Dogs

[7Deadly$ins]

Get a working German Shepard. But I find the show standard to be something close to deplorable, especially for Germans.

[TikindiDragon]

Get a working German Shepard. But I find the show standard to be something close to deplorable, especially for Germans.

The working lines are generally healthier. If you wanted a show line you'd have to look very, very carefully to make sure the one you were getting didn't have that awful excessively roached back that's been crippling the breed.

[Syaoransbear]

Get a working German Shepard. But I find the show standard to be something close to deplorable, especially for Germans.

I'm very worried about a working line being a little too much dog for me, which is why I hesitate. I'm not a very good handler yet, so living with a dog that had too much energy or so much drive that I couldn't control it would be awful.

 

There's a lot of show lines out there that really are in a terrible state, but the german show lines are more likely to have the drive that I want. Extremities and structural faults(hock walking, weak/downed pasterns, roach back, etc) in the breed can be avoided by going to the right breeder, so I'm not too worried about that part.

 

I'm mostly worried about getting a dog and being all like "YEAH I'M GOING TO BE SO INTO SCHUTZHUND/AGILITY/HERDING/ETC" and then hating all of it, and ending up with this dog who is going completely nuts in my care because I can't give it a job. At least with a show line I could turn it into a pet if I didn't like doing those sports.

 

But if I end up with a show line that only has as much drive as my current german shepherd, then I just end up with another pet :/.

 

Gah, I wish I knew people that could just lend me their dogs for a while to see what they were like .

[TikindiDragon]

I'm very worried about a working line being a little too much dog for me, which is why I hesitate. I'm not a very good handler yet, so living with a dog that had too much energy or so much drive that I couldn't control it would be awful.

 

There's a lot of show lines out there that really are in a terrible state, but the german show lines are more likely to have the drive that I want. Extremities and structural faults(hock walking, weak/downed pasterns, roach back, etc) in the breed can be avoided by going to the right breeder, so I'm not too worried about that part.

 

I'm mostly worried about getting a dog and being all like "YEAH I'M GOING TO BE SO INTO SCHUTZHUND/AGILITY/HERDING/ETC" and then hating all of it, and ending up with this dog who is going completely nuts in my care because I can't give it a job. At least with a show line I could turn it into a pet if I didn't like doing those sports.

 

But if I end up with a show line that only has as much drive as my current german shepherd, then I just end up with another pet :/.

 

Gah, I wish I knew people that could just lend me their dogs for a while to see what they were like .

I know you've already got a shepard, but do be a little careful with them on energy levels. I've seen so many shepards (and, to be fair, collies) in rescues with behavioural problems because they simply aren't getting the excercise. I'm not saying you would have this problem, I'm just saying it's something that needs and eye keeping on in any 'working' breed - wether bred form working lines or not.

 

Had you considered finding a local agility club in the areas *before* you get a dog? I'm sure you might be able to go along to a few training sessions, maybe even help out with a couple of the dogs, and see if you can get a feel for it that way. You might find it helps you work out wether it's something you want to do or not.

[Syaoransbear]

I know you've already got a shepard, but do be a little careful with them on energy levels. I've seen so many shepards (and, to be fair, collies) in rescues with behavioural problems because they simply aren't getting the excercise. I'm not saying you would have this problem, I'm just saying it's something that needs and eye keeping on in any 'working' breed - wether bred form working lines or not.

 

Had you considered finding a local agility club in the areas *before* you get a dog? I'm sure you might be able to go along to a few training sessions, maybe even help out with a couple of the dogs, and see if you can get a feel for it that way. You might find it helps you work out wether it's something you want to do or not. 

I've been to one club(I think there only is one in the entire city), but there was only one german shepherd there and she was american show lines and just there for fun. German shepherds aren't really common in agility(at least, not here) because they are usually a bit too big and hip dysplasia is so common that people don't want to risk it. Plus if someone gets a german shepherd with good enough drive and structure to excel at agility, they often end up in schutzhund.

 

I've been to our local schutzhund club too, but it's hard to gauge how much I can handle since all of the dogs are turned 'on' when they are there. The dogs are always pretty crazy on the field(which is actually what I WANT), but you can't really know what they are like when they are in the house. Asking the owners isn't much help because their idea of calm might be way different than mine since they have so much more experience.

 

The great thing with going to a reputable breeder is that most of them have contracts saying that if(for whatever reason) you can't keep the dog, they'll take it back. They never want any of their dogs ending up in shelters. But I'd rather not have to resort to that.

 

Show lines seem like the safe route, it's just that it might not be what I want. My german shepherd is a poor excuse for the breed, so I'd consider myself a novice when it comes to owning german shepherds period.

 

EDIT: I totally misinterpreted your post lol. For some reason I thought you meant get a feel for the working-type dogs, and not for the work.

