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I'm not sure this question deserves its own thread, so here it is! When breeding dogs, what is the proper minimum age you would want both the sire and the dam to be? I know some tests like for hip dysplasia can't be accurately done until the dog is at least 24 months old, so it would seem to me that it would be irresponsible to breed before this point. I'm looking at buying an Australian Shepherd puppy from a breeder, but I'm a bit concerned at the age of the sire. He's only now 2 years old (and the puppies are currently 3 weeks old and are CKC registered), and I'm holding off on committing until I get his newest medical information due in next week. Are there any other risks involved in siring a litter so early?
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Aug 24, 2009 02:23
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At what age are you able to ascertain a dog's ability to hear? I'm going to be getting an Aussie puppy from a litter with several patterned-white mismarks. A few of these pups have an excess of white on their heads - specifically around their eyes and ears. I know that deafness is essentially caused by lack of pigment within the inner ear, then nerves die off as a result. Since I keep reading about atrophe I've been wondering if this is a process that happens in the weeks/months after birth, of if it's essentially done by the time the ears open. I want to know whether a vet will be able to accurately test the pup's hearing around 7 weeks of age.
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Sep 16, 2009 22:13
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Lioness posted:If the litter was bred from two merle dogs (meaning a few of them could be homozygous for merle) don't even think about getting one of them and supporting that breeder. If only 1 of the parents was merle the chances of bilateral deafness in any of the puppies is pretty low. Don't worry -- I know enough to completely avoid homozygous merles (and their breeders). The pups in question were bred from a black tri mother and a blue merle father. The litter was of 2 blue merles and 5 black tris - two of the tris were mismarks. The breeder is reputable. I've done enough reading to know that the genetic problems that plague MM Aussies will not effect this litter, but there is still a risk of at least some deafness since the pups have so much white on them. The sire has only ever produced one mismark before and the dam never has. The pups are very unusual looking, but gorgeous. So, the chance of deafness is lower, but still present. I've done a lot of reading on pattern white/lethal white Aussies and am trying to educate myself as best I can before I make any choices. Can anyone else weigh in on when it's possible to accurately ascertain a dog's ability to hear? Bonus pic of one of the pups in question. You can probably see why I fell so in love with her.  Click here for the full 692x461 image. The black under the dog's ear and by one of its eyes bodes as a good sign to me. a life less fucked around with this message at 22:41 on Sep 17, 2009 |
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Sep 17, 2009 22:35
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the posted:How do I give my cat these goddamn pills? She can eat around the food in Pill pockets, and we just had to basically force parts of them into her mouth for the past ten minutes, which slowly dissolved in her mouth as we forced it closed, and now she's walking around with this HUGE saliva drool trail. I have to do this every day for the next two weeks. We used to put the pill at the very back of the cat's mouth and then stroke the underside of the throat until the cat swallowed. The stroking will cue the swallowing reaction. I haven't had a cat in years, so there might be a nicer method that I haven't heard about.
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Sep 24, 2009 01:37
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Is there a Pet Island IRC channel? Is it open to forum casuals like me? If so, how does a non-irc savvy person access it?
