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paisleyfox posted:YES POST MORE! I love reading about this type of stuff! I never personally raced (we have a harness for our dog and we thought about starting to do single dog short distance stuff with her, but it just never worked out beyond her towing me around behind her at GREAT AND TERRIFYING SPEED WHEN YOU'RE NINE YEARS OLD AND ON SKIS), but we had/have (moved south) a lot of friends that raced and/or kept teams, it's a huge part of the culture/history of that town. Part of the industrial area is ALL kennels, many of which belong to members of the Beck family; http://www.beckskennels.com/english/index.html . They've got sort of a mixed reputation in the community, but with the racing track record that they have there's really no denying that they produce some fantastic dogs. Most of the people I know that keep/raise dog teams don't have sites or sell their pups. They usually keep them, trade them with other mushers, or give them to friends that they really seriously trust with their dogs. Sometimes the retired dogs live out their dotage in the homes of other people, but mostly they just get to be spoiled as poo poo house dogs with the people that raised. My own dog, the probable runt of a sled racing litter (she was dumped by a river outside of town, but not far from an area where a lot of people kept teams, she had probably been a house dog, but then got pregnant so chances are they ditched her and drowned the pups, she had full teets when we got her and mothered the poo poo out of me and my friends). She was ridiculously fast and SUPER drivey. She has calmed down some in her old age, and is still really crazy smart. Had she been larger, she probably would've made one hell of a lead dog. However, she also never did quite grow into her ears or those looooong, grippy toes, which are super common in dogs of this type. They definitely add to acceleration at launch, help her stay on top of snow pack, grip on ice, etc. She is, however (minus having become a little chunky in her old age, arthritis and losing her hearing), still in incredible shape, and people often think she's more like 2, when she's somewhere around 15/16/17, and in the 35lb range. She still runs like hell when we take her out, just not quite as fast as she used to.  Her face used to mostly be a much darker brown and black. :3 Our first dog was a heavier/more obvious husky type, from the MacKenzie Mountains. I don't have any digital pictures on hand, but when the light's better I'll try to get a photo of the photo of him that I do have here. He was a heavily built, SUPER hairy dog with a massive torso and really short legs. He was in the 75 lb range, and super mellow. He also let me and my friends dress him up in hats, and my parents would plonk me on his back when I was a baby for rides. :3 e: Here's Kermit, he was one of these, but with REALLY short legs: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mackenzie_River_Husky  I also spoke to Dad, and he knew Bill Carpenter, who was heavily involved in bringing back Canadian Eskimo Dogs, and he said that he'd happily answer any questions you might have about them or the sled dogs to the best of his ability (he also thinks CEDs/quimmiqs are the Coolest Primitive Breed Ever). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Eskimo_Dog Dad's also going to try to get more racin' pics up. :> PartyCrown fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Oct 17, 2012 |
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Oct 17, 2012 17:18
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I'm a little frazzled trying to clean house before my mom gets here this afternoon. 
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paisleyfox posted:Oh my goodness, yes. I figured this out this past weekend when I kept automatically asking the dogs to sit for popcorn. Drives me crazy! You could, but with a pup it's probably safer just to teach a stand behaviour to replace the default sit. Ask your breeder though!
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Oct 17, 2012 17:26
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paisleyfox posted:Where in CA do you live? I might be able to recommend you one. I live about 45 minutes north of Sacramento, in the middle of nowhere. 
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Oct 19, 2012 22:53
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Ashamee posted:I live about 45 minutes north of Sacramento, in the middle of nowhere. If you're looking for a veterinary behaviorist, we have a few at UC Davis vet school. If you just want a trainer, there are a number of really good ones in Sacramento area. edit: for escalating resource guarding I might say you'd be better off seeing a behaviorist. Link: http://behavior.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/index.cfm Topoisomerase fucked around with this message at 02:50 on Oct 21, 2012 |
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Oct 21, 2012 02:47
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Wow, Topoisomerase, thanks so much!
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Oct 23, 2012 22:57
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I can't recommend UCD enough for their vet services. I have taken my akita there ever since we got her, and they have been great for the past two and a half years. She had a small surgery on her eyelid for entropion, and she has had her teeth cleaned there in addition to normal vaccinations and all that. Also, they have a blood donation program which we participate in. Helps out other dogs and we get free flea and tick medicine. And treats. Here is Kiyo donating some blood a few months ago.  Taking a break from playing with her malamute wolf hybrid friend Tala.  Making sure that her latest conquest doesn't go anywhere... 
