Adult vs. puppy, big vs. small

[Shai]

Originally Posted by JacksonsMom

I've kind of been turned off of adult rescues since my dad adopted his dog at a little over 1. He seemed sooo sweet and awesome in the shelter. He was very friendly, playful enough but not overly. Now he's just a barking maniac who is totally antisocial and doesn't really enjoy any activities except a short walk and cuddling on the couch. Lol. Sooo not my kind of dog. I tried to teach him to shake, and I've only gotten him to the point where he *very* slowly lifts his leg up for me. Ha. It's so annoying. But my point is he was totally different in the shelter than he is now. And I know that's not always the case. I think if a dog had been living in a foster home for a bit, and knew more about how he was in a home setting, I'd be more apt to do it.

Webby sez talkin' smack about dogs adopted at 1 yr old is not allowed...
You are being watched. Be afraid. Be very afraid.


Oh and did I mention Webby has um like a lot of titles and honors...and therapydogness...he's superduper with Alzheimer's patients...and I just pulled him out of retirement cold after over a year off and threw him in AKC agility and he earned 4 QQs in a row...his first 4 days ever of trialing in Excellent B?

Don't be knockin' the adult rescues because of one bad apple

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Shai

Webby sez talkin' smack about dogs adopted at 1 yr old is not allowed...
You are being watched. Be afraid. Be very afraid.


Oh and did I mention Webby has um like a lot of titles and honors...and therapydogness...he's superduper with Alzheimer's patients...and I just pulled him out of retirement cold after over a year off and threw him in AKC agility and he earned 4 QQs in a row...his first 4 days ever of trialing in Excellent B?

Don't be knockin' the adult rescues because of one bad apple

Lol, oh noez, sorry Webby. You know you don't count.

I know, and then I could end up with an amazing dog like Webster too.

I JUST DON'T KNOW. haha. My brain is thinking too hard.

[Laurelin]

I would honestly just wait until you're in a position to get another dog then decide then. Especially if you'll be renting and out on your own for the first time in a year or so. Wait to see what your apartment/the apartments in the area allow. Get Jackson involved in agility and get breed experience with some of the breeds you're interested in. Just my 2 cents. I know it sucks waiting. I'm still struggling with my next dog too and choosing what I really want and what would fit well into my lifestyle. I think when the time is right and the right dog is there you'll know.

[ihartgonzo]

Yes!!! Jackson would look adorbz with a BC. I can only imagine all of ths tricks you would teach that B order Collie... Lol

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I would honestly just wait until you're in a position to get another dog then decide then. Especially if you'll be renting and out on your own for the first time in a year or so. Wait to see what your apartment/the apartments in the area allow. Get Jackson involved in agility and get breed experience with some of the breeds you're interested in. Just my 2 cents. I know it sucks waiting. I'm still struggling with my next dog too and choosing what I really want and what would fit well into my lifestyle. I think when the time is right and the right dog is there you'll know.

This is really logical advice. It's what my brain is telling me. But I still am impatient, haha.

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by ihartgonzo

Yes!!! Jackson would look adorbz with a BC. I can only imagine all of ths tricks you would teach that B order Collie... Lol

Definitely! I can't even imagine a dog picking up on things faster than Jackson, because he's pretty darn fast. So I think I'd be thoroughly amazed by a BC and have SO much fun, since I love teaching tricks anyways, and would love to keep his mind occupied. I just really think I'd love the sharpness and quickness of a BC. Because that's what I love about Jackson. And having a dog that's even MORE so... I think would just be awesome.

But still want more hands on experience with them of course. It's not something I'd dive into lightly.

[Laurelin]

Originally Posted by JacksonsMom

This is really logical advice. It's what my brain is telling me. But I still am impatient, haha.

I keep having to tell myself this too.

[*blackrose]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

I keep having to tell myself this too.

Me, too. Especially since I am currently dogless at my apartment. I need to wait at least until October, but my mind is going "NEEDZ DOG NAO!" I hate being responsible sometime...

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by JacksonsMom

I don't really like 99% of Yorkies to be honest. Jackson is one in a million. I'm SO lucky he's not the typical Yorkie.

Don't feel bad, I don't typically like Boxers either lol. I do think a lot of it comes down to how they're raised though, the boxers I don't like belong to people who are totally clueless about what they're doing, and the ones I DO like belong to people that actually put time and effort into their dogs. As much as most of the specimens in this breed annoy me, I've had success with the two that I've owned, so I'm sticking with em.

[JacksonsMom]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Don't feel bad, I don't typically like Boxers either lol. I do think a lot of it comes down to how they're raised though, the boxers I don't like belong to people who are totally clueless about what they're doing, and the ones I DO like belong to people that actually put time and effort into their dogs. As much as most of the specimens in this breed annoy me, I've had success with the two that I've owned, so I'm sticking with em.

Very very true.

I've always been one to encourage Jackson to try new things for one. As a pup, I taught him ... if there's a big tree trunk fallen on the ground, I encourage him to jump on it or over it. Water? Go check it out! Other dogs? Go play! Any type of new thing, I just always allowed him to go explore it for himself, and never held him back. Even as a pup with housebreaking, I never carried him outside, I had him walk himself. I think the problem with a lot of small dog owners in general is that you get used to doing things when they're very little, and then never get out of it, and then the dog expects things a certain way maybe.

But on the flip side, I never had to push him to do most of these things, he just naturally had a desire to explore, jump, dive, and everything in between, lol, and I think with my encouragement was shown he can have a lot of fun! Most Yorkie owners wouldn't allow probably 80% of the things I allow Jackson to do

So I think it's probably 80% of how he was raised and 20% just him being him. I don't know just making up these numbers. but it's something I do think about... how much of it is just natural, or how much he is the way he is because of how he was raised.

PS. I am 50/50 with Boxers. Juno seems like one I'd LOVE. I dogsat for two (one mix) who I also loved. But most of the ones I meet at the dog park, etc, I'm not a fan of.