Random Thoughts - Part Deux [NO POLITICS]

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

Yes.

Originally Posted by Boomerang

Ultradog...

That is just ... disturbing.

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by spike021

Yeah that all sounds like what I've been reading and what the breeder said in the docs she provided. Problem is he's not lifting his leg yet so sometimes it's hard to tell that he's peed until I pick him up to either avoid something in the grass or to bring him in.. and then I feel something dribbling down my hand lol.

Fortunately the poo part he's only done outside......so far.

Also I need to pre break up a bunch of the treats and put them into a sandwich baggie that I can take outside. Only did that the last couple outings tonight. Need to do better.

FWIW, tonight I really tired him out. Then took him out, but he didn't do anything. So instead of letting him fall asleep on my lap, I took him into the bedroom with one of the treat bones the breeder gave me and coaxed him into the crate. A few times he started carrying it and trying to leave, but on the last try he stayed inside, laid down, and kept chewing the bone. So I left the door open a bit and sat outside. He kept chewing without paying any attention to me. So I closed the door and locked it gently. Kept watching him, turned out the lights. Kept sitting and watching, put white noise on my Google home, then walked away and left the bedroom door open a crack for some hallway light.

So far so good.

My breeder said the schedule of feeding/watering she recommends for puppies is to take them away at 8 or 9pm, play a bunch, take the puppy out at 9:45pm, let it go to the bathroom, then take it in and put it to bed. She says at this age for shibas they are safe to stay in bed for 8 hours as long as you take the food/water away early enough. That's what I did last night but think maybe I should've taken him out at around 3-4 hours anyway.

Might do that tonight just to be sure...

But so far so good at about half an hour since putting him in with the peanut butter bone thingy.

The leg lifting behavior probably won't start until puberty and, if you have him fixed pretty early, he may do it infrequently. Just gotta learn to interpret the squats. Personally, I'd err on the side of more frequent potty trips. Can't hurt, unless you like/need to sleep. That's overrated for you youngsters anyway.

[soundman98]

that's puppies too.

i think i've told this story once before

my parents wanted a dog that didn't bark, so they ended up learning of the basenji, a barkless dog breed(most commonly known as the egyption pharoh's dogin old times, now mostly bred for show now). found a breeder up in northern michigan, so the whole family made a road trip 2 hours away for this dog.

she cried the entire way home. i remember stopping at fazoli's on the way home, which was something like 1 hour into the trip, and the location was right next to a set of railroad tracks.

after having dinner, we walked back out and we could hear her crying over the sound a passing train.

yeah, puppies cry a little in a new place.

shame on whoever complained that they can't tell the difference between a puppy crying and actual abuse.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

The leg lifting behavior probably won't start until puberty and, if you have him fixed pretty early, he may do it infrequently. Just gotta learn to interpret the squats. Personally, I'd err on the side of more frequent potty trips. Can't hurt, unless you like/need to sleep. That's overrated for you youngsters anyway.

My 18 month old unfixed GSD male doesn't lift his leg. He just squats. He gets fixed in two weeks.

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Sapphireho

My 18 month old unfixed GSD male doesn't lift his leg. He just squats. He gets fixed in two weeks.

I love GSDs. Right now we have a precious Lab mix rescue. She is the sweetest dog I've ever met. But, I still love GSDs. My son brought his down from the Seattle area and stayed with us over the pandemic winter. His pup is a cuddler. The dogs got on fine, but his took a shine to me and decided to be my lapdog. If I sat in a comfortable chair for more than 5 minutes I'd have a 75lb dog in my lap. Did I mention I love GSDs?

[spike021]

Originally Posted by soundman98

that's puppies too.

i think i've told this story once before

my parents wanted a dog that didn't bark, so they ended up learning of the basenji, a barkless dog breed(most commonly known as the egyption pharoh's dogin old times, now mostly bred for show now). found a breeder up in northern michigan, so the whole family made a road trip 2 hours away for this dog.

she cried the entire way home. i remember stopping at fazoli's on the way home, which was something like 1 hour into the trip, and the location was right next to a set of railroad tracks.

after having dinner, we walked back out and we could hear her crying over the sound a passing train.

yeah, puppies cry a little in a new place.

shame on whoever complained that they can't tell the difference between a puppy crying and actual abuse.

