| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 8:21:43 AM | What sort of pet(s) do you have, if any? If you have a dog, what sort of breed(s) is it, if cat(s) what type, and so forth? I'd like to get peoples' inputs on pets as I'm a big animal-lover myself and am fairly involved with a few various types of pets now. Currently I have a cat (I'm *probably* more of a "cat person", technically, I mean if I HAD to say, but I like both dogs and cats), as well as a ball python called Regius (Latin for "royal"...I think...). And I'm now involved in co-ownership of a couple of Presa Canario dogs -- ever heard of those? A friend and I are going to try and breed them. They don't stay at my home however (not enough room -- these are large ..... they will grow to about 125 to 145 lbs / about 45 to 54 kgs); my friend with much more room has them full-time. But I've been trying to spend as much time as possible with the one that's technically mine (it's also called Nero  ), in order to socialize him to me, otherwise I understand he will be next to impossible for me to deal with him at all later, given the breed. So, besides just talking pets in general, if anyone has any info on living with or working with these kinds of dogs in particular, do tell. Ciao. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 8:48:11 AM | | Although I now definitely know that I am more of a cat person, I presently have a Keeshond. This breed of dogs is from Holland. They are of medium size, 33 pnds, having a long mane of fur in the patterns and colours of the grey wolf. They are extremely friendly and social, smart and silly too. I adopted her when she was 4 years old and have managed to teach her new tricks but she still pulls on the leach when I take her out for walks, so that's why I call her my pretty dumb smart dog. lol! | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 9:26:55 AM | Well, we don't have any pets at the moment unless you count the two goldfish my kids have.....
I do have some minimal experience with the Presa Canario... I worked at an animal hospital assisting in training and had one client that had one of these dogs.
Absolutely beautiful but quite the handful. Training was exhausting as this particular pup was quite stubborn. All I can recommend is repetition and reward, repetition and reward. Constant. I hope you are an experienced dog owner or that your friend is.... these are not the easiest breed to initiate yourself on. You definitely need to assert yourself as the alpha male before he gets too much bigger. Be sure to expose the pups to a lot of social stimuli.... get them used to being in busy areas where there are children, cars, and lots of distractions... this is recommended for any dog training, but even more so for large breeds.
I also highly recommend crate training. I realize that not everyone agrees with this, but if it is done correctly, the dog will appreciate their "own space". Never use their "space" as punishment. That completely defeats the purpose.
I hope this has helped and Nero should get along well with your other pets.... again, making sure to expose him to them when you can. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 10:01:05 AM | I don't presently have any pets. I've always considered myself a cat person but I seem to attract dogs.  | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 12:04:00 PM | Interesting info........
And thanks for the tips msg 3. Well, I'm not experience with dogs, no, as I said I've generally always been a "cat person" and cat owner (still am), but my friend is quite experienced with large potentially aggressive dogs (he's always had Rottweilers) so as I said for the most part of the time the dog I paid for (the male Presa) lives with him (and the dog's female companion) at their place -- it's a much much larger place and they need that. But I've been spending tons of time with Nero (that's the dog's name), walking him daily, etc, and have been practicing techniques I've read about (now while he's still relatively small) to make him know I'm his leader; so he (and the female as well) is getting quite acclimated at least to the two of us. I'm afraid though when he gets bigger , for walking him, etc, with strangers around. They say this breed is rather bad for being aggressive towards anyone it doesn't recognize basically. The Presa breed was this guy's idea, not really mine, so..... I did research them and such quite a bit, and found them quite impressive (especially when full-grown and with good muscle tone, etc), so that's why I agreed. I think in the long run, if controlled and trained right, they can be very unique and impressive dogs. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 3:54:33 PM | I have a dog - he's a Collie/Aussie Cattle Dog mix, weighs 80 lbs - all muscle
He's so cute, loves people - he's a wiggle butt
I love cats too but am allergic : (
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 4:18:37 PM | Baby octopus named L'il Cop-A-Feel.
I may have made that up.