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Oct 25, 2012 03:02
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I love bear dogs. 
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Oct 25, 2012 03:07
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It's been a while since I've posted, but Ben's been doing well. His mild separation anxiety has improved a lot, and while he doesn't just go in his crate to hang out for fun, he also doesn't destroy it or go totally berserk when he's in there while we're gone. During the summer heat, it wouldn't be uncommon for him to sleep until about 10 or 11 in the morning, but now that it's gotten cooler, he seems to wake up significantly earlier at about 8 or 9. On the plus side, he's calming down a lot as he gets older (a little under a year and a half now) and that's awesome. His streak of never destroying anything is still intact (knock on wood). Here's a couple pictures for the hell of it: Today on a walk  Extreme close-up  Sleeping with that tongue out 
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Oct 25, 2012 22:52
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Hello Thread! Not sure if my beast belongs here, but I believe so. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxe7RcLmx-w We picked him up from our county animal shelter, and he seemed very playful. Vet seems to think he's a JRT & Basenji mix, and his attitude reflects a lot of the independent, 'I do what I want, DEAL WITH IT!' mentality.    He's incredibly intelligent, and has taken to training very well (when properly motivated, usually by kibble). The problem I'm running into now is that he knows what commands mean; sit, lie down, etc., but doesn't consistently react, ie: he'll do it when he feels like it. Going to be taking this up in the training thread also. Also: Sacramento Goon 
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Nov 2, 2012 19:46
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riht posted:It's been a while since I've posted, but Ben's been doing well. Ben! Didn't he have more of a mask when he was younger? He's so big, now!Illuminado posted:Vet seems to think he's a JRT & Basenji mix Oh geeze, have fun with that! Terriers are stubborn little assholes, too, so you've got yourself a prize right there! Here, cross posting this from Random Nonsense: So Nolan really loves Buddy. Buddy is soft. Buddy is snuggly. Too bad Buddy doesn't appreciate these things:     Poor Buddy, I'm so mean. You can even see in the pictures him getting more stressed out, but I'm a horrible person so I got pictures before moving the baby on to other things. That last picture was the last of the two of them I took, you can see it on Buddy's face, "Yeah, you'd better do something about this..." Didn't even seem too grateful when it was over:  
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Nov 3, 2012 20:13
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What Nolan is doing to Buddy I do to Quaffle all day. Smack that butt, lay all over him oh yeah. He does not care. If a baby touched me I'd have the same expression that Buddy has though. To actually contribute something useful, Quaffle is dumb and wants to go go go all day long. When he spends an entire day at daycare he tends to come home with blistered paw pads because his dumb sled dog brain doesn't know how to stop and take a break. One time it was so bad he couldn't go for a real walk for three days and instead just hobbled around the house. I got a big tub of Musher's Secret to see if it would help and it is MAGICAL. His paws are fine after daycare now. He also insists on staying on the sidewalk on walks (if I want him to walk in the grass instead, I have to literally shove him over onto it) and I think the paw wax seems to be helping with that too because he seems happier to walk longer than he used to and doesn't drag behind me after half an hour. It does make him slide all over the place on our hardwood floors though, which I think is HILARIOUS (he does not).
