Tell me about your dogs!

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PANZERIA
PANZERIA Posts: 471 Member
Hi everybody!

I'm a dog trainer in northern Canada and I just ADORE dogs!!! They truly are my passion in life. When I join the police force next year, I'm hoping to eventually make it onto the k-9 unit in order to mix my two favorite passions: the law and dogs, lol.

Tell me about your dogs and your most memorable moments with them/what you love about their personalities/anything you want to tell me! I LOVE hearing about dogs! (it's almost a sickness really)

I have 3 dogs!

My eldest (I call her my step-furbaby) came with my fiance when we moved in together. Her name is tugs and she is a 6 year old terrier/poodle. I have never met a dog so smart, but with such an attitude! We didn't start out well - she bit me in the first few months. Drew blood too. Two years later, she's a calm, gentle dog and we tolerate each other. I'm totally kidding - I love that dog to death, attitude and all. She grew on me. She's still a daddy's girl, but we get along.

My second came from the humane society in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Her name is Kira and she is a 4 year old border collie cross. She is my wizz kid - wicked smart. Picks up on any trick within five minutes. We nicknamed her the 'Darling' because she is just so gentle, but she is little miss manners - in the dog park, if a dog is being rude, she is the first one in there correcting that dog and teaching that dog how to properly act.

My youngest furbaby is my 100lb german shepherd, Bear. I've been told that he must be a cross with a wolf, but I don't really know. We lived in a horrible area for a while, and he was the only silver lining from living there. He randomly showed up on my doorstep one day and refused to leave. We almost lost him to worms (we were so far north that the nearest vet was 4 hours away), but after we got him the proper meds and got him strong and healthy, he wouldn't stop growing!!!! We were hoping for him to be MAYBE 30lbs (about Kira's size) but he blew past her at just 4 months! After that, we wondered what we had gotten ourselves into. But, I am proud to say that Bear is my little show-off dog. I always meet people who are terrified of large breeds, especially the bully breeds (shepherds, Pittys, rotties) and I love them. Bear always breaks their expectations with his gentle nature. He is wonderful with children, as my nieces can, quite literally, ride him around the house and he doesn't care. They can pull on his tail and he'll just lick them, and he's only 2 years old! Still a baby! An absolute gentle giant.

My goal in life is to own a rescue specifically for the bully breeds and dogs who are deemed 'untrainable.' That's about ten or fifteen years in the future (I'm only 23 years old), but that's the plan!

So there's my long-winded rant about my doggies. =D Tell me about your dogs! PLEASE!!!
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Replies

  • margo36
    margo36 Posts: 222 Member
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    I also have three dogs :happy: Jack my eldest is a Dalmation and is 13 yrs old and still loves a good run around the woods despite his age.I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Daisy my youngest is also a Dalmation. She is 3 yrs old. I got her when she was 8 weeks old because I thought Jack was nearing the end of his life span but he is still going strong. Prince is a Black Belgium Shepherd and he is 5 yrs old. He came with my partner who moved in with me 3 yrs ago. Prince is totally in love with Daisy. My Profile Photo is Prince and Daisy :flowerforyou:
  • PANZERIA
    PANZERIA Posts: 471 Member
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    I also have three dogs :happy: Jack my eldest is a Dalmation and is 13 yrs old and still loves a good run around the woods despite his age.I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Daisy my youngest is also a Dalmation. She is 3 yrs old. I got her when she was 8 weeks old because I thought Jack was nearing the end of his life span but he is still going strong. Prince is a Black Belgium Shepherd and he is 5 yrs old. He came with my partner who moved in with me 3 yrs ago. Prince is totally in love with Daisy. My Profile Photo is Prince and Daisy :flowerforyou:

    :flowerforyou: Aww! Dalmations were my dream dog when I was a kid. They sound wonderful.