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Sep 29, 2009 15:54
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Irukandji Syndrome posted:What kind of proof does a reputable breeder generally give that the puppy has gone to the vet and gotten everything checked out? I mean, a backyard breeder is probably going to know the rudimentary bits of a breed's health characteristics, enough to lie and go "yeah, we had that tested" but how do you know if that's legit? If he called their vet would the vet legally be able to discuss it? Also, said breeder claims the pup is AKC registered but as that doesn't seem to mean anything, what's the best way to get proof that this dog isn't the latest in a legacy of inbreeding or poor parental choices? If the puppy is AKC registered the breeder will be able to provide you with the puppy's pedigree. You'll want to look at the parents, their accreditations and their lineage. Ideally the parents should be championed, or otherwise proven for desirable characteristics within the breed. AKC registration isn't an automatic "this puppy is awesome" stamp, but I don't think I'd work with a breeder who didn't register with a kennel club. The breeder should be running health checks on the parents, and will be able to provide you with certificates for their clearances, ie OFA hip clearances, CERF eyes, etc. Irukandji Syndrome posted:He knows he should avoid people that do BYB for a living, or just throw two parents together for the sake of "gently caress yeah," but what if the breeder responsibly chose two healthy, non-related parents, kept a puppy or few for themselves, and is adopting out the rest? Should he still avoid this person for not being a reputable breeder with years of experience and championed dogs? Do you know which breeder your friend is looking at? If you're able to provide a name/link I'm sure the PIers can pour over it and help you out. This is a relatively good guide for what to look for while searching for a puppy: http://www.cyberpet.com/dogs/articles/findpet/findpup.htm This one pertains mostly to why you don't buy dogs from a pet store, but it also outlines what you would expect from a reputable breeder: http://hattrick-dals.home.att.net/10Reasons.html Testimonials can be helpful, especially when they're from people who are active within the breed. In my experience, the pickier breeders are the most responsible ones. Be prepared for them to grill you about your past animals, your current living arrangements and more. It can be intimidating, but in the long run it's for the best. If the breeder shrugs their shoulders and says they can "just tell" you'll be a good candidate due to their many years in the business it's a warning sign. Also, the best breeders have waiting lists for their puppies. They do not breed often and their dogs will be in high demand. Finding a good dog takes a lot of planning, and a lot of patience. Edit: Another thing I wanted to add. A responsible breeder will always be willing to take the puppy back should your life change in such a way that taking care of a dog is no longer an option. (Cash back is unlikely.) They should also have health guarantees with the pup, if it falls ill from a hereditary disease. A signed contract should outline both the breeder's and the buyer's responsibilities in such a situation. a life less fucked around with this message at 22:30 on Oct 7, 2009 |
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Oct 7, 2009 22:16
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Irukandji Syndrome posted:e: Also, does saying they have AKC papers and a pedigree prove the dog isn't inbred? Nope. It seems really weird to me, but in some circles it's considered appropriate to mate a father with a daughter, or granddaughter, etc. I think you're better off just looking at the soundness of the parents, as well as their credentials. A breeder who's been working with the line for some time will be able to answer that for you. It sounds like your friend will be picking up a dog from a BYB, at best.
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Oct 7, 2009 23:05
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Irukandji Syndrome posted:I'm suspicious of the breeder, as is my friend. He's put together a list of questions to grill her on when he calls: - How old is the dam? How many litters has she produced? - Why do you breed Shelties? Why did you choose to breed these two particular dogs? - Have both parents been tested for MDR1 mutation? Results?
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Oct 7, 2009 23:40
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Noirex posted:I'm looking to adopt a Husky puppy in Atlanta and saw this ad advertised on Craigslist that this person has one more Husky puppy left. She was asking for a $250 'adoption fee' but I went to her website and the puppies seem to be well taken care of and living in her home. I emailed her and she was enthusiastic about me meeting the puppy at her home so that's a good sign? She claims in her website that if for any reason you cannot keep the dog years from now, she will take the dog back and find him or her a home. One of the biggest red flags is that there is little to no information about the litter's parents. The key trait of a responsible breeder is that they prove their dogs to be proper ambassadors of the breed through showing, herding, etc, and they have the certificates to show for it. They would also come with AKC/etc papers showing that they are registered purebred. (AKC registration is not an automatic stamp of approval, but a lack of one is a bad sign.) Also I see no mention of health testing done on the dam or sire. I'm not sure what one specifically is to look for in huskies, but it is customary to look for proper hip certifications, eyes, patellas, etc. Health testing is expensive, and is a sign of a breeder being dedicated to their dogs. $250 seems very inexpensive for a husky. Advertising on Craigslist is normally a bad sign too. There's BYB all over this site.
