halfthewords

There's only one fully fenced offleash area near me, and that is the one I don't go to anymore. I've seen too many attacks in the last few years, idiot owners on the other side of the oval while their dogs are wreaking havoc, kids throwing footballs around near small dogs, what a joke. Plus nobody ever seems to pick up the poop! There's an offleash area next to a golf course here that links up to a beach track that me and my dogs frequent. I've found most other owners there to be responsible and in control of their dogs. On the whole, I avoid offleash areas because it only takes one moron to spoil everyone else's fun. Much prefer my local oval on our walk for offleash time.

None of mine like to share. Carl (our 'alpha') will sometimes go and finish off a bone if someone walks away from theirs (he rarely touches his own), but Jag and Mischa stay until the bone is totally devoured most times. That said, they do lick each other's bowls and happily eat off the same place.

I get comments all the time when I walk our 4. They walk really well, two on either side of me, no pulling or getting ahead, etc. I usually just smile and nod, it gets rid of the people faster. :laugh: Another reason I try to walk super early or super late!

Not with Carl or Mischa, it's way too personal. If they died from some rare form of cancer or disease, maybe, so long as the body was returned for cremation.

Carl sleeps with me every night on a king single, but he's only 11kgs so he doesn't take up too much room. He sleeps on the spare pillow that I don't use, stretched out on his back with all four legs in the air. :D If my mum is away, Jag (7kgs) comes in as well and he generally sleeps on my left, kind of in the curve of my legs (I sleep on my side). Mischa (3kgs) refuses to have anything to do with the bed anymore, probably because I squashed her one too many times The cat occasionally sneaks on as well, but he sleeps at the foot of the bed.

Bichons fit the bill - they are perfect indoor dogs. Our boy Jag is our second Bichon and a rescue dog at that; we've never had any toilet training issues with him despite getting him at almost a year old. Our previous girl was 100% fine as well. They're not yappy or overly demanding, hyperactive or prone to "small dog" syndrome. Jag is content with a short or a long walk. The only drawback to Bichons is that coat! I spent all day today bathing and clipping him rather than spend $ on a salon.

All of my 4 dogs are allowed full access to the house and yard, including upstairs and bedrooms. Doggie doors are a wonderful thing. :laugh: None of them have ever been chewers or destructive at all. Once in a blue moon they'll find some wrappers in the office bin and take them somewhere. We've never had any issues with accidents, even with the 2 boys being rescues and adults at the time we got them. It's mild in Sydney compared to a lot of other places, but I would feel awful if our guys were locked outside. They aren't really kennel types. All they do is sleep on our beds/couch all day, anyway.

We quickly learned our lesson about ceramic food bowls here. :laugh: Jag has a habit of jumping up onto the TV cabinet where they're kept; he's broken 3 already. So we use plastic. We have a ceramic water bowl and one plastic one.

Favourites: Min Pins, Bichons, Cavaliers, Dachshunds, Pharaoh Hounds, Salukis, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, Rotties, Dobermanns, German Pinscher, SBTs, Glen of Imaal, Cairn Terriers, Airedale Terriers, Norwich Terriers, any terrier... :D Least favourite: Oodles of any description (ugh, why would anyone want one), badly bred SBTs or Amstaffs (the ones built like brick sh*thouses), Border Collies, ACDs, Huskies, Cocker Spaniels, Labs, anything big and slobbery or sheds a ton.

Our 4 dogs were barricaded in to the back living area/laundry (with access to the backyard) until a few years ago. We had a gate installed at the bottom of the stairs, too, but that's been used maybe twice. They have full access to upstairs, downstairs and outside now that we trust them, but the laundry would be where they would stay otherwise.

I have a dog smaller than a Pom who holds on for 9+ hours a night. Carl and Misch get fed around 7AM and again at 6 or 7PM; of course, this can vary depending on whether I'm late coming home from uni or going out. Sometimes they eat at 10AM in the morning and then at 9 at night, and I just take them to the bathroom before we go to bed and they always manage to hold it. Occasionally Mischa will ask (i.e. scratch on my door) to go out earlier, but that's very rare. She's 9 years old. Have a play around with her eating times and see if that helps, but expecting her to go elsewhere may just confuse her with how you have trained her.

My dogs eat a bit of Eagle Pack dry with their raw (roo and turkey meat, vegies) brekky every day. They love it and the combination has kept their coats nice and healthy. They eat bones at night so I am feeding 80% raw, but if I had to choose one dry food to stick with, it would be EP.

