Makes me very sad to think how many cats he probably spread that to before succumbing himself. forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Cat vasectomy? Did he 'splain the reasoning behind that?
IMHO, there's absolutely no way to support that decision with any kind of reasoning. I've heard all the possible arguments for "proud cut" male animals from people in the horse world back in my training days. Stupidest damn thing in the world. Oh, you wanted an answer: I didn't ask, but assume it was one of those misplaced male identification things. He thought it was cute. Nick and I used to have a chocolate lab that the prior owners had had proud cut. Not only was he frustrated and a problem around females, whoever did the "work" botched it so bad it took the vet 3 times as long to do a proper castration than it should have. Sheesh!forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
FG, I found this site when looking to get Dusty fixed: http://www.neuticles.com The Intro page is amusing. I'm not sure if they are for the dog or the owner with self-esteem problems! ;)
Dr. Bill
And no, Dusty did not get the $1000 procedure.
Too, TOO funny!!! Thanks for sharing that one Dr. Bill, hysterical. There's a pet store next door to my business. I'm going to show this site to the owner, she'll love it.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Did you notice they can be bought by the each or by the pair? I guess this is for special occasions requiring an odd number of Neuticles.
Ron, tame rabbits are dumb. wild rabbit smart. simple law. who knows why. same goes for sheep. never managed to figgure it out.
Dont let bugsey hear ya call him that...Hes kind of sensitive and has a bad temper :>)
Darkworks: We support the US military "We kick your #### and take your gas"
Forestgirl,
I think your thinking of prarie dogs, not ground hogs. You all don't want to hear my opinion of those little @$^%$#'s.
Steve
When I saw that 21,000 lb. bomb test of the Air Forces in Florida Tue. One thing came to mind. Bet that would nicely deter a prairie dog population, and leave a happy little crater for bovine shelter. Could maybe even line the crater, put in a windmill and whola, watering hole. Better even yet, a bass pond.
Edited 3/15/2003 6:07:52 PM ET by Rastus
my vizsla howls when firetrucks go by... but not police cars or ambulances. Guess it's that particular brand of siren.
He also howls when I'm using the jointer or router, but no other machine or tool. Other than that, he's totally quiet. He does bark like a crazy dog when someone rings the doorbell, but I don't think it's the bell that gets him, probably more about a stranger invading his space.
Mitch,
Sorry, no good advice, but I wonder if you can somehow use this to justify buying bigger better tools? Just an idea. That is very wierd that the Weatherby dosen't bug him but fireworks do. I've got a mini dachshund that I have the opposite problem with. She makes noises that bug me, usually when I'm talking on the phone to a potential client. Definitely a member of the family though.
Steve
Mitch, I believe that you would stand to get a more valuable response from a veterinarian than a bunch of woodworkers.
I would keep the pets out of the woodshop regardless of what seems not to bother them.
Darn it, Mitch! I carefully read your entire message, assuming that you'd be asking for suggestions about what to do with the terriers.
Should you ever want such advise, just ask me. My mother has a Yorkie, so I have a thousand and one good ideas.
oh, i'm open to suggestions but his psychoses are so deeply rooted and varied i've long since given up any hope of effective treatment- let alone a cure.
case in point- 1:30 this morning, he hops on the bed, stands with his forepaws on my right shin, hindpaws on my left shin (that's comfortable), shaking and panting like a jonesin' junkie. i hear what is probably a jet in the distance. a few minutes go by- i have to hold his mouth shut so i can even hear anything- nothing. he's still freakin out, and from past experience (about 500 times) i know at this point it will take awhile- maybe half hour or more to burn off this adrenaline surge- so i tell him he's headed for the aforementioned nuclear kennel til morning as he doesn't have to work the next day, my wife and i do. as i'm carrying him thru the house i tell him his last chance is if it's perfectly clear outside, so i would know for a fact he is not- so i am not- going to be tormented by a distant storm all night. i step out onto the deck, wearing nothing but a pair of eyeglasses and a shivering dog, and show him there is not a damn cloud in the sky. i set him down, fully expecting him to scoot right back in the house, but nooo- as if to say, "you were right Dad! and since there's nothing to be afraid of, i think i'll celebrate by traipsing around in the woods for the next five minutes while you hiss at me to get my a** back in here, because you are freezing your a** off!"
yeah, i already know the solution. "free to good home. psychotic dog with two bad wheels and disposition to match*. knows how to be a sweetheart just often enough to keep me from placing this ad."