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Oct 15, 2009 16:28
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Noirex posted:She did not answer if the puppies are AKC registered but did give me their vet's name. I also don't understand the part about her having the 'backing of Eukanuba'. She SOUNDS sincere, too bad about the backyard breeding :/ She did answer about AKC registration - since the dogs she bred came from a shelter they did not have their papers. And puppies will only be registered if their parents are. They also wouldn't be registered since, as nonanone said, the pups are mutts. It's a bad sign that the dogs she's breeding are only dogs she owns. It means that they're litters of convenience. She's probably not really out to make a quick buck, and she is probably highly motivated to find her dogs good homes, but she is breeding her dogs irresponsibly. Again, I want to stress how bad an idea it is that she did not health test her dogs before breeding. Guh. Also, the "backing by Eukanuba" is something to be disregarded, as it means absolutely nothing.
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Oct 15, 2009 17:08
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CagedLiberty posted:You would think that woman, if she is so passionate about rescuing and shelters, and acknowledges a lot of rescues end up because of BYB people having too many litters, wouldn't have managed to have three 'just happen'. How can anyone let three litters just happen? What would she think would come of not having her dogs fixed? Apparently her first litter "just happened" and the next two were planned. Why she didn't speuter her dogs upon receiving them is a mystery to me.
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Oct 15, 2009 19:36
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My dog seems to have clammy paws. I've noticed that when my pup (not yet 3mos) gets nervous she tends to leave tiny footprints behind: when she's let out after a car ride, when she's in a store for the first time. At first I thought that she might have piddled a bit due to stress, but so far I've not found any other wet spots when I notice this. What gives?
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Nov 15, 2009 15:20
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pork never goes bad posted:How are bulldogs as a first dog? I hear they are very docile and easy going, which is good, but I have also heard they can be hard to train due to a combination of legendary, if overstated, stubbornness and sometimes remarkable stupidity. Any other breeds that are recommended as good first dogs that are, well, not yellow? I do not think a bulldog would be a good first dog. Any bulldog I've met has been incredibly stubborn, and surprisingly strong. Unless you have an excellent idea of what you're getting in to, and what you plan to achieve, another breed is probably best suited to you. Not to mention their health needs, and generally costly vet bills. Most of the best family type dogs at my dog park seem to be Retrievers and Terrier mixes. But it really depends on what you're looking for. My family started with an Australian Shepherd and we've never looked back.
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Dec 2, 2009 03:49
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It will help if both dogs have recently been on a good walk (separately) to drain excess energy.
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Dec 30, 2009 04:59
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amishsexpot posted:Question about Heartgard... I live in New York and it's currently still quite cold out. I've looked at several websites selling Heartgard that say that it should be administered at the very least during the mosquito season + 1 month after. The vet suggested giving it every month all year round though. One of Heartgard's active ingredients is ivermectin. Some dog breeds have a gene mutation (MDR1) that greatly increases their sensitivity to the drug, and exposure can result in severe neurological damage or death. Read more about it here. The most serious reactions happen when an animal is carrying 2 copies of the mutation, one from each parent, but increased sensitivity might occur in single copy carriers as well. According to that site the following breeds are affected: Australian Shepherds Collies (Rough and Smooth) English Shepherds McNabbs Miniature Australian Shepherds Old English Sheepdogs German Shepherd Dogs Long-haired Whippets Shetland Sheepdogs Silken Windhounds Mix-breeds with any of the above in their background From what I know, Corgis aren't affected. MDR1 mutation testing used to be pretty pricey, but from what I've heard there's somewhere in the US that is offering testing for $35 -- pretty reasonable, and if you own one of the "at risk" breeds, pretty helpful.
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Jan 18, 2010 22:00
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Sammich P.I. posted:Are walking jackets harder for animals to struggle out of? We had an incident where she got terrified on a walk, slipped her harness, and off she went! What about a martingale collar? I've only ever had big dogs, so I'm not sure about using one on a more delicate smaller dog, but my boyfriend's family has two chis who each walk with one.
