I used to have a Shepherd/Malamute mix... that dog was INCREDIBLE! Smarter than many people I know. If you looked in his eyes you can actually watch him thinking and trying to figure things out. If a kid walked down the street he knew it wasn't a threat and just a quick glance was all it took to verify that. If you told him to get one of his toys, he knew exactly which one you were talking about and would bring it.
When my dad got injured, he stayed with us for awhile and I set him up in the semi-finished corner of the basement. He told us about twice a night he'd wake up due to feeling the dog rubbing against his hand or leg (hanging off of the twin bed he was on) almost like the dog was making his rounds and checking to see if he was ok. He said that this actually comforted him and made it easier for him to get through the whole ordeal (mom left him.. couple years later when he got hurt his G/F dumped him for staying with me... then after he went back to work they fired him.. he's been through a lot).
Anyway, my wife left me almost two years ago and took the dog with her. Earlier this spring, my G/F adopted a puppy, and she did the 'typical woman' thing of "AWW HE'S SO CUTE! LETS GET HIM" and don't get me wrong he's a good dog, but he's DUMB AS A ROCK! Barks at everything that moves... he goes nuts when the other dogs in the neighborhood go nuts (whether he actually sees something or not)... but I looked outside the other day to see what all the dogs were barking at, I saw a kid jumping the fence and cutting through my back yard, and my dog was just sitting there... not barking... watching him walk by. What a DORK!
As much as I'd hate to say it, we'll probably end up giving him away if we can find a family that would appreciate him. He's a good dog don't get me wrong, but he wants constant attention and just want to run ALL of the time! He needs to be on a farm with a family with kids. The G/F is at wits end with him and once I go back to work next year he'll be locked up outside or in the kitchen 75% of the day anyway.. it's just not a good life for him. I just can't trust him to have the house to himself during the day.
