Comments for Good Faith Ranch http://www.goodfaithranch.com Sat, 18 May 2013 17:41:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= Comment on Common sense and the dog collar by Gina Spadafori http://www.goodfaithranch.com/compost/common-sense-and-the-dog-collar/#comment-2578 Gina Spadafori Sat, 18 May 2013 17:41:34 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=853#comment-2578 You are correct. I will be putting breakaway halters on them with my phone number. Thank you for the suggestion. You are correct. I will be putting breakaway halters on them with my phone number. Thank you for the suggestion.

]]> Comment on Gardening for people who can’t be bothered about gardening … like me! by Gina Spadafori http://www.goodfaithranch.com/vegetable/gardening-for-people-who-cant-be-bothered-about-gardening-like-me/#comment-2577 Gina Spadafori Sat, 18 May 2013 17:32:17 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=877#comment-2577 So far, not so good. Mostly what I'm growing is mushrooms. I'm making some adjustments. Nothing has died yet, though! So far, not so good. Mostly what I’m growing is mushrooms. I’m making some adjustments. Nothing has died yet, though!

]]> Comment on Saluting Officer Patrick, Sacramento PD by Gina Spadafori http://www.goodfaithranch.com/animal/saluting-officer-patrick-sacramento-pd/#comment-2576 Gina Spadafori Sat, 18 May 2013 17:28:54 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=847#comment-2576 Shari, You make it sound as if I bought him like a puppy-mill dog after a five-minute Google search, but that's not the case. The founder of the company that makes the Gentle Leader, etc., has been in flat-shod gaited trail horses for more than three decades. She was the one who recommended the person from whom I bought Patrick and the two of them chose Patrick for me. Patrick was as represented, a smart well-trained and versatile horse. The same is true of the SECOND horse I bought from the same dealer, a horse who is now my trail horse. Both horses were exactly as represented by a dealer who came highly recommended from someone who knows gaited horses well. In turn, I would happily recommend her to someone looking for a horse like mine. She has many years in the business, and a good reputation. Patrick didn't turn out to be the right horses for me. That wouldn't have come out had I flown to Kentucky to ride him, by the way. He is very tolerant of beginners, but he wants to make all the decisions. Over time, that meant he was increasingly the boss, and that wasn't going to work. With Officer Kate, he is a partner. It is, as you note, a great situation, and am so grateful it worked out. As for "forcing" him to jump, etc., he actually was pretty good at it, and liked it a lot. I'm actually kind of surprised you "approve" of his placement with the Sacramento Police Department. You do realize he occasionally has to canter on concrete, that may be shot, doesn't have access to pasture, etc. By the way, he's very happy there, too, and he wouldn't have gone there had not the trainer who was "forcing" him to jump -- a former SPD mountie herself -- recommended him for a tryout. I obviously hope he has a long and happy career on the force. He should come back here when he retires, but if that's not possible, I will let you know. Shari,
You make it sound as if I bought him like a puppy-mill dog after a five-minute Google search, but that’s not the case. The founder of the company that makes the Gentle Leader, etc., has been in flat-shod gaited trail horses for more than three decades. She was the one who recommended the person from whom I bought Patrick and the two of them chose Patrick for me. Patrick was as represented, a smart well-trained and versatile horse. The same is true of the SECOND horse I bought from the same dealer, a horse who is now my trail horse. Both horses were exactly as represented by a dealer who came highly recommended from someone who knows gaited horses well. In turn, I would happily recommend her to someone looking for a horse like mine. She has many years in the business, and a good reputation.

Patrick didn’t turn out to be the right horses for me. That wouldn’t have come out had I flown to Kentucky to ride him, by the way. He is very tolerant of beginners, but he wants to make all the decisions. Over time, that meant he was increasingly the boss, and that wasn’t going to work. With Officer Kate, he is a partner. It is, as you note, a great situation, and am so grateful it worked out.

As for “forcing” him to jump, etc., he actually was pretty good at it, and liked it a lot. I’m actually kind of surprised you “approve” of his placement with the Sacramento Police Department. You do realize he occasionally has to canter on concrete, that may be shot, doesn’t have access to pasture, etc. By the way, he’s very happy there, too, and he wouldn’t have gone there had not the trainer who was “forcing” him to jump — a former SPD mountie herself — recommended him for a tryout.

I obviously hope he has a long and happy career on the force. He should come back here when he retires, but if that’s not possible, I will let you know.

]]> Comment on Common sense and the dog collar by shari http://www.goodfaithranch.com/compost/common-sense-and-the-dog-collar/#comment-2574 shari Sat, 18 May 2013 14:38:11 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=853#comment-2574 I notice your horses do not wear halters with your phone number on them. They are more likely to get out than your dogs. Would you leave a halter on them 24 hours a day? I notice your horses do not wear halters with your phone number on them. They are more likely to get out than your dogs. Would you leave a halter on them 24 hours a day?

]]> Comment on Saluting Officer Patrick, Sacramento PD by Mark http://www.goodfaithranch.com/animal/saluting-officer-patrick-sacramento-pd/#comment-2556 Mark Fri, 17 May 2013 19:35:57 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=847#comment-2556 Glad to hear Patrick found the right home. Not someone who bought him off the internet and then tried to take a natural gaited horse and force him to jump and do low level flat work. He is a very lucky boy to make it to his new home with your department. When and if he retires i would happily have him come live with us. Glad to hear Patrick found the right home.

Not someone who bought him off the internet and then tried to take a natural gaited horse and force him to jump and do low level flat work.

He is a very lucky boy to make it to his new home with your department. When and if he retires i would happily have him come live with us.

