The dog musing/vent thread

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I realize that most people that post on forums about their puppies it is because they are having a problem. I had never been on a Doberman forum before I got Kris but she has never had the problems that so many people write about the breed.

She has never been mouthy, not in the least. She has never put her teeth on me ever. She was the easiest dog I have ever had to housetrain. One accident the morning after I brought her home when I did not get the door open quick enough in the morning to get her outside. Slept in the crate that first night and only whined to get out once. She was 11 weeks old so I know easier probably than an 8 week old pup but only a few minutes of crying in the crate then off to sleep till she whined to go out. She has never pooped in the house and never peed since that one time.

I know I mentioned about the problem doing her nails but know it was my fault with not working on it more when she was younger and she is good now.
If I had gone on the Doberman forum and had thought that what everyone had written about Dobermans was true, I probably would never have gotten her. Does anyone else find that sometimes with certain breeds people have that they almost make it sound like you have to be someone special in order to have one of their breed?
 
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Wilson is starting an agility foundations class tonight. Just lots of fun stuff. Learning to tug, focus, targeting, send-outs, directionals. That sort of thing. I'm really excited and hoping that maybe this help his confidence some as well. I know agility worked wonders for Sam.
 

Ozfozz

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I want to go to all the agility trials happening at some of my favourite venues....but my car is no longer trustworthy enough to make it that far *sobs*
 
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I realize that most people that post on forums about their puppies it is because they are having a problem. I had never been on a Doberman forum before I got Kris but she has never had the problems that so many people write about the breed.

She has never been mouthy, not in the least. She has never put her teeth on me ever. She was the easiest dog I have ever had to housetrain. One accident the morning after I brought her home when I did not get the door open quick enough in the morning to get her outside. Slept in the crate that first night and only whined to get out once. She was 11 weeks old so I know easier probably than an 8 week old pup but only a few minutes of crying in the crate then off to sleep till she whined to go out. She has never pooped in the house and never peed since that one time.

I know I mentioned about the problem doing her nails but know it was my fault with not working on it more when she was younger and she is good now.
If I had gone on the Doberman forum and had thought that what everyone had written about Dobermans was true, I probably would never have gotten her. Does anyone else find that sometimes with certain breeds people have that they almost make it sound like you have to be someone special in order to have one of their breed?
Special Snowflake Syndrome. I feel a lot of people tend to over exaggerate requirements to own certain breeds. A lot of people I also feel like think you should expect certain behaviors out of every individual within the dog's breed. My Doberman was a very easy dog to own. She wasn't a speedballin' teenager, she didn't challenge me as an owner and was naturally perfect off leash.

My Patterdale on the other hand was very stereotypical of the breed but other than challenging her mind and giving her a job(mousing) along with a physical outlet, I think a devoted, open-minded owner who kept these things in mind could have handled her quite easily. As both a pet and a working dog.

I know all of us are passionate about our chosen breeds but in reality, I think common sense and acknowledging what these individual breeds are capable of if handled incorrectly would go a long way towards good dog ownership versus telling people, "Your border collie MUST get a 4 mile run in EVERY day and you HAVE to have sheep for them." Or "Your Akita WILL eat every single kid on the block if you don't extensively socialize them with your neighbor's kids EVERY opportunity you get!" I believe informing prospective owners with the breed's history and a general overview of how today's world might have changed the breed's temperament and what they might want to be prepared for with health and temperament concerns does more good for all breeds than horror stories of what will happen if they don't do EXACTLY what a breed forum tells them to do. Just my .02
 

Laurelin

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The more dogs I'm around the more I realize that dogs are just dogs first and foremost. Yes, there are breed characteristics. Yes, keep those in mind. But there are no universal truths. And what is 'difficult' potentially about one breed is probably found in a bunch more. And when you get to looking at an individual dog, look at it as an individual and not as the breed.

All that said, Mia is still the most high maintenance dog I've ever owned. Hank is WILD. Don't know his breed for sure. But he's darn easy. Wild but really not a hard dog to live with at all. Much less trouble than Mia!
 
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Me see dog. Me want dog. Me can't get dog. Me can't wait. Me impatient.

I've probably made a kajillion posts about wanting a dog and it hasn't changed. I really have puppy fever :(
 

Beanie

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The blue merle puppy I wanted is the last one of the litter left.
The rest sold.
The one I specifically wanted... still available.

I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.


I even asked my co-worker who has been all over the country "how long does it take to get to Alabama?"
Too long. WAY too long.

I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
 

-bogart-

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The blue merle puppy I wanted is the last one of the litter left.
The rest sold.
The one I specifically wanted... still available.

I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.


I even asked my co-worker who has been all over the country "how long does it take to get to Alabama?"
Too long. WAY too long.

I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
But gas is so cheap!
 