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Nov 3, 2012 21:08
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Per the recommendation of another poster, I am crossposting in this thread with some questions about a dog we may be adopting. They're about an old Alaskan Malamute. I recently had to put down my cat that I had for the last 14 years. I rarely get "good vibes" about animals, and any animal that I have a good vibe about I really feel like I need to take them home. I love all animals, but there are a rare few that really steal my heart, if that makes sense. I've been volunteering and visiting shelters for the last six years, and I've only had good vibes about five animals. I ended up adopting three of them. Anyway, yesterday I went to the local shelter to cheer myself up and be around animals, and I fell head over heels with an Alaskan Malamute X named Goliath. I've got really good vibes about him. He is eight years old and a very handsome man. I'm not sure what he's crossed with, but he looks like a Malamute with longer hair. The shelter hasn't done their behavioral assessment or the vet check up yet, he was an owner surrender. He is reported to be really mellow, gets along well with other mellow dogs, and is "fine" with cats. They also didn't crate him so he's used to roaming around the house while the owners are away. He is basically my dream dog, and I put down a small holding deposit today. I have been wanting a dog for a while now but was waiting until my old man cat passed, which came much sooner than expected. We have to wait until the shelter does the behavior assessment before we are allowed to take him out of the kennel and walk him and play with him, but he already has my heart. Hopefully once we can interact with him more than looking at him through the kennel, it will go fine, and we can bring him home. On to the questions. -We have a house with a front and back yard, and we have a huge clothesline that stretches across nearly the entire yard. I was thinking of rigging one of those dog zip line things between the two poles so he can still run around the yard with some slack. Would that be appropriate for a big dog, or do we need something else? We have the time to take him for walks every day and we live right next to a park and in a city that is full of parks and a beach (in the summer), but if he needs some additional time to run around, would that be adequate? -I have read about their intelligence, and how they need to be stimulated or else they can turn destructive. However, he is eight years old, and super chill at the shelter. We work mostly night shifts, and dogs sleep at night, right? Any experience with this? -This is a really dumb question, but I've never owned such a hairy animal before. When it's raining and you let a big fluffy dog outside to do their business, do you go out with an umbrella or something? Do you towel them off once they come back inside? -In this thread and elsewhere, I've read about their loyalty and how they like to be one-family dogs. This dog is eight and has had previous owner(s) (don't know his full history). Has anyone ever adopted an old primitive breed dog? What was your experience like? Did the dog eventually bond to you? Sorry for all the questions, but this dog has really grabbed me and I want to be sure we can give him the best life possible for his remaining time on earth. Edit to add: I worked as a dog groomer in college and did blow outs on a lot of big, double coated dogs, so keeping up with good grooming is not intimidating to me at all. We also definitely have the time and money for a dog, and I would like a senior dog because I don't want to deal with raising and training a puppy. Koivunen fucked around with this message at 05:39 on Nov 4, 2012 |
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Nov 4, 2012 01:35
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The rest of your questions I can't answer (or someone like Citizen Rat or WBag might be better suited to answer) but as far as bonding with an older adopted primitive breed, I really don't think you have anything to worry about. I get lots of fosters in and out of my rescue, and many of them are older. Right now my foster is 11 and apparently loves me for some reason (even though I'm honestly not her biggest fan...she's too clingy) I have not had a problem with the older ones bonding with my adopters, usually it's the younger ones who couldn't give two shits. My own dog is nearing 5, we've had him 3 and a half years now, and only NOW is he starting to really want to lean on, share furniture, etc. Obviously every dog is different, but I don't see you having a problem bonding with an 8 year old.
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Nov 4, 2012 14:46
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paisleyfox posted:Obviously every dog is different, but I don't see you having a problem bonding with an 8 year old. Thanks for the reply, I hope things work out. I had a ton of free time this weekend and spent it reading through this entire thread from start to finish. Took forever, but there is so much great advice in here. After finishing this thread and doing my own research, I think we would be a really good match for primitive breeds. I have visited Goliath the last three days. Still no behavior assessment so I can't take him out of the kennel, but it should be done on Monday. The shelter is closed on Monday, so on Tuesday I set up a time that we can go take him out and play with him and walk him. He will be on a hold for me until then. He seems like a very shy dog so I'm a bit nervous that he won't be the most interactive boy at our get acquainted meeting. As far as I'm concerned he can come home with me any time, he just needs to win the heart of my boyfriend. Boyfriend has been supportive but still isn't totally convinced that we need a dog. However, in the past, he has made some comments about how he would one day really like a husky-type dog, so hopefully his chill personality will make it impossible for my boyfriend to say no. I am very curious as to what he's crossed with. He's a big boy and although he looks very Malamutey with the brown almond eyes and coat coloration and markings, his hair is longer and he's got an enormous fluffy head. He is so adorable I wish he were here right now so I could smoosh his face. Also found out more about his history. The previous owners had him for two years, so he has had multiple families (which is all the more reason to give him his forever home with us). The first sixish years of his life are unknown, and his eight year old age is an estimate. The previous owners surrendered him because they got evicted. I'm wondering if it was financial because they could not tell the shelter when he was last at the vet. He gets along well with cats, kids, and strangers, but has to get to know another dog before he likes them (wasn't clear if he was aggressive or just scared). My dog park play date dream might not be a possibility, but that's okay. He is shy, quiet, obedient, gentle, and friendly according to the prev owners. It sounds like he had free range of their house, never crated, allowed to sleep wherever, which is fine with me. Also housebroken and will sit by the door if he needs to go out. I really like the shelter and have adopted a cat from them, and I trust that if there were any behavior issues they would be upfront about it. However, when I've visited him, he's just sat there and looked at me through the bars and sniffed my fingers. He hasn't eaten any of the treats I've given him, but I wouldn't want to eat if I was stuck in a kennel all day long either. Tuesday needs to hurry up and get here so we can decide if we'll go through with the adoption. Sorry about all the  , I'm just really excited about the possibility of owning this magnificent beast.
