|
Nyx
Stories:
Nyx is a once in
a lifetime dog. He has a multitude of qualities combining to make a loyal
trustworthy companion and I have no doubt he would give his life for his family.
The good part is, he does not think he needs to show that side of his
personality often. I have owned dogs that I needed to protect people from.
I have learned in the past 5 years that with Nyx, I have to protect him from
people. You would be amazed at the people who will run up to him
when he is in my truck, or on my cart/UTV or laying at my feet, and get right in
his face and be loud and obnoxious. Nyx lets people know when they step
over the line, but he never makes them pay for it.
Nyx has had a
handler get in his face while laying at my feet; my brother in-law grab
his jowls and blow in his nose while Nyx was sitting on my cart the first time
he met Nyx; one of the most surprising was a Bullmastiff breeder at the National
specialty running up to Nyx while he sat on my cart and putting her face in his
while she was being loud and obnoxious. Each time Nyx has reacted in a
controlled "get out of my face" growl or bark. He has more control than I
do. This is why I say I need to protect him from some people. Some people
have no idea what they are doing and no awareness of how they are acting and its
effect on animals.
I have joined in
on list serve conversations and have a couple stories I related there and in
personal email:
Story 1:
Nyx and Lacey and the Electric Company Men
Last Tuesday mid morning I was in my home office checking email. Nyx made a
quiet buffff as he ran out the dog door after Lacey. I did not think much of it
because they do that several times a day when they hear a sound from an animal,
a neighbor or ??? About 30 seconds later I walked into the living room and saw
someone in the back yard with his back up against the gate! It was about 15
degrees outside and I stepped half out the door to see Nyx and Lacey with their
faces about 6 inches from the guy as he was leaning back against the gate. I
did a recall on each dog and they actually RAN BACK TO ME !!! (usually they
think about the options and then saunter over or to the side in my general
direction)
In my construction language: I asked the man what he was doing in my yard. And
asked him to back out and close the gate behind him while I put my boots and
jacket on.
I have a fence and padlocked gate around approximately 10 acres and the house. I
have an additional fence and gate, inside the first fence, around the house and
a half acre. The man said he was from the power company and he was changing all
the electric meters in our area to the new 900 MHz transmitting meters that read
themselves and transmit the readings back to the power company office. I asked
him if he saw any of the 5 "beware of dog" or "Dogs Bite" signs posted on the
gates and along the drive coming toward the house. He said he figured we were
not home and he climbed over the fence. He said a lot of people have "Beware of
Dog" signs and he had never been bitten by a dog. He has dogs, and "dogs like
me".
I told him he was lucky my dogs did not knock him down or bite him. He said he
got scared when Lacey came running out the dog door, "But when that big guy came
running out, I thought it was all over". "That big guy just ran up to me and
put his paws right here on my shoulders and breathed on me. He kept me pushed up
against the gate. I figured he knew I had dogs because he got down and just
stood there".
I worked in construction most my life and when my adrenalin kicks in, I don't
hold much back. I let this guy know what Nyx was telling him and just how smart
I thought he was. Just as I was letting this guy have it, another guy comes
walking up the drive. The second guy was smart enough to let guy 1 come in the
back yard before he did. When guy 2 saw Nyx, he dropped the glass electric meter
and it smashed to a million pieces on the drive as he ran down the hill and dove
over the outer fence.
I did not know what was more amazing. The dummy ignoring the warning signs and
jumping the fence and coming through the second fence with warning signs, or
that Lacey and Nyx flew in a dead run back to me at the door. I think the dogs
were so happy to do their job and they knew I was PO'd and they were having a
blast. I can't even imagine what the electric company guys were thinking coming
over the fence and ignoring all warnings.
I will say that I am so impressed with my dogs and the breed. I have heard the
stories about the Bullmastiffs working to stop bad guys but not maul them. I did
not believe those stories. I worked with other breed dogs for years and trained
dogs to eliminate threats and incapacitate intruders. I trained professional
area and personal protection dogs. I have done no area or protection training
with any of these dogs nor do I intend to. The discernment and confidence shown
by Lacey and Nyx is innate. The threat stopped and their response was measured.
I did not want them to be tested as they were, but you never know when an idiot
will jump your fence and ignore all warning signs. I am happy with their
response and have more confidence than before this incident. I would rather have
a dog measuring the aggression needed to halt a threat, than a dog that charges
in and incapacitates the intruder.
The Electric Company man promised me he would write in the company book that we
have big dogs and no one should just come on the property when it is locked.
I argued the biting/mauling/measured response about a year ago on the list. I
apologize to the people that knew more than I did about this breed.
I continue to learn and be humbled, but more, I am amazed by the natural
abilities of Bullmastiffs. (I think they deserve the capital B)
bill
Story 2:
Nyx knows Who the Bad Guys Are !!!
