What makes the best dog?

[HBS Guy]

As most know, my pet Demi ate some rubbish from somewhere that blocked her bowel and she had to be put down—a last service we can do for our pets, remove pain and misery.

Breeders breed dogs for “breed characteristics” which may not be in a dog’s best interest:

1. A short snout—nose—in a dog means respiratory problems: bulldogs, pugs (yuck!) pekinese etc. Demi snored something chronic

2. A long spine as in sausage dogs better referred to as the dachshund leads to spinal problems

3. Very big dogs—dobermann, Irish Woldhound, German shepherd, Great Dane, Giant Schnauzer—die fairly early, like 8yo, apparently because the heart has to do too much work pumping blood down and up the very long legs. Larger species of animals (compare elephant to a gnat) live longer than small species but the smaller the individual of a species is the longer is his life expectancy, e.g. small dogs can live to 18, even 20 years old, not so a Great Dane.

As well as problems like that and despite inbreeding not being allowed/recommended a pure breed has much less genetic heritage to draw on. For example, my chihuahua Tiffany, a purebred dog (bottom teeth undershot so not suitable for breeding/showing) was blind by age 10. Demi, a cross between a Maltese and a Jack Russell, did not get cataracts until she was 13 and still had pretty good eyesight when we had to end her life. She may have been a mongrel—two crossbreed parents—but she really did look like a Maltese with definite Russell tan patches and the huge prey drive of a Russell.

So, if you just want a pet, a crossbreed or mongrel may be the best choice, and smaller rather than larger. This probably applies to cats, enough said. If you are hobbling along on a walking stick a Weimaraner, Dobermann, Rottweiler etc likely not the best choice—dogs need exercise and socialisation and the stimulus of new sights and scents. Walkies in other words. Even for a chihuahua, small dog but all dog.

Did you have a favorite pet animal, what breed was it (or discernable breed characters in mongrel etd) did it live long and any comments on the animal?

Having said all the above, there is a chance I may get the runt of a litter of Staffordshire terriers. Mother and father rather different in size, color, temperament etc so hopefully enough genetic heritage there, not 100% pure breed. Apparently they chew anything they can get their teeth onto—shoes etc. Any tips on preventing that?

[SethBullock]

We've had two male Great Pyrenees.

Beautiful dogs with a wonderful disposition.

One of them was injured when young and had to be put down.

But the other lived to be about 8. Great Pyrenees are big dogs. But it wasn't his heart that gave out; it was his hips - very common with big dogs.

I love this video ...

[HBS Guy]

Nice dog—for sheep herders. Not suited to the suburbs.

[johnsmith]

Unless you plan on breeding it, get yourself a mongrel. Pure breed dogs have more problems than cross breed.

I'd avoid big dogs. At your age I'm not sure you'll be able to cope. Get yourself a Maltese terrier x or something like that.

[HBS Guy]

Nah, want like a 20Kg dog, bit bored with small dogs (Tiffy 2.5Kg, Demi 8.5) and I know I have to walk and train them.

Agree about crossbreeds and mongrels, covered that in the OP

[Gooseberries]

I've always had Bullterriers. I had a Staffy forced on my by my wife, he was a good dog. I don't have dogs anymore. It's not fair when I may die when I should be looking after them so I don't have dogs at my age. We borrow the neighbours dogs.

[Gooseberries]

Nah, want like a 20Kg dog, bit bored with small dogs (Tiffy 2.5Kg, Demi 8.5) and I know I have to walk and train them.

Agree about crossbreeds and mongrels, covered that in the OP

Don't have dogs you won't be alive to care for. If you think you have 16 or so years left try a Bullterrier.

[HBS Guy]

Oh I think I have 16 years easy.

I have thought about a bull terrier, but likely a cross or mongrel it will end up being. From the pound most likely.

[HBS Guy]

Now, Gooseberries, why not register and join in the discussions here?

[pinkeye]

Having had dog companions for decades now, I really think it is what suits YOU best.

A mongrel is the go.. my dog was described as 'mixed breed'.
wolfhound, mastiff blahblah X

But it is true.

As a big dog she is starting to age before my eyes.
Just over 8 ys old, 40+ kg, she still loves to run like the wind.

