Pets chit chat thread

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Hey, Rae'ya, are you familiar with Newfoundlands? The GF had a fascination with them and (at this time) it's the breed she's stuck on for when some of our animals die off (cause, unfortunately, they will eventually). We absolutely will not be welcoming ANY more animals into the house till our population goes down though... so 5-6 years. Approximately. The Boston/French mix is 5 and the German Shepard is 6 and the cats (three now) are all under 2... ugh. Anyway, Newfoundlands?

Basically, what we want out of a dog, is laid back, not a crack head (low anxiety), and low on the prey drive scale. Basically low maintenance and won't eat the cats.

I know a few, and they are in a similar personality disposition group as BMDs... gentle giants. They are genetically prone to hip and elbow dysplasia (just like BMDs), which can be very expensive. They are also prone to genetic heart disease (not cardiomyopathies like some giant breeds, but an actual anatomical issue with the heart valves). They can also be prone to entropian and ectropian (rolled eyelids), but that's far less common in them than it is in the other Mastiff breeds. They tend to be calmer than most Mastiffs, much more like BMDs or a Pyrenees.

The thing with ANY dog, but particularly giant breeds and very large breeds, is that they are expensive. Expensive to feed, to medicate and to de-worm. I much prefer breeds like this from a personality point of view, they tend to be calmer, less genetically prone to anxiety and generally lower maintenance from a mental stimulation point of view. But you need to make sure that you are prepared for the possible genetic predispositions. If you end up with one that has hip dysplasia, could you afford to get hip replacements done? 'Cos if you can't, you'll either have to euthanase it, or completely rearrange your house and yard to make life livable, spend hundreds of dollars on daily pain relief, feed it a special diet and be able to carefully manage it's exercise and movement. Now all breeds have their genetic predispositions that can cost a lot of money, and that have long term pain and welfare concerns if left untreated. But giant breeds just cost that little bit extra to treat, and are unfortunately excluded for many things by pet insurance companies, so you need to be prepared for that.

If you can have a financial plan in place, or know that you'll be comfortable euthanasing it at 12 months of age if it has HD that can't be managed without surgery... go for it. I would be less worried about you getting a Newfoundland than I would with you trying another Husky type!

[Kiesha'ra]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Newfie's are great, pretty low key, sweet but like most extra large breeds pretty expensive to treat when ill or for any meds. Messy (slobbery and a lot of fur). They can also grow cutaneus horns on their toes (like an extra nail) that can damage pads and even is surgically removed can grow back. Otherwise pretty low key breed, kind of a big doofus.

[Shahaku]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Hey, Rae'ya, are you familiar with Newfoundlands? The GF had a fascination with them and (at this time) it's the breed she's stuck on for when some of our animals die off (cause, unfortunately, they will eventually). We absolutely will not be welcoming ANY more animals into the house till our population goes down though... so 5-6 years. Approximately. The Boston/French mix is 5 and the German Shepard is 6 and the cats (three now) are all under 2... ugh. Anyway, Newfoundlands?

Basically, what we want out of a dog, is laid back, not a crack head (low anxiety), and low on the prey drive scale. Basically low maintenance and won't eat the cats.

[Kiesha'ra]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I completely agree with you Rae'ya.

I'm partial to German Shepherds and Dobermans. They both have their pros and cons but are amazing family dogs and great protectors.

Ger. Sheps: prone to bone cancers and lymphoma, "good" breeders tend to have well temperamented ones as over bred ones can be very high strung and fear biters or just generally aggressive. We have a wonderful Ger. Shep breeder who has the long, whites and standard Sheps. Amazing temperaments and very intelligent, not hyper at all and very sweet.

Dobermans: Stay away from the blues they have genetic skin issues and poor coats, same with the white albinos, even the reds can (if thats not an issue for you then they are still great dogs). Are also prone to lymphoma, bone cancer and mast cell. We go through the Doberman Rescue due to our bad experience with the two breeders near us. Our current dobie is a blue and she's fantastic, so far no health concerns or skin issues at 6 months old. They are high energy and need at least two 45 minute walks a day and can become neurotic when not properly exercised, very intelligent. They LOVE to snuggle, and curl up to sleep with you, they think they are lap dogs, they are leaners and chatter their teeth when happy (or sometimes when stressed) and if you ignore them they WILL nose nudge you until they get what they want or thump (bow) and bounce. Super fun and sweet.

