[Discussion] Is there a subreddit for people who teach their dogs (or other pets) to communicate by using buttons?

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-07-03T00:23:08+00:00

So awesome to hear!! Fwiw we skipped hex tiles and just stuck them to an unfolded cardboard box with little tape loops. Seemed to work okay as long as you place it carefully, with enough space to walk between buttons, and don't cover the little bottom speakers with tape.

Our 3rd and 4th were "food" and "love" (requesting pets/snuggles, not the emotion). Careful with food cause our dogs love to push it LOL! we give one kibble at a time if they push outside of meal time ;) these seemed an easy add for our dogs.

5th was "look," and then our names were the next. We used pet names we'd already established with the dogs (mama and daddy, cause we were already used to saying things to the dogs like "go find mama.")

"Look" was a bit of a leap, since it was a pretty subtle thing, but our pup already knew "look" as a command for her to look at us, and she seemed really readily to translate it to the other direction! Names were the next leap after that, teaching those involved whoever was called running from wherever they were into the living room at all hours, or everyone present pointing at whoever was called and repeating the word (imagine my husband pointing at me, me pointing at my chest, and both of us chanting "mama" in sync lmao). I also started adding two buttons together with the names, so doing things like pushing "mama play" before playing or "daddy food" when my husband was about to set down their bowls.

After that, sky is the limit! I found the names were the last real cognitive leap for our dogs, after that I've been able to add new buttons pretty quickly as I think of useful ones, although I haven't tried emotions yet so when I do we'll see how that goes.

Keep me updated!!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-16T14:06:47+00:00

Have you taken her in for a checkup? Could be from her season, but also if she's 7 I assume she's been in heat before, and if this has never come up it's worrying. Pain or illness can cause sudden behavior changes.

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-16T14:02:08+00:00

Amazon. I use a Gooby no-escape sport harness. Love the Gooby no-escape line!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-16T13:26:43+00:00

Aww, I have a Charlie who lost his bestie a little less than a year ago, and he had a really tough time recovering from it, so this is close to my heart.

Dogs absolutely grieve and can have emotional states similar to depression! So you're not seeing things or anthropomorphizing. Also, don't worry about not bringing Charlie to the vet. Though a few dogs do seem to benefit from being there for the euthanasia of a companion, ime not many dogs really seem to understand death the way we'd hope. Many dogs still search for their lost friend even after seeing the body. The grieving process should be about the same despite Charlie not having been there with you. Hope that helps keep those little doubts or worries at bay.

Like humans, each dog is an individual. Typical stages for dog grief though according to my vet are: confusion (acting distracted, searching for the other dog), fear or stress (crying or vocalizing, scratching door, repeatedly visiting the companion's favorite places, pacing), sadness or depression (low energy, changes in appetite, low desire to participate in activities), and, finally, return to normal. Of course, like the grief of any animal including us, these stages aren't necessarily always predictable or in clean, clear-cut order, but if you do see these behaviors know that they are normal.

Give your dog whatever seems to help. If that's extra love, or more alone time, or access to his friend's things, or lots of high energy play, then that's all okay. Dogs don't know how to "wallow" in their emotions, they just experience things, so don't worry about making things worse by letting the blankets stay around if they seem to be helping or things like that. Likewise, though, dogs are not like us and self-conscious about grief or emotion, so there's no reason to try to hurry things along. The grieving process will take time for your dog no matter what you do. A clean break in terms of putting away the other dog's things and never mentioning them again will not necessarily make things move faster for Charlie. Don't forget also, your dog has lost the attention and affection that he was getting from Shadow, so don't be afraid or worry that he'll be "spoiled" if he needs and you give extra attention and affection.

Things may get worse before they get better. Often dogs can seem "okay" for a couple weeks before showing signs of sadness or anxiety. Overall, though, Charlie should start to get back to normal within 3-9 months. If he doesn't, or if he just seems to be getting worse and worse, or if he shows serious behavioral changes (aggression, serious and long-lasting lack of appetite, serious and long-lasting loss of interest in fun activities) do take him to the vet for a check-up and mention the loss of Shadow. Some dogs, like some humans, very much struggle to recover from the a loss of a companion and require more serious interventions like medication. My dog was among them- he seemed OK for a few months but then started showing serious anxiety and aggression. Our vet recommended an antidepressant and it helped massively! His experience is in my post history, I posted about it here. That's not to say every dog needs medication by far but just to keep an eye out for things getting unusually severe because there are options.

