 Barked: Fri Jun 11, '10 3:20pm PST |
 | |  | | One of the fondest faces of my youth was a large (180 pound) Akbash dog named Rocky.
Rocky was a dog belonging to an elderly couple living near me, and he lived on their screened in porch during the day and in the house at night. They paid me $5.00 a week to brush and walk him, which was fine with me because I would've done it for free. I also had the privlege of watching Rocky while they were gone.
These were wonderful people who taught me a lot about life and gave me my first horse.
Rocky was a very powerful dog, the only dog I've ever felt the need to walk in a prong collar. He was trained but not proofed, and had no impulse control whatsoever. These people were a wonderful example of people who perhaps buy the wrong dog but make it work anyway, and I knew Rocky for ten of his thirteen wonderful years.
I would walk Rocky, on his stilt legs, sometimes a couple miles a day to a creek and a field where I was still not too old to play kid games with him. We were always fine until Rocky saw something he wanted to chase, and then even if I sat down, unless I could wrap the leash around something, I was zoooom! along for the ride. He was never, ever aggressive to whatever he was chasing, he was just socially inept. He wanted to play and didn't realize how scary he was. Once, one of my mom's poms accompanied her on a walk while I had him out. He bolted and ran over the little dog, who executed a flip in mid-air and landed barking in the other direction, which Rocky thought was a lovely trick and couldn't figure out how she'd gotten behind him.
My husband and I are working harder than ever (and more effectively, too) on our Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover and in about five years, we hope to move some place with a nice climate, get some acreage, and get some livestock and more dogs. Crossing my fingers and vowing to do it with or without him if something goes wrong, I would love to get a dog like Rocky for the farm.
Researching the Akbash as a child lead me to the Kangal dog, which I find far more attractive, although I think I would enjoy either.
I would like to hear others' opinions and thoughts on the Akbash and Kengals, and would love a compare/contrast on the breeds. |  |  | |  |
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You couldn't have anyone in the house, because Max decided that was his place to guard....remind me to tell you about the showdown he had with my ex once when my ex came home late for work......
Amazing dogs, both breeds.
I wouldn't want to run into him, friendly or not with that thing on!!
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