 

I've gone to the clubs and I've watched the dogs and read books and watched DVDs on the subjects, and I think they are things that I want to do. But it's hard to know if it's something I'd enjoy doing, or if it's something I just enjoy watching and learning about.

Edited March 6, 2011 by Syaoransbear

[Darth Krande]

I have a mix from the local shelter. http://www.freeweb.hu/krande/rakter/karneol.jpg <-- this photo was taken the day after I brought her home. She's estimated to be cca 2 years old, she grew up without an owner so she prefers dog company (like, give her one dog she never met before, and she'll follow them as if they were a pack - and completely ignore the fact she happens to have an owner now). She's been with me for two months now, and she's very cute, other than forgetting about me sometimes. Other than that, she already knows to "sit" "lie" give "paw", and she's self-taught housetrained.

Do you have any ideas what might her exact breed be? She's clearly half german sheperd, but what might the other component be? She's 22 kg so that's like two-third of a normal german's weight, the tail is mostly held upwards, and some say the face is terrier-ish.

[Syaoransbear]

I have a mix from the local shelter. http://www.freeweb.hu/krande/rakter/karneol.jpg <-- this photo was taken the day after I brought her home. She's estimated to be cca 2 years old, she grew up without an owner so she prefers dog company (like, give her one dog she never met before, and she'll follow them as if they were a pack - and completely ignore the fact she happens to have an owner now). She's been with me for two months now, and she's very cute, other than forgetting about me sometimes. Other than that, she already knows to "sit" "lie" give "paw", and she's self-taught housetrained.

Do you have any ideas what might her exact breed be? She's clearly half german sheperd, but what might the other component be? She's 22 kg so that's like two-third of a normal german's weight, the tail is mostly held upwards, and some say the face is terrier-ish.

I see german shepherd/terrier as well. Do you have any side views?

Edited March 7, 2011 by Syaoransbear

[Sandface]

I've got 5 dogs. Yes yes, rant all you want. Not my fault. My mom keeps bringing these things home. She's in love with shih-tzus. We have 3 shih-tzus, Boy, Gabby, and the newest..Olivia. we have a pug, named bella, and a shorkie (shih-tzu yorkie mix) named moose. Moose is my dog. Forever and always <3 I love my monster.

 

Boy is 5 and turning 6 in April. He is one of our Shih-tzus. That is my dad btw: they are inseparable.

 

Gabby is 3. She just turned 3 in January. She is one of our shih-tzus.Her full name is Gabriella.

 

This is Olivia. She is 4 months old. Her birthday is on Halloween. She is one of our shih-tzusShe is the newest of the gang.

linked for hugeness

linked for hugeness (just took that pic now)

 

Bella is 4, and will turn 5 in 7 days. She is our pug.

 

And this is the prince my whole family knows about. Moose. He's my baby. The center of my life. He is 4, turning 5 in December. He is our Shorkie. He was the runt of his litter, which makes him all the more special! I have plenty pictures of him, but i'll only show a few.

linked for hugeness--last halloween.

--he has the perfect little tongue.

--once again..hes the prince.

--i make fun of him here because the yard looks HUGE compared to him..and his shadow is bigger than him also.

 

Well that's it. I love them all, especially Moose.

[Evangeline]

My sisters dog gave birth to 7 puppies. So we have 10 dogs in the house hold(until we sell the pups when they get old enough. )

[TikindiDragon]

Any one here with knowledge/experience of the Shiba Inu as a breed? My other half and I would like to get a dog when we move, so I'm doing some breed research. We think that would be the one for us, but I'd like to double check I'm on the right track before I start making enquiries at breed clubs.

[Rainbowsh]

Yay! A dog thread! A thread I can really talk on.

 

Anyway, I think I am going to like this thread because I have 3 dogs and I know a lot about them.

 

My 3 dogs are so sweet! Two of them are males, and one of them is a female. They are all spayed and neutered, because my mother wouldn't want puppies at all. They're all still such great pets. Their names are Black-Jack, Bessie, and Patches. I'm trying to find some pictures of them now... *searches frantically for pictures of my pets.*

 

Well, dang. I can't find any pictures of my pets on my computer. I'll try to get some on... later.

 

My dog Black-Jack is a sweet mix dog. He is half basset hound, half black lab. He has brown eyes too. He looks absolutely adorable always! Sadly, he kills birds though. It's in his blood, since he's half black lab. It's quite sad.

 

My other dog, Bessie, is the only female. She's a mix too. Half chihuahua, half dachshund. She is very loving! She stays inside all day and takes naps. She isn't as active as the others.

 

And my last dog, the youngest, is Patches. He will be 2 years in August. He is always so hyper, and he loves to explore things. He is also a mix I believe. He is half shih-tzu, half pomeranian. He has the face of a pomeranian and the small body of a shih-tzu. His name is Patches because he has spots on his fur, like patches. I love him very much!

