And the award for the best shade throwing goes to...

[BoSoxGal]

If a dog is killing chickens, then it has not been properly trained, i.e. the fault of a human, not the dog. Killing the dog because you have failed to train it properly visits your sin on the dog. Makes you a sociopath.

This.

My first dog as an adult was a blue tick coonhound mix I adopted from the Humane Society who was dumped there because he was fearful by nature and 'wouldn't hunt.' A decent human being doesn't just kill a dog that won't hunt - they give it a chance to be somebody's pet, because there are far more people who want a dog to snuggle with on the sofa and love than to keep out in a kennel in all kinds of weather and take bear or coon hunting on occasion.

A dog that kills livestock can technically be killed by law anywhere in these United States, I would reckon. Certainly they can be killed here in liberal Massachusetts, so I can't imagine it is illegal anywhere else to kill a dog that is worrying (mauling) one's livestock. When I was a kid my uncle who lived on my great-grandparents' farm shot and killed a few of the neighborhood dogs who had mauled and killed some of his sheep while running in a pack, as friendly pet dogs will do - instincts don't get washed out by sleeping on the sofa or eating out of a can or bag. The fault was entirely the dog owners', for letting their dogs run the neighborhood rather than being controlled/confined.

When your own dog gets into livestock and mauls them, it is your own fault - not the dog's, not anybody else's. That is what is most disgusting about the Kristi Noem story. (Also I would argue she should have dispatched the dog with a clean rifle shot to the head and not used a shotgun, as the potential cruelty of that method was evinced by what she did to the poor goat.)

In general I don't have an issue with animals being dispatched by a clean shot to the head rather than calling out the vet - in rural America it can be a lot less cruel to do it quickly with a rifle than let the animal suffer (if that's the case) while waiting for a veterinarian to be available.

But dispatching a young healthy animal for being a bad hunter and getting into livestock isn't justified - because it's the owner's fault that both of those conditions occurred, not the dog's.

[Burning Petard]

"visits your sin on the dog. Makes you a sociopath" Probably. But it also removes the threat to the neighbors chickens. My incarceration in hell for my sins or a state institution for my pathology would do nothing for the chickens.

My last dog was a German wire-haired pointer a sterilized bitch of about 60 pounds. She and I hunted squirrel, duck geese, pheasant, quail, woodcock, dove, woodchuck and rats. She was amazingly incompetent, to the point of entertaining, hunting rabbit. She slept on the foot of the bed with me, keeping my wife's feet warm.

This is another clear marker between Rural and Urban America.

snailgate.

[Sue U]

If a dog is killing chickens, then it has not been properly trained, i.e. the fault of a human, not the dog. Killing the dog because you have failed to train it properly visits your sin on the dog. Makes you a sociopath.

Agreed. We have chickens and until her passing a year ago we had a dog. We trained the dog to not be rough with the chickens; no biting, no attacking, no jumping on them -- same rules we had for interacting with humans (keeping it consistent). The dog still loved to chase the chickens and make them go flappy-flappy, because she thought that was hilarious, but never hurt one. Don't let anyone tell you dogs don't have a sense of humor.

[Econoline]

When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything in your world is a nail.

When the only tool you have is a gun, everything in your world is a target.

[Joe Guy]

And when the only tool you have is a keyboard, everything in your world is an online public forum.

Here's clip of me when I first discovered online community forums at Cafe Dartre.....

[Econoline]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1dX8hvI0H8

[Burning Petard]

Yes indeed, the USofA is a nation of dog lovers. That is why we don't trust them in restaurants, are advised by experts to never leave a dog alone with a small child, by law NEVER let them off leash. And the president has German Shepherds that are all fear biters.

snailgate.

[BoSoxGal]

I went to a care assignment last week and five minutes into the house I was bitten by a pit bull mix. (Some of you might enjoy knowing that, given my long and well stated fear of pit bull attack.)

Some dogs get fear aggression and it is the owners responsibility to manage that dog until the problem is fixed, assuming it can be.

One of my disappointments in Joe (&Jill) Biden is that they kept their bitey GSD in the WH for so long while it continued to bite WH staff and SS agents - not cool. They should have either chosen a friendlier, easier breed for that high stress setting or they should have rehomed the dog after a couple of bites - I think he’s guilty of a dozen or more at this point in time. Not cool.