    I had a lab/setter cross who lived to be 15 years old and STILL played like a puppy whenever Bear was around, haha. Love large dogs!
  • clarkeje1
    clarkeje1 Posts: 1,636 Member
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    I have a 7 month old miniature poodle named Carter. He is a terror that has chewed my shoes, cat turds, and a hole in the wall. But I love him!!!
  • jrditt
    jrditt Posts: 239 Member
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    i have a step-doggy too! She's a 10 year old boxer mix that i just adore. When we first met 6 years ago, she was super jealous of any girls and would literally put herself between us but now she knows who takes her on the long walks. She has so much personality and would always rather be cuddling. Can't imagine living without her!

    I love your goals! I am glad we are friends on here.
  • margo36
    margo36 Posts: 222 Member
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    I also have three dogs :happy: Jack my eldest is a Dalmation and is 13 yrs old and still loves a good run around the woods despite his age.I've had him since he was 8 weeks old. Daisy my youngest is also a Dalmation. She is 3 yrs old. I got her when she was 8 weeks old because I thought Jack was nearing the end of his life span but he is still going strong. Prince is a Black Belgium Shepherd and he is 5 yrs old. He came with my partner who moved in with me 3 yrs ago. Prince is totally in love with Daisy. My Profile Photo is Prince and Daisy :flowerforyou:

    :flowerforyou: Aww! Dalmations were my dream dog when I was a kid. They sound wonderful.

    I had a lab/setter cross who lived to be 15 years old and STILL played like a puppy whenever Bear was around, haha. Love large dogs!


    All three of them need plenty of exercise as well which is a bonus. My Vet says Jack has lived so long because I have kept him slim and given him plenty of exercise. A lesson to us all :flowerforyou: All of them go for a six mile walk everyday
  • ChevyChick88
    ChevyChick88 Posts: 356 Member
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    I volunteer at my local no-kill shelter and love it there!!! That's where I got Daytona - my very large (16 pound) Pom. She is the best! She has big attitude, including the "big dog syndrome." She is fearless and will take on anything she thinks she does not like. While very smart, she loves to do things to spite you becasue she is not happy with you. She is one of the most spoiled dogs ever. She gets whatever her little heart desires. We go to the store about once every other week or so and she gets to pick out her own toy. We do this by trying to get her to play with toys until she finally finds one that she carries around..... and thats the winning toy. When I am going to be gone for more than a couple of hours, she even gets to go to her "doggy sitter" (my mom or grandma).

    I would like to get another one, but she is pretty particular about her stuff and space.....
  • easfahl
    easfahl Posts: 567 Member
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    I'm definitely a dog person, always have been and always will be. I was even a dog person as a toddler before I even had a dog.

    I currently have two English Springer Spaniel brothers, Newton and Pascal. My mum has the sister, Dalton. They're just over 4 years old. I got them as my adventure companions, and they definitely fit the bill. We hike, camp, mountain bike, trail run, pavement run, sail, etc.

    As for personalities, all three are quite different. Newton is the oldest. He's actually the half-brother of Pascal and Dalton, as he has the same dad but a different mom. He's field-bred so he's VERY critter oriented, and is such an athlete. I think I'm gonna try to get him involved in agility or coursing. He's also a bit high-strung. He wants to please but if he's not exercised or is bored he'll try to push the limits. He desperately wants to be next in charge. I, of course, am the Alpha of this household. Every once in a while I have to remind him while pinning him to the floor and sitting on him. He's also very wary of strangers, especially men and kids. I don't usually let people pet him right away. And sometimes Newton bullies Pascal.

    Pascal is the lover of the three. He's the next oldest, born just a few minutes before Dalton, his sister. He has LOTS of girlfriends, doggy and human. He's bench-bred and just has the most welcoming demeanor and is all about puppy kisses. Everyone wants to take him home. :) He's happy to be lower in rank to Newton, except when Newton bullies him. Pascal is just a happy dog all the way around. But if Newton picks a fight, Pascal will definitely defend himself and sometimes shows Newton up. When we run, it usually takes Newton a mile or two to settle in as he's VERY excited and has a hard time dealing with it. Pascal is my pace dog. He sticks right with me. Newton is definitely the athlete of the three; Pascal is the bulkiest in that his bones and head are just BIG; however both have great endurance. We often run 10 miles or more.

