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    Chickadee's Dog Thread

    My munchkin is looking to be a dog-mommy. It isn't happening for a while, but in the meantime, she wants to learn about the different kids of dogs and their personalities.

    So share your stories (and pictures)!!
    Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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    #2
    Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

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    Behold! Gary the Snail the Dog, as named by my littlest one, Toodles.

    He is a Chi-weenie, a mix of Chihuahua and Dachshund. They are little bundles of energy for sure. But Gary is very smart and very loving. Sometimes his intelligence comes across as very poor behaviors, when he grew to full size he was able to leap onto my kitchen counter and table like a cat, but like all pets he had learned this is a HUGE no-no. This is my first time with a small dog but since we have an apartment it felt right for our space.

    Gary Pros:
    Very loving and affectionate.
    Loves to play with the kids.
    Can appreciate lounging on the couch with mommy.
    Fast learner.
    Moderately, borderline extremely, quiet. He only barks at the doorbell.
    Super cute, I mean, look at him!

    Cons of having a Gary:
    Fast learning means he also finds new things to try out, which means I'm constantly having to intervene and teach him whether or not his new behavior/activity/chew toy is acceptable. (He doesn't chew on many things though)
    He naturally has the anxiety both parent dogs breed carry and can be very distressed if left alone for a while. He usually cries when I go to work, but My SO says he only does it for a few minutes now.
    Is rather skittery around new people.
    I'm unsure if it's just him or if many small dogs are Like this, but his nails grow so fast. I clip them very frequently so that he cannot scratch the kids when they play.
    He can be easily excited, which means tons of piddle spots. I thought he would grow out of this, not so much... I'm sure this is tied to his nerves as well.

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      #3
      Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

      Originally posted by thalassa View Post
      My munchkin is looking to be a dog-mommy. It isn't happening for a while, but in the meantime, she wants to learn about the different kids of dogs and their personalities.

      So share your stories (and pictures)!!
      I don't own a dog, but I literally have a trillion stories about dogs. And being an experienced and qualified Vet Nurse I also know a great deal about dogs, dog breeds, health concerns, personality concerns and what may or may not suit a particular family.

      So... I am probably more helpful as a source to answer specific questions about specific things or to make suggestions based on Chickadee's (and your) preferences. Let me know if you want that, else I'll accidentally end up spamming your thread with my thoughts.

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        #4
        Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

        I've had a few dogs. Pitbull. Rotty and a beautiful German Shepard. They are all excellent dogs for families. But I'm betting that't not what you want! How much will you be doing the major exercise, training and feeding?
        Also I found some cool links. Hope it helps:



        Rule of thumb: Big dogs need lots of exercise. And not the slow walk to go potty outside for 20 minutes. But on a leash while you pedal a bike etc.

        Small dogs need lots of mind games. Hide and seek of items. Fetching. Finding food. They are small but wicked smaaat (Afleck accent )

        And I would say go to a pound. But first dogs for kids you might want to think of a breeder. I would also investigate any pure bred dog. I just watched a sad documentary on what happens medically to pure bred dogs now. So many issues with force mutations etc.

        Also Cesar Milan does an excellent video on youtube about raising a good puppy from the start. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANpMApPnWCM
        Satan is my spirit animal

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          #5
          Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

          Whatever you do, DO NOT take advice from Cesar Milan.

          Some of what he says is legit. Most of it is good old fashioned emotional and physical abuse. If you saw what he did off camera you'd cry.

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            #6
            Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

            Originally posted by Rae'ya View Post
            Whatever you do, DO NOT take advice from Cesar Milan.

            Some of what he says is legit. Most of it is good old fashioned emotional and physical abuse. If you saw what he did off camera you'd cry.
            Such as? I'm a fan of his. But I'm open minded to this. My ex was and is a dog trainer specializing in security type dogs. Hence why we had the dogs I mentioned. Pretty much how he works with the dogs is the way we did as well. Well we also use to smack our pitbull with a 2 by 4. But that was because she loved it so much. She was solid muscle! Then again my cat did kick her ass.
            Satan is my spirit animal

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              #7
              Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

              I have two dogs -- a lab/retriever/sheltie mix and a lab/chow mix.

              These are the only two I've ever had. Labs are smart and want to make you happy. Maybe they are common, but I think there's good reason.
              Attached Files

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                #8
                Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                I have a chow-based mix. They are great dogs, very loyal, but also very territorial. Maybe not the best breed for kids, though.

                But look up pictures of "panda chows." They look exactly like panda bears. K'Roe would get one, but I like dogs that look like dogs.

                Labs are wonderful though, and so are golden retrievers. Phenomenal pets... They quickly become family.
                Every moment of a life is a horrible tragedy, a slapstick comedy, dark nihilism, golden illumination, or nothing at all; depending on how we write the story we tell ourselves.