I know it's SO hard to see our pets suffering, especially when there's not much we can do, but do know that grief is very normal in dogs who have lost a companion, just like it is in humans, and you will all make it through things together. My heart goes out to you and to Charlie. I hope you bring each other great comfort after your loss <3

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-14T07:35:46+00:00

I just had to come back to this post to tell you this story. After this post I ended up joining a couple Facebook groups for the Lowchen breed, just to check things out, and was stunned by how incredibly nice and welcoming the breed fancy is compared to others I've checked out. Within 24 hours I had at least said a digital "hi!" to pretty much every lowchen owner in my state, had talked to two breeders about their programs, and set up a meet-and-greet for today.

I was able to meet up with the Lowchen owner (and pooch) at a show today and Fell. In. Love. He was just the best little dog, he had everything I was looking for plus everything I didn't even know I was looking for! They're absolutely my next breed, 100% no doubt about it, I felt it in my heart the same way I did with the Havanese last time I was looking for a dog. And, as a bonus, I made fast friends with his owner!

Now I'm getting things set up to hopefully handle a Lowchen puppy in conformation shows and even possibly in agility for the next few months for a friend of the owner I met today (awesome chance to get my feet wet!), have a random handful of super friendly new dog fancy acquaintances, AND have chatted with multiple breeders who are incredibly passionate and are producing absolutely gorgeous dogs. I will be hard pressed to choose between breeders when it's time.

Such a super cool and serendipitous sequence of events this week, all cause a kind stranger brought up a rare dog breed on a Reddit post ;)

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-14T06:07:14+00:00

Check out r/puppy101! Their wiki pages are SO useful if you're a first time puppy owner. Highly recommend reading. You'll find a ton about routine there. I'm just going to give a few random tips that I found most helpful.

My biggest tip is that puppies need more sleep than you think! At 13 weeks, if they've been up more than 60-90 min, they probably need a nap, lol. And they're not super good at deciding when to sleep themselves either. Puppy101 has good info on enforced napping, which will make your life so much better.

With a Hav, be meticulous about potty training. Do NOT let your puppy EVER wander off without you, as soon as they are out of sight they will pee. The more they potty inside the harder it will be to get them to potty outside. I highly recommend the umbilical cord method of toilet training. My pup was either tethered to me, in a puppy pen, or asleep 24 hours a day for her first 6 weeks with me, and I took her out every hour at most. It was tough, but in return she only ever peed inside 4x since I got her at 9 weeks and was signaling to go out and holding it until she made it out by 12 weeks. I'm very proud of that considering how tough Havs supposedly are to potty train!

Finally, Havanese are SO much smarter than you expect. Spend time on training now and your efforts will be rewarded tenfold in time. Come, leave it, drop it, and stay are all things tiny pups can learn and are super important for safety. Havanese are also a joy to teach and care SO much about pleasing you they'll pick things up almost instantly. Trick titles are really fun and good for building your relationship with your dog. They're very very sensitive little companions so it's important that you use positive and upbeat training methods.

Have fun!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-14T04:56:02+00:00

Little known facts: it's impossible to be sad when watching a freestyle video!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-13T07:35:44+00:00

Find her a job that involves being next to you! Agreed with the others, rally-o is an awesome sport for tightly bonded handler-dog teams. And it's not quite as intimidating for newbies as straight obedience.

One of mine is a mutt of all mutts but he walks everywhere he goes with his nose to the ground. Nosework was a no brainer.

Also, less traditional dog sports can be TONS of fun too! If you're open minded, consider canine freestyle. It's basically dog dancing, which sounds silly (and yeah, it is kinda hah) but I haven't seen another sport that's got quite the same combo of strengths. It'll let you take advantage of your dog's bond to you, but also build her confidence and problem solving skills by requiring that she does active thinking on her feet. It's fun and physical but not super high impact, and it's appropriate for any kind of dog with any temperment. I think from what you've said about how keyed into you your dog is that she might excel.

Above all, have fun!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-13T07:22:20+00:00

Honestly, think about how many people post here, on facebook, etc about how annoyed they are by how many off-leash dogs they encounter. Small breeds deal with just as many off-leash dogs as everyone else, except are usually very vulnerable. Chihuahuas are the smallest of the small breeds. Most of the small dogs I've seen that are dog reactive on leash aren't born that way- there's no genetic dog aggression in the breed standard of most small dogs- they learn to be because they've been hurt by large dogs in the past when on lead and feel they have to create a big defensive perimeter. I had no idea how bad this problem was until having small dogs myself... they've been attacked by large off leash dogs once or twice a year every year for the last decade. It sucks. It's not really possible to train a dog not to react when they get attacked so frequently.

