Anyone here a member ?
The calender on the website seems bare.
Was thinking of joining.

I recommend it. I'll be joining Friday. They had their monthly meeting about a week ago. You won't meet a greater group of folks!

Never heard of it.... what is "N J G & M?"

"North JeffCo Gem and Mineral Club". I never heard of them either - but fenixsmon isn't the only one who know how to use the internet!

http://www.peaktopeak.com/njeffco/

Thanks! I googled those letters but kept getting "New Jersey" stuff. I haven't heard of them either.
I'm getting better at these interweb things.

Don't want to show up late, but gotta take
the Missus out first - it IS Valentine's Day.

Good job caveman! I didn't even put the two together. I was talking about this group! Not njgm... or w/e .

I recommend CP 100% ill be joining Fri. As for the other guys: never heard of em, keep us posted!

So uhh... how many spiders did you have to catch to build this internets? :3....

Where you taking your lady Swizz?

HA! I've been void of ball & chain for a while, been kinda nice, miss my dog though... she was my lady.

Just noticed dbx wrote that post...
So uhh..... want a puppy ?

Chessies are way cool Swizz, and almost as cold hardy as Huskies! They can take icy salt water, too! I mean, they can actually swim in salt water where ice is beginning to form w/o a thought in the world! And they LOVE it! Great dogs, too. Very trainable. Like a golden built for the northern wilds.

And we are very glad to have you aboard, fennixsmom. It's great to have someone with your enthusiasm join up!

Thanks buddy!

I want a puppy more than you can imagine but a Cheesie is probably not a good fit unfortunately.
I have to get away from Alaskan Malamutes as much as I love them, last one was 148lbs. It's been 13 months and I still think about her every day.
I think that a Border Collie, Aussie, or mix of those would be great for me now. There's no way for me to get a pup up here anymore so any help would be appreciated. The problem is "mtn pet rescue". They are a good organization but SO invasive during the approval process now that I refuse. They snatch up all "free puppies" in the paper and insert them into their process of foster homes and adoption. It's like they've made a business out of it, pretty sad actually that they can set unregulated high standards for adoption. I could probably have an easier time adopting a human.
I'm not playing their game so any help would be wildly appreciated.

I will see what I can do Chris. Are Catahoula's or Cattle dogs on the list to? (I assume small to medium dags are what you are looking for.....) I'll let you know.
There is a rescue we are looking at - she's a Katrina survivor, cattle dog mix - over 8 and has some issues, though. She nipped the heel of a neighbor girl, and the mother of the girl filed a police report because the skin was broken.... Dang it! She was just doing what cattle dogs do! No harm was meant.... she was "herding". If you are willing, I'll PM a pic.

Shoot, I can't take on a dog that old. I'm still dealing with the heartache of putting the last one down, that kills me.... I suffer from way too much animal empathy.
My primary concerns with breed are:
Long cold winters
Flyfishing: really needs to stay out of the water unless crossing with me
Mining: I need a med-large size dog to cover my a$$ while I'm digging and warn me when I'm sleeping. I'm at the claims by myself a lot and this is important.
Brains: I'm a great trainer and can bring anything around but let's face it - it's always better to start with a good pupil and this won't be a house pet.
Many breeds fit this criteria but I can rule out bird dogs, retrievers, etc. They need to do what they do best and I can't provide that. I thnk I could work well with Aussie, Border Collie, Sheherd mix... any of those mixes seem logical. Short haired dogs wouldn't fare well up here.

Well, I only have Chesapeake bay retrievers, but if I have one I can't sell, ill contact you and see if you want it. When they get to be older pups we give them away. The runts end up being about 60-80 lbs and about med size. They are a good choice for mountain living due to their cold tolerance and protective instinct. They have an extra fat layer and double coat, and a water proof oil on their fur.
My male is 120 lbs of love that would take on a lion to protect us. My female is about 65-85 lbs but is knee high. And of course Kodi my hydrocephalus pup is tall and skinny.
Just keep us in mind in case you change yours. I have a runt male that is very sweet and docile that shys away from strangers. I almost lost him when he was weeks old, so I'll be choosing carefully who gets him. (I'm choosy anyways)

( I'm not swizz . . . )
Going to italian place on Youngsfield.
Abruscis ... not bad for a strip mall joint.

I agree!!

That joint is right by my house! I'm so sorry about that!

Daww thanks Custy!