*have i mentioned that if i try to give him a spanking- you know, the rolled up newspaper drill- he will turn on me and try to bite me? oh, he's a joy, but he's definitely a boy.
m
Guess I failed to make my opinion of my mother's Yorkie clear. I despise the creature. It ignores you unless you're eating something, whines when she leaves the room, pouts for hours at a time (in a dark bedroom no less) if she leaves it alone more than a few minutes and, if brought into someone elses home, will lift its leg and leave his mark on the first furniture leg he encounters.
My idea of a solution would be electro-shock therapy, about 240v. for 5-10 minutes, not some rolled-up newspaper.
Seriously, the thing really is a spoiled brat, and only gets away with all he does because he's so darned cute - and (I strongly suspect) he knows it.
Jeff
BTW, when I was a kid I had a black lab that was half hunting dog and half pet. She was frightened of most loud noises, including thunder storms and the sound of a rifle. Seems hard to believe, but that dog could distinguish between a rifle and a shotgun (the sound of which never bothered her), which meant if you were going out to shoot birds, you couldn't hold her back with a Mack truck, but if you had a rifle in hand, she'd hide in the darkest place she could find and wouldn't budge. Amazing, perplexing, wonderful creatures.
Nuclear kennel with radio, nightlite--not quite the vision that "maximum security" conjures. Are there moist towelettes, too?
oh, i'm open to suggestions but his psychoses are so deeply rooted and varied i've long since given up any hope of effective treatment- let alone a cure.
How bout the soup pot???
he's so old and tough it wouldn't be worth the trouble ;)
m
I usually listen to music while I'm working in the shop and my cat, who can wander in and out at will, either seems annoyed by or flat out bolts out of the shop at all my music regardless if it is bagpipe music, all forms of rock 'n roll, balalaika music, cajun music, etc. The one exception is The Rolling Stones! The cat, named Cosmo or sometimes I call him Chairman Meow, rubs up against the speaker affectionately when The Rolling Stones are playing, particularly early '70's Stones. I am being absolutely factual about this and would sign an affidavit to the effect. I have tested this in a semi scientific manner and the results are conclusive IMO. Since Cosmo likes to crap in my pile of jointer shavings and I would rather he not be in the shop, I rarely listen to The Rolling Stones anymore.
Mitch -
Dogs are funny critters there can be no doubt. And they have much better hearng than we do, especially me! They hear far higher into the audio spectrum than we do to be sure. Perhaps the high pitch sounds generated by the compressor hit a nerve with your 'little darling' (grin) and so forth. Why they would bother *him* moreso than the females, dunno except that females have much more tolerance and patience than males, generally speaking (grin)
As for our child replacement (dog), Sam came along about four years ago as a rescue dog. No, not a dog that goes out and rescues people, we rescued her (yes, Sam is female) from the pound.
Sam was absolutely out of control. But four years of rather strict discipline (now Sam, that's not a nice dog! (haha) and she's mellowed out. Thunder is about the only thing that awakes any passion in her, and then it has to be pretty severe. As for power tools, I was ripping a bunch of plywood on the floor the other day with a portable circular saw and she was sitting right next to me expecting her pat on the head as the reward for having dragged the moldy rotten stick in from the yard of the house we're remodeling.
I'm convinced that Sam is the only breed of dog I ever care to own. What kind? .... black. She's a black curbstone setter.
Dennis in Bellevue WA
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