I can't believe I just read this entire thread! Lots of good information.
Firebee, congrats on your new family member. Please remember dogs are pack animals. A companion will be twice the work but may be worth it. Sometimes a cat and dog combination can work well, depending on the age and breed of the animals.
Mutts are a huge unknown, however mixed breeds are not. The difference is a mixed breed is simply made up of two different breeds and it is usually not difficult to find out which breeds they are.
I have two dogs. One is a Great Dane/Australian Shepard mix. I've actually had three in this mix and they were all great dogs. The one I have now is a midsized dog, about 80 lbs. (BTW, my house is also very small, with a huge back yard and the animals seem to do just fine.) He is pretty old for a dog, but has always had a great temperment and is incredibly intelligent. I think he believes he is human.
The other is a Malamute, which our neighbors found abandoned on a camp ground. She is a lot more work than the other, but well worth it.
One thing I learned the hard way was to research the breed you think you want to buy thoroughly, so you know what its needs are. I was having a lot of difficulty with the Niki (the Malamute) at first. I had gotten used to Scrappy, who requires very little beyond food, water, and a little attention. Once I knew for sure what breed Niki was I did some research and discovered they can be rather stubborn and they are work dogs. Most of the trouble I was having with her was a result of boredom. Now I make sure she gets plenty of outdoor time and attention. I also make sure she has plenty of toys to keep her busy. Guarding a bone can keep her occupied for hours! lol
Also, some breeds are difficult to keep within a fencing system. This is true of Niki as well. She will dig under or find a way over. I finally had to resort to keeping her on a chain, which I don't particularly like, but its the only way I can keep her home.
Crate training is a great way to go. My first couple of dogs, I tried to housebreak without a cage. It was a lot of work. The ones I had later I trained with a crate. Dogs will rarely go to the bathroom where they sleep.
Another thing I learned recently, was to make every room the dogs room. This also helps prevent them from going to the bathroom in the house for the same reason crate training works. If you find you have a problem area, where the dog is going in the same place over and over again, in addition to getting the odor out, feed the dog in that spot for a few weeks.
To every man his own truth and his own God within.
I have had several dogs, but the best one I ever had was a mutt - Toby. He was 1/2 Golden Lab and half Australian Shepherd - about 60 lbs. He loved the water and took naturally to both hunting and herding. He was gregarious and extremely good natured.
I got Toby from the animal shelter in 82 when he was 8 weeks old. He died last November at the ripe old age of 19. He was active until just a couple weeks before he died.
Geoy- I am so sorry about your dog! 19 years old!! That dog did not want to leave you!!!
Socket --Beagles are nice and can be an inside dog. They are sure full of energy and sometimes chew! If you like the beagle you really may want to chek the Boxer they are GREAT family, inside dogs that live to give love. They are medium sized. (I am with you. I would never get a Pit bull -- why risk it?)
Hope: I have only seen one Bansenji - aren't they the dog that does not bark? And Westie's are adorable!
Dot Matrix
Rosie LOVES kids!!!! She is in New York.
SOCKET:
Found this about kids and Boxers:
"The American Boxer Club , the parent club of the American Boxer, developed a Standard that describes what the ideal Boxer should be. However, we think the ideal Boxer is the one who becomes a full-fledged family member, whether champion-bred or not. Boxers are definitely the clowns of the canine world! They are intelligent and resourceful and just a touch strong-willed, which means they are not the right dog for everyone. They are listed as one of the best breeds with children - usually #1 or #2 on such lists, along with the Golden Retriever"
[This message was edited by Dot Matrix on January 15, 2003 at 17:15.]
Well, We now have a pet!! And you'll never quess what breed of dog it is. The reason you will never quess what breed of dog it is, is that the fact is, it isn't a dog! It is a CAT!!!
