# A few questions



## Mike Kramer (Nov 26, 2007)

So I read over this section briefly and I still have some questions:
Can I raise my PPD as a pet?
How hard is it going to be trying to raise a PPD?
when he is in the house can he run around aimlessly play with family members ?

sorry if these are repeat questions. I 'm just very new to this kind of thing


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Yes

Not very

Yes.

Opinions may vary, but I have done exactly what I answered in the past.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

The oppinions of what a PPD is, runs the gaumet from an alert dog to a full blown attack dog. 
Your level of requirements for a PPD, ability to control the dog, the temperment of the dog, just who family might be, etc, etc. 
Tons of reasons to say maybe yes, maybe no. Simple huh!


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## Maren Bell Jones (Jun 7, 2006)

Any solid breeder of working dogs would probably ask why do you want and/or need a personal protection dog? Most people who want one really just need a dog to sound an alarm or be physically intimidating. You can go to the pound and get a black lab that has a deep bark and that can do the trick for most people. If I recall, you wanted a Doberman, yes? Though most are babies nowadays, they still rank quite high in the deterrent factor without spending several thousand on a good pup from working lines and the additional considerable expense for foundation and maintenance training. So depending on your needs, you may or may not need a high powered dog unless you are also interested in sport, which is a different issue.

An additional caveat with Dobermans is their hearts. Just in the first few weeks of vet school, we were told by a clinician that if a Doberman is showing signs of congestive heart failure, tell the client not to buy another big bag of dog food. 

Forgot to add...not sure if anyone has done this, but the military now has an interesting program adopting out retired military working dogs. Might be something to consider.

http://www.militaryworkingdogs.com/


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## Mike Kramer (Nov 26, 2007)

thanks being new I hear so many different things. I just don't know which way is up some times. I think about having A PPD for my family when I'm not home. The whole sport thing sound neat I don't know much about it though


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

Are you planning on training the dog for personal protection or are you going to use him to serve as an alert and an intimadation factor?

That aside, my dogs are trained for sport. Everyone of the them has been raised in the house as a part of the family. A lot of people disagree with that however, but it seems to work for me. 

If you are planning on persuing personal protection training, be warned. It is time consuming and there seems to be a lot of people that offer that kind of training that do not deliver what they promise. Get lots of recommendations and do a lot of research.


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## Jerry Lyda (Apr 4, 2006)

Good advise Betty.


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## Betty Mathena (Apr 19, 2006)

Thanks Jerry. :smile: 

Get use to the confusion Mike, I promise you it will only get worse!

You will find strong difference of opinions on almost everything to do with dogs, we can't even decide on how often we should feed our dogs, alone training!

My advise to you is to check out your local clubs, most will be more then happy to have you observe if you explain things to them and get a feel for the dogs and for the training. 

You may find that what is best for you situation is an intimadating looking dog with solid ob and a trained alert. Or you may get the bug and start arranging your life around training!





Mike Kramer said:


> thanks being new I hear so many different things. I just don't know which way is up some times. I think about having A PPD for my family when I'm not home. The whole sport thing sound neat I don't know much about it though


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

> Can I raise my PPD as a pet?


Yes and no. He/she should be raised as a housedog/member of the family. After all, what good is a PPD who is outside in a kennel or on a chain while your family is being threatened by an intruder. However, a PPD is not like Fluffy the family pet down the street. It can be every bit as affectionate as Fluffy, good with invited guests, etc but it is also a dog who has been specifically trained to bite. As such you need to treat it a little differently. The dogs temperament might not require it, but the law sure will if you ever have an accidental bite.



> How hard is it going to be trying to raise a PPD?


It's a little harder then raising the average family pet, because you are actually going to be putting the time in to train your dog. But I don't think it's "hard" per say. Just a committment that many average pet owners don't make to their dogs.



> when he is in the house can he run around aimlessly play with family members ?


As a young dog I would say it depends on your family members. When raising a working dog, you don't really want to expose them to all the stupid things some people like to do to dogs. But if you have family members who can obey some simple ground rules about the dog, it should be interacting with the family as pup, after all that's who it's going to be protecting later on in life.


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## Lindsay Janes (Aug 9, 2007)

Kadi Thingvall said:


> When raising a working dog, you don't really want to expose them to all the stupid things some people like to do to dogs. .


 I'm curious can you please give me an example. I would like to know.


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## Kadi Thingvall (Jan 22, 2007)

Oh things like the pup comes up and grabs the person's pant leg or mouths their hand, and they smack it or scruff it and yell at it. Or the pup wants to wander into the kitchen and they start poking at it with the broom to drive it out. Or the idiot at the park who thinks it's fine to let their unsupervised 2 year old rush over and start trying to jump on the pup, pull it's tail, poke it in the eye, etc. Or thinks it's fine to let their aggressive/punk black Lab rush up and start threatening the pup, dominating it, while saying "he just wants to say 'Hi'"


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## Mike Kramer (Nov 26, 2007)

what stupid things???????????


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## Mike Kramer (Nov 26, 2007)

Stupid Me ...should Have Looked At The Next Page!!!!!


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I love the idiots in the park whose asswipe dog bum rushes your dog and they are yelling at you that he is friendly. Got to admit I have seen those dogs get taken down and thrashed by the dogs on the leash and I just have to laugh.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Flexi lines! :evil: :evil:


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## Hil Harrison (Mar 29, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Flexi lines! :evil: :evil:


those rol up thingys Bob with a hard hand bit? I hate em if thats what you mean


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Hil Harrison said:


> those rol up thingys Bob with a hard hand bit? I hate em if thats what you mean


Yep, that's them! Aren't they great? One of those and a Calming Cap and I'm good to go!

http://www.premier.com/CalmingCap/CCDogInCarInCircle.jpg

http://www.flexiusa.com/images/Home2.jpg


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

This ****ing calming cap. Really love to see how many people went out and bought that.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

I know.... :lol: 

Every time I see it I burst out laughing.