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                  #9
                  Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                  Originally posted by Medusa View Post
                  Such as? I'm a fan of his. But I'm open minded to this. My ex was and is a dog trainer specializing in security type dogs. Hence why we had the dogs I mentioned. Pretty much how he works with the dogs is the way we did as well. Well we also use to smack our pitbull with a 2 by 4. But that was because she loved it so much. She was solid muscle! Then again my cat did kick her ass.
                  Twenty years ago it was acceptable to physically hit dogs, to choke them, to pin them to the ground, to put spiked collars on them, to 'dominate' them and show them who was 'leader' through physical abuse and to generally beat them into submission until they do what they are told because they are frightened of the consequences.

                  It's not acceptable anymore.

                  It's NOT okay to choke a dog until it turns blue. It's NOT okay to hold a dog up off the ground by it's lead until it passes out. It's NOT okay to continuously beat a 'problem' dog until it's will is broken.

                  Our understanding of dogs has evolved a great deal in the past twenty years. We now know that they do not form pack hierarchies similar to wolves. They don't have alpha dogs. They have complex and changing social hierarchies within fluid groups that are based on the needs of the current group. They also respond to positive reinforcement and consistent boundaries a great deal better than they do to physical punishment. They experience anxiety and phobias. They experience physical and emotional pain. There are better ways to do things now days.

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                    #10
                    Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                    Are you saying Milan hits and chokes dogs till they are blue? I'm not sure where that is coming from. I'll ask again. What information do you have about Milan that is different then what he teaches? If you have it, I'd love to know. I wouldn't like someone at all who did that.

                    EDIT. Wait, You aren't referring to me are you? If you are, please don't worry. I would never hit an animal. Only small children.
                    Satan is my spirit animal

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                      #11
                      Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                      Youtube 'Shadow Turns Blue' and 'Why did Cesar Milan Get Bite'. I'm not going to link them here because they are quite distressing. There are others I can point you towards, along with some very good explanation videos where other trainers have explained what is actually happening and point out the body language etc of the dogs.

                      Essentially, what Cesar Milan teaches these dogs is 'don't do that or I will kill you'. And he's very good at convincing anxious dogs that he will kill them if they don't back off.

                      Part of me hopes that one day he does it to an off-leash dog that calls his bluff.

                      And no, I wasn't referring to you.

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                        #12
                        Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                        Both Hubby and I have had dogs--I grew up with spaniels (cocker spaniels and springers--my mom bred English cockers and Welsh springers for awhile) and schnauzers, and the hubby with farm dogs--I think they had a collie or two and goldens. We've had a lab and loved her, but when we moved we didn't know if we could find a place that allowed pets, and we gave her to some friends of friends with a farm and older kids that had lost their lab the year before and were finally looking to get a new dog. She was awesome (once she was trained, lol)...

                        We'd love another lab, but from experience, I do know they will bother my allergies--there's no way I can handle a lab with the hubby gone, in terms of bathing (dogs tend to get as dirty as kids do, and our kids get really dirty...and considering we spend tons of time at the beach or hiking, a regular rinse off is necessary--bathing Tesla just about knocked me out for the rest of the day with allergy meds) ...so we need a house with a yard before we'd get a lab (or similarly sized dog) again. I've always wanted a Newfoundland though...and that's another dog that needs a yard! And, I hate to say it...but unless we have a yard, shelter dogs are out. Most shelter dogs here are 1-2 years old and big, and they tend to be street dogs, and they are usually socialized and in need of quite a bit of training. Plus the shelter here often does a poor job of evaluating the dogs for life with kids or other pets. I'd rather go through a rescue, since those dogs have been fostered until they are adoptable, and are usually better vetted in terms of whether or not the individual dog is good with kids or other pets, etc.

                        We plan to stay here, in this apartment for at least the next year or so though (there's a dog park here, a huge park with a walking trail across the street, and the beach 2 miles away), and here we have a 35 lb limit for pets (I've seen other dogs here and think we can get away with 40 lbs). So I'm leaning towards a cocker spaniel (because I have experience with them)... Although I think corgis might be a bit too high strung and bossy (plus they have a nipping tendency) for the age the kids are...

                        My short list right now is a Wheaten Terrier, an American Eskimo, an English cocker spaniel, a Sheltie, or a Whippet... A dog that is on the smaller size, good with kids, okay in a small space, relatively easy to socialize, and okay being left alone for the workday. I'm hoping to narrow it down a bit, lol...
                        Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
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                          #13
                          Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                          My lab/sheltie does have a lot of sheltie tendencies. They can be nice, but they can be standoffish with smaller kids. They tend to be gentle, and bark instead of bite...but they like to bark. There are always exceptions, of course.

