Mexidogs

skittledoo

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#21
Some Cricket puppy pics because I'm mean and like to torture people




Love this pic










Demanding that wink play with her lol


 

ravennr

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#23
clearly i've been away too long!

i've got some learning to do about this little pariah. don't be surprised if (WHEN) i come back and poke at you guys about where you got your mexidogs and how you found them/came to the conclusion to get them! Cricket and Talla are ADORABLE beyond words.
 

RD

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#25
I love Cricket and Talla!

As far as street dogs being good sport dogs, it depends on the individual. Most of them are built for it and have the intelligence and trainability to do most sports, but some don't have the edge to be flyball champions or super speedy agility stars. Honestly getting an older dog for sports is a good idea if you are getting a previously owned shelter dog, but with street dogs if you get an older dog, there's a **** good chance the dog's not going to have the proper socialization under its belt in order to make the change from street dog to sport dog. Most street dogs aren't treated very well by most of the people they encounter, and they learn to defend themselves against other dogs and prey on small animals. I would advise against a more mature street dog for a sport prospect, though they can make superb pets!

They're all individuals, despite having a common tendency towards cleverness and problem solving. For example, Talla was way more drivey, tuggy and fearless than Cricket was at the same age. They were both affectionate, friendly, confident puppies, but one was a complete land shark and the other a bit more stoic.

They are not a "breed" with a set in stone temperament defining them, so you get quite the variety. You also get quite the variety of ears, coats, colors and tails. What you usually do get set in stone is medium size (between 30-50lbs), tough feet, moderate and balanced structure, a strong jaw with a good scissor bite, and full dentition. They are usually relatively light in bone and built for a combination of speed and endurance.

They are territorial. All dogs are territorial, but Mexidogs are territorial enough for it to need mentioning. It's certainly less noticeable in females and in puppies that never lived on the street, but they are protective of their home and their people.
 

Dekka

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#26
Grace, could someone get an older puppy, say 6 months or a bit older with no issues? I don't think someone would need an adult to have a good idea, but an older puppy would be safer.

Even of purebreds not all dogs are good at dog sports. This is why when dog sport people get puppies they pick ones from lines that are known for their talent in what the person is looking for. Going the rescue shelter route is safe because you can test for drive. (though some dogs will become good with enough time and training that you wouldn't expect)

Cricket and Talla look lovely and there is no structural reason they wouldn't be good at dog sports, but IME temperament and drive is a bigger factor.

Was Wink a street dog? (I love that pic of Cricket grabbing Wink.. one of the best pics evar)
 

Aleron

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#27
I have been fascinated with pariah type dogs for years. I have done a lot of reading on Carolina Dogs and they seem sooo cool! My hesitation with seriously looking into them was always that while I like the more primitive type herding breeds, I'm not sure about primitive type dogs without the herding part in terms of trainability, drive and human orientation. I love sighthounds but have found there is a huge difference between trainability and human orientation between the more primitive and more "developed" ones. So I guess a question I have with Mexi-dogs is, just how primitive are they behavior wise? The Carolina Dogs tend to have a lot of primitive behavioral traits.

I would think if you are getting a street dog from anywhere with the hopes of doing sports with them, the younger the better. I would think 6 months is way too old, as they are half grown by then. By then they have spent their most important socialization periods learning survival and not important skills for working with humans. I have no experience with street dogs. Still, I wouldn't even take a puppy from a breeder at 6 months old unless I knew they did a ton of socialization and foundation work with them. I would need to know the puppy was raised in a way that encouraged them to be highly trainable, oriented towards humans and socialized enough not to be weird about new situations. IME with dogs in general, dogs who aren't interacted with in a certain way as puppies just don't mentally develop the same way as dogs who have a lot of interaction, training and socialization from a young age. I would think that is especially true of dogs born and raised on the street.
 

Dekka

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#28
I don't think Amber got Cricket till she was older... I am not saying take the dog off the street at that age. Just look into rescuing one at that age so you can gauge drive etc. Same as going to a shelter. You can tell at 6 months if the dog is happy go lucky or not (regardless of socialization). A stable dog will still be a stable dog even with out socialization.
 

Shai

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#29
I have been fascinated with pariah type dogs for years. I have done a lot of reading on Carolina Dogs and they seem sooo cool! My hesitation with seriously looking into them was always that while I like the more primitive type herding breeds, I'm not sure about primitive type dogs without the herding part in terms of trainability, drive and human orientation. I love sighthounds but have found there is a huge difference between trainability and human orientation between the more primitive and more "developed" ones. So I guess a question I have with Mexi-dogs is, just how primitive are they behavior wise? The Carolina Dogs tend to have a lot of primitive behavioral traits.
Clearly you need a Kim
 

Fran101

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#30
Sorry if this is going off topic, but in Haiti, we have "Ti' Chien Jaune" which literal translation is: "Little yellow dog"

and I've noticed MANY similarities between them and little Talla and cricket as well!

I have some pictures:






I just think it's interesting how common traits seem to even out in strays in similar environments
 

ravennr

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#31
these street dogs are melting my heart!!

i am a HUGE fan of the Portuguese Podengo and for some reason there are actually a significant number (and by that i mean i've seen about five in two years) in rescue here. i thought maybe it's because i'm so close to such a major city now and not out in the sticks of the world, comparatively. the pariahs are in my top three of types to own no matter what my boyfriend says (he is forever stuck on Frenchies, complete opposite end of the spectrum indeed!). i only worry that i could potentially be doing these dogs a disservice based on my location. that's not to say anyone who owns these dogs in a likewise cold climate is doing their dogs a disservice, but it would be very new to me to own a dog like that where the winters are so cold.
what sort of precautions do you have to take with these dogs and the cold, in general? would a sweater and jacket really be enough in -25C weather with some snow on the ground?
 