*blackrose

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The blue merle puppy I wanted is the last one of the litter left.
The rest sold.
The one I specifically wanted... still available.

I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.


I even asked my co-worker who has been all over the country "how long does it take to get to Alabama?"
Too long. WAY too long.

I do not need to drive to Alabama to look at a puppy.
Southern Mississippi to Northwest Indiana is probably similar to Illinois to Alabama. All I'll say is I made the drive by myself once (DH was in another car) and it suuuuuuccccckkkkked. I was going crazy by the end of it. Legit crazy.

But if you have a traveling buddy? Still sucks, but not so bad that we've stopped making the drive! Lol The last two hours are always a bit slap happy.
 

pinkspore

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His Tinyness only eats when he is hungry. If I try to enforce mealtimes he'll happily starve while turning into a bitty little skeleton dog. This week he's being particularly picky, will turn down everything for days and then suddenly decide he's hungry at midnight.

So I get up and get him a bowl of food to eat. In bed. And some of you doubt my commitment to Sparkle Motion.
 

Beanie

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But if you have a traveling buddy? Still sucks, but not so bad that we've stopped making the drive! Lol The last two hours are always a bit slap happy.
THE TRAVELING BUDDY IS THE PUPPY



Seriously though, as much as I adore how he looks, I can't convince myself to do it. If he were closer I probably would, but I don't really know a ton about the breeder other than health and general breeding practices, which I like, but they aren't sport people - so I wouldn't trust their evaluation of the dog's attitude when it comes to what I'm looking for... so I would literally be driving that far just to LOOK at a dog. And potentially come home without it.

Payton was only 90 minutes away, I was more than willing to drive that far to evaluate and come home without a dog. I would even do twice that far... maybe a bit further... but it's like 12-odd hours to Alabama... too far just to evaluate. =/
 

CharlieDog

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THE TRAVELING BUDDY IS THE PUPPY



Seriously though, as much as I adore how he looks, I can't convince myself to do it. If he were closer I probably would, but I don't really know a ton about the breeder other than health and general breeding practices, which I like, but they aren't sport people - so I wouldn't trust their evaluation of the dog's attitude when it comes to what I'm looking for... so I would literally be driving that far just to LOOK at a dog. And potentially come home without it.

Payton was only 90 minutes away, I was more than willing to drive that far to evaluate and come home without a dog. I would even do twice that far... maybe a bit further... but it's like 12-odd hours to Alabama... too far just to evaluate. =/
Where in Alabama? What are you looking for specifically? I can go evaluate the pup for you if you can toss a little bit of gas money my way, and I can't remember where you live, but I have Sundays and Mondays off, and can probably meet you somewhere if he's what you want...

Just saying....
 

DJEtzel

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Where in Alabama? What are you looking for specifically? I can go evaluate the pup for you if you can toss a little bit of gas money my way, and I can't remember where you live, but I have Sundays and Mondays off, and can probably meet you somewhere if he's what you want...

Just saying....
SHE'S JUST SAYING, BEANIE! :cool::D
 
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I drove four hours each way to pick up Kris. I bought her at 8 weeks of age but as I was going to their area for an Agility trial, they kept her an extra 3 weeks and I picked her up on my way home at 11 weeks. Made it a lot easier house breaking with those extra three weeks.

Other than getting an adult dog once in a while, I have brought all my other puppies home at 8 weeks of age and sure noticed the difference. Not that they housebroke her as she peed on the floor when we went to get her and acted like it was the normal thing to do.
 

k9krazee

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Do it, Beanie! We drove the 10+ hours to get Crossbone sight unseen and were prepared to come back empty handed if we hated him upon first sight :p

I drove four hours each way to pick up Kris. I bought her at 8 weeks of age but as I was going to their area for an Agility trial, they kept her an extra 3 weeks and I picked her up on my way home at 11 weeks. Made it a lot easier house breaking with those extra three weeks.

Other than getting an adult dog once in a while, I have brought all my other puppies home at 8 weeks of age and sure noticed the difference. Not that they housebroke her as she peed on the floor when we went to get her and acted like it was the normal thing to do.
Oh I totally get that! We brought Pox home at 7.5 weeks and he got the idea of going potty outside but THE DAY he turned 11 weeks old it's like something finally clicked and even though it's been cold he's been reliably using the dog door and going outside on his own, unprompted. Actually, everything changed the day he turned 11 weeks old and he turned into a little puppy dog instead of a cute, mushy little baby puppy.
 

*blackrose

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Abrams exhibits wonderful self control when he wants to. Was sharing kettlecorn with the dogs and Cynder fails at catching, so a piece bounced off the top of her head and careened across the room. Took her a bit to find it and Abrams didn't break his down to try to beat her to it. Lol
 

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