A doggy dilemna

[Bunk]

So I have a dilemma. My sister decided to buy my parents a new dog. The last of the dogs I grew up with passed away last year, and Mom had missed having a dog around the house during the day. I consider my parents' dogs to be my dogs since I can't own pets in my apartment. I have pets vicariously through them.

So here's the dilemma - Mom wanted a dog that would be more appropriate for travel than their last 150lb horse of a dog. So my sister got her a Pekingese/Lhasa Apso. Does that even really count as a dog?

I love dogs, but I have no idea what the hell to do with a dog like that. What if I sit on it? My old dogs, I was worried that they might sit on me.

Ah well, I'll have to do my damnedest to try to love a little midget dog I guess.

[tazelbain]

There are some really cool little dogs, most suck tho.

[WayAbvPar]

The only little dogs don't want to punt across the room are cocker spaniels. They seem to be pretty well-adjusted. The rest of the runty fuckers are always looking to bite me when I turn my back.

[bhodi]

it's the noise that gets me, quiet dogs are likable dogs.

OK, what I really want is a cat that wants to please.

[stray]

Some kind of terrier or beagle maybe.

That little white dog Kenrick has is cool. My friend had one like that. Smart and funny as hell.

And yes, Lhasa Apso count as dogs. My mom has two. They're really smart too (but kinda moody).

[geldonyetich]

I sure like this doggy dilemma more than the time we were asked to find the easiest way to kill the dog belonging to someone's roommate.

Anywho, my experience from Pomeranians are that the little dogs tend to believe they're big dogs, and so aren't real good at realizing that you can flatten them by accident.  However, one eventually learns not to kick them when walking across the room from practice alone.  Pekingese are probably a little smaller but much the same principle applies.

[Trippy]

My favorite dog growing up was my neighbor friend's beagle/daschund mix. I'm not sure how much he weighed but his torso was about 20" or so long and had shorter legs than a beagle but not as short as a daschund. I used to take care of him when the family would go away on Summer vacation and he was very low maintenance since he was so well trained. They had a doggy door for him and their cats and he would go out to their backyard to do his business in the dirt (sparing their lawn) so I didn't have to clean up after him unless I was walking him. In contrast another neighbor had a pair of Irish Wolfhouds and those kids literally had to use a large shovel to clean up after the dogs.

[Abagadro]

The only good little dog is a Corgie. They are big dogs with their legs chopped off by breeding but keeping the same personality.

[Strazos]

Get a Dingo.

[bhodi]

Yes, but getting babies at this time of year is such a pain. Also, when they're young, they can't eat the babies whole, so you have to put them in a blender first to make baby food. It's simply awful, especially when friends come over and make tasteless jokes.

[Strazos]

If your home has rats, you won't have a problem if you don't have fresh baby flesh for the pup. They're opportunistic.

[NiX]

Y'know, I thought I always wanted a Scottish Terrier, but I realized about 5 minutes ago that they are horrendously ugly. I like the Schnauzer more. In the end I'll get another cat cause they know how to shit in a box that's easily cleaned.

[stray]

Schnauzers aren't very cuddly though. They're less fun to pet than a Doberman. Terriers are fun to play with.

Maybe it's a German breed thing. They all have the dog equivalent of crew cuts.

[MrHat]

Cairn Terrier ftw.

I love my puppy but hate having a pet.

[Johny Cee]

<--- Why get a dog when you can get a tame silver fox?

As an added benefit,  you'll never have to worry about a chicken infestation in your home.

[Sky]

Jack Russell Terriers and Beagles are cool small dogs.

I just want to get my nice country house so I can get an Akida. My favorite breed, though Golden Retrievers are nice. Nothing like a trained Akida, though. Friendly dog that can maul people to death on command.

[Nebu]

Get a Dingo.

You owe me a new keyboard.  Mine is now covered in diet coke.

[Strazos]

The check is in the mail.

[Lantyssa]

I like exotic animals for some reason.  I am not sure I will ever get one due to a variety of reasons, but a pet skunk or ringtail have always sounded appealing.  Those silver foxes are cute, too.

