Winterspring
Well-Known Member
We all know about the camel pacing that Filas do. I watch him trot around, one, two, one, two, having a smoke while waiting for him to find the perfect spot to relieve himself while I'm standing in the backyard like a dork in my underwear at four in the morning.
I know a few of the breeds that went into making this one. I'm not sure I've ever seen that gait before on a dog of any breed.
Is anyone well-versed in the history of the breed enough to know if the pacing was intentional or incidental? If it was intentional, why? I know it makes camels and Tennessee Walkers smoother to ride, but with camels, it's just how they move, and the TW was bred to be a very smooth ride. However, I have noticed that I'm a bit too tall to saddle up on the ol' boy, so I'm curious.
Also, was anyone else completely neurotic when they got their first dog, or their first Fila? I'm neurotic about *everything* to do with him. Watch him poo. Watch to see how much water he's drinking. Checking his pads to make sure they're in good condition, not too soft and not too hard. Why does his muzzle look pinkish? It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that he drags his face on the ground looking for a good pee spot. It has to be dog plague. Check his ears. Do they still look clear? Did the antibiotics and ear washes do their job? Whose advice do I take on whether to feed him on the floor or in an elevated dish?
Finally, everyone tells me my dog is huge. He just doesn't seem that big to me. Am I warped? Or does he just not look that big to me because he's mine. I've not been able to get him to stand still long enough to measure him. He keeps trying to eat the measuring tape. >_<
I know a few of the breeds that went into making this one. I'm not sure I've ever seen that gait before on a dog of any breed.
Is anyone well-versed in the history of the breed enough to know if the pacing was intentional or incidental? If it was intentional, why? I know it makes camels and Tennessee Walkers smoother to ride, but with camels, it's just how they move, and the TW was bred to be a very smooth ride. However, I have noticed that I'm a bit too tall to saddle up on the ol' boy, so I'm curious.
Also, was anyone else completely neurotic when they got their first dog, or their first Fila? I'm neurotic about *everything* to do with him. Watch him poo. Watch to see how much water he's drinking. Checking his pads to make sure they're in good condition, not too soft and not too hard. Why does his muzzle look pinkish? It couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that he drags his face on the ground looking for a good pee spot. It has to be dog plague. Check his ears. Do they still look clear? Did the antibiotics and ear washes do their job? Whose advice do I take on whether to feed him on the floor or in an elevated dish?
Finally, everyone tells me my dog is huge. He just doesn't seem that big to me. Am I warped? Or does he just not look that big to me because he's mine. I've not been able to get him to stand still long enough to measure him. He keeps trying to eat the measuring tape. >_<