| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
krazykataave

Joined: 17 Dec 2004 Posts: 124 Location: Immortalized by John Denver
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 9:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
Gots to show off my baby! He's the avatar right now. His name is Nipper Jones or registered (Little Happy Prince Red Wiggles) and goes by Nip for short. He is a mini doxie - red coloring and 6 years old.
He's an active pooch that went from having mommy all to himself to having a daddy in the house and two cats. But he managed, he loves to lick and lick and sniff the entire neighborhood. One cat would cuddle with him (he died though) and the other tolerates his presence for a while. Nip can't keep toys around for long because he rips them to shreds and throws the stuffing all over the house. He does have a few emotional problems stemming from before i got him but he is the best little pooch in the world.
Kat |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Eruanna

Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 426 Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 10:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
| krazykataave wrote: | Gots to show off my baby! He's the avatar right now. His name is Nipper Jones or registered (Little Happy Prince Red Wiggles) and goes by Nip for short. He is a mini doxie - red coloring and 6 years old.
He's an active pooch that went from having mommy all to himself to having a daddy in the house and two cats. But he managed, he loves to lick and lick and sniff the entire neighborhood. One cat would cuddle with him (he died though) and the other tolerates his presence for a while. Nip can't keep toys around for long because he rips them to shreds and throws the stuffing all over the house. He does have a few emotional problems stemming from before i got him but he is the best little pooch in the world.
Kat |
Nip is a cutie! I have a cousin with three doxies (one smooth and two wire-haired) and they are dogs with great personalities.
(Then again, 99.999% of dogs tend to be that way.)
Yes, some dogs can be destructive...
Bravo for understanding his difficult history and working with him.
Our girl rescue Weimaraner has abuse issues, so she will always be a bit skittish and insecure.
--Eruanna, who loves her Chiwowie and two Weims  _________________ "I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again." |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
DreadLadyFreya

Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 276 Location: A fantasy world, with beach front property
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:03 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Eruanna wrote: | --Eruanna, who loves her Chiwowie and two Weims  |
I've got a question for you, E - and any other 'Chiwowie' parents. How good are Chiwowies with small children? My six-year-old son LOVES them (a neighbor has a couple) and keeps asking if we can get one when "Sami goes to heaven." Now, Sami is a 60 pound Lab mix, who's gentle and patient with both my sons (my two-year-old is convinced she's a pony ) and can hold her own against their 'loving attention.' Most of the Chiwowies I've known have been nervous, yappie, nipping little ... dogs. Have I just had the misfortune to know a couple of bad apples? Would a Chiwowie (and,yes, I know that's not the actual name of the breed, I just think it's cute - and besides I don't know how to spell Chihuahua ) be a good companion for my boys?
Freya - who's idea of a dog is one who knocks you over saying hello _________________ The darkness is strong, and it is patient, and it is everywhere,
and it always wins. But in the heart of its strength lies weakness -
one lone candle is enough to hold is back.
Love is more than a candle.
Love can ignite the stars. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Yavanie

Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Posts: 630 Location: Texas
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
| DreadLadyFreya wrote: |
Freya - who's idea of a dog is one who knocks you over saying hello |
AMEN!!! (Got my own 8+ pound Lab, rescued from a shelter, he's GREAT with the boys - just another one of 'em) _________________ Yavanie
...I understand the sadness of the Elves, and I have seen Mordor.
To be older and wiser you must first be younger and stupider. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Eruanna

Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 426 Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:54 am Post subject: Response |
|
|
| DreadLadyFreya wrote: | | Eruanna wrote: | --Eruanna, who loves her Chiwowie and two Weims  |
I've got a question for you, E - and any other 'Chiwowie' parents. How good are Chiwowies with small children? My six-year-old son LOVES them (a neighbor has a couple) and keeps asking if we can get one when "Sami goes to heaven." Now, Sami is a 60 pound Lab mix, who's gentle and patient with both my sons (my two-year-old is convinced she's a pony ) and can hold her own against their 'loving attention.' Most of the Chiwowies I've known have been nervous, yappie, nipping little ... dogs. Have I just had the misfortune to know a couple of bad apples? Would a Chiwowie (and,yes, I know that's not the actual name of the breed, I just think it's cute - and besides I don't know how to spell Chihuahua ) be a good companion for my boys?
Freya - who's idea of a dog is one who knocks you over saying hello |
Freya:
First off, thank you for asking. That is what a good prospective dog parent must do...
As a rule, any small dog is not going to be good for small children. They are just too fragile. The average "standard" Chihuahua is 4 to 6 pounds...far too tiny to be a playmate for a young child. Even a larger dog (10 to 15 pounds) may be too small for young children. And I have seen too many toy breeds accidently injured by large breeds while playing and having fun. I heard of a Great Dane taking out a Chihuahua's eye. (They have prominent eyes.)
It is heart-breaking for me to see parents buy "toy" dogs and then actually treat them as toys--not as small living creatures with feelings and a set breed temperament! I have seen horrible cases with toy dogs snapping/biting in fear, and then ending up getting slapped and abused!!!
Yes, almost all Chihuahuas are snappy and nervous. That is an ingrained trait. To ask a Chi to be a happy face-licker is like asking a Golden Retriever to be a ferocious attack dog! Many people do not honour the breed temperament that cannot be changed. As a result, too many dogs get dumped in pounds and put to sleep--or worse, abandoned. I used to work with a pet behaviourist and I know these things!
Please accept my recommendation and NOT adopt a tiny Chi while you have a young child. Many reputable breeders/rescues will not adopt to a family with children less than teenage. I remember a story of one woman who had a very small child, bought a Chi and the child dropped the Chi on his head. The result: MASSIVE BRAIN damage to the innocent dog, not to mention untold agony he suffered until he died. A toddler will treat a TOY dog as just that--a toy! Toddlers cannot comprehend that the tiny dog is a living thing. Ask any vet about toddlers and toy dogs and they will tell you horror stories: legs being torn out of hip sockets, (the sad story above), and the list goes on.
People tend to buy dogs because of cuteness, beauty, etc. One example is our Weims. They are very trendy dogs for some people and the coats (grey/brown/silver) are BEAUTIFUL and noble. Yet they are stubborn, BIG, energetic, barky, high-energy and can be destructive. Many end up in rescue, which is where we got ours.
We have to keep our dogs separate with a doggie gate. The little one lives indoors and the big ones are outside in the yard all day. In the evening, the Weims get fed and cleaned up and sleep on the couch; the little one sleeps in her own bed next to ours. Sometimes the Chi goes to my mother's house for a night, and the Weims sleep with us in our bed (this is very funny!)
Again, thank you for asking about Chihuahuas and being concerned. I am being very honest. In closing, please honor the breed temperamant and size and not adopt a tiny Chihuahua while your children are still young. (Chis also tend to have slipping, fragile kneecaps and can be injured easily. Our little one had knee surgery in 1998...and that means money...)
Larger dogs make great (sturdy) companions for young children, but the children must always be taught to respect the feelings of a living creature.
Smooches to the pooches...
--Eruanna _________________ "I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again."
Last edited by Eruanna on Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:54 pm; edited 1 time in total |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Sorcia

Joined: 15 Jan 2004 Posts: 197 Location: Gods, Sean in glasses, how dishy
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:45 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Cheers to what Erunna said. As a long time dog fanicer and being active within it for over 20 years, it so important to do your homework on what is appropriate for your lifestyle and expectations. Check out www.akc.org if you are in the US and considering a purebred. Even if its not a puppy, most of the National breed clubs have good rescues and great educational information on their breeds.
If you are happy to help out your local SPCA for a companion, go there too.
Cheers all _________________ "If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun."-Katharine Hepburn |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Texasgirl

Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 895 Location: Texas (no shit, sherlock)
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 2:28 pm Post subject: |
|
|
that was intense, eru.
personally, i think the dog's personality comes from the way you treat it. (well, DUH, but hear me out).
i got cooper when he was 4 months, and consequently, he has been around my family and i for his whole life. (it really sucked during college....NO PETS IN THE DORMS!)
so, he likes to get dirty, run along the horses, and go for runs in the ranch.
this has really no point, just some random babbling from my brain. _________________ Damn, I love my home - except for the fact the nearest bit of civilization is forty miles away.
*Other co-founder of the "Howdy!" committee*
*Other co-founder of the official foundation* |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Yavanie

Joined: 02 Jun 2004 Posts: 630 Location: Texas
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 4:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well said ALL!!
We adopted our dog from a group that specifically rescues labradors. We decided on that breed after doing some research and matching the breed with what we wanted and the fact that we had small kids in the house. Then the adopting group put us through a series of questions and inspeted our house and yard and met the family then let us "interview" a few dogs.
Needless to say, it was a good match and worth the effort. And we got what we think is a purebred lab, but for SO much less than a registered dog, and we weren't planning on breeding anyway. His personality has blended well with ours and I think the way we treat him has just brought out his natural personality.
TG, there's nothing like having a true companion for a pet. our family dog died while I was in college. very sad, like losing a sibling (almost, but you get the point). I know you're glad to have your companion around again!! _________________ Yavanie
...I understand the sadness of the Elves, and I have seen Mordor.
To be older and wiser you must first be younger and stupider. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Texasgirl

Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 895 Location: Texas (no shit, sherlock)
|
Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 7:21 pm Post subject: |
|
|
oh yeah - cooper's MINE.  _________________ Damn, I love my home - except for the fact the nearest bit of civilization is forty miles away.
*Other co-founder of the "Howdy!" committee*
*Other co-founder of the official foundation* |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
DreadLadyFreya

Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 276 Location: A fantasy world, with beach front property
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 3:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks one and all for your input. Eru, you’ve confirmed my suspicions (that’s too strong a word, but you get the idea). Now, next time my 6-y-o asks about the “big eye dog with the pointy ears,” I can tell him I’ve checked and it would be better to wait ‘til his baby brother (always a good scapegoat ) gets a little older, so he’ll know how to be gentle. (Let’s see, if we’re keeping score, we’ll be getting a snake, a frog, a lizard, and now a Chi… I’m in BIG trouble…) _________________ The darkness is strong, and it is patient, and it is everywhere,
and it always wins. But in the heart of its strength lies weakness -
one lone candle is enough to hold is back.
Love is more than a candle.
Love can ignite the stars. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
KhazarKhum

Joined: 02 Sep 2003 Posts: 234 Location: Quartz Hill, CA--USA
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:32 am Post subject: |
|
|
Dogs! Geez, I don't like 'em at all, huh??
We now have Standard poodles. Want a dog that doesn't shed, smell or send your allergies into overdrive? You want a Standard Poodle.
Int CH La Marka Mercedes Blanc is my avatar. She prefers to be considered a high-maintaintence blonde. She is from our blue bitch Portia's first litter. She is my first show dog, and we weren't going to keep her--she was supposed to go to a dedicated show home. But at her first show she refused to do anything for them, including walk on the leash. I ended up showing her. The people decided to pass on her & take a different pup, so we were "stucK' with her. That's the excuse, anyway.
Portia has my husband thoroughly trained. He brings her any and all treats, so she won't have to leave either the bed or her couch. OTOH, when she has a bad dream she comes and wakes him up so he'll pet her & make everything all right. Of her puppies (she had 2 litters) 80% have gone into service/assitance dog work. When Mercedes finishes her show career, I'll train her as my seizure alerter.
Mia, our third girl, is a lovely silver bitch whose family had to return her to the breeder. They divorced, and she was left behind. She is very clingy. She recently had a litter, and half of them went off to show. The others are adored pets. Mia is an enthusiast--she loves everything. You'd never know that, when we got her, she was so depressed & frightened that she' d pee if you looked at her.
Atanis We had Malamutes before the Poodles. I have such bad allergies that it was not possible to get another one. Our last girl, Monjour, tipped the scale at 120 lbs. She was something special. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
inglor

Joined: 26 Apr 2004 Posts: 853 Location: Not here, not there, not anywhere
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:48 am Post subject: |
|
|
RE: small dogs and children. We have a 30lb Boykin Spaniel who is my 1yearold daughters best friend. BUT we have to watch them closely, daughter can get a little rough with the dog, but the dog just sits and enjoys the attention, she's also good for cleaning up the floor at meal times and endless source of entertainment for daughter...But I wouldn't want to have a dog any smaller around our daughter.
Inglor _________________ Hi, My name is Inglor and I am a Tolkien Geek (sub-species: Silgeek)
Owner of the phrase: "merciless attention" so authorized by Viv |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
DreadLadyFreya

Joined: 30 Mar 2004 Posts: 276 Location: A fantasy world, with beach front property
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 9:18 am Post subject: |
|
|
| inglor wrote: | she's also good for cleaning up the floor at meal times
|
Sami's the same way! I keep trying to convince the grandparents that if we brought her with us when we visit, there wouldn't be the mess to clean up after dinner! _________________ The darkness is strong, and it is patient, and it is everywhere,
and it always wins. But in the heart of its strength lies weakness -
one lone candle is enough to hold is back.
Love is more than a candle.
Love can ignite the stars. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Texasgirl

Joined: 18 Oct 2004 Posts: 895 Location: Texas (no shit, sherlock)
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 3:54 pm Post subject: |
|
|
never had that problem....see, i had brothers.  _________________ Damn, I love my home - except for the fact the nearest bit of civilization is forty miles away.
*Other co-founder of the "Howdy!" committee*
*Other co-founder of the official foundation* |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Eruanna

Joined: 11 Jan 2005 Posts: 426 Location: Dor-Cuarthol, betwixt the Bow and the Helm...
|
Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2005 4:17 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| inglor wrote: | RE: small dogs and children. We have a 30lb Boykin Spaniel who is my 1yearold daughters best friend. BUT we have to watch them closely, daughter can get a little rough with the dog, but the dog just sits and enjoys the attention, she's also good for cleaning up the floor at meal times and endless source of entertainment for daughter...But I wouldn't want to have a dog any smaller around our daughter.
Inglor |
Good point--toddlers and infants can be rough on a dog.
I maintain that tiny dogs do not belong around very young children.
If your doggie is 30 pounds and gets roughed-up, think of the terror a 5-pound dog will be being mauled by a well-meaning child!!
--Eruanna _________________ "I have returned from the Northern Fences," said the Elf, "and I am sent now to be your guide again." |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|