Her snout is still black but her jowls are greying, and her eyelashes, of all things, are also going grey.

[HBS Guy]

Not inclined to approve your last two posts, gooseberries.

You can guest post, easier to register tho. Have a think.

[pinkeye]

what?
HBS Guy?

I understand where Gooseberies is coming from.

I look at my beautiful girl and worry for her. If I had a stroke, ..? If I had an accident..?? It is like having children... real responsibility for real living souls.

If Gooseberries is unwell, I think it is an incredibly tough and brave decision to make.

Not something that needs condemnation by anyone.

[HBS Guy]

Playing silly tricks like changing the name you use is what disinclines me from approving your posts. If your posts were abusive those and other guest posts by you would be gone.

If you are registered then log in and post. I make the same requirement of Booby who has had guest posts deleted.

[HBS Guy]

STRONGLY suggest you log in (as invisible if you must) and explain a couple things “gooseberries” (by PM if you like and then I might even approve your guest posts.

[pinkeye]

yeah so

dogs are good

I don't exist

[HBS Guy]

Dogs are great companions. You HAVE to walk them so they are good for you.

Being too sentimental is no good for the dog: dogs use height as dominance so they should not be on chairs or in your lap. Dogs do not know democracy, they want to know their place in the hierarchy, much happier being number 2 or 3 than trying to be number one which they can’t be. Hence sometimes trouble when a baby arrives and is made a lot of fuss off—dog thinks it is being demoted/replaced. Bit of commonsense needed here, make a fuss of your dog too.

A dog knows nothing about what you say, how ridiculous and falsely sentimental is “it understands everything I say?” Dogs do study you every day of their life: body language, facial expression, tone of voice etc. It can learn to recognise commands tho not our meaning for the words. I would often take Demi walking in the Sturt Creek linear park, taking her off-lead. Because cyclists use the same path I had to tll her a couple of times “other side!” indicating where. So telling her to walk on the left side of the path became “other side!” even when she was on the left (disobedience meant she went back on the lead for another half kilometre or so, boring compared to walking free. She learned pretty quick.

Taking Demi for long walks helped tremendously with healing and recovery from the hip replacement operation I had. Have to thank her for that. We walked, in stages, the whole Torrens Linear Park from the beach to the Gorge Dam and Adelaide Aquaduct in the foothills. Taking them for a walk can be a bit frustrating: they like to smell every tree or post etc where other dogs have peed. Picking up their poo is the least fun part of dog ownership

Take them to obedience training, will make your life as a dog owner much better, lot of fun too and socialises your dog to other dogs and other people. If you stick to it and the dog progresses then have it take part in trials—you soon get to know other people at your stage of trialling and so trials are great fun, commiserating about a failed trial or celebrating one where the dog is successful.

[Lols]