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Nov 5, 2012 03:24
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Haha, shelters are mega stressful, and prims don't seem to do very well in there (their delicate minds can't handle the sounds and smells etc. and everything they've known has been uprooted, whether it's their home routine or their running around like a madman in the city routine) Usually we find our fosters curled up in the back, not wanting to move or eat or do anything. As soon as they are brought out and home, they are completely different dogs and start relaxing and opening up, so don't be surprised if he doesn't want to do much while in the shelter. Take picturrrrrres! I wouldn't be surprised if the fur is either just normal length (they tend to have longer fur than huskies) or if it's even longer he could just have the woolie gene.
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Nov 5, 2012 14:44
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This is Boo. He's a Samoyed. He's made an appearance here awhile back when he was a baby. I've had him since he was a wee one, and he just turned 2! This is Boo driving.  This is Boo on a pile of things.  This is Boo derping out.  This is Boo trying to get the ladies. Also he went for 2 runs today, oops?  This is me holding my very tiny puppy.  He thinks he's a lap dog.  
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Nov 6, 2012 04:37
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Jeez, this independent attitude stuff describes my old shitzu-poodle exactly. And it definitely applies to my new siberian husky puppy, Cailin.  She's so snuggly. And bitey. 
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Nov 6, 2012 07:17
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mydogwatchestv posted:This is Boo. He's a Samoyed. He's made an appearance here awhile back when he was a baby. I've had him since he was a wee one, and he just turned 2! I love Samoyeds. Please post more pictures. How much exercise do you have to give him? What is your situation roughly (apartment, house, big yard, etc)?
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Nov 6, 2012 07:31
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mydogwatchestv posted:This is Boo trying to get the ladies. Also he went for 2 runs today, oops? I love this picture because if I didn't have any size reference, this could totally be my 25lb Eskie. Same white fluffyness, same adorable 'how the hell is that comfy' napping position, same little happy thoughts smile.
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Nov 6, 2012 14:13
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Oh my goodness. Iyola turned 8 today (I thought she was younger, whoops) She's doing well despite her arthritis and still thinks carrots are The Best Thing.   Hrafn is... well. He's Hrafn.    
Sock Weasel fucked around with this message at 14:21 on Nov 6, 2012 |
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Nov 6, 2012 14:18
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Oh, Hrafn  Nori was not at all sure of what to make of Ghost last week. This is the first time they've seen each other since June, when Ghost terrified the wee puppy with rough husky play. So, Nori decided the best plan of attack was to scream in Ghost's face and body block him a lot. Ghost has absolutely no idea how to respond to the hollering and roo-rooed in confusion and excitement. Then Guthrie and Scylla played dog-police and it was a noisy, noisy calamitous week. Happy Husky, fuming puppy  Nori did, however, love his ~SUPER AWESOME~ Batman sheets at my mother-in-laws 
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Nov 6, 2012 15:37
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Petey posted:I love Samoyeds. Please post more pictures. Yay! I can do that. I used to have him in my small apartment, but I bought a house so he now has a back yard. Makes it a bit easier on both of us, but he was alright in my apartment too. He gets ran for 30 minutes 5 days a week, but he surprisingly is ok without as much exercise if I have a busy week. He also doesn't eat that much and only weighs like 45lbs, he just looks bigger due to his fur.
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Nov 6, 2012 19:58
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Kiri koli posted:I love this picture because if I didn't have any size reference, this could totally be my 25lb Eskie. Same white fluffyness, same adorable 'how the hell is that comfy' napping position, same little happy thoughts smile. Yeah! A lot of people think he's an eskie until they seem him in person. Then they think he's a mutant eskie. I want to see photos of your dog!