    Dalton is my mum's dog but she comes over to play multiple times a week. She's the youngest. She has a personality in between Newton and Pascal, although probably a bit closer to Pascal.

    Newton, unfortunately, was diagonosed with colon cancer back in late 2009. I was devestated. Had one tumor removed but then they found more farther up in his tract. In order to even try to remove those I would be putting his life in danger, and they still might not get it all. Since his only issues from his cancer has been during "potty time" and that he's lost a bit of weight, I decided to not try the extra surgery. He's a happy pup right now and I'll try to keep him that way and love him until the end. He gets a grain-free dry dog food and omega-3s to help boost his immune system.

    Since colon cancer is usually an elderly dog ailment we were initially afraid it might be genetic. But Pascal and Dalton have thankfully shown no signs. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

    Anyway, that's the story on my furbabies. They really are a pleasure. I can't imagine my life without my canine companions.

    Oh, and the names:
    Newton = standard industrial unit of force
    Pascal = standard industrial unit of pressure
    Dalton = an a.m.u. or atomic mass unit
  • skedzie
    skedzie Posts: 91 Member
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    I have three also! An Australian Shepard/Blue Heeler mix named Clyde - He will be 12 this May. Sky who is an Australian shepard minature and my latest (3 weeks ago) a 5 month old full bred Austrialian Shepard named Harley (a rescue). I don't have kids at home any more and recently my husband started traveling for work so they are my family! They even go to work with me everyday.

    Recently the vet told me that he is 95% sure that Clyde has bladder cancer. We are taking it one day at a time.... He has helped me through some pretty tough times in my life!
  • MdmAcolyte
    MdmAcolyte Posts: 382 Member
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    I have two puppies... Frankie and Carlos are going to be 2 in April and May, respectively, and they are both long-haired chihuahuas. First we had Carlos, because The Man owned him, and soon after we decided we found our forever in each other, I stole Carlos, and he's been MINE ever since. Then recently, when we moved in to our own house with 2 of my kids (13 and 11) we decided to get another dog and found Frankie who was being fostered in a rescue society. They are such sweet little guys when they play together, and I love it when I come home and the two of them are just so excited to see me. <3
  • fjrandol
    fjrandol Posts: 437 Member
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    We have an Australian Cattle Dog named Old Jack. No clue as to why he's "old", or if there's another Jack in his life out there. He came to us as a rescue dog about two years ago, and has been a real blessing to our home. He's about 8, and has funny little quirks, like shoving his whole face into the water bowl to drink. He also loves to climb up on my husband's lap when he's sitting in his gaming chair.

    I took classes with him, so he's an expert now at all sorts of things like rolling over, crawling, and shaking hands. :smile:

    We think that Jack got punished alot when he was little (perhaps for chewing?), and as a result he won't touch anything that requires being in his mouth for any length of time. Rawhide bones, toys, and balls are all left neglected. He gets excited about them, but won't touch them. Therefore, if you try to play ball he'll just keep staring at you when you throw it, rather than chase after the toy.

    He does, however, love to play with other dogs, and if they're playing fetch he'll chase after them until they get the ball and come back, and barks if they won't return the ball to whoever is doing the tossing. When we go for walks, we have a huge field we take him to where he can run off-leash and chase after rabbits, squirrels, and quail that happen to cross the path. The one time we actually thought he'd caught a bunny, he cornered it against the fence and then just sat down and stared at us like "Now what?". Lol!

    I love my little guy. :happy:
  • springermad
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    I have 2 springer spaniels both rescue. Bramble (my profile picture) is 5 years old and I rescued her when she was 3 she was used as a punch bag and a breeding machine she had her tail cut off and was made to sleep outside in the snow, the owner was going to shoot her but she was saved at the last minute.

