Horsefeathers!

That's ok... you're much more concise than I am. :)

Actually (since you asked :lol: )... It DOES serve a purpose. That's called the continental trim. The purpose of it was to clip away excess hair that weighed the dogs down in the water, but leave hair to cover their vitals and their joints. That's basically where that pattern came from. However, that's the really extreme version of it. Poodles that still work and are shown in conformation are shown in the same pattern, but with much less hair (called the historically correct continental). They don't have the tied topknot and all that. THAT dog could never be kept in that coat and work, too! As a matter of fact, working Poodles who are shown in conformation MUST be shown in that pattern, in the hcc. That's a working pattern taken to an absolute extreme. More useless facts, lol. :D

[quote name='courtnek']Are you cutting the fru-fru cut, or just letting him go au natural......[/quote] You mean like this??? :lol: [img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0aADUAs4hCSTCFjJq59iEAUSxAUeVNhJsyIkiQAy9yOU5Ar6namnJv3A7Fhy82YL55zkLT5lQcg6jhnjGHj8BigEMAoRQ3DRJQqjkaWnTWZ9e39l3XyHBXviq7wOLp5Z4CUwXVjJtXhLnTUlsMqvdfmxsYS80LjAg/standard%20in%20snow.jpg?dc=4675422080044803446[/img] Well... no, but I love that trim and intend to try it on one of my Standards one day (I did it on my Toy over and over and over and.... until I FINALLY perfected it and could do it in my sleep). They are both kind of foofy right now, but have no patterns or puffs or anything. However, I DO love to play with the pattern (fru fru) trims and will be putting them in something kind of fancy-ish before too long as the weather cools off (I kept Perry pretty short for the summer). It's good practice for competition. Besides, there is just something therapeutic about cranking up the music, grabbing clippers and shears and carving out a masterpiece! 8) Anyway, P____ is just plain too FAT to try anything fancy right now! :o

K, uh..... no (but thanks for offering :o ). Well, P____ is here! I already know I'm going to love him. He is, so far, everything I love about my Perry. Awesome disposition, isn't chasing my cats (hasn't as much as given them a sniff... whew), is getting along fine with my other dogs and is just as friendly and lovable as can be. Oh, he is wonderful. He's too good to be true so far... gave him a bath, blowdry and brushout and he was a perfect gentleman. I'm just waiting to see his dark side. He has never been housetrained, so we'll see what kind of battles we have there. So far, so good, but I've been watching him like a hawk. I think he and Perry are going to be great together. Perry really only seems to relate to other Poodles and he has already been trying to play with P____. He NEVER tries to play with any of my other dogs... only other Poodles he sees. I reckon it's from spending the first three years of his life in a Standard Poodle kennel. I never knew dogs could recognize breeds(?). So Perry basically has his own dog :-? . I think it's great that he's trying to play. I know this is a former kennelmate of Perry's, but we believe they are also siblings. How cool is that?? I have brothers!! He's never been a housedog in all his four years, but P____ is stretched out in here fast asleep, as if he's lived here all his life. :iloveyou: :lilangel:

[quote name='courtnek']He is a teenager, loud, boisterous, and always has at least six kids with him at any one time.[/quote] I almost didn't post what I'm thinking only because I don't want it to sound like I'm being a smart*ss. Is there any way to rearrange your son's social time with his friends so that there isn't so much going on in the house at one time? Perhaps Laurel might just feel overwhelmed. I'm just thinking that if she's afraid of him, several more "hims" at one time is likely sensory overload. Maybe I am misunderstanding? Again, I don't mean it in any kind of sarcastic way. I know that's your son's home, too, but maybe he would be willing to compromise just temporarily until Laurel has a little time to adjust? Perhaps when she is more trusting of him, she will be more trusting of others who favor him. I hope this came out the way I intended it. I thought of this when you first posted, but I figured I'd spit it out all wrong. :-?