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Nov 6, 2012 19:59
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Koivunen posted:-We have a house with a front and back yard, and we have a huge clothesline that stretches across nearly the entire yard. I was thinking of rigging one of those dog zip line things between the two poles so he can still run around the yard with some slack. Would that be appropriate for a big dog, or do we need something else? We have the time to take him for walks every day and we live right next to a park and in a city that is full of parks and a beach (in the summer), but if he needs some additional time to run around, would that be adequate? Depends on how sturdy the clothesline poles are. Mals can pull like nothing else (you'd think they were breed for it or something!) and could yank most clothesline poles out of the ground unless the poles are sunk and rooted with concrete. If you can move the pole around the mal can just yank it right out of the ground. Might be worth while to just get a dog run. You can buy kits at homedepot. Not sure what they run. quote:-I have read about their intelligence, and how they need to be stimulated or else they can turn destructive. However, he is eight years old, and super chill at the shelter. We work mostly night shifts, and dogs sleep at night, right? Any experience with this? At about 8 he's going to be slowing down and trying to imitate a throw rug. Though two sets of walks are still going to be necessary. I'd get doggy puzzle games like the ones by Nina Ottosson. Not only will it keep him stimulate, they are god damned hilarious to watch. quote:-This is a really dumb question, but I've never owned such a hairy animal before. When it's raining and you let a big fluffy dog outside to do their business, do you go out with an umbrella or something? Do you towel them off once they come back inside? Nice thing about malamute fur is it is double layered. He'll get wet on the outer layer and be nice and dry on the inner layer. I just let Sitka do her thing (when she will. she's a priss about rain) and then towel her top coat off and its like she was never outside. However! If they get wet all the way through--like it is pouring rain--they will be wet forever and really unhappy about that. I would not be surprised if he flat refuses to go outside in heavy rain. Though I have heard of mals who like water. I've just not met one. quote:-In this thread and elsewhere, I've read about their loyalty and how they like to be one-family dogs. This dog is eight and has had previous owner(s) (don't know his full history). Has anyone ever adopted an old primitive breed dog? What was your experience like? Did the dog eventually bond to you? I've rescued older sleddogs and they always seem to know that they have been rescued. They tend to love you like nothing else. Little clingy for a while though.
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Nov 6, 2012 23:10
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Citizen Rat posted:However! If they get wet all the way through--like it is pouring rain--they will be wet forever and really unhappy about that. I would not be surprised if he flat refuses to go outside in heavy rain. Though I have heard of mals who like water. I've just not met one. A family friend had a mal that loved water. Belle figured out how to turn on the outside spigot so she could play in the water and get drinks. In the summer she'd make a mud pit and roll around in it to get wet and cool off. In the winter she'd make an ice rink and roll around on it just because she could. She also knew how to turn on the kitchen faucet, but her owner managed to train her to turn it back off again. If the cats got in the sink, she'd turn the water on them because cats are not allowed in the sink or on the countertops it's a good thing the malamute dog police is here to take care of this situation or cats would get away with murder.
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Nov 7, 2012 00:22
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/\Thanks for the reply, I'll have to more thoroughly investigate the sturdiness of the clothesline. Today we finally got to take Goliath out of the kennel and interact with him. I got a call this morning saying they just discovered he actually was not neutered like the previous owner said he was, so before we bring him home they will have to snip him, and they don't know how long that might take before he's ready to go. It gives us more time to think about it though, which is good. My hold will stay active until he is deemed adoptable.  Running around the fenced in play area, sniffin like a big old sniffy dog. He didn't respond to treats or toys, just interested in running around and sniffing. He looks at you when you call his name but didn't follow any commands, but I don't care if my dog won't sit when I tell him to. Also, at this point we are still strangers, so who knows if that would change after getting to know him. He pulls while he's on the leash but it's not out of control. The shelter doesn't have harnesses so they wrap the leash around their sides and loop it through a metal piece. My boyfriend tried to run with Goliath, but the dog interpreted that is ALL OUT FULL FORCE TOP SPEED, which my boyfriend couldn't keep up with. The leash pulled too tight around his middle and he yelped, and I felt soo bad. He did accept some apology kisses though and was fine after that. Would definitely look into a heavy duty harness or one of the leashes that goes around their muzzle.   