AdrianneIsabel

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#32
Is it just me or does Talla look a bit squarer than Cricket in the muzzle/face and a bit thicker of bone? Do the dogs tend to lean more to one or the other or just vary a lot?

Do you see one color more than others? How about coat types? Do they all have the extra dewclaw/toe on the back foot?
 

Aleron

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#33
I don't think Amber got Cricket till she was older... I am not saying take the dog off the street at that age. Just look into rescuing one at that age so you can gauge drive etc. Same as going to a shelter. You can tell at 6 months if the dog is happy go lucky or not (regardless of socialization). A stable dog will still be a stable dog even with out socialization.
I'm not really talking about stable dogs, although effect of socialization or lack of depends on the breed and the extent of the lack of socialization. A friend of mine has a Sibe that had almost no human interaction until 4 months old and getting her was pretty much like getting a feral dog. Her parents and siblings from other breedings were not anything like her and her littermates or siblings from future breedings raised in a similar manner. You just can't make a blanket statement that a stable dog is a stable dog regardless of early experiences. It depends on the breed, the dog and the circumstances. I don't really look for happy go lucky either.

What I'm talking about is developing the puppy's brain in an ultimate way for working with humans. I believe that interactions at certain ages effect the way the brain develops and that once the time for that is gone, it's gone. That isn't to say that older puppies or adults without such interactions can't be developed into good sport dogs, it's just not "tipping the odds in your favor" as you like to talk about. To me, tipping the odds in your favor very much includes getting your puppy young and starting their training and socialization from day one (or getting an older puppy from someone who has done so). That would especially go for getting a street bred/raised dog, a kennel raised dog or other less than ideal early circumstances.

Clearly you need a Kim
And what is Kim? :)
 

Dekka

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#34
these street dogs are melting my heart!!

i am a HUGE fan of the Portuguese Podengo and for some reason there are actually a significant number (and by that i mean i've seen about five in two years) in rescue here. i thought maybe it's because i'm so close to such a major city now and not out in the sticks of the world, comparatively. the pariahs are in my top three of types to own no matter what my boyfriend says (he is forever stuck on Frenchies, complete opposite end of the spectrum indeed!). i only worry that i could potentially be doing these dogs a disservice based on my location. that's not to say anyone who owns these dogs in a likewise cold climate is doing their dogs a disservice, but it would be very new to me to own a dog like that where the winters are so cold.
what sort of precautions do you have to take with these dogs and the cold, in general? would a sweater and jacket really be enough in -25C weather with some snow on the ground?
Really ou have pondego's near you! I must come and visit. They are a breed I am interested in, yet have never met in real life :) Oh and if you get a frenchie I also want to come visit lol. I met quite a few in the states this past summer and they were hilarious. I would think they would acclimatize fairly well, and coats etc. (same as any short coated breed)
 

Dekka

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#35
I'm not really talking about stable dogs, although effect of socialization or lack of depends on the breed and the extent of the lack of socialization.
regardless.. that was just an addition to my point. Adopting a dog that is in a foster situation would allow you to have a puppy that is well handled by people, but old enough you can tell if it will be any good for dog sports.

Its hard enough to tell when they are a known breed from dog sport lines and well socialized. Just playing puppy roulette and grabbing a random street puppy might be an exciting way to get a pet, but not the best way of picking your next dog sport partner.
 

Shai

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#36
@Aleron -- No idea. Her foster mum said she was a Carolina Dog though :p
 

ravennr

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#38
Really ou have pondego's near you! I must come and visit. They are a breed I am interested in, yet have never met in real life :) Oh and if you get a frenchie I also want to come visit lol. I met quite a few in the states this past summer and they were hilarious. I would think they would acclimatize fairly well, and coats etc. (same as any short coated breed)
i was so surprised! i questioned it of course, but they are always identical, and most have been surrenders so i have to assume the owner told them the breed. it would be an odd one to just guess out of nowhere, and i'd assume they'd guess it as an Ibizan mix, before a Podengo, just given which is known more.

next time i see one, i may have to go and actually meet it in person. we are finally coming up on the point where we are ready for a dog. as soon as we lack roommates, i think we'll be going out into the rescue world and inquiring.

ever since moving here (and again, i have to contribute this to being near such a major city) i've increasingly seen more and more rare breeds in rescue. there was the Karelian Bear Dog that was up for adoption for two years that i fell in love with, all the Podengos, and some other breeds i just didn't expect to see in such abundance because i never saw them much where i used to live (Cane Corso is a breed i see very regularly in rescues here and i have a feeling it can be linked to the breed ban, which is about to be overturned i believe).
we also see quite a few pariah-type look alikes in the shelters here. i'm a big fan of the ones with the ears clearly too large for their heads. :p
 

Aleron

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#39
Its hard enough to tell when they are a known breed from dog sport lines and well socialized. Just playing puppy roulette and grabbing a random street puppy might be an exciting way to get a pet, but not the best way of picking your next dog sport partner.
I'd personally still take my chances with a young puppy, if I decided a Mexi-dog was what I had to have :) Of course, I wouldn't just be taking a "random puppy". I'd look for the things I always look for when I get a puppy. To me, the early phases of puppyhood are just too important to pass up.
 

Shai

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#40
Kim is The Awesome. That's all I have to add to this thread.
LOL yup...she is Kim and she is mine and the rest is small potatoes ;)

There's no way to really know but she does fit the CD general checklist except for a few unknowns (heat cycle, puppy-rearing) *shrugs*
 

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