To be fair I will say he sounds like a baby or chicken/duck being strangled. If you look up "shiba scream" on YouTube you'll get the idea. And in the playpen he pushes and pulls against it to try getting out, so that metal on hard floor makes a lot of noise.

But still, this apartment complex is dog friendly.

[Atmo]

Originally Posted by spike021

Pics:

Congrats, spike! Beautiful dog, you'll eventually have nonstop fun.

A few suggestions for raising and training a Spitz breed. I've had two and trained many other breeds from the Sporting, Working, Herding and Terrier groups as a volunteer trainer at the local Humane Society.

- About crate training, it helps to put a piece of clothing with your scent on it in his crate. Wear a clean, old sweatshirt made from natural fibers for a few hours, then rub it all over your upper body, armpits and all, and put it in. He'll be comforted and calmed by your scent.

- Remove his collar. Puppies are capable of any accident imaginable. Use it for training and transport only. If he isn't chipped, do that. Shiba's are a high theft breed like Boxers.

- About treats, if carefully sourced they have their place for many breeds. But as you'll find, Spitz are different and after the first treat training session will look for them all the time. Weaning them off treats to praise only is the goal.

- About food, chewy.com is your friend. Their service is exceptional. If your dog doesn't like any of the food you get from them, call and they'll issue a refund then donate it to a shelter and try another. Use stainless steel feed and water bowls. Plastic bowls may leach nasty stuff into their food or water.

- All puppies are insane for the first four months. Let them have fun, don't sweat the training, but start socializing in a controlled environment today. Home Depot is great for that. Take a blanket along to put in the top of the cart and walk up and down the aisles as everyone will want to greet him. Avoid pet stores and dog parks where dogs with unknown health status and temperament can become a problem.

- Do short 10 minute training sessions 3-4 times a day, avoid long sessions.

- Delay spay/neuter until 18 months of age so growth plates can fully form.

Everyone else had some good tips too. That's it for now, have to walk my boy.

[Sapphireho]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

I love GSDs. Right now we have a precious Lab mix rescue. She is the sweetest dog I've ever met. But, I still love GSDs. My son brought his down from the Seattle area and stayed with us over the pandemic winter. His pup is a cuddler. The dogs got on fine, but his took a shine to me and decided to be my lapdog. If I sat in a comfortable chair for more than 5 minutes I'd have a 75lb dog in my lap. Did I mention I love GSDs?

Check out Owyhee Mountain German Shepherds. She has a website, and her Facebook page is loaded with pics. You'll even see my son working with Ochi (aka O-Chit). Beautiful dogs. High drive dogs are a lot of work.

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by Atmo

- About food, chewy.com is your friend. They're service is exceptional. If your dog doesn't like any of the food you get from them, call and they'll issue a refund then donate it to a shelter and try another.

fyi, some friends of mine are foster parents for the local dog shelter-- that shelter, and from what i understand other shelters in my area, will not accept opened donated food from people for fear that animal haters have opened the bag and tainted it with something to kill off the animals in the shelter.

so be sure to check locally before assuming they take it.

[Atmo]

Originally Posted by soundman98

fyi, some friends of mine are foster parents for the local dog shelter-- that shelter, and from what i understand other shelters in my area, will not accept opened donated food from people for fear that animal haters have opened the bag and tainted it with something to kill off the animals in the shelter.

so be sure to check locally before assuming they take it.

Wow, good point, never heard of that but well over 90% of Humane Society food donations are in sealed containers.

I'd add that if you do donate anything to a shelter don't go inside the building, leave it at the door. Bordetella (kennel cough) is rampant in those places, airborne and highly contagious. You can bring it home on your clothing and infect your dog. It's an awful disease that can develop into pneumonia and scarred lungs.

[Tcoat]

Reading through this makes me very happy to be a cat guy!
You get a kitten and it is like “ok little guy here is your litter, you get fed at 7am and 4pm and the bed is up here if you want to curl up with us later. “

[Sapphireho]

.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Reading through this makes me very happy to be a cat guy!
You get a kitten and it is like “ok little guy here is your litter, you get fed at 7am and 4pm and the bed is up here if you want to curl up with us later. “

Sure, but then you have a cat...

(kidding, I'm a dog person but love cats too).

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Boomerang

Ultradog...

OMG That's a lotta dog. And hair!