Ranches

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Shalista
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Ranches

Post by Shalista »

I may have asked this before but these videos keep popping up on my fb feed and im curious.

what is everyone's thoughts on those big foster/shelter "ranches" where you have 10+ dogs just roaming and running wild. no crates or cages.

Ive seen people who dedicate their lives to taking care of specific seniors for the duration of their remaining time which makes a bit of sense, if you have the same dogs you can manage better. but in a foster/adoption shelter environment its got to be much harder.

I feel like here i'm spun the narrative that most dogs arent DOG dogs and need their space and their own people. that dogs dont need or even LIKE big packs. seeing bax i can 100% confirm that not all dogs would enjoy a big pack :lol:

That being said what are your thoughts? are there just alot of fights that they arent showing? how would you even go about managing something like that?
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Lotsaquestions
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Re: Ranches

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Do they only take in dogs that would enjoy that kind of life?

For Merlin, if he was to go into rescue he wouldn't cope in kennels all on his own with dogs next door. He would get really frustrated and nervous. But if he was let free with a bunch of other dogs on a huge ranch, he would become one with the wild in seconds. So for Merlin the ranch would probably be where he would shine, so long as the space was big enough and there was enough to do.
JudyN
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Re: Ranches

Post by JudyN »

That's such an interesting question. There are plenty of street dogs who effectively live like that. My guess is that it could work well for a lot of dogs, and that conflict could be less than dogs walked on lead or in a confined space, but there are going to be power struggles and if a dog becomes weak, ill or injured, the other dogs may well attack it.

I tried to imagine J in that situation but nearly upset myself as he'd be lost & scared without me, and is more people oriented than dog oriented.
Jasper, lurcher, born December 2009
Shalista
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Re: Ranches

Post by Shalista »

*nod* it looks so idealic all the time but i just was wonderign if there was a nasty underbelly. its hard not to project. i know bax would instigate about 50 fights in the first day so its hard to imagine a dog that would be happy with it
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
Lotsaquestions
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Re: Ranches

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Merlin is the opposite of Jasper in some ways. They're both sensitive wussies, but Merlin is more confident around dogs than people. Kennels would be hell for him, a wilderness of dogs he would just follow the most confident intact male around like a happy schoolgirl. He often tries to mingle into any group walks we stumble across because he just loves to be surrounded by dogs on the move.

Perhaps for Bax and Jasper it would be like hell on earth, and the regular 'quiet space and people time' might work better for them. I mean, the main reason I've never wanted Merlin to do doggy daycare is because of the people, not the dogs. :lol:
Shalista
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Re: Ranches

Post by Shalista »

Bax is pretty good o nthe move but if he thinks a dog is in "his" turf he'll def try to take them down, or at least loudly let them know theyve transgressed :roll: what counts as "His space" is highly variable though cause he really DOES love other dogs in a queer twist of fate. i just have to be SUPER careful
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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Nettle
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Re: Ranches

Post by Nettle »

It would depend on how much space was truly available for how many dogs, and how feeding and sleeping was managed.

I would think that a lot of dogs would be shut down. Constant fear isn't a good way to live. Street dogs can get away from each other and find new territory, so although on the surface it's a good comparison, it isn't in reality.

Good point made by JudyN too - dogs have evolved to live with US, not in large groups of other dogs. I suspect, rather as with too many examples of 'doggy daycare' people involved just don't see what is really happening.

But I'd be very happy to be wrong, so if people know better, do share.


Edited to add - I did know one foster situation where around two dozen dogs had the run of a 2 acre field. There were 3 dogs killed and many injured over a period of around a year before the well-meaning person realised it wasn't such a great idea.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Lotsaquestions
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Re: Ranches

Post by Lotsaquestions »

@Nettle Oh my word, that's horrible!
DianeLDL
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Re: Ranches

Post by DianeLDL »

I know Sandy would not do well with it. He is a chihuahua and fear reactive. I know he would try to fight any dog, as he tried to do at a Navy Lodge where the dog next door got loose, came to our door just when OH was taking him out, and Sandy jumped on this fluff ball and had it by the neck.

All in all, I believe with a bunch of larger dogs, Sandy would be dead after fighting to the death.
If freaks me just to think about. :(

Maybe for dogs that are used to ranch life like collies and others that are bred for that kind of life, it might work. OH’s mother had a ranch in S. California (Victorville in the 1950s) where they had horses. And, their dog roamed around but I guess he was a larger breed that was used to being on a large property. OH isn’t here now to ask.

He just left to take Sandy to the Air Force Base where there a huge park near the officers club where he takes Sandy every day where unlike other parks there usually are no other dogs.

Sandy would not do well in doggy daycare either. No matter how much I’ve worked with Sandy, he is still fear reactive and doesn’t do well with other dogs within eyesight.

Diane
Currently at our house in Albuquerque, NM USA
Sandy, Chihuahua mix b. 12/20/09
Ari_RR
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Re: Ranches

Post by Ari_RR »

How about this dog rescue - 1,000 dogs on 378 acres!
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/phot ... of-strays/
Shalista
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Re: Ranches

Post by Shalista »

oh wow thats a lot of dogs O.o i hope they're all neutered and spayed or its about to be a lot MORE dogs
Baxter (AKA Bax, Chuckles, Chuckster) Rat Terrier, born 01/16/13
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Nettle
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Re: Ranches

Post by Nettle »

Shudder.

I bet the injured labrador was desperate to get away.

Nothing is perfect and I appreciate they struggle to feed that many dogs, but I saw a lot of ribs and skin conditions.

As for visitors being welcome to bring their dogs to "play"...............would be interesting to see it through the eyes of someone who understands dog behaviour.

I wonder how the acreage is fenced and checked. And the story behind the dead dogs. But is it worse than the standard shelter accommodation? Or doggy daycare on a larger scale? probably not.

The road to Hell etc.
A dog is never bad or naughty - it is simply being a dog

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Lotsaquestions
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Re: Ranches

Post by Lotsaquestions »

Eeek, didn't like the look of that. All the dogs had chains around their necks. If they can roam 378 acres I would worry about those chains getting stuck. Those dogs also didn't look very healthy, I bet fights are very common place. I mean, even in that short slowmo vid one dog bit another.

Having said that, given how some shelters are in many countries that is probably cloud 9 for any stray dog caught up in the system.
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