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[RosesLady]

I LOVE dogs and cats!!! I have had quite a few over the years, rescues usually. Every animal needs to feel love!!! They are so willing to give love so freely.

I currently have a blonde lab mix, brother and sister, 11 yrs old. I just aquired my dream dog!!! I have always wanted a golden retriever, and I now have a 7 yr old female, who is the sweetest dog I have ever had the pleasure to meet. I have 3 house cats and contemplating a 4th. All girl cats, same mother, different litters.

Because I live alone in a big house with a fully fenced large yard, I love the company of my pets. I don't travel, so we all live quite happily here.

Over the yrs I have had german shepards, Irish setters, dalmation, terrier mixes..........all medium to large dogs. My current dogs are my most affectionate dogs, and I love them dearly.

[Mberbeaglelover]

Since 2000, my Rodney - a beloved beagle / springer spaniel cross - has been my constant companion.

(As you can probably tell by my 50-Plus-Club "handle", I melt every time I'm in contact with a beagle or a beagle cross!)

[pepperlady]

Ohhhh RosesLady!! I now know where to send my little Dolly when I can't handle her any more. We had Lady, a Cocapoo for 12 years. She was MY dog and went everywhere with us, a great traveller, but a biter. When she was spayed she was pretty much of a wimp and started whining, so I joined in and we turned it into a real wolf howl. We called this 'singing' and she sang for most of our visitors over the years. She could catch a tennis ball straight on (ouch!!) or on the first bounce, hardly ever missed and distance didn't matter. It ended up that she had 20 teeth pulled and from there it was all downhill. The day after we had to put her down we went and got Dolly a Shih Tzu pup. It was too emotional but we are surviving. Miss Dolly here has a bad case of 'small dog syndrome' but we are beginning to establish who is boss. Maybe more about her later. I'd sure like to put the rolling eyes face here but can't figure out how to do that.

[wolfie13]

Hi, I do not have a dog at the moment, last one i had was a black lab, called, blackie..(original eh?)
I have been thinking about getting a MALAMUTE,
Can anybody please fill me in with any information as to how hard they are to keep? or where i could get one? i dont like buying dogs without knowing what im letting myself in for, it isnt fair to the dog.
look forward to any help possible.
thank you.
wolfie.

[RosesLady]

Hi Wolfie....

I used to know a breeder of MALAMUTES, who had them just north-east of Toronto. I don't know if he is still doing it or not. He also used to race them as a sleddog team. I had seen photos of malamutes, and seen them on TV, before I met his dogs.

Do you have any idea the size of these dogs, Wolfie?? I thought I did, ha ha..... Was I wrong!!!! These dogs are massive, and have fur that makes them huge. They are active and bouncy, They are not a house dog by any means. Their fur is meant for outdoor living and they are too big and active for a house dog, at least that is my impression from seeing them and talking to the breeder. They need a lot of running exercise in a big area too, they have endless energy which is why they are such good sleddogs in Canada.

These dogs have strong alpha personalitys and therefore need someone physically strong, with an alpha personality stronger than the dog's, or the dog will control you.

Are you sure you would want to take on this type of dog, Wolfie???

[wolfie13]

Thank You for your information on Malamutes Roselady,
After reading what you posted, and careful consideration, i think my answer would definately be.... YES, lol, i have quite a large garden, and I am still fit and active, thankfully, the interesting part of what you put was the thing in my mind, about them being ALPHA minded dogs, i had a very strong feeling this would be the case, as here in UK, a lot of people seem to think malamutes are huskey dogs, and so have the impression they are totally pack dog orientated, ie "pecking order" so having an alpha dog system is natural. a lot of people have bagan to keep Huskey dogs now round here, and some are quite large, I have had a great dane before, so size wouldnt put me off, now my main thought is how i would keep a malamute when i regularly see grandkids, 7 of them, ranging from 1 yr to 9 yr old. I am just trying to figure out a way to be fair to the dog and the kids.
for now though, i will keep it in mind, until i can figure a fair way to have both, safely and responsibly.
Thank You for the information again, my friend, i appreciate this help.

Wolfie.

[starkitkat]

I have an American Cocker Spaniel, he is black and soon will be 12 months old. He loves to pull, so I am working on him not to pull when he is on a lead. He is pretty good off leash and stay close to me.

From what I understand, no child 5 years old and under should be around pups, as they don't understand about holding them and love to maul them.... I don't have any young ones around here, so a pup was order from a Breeder in Alberta.

Bear is still in his chewing stage and drives me crazy at time, but he is getting better at it, I got him lots of different type of chewing toys so that he can leave other things alone. Now that it is winter time here, she spend less time outside, so more stuff inside for him lol... I also have another dog, a bechon shitz stu.. how ever you spell it lol... Buddy is his name and he keep Bear on his toes sometimes.

[RosesLady]

Hi Wolfie....

I have been mulling over your potential malamute dog...... This is NOT the type of dog you want around children.

What do you want the dog for, Wolfie??? A guard dog???