Chris - you should seriously consider the Chessie..... Very loyal, protective, and very trainable. Developed for the market and waterfowl hunters on the Chesapeake Bay - hence the name - They stay in the boat (or on shore) until commanded to retrieve. They are an oily, curly, doulbe coated breed, not a short, single coated one. In the days that the breed was developed, the bay commonly froze over (albeit thinly) in winter. The dog is HARDY. And due to market competition, (and outlaws), it was also developed to be loyal and protective. And yet, it is still a very gentile dog! I love this breed almost as much as I love goldens, and have the same preference for them. I would have had one in Va Beach - but I could never find a breeder (they were very rare in the 80's, and only recently became popular again). When we are able to add another dog again, they are on my short list. 120lbs is huge for a chessie, as average size for them is about the same as a golden, but a little heavier due to an extra fat layer for cold weather. These are great dogs.

They are rare in the west right now. I only know of two true breeders (I am not) in Colorado. Mine do come from good lines, but where never registered, so I can't register them. The price I've found for these guys varies between 850 and 1000 dollars a pup and folks can't find them in CO right now. Ours are going for 350 a pup due to the fact I am not a breeder and I'm no nor able to do anything for them medically. ((Shots and deworming) I do however offer a full medical refund in case they are substandard health wise. Just an fyi of my "operation".
Caveman was spot on about the breed except he forgot one important factor: temperament. Not as in they are aggressive, but they are headstrong and will test you. They are far from stupid. Their intelligence will test your training consistency. I am only offering you a pup because pf your available space at the ranch and malamutes can be tricky too. I thing malamutes are awesome too. Never owned one.
He is also correct that my dogs are substandard with their size. Molly and Kodi are big, but fall within AKC allowances. Griz is too big, but he is a gentle giant. He can bring back two geese at a time and will try for a third. We don't care about "proper retrieval" as.long as he doesn't eat the birds.on the way back, which he's done! (Stinker!)
So, if you're interested, again, let me know. I'll hook you up with a pup. Discounted now, free later (if we have em still).

I've just had a random thought about our price and whatnot. I thought 350 was steep, but my husband was set on it. Strangely enough, no one has tried to haggle us down. We said 350 they said, no problem! If that says anything about the breed. They are wonderful.dogs Chris, everyone we've interviwed over the phone have been previously chessie owners and they don't stray.However, I've found some sage advice on the web: If.you want a lab, get a lab. If you want a golden, get a golden. If you want a flat coat, get a flat coat. Chessies have traits simular.to these other dogs, but they are NOT the same. They are thier own breed with their own will. But once you break through, there is no better,no more loyal,dog than a chessie. No dog will work so hard.to please you. I for one, won't look for another breed when mine pass. I'm just really bummed at the price I'm looking at on that day.

(Excuse the punctuation errors, stinkin phone)

Your dogs are not substandard - over average, yes - but if they are within AKC guidelines - still standard. I was just stating the average sizes. Bye the bye - if you know the right people and have the $$$, you can get your dogs registered with a DNA check. Dogs fall out of AKC registrations for many reasons - but usually because the owners of the dam cannot afford to get the pups registered, not because there is something wrong with them. Sometimes, to reduce cost, the breeders do not get the pups registered until the are sold - so the ones that are not sold don't get registered when they are given away or sold at reduced cost (things you learn when you try to become a breeder! - my grandmother and Iris Setters....), and some don't get registered because the breeder believes that they do not conform, somehow. My Ginger is not registered because the breeder sold her to a pet store when she got too old to sell (over 4 months), so they never registered her. AKC also has weird and strict rules - while it's nice to have an AKC registration, it is only necessary if you are going to show or breed the dog. It is like a brand name - AKC gets you more money, it absolutely does not mean that the dog is any better. My best dogs, and ones that had the fewest problems, were non-AKC pure-breds (hunting dogs!). Oh yes, and a mutt (golden, lab, border collie, and pit bull) that looked like a gorgeous pure-bred golden, and an AKC breeder got upset with me when I had her spayed - He told me that he could have gotten her registered because he wanted to breed his dogs with her. He damn near threatened me when I told him I was having her spayed!

Everyone we've met asks about AKC certification. I tell them about the DNA testing. I wholly agree with you about not needing it. I won't show and will not put the dogs in trials so I have no need. I don't consider the dogs substandard by my requirements. They are near perfect in my book! The best dogs are snuffed by AKC imo. You certainly know your stuff! Understandably with your breeder history!

Fenix and Scott,
Thank you for that education on Chessies... I honestly had no idea. And fenix thank you so much for the offer. That could possibly be a good fit for me. I've had two dogs in my adult life: Hybrid Alaskan Malamute/Wolf and my last sweetheart was an AKC Alaskan Malamute. I speak the Wolfy Malamute language very well, it's what I know..... and I know a lot about being tested (both alpha females). I never rendered so much as a spanking to either of those animals, ever, and they were fantastic. The Wolf mix was beyond smart. It's been about 15yrs since she passed and my friends STILL bring up the wild stories about her exploits, really something, her name was Wiley. My last dog LuluBear (the AKC) wasn't nearly as gifted mentally but an unbelievable sweetheart and a comedian. Wiley lived for over 14yrs but Lulu barely made it past 9, so sad.
As much as I love and understand that breed, the primary reasons I have for not renewing with a Malamute are longevity and size. My vehicle is a Wrangler, gets tricky larger than 70lbs... and I'd like a dog to have a fighting chance at lasting beyond 10yrs. Larger dogs typically don't live as long, and Lulu was pony-sized. That's why I'm kinda leaning toward a mid sized dog that can still be a viable thwart to predators (instead of a meal). Both of my previous dogs were all fire whenever a potential threat loomed, very loyal and alert.

