- Joined
- Feb 26, 2018
- Messages
- 5,060
- Reaction score
- 2,685
- Location
- San Diego
- Gender
- Male
- Political Leaning
- Other
Yeah, that pretty much sums it up...
Dogs are better friends. Cats are less maintenance.
Patience. Never raise your hand other than in play, like with a ball or toy in hand. Your dog should never become afraid of your hand. Reward positive behavior with a treat, kind words, and a rub behind the ears. All the rest will sort itself out. When your dog misbehaves, just offer the hairy eyeball and a scowl, not a word need be spoken. Dogs learn your body language and react accordingly. You catch more flies with honey.
A two year old, forever.
Most dogs have the emotional/intellectual profile of a typical two year old....both the good and the bad.
Since you're in an apartment you definitely want a SMALL dog.
Just remember this one thing...to your dog, you're a BUILDING...size wise.
Everything you do and say to them is from "the God" angle...you are towering over them and they're mostly looking up at the bipedal magic super-being talking to them.
So when you get mad, multiply what you're feeling a hundred times, hence be very gentle even when FIRM, if you're angry, count to ten and figure out how to translate that to "being disappointed" instead. Both dogs and cats are aware of when a human is disappointed in them.
And dogs definitely don't want you to be disappointed in them. And they want human touch, human contact.
So one way to express disappointment is to make a "thing" out of not letting them get that touch....you have to make a game out of it and so does your partner.
As for physical discipline, even with a very large dog, anything more than a tiny little tap on the snout is too much.
Dogs who get hit get "ruined" and it doesn't make them stop whatever bad behavior they might be engaging in either.
Sometimes it makes it get worse. The tiny gentle tap on the snout is to get their attention, nothing more...tell them "NO" firmly and give them a little tap...you can even skip the tap on the snout altogether because less is more, so if you almost never do it, on the rare occassion when you DO, it really works.
If you do it every time you tell them "NO", eventually they just think it's a game.
So waggle your finger and refuse all touch and engagement and make a show of being disappointed instead.
And, being disappointed is only relevant if you also make a big show of being pleased and proud when they do something GOOD.
As for barking...hey...if barking bugs you, do not get a dog. Dogs MUST BARK.
Now that having been said, OUR dog doesn't just bark...she groans, growls, whines, sings, howls, snorts...she has a full vocabulary. She USED to go bananas barking at dogs on the TV set but now she mostly growls or whines.
She only really barks if we encourage her...("Who's the doggie? Look at the doggie!!) or if the dog or dogs are running fast or if they are barking.
So I guess what I am getting at is, their barking is our talking so yes, we DO encourage her to speak her mind, but what we do is, we encourage to actually have a reason to speak her mind.
And the result is, when we tell her it is quiet time, she does listen.
She might start barking like crazy at something but if we "Ssshhhhh" and make the sign for quiet time, her barking changes to quiet whining or growling instead. And I can tell she's reacting to us because she will whine or growl and then look at us like,
"Okay is this alright? It's not barking."...
Dog's vision of isolation is my bed, while the cat is snoring in his bed. 120 lb Dog dominated by 3lb midget cat. :doh
She chases him around our home, especially when he wants to lie down for a nap. Keeps him trim and in shape.
Consider a rescue.
One trick I discovered with puppies is to keep a bag of baby carrots in the refrigerator. When you catch them chewing on something inappropriate during their teething phase, stick a baby carrot into their mouth. It is not only nutritious, but it will spare your furniture and your shoes.
Males and females also mature at different rates. Male dogs take 12 months to reach sexual maturity, and females take 18 months. You should not have them neutered or spayed until after they reach sexual maturity.
Female dogs also tend to be more intelligent than male dogs.
I've been looking at shelters, but they sure have slim pickings. Most are older, have health or behavior problems. Also the vast majority of puppies that I've found both in shelters and for sale are described as being neutered or spayed.
But reading about it now, most agree with you. I wonder why the difference?...
