Dogs: I like all dogs, mutts and purebreds, but I prefer getting them from rescues. We currently have a 70lb mix that looks like a skinny shorthaired pointer.
Fleece: the main downside to the lofty fleece is right above - dogs and dog hair. It just gets woven into it vs being able to shed it a bit more. I have a PDW DA Hoodie that is not lofty, but not a super tight weave and does pretty well. But overall I prefer the tighter weaves for better layering. Also, it seems like a lot of the lofty ones aren't as good for wind blocking and since they aren't as good for layering, why have the extra thickness? Just my take.
Affiliate/Advertising: Paraphrasing George Carlin - 50 percent of people are below average and the average person is pretty stupid. The internet gives everyone a voice and most of them don't use it well. There are a few people in the gear, firearms, camping, off-roading realms that have earned my trust in how they review and/or use products. You are one of them - most of the stuff I have got based on your recommendations has been great, some is quality just didn't work for me, and some I just don't think will work for me for a variety of reasons. Ivan Loomis of Kit Badger did a good video titled "The Cost of Free Gear" and it is pretty good if you haven't seen it.
Dogs and fleece: look at ones made with Polartec PowerAir. I have one from Houdini. It's heavy, and bizarrely not warm on its own but freakishly warm when layered, but is the fabric most impervious to dog hair I've found this side of a hard shell.
Sherpa fleece is great when you just want a cozy layer on its own. Lounging around home/camp/driving etc.
I take umbrage with your comments about your desire for an Anatolian Sheppard that could fight a Grizzly Bear. Really? You would actually pit a 120# dog against a 600# or greater Grizzly? That is tantamount to the gang-bangers getting a Staffordshire Bull Terriers for the express purpose to prove that their dog could kill the an opposing gang members dog. And to characterize all pure bred dogs as genetically deficient is a disservice to those of us that breed dogs ("which describes pretty much all pure breeds these days"). I am not saying that there are not unscrupulous dog breeders, just as there are terrible scribes, bad lawyers, self-serving doctors, and companies that produce more lemons than apples.
When I breed a litter I have tested my dogs (dog and bitch) for all known genetic shortcomings via DNA testing for our breed. I do further testing for disorders such as CHD, Cataracts, Deafness, Brucellosis, Thyroid disorders, and Cardiac. I also check the COF for the planned mating, looking for genetic diversity. If something else becomes an known issue we will look for breeding pairs that do not exhibit those traits. I would like to say that a genetically superior rescue mutt that would lead a healthier, longer lived, and less propensity for insanity(?) would fit your requirements for a family canine, but you really don't know what issues that your dogs have or don't have. You really wouldn't know where to start looking for genetic issues, until they surfaced. Rather than breeding a healthy dog, you are off to the rescue shelter for another "mutt" that some unscrupulous owner allowed to come into season and be bred to the neighbors German Shepherd, (or was it a Tibetan Mastiff it was bred to?).
I enjoy your 'Outside' outdoor YouTube videos, you obviously have a knack for telling a story. But when it comes to a discussion on genetically robust breeds, leave this to the experts, and don't do a disservice to those that spend countless hours perfecting our own science.
Adopting a dog that can be a great companion, in addition to fulfilling a real working need in your life sounds like a case of choosing the right dog. I write this from the Montana/Canada border, at the beginning of a bizarrely warm winter in which there's a very real chance the bears have not gone to bed yet. Watching dogs and bears interact is actually pretty neat. Most of the time they are able to alert each other of their presence ahead of time, avoiding the kind of surprises that lead to real conflict. When those occur, it usually is the dogs that end up running the bears off. Wild animals predicate every decision they make on avoiding injury. Injuries equal a reduced capacity to get food equal reduced odds of survival. Dogs know dad has super glue, and use that knowledge to inform stupid decisions.
With breeding, let me ask you a question: are you chasing recessive traits?
Sorry, we have been in the midst of a mid-winter move and I have been away. In answer to your question regarding breeding am I "chasing recessive traits" the answer to this is no in the strictest sense, unless your defined value of the term "chasing" is different than mine. We are identifying recessive traits so that we can enhance our breeding(s) around the recessives. Take primary lens luxation in our breed; its mode of inheritance was postulated in May of 1979, but the mutation was not available for testing until September of 2009. Since that date our breed our breed has had identified two forms progressive retinal atrophy, (although additional mutations are known to exist that have not been identified), as well as a test for NCL/CCL. There are additional testings that we conduct to identify issues other than these, as I stated before, that may be heritable or environmental, but we test for them never the less.
Forget the human fleece, any recommendations for dog jackets/fleece? Seems like there has to be some good alternatives other than Ruffwear that aren't $$$.
Check out Hurtta, our dogs wear the orange Rambler vest during hunting season, and it's good quality. Honestly, Ruffwear is my go to. Wiley's had the same Powderhound jacket for four years, and he's an asshole that will destroy anything. They actually invest time, effort, and expertise in designing their stuff which is more than most dog brands can say.
My main concern was him tearing it up running through brush but it sounds like they're pretty durable. His Ruffwear harness as held up well so I'll look into the Powderhound. Thanks!
No problem. I swear by Ruffwear stuff. Been happy with everything they've ever sold me. I guess the only thing to look out for is to use a measuring tape and make sure you get the right sizes.
