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Thread: Pups!!!!!!

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    God/dess BlkSharpie's Avatar
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    Default Pups!!!!!!

    Alright, I didnt want to derail the cost of living thread, but really am seriously considering getting a pup within the next 6 mths and would love to have some pup talk

    Anyway, there are so many logistics involved...much of it Im sure Ive forgotten since a decade ago when I had my pups...the only stuff I remember really are the good times, the hugs, the chasing them around the park, how theyd both try to give me hugs at the same time when I was feeling down (and they were huge, and I was really small back then...them both trying to fit on my lap at the same time always made me laugh hehe) Awe...Im getting nostalgic here...anyway, would love any tips, advice info etc of the practical things involved.

    And hey, just some sweet stories and stuff would be nice too...!!!

    (Im sorry if I blah blahed too much... Kinda got away with myself there lol edited for a bit of brevity!)
    Last edited by BlkSharpie; 01-15-2013 at 09:10 PM.
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    God/dess BlkSharpie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Oh BTW..I am pretty much into natural options... So for pet care and food and anything really....any tips for natural / homemade alternatives would be awesome..thanks!!!
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    Featured Member FiendishGyrator's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Well I hope you get it from animal control or a humane group rather than the petshop (unless said petshop works with adoption only groups.) I would email all the groups in your area and tell them that while you're not ready for a puppy just yet, that you are looking for one and to email you when one with the characteristics you're looking for shows up. So this way you have to research different types of dogs now and consider long hair or short, big dog or small, outgoing or a little shy, and how old of a puppy you're willing to get. Plus, puppies go quickly so hopefully being in contact with a bunch of different groups mean they'll contact you when one shows up.
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    God/dess BlkSharpie's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Im planning to get one from either the city shelter or a rescue. Even years ago, I got my first pup, a husky, from an Amish family, my next pup, a dalmatian, came just a couple months later unexpectedly... my husband went out to check the mail, and came back like half an hour later in a panic...he ran into a guy from down the street who was begging anyone he saw to take his dog, him and his wife were having a major "me or the dog" fight, and she wanted him to drop him off on the road (if I were him I would have chosen the dog and dropped her off on the side of the road) and both of the kittens Ive had were rescued off the street.

    Buying a pet in a store isnt an option to me...
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    God/dess Selina M's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Yay! I have had my rescue dog for a couple months now and it was the best $40 I ever spent All our other dogs were expensive show quality dogs and whatnot, so he is a whole new ballgame.

    Practical advice:
    - Make sure the dog fits your lifestyle. Nately is a 10 month old German Shepherd mix which equals hyper, accidentally destructive, too smart for most "enrichment" dog toys, and a heavy chewer. He'd been returned by 2 other families who couldn't handle him. He fits alright with us because I go to school for maybe 3-4 hours at a time and work nights, while boyfriend works days, so someone is home with him 85% of the time. When we're not, we've made sure to stuff a toy full of treats or run him in the yard for a while first. If you're gone a lot, get an older dog or a calmer breed; I'd steer away from herding breeds and huskies, as they need constant entertainment and are a pain with other pets.

    - Training. Yes. Immediately. Nately was 8 months old with zilch training, hence why he was returned probably. When we got him, he would jump on the bed and straight up maul us. Obviously nobody had set any boundaries for him. Set ground rules from day one. If he's not going to be allowed on the couch, do not let him up there even once. If you don't tolerate licking, don't let him get away with it while you absentmindedly do something else. Etc. I'd advise a group puppy training class even if you train him yourself at home, because it teaches them to ignore distractions as well.

    - On that note, "learn" your dog. Some dogs respond differently to things - some are not food motivated, some are people-pleasers, some don't give a damn, etc. My dog doesn't respond to hitting (no, I don't beat him, but GSDs are hard-headed and a whack on the nose usually works). He responds to isolation - if he gets out of hand and doesn't respond to "No" or "Stop", shutting him in the bathroom works wonders because he HATES being alone. Voila, perfect angel after 10 minutes of timeout.