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                            #14
                            Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                            Originally posted by Rowanwood View Post
                            My lab/sheltie does have a lot of sheltie tendencies. They can be nice, but they can be standoffish with smaller kids. They tend to be gentle, and bark instead of bite...but they like to bark. There are always exceptions, of course.
                            Ooh! Thanks, that was one of my reservations with a sheltie...that and I've heard they are car chasers. We live somewhere with traffic--its a city. Sure, we have greenspace, but anywhere we go will have distractions like that.




                            Also, Phee just likes hearing about people's dogs and seeing pictures of them...so it doesn't matter if your dog is any of those breeds or not, she thinks all dogs are cute!
                            Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of HistoryPagan Devotionals, because the wind and the rain is our Bible
                            sigpic

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                              #15
                              Re: Chickadee's Dog Thread

                              Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                              We plan to stay here, in this apartment for at least the next year or so though (there's a dog park here, a huge park with a walking trail across the street, and the beach 2 miles away), and here we have a 35 lb limit for pets (I've seen other dogs here and think we can get away with 40 lbs).
                              Ironically enough, the size of a dog does not automatically mean that you must have a yard. If you can provide twice daily walks and/or dog park visits, and enough mental stimulation indoors, then you can have a large dog indoors. I would say maybe not a working breed (but then I dislike working breeds in backyards also... it takes a lot of time and effort to have a working breed dog happy as a pet), but I know LOTS of large indoor dogs that are perfectly happy. And I know some small indoor dogs that are not happy.

                              Originally posted by thalassa View Post
                              So I'm leaning towards a cocker spaniel (because I have experience with them)... Although I think corgis might be a bit too high strung and bossy (plus they have a nipping tendency) for the age the kids are...

                              My short list right now is a Wheaten Terrier, an American Eskimo, an English cocker spaniel, a Sheltie, or a Whippet... A dog that is on the smaller size, good with kids, okay in a small space, relatively easy to socialize, and okay being left alone for the workday. I'm hoping to narrow it down a bit, lol...
                              I don't personally like Corgis.... I know far too many snappy ones, but usually Corgi owners love them. Shelties are lovely but are prone to anxiety and reactive barking and are not the most interactive dogs for kids. Whippets are fabulous... I love them... but I'm not sure how you'd go with a Whippet as a beach dog. All Terriers need lots of exercise and mental stimulation, and will get destructive and escape if you don't supply it for them. They generally make good family dogs... especially with multiple older kids and a backyard, but they can be stubborn and are usually willing to defend themselves against tail pulling and face poking (your kids aren't very young though, are they?) so aren't great with young children. If you can find the motivator and do some training though, a Terrier would be a good choice if you want an active dog. Cockers are lovely while they're young... I don't know what your experience is but I find that they sometimes get grouchy when they are older. They are usually good water dogs and easy to train, but skin disease and ear infections are very common. I've never met an American Eskimo so I have nothing to say about those lol.

                              I would probably say that a Cocker or a Wheaten Terrier would be good choices for you. Both are fairly robust health-wise (Cockers are prone to skin disease and ear problems but that is often easily managed). Both can be snappy at the vet but that's not really a concern for you. Both are usually good with older kids. Both adapt well to indoor or outdoor life. Terriers probably need slightly more mental stimulation than Cockers but ALL dogs need daily exercise and mental stimulation. Both are intelligent and easily trained, though Terriers are sometimes hard to motivate, especially if they have strong hunting instincts - a Wheaten is probably less of a risk there than some other Terrier breeds. Both will need a significant amount of grooming - a Cocker slightly less so than a Wheaten Terrier.

                              When it comes to 'good with kids' that is often more about the kids than the dogs. Some dogs are happy to be tormented by children and not retaliate (have you SEEN what some kids do to dogs... poke them, pull them, sit on them, push them, take their food, take their bones... that's all pretty confronting for a dog). Others will growl or snap to defend themselves. If you have kids who are old enough to know not to poke and pull and steal their food, then the whole 'good with kids' thing is a different story.

                              If you want easy to socialise then you need to meet both the parents and see what the genetic lines are like with that. Dogs that don't socialise well are usually one of two things: anxious, which is a brain chemistry thing and will often show up in other members of the genetic lines; or were not socialised in the first place. The latter is harder to deal with, as it is inherent and takes lots of management and possibly medication. The former is easy to avoid if you have a puppy. Either way, puppy classes are a must if you want a well socialised dog... partly because they provide the socialisation at the right time, partly because they teach you how to socialise your puppy, and partly because if you pup is anxious it will show up in puppy classes and give you a chance to start management early. The puppy classes that I'm talking about is the early socialisation... for pups between 8 and 16 weeks of age. It's NOT the same as obedience and training... and you can't do puppy socialisation at home. They need a group of pups their own age, at that specific age group, to learn all the proper communication signals and inter-dog socialisation. Dogs that skip puppy classes may be perfectly social, and many are. But it's the one thing that has the best chance of making a difference, if socialisation is a major concern of yours. Plus Chickadee will absolutely love it.

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