Crystal

McKenzie came from a litter of 15....boxer/pit mix. There tails were docked, come to think of it when we went to get her all the dogs there were docked. I don't think people know better. I don't think it looks bad I like it on some dogs, but it seems cruel. I've heard some people with pit's with tails say that they have a lot of muscle in that tail and can leave a mark on ya if you ain't watchin. I've heard of them get caught in doors too. One time someone said there dog could clear off the entire coffee table when she got excited. I don't know but maybe that is why they dock some dogs??? I know the ear thing sounds painful...my parents have a min pin and people said to get his ears done, but they didn't know he has huge ears one sticks straight up and the other lays on his head...so adorable!!! I'll have to get his picture! Anyway I have no idea why people would dock a mutt....but then again not all people are as bright as we are :D

I bought my crate yesterday, got it at walmart. It's the plastic kind I didn't get a huge one I thought I would use this one until the dog gets to big and the buy a bigger one. That way if I change my mind on the type of crate I can switchafter he outgrows this one!

well the truth is my aunt is not the smartest apple in the orchard. I don't think she ever should have had the dog. I honestly wondered if something was wrong with the first female they got though. My cousin wanted one so bad...he looked and looked but couldn't get one, I think they were to exspensive. Then one day he shows up with a puppy and said a breeder gave it to him because they knew how bad he wanted one...To me it makes no sense. All the pups have came from that female. Now they breed them whenever and it seems every dumb memeber of the family has one of them. I will not let my kids near them. Her dogs are very unreliable. She didn't know what she was doing we she took on training them either. So maybe they are just undertrained, any dog not trained properly can be a pain...but I wonder if something wasn't wrong with the first one?

yeah I thought so too...I just thought it was different

I just found a wicker crate....that was different

Thanks for all the info...unfortunatley there is no pet store anwhere near here, atleast a 1 1/2 hour drive to the nearest petsmart so I don't get to go all that often. I've been looking and thinking and I have decided on the plastic one. I like that they are more den llike, because it will mostly be used at night for sleeping. Most of the time I am home and usually in the living room, we have hardwood floors and I figure I will baby gate the door ways and let him hang out in here with me. If we have a mistake it will be easier to clean from hardwood than from carpet. I don't plan to leave him in the crate to much, just at night, when I have to leave and can't take him, or if I just can't watch him. I think the plastic one are best for me. I have two kids 6 and 1 1/2 I figure with the plastic being more closed in that the pup can get some rest without my kids constantly poking at him. Which I am sure is what would happen with the wire crates. I also think that the cloth like ones are nice, but I figure a pup would eat right through them...maybe when he's older. Thanks so much for your advice It's been a lot of help.

The pup in the avatar isn't him....although it looks an awful lot like him. I don't have pics of him yet. I just found that one and it was close to what he looked like. I've read not to let them out for whining, but I'll have to build up some will power, it's so sad to hear one whine :( . But I can do it...and yeah I am home most of the time, heck I am home all of the time. thanks for the advice and keep it comin!

:o oh my goodness.....

thank you.......Crate training really sounds better and better the more I read about it. We had dogs when I was little, but they were never trained and they never stayed in the house long. My parents always gave up and moved them outside. We had a boxer once who while we were gone decided to eat the house, he chewed through a lamp cord, plugged in, he ate the lamp shade, shredded toilet paper...Needless to say, he went outside after that. The crate sounds like it could really keep a miscivious dog out of trouble when he can't be supervised.

I actually do like some of the Icelandic names...but we don't get the pup until March 1st so I can't know him until I see his personality...as soon as I get to know his little querks I will let you guys know....Then I'll be able to pick a name...As soon as I get pics I'll ge them up. Here are some names we are considering... Spade Mojo Nikko and I can't remember the others...I hope they come back to me All I can tell you about the puppy now is it's male and yellow, such a pale yellow he is almost white. Almost a a cream color.They were only 4 1/2 weeks old when we saw them, still pretty little. They just whined and crawled around on the ladies couch. So I am yet find out if he is bouncy or laid back.

Thanks, seems to sound pretty easy. My puppy will only be 6 weeks old, so hopefully he will take to it pretty easy. I know puppies need to go out often for toilet breaks, but talking of older dogs-Most of the time I am home, I am a stay at home mom, but sometimes on saturdays we are gone some. How long can dog's tolerate the crate. I don't want it to feel like punishment and I know they need toys in there to entertain themselves, but if I had to be gone and couldn't take him with me, about how long can they tolerate it. I'm learning alot now!!!

