Socks

[Jovial Monk]

My previous dog, Demi, an invererate food thief, ate some rubbish rubbish and damaged her stomach and pancreas and blocked her bowel. Unblocking the bowel was easy yet would not fix the damage. So Demi was put down to relieve her of her pain—with me and Mum there petting her etc through the process.

Problem: Mum was too old, 98 IIRC, and frail for me to get another puppy. Hell, I had gone for a binge of removing rugs etc etc so no trip hazards and Mum could use her walker in the house. So no new puppy.

Mum passed late Nov last year, bit under 3 months from her 101st birthday—only one sister managed to reach 101.

So after grieving and thinking of the work to be done to settle the estate I started looking at the local (Lonsdale) Pound website. I had decided English Staffordshire Bull Terrier was the breed I wanted and this day they had TWO puppies! Yeah! So made an appointment for 10.30 next morning. Hmmph, both staffies gone “but there is this one, Stormy!” Bit of info about the breed and the pup was nice and I wanted a puppy didn’t I?

Stormy became Socks—the ends of her front legs are white like socks.

Socks is a staghound with some American Staffordhire genes (far as we can tell.) Staghounds came about as a cross between a greyhound and an Irish deer hound, two dogs that course or hunt by sight. They were bred as poachers’ dogs, able to chase a hare and follow its jinks left and right and kill it.

In America the breed is used to hunt coyotes and is called a coyote dog. Here they were used to hunt kangaroos and were called kangaroo dogs—can’t use dogs to chase native wildlife anymore so that name has died out. Still used to hunt feral boar tho.

Socks was a petite 12Kg when I adopted her, now weighs a porky 25,5 Kg! Fast growing dog! I did want a bigger dog for what will likely be my last dog and Socks certainly is bigger. . .than my previous three dogs put together! And still growing, maybe as much as 15% of growth is still to come.

Because of her greyhound heritage she can run like the wind! The few times she has really run by god whippets couldn’t catch her! Poetry in fast motion. But she is lazy! If dogs are running Socks will often just stop, sit down and wait for them to come back! Sensible I suppose but I wish she would run more!

[Jovial Monk]

Socks in action at the big dog park:

https://polanimal.com.au/data/video/1/1 ... 6872a4.mp4

[Jovial Monk]

Well, I have taken Socks for her after dinner poop walk and am headed for bed.

[Jovial Monk]

If you had a dog you would know the importance of a poop walk Larry.

Back home, we had a fenced back yard, I just let the dog out, here I have to walk it.

[Jovial Monk]

Whenever I take Socks to places where there are people talk turns to how beautiful Socks is. I soak that up like a desert soaking up rain

At the big dog park a couple middleaged blokes were talking about what made Socks so beautiful, the sleek, honey-colored fur, the brindling, the sleek lines etc. If I was a desert I would have been blossoming

To me her sleek lines are a key feature. But I love her because of her nature. When doing the dominance fights Socks never whines, is as apt to pick a bigger opponent as smaller one. Quick to flip over a puppy, she is kind to old dogs like my sister’s old Jack Russell.

Glad to report that she must be gaining confidence that I will not leave her and the whining etc when I have to go for a few minutes is pretty minimal and she is back on her bed when I return. BIG rewards come when she is calm on my return. John gave some good advice there.

I now need to try and get her used to being tied up. Winter is almost over and I cannot keep her in my parked car in summer. How I do not look forward to the whining and carrying on!


Monday I take Socks to the local dog groomer to have her claws cut—her claws grow straight out so do not get worn down by walking. She will also get a bath and blow dry. How glad am I to just pay money and not have to do all this myself! I have nothing I can bath a 26Kg dog in! Socks is not one of my small dogs!

Socks has grown a winter coat—the length of her fur has doubled and more than doubled in places. So I can look forward to shedded fur soon Better put the vacuum cleaner in the car next trip to Mum’s house!

[Jovial Monk]

Went to the local dog park. Freeezzzziiiinnngg wind. No other dog there, then one, young male dog was brought in. Tried to catch Socks—Ha! But soon they were playing away trying to see who could tip the other over. Male dog growling—some dogs are vocal—but no snarling etc.

20 minutes of that and I was turning into an icicle and the owners of the male dog thought the same so we went back to our homes. Now dog has had its breakfast and I am having mine. Cup of coffee soon.

Amazing how fast Socks could run. Didn’t manage to tip the other dog over tho.

[Jovial Monk]

As well as visiting the dog park I have done another load of laundry!

Still more to do, rest of my clothes from the old house need washing.

[Jovial Monk]

Last Thursday at the local dog park was fun.

Before we had even properly entered the park this boxer was trying to flip over Socks who was having none of it. She barked some high pitched yelps, dunno fear or anger. Socks does not forget insults: the time we visited my niece/greatniece and their little male dog growled and barked a bit too much in Socks’ mind—she baited that little dog all afternoon, relying on her long legs to avoid retribution. Talk about laugh!

Well, Socks was soon running, boxer in pursuit. Boxers are sort of heavyset dogs and Socks is slim and slender. She ran that boxxer hollow! She teased it heaps as it tired, keeping it pursuing her. Totally knackered after 20 minutes of that. All three of us dog owners there were hysterical with laughter.

Well, the boxxer got some good exercise, Socks was panting a bit but could go on for an hour or two easily!