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Jan 21, 2010 19:08
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Longpig posted:What is the best way to tell where the quick is when trimming a black dog's nails? I'm afraid we aren't cutting them short enough for fear of hitting it, but I'm not sure at all where it is. I've read to trim back until you see the black dot inside the nail, but that seems kind of trial and error - aren't chances kind of good that you could cut that way? My dog is a medium sized breed (~50lbs). I use dog nail clippers with a safety that keeps you from cutting off too much of the nail at once. The general rule of thumb I've worked by is that it's time to cut my dog's nails when I can hear them clacking on the linoleum, and at that point I sit him down and take two snips with the safety on from each nail. I suspect that the correct length can vary a lot, so it's a good idea to do as WolfensteinBag suggests to cut down on the trial and error process. A bleeding nail can drastically reduce your dog's enthusiasm for pedicures. a life less fucked around with this message at 23:23 on Jan 29, 2010 |
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Jan 29, 2010 23:20
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My 6 month old pup is currently at the clinic for a spay. The vet called me and told me that she has an umbilical hernia. They suggested they operate to correct this during the spay, and I agreed. I was expecting to have my dog on mild exercise for 10 days (or at least attempt to -- she's used to 2-3 hours a day at the dog park, and I fully expect her to go stir-crazy). Will it lengthen the recovery process? Or will it stay about the same, considering the nature of the operation?
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Feb 10, 2010 17:02
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Ceridwen posted:I'd expect it to be pretty similar. If it were a hernia repair on top of a neuter it would be different (since a neuter is much less invasive) but I don't think adding one on top of a spay would make a huge difference. Thanks Ceridwen! The procedure went fine, and Cohen now has a 6 inch scar across her abdomen (which would have been ~4 inches if not for the hernia repair). The vet said the same thing: that the healing process would be mostly unaffected. I have another question, now about post-spay itchiness. So I know that I'm to keep her from licking the wound so I watch her closely when I can, and use a cone when I can't. She seems okay about staying away from her stitches but she's pretty aggravated by the parts that were shaved -- her forearm for the IV and the sides of her belly. I imagine that the hair growing back is itchy. Should I dissuade her from licking these areas? I imagine it could impair hair regrowth, but on the flip side, they must be pretty aggravating judging on how focused she is on soothing them -- if it's harmless I may as well allow her the relief.
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Feb 12, 2010 16:04
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hallo spacedog posted:I guess I'm going to have to try a harness because I'm sick of him running away from me when I try to put a pinch collar on, but even though he was good when I first took him out on the regular collar today, he soon decided to go back to pulling like crazy and almost choked himself so... yeah. I was under the impression that pinch collars were a temporary training tool, and aren't to be relied on in the long term. It kind of sounds like you were relying too heavily on it and not really replacing the unwanted behaviour (pulling) with the desired behaviour. It sounds like you're a good candidate for a no-pull harness. I know you said that your dog is not food motivated, so R+ / clicker training might not work, but I've heard that if your dog is not food motivated you're either not using tasty enough treats, or your dog's not hungry enough. I see no problem in feeding your dog entire meals while clicker training. Look up some R+ tactics to teach both loose leash walking and heeling and maybe go from there.
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Mar 10, 2010 14:55
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I've got a question about bloat. I have a 7 mo Aussie. My father was walking her at a local park and ran into an acquaintance who used to work at a vet's office who warned him not to feed our dog before a walk (where she tends to run around a lot) since barrel-chested dogs are at risk of bloat. I've always fed our dog before walks since it reduces her interest in garbage, mud, etc at the park. Lately I've been feeding her a handful before walks, and the rest of the meal when we get back, just to be careful. But I'd not heard about Aussies being at risk of bloat, and don't put much stock in the advice of some woman from the park. What does PI think?
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Mar 21, 2010 15:36
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RazorBunny posted:When we adopted our greyhound they warned us against allowing strenuous exercise (i.e. running) right after eating, but said that leashed walks were fine. I know my sister's Aussie eats right before the evening walk most nights because the combination of food and walking encourages her to poop, and that both her vet and the breeder approved of this - but likewise warned against letting her run for an hour or so after a meal. We turn my dog loose and let her run (there's an awesome off-leash park at the end of my street). So, it sounds like it'd probably just be best to feed her the bulk of the meal once she returns home. Thanks RazorBunny!