If you aren't looking for are particular breed a rescue mutt is the way to go, most rescue dogs become wonderful family members.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I know that I don't have the time or means for a dog but I know that the fella and I both want one at some point (stave off child-rearing) and I'm trying to find a dog that would fit both of our personalities and lifestyles.

MY LIKES:
Big dogs
Calm dogs
Snuggly dogs
Intelligent dogs
OBEDIENT DOGS

HE LIKES:
Dogs. Pretty much all dogs. His mama has a shih-tzu (not over my dead fuggin body, I HATE small dogs)
Friendly dogs
Loving dogs
Loyal dogs

Our lifestyle is very much calm and relaxed, we like to snuggle on the couch, make food, have drinks, have people over and we both have full time jobs (that probably won't change in the years to come either).


I was just curious to see what kinds of breeds other folks suggest based on that criteria. My heart is set on a little French Bulldog (or a mutt including that breed), or maybe a Puggle (pug+beagle=adorablecuddlekins). High energy dogs are probably off the table since I don't see us owning our own house for a long while.

A greyhound.

Contrary to popular belief, they do not need lots of exercise. And they have perfected the art of being a snuggly couch potato.

If this is your list, DO NOT get a Puggle, a Lab or a Beagle. Unless you adopt an older one, in which case a Lab or Beagle might fit (as long as you get one with no anxiety issues, as both breeds are genetically prone to anxiety).

Frenchies are lovely. I love Frenchies, and I see hundreds of them at my clinic as we are the vet that all the local Frenchy breeders. The problem with Frenchies is that they will cost you a lot of money. They are expensive to buy, and they are expensive to fix. If you can manage it, don't buy a purebred from a 'good' breeder, buy a non registered one, but make sure you meet BOTH parents. If you get a pure bred from a 'good' breeder, they will likely need stenotic nares surgery and a soft palate resection (both should be done at a young age, and ignore the breeders when they tell you it's not necessary... there's a reason bulldogs and pugs snore and snort like they do... THEY CAN'T BREATH). Plus they ALL have genetic mutations in their spines. It's 'normal' for Frenchies. Which = high probability of spinal issues later in life.

Anything with Pug in it will NOT be calm. Or particularly trainable.

Obedience is not a personality trait... it's a reflection of YOU and your training. The only thing that inherently affects 'obedience' is whether they are calm or excitable (excitable dogs don't always listen the first time), how intelligent they are (intelligent dogs will learn how to ignore you if there's nothing in it for them) and whether they have an anxiety disorder (99.9% of 'untrainable' dogs actually have an anxiety disorder and need medication). Excitability and intelligence wont make them untrainable, but it will mean that you have to work harder at training them. Intelligent dogs will require far more training, effort and motivation than others (ALL dogs are intelligent, but I know we're talking here about the really smart working breed ones). You can't get an intelligent dog and expect it to be perfect just because it's intelligent. It still needs all the basic training... yes, it will pick it up quicker, but you still need to do it and keep it up. They also need an enormous amount of mental stimulation... and while some will also be couch potatoes (Huskies and Labs, for example), it takes a LOT of effort at all other times to ensure that they are occupied. The breeds that I commonly see training issues in are Labs and Labradoodles, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, Westies, Huskies and Border Collies. These are all highly intelligent dogs that people get because they are highly trainable and friendly... but then the people don't have the time or inclination to put the training and mental stimulation into them, so they end up with a highly intelligent, bored and destructive dog who doesn't pay any attention to them and who they can't walk because they get too excited. Then they stick them on a choker chain and make everything worse because now the dog can't breath while it's not paying attention, which heightens it's arousal levels and makes it mentally incapable of paying attention and doing as asked. Yes, they are highly intelligent and friendly, and can make fabulous pets, but they are all genetically prone to anxiety and they all need LOTS of work.