Jag/Jaeger is named after the vodka. Carl came with his name, but it often gets mistaken for being named after that Carl Williams guy from Underbelly. And everyone asks if Mischa is named after Mischa Barton! (I love her...shhhh) My parrot's name is Barnaby, which everyone tells me is an awful name.

I feed 80% RAW and a little bit of kibble daily. I've tried Nutro but greatly prefer Eagle Pack.

At least three hours here for my Min Pin girls.

Toy: Miniature Pinscher Small: Cairn Terrier, Bichon Frise Medium: Glen of Imaal, Stafford, Amstaff Large: not a fan Giant: ...of these either

I've shared my bed with a dog for as long as I can remember... We got our first dog when I was eight and she slept on my pillow most nights. My current dogs all sleep on the bed whenever they want, and have access to the house/yard (inc. upstairs) 24 hours a day. No smell or dirtiness here!

Bichon Frise! Our boy (and previous girl) has zero prey drive, is a total smooch with EVERYONE, loves our baby kitten and he is not noisy or messy. Perfect house dog, but also loves a rumble outside and will walk all day if you want him to. :) ETA you don't have to keep them in that ridiculous show clip, either. Jag is kept clipped to a number 10 all year round.

Don't get a Min Pin if you don't want: * a dog who will quite easily turn its back on you when it's had enough of a training session * a dog with its own mind * a dog that bounces off the walls if not given enough exercise * a dog who will burrow under the blankets at night and protest loudly if you dare move :D * a dog prone to being overdramatic * a big dog in a pint-sized body * a lion in sheep's clothing! Don't get a Bichon if you don't want: * to spend a lot of time grooming or having the dog clipped * a dog who loves you and everyone else (!) * a dog who isn't afraid to demand your attention * a dog who will act as an alarm system * a food lover Don't get a terrier if you don't want: * to ever have a shower or go to the toilet in peace * zoomies initiated whenever you try to get dressed * as much love and licking as you could possibly handle * prey drive * an extremely bold companion who will take on anything that comes its way * a dog who needs exercise and stimulation

Access to the house (inc upstairs & bedrooms) and yard via a doggie door. No chewers, diggers, accident-makers or destructo dogs here. :D

My dog isn't great with people, but anyone he growls/barks excessively at, I'm wary of. He's a great judge of character and I definitely trust him.

what the 15kg bag? Unless you have a kennel load of dogs the 5kg should suit fine. Saying that it shouldn't cost that much anyway, it should be about around the $160 if I'm not mistaken? I had to feed some supercoat sensitive to my bitch after she got a great case of acidosis. Her coat has turned to absolute shite. It's dry and falling out, from glossy and deep tan colour to a washed out sandy too. Ugh can't wait for it to come back. Find a new veterinarian. If they cannot comprehend the fact a CANID eats some form of raw meat then he needs to hit a few more books. DOgs are not humans, they are not cats, they are not ferrets. All species have different needs. We CAN eat raw meat actually. The fact our meats are so contaminated because of the way they're raised and cleaned is the issue - some cultures do eat raw/pink/rare chicken and no one dies a horrible death because it's super fresh. Did you happen to mention we also eat sushi? I'm a sushi addict. Love it! As for canned dog food... I work at a pet retail outlet, and the things I've learned that are in commercially made foods... Lemme tell you, I wouldn't ever give it to my dogs. The closest they get to kibble is Nutro, and a 15kg bag lasts 4 dogs up to 9 months. Carl was on a My Dog diet at the rescue I adopted him from/worked at, and his teeth were crap. When he arrived 7 months prior, they were white and clean. I've no doubt that feeding RAW is the best diet for my dogs. They're all healthy, beautiful coats and haven't been sick a day in their lives. As Augustine said, some dogs could eat Pal and thrive, but that doesn't mean it's necessarily good for them long-term.

If I'm at the desk, Carl comes and just death glares me or sits up in a beg and lets out this long, piercing whine! Thankfully he spends most of his time asleep so it isn't often. Jag comes up and rests his head on my foot or knee, whatever's closest, and whinges. Occasionally he bats me with a paw. :rolleyes: Mischa is not insistent at all, but Cleo will bounce up and down (springs in her legs!!!) until she gets what she's after! The cat? He has the tactful approach of simply sitting himself on the keyboard.

I can't advise much, other than I have a Min Pin bitch who was desexed at 6 months and still cocks her leg to this day (9 years). The other female Min Pin is also desexed and does handstands...

Mischa bakes herself out on the patio every morning, regardless of the temp. :rolleyes: She doesn't come in until she's panting like she's been running a marathon. The rest are sensible enough to stay indoors. :D Carl usually finds somewhere on the tiles in the kitchen, and Jag sleeps under the coffee table. Not sure where Cleo goes.