[War Pig Killer]

Any one here with knowledge/experience of the Shiba Inu as a breed? My other half and I would like to get a dog when we move, so I'm doing some breed research. We think that would be the one for us, but I'd like to double check I'm on the right track before I start making enquiries at breed clubs.

My friend had a shiba inu. I seem to remember that they had to exercise it a lot and it was tricky to train. It barked a lot, but it never bit me even though I was a guest.

[TikindiDragon]

My friend had a shiba inu. I seem to remember that they had to exercise it a lot and it was tricky to train. It barked a lot, but it never bit me even though I was a guest.

My other half wants a dog that can keep up with him when he goes on walks in the afternoons, so the excercise things shouldn't be a problem Sounds like most of what I've found out with research to be honest.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Ahem, I have a problem with my Shih Tzu. Well, she got shaved down a month ago and has never caused any problems. But now, she starts licking certain parts of her back. I moved the little fur she has out of the way and checked to see if she has anything attached to her, like a flea or tick, but she doesn't. Is it because she is simply grooming herself or is it because something is bothering her?

[Rainbowsh]

Ahem, I have a problem with my Shih Tzu. Well, she got shaved down a month ago and has never caused any problems. But now, she starts licking certain parts of her back. I moved the little fur she has out of the way and checked to see if she has anything attached to her, like a flea or tick, but she doesn't. Is it because she is simply grooming herself or is it because something is bothering her?

Hmm.. I have a shih-tzu, and when we get him a haircut, he will run around the house and rub himself against things in the house because he isn't used to his new haircut yet, and it makes him feel itchy. Maybe that's whats happening to your shih-tzu? She might just be itchy a little.

Edited June 17, 2011 by Rainbowsh

[TwilightMoonDragon]

No, she's already growing out her fur and hasn't been scratching or itching in a while... then she jus started again a few days ago. She's not itchy, just grooming herself, like constantly licking her fur. Maybe since she has short fur she's just grooming it? IDK. Dx

[Rainbowsh]

Well, there can actually be many things that could be bothering her. Are you sure you didn't see any fleas or ticks? Something could've bitten her, and it might be aggrivating her skin, causing her to constantly lick at it and try and soothe the pain. Edited June 17, 2011 by Rainbowsh

[hazeh]

I used to have six dogs. >3< But three of them passed away since we moved to California. They were Oliver McTwist (Ollie the beagle/basset mix who was a really sweet-natured boy that we rescued from the shelter. He ended up having emotional problems and attacked one of our other dogs for no reason, so we had to put him down. Penny was an Italian greyhound/Chihuahua mix that might have had some terrier in there also... she was super timid around everyone, but for some reason she was in love with me as a little girl x3 Didn't really make sense because I ran around making lots of noise, but, I was her person. She died of old age a few years ago. Milly was supposedly a Pekingese, but I started looking at the Japanese Chins and I think she might have been part one. Anyways, she had a heart attack and was put down while I was at school. ; ;

We also just recently had to put down one of our Beagles. We bought her from a pet store (back when we didn't know about Puppy mills) and she had the cutest, roundest belly ever! She kept it with her through her years, hahaha. Her name was Bayley, and she was very sweet. She loved people, especially my Momma Kim. Anyways, she developed kidney disease and some other problems, and was put down this past May.

As for the dogs we have now:

My favorite is Chelsea, a German Shorthaired Pointer. I totally love these dogs- they're sweet, patient, and very very smart. She's been the "mama dog" to all of the puppies we've brought home after we got her. She's getting a little old, and due to inbreeding (Her great grandpa is her grandpa...blame Puppy mills!) she has epilepsy. She's a beautiful dog though with an excellent temperament, and I hope we can get another one of her. (Not another beagle...good god, not another beagle..) We actually saw online a litter of GSP and border collie mixes... Do you realize how smart and pretty those dogs would be?!

 

Don't worry, we don't get dogs from Puppy Mills anymore... >>;

Anyways- Molly. Oh god Molly. This dog... I want to strangle her D< She is very nice and cuddly and people loving, but... I NEED TO SCREAM IN HER FACE. She gets into so much trouble. For a Blue Tick Beagle, this is one of the worst behaved dogs I've ever seen. She's always in the garbage or finding ways to get into the garbage, or she's sneaking her way into the cat's kennel, or pulling things off the countertops (even if we push them all the way back against the wall!) or nosing into the pantry, or jumping onto the table if we turn away for a second to eat ours or my little sister's food, or eating laundry, or eating the excrement of other dogs outside. She's so flipping disgusting, I honestly probably would be totally indifferent if we didn't own her any more. We've tried training her so many times, but she just will not stop her bad habits. Ugh.