I have been sad lately, as a few weeks ago, my little buddy/soul companion, was put down, for some hasty reason, the vet didn't seem to check him properly, and I think we were tricked. It was too fast, and then, a week after, get told this vet in particular is named Dr. Death.
With regret, I wish I had gone for a 2nd opinion, I had only just come out of hospital, and it all happened, I wasn't in the right mind frame to be more assertive, after being in a beige hospital and drugged up after an operation.
I have cried daily missing him, he was a maltese x shih Tzu, but was twice the size of his siblings for some reason, so we he was our big woolly bear.
He was so smart, and responsive, and the best alert watch dog ever! Brave as a 10 foot tall bear he was.
Today (1st Dec) he would have been 12. He had a stroke of some sort over a year ago, and had changed, it didn't effect his physical ability, but his personality, I noticed his left eye pupil was lower than usual, so his right side of the brain must have been effect, he didn't play with squeaky ball like he used to, and wasn't an alert watch dog anymore.
He was like a little loving puppy again, and yet, in the last year, was developing more and more, re-learning. Sadly, he was developing cataracts and was going blind. I did look after him a lot, he was my saviour this year,
a hard year for me, with mum's death and the legal problems ensuing all that jazz. My lil buddy somehow, helped calm me. He developed this love of music, and we always had the radio on for him, and had a couple of favorite songs, one, ironically, was "It's never really over". (Katy Perry) and ironically again, "Listen to the music" by the Doobie Brothers. My son asked, how do you know mum, and I said, here, I took a video of him near the radio, and shows him going near the radio and actively listening. Especially when these songs came on. He seemed to like these certain songs and their sounds. I think the Katy Perry one he liked because of the bird sounds in the beginning, as he was very bossy to the birds in the yard, and thought he could fly like them. He was friends with the ducks on the property.
How special he was, and I have on video, him trying to 'talk' to us, it's incredible. I reckon sometimes they think they are human like us, and try to mimick us.
He used to love zooming around the property in the golf buggy with us, he was so very happy here. He was my son's dog, but we looked after him full time this last 18 months, due to my son and his wife shifting from a rental, and looking
to buy, and settling in, but alas, my buddy was not well enough to cope and see his way at their new abode, and as we have lived here forever, my buddy knew this place, every nook and cranny. So he was comfortable here, and safe.
The cat misses him, and she constantly searches for him, it's sad to see. Even though they were not 'friend's but knew of each other for nearly 12 years, so it's hard to watch the cat looking out the back glass sliding door, for him. And sniffing where he used to sleep near the couch. It's like she is saying, I can sense your smell, but where are you!
Oh and the cat wasn't well, we took her months ago to that vet I was talking about, and didn't do any tests on here for her constant vomiting.
So then, after what happened, I said, let's take the cat to a different vet, and yes, they were so thorough in their examination and finding cause, putting her on a drip to rehydrate her, and she is so much better now, and eating better, and more alert.
This 2nd vet did phone the other vet to ask what they did for our cat since the problem wasn't assessed earlier.

So there you have it, not just people having problems with trying to find the right doctors, but for pets also.

We had another dog for 16 years, he was a cross between red and blue heeler, we loved and miss him also. I write little stories about our beloved pets, and it upsets me to have to think of what short lives they have.
They truly do become a part of your persona and lifestyle. Their presence is beautiful, they live in the moment, and there is much we as humans, can learn from them.

So what makes the best dog?..... their love and loyalty and unique personalities they develop as they morph into our own personal lives.

[HBS Guy]

Oh yes! Agree with all that. Why cannot effort be made to extend the lifespan of a dog?

My little mate was a crossbreed, started developing cataracts only a year or so ago while my pure bred chihuahua was blind at age 10. Demi was a character! She liked to have dens.An early favorite spot was under the TV stand but that got neglected for a spot under the coffee table among Mum’s craft junk. Could NEVER trust her where food was concerned—indefatigable hunter for food! (that led to a bowel obstruction and Demi being put down.) How the hell she could eat two biggish pork chops I will never know

LOVED her walkies, oh boy, really dragged me along until the end of our street and was happy all the length of the walk, 13Km when she was young.

She would come and want to be petted for like 10 minutes. Not really a lap dog yet did occasionally jump on a lap (the Maltese part of the make up I suppose?

Still missing her—coming back from a long drive thinking of the greeting I would get—oh, no, she isn’t here anymore. Bit sad.

[pinkeye]

yes I still miss my earlier dogs...

they don't live long enough... BUT

given the chance they make us better people.

[HBS Guy]

Some people they make worse, unfortunately.Well, not make worse I suppose, but give an outlet for sadism—Demi was abused as a pup as I know: waking up one day must have disturbed her majesty, there she was snarling at me. I picked up a book to defend my face—and she was lying there quivering in her whole body! I did not attempt to pat her, of course—that would have my hand bitten from fright/self defence. But I talked softly to her until she was relaxed and OK, then petted her for a while.

How can people abuse a little puppy? No wonder she strayed! She strayed from here too, but knew where her bread was buttered and was always back in 10 minutes or so, oh yeah.

[HBS Guy]

Gooseberries if you insist on guest posting then I insist on you telling me why. Too many are too ready to accuse us of doxxing members here for me to want lots of guest posting by members.

[pinkeye]

why do people batter their children, or their partners,>?

Dogs deserve better. Children and women deserve better,

Humans are scum.

[HBS Guy]

Some humans.

[Lols]

Some humans.

Yes, true, but sadly, it's like being tarred with the same brush, when psychopaths do their deeds, without empathy.
Many humans are better than that, with true empathy, and thank goodness for them, but, are the better ones losing a battle of some sort?