I've never crate trained a dog...but I plan to do so with the new puppy. Any suggestions as to which crate is best, wire crates or the plastic travel kind? Also if anyone has any suggestions as how to make it easier on the puppy and how to get him to accept it, please let me know. When I first heard of it I thought it sounded cruel, but after researching about it I've come to the conclusion that it is a great thing for dog and owner...

maybe they think you good looking...We see deer all the time. They get hit by cars a lot here. One time we stopped because of one and it almost ran into the car...I wonder what the insurance company would have said...(no we did not hit the deer, the deer hit us) Once a baby deer was in my yard, which is weird because there are not really any woods close by. I think it's mom must have gotten hit and it got confused. It just ran around all the neighbors yards. It was kinda sad :(

sounds like we've determined that dogs must like beer....I guess they need to relax too. :lol:

:lol: you better feed that poor dog before she turns on you...If she can get through a can you would be no trouble :lol:

yeah I was hoping she would see this

Lets see...Well I have wanted a yorkie for years...May never get one, but I want one. My husband wants GSD's...Also our county has recently started a humane society here and once they get land and a building I am planning to do some volunteering. That's my dream, to help animals, maybe even become a foster pet parent when the humane society needs it.

about the pups...when McKenzie had hers we had to seperate them at 5 weeks...They liked to eat mashed up puppy food, but McKenzie would always steal it from them, but she also stopped feeding them. She was losing a lot of weight and looking very unhealthy at that point. I called the vet and he said to seperate them. The pups did fine, They ate great and the vet said as long as they can eat regular food and tolerate it well it was fine to send them on to new homes...The new puppy we are getting will be 6 weeks old when we pick him up. I think it varies with each litter, it is according to how fast mom weans them and how quickly they take on eating regular food. (just my opinion, no where near an expert)

I wondered about that... thanks

It probably isn't anything to worry about. Puppies do crazy things...but I wouldn't sit and worry myself to death, I'd just ask the vet. [quote]Does he do this when he tucks his rear end down and zooms around? (those are called zoomies.)[/quote] Never heard of that...but it's very funny :lol:

call the vet...it's best to have it checked out if you think something may be wrong. It's better to find out than worry!!!

My aunt has Sharpeis and I have never met a bunch of meaner dogs in my life. The male she has attacked my parents min pin (also male) on numerous occasions, sending him to the vet with bad bite wounds every time. One time he attacked duece(min pin) so bad that duece went and hid for several days before they could find him. My parents have moved now and no more problems, but I was just wondering has my aunt gotten a hold of some messed up dogs. Has anyone else heard anything bad about them. I always heard how sweet they were and what a good dog people thought they were. I even wanted one, until my aunt got hers. What could have went wrong with hers, when all I've heard is how great they are? I hope no one gets angry about this, I'm not saying anything bad about Sharpeis, I just wanted to see if anyone else has had any bad encounters, or if you could tell me not all of them are mean like my aunts.

We decided on the husky/lab mix. I've got lots of time to train him, and I know how to stop the jumping. I had my boxer/pit mix trained not to jump and when you can train something as stubborn as she was you can train almost anything. I think as long as dogs get enough training that they will be pretty well mannered. If he is stubborn I'll get professional help.

Maya is a beautiful dog. I looked for pictures of the husky/lab mix yesterday. They varied quite a bit. I think this pup will look more like the lab. Atleast he does now, but they change quite a bit. He's a very pale yellow, almost white. No matter what he looks like he will be perfect. I think the wait may drive me crazy, but it gives me plenty of time to get everything I need for him. I'm hoping he will be fairly easy to house train, that's always the first big thing. I've heard that they can be escape artists though. So I would say he probably will not spend a lot of time unsupervised outside, there are a lot of cats in my neighborhood and one very big very obnoxious dog. When my parents moved I took care of there min pin for a while, and every time I went to feed him the big dog would bark and growl. I'm scared to even let my kids out in the yard, but I have discovered he will not go near a house where there is another dog. I like the long cable idea. Gives them room to run, but confines them to the yard. May have to get one of those! Well hopefully I won't lose my mind waiting for 2 weeks. I'll get pic's up as soon as I get him. I've been thinking of names, but I can't really name him until I spend some time with him and see his personality. Then I'll see what fits him! We want something different, but not to nuts! Any ideas would be appreciated...

I thought so...there is no such thing as a free puppy. People do not realize the exspense involved in getting a dog, even when the puppy costs nothing the cost to raise it it's like the cost of a child. A dog needs everything a kid needs...love, food, shelter, doctor visits, toys, and it's a life long commitment. If people realized that there would not be so many dogs sitting in shelters today!