This is how I am with dogs (this could also be construed as a resume for farmersonly.com):
My ranch gig will be done in April from what I'm hearing. It is still for sale and the owner wants to shut it down until it sells. At least that's what I'm hearing now. My dog stays with me 24-7 and I'm self employed, dog comes with me to work. My projects are typically remote large scale log homes hidden in the woods and I'm big on leashing.... don't like any surprises. Most of my free time (between projects) in the summer is spent at my adjoined mining claims (40 acres). They are extremely remote, heavily wooded, and a good amount of big and small game. That is pure heaven for any dog, including me. I don't work much in the winter so a lot of home time mixed with walks, some ice fishing, tailwater flyfishing, and whatever other excuses I find to git out. I don't have a fenced-in yard and I'm not going to fence it. If my dog is outside it is on a leash with me. Leash optional at the claims of course. I know for sure Lulu's spirit runs free there now, she loved it there.
Am I a good fit for a Chessie? Am I a good fit for farmersonly.com?

If you're' not me, then who am I?
(profound, yes?)

Longevity would be my only concern, 10-14 yrs. 14 would be a perfect storm of awesome lovin, good food, spay/neuter, and plently of excercise. My male would fit in the back of a wrangler, so a smaller pup would definitely fit..
The only reason I brought up the ranch is.because they are energetic! They can turn destructive when unworked and left alone. A.good toy and a crate helps with this. You can train these dogs to do anything. Our dogs are voice leashed, but that's because of waterfowl, we have e-collars in case they get quirky. I believe in leashing dogs for safety's sake so no worries. I do think you'll love a chessie. They adapt very well.

Sounds like a good fit to me - Chessies do not range much - goes against their protective instincts..... The one I knew back east stayed in a four to five acre area (basically the 1 road and 2 courts on the lake), and he was untrained. He was never out of dog-earshot of his owner, though. My Thena (The Golden Mutt! God, I miss her!), on the other hand.... ranged well over 2 miles. Picked her up at the pound twice. Plus she would swim across the lake, down the lake, over to the boat ramps, etc. And she would retrieve live ducks - for fun! She liked making them squeak.... with out hurting them. One hell of a dog.

take your time Criss! a loss of a pet/child takes time to get over if a person can ever get over it! i know! we lost three dogs,they were like our children.after our last dog passed at 15 years old. i told my wife, thats it,please!!! no more pets for me! please! a week latter we bought our new puppy.and yes ,we lost one of our children and several of our dogs! itll take time!

Thier mouth are so soft when they want! I only say when they want because of the bite marks on my legs! The pups are still learning bite control. Griz has a very soft mouth. Thank god with his 1 1/2" canines!

I've totally jacked this thread, sorry OP! (Original poster)

I'm sorry for your loss Russau :( he is right. I'm not trying to shove a dog down your throat. Do whatever feels right!

Russ, I didn't know, and I am very sorry for your losses. Fennixsmom, My goodness, that's a dog! Chris - only because you stated "I want a puppy more than you can imagine". Seems like the time is about right.......

It's been over a year for me, I'm ready.
I also need protection and companionship at the mine this year, was sketchy without Lulu there last year.
You realize that I actually took that picture in my avatar, right?

Ha! He has antlers. What are you breeding them with?

ULP! Nice pic....... Up close and personal, that was.

EEEEK!!!! You do carry while out and about, right?!?!
he's bred with bad@&%! And a jackalope for cuteness!
I think I'm overestimating
Maybe only an inch and a quarter. I've never stuck a ruler in his mouth lol!

I usually carry but I was at the ranch that day without my dog or pea shooter. Had my camera though! Usually the other way around.
I'm not a Bear magnet but I've seen my fair share. Not my only encounter by a longshot but probably my closest. By far the largest Black Bear (chocolate) I've ever seen. My taxidermist agreed that it was a monster from the pics.

You beat me to it!

Welcome to the ColoradoProspector club fenixsmom!! Great to have you aboard!
BTW........That's one cute looking smoochie poochie, even with antlers.

LOL! Thanks! He's such a ham!
And my membership is the best v-day present ever!

That's not a selfie?

And that, my friends, is why I carry a .44 Mag in the woods.