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

Lets all get one with the WDF logo on it. Kinda like the secret handshake. :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> Lets all get one with the WDF logo on it. Kinda like the secret handshake. :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile: :smile:



Ah-hahahahahahahahahahahaha!

OK! Mike?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

We will recognize each other at events. It will be great.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Jeff Oehlsen said:


> We will recognize each other at events. It will be great.


I am so excited. I will NEED my calming cap!


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

When my JRT gets overly excited I get an old, dirty sock out of the laundry and put it over his head. Calms him right down!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> When my JRT gets overly excited I get an old, dirty sock out of the laundry and put it over his head. Calms him right down!


Well .... I GUESS we could put a WDF logo on old dirty socks .... :-k


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Well .... I GUESS we could put a WDF logo on old dirty socks .... :-k


 Not if I'm gonna wear it! I want one of them purdy blue ones in the pic! :smile:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Not if I'm gonna wear it! I want one of them purdy blue ones in the pic! :smile:


Yeah, I know my heart is set on the blue one just like the picture, too.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> Yeah, I know my heart is set on the blue one just like the picture, too.


Jeff gets a pink one!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Plus, Jeff has long been our fashion advisor, and I say if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I mean, who will ever forget the pink lace-up high-heeled boots picture that inspired us all so much?


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Jeff gets a pink one!


That might convince him to go with the pink boots, too......


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> That might convince him to go with the pink boots, too......


Pink, highheel, laceup boots, camo pants and a pink head calming thingy on his head!...............I think it's startin ta scare me! :lol:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Now don't get too excited -- we don't know if they come in pink yet.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

And PLUS, picture all the shorter rest of us all swirling around with our blue calming caps on, and one 6'4" (plus the boot height) pink one in the middle. There is no WAY we would lose each other at an event.


Maybe no way we would even be let in....... :-k


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Yeah .... some security teams might call it gang colors and not let us in.


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

That would be a tragedy!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Mike Kramer said:


> So I read over this section briefly and I still have some questions:
> Can I raise my PPD as a pet?
> How hard is it going to be trying to raise a PPD?
> when he is in the house can he run around aimlessly play with family members ?
> ...



So Mike.....

Did we pretty much cover everything?


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

You can all just bite me. Kristen is the winner with those black socks.


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## Hil Harrison (Mar 29, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Pink, highheel, laceup boots, camo pants and a pink head calming thingy on his head!...............I think it's startin ta scare me! :lol:


ohhh and dont forget a matching pink flexi lijn:lol: I saw Connie found a nice selection in a previous post


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Pink, highheel, laceup boots, camo pants and a pink head calming thingy on his head!...............I think it's startin ta scare me! :lol:


no no no, bob, it's all just starting to come together! but we're missing one essential part of the outfit: what about a top? something that brings the pink boots and calming cap together with the camo pants.....green, beige and pink...what would coordinate those?....oh--just consulted w/the fashion coordinator! a black wife-beater would really just pull it all together :smile: :smile: 

or possibly a hot pink top, but i think it may be just a bit too much pink. i like the black wife-beater


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Wife-beater?? Ya lost me! Are you talking Tank top/ Marlon Brando T/ muscle beach T/Arkansas tuxido??


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Wife-beater?? Ya lost me! Are you talking Tank top/ Marlon Brando T/ muscle beach T/Arkansas tuxido??


"Unsightly undershirts."

http://eecue.com/img/images_pic-medium-27891-guy_in_wife_beater.jpg


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## Bob Scott (Mar 30, 2006)

Connie Sutherland said:


> "Unsightly undershirts."
> 
> http://eecue.com/img/images_pic-medium-27891-guy_in_wife_beater.jpg


 
Connie, that's just plain cold hearted! After all, the nice gentleman has a blue calming thingy on his head. !!!!BROTHER!!!! :lol:


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Connie, that's just plain cold hearted! After all, the nice gentleman has a blue calming thingy on his head. !!!!BROTHER!!!! :lol:


Those homemade calming caps are really nice.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

Bob Scott said:


> Wife-beater?? Ya lost me! Are you talking Tank top/ Marlon Brando T/ muscle beach T/Arkansas tuxido??


 
yep, that's exactly what i mean. doncha think it'd just be CUTE? esp on jeff   =;


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

I used t wear a black wife beater when I was a lot skinnier. It worked pretty well considering I was working in South Beach, superficial capitol of the world. Everyone else wore shiny shirts.


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

"SHINY SHIRTS" !

:lol: :lol: :lol:


You're right; strappy t-shirts trump shiny shirts.


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

keep in mind that dark "minimizes", so you could probly still get away w/the black wife-beater. and i really think that the black w/b would pull the outfit together...


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## Jeff Oehlsen (Apr 7, 2006)

........no


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## Matthew Grubb (Nov 16, 2007)

If only Marlon Brando had one of those calming caps…… STELLA!!!!! STELLA!!!!!


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## Connie Sutherland (Mar 27, 2006)

Matthew Grubb said:


> If only Marlon Brando had one of those calming caps…… STELLA!!!!! STELLA!!!!!



AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


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## ann schnerre (Aug 24, 2006)

OMG--what a bunch of comedians we are    
kadi--can't you (or someone) photoshop jeff's avatar pic with the aforementioned outfit??


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## Hil Harrison (Mar 29, 2006)

ann freier said:


> OMG--what a bunch of comedians we are
> kadi--can't you (or someone) photoshop jeff's avatar pic with the aforementioned outfit??


aha but will Jeff be brave enuff to make it his new avatar. Im sure Jeff will be a great sport and yell YES :smile:


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