We took our daughter to look at the dogs in the shelter (Link Above) and she did not like any one particular dog enough to see it one-on-one. So we then took a look at the cats and she fell in love with a 4-5 month old Domestic Short Hair, Mostly black with a tinge of orangish brown mixed in. On a dog I think they call it brindle.
Anyway we let the cat explore her new home all day, keeping close tabs on her. She was very curious and looked into everything, and tried to run as we got too close. We gave her the space she needed, and occasionally approached her and petted her. After an hour or so, she started to really warm up to us.
When our daughter first saw the cat, there was a first choice on the cat, so we signed up as second choice. I took my wife to see the cat today, while our daughter was at the grandparents, and the first choice had not claimed the cat yet. A call was made to the first choice, but no one was home, so we got the cat! Our daughter won't she it till tomorrow when she gets back home and will be very surprised, because we haven't told her yet that we were able to get the cat.
Socket you should have started a new thread on this, I almost missed it.
So your new dog is a cat! lol! Black with a tinge of orange sounds like a cool color. Really Halloweenie. Did you think of a name yet or did it already have one or what?
BTW thanks for the compliment on my grrrl. :)-->
...It's hard to be humble when you own a Rottweiler...
My daughter has not settled on one yet, but has thoughout the day called it Kitty, Tory, and now Oreo. I told her Oreo would be realy good for a black and white cat. But when I left for work today, the name was still Oreo. I told her to pick a name that will stay, so the cat would know who she was. But I don't really think cats listen to humans that much to notice.
The tinge of orange is more tan/brown than actual orange. There is no pattern to it, just off-color hairs mixed in with the black.
Sorry, the pictures here are of available dogs at the rescue -- they are not mine. I have tried to post a picture from my computer on here and I can not figure it out. I was able to post one from a web site- in this case the rescue.
They are cute! If anyone is still searching for a doggie or two!
I love the name Oreo for the kitty. Let us know when you pick a name. It is half the fun as someone else mentioned....
I am going to try my picture again...
Dot Matrix
[This message was edited by Dot Matrix on January 19, 2003 at 16:33.]
Dot, You need to have a place that is available 24x7 like an ISP or a Personal Website from your ISP to copy your pictures to. Then you can link to them like you did with your successful attempts. Contact your ISP, most give you limited space for a personal site, and will have instructions on how to post your pictures to that site. Usually FTP, CuteFTP,...
Now, I need a way to get digital pictures. I can go about it through the back door. I can make a short video tape with my camcorder, capture that into my computer, then take a digital still from a selected frame. I don't know yet what kind of quality that will yield, but it will work. We'll see how it works. It will be a while before I can try.
Got back from the Vet today, after our cat's first checkup. Clean bill of health, with negative results for feline luekemia and distemper. We will schedule her to be spayed soon.
The Vet said 'Oreo' is a calico, with only traces of the brown, and hardly no white at all. So she is a bit unusual for a calico.
She is adjusting nicely to her new home. She has claimed the one end of the couch as her nap place. She didn't seem to sleep much the first couple of days, but slept a lot today. I guess she was excited by all the changes in her life, and was restless. Now she seems to be catching up.
Thanks for all the input by all who contributed here on this thread. There is a lot of good advice that anyone reading will benefit from, not just me.
SocketCreep, I have a cat and love him dearly. He is a longhair black kittie, part angora. He is the sweetest guy. If you treat your cat with love, they will reflect that. And boy, cats each have their own distinct personalities, just like dogs.
He lets me know when he wants to play, have time for himself, etc. You will eventually be able to read his moods. Watch the tail. Congrats!
SC-- That is great about your new kitty! Cats are great!! They are lower maintenance than a dog-- aaaaaaaaaaI expct to have a "rude awakening" when we get our dog some day!! LOL! But I love the companionship of a dog--it's unconditional-- unlike a cat!! hahahaha!!
I'm surprised the vet told you the color was calico-- I have always heard that color as "tortoise shell" (for a cat, "brindle" for a dog) I thought a calico had mainly white as the background color, and the color is in patches, whereas Torties have mainly black as it's background color and the color marking is kind of spattered all over the cat.