    Food, just steer clear from stuff with corn/soy/wheat bases... it's all filler and no "meat"... We use Blue Buffalo or Castor and Pollux Organics. I thought the "holistic" thing was a crock until I switched - my cat had a super dry, oily coat and now he's fluffy and has gained weight, and Nately gets sheddy, a dull coat, and sleeps a lot more unless he's on an organic food. Just switch foods realllllllly slowly; my animals both get sick if it's not a multi-day process of mixing cheap and organic food to acclimate them. 20% protein to 32% is a huge jump in ingredients!

    Good luck
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    Featured Member FiendishGyrator's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    yup, plus one on raw or alternative foods. You dog needs about one pound of meat protein on average a day per hundred pounds of weight (puppies might be different--you don't want them to grow too fast and you have to take special care of their joints so they're better off later in life.)

    Occasionally I get dry dog food but most of the time they get meat, veggies and fruit. occadionally eggs and oil. I try to give them supplements sometimes but I need to do that more. And, you can get ivermectin from a feed store on online for less than $30 and it will last you a year. Much cheaper than buying dog specific heartworm meds.
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Thank you! Yeah, I have a few things to take into consideration...Id like a med sized dog...I LOVE big dogs, but planning to get an RV an live on the road in 2yrs so have to take size and also restricted breeds into consideration. I heart huskies and german sheppard dogs, but know I wont be able to travel as easily with them since too many pet friendly campgrounds wont allow them. Lap dogs or any breeds that bark a lot / are skittish are out of the question though.

    Im home like, all the time...plus when I start traveling Ill be with my pup pretty much 24/7 and theyll be my only companion, so giving lots of attention wont be a problem. I also plan to drive for a few hours, set up camp for a few days to a few weeks (depending on how much I like the area and want to explore) so the pup isnt going to be cooped up all the time. But still want to make sure I get a pup within the next 6mths, I go on a lot of road trips, so Id hopefully be able to get him used to being on the road.

    Praying I dont fall in love with a pup that gets car sick cause knowing me, Ill just scrap the whole RV idea Its a major dream of mine though, so praying I find the perfect fit for me. Id be happy with a sweet natured mutt.
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Thats good to know about alternative foods...I mean, I know its what I want to do, but so far the only people I know who do it have small pups. Been trying to do a lot of research on this... My sisters aunt-in-law, both of her pups passed due to complications in bagged food, and one of my friends, her pup got sick from bagged food. Those who cook for their dogs, have lived longer, healthier lives it seems.... The thing though is making sure to make the right thing to fill nutritional needs for the size I get.
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    Veteran Member DreamsInDigital's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    That's so exciting!! Glad to hear you're going to adopt from a shelter. May I point out that CraigsList can be a really great option too? There are tons of ads from people who are giving up their pets. That's where I got my dog, and he's an ANGEL. I got him when he was two, and he's a small guy (12 pounds), but he doesn't chew anything, hardly barks, was already housetrained, and loves everyone - people and animals. Perfect! I also feed him Blue Buffalo food, as Selina M mentioned. BTW, if this is helpful, here is a breakdown of what I basically have to spend on my guy on a regular basis:
    Food - $25 for a small bag every 3 months or so. (He doesn't eat much, obviously.) I'd imagine you'd want to budget around $25/month for that?
    Dog License - $15/year
    Vet Care - $500/year (He goes once a year to get his teeth cleaned, which is $400. Additional shots & checkups are extra though.)
    Grooming - $40 every 2 months
    Flea Meds & Heartworm Meds: $80 or so every 3 months
    If you need to send your dog to daycare while you're at work, that will cost around $25/day. A dog walker is probably cheaper - more like $15/walk, I would think.
    And then of course, there's random extra stuff that you'll have to consider, like training classes if he needs them, a bed, toys, chews, collar, leash, etc. If you ever have to fly somewhere with your dog, it will cost $125 EACH WAY to get him a spot in the plane........or probably just as much to leave him at a boarding facility for the same amount of time. So overall, you'll probably want to plan a budget of at least $150/month.
    Keep us updated!!! I'm excited to see what breed you pick - I love dogs.