    Daisy is 2 years old and again a rescue she was found in the middle of a busy main road at 6 months she is scared of everything but with a lot of love and care she is beginning to trust and love poeple
  • Nerple
    Nerple Posts: 1,291 Member
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    I have one dog, Annabel who is a 23lb Corgi/Pekingese blend and is 5 years old. Her favorite activities include laying on the radiator covers staring out the windows until other dogs come to bark at, playing stick, playing ball (but never ever bringing the ball back, you have to get it out of her mouth to throw again), running away from my 16 month old niece that adores her just a little too hard, and never letting my father sit on the couch, because if he is sitting on the couch, he has time to take her for a walk.

    Her favorite food by far is chicken, and getting her to behave when chicken the smell of chicken is in the air is a pretty futile effort. She is definately a people person, and always has to be curled up next to you if you are resting, or curled up in the same room if you are occupied. She much prefers to be outdoors, especially if there is snow in the ground, but she is never quiet when outside unless on a walk. She generally likes other dogs but gets bored with them and begs for attention by whoever is walking the other dogs (the neighbors all adore her). But she doesn't like seeing other dogs walking in pairs (started after she was attacked by two of the neighbor dogs). She also knows her routine and has a habit of knowing when it's time for something she doesn't like and imposing a toll for her cooperation. That toll is a tummy rub.

    She hates the rain, but when coming in from the rain she goes psycho and acts like a puppy again, running full speed throughout the house, crashing into everything without stopping. In the summer she sleeps off to herself, usually in my computer chair, in the winter she curls up so close on my bed she pushes me off the bed.

    She is also about the most enthustiastic greeter I have ever known. She has to say hi to everyone who comes in the house multiple times, and they all have to pet her. Failure to do so results in non-stop barking.

    I have pictures on my profile.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
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    My dogs are Molly and Moe.

    They are part American Eskimo, collie, and who the heck knows what else! lol They are the sweetest little things in the entire world. Both are about mid-size, white with brown and black spots on them. Moe has a wider nose while Molly has a thin nose.

    Molly has a bit of a weight issue. She is 54lbs...but should weigh about 10lbs less. We have been trying to get her to eat less, but this girl is a little pig! She also has the perfect face for a dog in an Animal Shelter Ad. She gives you the saddest puppy dog eyes. Honestly, she knows how to pull the heart strings. She is kind of anxious and skittish. She is terrified of Thunderstorms, hates louds noises and hides in the closet when scared. Molly is an active dog that loves to play catch. Rarely is she without a ball or a bone. She will run in the fields playing fetch until she can't run no more. She never gives up! Molly also has a tendency to be very jealous of her brother Moe. If he is getting attention and she isn't, she will pull you with her paw until you are petting her instead.

    Moe is about 47lbs (so just a tad over weight) and fluffier than his sister Molly. He is very calm and lets his sister walk all over him...she is very demanding but he doesn't care. Moe is my shadow. This dog loves me to death and goes wherever I go! When I am not around my fiance says that Moe mopes around the house like a lost puppy. When my fiance tells Moe that I am home he will go and sit at the door waiting for me... He is the sweetest dog in the world. He is such a big baby and wouldn't hurt a fly. He loves to cuddle and he loves his walks...he lives for walks. We can't even say the word walk in the house because it will get him all riled up.

    Both dogs associate the word 'coca-cola' with the word 'walk' too...we really have no idea why...but we can't even say that word in the house either! haha
  • MariaAlbinaxoxo
    MariaAlbinaxoxo Posts: 290 Member
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    I have a papillon named Ali (Ali means 'wings' in Italian and since Papillon means butterfly I thought it was the perfect name :) anyway, she's soooo hyper! She's 2 years old now and 8lbs and she'd rather run around than cuddle but there's definitely times she's very lazy. She actually does not like walks. What kinda dog doesn't like walks?! hahaha She sleeps with me every night and definitely the best thing that's ever happened to me :)

    http://s1017.photobucket.com/albums/af293/AlisMommy09/Mobile Uploads/?action=view&amp;current=Photo0095-1.jpg
  • bhalter
    bhalter Posts: 582 Member
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    My sister used to run a rescue in her college town and my mom volunteers with a German Shepherd rescue as well, so we've collected a few, haha. (These are not "MY" dogs, but I live near my parents and see the dogs regularly. My apartment doesn't allow pets, boo.)