(As a side note-- we put our kitties in a local pet store's "amature cat show". My yellow male one "best in color" (cuz he was the ONLY yellow kitten!! LOL!) My calico was one of two in her category-- they were judging on unusual-- mine is gorgous-- the perfectly marked calico--and CUTE-- she has Hymalayan in her background. But she got beat by an unusual kitty--one I woulda thought shoulda been in the "tortie" category, because she had a solid color background, not white. This one was very pale grey-- what I think is called "lilac", with the yellow and brown spatterings of a tortie. She was very pretty!)
I wish you years of enjoyment with your new family member!
Yeah, we have a dog from them now, which is the one we were looking at from their site. She's been a handful, but we're all settling in with each other nicely now I think. :)-->
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I can't believe I just read this entire thread! Lots of good information.
Firebee, congrats on your new family member. Please remember dogs are pack animals. A companion will be twice the work but may be worth it. Sometimes a cat and dog combination can work well, depending on the age and breed of the animals.
Mutts are a huge unknown, however mixed breeds are not. The difference is a mixed breed is simply made up of two different breeds and it is usually not difficult to find out which breeds they are.
I have two dogs. One is a Great Dane/Australian Shepard mix. I've actually had three in this mix and they were all great dogs. The one I have now is a midsized dog, about 80 lbs. (BTW, my house is also very small, with a huge back yard and the animals seem to do just fine.) He is pretty old for a dog, but has always had a great temperment and is incredibly intelligent. I think he believes he is human.
The other is a Malamute, which our neighbors found abandoned on a camp ground. She is a lot more work than the other, but well worth it.
One thing I learned the hard way was to research the breed you think you want to buy thoroughly, so you know what its needs are. I was having a lot of difficulty with the Niki (the Malamute) at first. I had gotten used to Scrappy, who requires very little beyond food, water, and a little attention. Once I knew for sure what breed Niki was I did some research and discovered they can be rather stubborn and they are work dogs. Most of the trouble I was having with her was a result of boredom. Now I make sure she gets plenty of outdoor time and attention. I also make sure she has plenty of toys to keep her busy. Guarding a bone can keep her occupied for hours! lol
Also, some breeds are difficult to keep within a fencing system. This is true of Niki as well. She will dig under or find a way over. I finally had to resort to keeping her on a chain, which I don't particularly like, but its the only way I can keep her home.
Crate training is a great way to go. My first couple of dogs, I tried to housebreak without a cage. It was a lot of work. The ones I had later I trained with a crate. Dogs will rarely go to the bathroom where they sleep.
Another thing I learned recently, was to make every room the dogs room. This also helps prevent them from going to the bathroom in the house for the same reason crate training works. If you find you have a problem area, where the dog is going in the same place over and over again, in addition to getting the odor out, feed the dog in that spot for a few weeks.
To every man his own truth and his own God within.
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Goey
I have had several dogs, but the best one I ever had was a mutt - Toby. He was 1/2 Golden Lab and half Australian Shepherd - about 60 lbs. He loved the water and took naturally to both hunting and herding. He was gregarious and extremely good natured.
I got Toby from the animal shelter in 82 when he was 8 weeks old. He died last November at the ripe old age of 19. He was active until just a couple weeks before he died.
He was a loyal friend. I miss him.
Goey
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Dot Matrix
Geoy- I am so sorry about your dog! 19 years old!! That dog did not want to leave you!!!
Socket --Beagles are nice and can be an inside dog. They are sure full of energy and sometimes chew! If you like the beagle you really may want to chek the Boxer they are GREAT family, inside dogs that live to give love. They are medium sized. (I am with you. I would never get a Pit bull -- why risk it?)
