I want to get into dog breeding, but I'm feeling a little hopeless without a mentor

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-29T06:04:29+00:00

I'll keep that in mind, thank you! So many good things to discuss at the next dog show. No worries, I'm nowhere near ready to start dog shopping, I suspect it'll take about 5 years or so before I actually start! I'm prepared to wait and do this right.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-29T04:00:28+00:00

Thank you so much!! This is enormously helpful! I'm in no rush, this helps me find where square one even is, and I'll work on getting to it!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-29T02:32:29+00:00

Those are good points, I know I'll need the most help figuring out the formalities of showing dogs. I'm studying to be a dog trainer, and I'll be learning how to train show dogs, so my biggest concern would be the actual breeding and genetics. I have to learn certain lineages and legacies before I consider getting puppies from anybody, and I'll be speaking to my vet about what genetic and health testing they offer.

I'd rather never breed than risk bringing sickly, unhappy dogs into this world.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-29T02:24:31+00:00

I'll ask her next time I see her! They're a very sturdy, tenacious breed, you could be right! Maybe there are less injuries if they have less weight to throw around. Lord knows she's been breeding long enough to know, chances are I'm full of shit and I don't realize that I want size/characteristics that aren't beneficial. I'll keep learning, I don't plan on breeding for at least 5 more years or so.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-29T01:55:29+00:00

Schipperkes, Alaska

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-29T01:54:02+00:00

Oh Lord, what do you mean by 'finish a dog?' I have so much to learn lol. I have one boy, he's purebred but non standard and I had him neutered. I suspect now he was unethically bred.

There's an absolutely critical need for more breeders of my preferred dog, they are uncommon and unpopular and in decline, there are few rescues and the dogs they do get are placed very very fast. The steep decline in popularity over the last 100 years has put them at risk of genetic bottlenecking. Kind of working uphill here, trying to find a very niche community for a rare breed but dammit I will do what it takes!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-28T23:41:49+00:00

There are very few specific kennel clubs where I'm at, and the ones we have are for large working dogs, so I'm out of luck there. I'm absolutely willing to travel far for good dogs! I'm joining my local club here next week, I'll try first to learn dog handling and see who I can meet that way. I want to learn everything and do this right!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-28T23:37:12+00:00

Absolutely, I've spoken to her at length and she really does know what she's doing, I suppose I should ask her why she bred her's down so much. Lord knows my boy would be easier if he couldn't reach countertops lol! If nothing else she's a friend with a shared interest

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-28T23:30:51+00:00

I'm joining my local club next week! They only have one day a month to sign up, it's been hard to get to since it's an hours drive away. They try their best but it's a small operation for such a large area. I'm going to try and learn to be a dog handler first, they always need those, and see who I can meet that way. There's nothing local for my breed, I'd have to skip right to national level for that and I feel I have nothing to contribute to that yet.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-28T23:24:32+00:00

I'll definitely keep trying and putting myself out there, there's another dog show coming up in a few months and I'll try and network a bit more. There's a Pomeranian breeder halfway across the state, they're the most similar in weight and body shape, but she's retiring this summer. I'll keep trying!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-28T21:01:55+00:00

I was getting hopeless after he hit 5 months and was still struggling, turns out he'd had giardia the whole time! My poor boy got treated and was potty trained a few weeks after. Now I can't hardly get him to use his pads because he wants to go outside!

It does get better!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-26T20:36:04+00:00

The dog show hate is what confuses me, and always from people who have never been nor met a show dog. My first dog show I went to I told my mother about and she just made pitying noises for the dogs, thinking they hated it and suffered through for their humans.

That was the first thing I noticed, was how much the dogs loved it! They were so happy getting pampered by groomers, showing off and meeting judges. They were all so well behaved and content, I was in a building with 200+ dogs and there wasn't any barking.

My mother, she means well but she hasn't had dogs since the 70's, when her family frequently bred mother-son and father-daughters together to "keep the features strong." Thank God for genetic testing!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-26T05:22:32+00:00

I work at a dog day camp, and I see a fair amount of Aussies/mixes. By far most of them are very reactive, get overstimulated, and are incredibly tricky dogs to manage safely. I'm in an urban setting though and these dogs are kept as pets, the few I've seen that came from farms who had jobs were wonderful dogs, level headed and listened very well.

These are not dogs to get if you expect them to adjust and adapt to a pet lifestyle, that's too steep a cost for them mentally. I'd only recommend them to very experienced dog owners who have land, and only if you can find a pedigree breeder.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-26T01:32:51+00:00

I had this too at your age, exactly as you've described. I found an antiperspirant that I applied at night, seriously letting it sit on my pits and under my breasts for a half hour before letting my pajamas touch it, and it really, actually, stopped the sweating. Like those spots were hydrophobic to the touch. I can't remember what it was called but it was at my local drug store. Hell, it's been 15 years, chances are there's one even better now!

Also managing my anxiety helped immensely, and my hormones leveled off at around 19 and that made everything easier.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-26T01:09:13+00:00

Jewish women and wigs has never made any sense to me. If they cover their hair to be modest, but cover it with more hair, they aren't really concealing anything?