But I’d rather have a softhearted somewhat irresponsible dog owner in the Oval than a person who hates dogs altogether and would be impressed by killing a puppy rather than getting professional dog training help for it.

eta: Far too many people think their dog is well trained if it behaves well for them most of the time. In truth a dog is not truly well trained until you have total confidence that it will behave well with anyone else - a guest to your home, an invited service provider in your home, a stranger the dog might encounter when it somehow gets out the house unsupervised.

It’s a wonderful feeling to know your dog will only be an ambassador for dogs when it encounters strangers - that they will delight in petting and interacting with your friendly, well behaved dog. It’s worth the work it takes to make happen and it starts with choosing a breed that suits your lifestyle and dog handling skills.

[Burning Petard]

Amen, BSG. Unhappily, there are breed differences, and there are individual differences. Generally, it takes a different style of training to handle English bird dogs, and Continental Bird dogs. Spaniels are not like retrievers. Hounds are from a different universe. All of the hunter breeds share some things with the herding and guard dog breeds. They are all dogs after all. But there are also tremendous differences. It takes a wise dog trainer to know their own abilities. Just like I would not ask a dentist to treat my plantar warts. Hey, they are both doctors!?

Biden at least wants a pet in his household. As far as I know Trump, and his children, have not even ever had so much a a gold fish to take care of.

snailgate.

[Scooter]

It’s a wonderful feeling to know your dog will only be an ambassador for dogs when it encounters strangers - that they will delight in petting and interacting with your friendly, well behaved dog.

A pastor friend of mine had a big lumbering sheepdog that was the most friendly, affectionate dog I have ever known. She used to lie quietly at the back of the church while he was conducting services, joyfully wagging her tail at anyone entering. More than one person who hadn't been a church goer for years was lured to come inside by the dog in the doorway, and ended up finding a home there. One old man declared, "I figured that if it was a place that was good for dogs, it must also be good for people."

[Sue U]

One old man declared, "I figured that if it was a place that was good for dogs, it must also be good for people."

Well, dogs truly are the best people.

My favorite excuse: "Sorry I'm late, I had to stop to pet a dog."

[eddieq]

One of the local funeral homes has a dog "on staff". She has a name badge and is on the website. I've been to funerals at their facility and at my home church. The dog just roams the receiving line allowing for pets to occur. If someone seems especially distraught, I've seen her just stick to that person's side.

As Sue said, Dogs are the best people. And the related thing I've said multiple times this week - "the more people I meet, the more I like my dog".

@bsg - sorry you got bit. That's not a good thing for you or for the dog. I hope you were not badly injured.

[BoSoxGal]

"the more people I meet, the more I like my dog".

@bsg - sorry you got bit. That's not a good thing for you or for the dog. I hope you were not badly injured.

I endorse that bolded statement - it’s my life mantra, although I have met many nice people, too - they just tend to be more complicated.

Thanks for the concern eddie - it was much more than a nip, broke the skin/bled and gave me a hella bruise with a big bite mark, but I didn’t need stitches or anything. My doctor insisted I put eyes on the dog’s rabies vaccine certificate otherwise she wanted to give me the human vaccine because of the broken skin.

The dog spent the rest of the week in a crate when I was there working, which I felt badly about but the only other option offered was to hold a broom constantly and use it to fend the dog off when she ‘got scared’ by my presence in the house and charged at me.

Seriously, who invites service providers into the home and expects them to navigate such a dog roaming around them?? Some people are just foolish - and the dog is usually the one who ends up paying. I didn’t report this bite, but I sure hope someone else going there doesn’t get a worse bite than I did. Providing home health shouldn’t mean risking personal safety.

[Econoline]

More award-winning shade throwing:

The ironic part is that if the timing had been only a little different, it could just as easily be Melania on the witness stand right now testifying how she had an affair with Trump while his wife was home with the kids. [—Jim Wright on el Libro de Face]

[Scooter]

[Scooter]

[Scooter]

[Sue U]

I know Kristi Noem is very much last week's news, but I just saw this video this morning and I have to say, well done!

[Econoline]

Oh, all right then...just one more:

“Oh Cricket, Oh Cricket , perk up your ears
She may have shot you but you'll kill her career.”