Look at Emma 1 1/2 yr old Boxer needs a home
http://www.boxerrescue.com/availabledogs/A.../EmmaNY0301.htm
http://www.boxerrescue.com/
Rosie was a breeders dog and is gorgeous and needs a home
http://www.boxerrescue.com/availabledogs/A...RosieNY0301.htm
Hope: I have only seen one Bansenji - aren't they the dog that does not bark? And Westie's are adorable!
Dot Matrix
Rosie LOVES kids!!!! She is in New York.
SOCKET:
Found this about kids and Boxers:
"The American Boxer Club , the parent club of the American Boxer, developed a Standard that describes what the ideal Boxer should be. However, we think the ideal Boxer is the one who becomes a full-fledged family member, whether champion-bred or not. Boxers are definitely the clowns of the canine world! They are intelligent and resourceful and just a touch strong-willed, which means they are not the right dog for everyone. They are listed as one of the best breeds with children - usually #1 or #2 on such lists, along with the Golden Retriever"
[This message was edited by Dot Matrix on January 15, 2003 at 17:15.]
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Dot Matrix
Those of you in search of small dogs?
Look at these:
http://www.boxerrescue.com/availabledogs/O...ulietPA1002.JPG
These are available through the Boxer rescue (I don't know why.) Cute little Shi- tzu's aren't they?
Dot Matrix
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SocketCreep
Well, We now have a pet!! And you'll never quess what breed of dog it is. The reason you will never quess what breed of dog it is, is that the fact is, it isn't a dog! It is a CAT!!!
We took our daughter to look at the dogs in the shelter (Link Above) and she did not like any one particular dog enough to see it one-on-one. So we then took a look at the cats and she fell in love with a 4-5 month old Domestic Short Hair, Mostly black with a tinge of orangish brown mixed in. On a dog I think they call it brindle.
Anyway we let the cat explore her new home all day, keeping close tabs on her. She was very curious and looked into everything, and tried to run as we got too close. We gave her the space she needed, and occasionally approached her and petted her. After an hour or so, she started to really warm up to us.
When our daughter first saw the cat, there was a first choice on the cat, so we signed up as second choice. I took my wife to see the cat today, while our daughter was at the grandparents, and the first choice had not claimed the cat yet. A call was made to the first choice, but no one was home, so we got the cat! Our daughter won't she it till tomorrow when she gets back home and will be very surprised, because we haven't told her yet that we were able to get the cat.
I can't wait.
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SocketCreep
Dot, your dogs are precious. Rottie, yours is very hansome.
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TheSongRemainsTheSame
cats are like fish... they take care of them selves as long as ya change the litter or the water in the aquarium...
in search for a pet dog...
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Linda Z
Congrats, SocketCreep!
May you and your family and your new kitty have many happy years together! That's great news.
Linda Z
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RottieGrrrl
Socket you should have started a new thread on this, I almost missed it.
So your new dog is a cat! lol! Black with a tinge of orange sounds like a cool color. Really Halloweenie. Did you think of a name yet or did it already have one or what?
BTW thanks for the compliment on my grrrl.
:)-->
...It's hard to be humble when you own a Rottweiler...
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SocketCreep
Name for the Cat...
My daughter has not settled on one yet, but has thoughout the day called it Kitty, Tory, and now Oreo. I told her Oreo would be realy good for a black and white cat. But when I left for work today, the name was still Oreo. I told her to pick a name that will stay, so the cat would know who she was. But I don't really think cats listen to humans that much to notice.
The tinge of orange is more tan/brown than actual orange. There is no pattern to it, just off-color hairs mixed in with the black.
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Dot Matrix
Socket
Congrats on the kitty!
Sorry, the pictures here are of available dogs at the rescue -- they are not mine. I have tried to post a picture from my computer on here and I can not figure it out. I was able to post one from a web site- in this case the rescue.
They are cute! If anyone is still searching for a doggie or two!
I love the name Oreo for the kitty. Let us know when you pick a name. It is half the fun as someone else mentioned....
I am going to try my picture again...