Thanks, all! Tomorrow (Wednesday) morning is (tentatively) set for me to go meet him and probably pick him up. I may not have to wait out another week after all. Woo hoo! :-? Oh, K? You still have me beat. I forgot to take into account how many kids you have. You're still WAY ahead of me with mouths to feed. 8)

Cute. On the bed when hubby and I are both there are a Lhasa, a Standard Poodle, a Toy Poodle and a Schnauzer. As soon as hubby leaves in the morning, the Lab joins. The more, the hairier. Though this poem was cute, I didn't see it address the ritualistic "who did that" face we make every night, trying to figure out who farted and who to kick off the bed. Other than that... :-?

How nice! I had a deaf (and blind and senile) dog, but he died last year :( . I know the effort it takes to be able to communicate with them. Good luck on your site!

We've decided to go and meet the Standard Poodle I've been agonizing over. I'm still unsure of the name, but I'm hoping that when I meet him, it'll be a little easier to decide. Anyway, I just thought I'd update with the fact that we are at least going forward with meeting him and potentially bringing him home. I've seen him only once, but never had any interaction with him as I was there to pick up ANOTHER Standard (the one with seizures), but I feel like if I drive the hour to visit him, he'll likely come home with me. It will probably be next week as this lady and I have a hard time coordinating our schedules. We have said for years now that we have eight dogs only because we don't want nine. Wish us luck! :-? K, it's a race to see who can acquire the most dogs! So far, I'm winning (if you can call it that :o ).

[quote name='courtnek']K does...she can tell you VOLUMES about it!!! [/quote] K drools?? :P

Oh, if we can include eyewitnessed accounts, I have a few. I've only ever had one bite, myself. It wasn't bad... broke the skin a little, but hurt my pride more than anything. It was a spoiled rotten little Pekingese... a perfect example of one of the spoiled little dogs that the owner thought it was cute that he was so gosh darned mean ("We can't get near him with a brush. He just tries to eat us up!" :evil: ). So that's: 1 Pekingese I've seen a few bad ones, though. I saw a girl who was mauled pretty badly once by a Springer Spaniel. Someone else I know got it from her OWN Rottie. Another girl I know was nailed by a Husky mix. My sister was bitten badly by a Collie when she was really small (she still has the scar on her lip). She's had Pit Bulls her entire adult life, but is still scared of Collies. I know there are more, but these are the ones that come immediately to mind. If I think of any more, I'll add them. In addition to the Peke listed above, add: 1 Springer Spaniel 1 Rottie 1 Husky mix 1 Collie

Courtnek, my post was in no way aimed at you, nor had anything to do with what you had posted. It was just a general observation based on the experiences I've had when dealing with so many (mostly small) dogs and their owners. I agree that sometimes Chis are in a league all their own. I've often thought Chis should be re-grouped with the terriers (among the rest of my gang, I have a Chi, too). :lol:

For one of our dogs who gets gas sometimes, no matter what he eats, we sprinkle a smidge of baking soda on his food. It has always worked for him. Sorry, I can't help with the food shipping issue, Gooey, but I'm interested in seeing how it turns out. The place we buy our Wellness from often "didn't get it this week, but should have it next week..." (ok, so what do I do in the meantime?) and I'd been considering just ordering it online somewhere. The shipping charges are what has kind of put me off, too.

My Standard Poodle (Perry-NO) is four [u]years[/u] old and is a squatter. :lol: Congrats on the new Lhasa! I have two of the little beasties, myself. My Fred and Missy are six and five years old. Next to Standard Poodles, Lhasa Apso doggers are a favorite breed of mine. A word to the wise... though they look similar to Shih Tzus, their temperament isn't really the same. Lhasas were bred originally to be indoor guard dogs, so they can become a bit territorial. They also can be a bit aloof and standoffish regarding strangers. Early socialization is very, very important with Lhasas and it's important to never encourage any type of dominant or snappy behavior (some people think it's cute to antagonize small dogs into snapping). They have a unique disposition in that they seem to pick and choose their friends carefully and often will not tolerate others. Their independent nature and spunk is exactly why I DO like them. :)

I'm thinking it's more typically a sign of hypothyroidism (underactive) if it's going to be one or the other, but don't take me as an authority :oops: . I don't know that either couldn't cause a hair loss problem. If you think it seems to have helped already just by washing him in something different, perhaps a brief wait and see wouldn't hurt. I know I'm always the alarmist, but you just wouldn't believe my luck.

