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Keeping Aids Happy


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I've been doing a lot of research on these dogs lately. I am now completely fascinated with them. For now I'm in college, but I would love to visit Kim's farm and get an Indian dog in the future. Hopefully by doing my research now I'll be all set when the time comes. I have a lot of questions and just want to absorb all the knowledge from this forum.

I know these dogs need a job to do, they need to keep busy, but short of working on a farm or something what can you do for them? It will be a very long time before I'm able to ihabit anything more than an apartment. But, given proper exercise and opportunities like agility or flyball, could they be happy in an apartment? My first dog was a corgi/australian shepherd. She was whip smart. Ideally, I wanted to get her into herding and agility, but none of that was available to us. In lieu of that, i took her for long walks and runs, treks through the woods. I took her to parks where she could run off leash. I also included extensive training sessions and set up sent trials for her. From what I understand now, it seems like AIDs would need the same attention. Please correct me if I'm wrong. I just want to learn what I can.

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BTW, I'd love to connect with some people who have AIDs. If anyone's near NJ, please send me an email.

 

 

Hi, I'm a long way from NJ a lot of water in between! I have had Shunka for 9 years now and the way you are describing keeping the aussie shephards seems fine to me for American Indian Dogs too!

 

We live in quite a small bungalow, but Shunka has never taken up much room, it's difficult to describe, because he is quite a big dog.

 

I have met australian shephards and crosses whilst in the states, I agree they are smart! Shunka loves long walks, and being able to run free, but most of all he likes to be part of anything we are doing. Being left out on the side is not his idea of fun!

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Hi there! Liz, seems we have even more in common. We also live in a small bungalow. Our house will be 100 years old, next year. Although we've updated a few things, we have not added onto the house, keeping the lovely style that has so charmed us both. And although 100 years ago, they had to clear trees, to build this house, now we are surrounded by city, where dogs MUST be on leash, and we walk the grids of sidewalks.

 

But Coyo has been quite happy here, and as you describe, Dragongurl, I take the opportunities I can, to keep him exercised. He is quite happy, and healthy--when I am.

 

We have all sorts of owners with all sorts of situations, and although it is ideal to have a big yard, or ranch ( some of our owners even prefer a race track), these dogs can fit to almost any active lifestyle.

 

Kim has told us a story of taking several dogs on a sailboat, where they didn't touch land for several weeks. I can't remember the duration, but it was a long time. He said by the third day they had learned to "go" over the side of the boat, and had a grand time, even in that small space.

 

I think the biggest factor is the person. My dog doesn't get to round up horses, but he is a frisbee star, and we love to sneak up on wildlife. We hike, and keep the squirrels off the bird feeder, and he is quite a good dog sitter for strays and the neighbor dogs. He pulls me on the dog scooter, he carries packs, and the list goes on.

 

In short, he is my second, my right hand dog, and it is a job he loves.

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i agree with everyone else. these dogs can adapt to about eveything. we lived with 2 aid's and a cattledog in an apartment. we did make an effort to get them good exercise everyday. they did fine.

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"Lord, what fools these mortals be."

 

"And those things do best please me

That befal preposterously."

 

"Same to you, with knobs on." Bad Bob, from Rex the Runt

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Very cool. These dogs are amazing. I can't wait for the chance to have one of my own.

I was in the same situation, I was living in a one bedroom apartment during grad school when I decided I wanted an AID. I held off for a couple of years, and then one day, decided I wanted to go for it and called Kim. I was put on the waiting list thinking I had 6 months to find a new place. Unfortunately, a pup became available before I was ready and I had to refuse. That was hard. But eventually I found a small house with a yard, enough room for a dog with energy. And just in time for my pup Cassie! Even with a yard, I take Casssie on a walk everyday. Like Allison, I live in a neighborhood with leash laws (though there's a beach nearby where they can run free). But more than where you live, I think it's most important to feel your lifestyle as a whole can accomodate an AID. It's tough, I work full time and sometimes come home exhausted. Luckily, I have a doggy daycare nearby so that helps if I can't give Cassie exercise that day.

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How I really got to know about wolves is, a good friend of ours (owns his own brewery firm with his family) was a charter skipper in the med, he found a puppy injured on the road and kept it for at least 3 years on his boat. He had to put her in quarantine on his return. He received a phone call to ask if he had a licence for the dangerous wild life he was bringing into the country, what he had living with him was not a feral dog it was an Iberian wolf! Kim and his dogs on a boat reminded me. Zacka was a very adaptable lady, loved her to bits, she never took me as anything but a friend, she was not too keen on Hugh's partner she was trying to oust Zacka as alpha bitch, I wasn't!

 

Knowing Zacka helped a lot with Shunka, it's the different attitude, and range of intelligence and adaptability of a dog with all it's natural capabilities and intelligence, not mucked about to make it do one job.

 

I say I've taught Shunka the basic commands, but he knows so much more we take for granted, tell him what we want and we usually get it! I suppose really I just talk to him and expect response natuarally now. Get some funny looks from others though sometimes!

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I have not heard of the Iberian Wolf

 

A good point, "the natural capabilities and intelligence" of our dogs. That's Kim using "The Old Ways" of breeding, and his commitment to keeping the gene pool diverse and healthy.

 

We've got some neighbors, down the street, lovely family, with an AKC bred Wiemaraner. Just found out she has cancer--way too soon. She is a lovely girl, but some of those badly bred dogs are like time bombs. It breaks your heart.

 

When I was looking for a dog, I talked to so many breeders---Kim was the only one who was up front about his breeding program, and I didn't even have to ask--his web page is filled with it! That's the first thing that got me, and then the dogs where so interesting, and varied. So when we finally met them, well, that was it for us; their intelligence was so apparent.

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I have not heard of the Iberian Wolf

 

A good point, "the natural capabilities and intelligence" of our dogs. That's Kim using "The Old Ways" of breeding, and his commitment to keeping the gene pool diverse and healthy.

 

We've got some neighbors, down the street, lovely family, with an AKC bred Wiemaraner. Just found out she has cancer--way too soon. She is a lovely girl, but some of those badly bred dogs are like time bombs. It breaks your heart.

 

When I was looking for a dog, I talked to so many breeders---Kim was the only one who was up front about his breeding program, and I didn't even have to ask--his web page is filled with it! That's the first thing that got me, and then the dogs where so interesting, and varied. So when we finally met them, well, that was it for us; their intelligence was so apparent.

 

Iberian Wolf is the Spanish Wolf, now rather rare, smaller than the Grey Wolf and lives very much in the shadows, the wolves go into villages at night and no-one knows they are there!

 

There is a lot of research going on presently to see how many pure bred ones are left in the mountains. They are roughly the size of a small labrador, and red.

 

They have learnt to be secretive due to persecution. Zacka was a lovely gentle animal, miss her lots since she died at 18

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