tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post6075852804448696068..comments2023-10-28T04:38:36.290-07:00Comments on Food for Founder: White ChristmasUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-92152557201570303022008-12-27T00:14:00.000-08:002008-12-27T00:14:00.000-08:00Titan is the first line of defense, but Tilley is ...Titan is the first line of defense, but Tilley is the only dog who is a real danger to human intruders. She is fiercely protective of territory and her people -- a typical aussie girl. She broke through the living room window at our old house trying to get the mail carrier. There is something very comforting about having such a dog around.dphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03072031429438530210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-34448219548117737812008-12-26T09:42:00.000-08:002008-12-26T09:42:00.000-08:00Very pretty pictures!Snow actually acts as insulat...Very pretty pictures!<BR/><BR/>Snow actually acts as insulation for a dog's "den". It's also why igloos have been successful in the north. Plus, maremmas are designed to handle the cold. Huskies don't sleep indoors either in Alaska. Well, not the sled dogs.<BR/><BR/>My Freya used to get a thick and luxurious coat every winter when we lived in Alaska. I'm sure she could have happily lived outside year round, but I just preferred keeping her inside, where she was able to protect me and alert me to goings on.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-17317542731902134152008-12-26T00:54:00.000-08:002008-12-26T00:54:00.000-08:00It's all semantics, but I consider an "outdoor dog...It's all semantics, but I consider an "outdoor dog" to be a pet dog that gets kept outside (not acceptable in my books). Titan is a working dog who is expected to guard his small flock and to keep us aware of any threats to the property. He cannot do that unless he is outdoors.<BR/><BR/>Titan has never been in our house. Raising a maremma right requires a fine balance between human contact and simply leaving the pup alone with its stock. You do not want to end up with a very expensive and specialized couch ornament. Titan comes out with the pet dogs for playtime each day, but he is otherwise left to his own devices with the goats and it has been that way since he arrived at 12 weeks. <BR/><BR/>Titan may have been in our neighbor's house. They are very fond of him and enjoy "liberating" him with regularity. Otherwise they are fantastic neighbors so we don't get too uptight about it, but it has resulted in a maremma that is overly interested in human companionship. Titan has a very loving personality, so this was always a danger with him. On Farcical Farm this is OK (he still does a fine job of detecting threats) but he has probably been ruined as a serious stock guardian at this point.dphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03072031429438530210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-89770267808691397012008-12-26T00:03:00.000-08:002008-12-26T00:03:00.000-08:00Oh my, those are truly "winter wonderland" picture...Oh my, those are truly "winter wonderland" pictures. Very beautiful! Glad to hear Tonka is back to his happy, healthy self, and that you and David enjoyed your Christmas day. Titan looks like he has a very thick coat, and I love the idea, somehow, of him snuggled up with the goats in the van. Amazing for me to say that, as, up until now, I've always felt sad for outdoor dogs. Sorry if I've missed this elsewhere in your blog, but does he come inside once in a while? Now for those DDR pictures. I can hardly wait! Sorry for mentioning them in my blog comments as well - really didn't mean to nag, but hadn't read this post:)Black Jack's Carolhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18436115876996209227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-2840085698049911832008-12-25T20:12:00.000-08:002008-12-25T20:12:00.000-08:00Don't feel too bad for Titan either, folks. His c...Don't feel too bad for Titan either, folks. His coat is the thickest thing I have ever seen on a dog. He sleeps with the goats in the van, which 95% closed up. Sometimes during the day he digs a hole in the snow and sleeps there. I have noticed that the horses do the same thing -- I think snow is actually quite warm for animals once they melt the layer directly under them.<BR/><BR/>DDR pictures will follow soon. I really do promise.dphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03072031429438530210noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8889412391658819379.post-76211414970798375052008-12-25T20:08:00.000-08:002008-12-25T20:08:00.000-08:00Beautiful pics, but MAN that's a lot of snow. One...Beautiful pics, but MAN that's a lot of snow. One time in VA it snowed 10 inches overnight, and that's 1) the most snow I've ever seen IRL and 2) the day I decided to move back south and never leave.<BR/><BR/>Does Titan really spend his nights outside in that snow? Does he bed down with the goats or dig a little snow cave or what?<BR/><BR/>Also there are no DDR pictures in this thread, therefore I am somewhat disappointed. :(<BR/><BR/>adedshoo: achoo plus achoo plus achoo.Funderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06358687366401205336noreply@blogger.com