DP, I know I'm always the alarmist, but that's only because of the luck I've had with my dogs (limp = dysplasia, bad breath = major tummy problem which required surgery, etc.). That said, a thin, wispy coat could also be indicative of a thyroid disorder, among other things. Thin coat is one thing, but for the skin to be so apparent and for the coat to be so dull, I think I would have it checked out just to set my mind at ease. This is going to sound like a stupid question, but does he smell "funny," or is he scratching at all? Just some things to look for.

I'll tell you why I think small breeds have a reputation of being snappy and aggressive, not unlike the reputation Pit Bulls, Rotties and such have. I work with sooooooo many small dogs and from what I've seen, the ones who are snappy and antagonistic are the ones who are, first of all, poorly bred (pet store impulse purchases and such) and/or whose owners think that it's cute to let them snarl and snap because they're small. Basically, just like bigger dogs, these little guys need to be raised right and they need to be allowed to be DOGS and not just little furry children. I think their temperament and dispositions have a lot more to do with breeding and upbringing, just like any dog, rather than size (terriers being the exception, IMO... little Terriers DO think they're the biggest, baddest things on the block :P ). Has anyone ever noticed those freaking "funniest video" shows where, on nearly every show, you'll see some knobhead teasing a Pom, Yorkie, Poodle or some other small dog and just giggle uncontrollably as the little dog tries to sever a limb? They tease and poke at them just to make them mean. It's supposed to be "cute." Also, how many small dog owners have you seen brag on and on about how their little Fluffy just don't take any doo doo off anybody? They gush with pride as they brag about how the little monster is just so gosh darned "protective." You almost never see a large dog owner think it's cute to watch their 100+ lb dog going for someone's face. I can't tell you how many times I've chewed someone out (errrrr "educated" them) about antagonizing a little dog. Just last week, a friend with a teeny Chihuahua was telling me how her son likes to tease this little dog until she is growling and snapping. That makes me so unbelievably angry, but it happens so frequently. One other thing that is a huge problem is their overproduction, again, just like the big, popular breeds. Little dogs are so popular and so marketable that temperament has fallen by the wayside in favor of a fast buck. I absolutely (but not exclusively) adore small, well mannered dogs... the ones that are responsibly bred with temperament in mind and that the owners don't make into nervous wrecks by tormenting them for the sake of "cute." I guess I'm a little defensive the same way Pit owners are about their much maligned breed. I just don't believe small dogs are categorically evil, but they have such a rotten reputation all because of the ignorant morons who acquire them as really nothing more than interactive toys. It breaks my heart to know that small dogs are categorically labeled as yappy and aggressive. There is nothing lovelier than a well bred, well adjusted Shih Tzu, Yorkie, Toy Poodle, or any of a number of small breeds. Most of them were bred, after all, to be companion animals... no drive to herd, retrieve, swim, or anything like that. It amazes me that people can take what is meant to be solely a companion and screw it up. Just my two cents.

And to wrap up the topic at hand and keep it dog related (yeah, yeah, I'm going to bed)... See? I would NEVER subject my dog to anything I wouldn't do to a beloved member of my family. G'night. :wink:

:evilbat: :evilbat: :evilbat:

Nope, this child never woke up and I drew on her face for a good half hour :o ! She has blonde hair and fair skin (which I took under careful consideration about, oh, two seconds after reading the instructions). This should be fun. 8) Oh well, off to bed where I can dream of purple (or maybe green?) hysterical children. :)

While I'm at it, I might as well toss the dog in there with her and kill two birds with one stone. :)