In general, if you want a calm, obedient AND intelligent dog, you'll need to put LOTS of work into it. Or have kids so that THEY can put the work into it. Labs and Beagles make GREAT family pets... because the kids satisfy the mental stimulation and exercise requirements while you get to take it to training every week and reap the rewards of a friendly, intelligent dog. Childless couples looking for a calm dog often have a very different experience of breeds like that.

When I see your list, I go straight to the 'calm', 'not high energy', and 'entertain people' things. These things are far more important than everything else you have on your list. Most dogs are loving, loyal, intelligent and snuggly. The trick is finding one that is also calm and doesn't require a lot of energy. That's why I immediately thought 'Greyhound'. My other first choice for this list would be a Great Dane, but any giant breed dog is going to cost you A LOT of money to feed, medicate and de-worm. And they do horse sized poops. A Whippet would also fit your list perfectly, but they are smaller. Now I understand that lots of people think sight hounds (Greyhounds, Whippets, Italian Greyhounds, Wolfhounds, Deerhounds, Borzoi, Afghan Hounds and Salukis) are ugly and 'not real dogs'. But they are all calm, lovely, friendly, loving, loyal and responsive to training. They are intelligent, prefer to live indoors on the couch, need less exercise than most dogs and are not genetically prone to anxiety (I have met a Greyhound with an anxiety disorder, but it's rare in sight hounds). I'm not sure if the US has a program like ours, but here you can adopt ex-racing greyhounds... they go through a foster home first to assess personality, socialise them with people, cats, small dogs etc and then they place them in homes that suit their requirements. It's a fabulous program and I know so many lovely ex-racers. Sight hounds are my favourite class of dog, so I'm biased... BUT... they are my favourite specifically because they are calm, loyal, friendly, responsive to training and low maintenance. My list is pretty much exactly the same as yours, and in all my years as a vet tech, the breeds that stand out to me as fitting my list are all sight hounds with the exception of Akitas, Great Danes, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Malamutes, Bulldogs (French and English) and Mastiffs (French/Dogue de Bordeaux, English but NOT Neapolitan). Out of my list, I would go out and buy an Akita or a sight hound before I considered the others, but any of those would fit my sedentary lifestyle. (Cost and medical pre-dispositions are drawbacks for all Bulldogs and Mastiffs as well as a Great Dane and BMD.)

Keep in mind that you can do 'mental stimulation' in an apartment... all that requires is the correct toys, daily interaction and regular training sessions. Ironically, most indoor/apartment dogs are actually calmer and happier than dogs that are stuck out in a backyard all day. That's because of a few things...a) we train them better because they are indoors, b) we reinforce that training on a daily basis c) we spend more time with them and d) we are more inclined to remember to take them out for a walk because if we don't they'll toilet in the house. So don't worry about not having a yard. Yards are double edged swords when it comes to dogs. It's great for a dog to have a yard to play in, but you are more likely to end up with a calm and well trained dog if you don't have a yard. All you need is a twice daily walk, regular outings to an off the leash park (which is fabulous 'cos then you can sit on the bench with a phone/book while they run around), mental stimulation toys, food balls (instead of a bowl) and a household that is not chaotic and crazy (generally, a chaotic house will make it harder for a dog to stay calm).

At the end of the day, 80% of what makes a dog fit the family is actually YOU, not the dog. YOUR environment, personality and habits will effect the dog far more than anyone ever realises. You can get the most perfect dog in the world, adopt it as an adult after having known it for years and loving it, but it may not fit YOUR household and once you get it home it 'changes' because the dynamic between it, you and your lifestyle is different to the dynamic with it's previous lifestyle. Dogs are just like human roommates... sometimes you're best buddies while you aren't living together, but then you live together and you discover you actually aren't that compatible.

[iris]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I've come to love poodles, they're very smart and soooo sweet, although I never liked the silly hairstyles, I found that when they're groomed properly they look like giant teddies
Poodle mixes too in general...
But really, I love dogs. All dogs. I've probably just warmed up even more to poodles because they're hypoallergenic.

Other good breeds... my cousin has the sweetest, most patient dog I've ever met. She's thrilled to see everyone, and she lets the kids play dressup with her. She's a pitbull. They're lovely too

[B. de Corbin]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Currently, I love beagles - midsize, but energetic and stubborn (intelligent breeds tend to be stubborn because, like intelligent people, they have their own minds).