I dated this malamute breeder for awhile, and he told me if I got to his place either before he got home from work....or if he was home..............I had to wait in my car, till he personaly escorted me past his malamute guarding his front door. No matter how many times I saw this one dog, he was responding to one person only, and it wasn't me....the dog did not make friends, he was a guard dog and he took his job seriously.

These dogs as I understand it were originally a Huskey and wild wolf cross. Huskey's will kill cats and certainly malamutes will kill any small animals too.

If you get a malamute puppy, your grands may be safe around this type of dog if they grow up with the pup, but otherwise I would not trust this dog near children EVER.

Wolfie I could see you with a great dane type of dog, or wolfhound or great perranese, or bouviaee, but seriously with grandkiddys...........NOT a malamute!!!! The malamute is good at it's job, but it isn't a family type dog, or social at all, and little kiddys........NO, NO, NO!!! Seriously Wolfie!!!!

[wolfie13]

Rose lady,
Thank you for that information, i will seriously think about getting a Malamute around grandkids, as i said before, i consider the breeds and temprements of dogs, specially around kiddies, which is why i posted in the first place, and i thank you for the info you supplied my friend.
I know guard dogs are trained to be guard dogs, and so have been allowed the "nasty" side to show through, such as german shepherds and dobermann pincers, ect. plus some more breeds, for different reasons, pit bulls ect, and it is down to how they are trained and handled in some cases, but if a breed i know nothing about, such as the malamute, seems to be not the type around kiddies, then i will not take the chance.
thanks again my friend.

Wolfie.

[Earthsong]

I love Malamutes, but (having owned/bred/shown Keeshonds for over 30 yrs) I can say that none of the Spitz breeds are 'easy' - they have an independent streak which can be hard for some people to tolerate, as they require a different approach from the "norm".

My own dogs have always had their own opinion about whether an order is reasonable, and I have found a spirit of compromise (and a pocketful of biscuits!) always achieved the best results. They have always been reasonable and sociable, but never blindly obedient. In short, they expect to be fully fledged family members!

All of my dogs have adored children - this is characteristic of Keeshonds, but I don't know if it extends to all the Spitz breeds.

[NSsmiles]

I have a Shepard border collie mix Chloe...She is having some problems since awhile....it all started with her being afraid of thunder and lightning.....then it went on to be afraid if it rains....now she is afraid of the dark....we leave a lamp on in the living room at night for her......if we go away for the day....when we get back there is a piece of the house missing that she has torn off trying to get inside....she has caused so much damage.....i just don't know what to do.....has anyone out there had any behavior issues with their dog?

[RosesLady]

Hi NSsmiles......

Behaviour issues with dogs can be very difficult. Don't know if this will help.....

Do you have some obediance classes near you?? You could maybe discuss the issues with them??
I am a firm believer in more than 1 pet so they have company, when you are not there.
Check on the internet for suggestions, and with your library for books on dog behavior issues.

Most dogs have some issues, that takes a lot of patience.........

[RosesLady]

NSsmiles....

I just bought a book called "Inside of a Dog" by Alexandra Horowtz. I have not read it yet, but it is supposed to be from the point of view of how a dog thinks, and see's things, and may give a perspective of why dogs do certain things we don't understand.

Has anyone here, read it??? Would this book maybe be helpful to NSsmiles dog's behaviour???

[sue297]

I have a German Shepherd called Paddy, I live with my mum who has five Cavalier King Charles Spanials, Raffles, Erin, Bertie, Rupert and Pandora lol

I have a German Shepherd too...Zeus aged about 7, he was a rescue dog who we got 5 years ago after my last Shepherd (Fin) died of anal furuncolosis.  The day my ex hubby was burying Fin I was so upset and had to get out so went for a drive and came across the Dogs Trust, thought I would go in and enquire about getting another dog, but I wasn't planning on getting another one just yet.  However, as I drove in a young German Shepherd walked in front of my car....couldn't believe it ...it was just like looking at Fin when he was young.  Went in, asked about the young Shepherd, told he was very difficult, but I wanted to see him anyway....fell in love with him straight away...took him for a walk ....couldn't walk on a lead, he was walking on 2 legs!  Returned after our walk with the lead bit in half!  Decided I wanted him even though he was difficult to discover he was about to be put in the "no hoper's" part of the kennels as had been re-homed 3 times and returned.  Thought this was so sad as he was only approx 18 months at the time!  4 days later he was home with us, a lot of training later I now have a Kennel Club gold medal standard dog, he is so wonderful and I don't know what I would ever do without him, good company and makes me feel safe.  Bit what I am looking for in friendships too, to feel safe and to enjoy good company.  
So anyone out there in or near Wiltshire who loves German Shepherds too??  Went on a bit didn't I!  That's the  trouble with me .... get carried away!

[RosesLady]

German Shepards are wonderful dogs, Sue. I have had 2 in my lifetime, very loyal and loving dogs.

Do you have 'dog parks' near you??? A great place to meet dogs and dog people......or dog clubs??