[quote name='DogPaddle']Kool Aid Or you could try the college roommate trick. For this you need: At least 5 packets of koolaid A showerhead with removable front cavity A showerhead and shower you don't mind permanently purple (or green or whatever) Steps: 1. Take front off shower head. 2. Open packets. 3. Empty packets evenly into showerhead cavity. 4. Spritz with just enough water to dappen to think paste - no runniness please. 5. Reattach showerhead facing. 6. Clean up after self. 7. Hope roommate needs shower before you do. :wink:[/quote] BRILLIANT!!! This is worthy of recognition in the Practical Jokers Hall of Fame

[quote name='Kaleb124'] I cringe when uneducated people see Kaleb and decide they want an Akita. [/quote] See, that is what worries me. Akitas just look like big ol' fluffy teddy bears. They don't LOOK menacing at all and so many people are sold on LOOKS. All it would take is for some movie (101 Akitas? :o ), or some other such glamorization and ignorant people would start buying them in bulk. Can you imagine what would happen? It gives me the creeps just thinking about it. I'm sure they are wonderful dogs for those who love and understand them. I am just not one of those people. They flat out scare me. Even some of the well bred Akitas from show people scare me. If that "bad-ass" reputation ever really gets out there, I fear the kind of people who will be taking these dogs on. Pit Bulls would probably get a break from the media, for sure. These are definitely not the dog for the novice pet owner. [quote name='Your Special Guest']Horsefeathers, I'd like to know what other breed your afraid of? (Just curious) [/quote] [size=2]Chows.[/size] :oops:

Can anyone believe I'm still running the 3.6 version of MSN messenger? Does anyone even remember that version? :oops: I keep getting notices saying I must now update... it's not an option, anymore. Such a shame. I really like the old version. :x If I successfully install an updated version and my whole system doesn't go KAPOW, I'll add some contacts. I haven't chatted on messenger in over a year. Actually, I'm rotten at live chatting :-? . I just use it as a lazy way to automatically sign on to MSN and to go straight into my hotmail account.

I've ALWAYS, even from way back when, asked these questions in regard to fighting, rolling, or whatever term it is we are supposed to use. I've asked repeatedly to be shown the better side of "matching"(?), but all I've ever seen is defensiveness ("the BAD PEOPLE are doing far worse things... MY dogs are well taken care of!!!") rather than factual answers. I can't count how many times I've asked with all sincerity to be told EXACTLY what goes on and what is involved. How are these dogs conditioned and does it EVER involve the use of smaller animals (cats, etc.)? If I'm so uneducated, show me the light. I've said all this before. How can people ever learn where this stuff is useful if all we get is a defensive attack? In this particular instance, Hmmm hasn't been attacked at all. I think many of us have asked valid questions with the sincere desire to learn something we perhaps don't already know. Also, for the record, I've never once asked that Hmmm, or anyone, ever be banned, or not post, and I've always been very anti-post locking or deletion. I'm all for EVERYONE having their say, whether I agree with them or not and this includes Hmmm as well as guests (blatant trolls excluded, see store for details, some assembly required, participating locations only, tax, tag and title not included). I WANT to know what it is I'm not understanding. I said before and I'll say again that my biggest issue at this point was where I read a post of Hmmm's elsewhere and it was stated in a matter-of-fact manner that sometimes losing dogs (killing in "matches") is unavoidable. I just can't quite wrap my brain around that, so educate me. This is Hmmm's big chance to do something good for the reputation of this breed that is clearly stated over and over to be so beloved, so rather than be defensive and stomp off in a huff, get whatever message you're trying to spread out there! The spotlight is on you and MANY people are anxious to learn something. I'm all for keeping an open mind, but not so open my brain falls out. I think one reason this confrontation arises from time to time is because the effort is always made to suppress this topic rather than address it head on, but it's always simmering in the back of some minds. Perhaps now is the time to answer valid questions and shed some light since all we ever get to hear about it is, "you just don't understand!!!" For those who have a problem with it, well, we can make a topic devoted solely to this and those who don't want to be a part of it can choose not to read it. Sounds simple 'nuff to me. K, girl, you ain't going nowheres, so just knock it off! You'd be stalked to the ends of the earth. I've been planning a vacation to NZ, but it would be just as easy to arrange one to NL. :o