    We have Mitzi, an old German Shepherd...super sweet, but was used for breeding at a puppy mill and she is very skittish around people, even after living with my parents for several years.

    Gypsy is part-boxer and SUUUUPER sweet and fun. She has tiger-stripe brown and burnt-orange fur and big ol' eyes. My fiance wants to kidnap her, she's an amazing dog. Loves to play and cuddle and even though she's a large dog, will crawl into your lap to watch a movie.

    And then the ruler of the roost is Sheba, part-Schipperke and part-Chihuahua and all black with a bit of white on her neck. She LOVES people, wants to sit on your lap at dinner, and licks the dirty plates clean in the dishwasher as they're being loaded. I never thought I would like small dogs (I was raised with large Akitas), but she doesn't make much noise and is such a sweetheart.
  • Poohsta0
    Poohsta0 Posts: 147 Member
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    I have three as well- 350 pounds total.

    Mabel is an ancient (8 year old) brindled mastiff. Arthritis, bad vision,and worse breathe.
    Cooper is a 4 year old Flat Coated Retriever. A complete spazz unless he has run the back yard for 30 minutes or so after work.
    Youkilis is a 2 year old shepherd mix who patrols the grounds and woe be it to any stray squirrel inside the fence or old lady on a walk through the neighborhood outside the fence. The UPS and pizza guys don't even get out of their cars- just beep the horn and wait in the driveway.

    All rescues!
  • fimary
    fimary Posts: 286 Member
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    my dog is not keen on walks either, if i get too energetic he hides under the table when i get his leash out.
    He is called fudge and 4 year old.
  • emiliewright
    emiliewright Posts: 148 Member
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    I have a 1 year old Shih Tzu named Gary. He is the very best little man that ever walked. He is such a blessing in my life and loves me so much as I love him. I keep him shaved so he looks like he is half bull dog half shih tzu. He has crossed eyes and his tongue hangs out.. I love dogs so much too, it is a sickness!
  • doctork29
    doctork29 Posts: 15 Member
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    I have a purebred Siberian Husky named JB and a JackRat named Nugget. Nugget is short for Chicken Nugget which is the result for letting your 3 year old name the dog. However, after time we have realized the name makes perfect sense.
  • songbyrdsweet
    songbyrdsweet Posts: 5,691 Member
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    My little girl is Margo. She's a jack russell/beagle mix that I rescued from the HS back in September. Here's some of the wonderful stuff about her!

    She is SUPER smart. She can untie knots and open boxes and consequently gets into everything!

    When she does something naughty, even if we catch it hours later (like tearing up a cat toy) she KNOWS she did wrong and won't look at what she destroyed! She slinks over to the couch and shows her belly with an intense look of guilt!

    She loves to be picked up and has to sit in my lap if I'm at the kitchen table (not while eating) even though she's 26 lbs! She also knows when it's bed time and since day 1 has always hopped in my bed with me hah :) When I go toward the couch, she races over and gets in her spot and waits for me to sit down with her. I think she loves it because I used to take naps with her there a lot when I first got her.

    She is STUBBORN...she knows a trick, but if she doesn't want to do it, she won't look at the treat....like, "I didn't want that treat anyway."

    She loves my kitty, Veli. She also loves kids and is SO patient with them.

    She is a survivor. She was a stray for about a year, and as a puppy apparently got hit by a car and her leg was never set properly. But you would never know because she is super fast and jumps very high!

    I love my Margo!!