I ask, when exactly are the meek and mild blessed enough to inherit the earth? It's been a bit overdue isn't it?.....sigh

My faith wavers when wrongdoings are brought to our attention, then it gets a little restored when good people and their deeds are brought to light, such as those
that care for the koala bears in the bush fires, feeding them, tending to their burns, wrapping in blankets and cuddling them. Thank goodness for the good in some.

[SethBullock]

I have been sad lately, as a few weeks ago, my little buddy/soul companion, was put down, for some hasty reason, the vet didn't seem to check him properly, and I think we were tricked. It was too fast, and then, a week after, get told this vet in particular is named Dr. Death.
With regret, I wish I had gone for a 2nd opinion, I had only just come out of hospital, and it all happened, I wasn't in the right mind frame to be more assertive, after being in a beige hospital and drugged up after an operation.
I have cried daily missing him, he was a maltese x shih Tzu, but was twice the size of his siblings for some reason, so we he was our big woolly bear.
He was so smart, and responsive, and the best alert watch dog ever! Brave as a 10 foot tall bear he was.
Today (1st Dec) he would have been 12. He had a stroke of some sort over a year ago, and had changed, it didn't effect his physical ability, but his personality, I noticed his left eye pupil was lower than usual, so his right side of the brain must have been effect, he didn't play with squeaky ball like he used to, and wasn't an alert watch dog anymore.
He was like a little loving puppy again, and yet, in the last year, was developing more and more, re-learning. Sadly, he was developing cataracts and was going blind. I did look after him a lot, he was my saviour this year,
a hard year for me, with mum's death and the legal problems ensuing all that jazz. My lil buddy somehow, helped calm me. He developed this love of music, and we always had the radio on for him, and had a couple of favorite songs, one, ironically, was "It's never really over". (Katy Perry) and ironically again, "Listen to the music" by the Doobie Brothers. My son asked, how do you know mum, and I said, here, I took a video of him near the radio, and shows him going near the radio and actively listening. Especially when these songs came on. He seemed to like these certain songs and their sounds. I think the Katy Perry one he liked because of the bird sounds in the beginning, as he was very bossy to the birds in the yard, and thought he could fly like them. He was friends with the ducks on the property.
How special he was, and I have on video, him trying to 'talk' to us, it's incredible. I reckon sometimes they think they are human like us, and try to mimick us.
He used to love zooming around the property in the golf buggy with us, he was so very happy here. He was my son's dog, but we looked after him full time this last 18 months, due to my son and his wife shifting from a rental, and looking
to buy, and settling in, but alas, my buddy was not well enough to cope and see his way at their new abode, and as we have lived here forever, my buddy knew this place, every nook and cranny. So he was comfortable here, and safe.
The cat misses him, and she constantly searches for him, it's sad to see. Even though they were not 'friend's but knew of each other for nearly 12 years, so it's hard to watch the cat looking out the back glass sliding door, for him. And sniffing where he used to sleep near the couch. It's like she is saying, I can sense your smell, but where are you!
Oh and the cat wasn't well, we took her months ago to that vet I was talking about, and didn't do any tests on here for her constant vomiting.
So then, after what happened, I said, let's take the cat to a different vet, and yes, they were so thorough in their examination and finding cause, putting her on a drip to rehydrate her, and she is so much better now, and eating better, and more alert.
This 2nd vet did phone the other vet to ask what they did for our cat since the problem wasn't assessed earlier.

So there you have it, not just people having problems with trying to find the right doctors, but for pets also.

We had another dog for 16 years, he was a cross between red and blue heeler, we loved and miss him also. I write little stories about our beloved pets, and it upsets me to have to think of what short lives they have.
They truly do become a part of your persona and lifestyle. Their presence is beautiful, they live in the moment, and there is much we as humans, can learn from them.

So what makes the best dog?..... their love and loyalty and unique personalities they develop as they morph into our own personal lives.

I am not a religious man, Lols. But I have often thought that if there is a God, then our dogs and cats are the angels given to us to show us how to be better human beings.

I have shed tears over their loss in the past, as I will again in the future.

They love unconditionally.

Somewhere, there is another of these wonderful living creatures that is homeless and lonely. Find one and bring it home, Lols.

Seth