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Mar 21, 2010 21:00
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Schlegel Mach posted:Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with an excited pee-er? The key is to avoid the situations that cause your pup to pee. With time she should grow out of it, but until then do your best to deal with her calmly and quietly. My pup would submissive pee when she got really excited to see us. We would completely ignore her when we walked in the door and only acknowledge her after she'd grown tired of trying to get our attention, and even then it was only a pat on the head -- nothing exciting. Also if I knew we'd be getting a visitor at 5:30 I would take the pup out at 5:25 for a pee. It's not 100% effective, but I found that she was much less likely to have an accident on a near-empty bladder. It's hard to resist the temptation to get your pet riled up, but in the end you're not doing them or yourself any favours if your actions result in a puddle on the floor.
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May 11, 2010 06:08
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Wally P posted:Hey, does this look like a reputable breeder? http://www.snowangelssamoyeds.com All in all they look like they're doing a number of things right: they don't have many dogs, the dogs seem to live in a home environment, several dogs have been championed, etc. They seem to be really involved and active with their dogs, which is important to me. I see that they've posted health test results for a few dogs, but not all of them. If you were to get a puppy through this breeder I would insist on seeing the test results for the parents. I'm not familiar with the breed so I'm not sure what else to require beyond the basics: CERF, OFA.
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May 24, 2010 21:22
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Longpig posted:I posted about a page ago about my dog suddenly starting to resist bedtime... I thought it was just exercise (with it being too hot to really get as much as she usually does) but now I'm not sure. After I posted that I decided to try running with her at night after work, when it's cooler. The first night we did it she went to bed quietly, but last night even after running 2 miles (on top of her usual walks and dog park time) she was still whining and barking after I left her in her crate. Again I waited for her to be silent 10-20 seconds, then let her outside for a minute (she did pee a tiny amount), then put her back. And tonight, even after playing so hard at the dog park (it's a lot cooler today) that she was basically an unresponsive lump the rest of the day, she's doing it again! Argh! I do not want to be up at 12:30 am re-crate training my dog! What's going on and what can I do to fix it? Recently my dog started doing something similar: she would wake up about an hour before the rest of the house and bark -- it was high pitched and constant. I would yell from my bed for her to shut up, and she would, but often would start up again 20 minutes later. I tried ignoring her to try not to reinforce the behaviour, but it's awfully hard when you really really want that extra hour of sleep. What I ended up doing last week which seems to have had an effect is to cover the sides of the crate with a blanket. Now my dog stays quiet until she's let out in the morning. I'm not sure it'd work for you, but it might be worth a try. Otherwise, ignore her when she's acting up. Don't bother waiting the 10-20 seconds. Your dog's a border collie mix, and therefore smarter than you are and she knows how to get what she wants despite the wait. Is she crated during the day? You might want to start doing that for a few hours so she's most accustomed to being put away.
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May 28, 2010 12:22
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This Post Sucks posted:I'm about to get a great dane puppy, but due to finances, I can't get the nice wire crate I want for him until my next pay check (2 weeks from today). I was worried that you might be underestimating the cost of owning a dog, let alone a large one, but it sounds like you have it under control. I doubt your pup will even notice when you switch the crates up as long as their size is appropriate. If your pup seems to get used to the closed walls of the carrier you can purchase a cover for the wire crate or just cover it with a blanket. Keeping the unwashed bedding should ease the transition too.
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Jun 1, 2010 20:34
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so it goes posted:For any dog breeders on PI, what's the average amount of litters your females have? 2-3 is the ideal max.
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Jun 2, 2010 05:24
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Skizzles posted:Then she came across this vest: http://fireworks.com/phantom_mall/photo.asp?pid=1209 Does anyone know if this is any good or if it's complete bullshit? It's not super cheap so I'd like to have some insight on it before throwing down any money. Some people have had great success with calming vests, but they don't work for every dog. It's hard to judge its effectiveness until you've actually given it a go. The name (brand?) I've heard tossed around is Thunder Shirt. You can also place your dog in a secure place and play loud music in an attempt to drown out some of the more upsetting sounds. If you do this, start the music earlier in the day and slowly increase its level as the sun sets so your dog has some time to grow accustomed to it. You'd probably find the most success using both music and a vest togheter.