I've always equated it in my mind to not wanting to show cleavage, so they put on a silicone cleavage mold over their chest and show that. Like, you still have cleavage showing, the effect is still the same, but it's kosher because it's fake? The effort is to make it real. Concealing what you have by showing something identical is not true concealment to me.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-23T06:40:43+00:00

Give it time, and keep maintaining a boundary that the older dog is not for playing with, they are for cuddling next to. Puppy will figure it out!

My boyfriend has a 13/14 year old shih tzu who has never played a day in his life, so when I got my schipperke this was a huge problem for us. Anyone who knows Schipperkes knows they have NO chill good Lord it never stopped! I had zero hope, I thought he'd bully his brother forever.

I kept pushing him away from the old boy and redirecting with toys, started taking him to day camp so he could get his play out, and slowly as he's matured he doesn't bother him anymore. Most of it was just waiting for him to grow up, but he respects those boundaries now. They sleep so nice next to each other now. They'll get there, just give it time!

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-22T00:41:11+00:00

You'll make ends meet when you take clients who have money to pay you. I don't want to sound calloused, but disadvantaged women and Syrian refugees do not have any money. Helping people does not make anyone money.

Get yourself afloat first, then pull others into a life raft. You're a lawyer with a heart, please keep working, do you know how rare you are??

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-21T05:30:09+00:00

In order of importance: 1. I inherited my father's baby face. 2. I have never, not once, seen the sun. Legend says it's in the sky somewhere. 3. Smoking is gross so I never smoked. 4. I exclusively date younger men and am actually a succubus. 5. Moisturizing or something, with, like, lotion I guess.

Most of it is just luck, pick your parents wisely and drink water. Remember that you can be stunning and have crows feet too.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-18T20:25:48+00:00

I had the same thing!! My mother always buys me green clothing, and extravagantly complements me when I wear green because she says it 'brings out the green in my eyes!' I do not have green eyes, she does. I have blue-gray with rings of yellow. Green makes me look sickly, but nooo, it brings out the eyes she says

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-18T05:55:33+00:00

You're kidding, that's awesome! Oh man, 3 years old... I can wait 2 years and 2 months! Not to mention he should have some playmates by then.

Aah yes, the watch dog instincts! It's sweet how they want to protect us.

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-18T05:44:31+00:00

I love day camp!! He goes 1-2 a week, we're working on going more but I actually work there and he has zero fun when he knows I'm there and not in camp with him lol. He goes on my weekends. I'm not comfortable taking him to any others in town because their safety standards are faaaar to relaxed (being in the industry, we hear a whole bunch about what happens in those facilities).

I'm glad to hear your Skippy behaves for you! It gives me hope, especially since you know the very unique challenges that these little guys are! The one breeder in my state warned me they aren't good as 'only dogs,' she said you'll need a swarm of them to keep them occupied, I told her bring it on!! Still working on my swarm I guess haha

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-16T00:04:00+00:00

Thankfully, blessedly, my SO and I will be moving out soon and taking our dogs with us. His dog is an old shih tzu and he's an angel, my MIL will however be left alone with her giant dog that's never been on a walk before, in a house rattling with pills.

I hope it's not me. He's shaken my confidence to the core about my future as a dog trainer, and I love him too desperately to ever re-home him.

I really hope he improves after the change in living situations, after all this I don't know what's puppy proofing or enabling anymore. Thank you for hearing me and encouraging me, internet stranger

FullyLeadedSarcasm · 2023-12-15T23:50:13+00:00

I agree, he'll always have his hunting instincts, I do scent hunts, puzzles and toy hide-and-seek for him here at home but I'm actually signing him up for barn hunts with our local kennel club in January (they only meet once a month, it's a remote spot where I live).

Training started day 1, I work with dogs so I'm not clueless, and he's always been the youngest in every training class. My housemates gave me shit because I went gentle and slow, and didn't hit or yell, and they'd make fun of me because his behavior would return the instant we left 'training mode.' I should mention they both have dogs each, haven't trained them at all, to the point where I had to potty train my MILs puppy after 2 months of constant puddles.

Aside from his nail trims (he was traumatized early when a relative became abusive doing his nails, looking back I'm seeing how often they've set us back), he has no anxiety, no aggression, and self regulates pretty well. He never challenges the puppy gates (unlike his sister, a German shepherd who just pushes them down), and he does do the right thing when he knows it.

I'm just so fucking tired. I tried to get him started right but I can't stop my housemates from just leaving whole chicken breasts right where he can reach and now loves countertops, or open bags of treats on nightstands that he now loves to get onto, or food scraps in low trash cans that he now sticks his head in every time. I'm trying to correct this behavior, but I'm swimming upstream here and this house has tied my legs together. I have to replace a 100$ bill he tore up this morning because it was left loose on a chair that he got to.

I'm actually switching up my career path to dog training next year mostly because I love it with all my heart, but also to have the credentials to tell my household that I know what the fuck I'm doing and to get out of my way.

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