 

Next is Apollo. We got him this January as a puppy, and my moms thought he was half beagle... Nope! Turns out he's a Min-Pin and Chi-chi (Min-Chi? Chi-Pin?) with a weird personality. We've given him no reason to be timid, yet he cringes when someone reaches to pet him or comes towards him. Sometimes he'll be playful and bold, but otherwise when you approach him, he acts like he's being punished. He barks and growls at everything, even his own reflection in the glass door or one of us walking down the hallway.

 

 

After reading "A Dog's Purpose" (which is a really amazing book, I completely recommend it to dog lovers) my moms are like, "Let's get another puppy!" and they're leaning for beagles, which I'm like, "UH NO" because all of our beagles and beagle mixes have had poop-eating problems, and I don't think I want another hound any time soon. One is enough for me.

= _=

[Rainbowsh]

Next is Apollo. We got him this January as a puppy, and my moms thought he was half beagle... Nope! Turns out he's a Min-Pin and Chi-chi (Min-Chi? Chi-Pin?) with a weird personality. We've given him no reason to be timid, yet he cringes when someone reaches to pet him or comes towards him. Sometimes he'll be playful and bold, but otherwise when you approach him, he acts like he's being punished. He barks and growls at everything, even his own reflection in the glass door or one of us walking down the hallway.

That sounds a lot like my old dog, Buster. Buster was a full dachshund, and he would always flinch or run away if you tried to pet him or even give him a treat. He was my mom's dog, and he was very cranky. He barked at anything, and he definitely didn't take a liking to me. I was probably one of the people he hated. I'm not sure why, but he just didn't like me. He would always bark furiously if I showed any love toward him. One day though, Buster died. Not out of a sickness or an old age. He died because he was scared to death. It was on the 4th of July, and my family and I were out doing loud firecrackers. It didn't occur to us that we should put the dogs inside, instead of letting them stay outside with us. The firecrackers were so loud and scary for Buster, he ran inside and died on his bed. He had a heart attack. Even though he didn't like me much, it was a very tragic death and I rember crying about it. My mother was the one most upset about Buster's death, since he was her dog. After that, we always kept our dogs inside and put away in the laundry room where they'll be safe on the 4th of July.

[hazeh]

): I'm sorry, that's terribly tragic. Poor Buster...

Apollo doesn't hate anyone, though. He's not aggressive, just overly...weird. He'll growl at something, but if anyone approaches him, he'll back down like he's scared. He's very odd.

[TwilightMoonDragon]

Well, there can actually be many things that could be bothering her. Are you sure you didn't see any fleas or ticks? Something could've bitten her, and it might be aggrivating her skin, causing her to constantly lick at it and try and soothe the pain.

Her skin is smooth and white, no sign of irritation or anything. It's getting rather annoying actually; I have to be constantly scolding her. And no, she doesn't have ticks, because there's no mounds on her skin or anything- I've personally removed ticks from her using disinfectant and a tweezer.

[Rainbowsh]

Her skin is smooth and white, no sign of irritation or anything. It's getting rather annoying actually; I have to be constantly scolding her. And no, she doesn't have ticks, because there's no mounds on her skin or anything- I've personally removed ticks from her using disinfectant and a tweezer.

Then perhaps she's just grooming her fur? Because if she isn't itchy, she doesn't have fleas or ticks or any sort of bug bite, she should just be grooming her fur. If she keeps it up though, you might want to consider taking her for a quick check-up at the vets. They might know what's going on with your shih-tzu.

 

 

 

 

): I'm sorry, that's terribly

tragic. Poor Buster... Apollo doesn't hate anyone, though. He's not aggressive, just overly...weird. He'll growl at something, but if anyone approaches him, he'll back down like he's scared. He's very odd.

 

It's alright. Yes, it was tragic.

 

Did Apollo have a previous owner before you got him? If so, maybe Apollo's old owners abused him and scared him. Maybe that's why he backs away if you approach him?

Edited June 17, 2011 by Rainbowsh

[TwilightMoonDragon]

But when I scratch the spot she's licking she's all like: "AAAAHHHH.... <3" so maybe it is some sort of irritation? .3.

 

I feel sorry for Buster... I'm sorry. :<

Edited June 17, 2011 by TwilightMoonDragon

[Rainbowsh]

Hmm.. maybe so. The iritation might not be visible then, I guess.

 

 

-------------

 

I found a picture of one of my dogs. This is Patches:

 

http://i51.tinypic.com/iy0ew6.jpg

 

 

He is half shih-tzu/half pomeranian. The picture is linked, because it is wayyy too big. >.<

Edited June 17, 2011 by Rainbowsh

[TwilightMoonDragon]

That's possible? o_o

 

Oh Patches is so cute Rainbow! x3

Edited June 17, 2011 by TwilightMoonDragon