He is such a handsome man! He's a bit smelly so one of the first things I'd want to do is give him a very thorough grooming. When he walks he looks a bit stiff in his hips, I wonder if he has arthritis. Do you think he is a mixed breed? I think the first encounter went well. There are only a few things that are still on my mind though. This is my only concern: We have a 7 lb adult cat. She is really relaxed and adaptable and I think after the initial shock stress she would be fine, I just worry about her safety. We would do a proper introduction with isolation and scent swapping, I'm just concerned and would want it to work out perfectly. I've got this awful fear about finding her guts ripped out. The previous owner said he gets along well with cats, but they also said he was neutered, which he is not, so I don't know how reliable that info is. This is my boyfriend's concern: He has owned dogs in the past and believes that when they get older, they start to lose control of their bladder and are incontinent all the time. He's also concerned that his health will decline and we'll just end up owning a sick old dog. This doesn't worry me because right now he appears healthy, and we don't have carpet so pee cleaning wouldn't be too difficult, and I'd rather a senior dog spend his last days with us since we would be able to provide and afford vet care should anything happen, as opposed to going to a family that isn't mentally and financially prepared to take that on. He is also concerned about the size of our yard. It is in no way a huge yard and we have neighbors on either side, but we live in a very dog friendly neighborhood and two blocks away from a big park. There are also several parks throughout the city and many state and forest parks within an hour's driving distance. This is taken from Google Maps, the red lines are our property lines. Unless we were having a huge storm or something, I don't think doing two walks a day would be a problem, but boyfriend thinks he might need more space to run around. He is getting old, though. Any thoughts? Edit: Nione posted:If the cats got in the sink, she'd turn the water on them because cats are not allowed in the sink or on the countertops it's a good thing the malamute dog police is here to take care of this situation or cats would get away with murder. Edit II: Added a picture of his curly little tail (sorry, he's peeing). 
Koivunen fucked around with this message at 09:57 on Apr 25, 2017 |
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Nov 7, 2012 00:40
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That looks like a straight up malamute to me. No mixing there. Malamutes tend to be super fussy about being neat/clean and will let you know with full on vocalization when they have got to go. The cat thing is, well, a thing. Is there anyway for the shelter to allow him around shelter cats to see how he does around them? Some malamutes chase cats and some, particularly if they were raised with them when they were puppies, don't. Mine thinks that cats make excellent pillows and snuggles with them. I doubt he'd kill your cat, but he might chase her around and you'd need high places for her to get up to. The stiff hips sound like hip dysplesia to me which will slow him down and he'll need pain meds as it gets worse.
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Nov 7, 2012 00:53
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Meant to reply to this an eon ago, just haven't gotten to a computer! Yeah, that's definitely gotta be a pure Mal. Aside from what Citizen Rat's already said, I have a couple things to add. One is regarding the dog's age. For a good reference, Buddy is most likely 10, going on 11 in February. He's maaayyybbeee slowed down a bit in walks, and he honestly doesn't NEED them every day anymore. But we still get people asking if he's a puppy when they meet him. The stiff hips are definitely a thing to watch, but especially with good nutrition and exercise, you could still be looking at nearly a decade with this dog. He's definitely not at the geriatric state yet.Other thing is your yard situation. I would NOT recommend using a clothes line like that. Nothing about it sounds safe to me, even if it is anchored into the ground. It's just not meant to handle the weight. Next time you're at a pet store, take a look at their yard tethers and see how sturdy they are for a dog ~100lb and you'll see what I mean. A clothes line just wouldn't cut it. We personally use a tie out in our yard, you just need to be mindful of it not tangling, and be SURE to supervise when you're using it. Not something to let him out for hours alone, you know? As far as exercise, the yard won't really be much of a factor as walks are much more important. In a yard, dogs will tend to just mill about. The big thing is going to be taking him out for at LEAST a good walk a day, ideally 2 like CR said. Really important if arthritis is setting in, because building up muscle will help keep him healthy. For an anecdote, we adopted our husky when he was about 4, and we lived in an apartment. Huskies have an even higher level of energy, and we did just fine, because we were forced to walk him whenever he had to go to the bathroom, rain or shine (or 10ft of snow and -0 temps). Like I said, it's the getting out that matters, not how big your yard is. That dog looks awesome, I really hope it works out! Not many people take on a dog that old, even though he still has a lot of years left! Keep us updated!