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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Awe thanks! Im pretty excited too I looked at Criags, but at least around here..seems most of the pups are bred. But there is a lot of supplies, like for crating and stuff I could probably get on there for a pretty good price. Plus I guess theres something psychological about getting a pup from a shelter who needs me as much as I need him.

    Thats a pretty good breakdown thanks...! I also think I would get insurance too, I know bigger dogs dont have as much health problems, but you just never know and med bills are expensive!! Plus I have to pay a pet deposit fee, and I *think* my rent goes up a bit too, so I need to find my lease and make sure of what those costs are.

    Things are going a bit better with work, and hoping that by this summer Ill be doing much better and have some savings in hand too, so Ill feel better about doing this financially. Getting a dog, and also getting an RV are two major goals of mine that mean a lot to me, so Im hoping that will motivate me to both work as hard as I can and save as much as I can. Will see what I managed to do come summer

    ETA: Ohh, and Ive been looking at the pics of the pups at our shelter, and there are so many Labradors and lab mixes there! That is my pup breed of choice, next to a mutt, and my heart is like..melting. I want them all!
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    Featured Member MissSassyPickles's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    http://www.petfinder.com is a really great site! It is a search engine but for animals up for adoption. Rescue groups and shelters list there. They also have a pretty advanced search feature that you can use for things like breed, good with kids, age, etc. Love it!

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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    awww you should definitely get a pup!!! I just adopted my little maltese/chihuahua from a neighbor family who had puppies and i love her to death. i just went through a recent break up and she's really been lifting my spirits. I haven't trained a pup in a very long time and i totally forgot how expensive it is to get all their shots and spay/neuter stuff (go to a shelter for these, I went through the vet and it's just so incredibly expensive; call/google around and there's some shelters that will either do it for you for cheap or otherwise give you a discount voucher to take to other locations).

    because she's a small breed, I got her a small kennel (2' x 6') that I put her in whenever I'm away @ work. it's tough the first few weeks because of their separation anxiety and you HAVE to be around a lot of the time. when i started, I spent a lot of time reading and basically just sitting near the kennel while she was in it, and always keep her food in there so she associates it with being a comfortable little place for her. it's not her favorite place in the world because she pretty much knows that if she's in there, I'm going to be leaving for a few hours. it's large enough for a little pee corner, but generally she holds it until I come back home and let her out.

    as for food options, i just have her on the purina puppy chow and occasional beneful wet food. i'm considering switching over the chow but i need to look into it with someone from the petsmart. the beneful wet food is good because it's real chicken and veggies that you can clearly see and not all ground up and weird looking. as for grooming, I make sure to use an oatmeal shampoo because I bathe her pretty often as she gets SUPER dirty quickly (~2 weeks), so the oatmeal isn't over drying.
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Oh Im home like...allll the time Im not sure if thats a good thing or a bad thing lol I mean, the worst of it right now is if I have a date, but then Im only gone an hour or two and usually my dates are in the afternoon/evening when kiddo will be here. The tricky part I would need to consider is when I go on tour...if I get the pup at the beginning of summer, then kiddo will be here with him...I stop touring in Sept which is when she goes back to school, so *ideally* it would work out...by the time I start touring again the next April, the pup will be a lot older and hopefully be okay to be alone while shes at school. Ill have to think about it. But then, in 2 yrs shes out of school and Ill have my RV so Ill be with the pup *all day every day* and Ill be the one with seperation anxiety if I cant be with him

    Ill def have to get a pup though, cause then I can get him used to being crated since Ill need to do that when on the road anyway...and also get the pup used to being on the road. Ive been reading a lot about how some pups get carsick, but then also read that if that happens, they'll start to get used to the movement of being on the road. Ironically, both kiddo and I get carsick...so if my pup is too we'll just be one big pathetic road tripping family lol At the least, Im used to taking a lot of breaks on long trips, so Im used to doing that anyway.