Dot Matrix
[This message was edited by Dot Matrix on January 19, 2003 at 16:33.]
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RottieGrrrl
Dot: those pictures are adorable. It's also a good reminder of why people need to be more responsible about breeding animals.
Socket: I think that's neat that your letting your daughter pick out a name. Hope to see a picture of the kitty.
PS I couldn't believe Goey's 19 year old dog either. phew! What a heartache to let go after that long!
...It's hard to be humble when you own a Rottweiler...
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SocketCreep
Posting pictures
Dot, You need to have a place that is available 24x7 like an ISP or a Personal Website from your ISP to copy your pictures to. Then you can link to them like you did with your successful attempts. Contact your ISP, most give you limited space for a personal site, and will have instructions on how to post your pictures to that site. Usually FTP, CuteFTP,...
Now, I need a way to get digital pictures. I can go about it through the back door. I can make a short video tape with my camcorder, capture that into my computer, then take a digital still from a selected frame. I don't know yet what kind of quality that will yield, but it will work. We'll see how it works. It will be a while before I can try.
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Dot Matrix
SC
Thank you!
Dot Matrix
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SocketCreep
Got back from the Vet today, after our cat's first checkup. Clean bill of health, with negative results for feline luekemia and distemper. We will schedule her to be spayed soon.
The Vet said 'Oreo' is a calico, with only traces of the brown, and hardly no white at all. So she is a bit unusual for a calico.
She is adjusting nicely to her new home. She has claimed the one end of the couch as her nap place. She didn't seem to sleep much the first couple of days, but slept a lot today. I guess she was excited by all the changes in her life, and was restless. Now she seems to be catching up.
Thanks for all the input by all who contributed here on this thread. There is a lot of good advice that anyone reading will benefit from, not just me.
Love to all.
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Sunesis
SocketCreep, I have a cat and love him dearly. He is a longhair black kittie, part angora. He is the sweetest guy. If you treat your cat with love, they will reflect that. And boy, cats each have their own distinct personalities, just like dogs.
He lets me know when he wants to play, have time for himself, etc. You will eventually be able to read his moods. Watch the tail. Congrats!
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Mister P-Mosh
Thanks for that link. We actually are trying to get in touch with someone who has a dog on that site now.
Hopefully the dog is still available.
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Psalm 71 one
SC-- That is great about your new kitty! Cats are great!! They are lower maintenance than a dog-- aaaaaaaaaaI expct to have a "rude awakening" when we get our dog some day!! LOL! But I love the companionship of a dog--it's unconditional-- unlike a cat!! hahahaha!!
I'm surprised the vet told you the color was calico-- I have always heard that color as "tortoise shell" (for a cat, "brindle" for a dog) I thought a calico had mainly white as the background color, and the color is in patches, whereas Torties have mainly black as it's background color and the color marking is kind of spattered all over the cat.
(As a side note-- we put our kitties in a local pet store's "amature cat show". My yellow male one "best in color" (cuz he was the ONLY yellow kitten!! LOL!) My calico was one of two in her category-- they were judging on unusual-- mine is gorgous-- the perfectly marked calico--and CUTE-- she has Hymalayan in her background. But she got beat by an unusual kitty--one I woulda thought shoulda been in the "tortie" category, because she had a solid color background, not white. This one was very pale grey-- what I think is called "lilac", with the yellow and brown spatterings of a tortie. She was very pretty!)
I wish you years of enjoyment with your new family member!
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LooKout
Posh,
Sorry I missed your response until now.
So glad to here you have made contact with "Pets for People."
Were you able to get the dog you referred to?
I sure hope it worked out. But if not, keep cheaking with them they get new dogs every week.
I live in Oklahoma also.
LooKout
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Mister P-Mosh
Yeah, we have a dog from them now, which is the one we were looking at from their site. She's been a handful, but we're all settling in with each other nicely now I think.
:)-->
Thanks again for the info.
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