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Jun 27, 2010 13:07
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rivals posted:Speaking of your hypothetical dog being a drug dog, we started a nosework class with our dogs this week. It was a lot of fun and they both enjoyed it. I've never much talk about classes like that here so I might make a thread on it in the next few days. I hear that a half hour doing nosework can be equal to a multi-hour walk. It keeps their minds active, and they're super concentrated on their work. Good luck with it. If nothing else, it'll be awesome for cold or rainy days.
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Jul 17, 2010 05:39
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Does anyone have any recommendations for canine cooling vests? My pup is 35-40 lbs and black with medium length hair -- I don't have a current chest measurement for her. She gets pretty hot in the summer and on the hottest days we're unable to venture very far. Does anyone have any experience with cooling vests? Have any recommendations or links? Or better yet, Canadian links, 'cause shipping is a bitch.
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Jul 17, 2010 22:28
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2tomorrow posted:Are raw chicken bones dangerous for dogs? Everything I've been able to turn up on Google seems to address cooked chicken bones. My understanding is that while cooked chicken bones splinter and pose a risk to dogs, raw bones do not. A lot of people raw feed portions of boned chicken without issue. Though, dogs are dumb sometimes and can choke on tiny things like kibble, so it's best to watch them to ensure they get it down alright. Once that happens you should be fine.
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Jul 21, 2010 18:37
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Coyotes managed to pry open the gate it appears (even though we'd thought we built it to keep that from happening) and got 6 of my chickens. Fortunately the dogs heard it and got us up so we interrupted the coyotes before they got all of them.
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six_wings posted:Having a problem with walking my dog - but not with the dog. Normally people will respect a polite but curt, "he's in training" as you try your best to position your dog with his back to the distraction. I would probably try to get your dog in a sit and wave a delicious hotdog or something in his face. When people see you working hard to keep his attention they're normally able to grasp that they're not welcome to interact with him. Unfortunately if that doesn't work -- if your dog is reacting too much, or the lady is not leaving you alone, you will have to turn to something more extreme. For instance, my dog used to pee when greeting people on the street. I would try to ensure she was calm when greeting people but if she got any attention she'd let 'er go, all the while I would be quietly try to warn people that she would make a bit of a mess -- I didn't have much success. I mentioned this to my trainer and she said that an effective method was throwing up your hand and saying "Stop! She'll pee on your shoes!!!" It would stop people dead. You could try telling people that he's sick (or a that he does not like dogs), if the "in training" line doesn't seem to be working. Basically, you are your dog's guardian, and it's your job to set him up for success. If people are getting in the way of that then it's your responsibility to do away with politeness and take control of the situation.
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Jul 22, 2010 01:04
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Ola Ugh posted:Our little bastard cairn terrier rolled around in poo and got covered head to tail in it about an hour ago. :/ Can YOU wait 'til tomorrow? You shouldn't bathe a dog too often, but I think being covered in poo poo from head to toe warrants an exception.
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Aug 4, 2010 20:58
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lemonlime posted:
Why would you blame yourself for the training failures of other people? Dogs barking at strange dogs outside their house can be stopped through proper training. It's not particularly easy once the habit of barking has become fully entrenched, but it's possible. Plus, crate training cuts down significantly on alert barking. And if you walking your dog at 1 a.m. is disturbing other dogs you can bet that you're not the only thing causing barking fits each night.
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Aug 9, 2010 16:12
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My question is trivial, but it's something I've been wondering about for a while now and I'm not sure my friends' opinions on the matter are genuine or just meant to spare my feelings.
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daynip posted:I'm hoping you guys could help me figure out what breed a puppy I saw at a no kill shelter is It's super difficult to get a good read on the breed mixes of young puppies since they all come out looking roughly the same. The colour and fur texture suggests that there's some Golden in him, but he looks too wirey to be a purebred. It's not a bad guess that there's some sort of herding breed in him. It's highly unlikely, but could be some NS Duck Tolling Retriever. Here's a pure Golden puppy as a point of reference:  And a Toller:  Looking at his paws, my guess is the dog will top out at about 40lbs when fully grown.