Actually I did. We used to have a Great Dane, but she passed away.  | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 4:26:40 PM | I have two cats, Cartman and Fudge. Cartman was rescued from a roadside store, with his brother Jeter. Jeter passed away about 2 months after we got him. After he got fixed and declawed, he couldn't --well he had bathroom issues and it got to the point that he couldn't go at all anymore. Poor thing suffered so much. And in the midst of this I found out that he had a broken leg before we got him, only had a slight limp but you could tell. He was the sweetest little guy, even when he was sick and felt horrible, he never once hissed or bit anyone, and always he'd look directly at you when you would talk to him. I held long conversations with baby Jeter. sniff. Miss him. Cartman has been thriving, to the tune of about 16 lbs these days. He's so fat and sassy, just like his namesake. And little miss Fudge was also a rescue, found in a barn with her brothers and sisters. She's a sweet kitten mostly, but pretty skittish and VERY vocal. I can't get her to shut up! :)
I've always wanted a Keeshund, maybe when my kids are older and we're all home a little earlier, right now we're gone too much for a dog. Keeshunds, English Bulldogs, and Mastiffs have always been dogs I'd love to own. Not sure if I could feed a Mastiff though. lol | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 4:52:18 PM | I currently have six ferrets ... they are great pets as they sleep 15 hours a day, are highly social, extremely smart and fairly low maintenance ... they are more fun than any pet I've had previously as they play hard and give a whole new meaning to vacuuming carpet, sweeping floors and folding laundry. Each ferret has their own distinct personality. Nothing can brighten my day more than watching six ferrets doing their war dances and chasing each other through the house ... they run through tubes, they love being pulled around on a bed sheet, they horde their special things and hide them in unusual places. Ferrets ROCK!!!
People are quick to point out that ferrets "smell bad" ... I don't sense that so much as every animal has an odor ... ferrets are no different, but that smell can be tamed as it comes down to maintenance ... washing their bedding on a regular basis ... cleaning the carpets ... just doing the things any responsible pet owner would do.
The downside is that they tend to have shorter life spans ... 5 - 10 years ... and can get some nasty cancers later in their lives ... staying on top of their diets is a priority and necessary in helping them stay disease free in their later years.
Not everyone can appreciate owning a ferret ... or more than one, for that matter ... but any ferret person will be quick to say how incredible they are as pets and companions.
jeffery | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 4:54:38 PM | I have three cats, two which started out as mine and one I "inherited", along with two dogs, when my mom passed over. The dogs are "Shih Tzpoos"--shih tzu-poodle crosses.
In the past I've had mice, rats, bunnies, ferrets, snakes, lizards, frogs, gerbils, hamsters...I love animals of all kinds.
I'm much more of a cat person than a dog person, but for some reason dogs LOVE me--My "grand-beagle" gets much more excited to see me than the two grandsons when I visit, and they get pretty excited. Most of my friends' dogs are the same way, they just go crazy over me.
Used to really piss off a friend of mine who had a wolf--he had difficulty controlling her once she got full-grown, but as soon as I came around she'd squat and pee a little bit and then roll over at my feet and give me her belly to scratch.
I figure they're just acknowledging that I am the alpha bitch.... | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 5:40:02 PM | I have a dog, a cat, and two chickens. All four get along just fine.
I agree with msg 3 as far a crate training goes. I used that technique for the last three dogs and they absolutely loved their crate. They would go sit in there "private space" all the time.
Just google crate training, it works great. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 7:21:43 PM | | a silver tabby maine coon and a sweet little 15-year-old tortoiseshell have decided that i can live with them. as long as i pay the rent, all the utilities and provide food, shelter and catnip. the arrangement works reasonably well, except for the tortoiseshell, who wishes that noah (the other one) would find a hobby besides jumping on her. other than that, we have a nice little life together. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 7:46:06 PM | | I have a Lhasa Apso, the breed originates in Tibet. She is a small dog but has a big personality. Lhasas are supposed to be wary of strangers, but my dog must not of read the book because she loves people, lol | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 7:50:06 PM | I love all animals....except for snakes...do not like snakes.
Got cat named 'bongo' and dog 'shaz'. daughter loves shaz ... carries her around like a baby...even pushes her in her doll's stroller | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/9/2008 8:32:09 PM | Geez...where to start?
Titan = Brindle male boxer
Dakota = Brindle female boxer
N.D. = Pit bull/lab mix
Spudnik (yes, that is how we spell it) = Boxer/Akita mix
Runt = Female Boxer/Akita mix (her and Spudnik are litter mates)
No familiar with the in's and out's of Presa's...but they are lovely breed. Tempermant, as I understand it, can be an issue with them. But as long as you work with him in a consistent manner, then you should be good to go.
I would suggest you finding a trainer in your area and having one-on-one sessions. Even with the best intentions ,those who are not experienced with dogs or with a particular breed of dog, can do damage when trying to train. Titan, Dakota, and ND have had very specialized training. It wasn't cheap, but it was worth the investment.
Also...you mentioned breeding. I used to breed Boxers...have since gotten out of it. I suggest you carefully establishing your dogs pedigree and going through ALL recommended health testing. If you don't, that shows irresponsibility on your part. Because you should NEVER breed dogs that are not up to breed standard or do not have good tests results...then all you will be doing is adding the problem of too many dogs in this world that get abandoned or euthanized.