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Nov 7, 2012 03:47
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Thanks for the replies! I will be looking into other options for securing a dog outside, I've just seen people use dog zip lines and the dogs look pretty happy being able to explore larger parts of the yard. However I've never seen a dog of this size on a zip line before, so I will do plenty of research before making a decision. And yes, he would be supervised at all times when outside. I can ask the shelter about the cat thing, even if he could just look at them behind some glass or something... I'd like to have a better idea if at all possible. He seems like a super gentle little man but we won't know until we try an introduction. Again, thanks for the replies, they have been very helpful!
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Nov 7, 2012 05:03
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mydogwatchestv posted:Yeah! A lot of people think he's an eskie until they seem him in person. Then they think he's a mutant eskie. I want to see photos of your dog! Will do! Unfortunately, I don't have any pics of her sleeping because she always jumps up when I try to get the camera out.  IMG_3638 by Kiri koli, on Flickr  009 by Kiri koli, on Flickr  Time for bellyscratches! by Kiri koli, on Flickr  IMG_1966 by Kiri koli, on Flickr  IMG_3902 by Kiri koli, on Flickr
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Nov 7, 2012 05:03
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 Nikita singing with the ambulances.  Making sure I don't go back to sleep in the morning (very important to invade my warm spot on the bed).
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Nov 7, 2012 13:25
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Kiri koli posted:
Boo LOVES the snow and does this exact thing. Whenever it snows, his face is absolutely covered because he won't stop rolling around. Your dog is way too cute.
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Nov 7, 2012 20:08
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mydogwatchestv posted:Boo LOVES the snow and does this exact thing. Whenever it snows, his face is absolutely covered because he won't stop rolling around. Your dog is way too cute. Thanks! I can't wait for it to snow. Psyche just goes crazy and amuses herself, which basically never happens. My favorite is when the snow gets too deep for her, she digs her own trenches and then basically races up and down them, and if you call her over she'll run over and fling herself at your feet and end up half buried in the snow.  IMG_0722 by Kiri koli, on Flickr  The Great White Land Shark by Kiri koli, on Flickr  IMG_0773 by Kiri koli, on Flickr
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Nov 7, 2012 20:21
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We went back to the shelter tonight to go for another walk with Goliath. I was the one who initially had him on his leash and he seemed much happier tonight than last night. His tail was up and curled and he kept looking back at me with a goofy smile and he wasn't pulling as much. Then my boyfriend took the leash and petted him, and his tail went down by his legs and he seemed much more timid, and when my boyfriend brushed against a tree branch and it rustled, Goliath was really jumpy and startled. Also, when my boyfriend excitedly went "Here Goliath!" and made a sudden movement to crouch down and pat his legs, the dog quickly lay down on the ground and put his head on the ground, kind of like he was trying to get as low as possible. We think he's afraid of men. This is pretty disheartening to both of us. I mean, I am still totally in love with this dog, but my boyfriend isn't too excited about getting a dog that is scared of him. I've never had experience with dogs that are afraid of a specific gender before. Is this something they adapt to once they live with their new owners for a while, or will he always be afraid of my boyfriend? I would feel badly about having a nervous dog whenever my boyfriend is around, but at the same time, it's pretty unlikely that he would go to a home where there is zero male interaction. My heart was absolutely melting when I had him on the leash, he is such a good dog. Koivunen fucked around with this message at 01:51 on Nov 8, 2012 |
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Nov 8, 2012 01:38
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Koivunen posted:We think he's afraid of men. This is pretty disheartening to both of us. I mean, I am still totally in love with this dog, but my boyfriend isn't too excited about getting a dog that is scared of him. My dog is afraid of men. She'll bark and run behind me when a new guy comes in, it's even worse when they're large. So when I first started to bring my boyfriend around I did the same thing as I did when I crate trained her. All good things came from him. If he walked in the house, she got a treat, if she went by him on her own, she got a treat, if she wanted to go outside or for a walk he was the one to take her leash/put it on. She learned pretty quick that he was a good thing. When we all moved across the country I did it again for a few days (he was the one to let her out of the crate at the airport/hold her/etc). Now she's at his side almost as much as mine. When he works nights she'll sleep with him all day and even looks for him when she knows he's supposed to be off from day shift. She's not a primitive breed but I imagine the same concept should be effective! Don't let it discourage you, it can be something to work on.