    I just went to petfinder and plugged in a lab, and all these lab/chow chow mixes came up....oh man!!!! They are adorable!!! And there was one lab / sheppard mix with one ear standing up and one floppy ear....oh man!!!! I know I cant go with any kind of sheppard though, because they are considered a restricted breed at many camps (not fair) otherwise, that would be my first choice. But yeah, I think Im going to go ahead and get my application going at a local rescue too, so that when Im ready to adopt that process is already done...whether I go with a rescue or the shelter.

    I totally need to stop looking at these pups though or Im not going to make it to summer
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    Featured Member FiendishGyrator's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    As long as it doesn't look like a shepard you should be okay. I have a pseudo undercover breed restricted dog. People don't really care so long as it looks semi believable when you tell a person "oh he's not x breed, he's a mix of y and z) and that he's not a nuisance or running around unleashed.
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Yeah very true.... Im strict (but lovable lol) so any pup of mine is going to walk the line...as Shania would say hehe! The one thing Im sure of is that I do want a pup who would make someone think twice. I attract dopey, goofy total sweethearts who would sooner maul with kisses and hide behind me in a dangerous situation lol but since Ill be traveling alone, I do want a solid looking companion.
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    Featured Member FiendishGyrator's Avatar
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    You could beef up a dog by having them pull weights, and with the right diet, but I wouldn't do that until after the dog has stopped growing out of it's puppy-stage.
    My dog would be good in a fight by getting in the middle but it's anyone's guess what he'd do. He doesn't bark. He just looks big and intimidating. It's actually my boyfriend's little muscle-head dog who's the one who'd bark but would never bite anyone.

    Potentially, you could go to a high dollar breeder, potentially one who shows, and isn't a backyard breeding-- one who's responsible about the stock they use and breeding in the good characteristics and breeding out the bad. Then you could just donate money to an animal organization to make up for not adopting from them. But, it would be expensive, and while you'd be knowing what you'd be getting, you'd also have more issues with medical needs because pure bred dogs don't have the most solid genetics to beat off ailments.

    So, I personally wouldn't go with a pure-breed if you can help it, whether you decided to go with a breeder (which I know you're most likely not going to do, but it bears saying if you have the money to buy) or to go with a pound dog.

    Even better would be to volunteer with a humane society/animal control and if you can foster, then foster so you can see a dog in certain situations, better it's quality of life, and if you don't adopt it, you could likely get it adopted out and keep looking for *your* dog.

    Also, if you have renter's insurance, see what the info they need to cover if your dog bites anyone. So if there's breed restrictions there, then that would be something I'd be more willing to follow over, say, one campground's requirements.

    There's some website for people who live in their RV's and travel around. It's a great website (from what I can tell) with postings about campgrounds, as well as seasonal/flexible work for people who RV camp. I'll have to look it up and see if I have it in my bookmarks.
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    Default Re: Pups!!!!!!

    Oh I dont want a dog thats actually strong and aggressive or anything like that...just that, if someone were to approach me, Id rather have a lab at the end of the leash than say...a yorkie Being a foster mom isnt for me though, cause Id get attached and run away from home if they found someone to adopt...yeah, I just need to hit the shelter *when Im ready* cause the day I go I know my heart will end up in a big puddle and one is coming home with me!

    Good call on checking out my insurance to see if it covers stuff like that, never would have thought of it!!!

    Oh I have been checking out rv website and forums and blogs and youtube vlogs for a long while now... Def if you find the one youre thinking of let me know, if I dont have it in my list already lol! Ive checked out workcamping, but not sure if its for me really. I will likely continue to tour (NO I wont be doing sessions in my RV ) and who knows, maybe cam as well... Id like to boondock as much as possible, and dont really see myself staying at a camp for more than a week... and maybe do some rally chasing while Im at it.

    The only thing that kind of sucks is...it really seems like most people who RV are in thier 60+ ...So like on one hand I figure...jeez if they can live out on the road and feel safe, I should have no issues there...but on the other hand, as interested as I am in those rallies, the idea that they will all be twice my age kind of is a bummer. But Im anyway a hermit, so its not at the top of my list of things to be concerned about
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