]]> Comment on Gardening for people who can’t be bothered about gardening … like me! by C.L.H. http://www.goodfaithranch.com/vegetable/gardening-for-people-who-cant-be-bothered-about-gardening-like-me/#comment-2547 C.L.H. Fri, 17 May 2013 04:04:33 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=877#comment-2547 I read an article about straw bale gardening a few weeks ago.I thought the same thing. Much cheaper than raised beds. The pictures I've seen are amazing. Can't wait to see how your garden progresses. I read an article about straw bale gardening a few weeks ago.I thought the same thing. Much cheaper than raised beds. The pictures I’ve seen are amazing. Can’t wait to see how your garden progresses.

]]> Comment on Redirecting affection by C.L.H. http://www.goodfaithranch.com/animal/redirecting-affection/#comment-2546 C.L.H. Fri, 17 May 2013 04:02:25 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=883#comment-2546 Oh my goodness! Look at how big Ned is! (That IS Ned, right?) Oh my goodness! Look at how big Ned is! (That IS Ned, right?)

]]> Comment on Common sense and the dog collar by Ruth http://www.goodfaithranch.com/compost/common-sense-and-the-dog-collar/#comment-2481 Ruth Mon, 13 May 2013 16:33:53 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=853#comment-2481 I worry about Apollo's coat with his collar, so we spent way to much on an extra fine leather thong collar to attach his tags too. Its sized big enough to easily slip over his head if he gets caught on something (and since this dog can slip a properly sized martingale, I'm sure he can slip that). But with the exception of the time spent in their crates they're always collared and tagged. Both are highly distinctive, both are 'chipped, and both always wear collars. Its just basic common sense. I worry about Apollo’s coat with his collar, so we spent way to much on an extra fine leather thong collar to attach his tags too. Its sized big enough to easily slip over his head if he gets caught on something (and since this dog can slip a properly sized martingale, I’m sure he can slip that). But with the exception of the time spent in their crates they’re always collared and tagged. Both are highly distinctive, both are ‘chipped, and both always wear collars. Its just basic common sense.

]]> Comment on Common sense and the dog collar by Donald McCaig http://www.goodfaithranch.com/compost/common-sense-and-the-dog-collar/#comment-2475 Donald McCaig Mon, 13 May 2013 09:16:34 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=853#comment-2475 Dear Gina, Dogs get lost fairly often, strangled much less frequently. No dog overnights in our home without wearing one of my ID collars. Even our sheep guarding dogs who roam free over hundreds of acres wear them - and three times in the past thirty years I've been grateful they did (not to mention the two dozen times we've been able to return wandering bear/coon/bird/coyote dogs to their owners. And yes, once a puppy got its jaws caught in a collar while playing. One to three is pretty good odds. Lots of sheepdogs and cattledogs never wear collars. One of the finalists in this years National Cattledog Finals was found collarless beside the road. I can name a half dozen other similar cases. Donald McCaig Dear Gina,

Dogs get lost fairly often, strangled much less frequently. No dog overnights in our home without wearing one of my ID collars. Even our sheep guarding dogs who roam free over hundreds of acres wear them – and three times in the past thirty years I’ve been grateful they did (not to mention the two dozen times we’ve been able to return wandering bear/coon/bird/coyote dogs to their owners.

And yes, once a puppy got its jaws caught in a collar while playing. One to three is pretty good odds.

Lots of sheepdogs and cattledogs never wear collars. One of the finalists in this years National Cattledog Finals was found collarless beside the road. I can name a half dozen other similar cases.

Donald McCaig

]]> Comment on Common sense and the dog collar by Jen http://www.goodfaithranch.com/compost/common-sense-and-the-dog-collar/#comment-2338 Jen Mon, 29 Apr 2013 18:43:36 +0000 http://www.goodfaithranch.com/?p=853#comment-2338 That's actually why I use martingales on the walks (off-leash), where the choking hazard is very low as they're walking with me supervised closely, but if I need to move them out of the way urgently then I have the ability to. After having that occur once, I use martingales on off-leash walks for the event of an emergency maneuver (out of the way of an oncoming mountain bike or similar. In a playgroup scenario (not applicable to me, but of course others), a playgroup collar with quick-release velcro may be more appropriate. The choking hazard is very real there, so I'd rather the collar come off than my dog choke and the supervisor not get there in time to find the clip. If you're on a walk with the leash attached, no popping is possible so the dog can be maneuvered in an emergency. The collars are strong enough for me to gently maneuver the dogs if need be within the house when it's the only collar they wear (ie: prevent them from walking up to someone like the mail person at my door) - I've done that a lot, and the collar has never popped when doing so ever since I started using them a few years ago. That said, the dogs are high energy (one extremely so) but well under control so I never have to "grab" the collar - may not apply to all dogs. Holding the body is another option. That’s actually why I use martingales on the walks (off-leash), where the choking hazard is very low as they’re walking with me supervised closely, but if I need to move them out of the way urgently then I have the ability to. After having that occur once, I use martingales on off-leash walks for the event of an emergency maneuver (out of the way of an oncoming mountain bike or similar.

In a playgroup scenario (not applicable to me, but of course others), a playgroup collar with quick-release velcro may be more appropriate. The choking hazard is very real there, so I’d rather the collar come off than my dog choke and the supervisor not get there in time to find the clip.

If you’re on a walk with the leash attached, no popping is possible so the dog can be maneuvered in an emergency.

The collars are strong enough for me to gently maneuver the dogs if need be within the house when it’s the only collar they wear (ie: prevent them from walking up to someone like the mail person at my door) – I’ve done that a lot, and the collar has never popped when doing so ever since I started using them a few years ago. That said, the dogs are high energy (one extremely so) but well under control so I never have to “grab” the collar – may not apply to all dogs. Holding the body is another option.

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