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Aug 10, 2010 14:22
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. Sorry for the crappy pictures, I took these with my cellphone. The lady in charge thought it was a golden retriever & lab mix, but I really doubt that. My guess is that he's at least 3 or 4 months old.
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waar posted:My mom found a picture of a Shorkie and now wants to get one. I tried looking on petfinder for her but apparently there aren't any on there, and all the breeder websites for Shorkies look really unprofessional. There isn't even a wiki page for Shorkies. Is this a legit breed? Are there legit breeders that breed Shorkies? Thanks. No, they are not a legit breed, and there are no legit breeders who breed them. They're a designer cross (read: mutt) bred solely for their appearance with little to no attention paid to temperament or genetic soundness.
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Aug 15, 2010 15:10
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This isn't a bad article (beware, it's a long one). http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/04/magazine/04dogs.t.html?pagewanted=1&_r=2 The key issues are that when you mix two breeds together you're not automatically going to get the best of both strains. Purebred dogs have had enormous amounts of energy put into them to standardize everything from their appearance to their personalities. In mutts there's no way to determine what the puppies will be like until they've been born. And when unscrupulous breeders are breeding solely for cute, fad-ish dogs then they're not exhibiting any of the same control that was required to make the original breeds which they're crossing for profit. Plus often these breeders don't screen puppy homes thoroughly, and an alarming amount of these dogs will end up in shelters when the cute factor wears off. All in all it tends to result in unreliable "breeds" that people pay way too much money for. A good option is to adopt from a shelter or a rescue organization. There are loads of adorable dogs just waiting to be taken home -- and they lack the pretension of being "designer" dogs.
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Aug 15, 2010 15:35
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4 Day Weekend posted:Not sure if this is in the right section, but I saw today that a Taiwanese zoo had bred ligers, which is apparently illegal. Why is that? Genetic defects or something? It's because tigers are an endangered species and the zoo is essentially wasting precious resources by breeding the two species together as the offspring cannot be used in any future breeding program. A quick google brought up this information: http://www.lairweb.org.nz/tiger/hybridisation2.html posted:
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Aug 17, 2010 13:42
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d3c0y2 posted:I have fallen in love with the dog in this Phil Collin's video, it's so fluffy and it waddles! But I don't know what species of dog it actually is? It looks kind of like a Schapendoes (Dutch Sheepdog).  Edit: The image I linked seems to be tempermental. Maybe this one will work better: 
a life less fucked around with this message at 17:40 on Aug 22, 2010 |
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Aug 22, 2010 17:38
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| # ¿ Apr 28, 2024 21:05 |
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This Post Sucks posted:So, here come the questions now that the back story is out of the way. I think for now the playing is fine, but you'll want to make sure you give each dog plenty of one on one time with you to work on training and cementing your bond. You might want to work on calling the dogs away from play so you can get control of the situation if need be. Do this by offering kick rear end treats that the dogs will ignore each other for. Practice some impulse control with them too but making them wait to engage with each other until you give the go ahead. Also, watch their play carefully. Puppies often get carried away and play will become more serious than it should be as they get worked up. When that happens separate them and allow them to cool down before letting them interact again. As far as the possible issues with children, work on building really positive associations with Chief and children. If a small child is around have them offer treats to him (if he'll take them) but nothing more -- no touching, etc. He should figure out that kids are the bringers of delicious things. If he won't take treats from children you can give them to him for being around kids. I play a game with my dog that when we're around something that makes her nervous I'll get her to sit in front of me and feed her a treat. If she looks at the thing that frightens her without reacting and then back at me I'll give her another treat. I repeat this 3-4 times per session. (You don't have to have him look at the scary thing if he doesn't want to. Just focusing on you is also fine.) I recommend walking the dogs separately. I hear that's one of the best times to have one on one quality time with each of them. You can control each more easily like this. I would probably do this until they're both well trained and confident in their surroundings, especially since they're going to be so big and powerful.
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Aug 23, 2010 18:13
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