When one of my dogs reached the age of 6 or 7 I would get another puppy. Not only does the puppy keep the older dog in shape, it helps to have another dog in the house after coming home from having to put the older dog down. I can't own dogs any longer unfortunately. I live alone and after my last heat-attack I don't want to leave a dog behind.
I'm skeptical of anyone who claims an animal has behavior problems. My first thought is that it is the owner who has the behavior problem, and not the animal. Anyone who is spaying or neutering dogs or cats before they reach sexual maturity needs to be charged with animal abuse. That could cause them serious medical issues as adults. Puppies should get their regime of shots and vaccinations, but no surgery until after they are sexually mature.
It would be great if you knew someone who could and would take care of your last friend when you pass. Seems it would make the last years/months much easier. Btw, I've been to many of Alaska's cites, including Barrow twice, in the summer and winter...
It would be great, but I don't. During the Winters in particular it could be weeks before I see another living person. If I were to die at home it will be at least several days, possibly weeks before anyone knows. My last heart-attack was in a grocery store parking lot and I had my dogs with me. They were taken to the pound by Animal Control while I was flown to the emergency room. My dogs were well treated and I was not charged for their 10 day stay while I was in the hospital.
I was fortunate to be in public at the time I had my heart-attack. Next time I may not be so lucky. Considering that all my dogs have lived 12 years or longer, and I most likely have less than 12 years left, I chose not to have another dog in my life. I don't want to live what is left of my life feeling guilty for not out-living my dog who is utterly dependent upon me.
Barrow is Utqiagvik now. They changed their name. I used to work on the north slope, but in the 29 years I have lived in Alaska, I have never visited Utqiagvik.
A two year old, forever.
Most dogs have the emotional/intellectual profile of a typical two year old....both the good and the bad.
Since you're in an apartment you definitely want a SMALL dog.
Just remember this one thing...to your dog, you're a BUILDING...size wise.
Everything you do and say to them is from "the God" angle...you are towering over them and they're mostly looking up at the bipedal magic super-being talking to them.
So when you get mad, multiply what you're feeling a hundred times, hence be very gentle even when FIRM, if you're angry, count to ten and figure out how to translate that to "being disappointed" instead. Both dogs and cats are aware of when a human is disappointed in them.
And dogs definitely don't want you to be disappointed in them. And they want human touch, human contact.
So one way to express disappointment is to make a "thing" out of not letting them get that touch....you have to make a game out of it and so does your partner.
As for physical discipline, even with a very large dog, anything more than a tiny little tap on the snout is too much.
Dogs who get hit get "ruined" and it doesn't make them stop whatever bad behavior they might be engaging in either.
Sometimes it makes it get worse. The tiny gentle tap on the snout is to get their attention, nothing more...tell them "NO" firmly and give them a little tap...you can even skip the tap on the snout altogether because less is more, so if you almost never do it, on the rare occassion when you DO, it really works.
If you do it every time you tell them "NO", eventually they just think it's a game.
So waggle your finger and refuse all touch and engagement and make a show of being disappointed instead.
And, being disappointed is only relevant if you also make a big show of being pleased and proud when they do something GOOD.
As for barking...hey...if barking bugs you, do not get a dog. Dogs MUST BARK.
Now that having been said, OUR dog doesn't just bark...she groans, growls, whines, sings, howls, snorts...she has a full vocabulary. She USED to go bananas barking at dogs on the TV set but now she mostly growls or whines.
She only really barks if we encourage her...("Who's the doggie? Look at the doggie!!) or if the dog or dogs are running fast or if they are barking.
So I guess what I am getting at is, their barking is our talking so yes, we DO encourage her to speak her mind, but what we do is, we encourage to actually have a reason to speak her mind.
And the result is, when we tell her it is quiet time, she does listen.
She might start barking like crazy at something but if we "Ssshhhhh" and make the sign for quiet time, her barking changes to quiet whining or growling instead. And I can tell she's reacting to us because she will whine or growl and then look at us like,
"Okay is this alright? It's not barking."
View attachment 67280990
I've been looking at shelters, but they sure have slim pickings. Most are older, have health or behavior problems. Also the vast majority of puppies that I've found both in shelters and for sale are described as being neutered or spayed.