Nyx grew up with me 24/7 except rare days. Nyx goes on errands, fun trips, shows
and went to work at highway construction sites. I let him out of the vehicle and
he would roam around and check out everyone there. He often shares their lunch.
He has been to music festivals, in parades and at different crowds. He has seen
many people and most he sniffs and then moves on not caring if people want to
pet him or not. Most of the time Nyx is lying beside me, like now, or watching
me work.
Nyx has growled at 2 people, at different times, with no provocation I could
see. Both were 8-10 feet away and I was standing right beside Nyx. He looked at
them and gave a low growl that could not be mistaken for anything but a severe
warning. I removed him and scolded him in both instances.
The first instance was at my son's dorm when Nyx was 14 months old. I had gone
to help him move into his dorm at NC State with hundreds of other 18-21 year
olds. Nyx was with me. Hundreds of boys were walking by us for hours and
reaching out and petting Nyx. Will's next door neighbor walked out of his room
and looked at Nyx. Nyx had never seen him before. Nyx alerted and gave the low
growl that would make your hair stand on end. The fellow walked backwards into
his room and I took Nyx into Will's room with my displeasure.
Is this an aggressive dog? Does he have a problem? Is he dangerous? All this
went through my mind.
We have been back to visit at Will's dorm and Nyx has met most on the floor.
Yes, dogs are not allowed in the dorm. Nyx thinks the world of Will and falls
all over him. I like all to know Will has dogs, as every one in my town knows
who lives at my house.
Oh yeah, the guy that lived next to my son was arrested last weekend . He and a
pal had robbed 3-4 people, with a .38 pistol, in their dorm rooms and then gone
outside of the dorm and were trying to car-jack people with their gun. The first
college girl locked her doors when she saw them coming and they shot at her
through her door as she drove away. Then they took a car from the next college
kids. You can go to WRAL archives in Raleigh to get an accurate story and see my
son being interviewed as the criminals next door neighbor. WRAL.com (my
son was in his room with the door unlocked, but they never bothered him)
Now, again, I think of the same questions:
Is this an aggressive dog? (or does he have great discernment of who is a bad
guy?) Does he have a problem? (or is he a hero? ) (The criminal next door
neighbor did not rob my son) Is he dangerous? (or is he smart ?)
I'll keep him just how he is,
Bill
Nyx is 27 inches tall at the shoulder,
has a wide chest and shoulders, and looks like he means business. 99.9% of
people with bad intentions will take one look at Nyx and move on. Charley
Sharkedy, who trained me to train dogs, told me 99% of a guard dogs job is to
make the criminal look for another victim and leave you or your property alone.
My work with professional guard dogs proved this out many times.
Story
3
Bear in the Bees
Saturday morning we woke up to one
of our bee hives destroyed and some animal had torn the hive and frames to
shreds and ate all the honey. I figured it was a dog and we had built a
fence around the hives Saturday before dark.
About 3:30 am Sunday
morning I heard Nyx run out through the dog door and start barking like he meant
business. Nyx has an unmistakable intense low pitched rapid bark when
there is a true danger and he wants to address it. I put on my pants,
grabbed my gun and light and ran out the door. I opened the gate next to
the house and Nyx ran down the hill with Pearl and Blaze and lacey close behind.
I ran to my small cart and drove down the hill to see Blaze, pearl and 2 large
hunting dogs/bear dogs. The larger bear dog snarled at Blaze and she ran
up the hill to the house. Then the same bear dog snarled at 7 month old
pearl and she leaned into his face, raised her lips to show her teeth and
snarled right back at him, always moving closer.
I whistled for Nyx and he
came running back from the pond. He had chased something up the hill.
I turned around and that bigger bear dog was sitting on my cart like he was
going to drive it away. I tried to yell at him to get off and he growled
at me. I poked him with a stick and he tried to bite the stick and me.
I called and showed him the dog on his cart and he put his front paws on the
seat and stood over the dog. That bear dog jumped off the seat and stomped
on the gas pedal and the cart flew down the drive and crashed into the gate and
broke the windshield. The bear dog then ran up into the garage.
We looked around the
smashed bee hive and saw the bear tracks and place the bear had sat as he
destroyed the frames to eat the honey. I learned a bit about the different
personalities of my dogs and I was glad they were with me. We moved the
hives into a barn and the bear ate 2 of our goats in the next 3 days as it
recuperated from the long winter hibernation.
Nyx is a joy to live with and knows he
has a job to do keeping us safe on our farm.
HOME
About
Us Nyx Lace
Nyx/ Lacey Pups Nyx
Puppies
Blaze
Big Ridge Scottish Highland Cattle
|