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Nov 8, 2012 01:50
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Koivunen posted:I've never had experience with dogs that are afraid of a specific gender before. Is this something they adapt to once they live with their new owners for a while, or will he always be afraid of my boyfriend? Is Goliath afraid of other men at the shelter? Unless there's a history there, there could be other factors (hats, sunglasses, body language, size, etc). It's impossible to say for sure whether the dog will "get over it" for sure or not, but as was said above, there are things you can do to make the dog more comfortable. Your boyfriend will have to be on board though. It sounds like Goliath is mostly shy and shuts down when startled or anxious. Keep in mind that this behavior may change when he enters a permanent home and gets comfortable. It may get better, but it could also get worse. There are definitely things you can do that will give you a good chance at the best outcome. The first step was outlined above. Treats should rain from the sky when your boyfriend is around. A further step I would take is to read up on dog body language. Dogs have calming signals, which they give others to ask them to back off or leave them alone. If you both become familiar with these signals, then Goliath will be able to communicate to you when he is stressed and needs space, which will, along with the treats, go a long way toward making him feel safe and changing his attitude (plus teaching him that he doesn't need to resort to more drastic measures like cowering or other inappropriate signals). Also, your boyfriend's body language is important. Timid dogs will appreciate it if you are turned to the side instead of facing them full on or not being reached for or stared at or other things like that. Everyone wants dogs to love them and to enjoy being pet and playing and whatnot, but Goliath may need space and predictability when it comes to your boyfriend for a while.
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Nov 8, 2012 02:29
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Picture dump! Recently got to visit my sister in California and finally hang out with their shiba inu puppy. Little guy is almost 1 year old and around 17lbs. Vet says he will probably max out around 20lbs.  What are you doing dog?!    
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Nov 8, 2012 18:55
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c355n4 posted:Picture dump! Recently got to visit my sister in California and finally hang out with their shiba inu puppy. Little guy is almost 1 year old and around 17lbs. Vet says he will probably max out around 20lbs. rawwhiiidddee! OMG that adorkable smugface I wanna pinch his cheeks. :3
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Nov 8, 2012 21:20
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c355n4 posted:
Hahaha this is adorable. What a goofball. After reading replies in this and the general animal question thread and doing a ton of research on my own, I think we can work with Goliath's man-fear. Maybe my boyfriend was coming across as too aggressive, so the next time we see him he will try to be more gentle with his posture and the way he speaks. We are both willing to work on it and shower him with positive reinforcement until his doggy love is equal between us (though I wouldn't mind if me love me just a little bit more). I went back to the shelter by myself today. He is going to be neutered tomorrow morning, and will be available for adoption on Saturday. There were very few people at the shelter tonight, so I had the entire grounds for just myself and Goliath. He did such a good job on the leash, I was really amazed. No pulling, followed my commands to keep moving, tail curled and wagging, made a lot of eye contact with me, let me snuggle into his face and hug him a bunch, and even accepted some treats from me, which he hadn't done yet. I am so in love with this dogge. So much so that I will be adopting him at 3pm on Saturday. Boyfriend actually seemed pretty excited about this, which makes me so happy. I measured him for a harness and new collar today (34 inch chest!), and as soon as my boyfriend gets home from work, we'll be going to the pet store and spending a ton of money on doggy things. We're going to slowly change his diet to Blue Buffalo and pick up a Kong and a puzzle toy as well as a bunch of stuff that we probably don't need. More pictures! Sorry they are blurry, I was trying to aim the camera while he moved.   Such pretty eyes!  Accepting some head pats. I absolutely cannot wait until Saturday. Goliath is going to be my new puppy dog!
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Nov 9, 2012 00:43
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| # ? May 25, 2024 23:05 |
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Koivunen posted:
Goliath looks so fluffy! I'm probably repeating what you already know. It'll take time for Goliath to be 100% with your boyfriend. He just has to move slow and let Goliath make the move. When I first met Pachinko, my sister's shiba I posted, I was having lots of issues reading his body language because they don't really seem to use their tail. Wagging, between the legs, etc. I couldn't tell if he was skittish with me or wanting to play. He always wanted to keep me in his vision so I moved slowly and smoothly. And just sorta hung out around the house. By the end of the weekend he'd at least play fetch with me; but, still wouldn't let me pet him. Maybe next time If he does go for a pet, try to approach from below or on the level and not above his head.
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Nov 9, 2012 03:34
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