But reading about it now, most agree with you. I wonder why the difference?...
I'm skeptical of anyone who claims an animal has behavior problems. My first thought is that it is the owner who has the behavior problem, and not the animal. Anyone who is spaying or neutering dogs or cats before they reach sexual maturity needs to be charged with animal abuse. That could cause them serious medical issues as adults. Puppies should get their regime of shots and vaccinations, but no surgery until after they are sexually mature.
Funny story.
Just married moved into an apartment. Balanced a pencil 1/2 over the edge of the coffee table. Went for a long weekend and came back. The pencil was exactly where I'd left it. Drove me nuts.
We got 2 kittens shortly there after, as the apartment was too small for the dog that I'd want. never had to worry about a pencil left that way ever again.
Got our first house. Still had the cats. Soon thereafter got a puppy.
The cats trained him right quick, as they still had their claws.
Never had to worry about the dog and the cats.
View attachment 67281039
Here's a picture of our oldest when she was a toddler and Buster Brown, our first dog. I think Buster was 3 years old then, and a kind hearted soul.
Best friends.
I do still miss him, even after all these years. Yes, pets do in fact become family.
Cute dog. Thanks for so much for such great info! Reading about training, I was surprised to find some trainers using, what looks to me, like some pretty radical and painful methods. Until I'm convinced otherwise, I'll be using a positive reinforcement approach along with a clicker. I used a clicker to train my cats...
Anyone who is spaying or neutering dogs or cats before they reach sexual maturity needs to be charged with animal abuse. That could cause them serious medical issues as adults. Puppies should get their regime of shots and vaccinations, but no surgery until after they are sexually mature.
I'm skeptical of anyone who claims an animal has behavior problems. My first thought is that it is the owner who has the behavior problem, and not the animal.
If you really need to discipline them and make it stick, banish them from your presence for three or four minutes. That’s all it takes.
Dogs are pack animals and they cant stand being banished.
Wow, my Italian maternal grandmother (who came from the old country) said the same thing:
Animals MUST reach maturity before spay or neuter.
Actually her real theory was that they be allowed to have one litter before spay and males must be allowed to breed at least once before neuter, but she agreed that at the very least they must reach maturity before anything is done.
She was convinced it made for healthier animals.
Well said, those are words of wisdom and so few understand or accept that fact. We are the humans, so the animals are a reflection of OUR mental and emotional status.
A good friend of mine in the film biz happens to be a fairly neurotic type, always complaining, worrying or bitching about something. Their dog suffers from a wide variety of health issues, skin problems, behavioral issues, digestive problems...they have to get special food ordered and brought in every week because apparently she is unable to digest anything else.
The poor dog is basically an outward projection of his personality type, and even though their dog is very very similar to ours, he can't figure out why ours is so healthy and happy while his is miserable.
I don't believe he is intentionally being crappy to the dog...it's just that he's such a worry-wart neurotic that the dog picks up on it 100 percent.
Well said, Mr. Glitch, I am sure your dogs loved you very much.
It would be great, but I don't. During the Winters in particular it could be weeks before I see another living person. If I were to die at home it will be at least several days, possibly weeks before anyone knows. My last heart-attack was in a grocery store parking lot and I had my dogs with me. They were taken to the pound by Animal Control while I was flown to the emergency room. My dogs were well treated and I was not charged for their 10 day stay while I was in the hospital.
I was fortunate to be in public at the time I had my heart-attack. Next time I may not be so lucky. Considering that all my dogs have lived 12 years or longer, and I most likely have less than 12 years left, I chose not to have another dog in my life. I don't want to live what is left of my life feeling guilty for not out-living my dog who is utterly dependent upon me.
Barrow is Utqiagvik now. They changed their name. I used to work on the north slope, but in the 29 years I have lived in Alaska, I have never visited Utqiagvik.
Your dogs must have freaked out being taken away from you for 10+ days. And it sure sounds like you live an adventurous life.
I'd like to ask many more questions about Alaska, but in some other thread...
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?