solotripper wrote on Sep 25^th, 2013 at 12:41pm:


But how do you know? I used to run coon hounds. My dog enjoyed going so much that he would blow the house down from his pen every evening so we could get going. When I showed up to load him he would be all wiggles and whines.......obviously delighting in the prospect of pursuing raccoons.

He was the best kill dog that anyone that I hunted with had ever seen. One night, late in the season and very late at night (the frost was heavy on the ground) I unleashed him in a cut corn field. Moments later was the most awful ruckus coming from him that I had ever heard (he was a big dog and very loud).........I thought he had gotten tangled up in an electric fence and went running towards him as fast as I could.

I came upon quite a standoff in my headlight beam........the biggest racoon that I had ever seen and Duffy were faced off amongst the cut corn stalks. The coon seen me and bolted and duffy grabbed hold. They tumbled round and round with the coon putting out the punishment in heavy doses as my dog howled with pain. The broke apart again and my dog was splayed out, tail in the air wagging wildly and face barking his adversary as another standoff ensued.......he was obviously enjoying himself tremendously. He liked nothing better than to grab a coon by the throat and pin it to the ground until it stopped moving.

After seeing what is obviously pure unadulterated pleasure in pursuing and killing no one can convince me that carnivores don't take some delight in doing their thing. But that's just my opinion and I could be wrong 

I will agree with you that there is a genetic component which is intrinsic in (dare I say it) the Creation. But I contend that animals have lots of basic emotions that scientists would say is "instinct" or "programming".

There are far to many examples of animal behavior to suggest other wise. No one can convince me after having spent years, hundreds of nights and thousands of hours with my dog that he didn't enjoy his profession. In fact I would dare say he was as specialized in his art as these fellows 
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And if I find out (after we can talk to our dogs) that the crapping in the house was just for giggles, well lets just say trouble is coming.

Oh goodness, we have strayed far and wide from pike filets have we knot? 

   

mastertangler wrote on Sep 22^nd, 2013 at 11:03am:


Ditto, But there's a "parachute cord" that needs to be pulled out of that top fat piece too.