[HaemishM]

I love my little pug/terrier mix (we think Rat Terrier). He can get annoying when he gets his yap on, but he doesn't yap so incessantly for long stretches of time like other smaller dogs I've seen. He's definitely the most cuddlying dog I've ever had, insisting that he sleep beside one of us, usually by my head or in the crook of my arm. He's also a goddamn chickenhawk when facing off against the Snow Beast. He doesn't back down to her despite her being about 3 times bigger than he is. He's fucking hell on stuffed things like teddy bears and old pillows.

[Johny Cee]

I like exotic animals for some reason.  I am not sure I will ever get one due to a variety of reasons, but a pet skunk or ringtail have always sounded appealing.  Those silver foxes are cute, too.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tame_silver_fox

Funding for a 40 year genetic experiment?  Sure!

[Lantyssa]

Cuddly science!

*squee*

[geldonyetich]

It was pretty cuddly entry down to the point where it was written they were selling pelts to keep the project in the black.

[Strazos]

It's my hope that they didn't go through the trouble to domesticate the foxes, just to skin them. Rather, maybe they waited for the foxes to die/get sick, Then skin them?


Well, it IS Russia. What would you expect?

[Johny Cee]

Gah!

A post from a guy who reads things incorrectly,  and one from a guy who doesn't read the source.

Their funding was cut off.  If they don't do something to fund it,  the poor things starve to death.  So they sell some of the pelts.

From the NYT article:

The tame foxes, Dr. Fitch reported, were also “incredibly endearing.” They were clean and quiet and made excellent house pets, though — being highly active — they preferred a house with a yard to an apartment. They did not like leashes, though they tolerated them.

American researchers have suggested that the foxes be made available as pets, partly to ensure their survival should the Novosibirsk colony be wiped out by disease.

[Strazos]

I read it, what are you talking about.

[Johny Cee]

I read it, what are you talking about.

Apologies.  Unnecessarily snappish.

Back on topic:

A friend of mine has a pug.  I thought it was freakish looking,  but the personality (at least on this animal) is incredibly endearing.  I take it that breed is generally that affectionate?

I think a major problem with pets in America now is the tendency for people to fixate on the large and speciality breeds,  when living circumstances mean a large animal is cooped all day.  Caught the end of an interesting Nova on dog breeds that highlights how the genetic traits of work breeds (like herding dogs) tend to cause them to be bad pets.

To simplify my limited understanding,  the "work" breeds herding instincts make themselves known as antisocial behaviour when their put into environments where they can't exercise their genetic prerogitives. 

[Bunk]

In my parents' case, they have a very large fenced yard that was perfect for the large dogs. This little thing will probably be able to walk right under the fence. :P

[Paelos]

I agree with the Corgies, they are very cool and quite inquisitive dogs. They also look extremely funny when they run, as an added bonus.

However, I would nix the idea on a Jack Russell. Those dogs have insane amounts of energy, can be extremely tempremental, and in my opinion are too rebellious depending on how they are bred. I've seen more than a few bad Jack Russells, but very few bad Corgies.

[HaemishM]

A friend of mine has a pug.  I thought it was freakish looking,  but the personality (at least on this animal) is incredibly endearing.  I take it that breed is generally that affectionate?

My friend has had 2 pugs for almost 10 years, and I've had my pug/terrier mix for 6 months. I really think it's the breed, combined with loving masters. His dogs both sleep in the bed with he and his wife and are both cuddly dogs, just like mine. I think pugs are just naturally loving dogs.

[Paelos]

A friend of mine has a pug.  I thought it was freakish looking,  but the personality (at least on this animal) is incredibly endearing.  I take it that breed is generally that affectionate?

My friend has had 2 pugs for almost 10 years, and I've had my pug/terrier mix for 6 months. I really think it's the breed, combined with loving masters. His dogs both sleep in the bed with he and his wife and are both cuddly dogs, just like mine. I think pugs are just naturally loving dogs.

Don't pugs have a tendency for anal gland problems and/or respiratory disorders?

[HaemishM]

Pure pugs do, yes.

[bhodi]

Don't pugs have a tendency for anal gland problems and/or respiratory disorders?

Oh jeez I thought I wound up in a pvp thread for a second there.

[Signe]

OMG.  Can you get any cuter? 

[Paelos]

IT'S COMING RIGHT AT US!