~Welder's Girl~ | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 7:32:16 AM | OP: I have 4 of the most beautiful cats on the planet~
My manx~Enya
My main coon~Sophie
My kitten that I found abandoned on the beach last year~Luna (The Vet said she's an abysinnian)
My partial-feral~Chagall
I'm now searching for a polar bear on Ebay with no luck yet, though.
Pets bring so much into our lives (even though I have to use my toilet paper when it's in shreds on the floor and draped over my counter due to my kitten's extracurricular activities when I'm at work.)
I'm also "mom" to two feral cats (one is partially blind) in my neighborhood that I feed and clothe on a daily basis...oh, yes. and an Egret...he flies to my balcony daily claiming all the pelicans are stealing his food and just waits for me to open up a can of tuna with that "pitiful" look on his face..*sigh*
ah, well.
Sans
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 8:35:27 AM | I have 2 dogs and 2 cats. My cats are domestic short hairs, the dogs are Rottweilers.
They're my pride and joy! Awesome animals, and they all get along great.
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 9:10:26 AM | I have a dog. its a rescue from the pound. she was beaten, and starved and taken away from her former owner. I believe she is boxer and beagle mix. she offers only love and is such a great dog i wouldn't trade her for the world. I'm a animal lover for sure and dogs are top of my list.
I also have two fish but all they do is float there and look at ya. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 2:17:26 PM | Hi Everyone,
I have a 1 and half year old male dog, he is a yorkie/shih tzu mix. He is a holy terror!Hahah..............he chews anything and everything!! But I still love him to death...and it is hard to get mad at him, cuz he is just so damn cute!! | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 2:25:15 PM | I'm glad you gave her a good home, Jimi - she's adorable
Anyone that would hurt an innocent animal is the lowest of the low
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 2:38:04 PM | | I totally agree about ferrets. I have one, my first one, and I am sure there will be many of these crazy little fuzz balls in my life to come. Mine is 6months old, female named Ginger. She's funny and smart and very active! I also have 2 dogs, one is a black lab chow mix named Mojo, we just rescued Diamond, she is a hound cross and I have a cat too named Hurley. I am a big animal lover and seem to attract strays and injured animals to my house. A few weeks ago we had a stray beagle which was returned to his owner and a cat with a broken leg! I don't mind though they are very welcome here and I do what I can to help! | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 4:27:01 PM | I have two cats, both Domestic Shorthairs [IE: mutts!].
Napolean is a tabby+white and Pause is predominantley white with a grey tail and a 'pause' sign on his head.
I have two dogs.
LiLo is a Rottweiler mix, about 50#
Sofie is a Terrier/Lhasa Apso cross about 30lbs.
I have a horse.
Cairo is a Thoroughbred, ex-race horse gone Dressage/Jumpers. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 7:00:35 PM | My family has 4 cats and 5 dogs. We live in the country. One of the cats is a Siamese. 2 are domestic. The last cat/kitten could possibly be part bobcat or some type of wild cat. I'ved raised her from day one. A friend's dog found her and I wanted to try to keep Mischief (yes, that's her name. She's into everything.) alive. I was the only one who had faith that she would make it through the night. All of the cats are females and all fixed.
As for the dogs we have a Border Collie, a long haired Dauschund, a Beagle, a white German Shepherd, and a Yellow Lab mix. The Lab was dumped off at the end of our road. He had previously been abused. He was very skittish...afraid you were going to hit him if you had anything in your hands or if you raised your hands. Now he's a lovable, sweet dog. The Collie, Dauschund, and Shepherd are females and the Beagle and Lab are males.
We use to have a couple of fish and an albino frog, but they're dead now. | |
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 7:19:24 PM | A full Aussie... trained as a Service Dog and partially retired with me.
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| Your Pets, etc.
Posted: 5/10/2008 7:22:49 PM | Well you dont just "try to breed" dogs!!! You put a lot of thought and genetic testing into it. You start with a puppy and after 2 years of love and care and training and expensive testing and usually dog shows to make sure that you are breeding the best of the bloodline then you decide to breed that particular dog. Then you have to find its mate. That can take years. Then you want to protect the b1tch from VD. Yes dogs carry VD...do your research please the world is over populated with dogs and cats and I rescue them!!!!
Your breed has PRA problems so get that testing done you dont want blind puppies do you?
Ok I am an animal rehab, wildlife rescue, dog training, parrot training. Horse Therapy programs, train service dogs...... animals are my life | |
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