But try this:

http://www.animalplanet.com/breed-selector/dog-breeds.html

[anunitu]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

One that would fit all that is a Lab,best tempered dog I ever had the good fortune to be around..Maybe just my take,but some dogs can be a pain..Though I loved my miniature dachshund,she was the most head strong dog I ever had.

[Bjorn]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

I know that I don't have the time or means for a dog but I know that the fella and I both want one at some point (stave off child-rearing) and I'm trying to find a dog that would fit both of our personalities and lifestyles.

MY LIKES:
Big dogs
Calm dogs
Snuggly dogs
Intelligent dogs
OBEDIENT DOGS

HE LIKES:
Dogs. Pretty much all dogs. His mama has a shih-tzu (not over my dead fuggin body, I HATE small dogs)
Friendly dogs
Loving dogs
Loyal dogs

Our lifestyle is very much calm and relaxed, we like to snuggle on the couch, make food, have drinks, have people over and we both have full time jobs (that probably won't change in the years to come either).


I was just curious to see what kinds of breeds other folks suggest based on that criteria. My heart is set on a little French Bulldog (or a mutt including that breed), or maybe a Puggle (pug+beagle=adorablecuddlekins). High energy dogs are probably off the table since I don't see us owning our own house for a long while.

[habbalah]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Took the kitties to the vet today. They're healthy, but have learned that going into the crate means bad things.

[Munin-Hugin]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

So last night my youngest cat, the mighty calico hunter, struck again. She caught and made half-dead two mice that got it. It was a chore getting them away from her to toss their lifeless bodies outside.

[habbalah]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Both of my cats are shunning me. They're slightly damp, and have had a strange person trim their claws and butt hair.

[magusphredde]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

sounds like a cat

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Parrots really are like two year olds. Noodle's new favourite toy?

Yep. A cardboard box.

[Rae'ya]

Re: Pets chit chat thread

Raeya, we are thinking about keeping one kitten. There are a lot of conditionsto be met though. One is that they all get along. I guess I just want to be sure they're well socialized.

Socialising cats is tricky, because their natural social structure is so different to dogs (and humans) and changes depending on the environment and resource availability. Cats living in colonies have a different social structure to those living in isolated pairs or trios. Cats who live in family groups have a different social structure to cats who aren't related, but unrelated cats can form similar social structure when living in colonies. So it's... complicated lol.

The greatest socialisation benefit that the kittens will get is from staying with their mum as long as possible. There is a benefit to socialising them with other adult cats in their early socialisation period, but it's also important to ensure that the other cat is amenable to that and is being a good role model. If the kittens have too many negative experiences of that adult cat, it will actually make them LESS likely to accept other cats, not more likely. The other thing to consider is what they are learning from mum... if mum is stressed about a social situation, the kittens will pick up on that. Their primary social learning is from mum, so it's important to make sure that she's teaching them the right lessons... we want her to be teaching them to be happy about new things, not scared or defensive. So if we put mum on the defensive, we'll put the kittens on the defensive.

Socialising fostered kittens is a bit different with mum than without mum. Without a mum in the mix (ie if you just have kittens), then the recommendations are pretty much to expose them to as much as you can in a safe and positive manner. Same if you have just one kitten that you've got at 8weeks of age. Cash in on their natural inquisitiveness during that early socialisation period and make everything positive, fun and rewarding. Mum's reactions can make things more complex, though. Yoshii's reactions might too. You wont know until you try it, but if he reacts to kittens negatively, then that can inform the kittens about how to interact with other cats. He will likely treat the kittens differently than mum... so it's possible to use him to socialise the kittens while keeping mum out of it... if he's amenable and mum doesn't get too upset about the kittens coming back with his smell about them.

Just take it slow and assess everyone's reactions carefully. I have an awesome PDF about Cat Behaviour if you want me to email it to you. It's got sections on kitten socialisation, preventing harmful stress and learning and environmental enrichment as well as heaps of other things. It's aimed at vets rather than laypeople, but it should be easy enough to understand and it's probably something that all cat owners should read anyway. You might be able to find it on the AAFP website, or I can email it to you. It's called "Feline Behavior Guidelines from the American Association of Feline Practitioners".