Dogs: I like all dogs, mutts and purebreds, but I prefer getting them from rescues. We currently have a 70lb mix that looks like a skinny shorthaired pointer.
Fleece: the main downside to the lofty fleece is right above - dogs and dog hair. It just gets woven into it vs being able to shed it a bit more. I have a PDW DA Hoodie that is not lofty, but not a super tight weave and does pretty well. But overall I prefer the tighter weaves for better layering. Also, it seems like a lot of the lofty ones aren't as good for wind blocking and since they aren't as good for layering, why have the extra thickness? Just my take.
Affiliate/Advertising: Paraphrasing George Carlin - 50 percent of people are below average and the average person is pretty stupid. The internet gives everyone a voice and most of them don't use it well. There are a few people in the gear, firearms, camping, off-roading realms that have earned my trust in how they review and/or use products. You are one of them - most of the stuff I have got based on your recommendations has been great, some is quality just didn't work for me, and some I just don't think will work for me for a variety of reasons. Ivan Loomis of Kit Badger did a good video titled "The Cost of Free Gear" and it is pretty good if you haven't seen it.
Dogs and fleece: look at ones made with Polartec PowerAir. I have one from Houdini. It's heavy, and bizarrely not warm on its own but freakishly warm when layered, but is the fabric most impervious to dog hair I've found this side of a hard shell.
Sherpa fleece is great when you just want a cozy layer on its own. Lounging around home/camp/driving etc.
Wes,
I take umbrage with your comments about your desire for an Anatolian Sheppard that could fight a Grizzly Bear. Really? You would actually pit a 120# dog against a 600# or greater Grizzly? That is tantamount to the gang-bangers getting a Staffordshire Bull Terriers for the express purpose to prove that their dog could kill the an opposing gang members dog. And to characterize all pure bred dogs as genetically deficient is a disservice to those of us that breed dogs ("which describes pretty much all pure breeds these days"). I am not saying that there are not unscrupulous dog breeders, just as there are terrible scribes, bad lawyers, self-serving doctors, and companies that produce more lemons than apples.
When I breed a litter I have tested my dogs (dog and bitch) for all known genetic shortcomings via DNA testing for our breed. I do further testing for disorders such as CHD, Cataracts, Deafness, Brucellosis, Thyroid disorders, and Cardiac. I also check the COF for the planned mating, looking for genetic diversity. If something else becomes an known issue we will look for breeding pairs that do not exhibit those traits. I would like to say that a genetically superior rescue mutt that would lead a healthier, longer lived, and less propensity for insanity(?) would fit your requirements for a family canine, but you really don't know what issues that your dogs have or don't have. You really wouldn't know where to start looking for genetic issues, until they surfaced. Rather than breeding a healthy dog, you are off to the rescue shelter for another "mutt" that some unscrupulous owner allowed to come into season and be bred to the neighbors German Shepherd, (or was it a Tibetan Mastiff it was bred to?).
I enjoy your 'Outside' outdoor YouTube videos, you obviously have a knack for telling a story. But when it comes to a discussion on genetically robust breeds, leave this to the experts, and don't do a disservice to those that spend countless hours perfecting our own science.
Adopting a dog that can be a great companion, in addition to fulfilling a real working need in your life sounds like a case of choosing the right dog. I write this from the Montana/Canada border, at the beginning of a bizarrely warm winter in which there's a very real chance the bears have not gone to bed yet. Watching dogs and bears interact is actually pretty neat. Most of the time they are able to alert each other of their presence ahead of time, avoiding the kind of surprises that lead to real conflict. When those occur, it usually is the dogs that end up running the bears off. Wild animals predicate every decision they make on avoiding injury. Injuries equal a reduced capacity to get food equal reduced odds of survival. Dogs know dad has super glue, and use that knowledge to inform stupid decisions.
With breeding, let me ask you a question: are you chasing recessive traits?
Sorry, we have been in the midst of a mid-winter move and I have been away. In answer to your question regarding breeding am I "chasing recessive traits" the answer to this is no in the strictest sense, unless your defined value of the term "chasing" is different than mine. We are identifying recessive traits so that we can enhance our breeding(s) around the recessives. Take primary lens luxation in our breed; its mode of inheritance was postulated in May of 1979, but the mutation was not available for testing until September of 2009. Since that date our breed our breed has had identified two forms progressive retinal atrophy, (although additional mutations are known to exist that have not been identified), as well as a test for NCL/CCL. There are additional testings that we conduct to identify issues other than these, as I stated before, that may be heritable or environmental, but we test for them never the less.
Forget the human fleece, any recommendations for dog jackets/fleece? Seems like there has to be some good alternatives other than Ruffwear that aren't $$$.
Check out Hurtta, our dogs wear the orange Rambler vest during hunting season, and it's good quality. Honestly, Ruffwear is my go to. Wiley's had the same Powderhound jacket for four years, and he's an asshole that will destroy anything. They actually invest time, effort, and expertise in designing their stuff which is more than most dog brands can say.
My main concern was him tearing it up running through brush but it sounds like they're pretty durable. His Ruffwear harness as held up well so I'll look into the Powderhound. Thanks!
No problem. I swear by Ruffwear stuff. Been happy with everything they've ever sold me. I guess the only thing to look out for is to use a measuring tape and make sure you get the right sizes.