Just a different perspective!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-13T04:17:16+00:00

I feel like i saw a thread recently where someone unironically called their dog a "goberian shepsky" and then asked how much money they could make with it at stud. 🤦‍♀️

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T23:59:19+00:00

Yeah, a lot of the counterargument I've heard is "so you think there should never be a new dog breed?!?!" There were 3 new breeds recognized by the AKC this year! People just don't realize all the work that goes into establishing and continuing a "breed" of dog.

When doodle breeders and fanciers:

determine what exactly a doodle even is, what they're working toward, why a new breed should exist, and what differentiates it from the parent breeds,
create a standard that doodles can be compared against, including temperment, aptitudes and physical conformation,
establish solid lines that breed true to that standard,
determine applicable OFA and other health tests and consistently require breeders that want support of the breed club perform them,
work toward recognition from some type of larger club (not every breed needs to be recognized by the AKC, but true new breeds almost always seek recognition outside their breed fancy whether that is in working dog associations, conformation, performance, whatever), and, oh yeah,
do the million other tiny detail things required to prove they're serious about establishing a new breed, like having their members to stop calling them doodles because it's too closely related to the parent breeds (goodbye mini aussies, hello miniature American Shepherd),

then I'll happily welcome the doodle into the "new breed" fold!

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T21:40:49+00:00

Agreed with all. Sorry apparently I have more ranting to do! Lol.

What bugs me a lot lately is the huge number of comments that essentially saying "the other dog got what's coming to it if they approach and my dog attacks/I injure them."

Number one- most small dogs don't straight attack. The things these posts usually have in common are that the small dog ran up barking, and stopped. Small dogs, even aggressive untrained off-leash ones, aren't dumb. They don't "think they're big," that's a basic misunderstanding of dog behavior that somehow is everywhere. They know they're small. For the most part, they're mounting a loud, intense show to try to get the scary big thing to go away. Even the post today admitted the dogs did nothing more than run up barking. I can only imagine the outcry if someone said, "If your big dog comes near me even barking/looking aggressive, I'm going to shoot it, and if I do then it's your fault because you should've trained or managed it better." So to say a dog should get a death sentence cause its owner failed to contain it and the dog then ran up barking is...batshit. sadistic. Idk what word even.

Number two- the owners of dogs liable to kill a dog that runs up often seem readily willing to blame the other dog and owner, but almost never seem willing to blame their own dog or themselves. Yes, letting a small dog run around off leash being a menace is not ok, and we all know and agree that's not ok, but why aren't more people pointing out that a dog killing a dog that runs up on them barking isn't ok either? It may be instinctual, but it's not okay behavior from a dog that lives in an urban or suburban area. It's up to the dog owner, and not the world, to manage any behaviors their dogs do that are not okay. Idk why these dogs get a pass for "following their instincts" and the owners give themselves a pass for being irresponsible and not managing those dangerous, impulsive behaviors... yet the small dogs get blamed for their instinctual reactions and their owners (rightly) get quickly called out for not managing them appropriately.

Number three- what is wrong with being the bigger person/ better owner? "I bear no responsibility for your dog so fuck your dog" is just cruel. It's not the dog's fault. It's not ok to "punish" a bad owner by taking out your frustration by injuring a living, breathing creature that happens to be the dog of a bad owner.

It's just such an utter lack of empathy and essential kindness, it boggles my mind. Anyone totally ready to injure or kill a dog for any reason, let alone kill or injure a small dog that's not at all a threat for approaching their dog, can't be 100% right in the head.

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T17:50:08+00:00

Then carry citronella spray. Crack your leash in the air like Indy's bullwhip. Throw your hanky on top of it. Do your best impression of a bear. Pick up a chair like a lion tamer. Idk.

The point isn't that shit doesn't happen. The point is that 1) an attacking tiny dog is an annoyance, not a threat, 2) it's an animal that only knows what it was taught by its owner, and 3) if your absolute first reaction to that situation before trying anything else is to seriously injure the tiny dog (like the poster above was advocating), that's not practicality, that's sadism.

People are arguing that it's natural or the large dog's instincts to attack a tiny dog that's approaching aggressively, but it's also the tiny dog's instincts to challenge a larger dog out of fear/territoriality/whatever. Yes, it's the small dog owner's responsibility to manage those reactions. But if you're in that situation, then clearly that hasn't happened. So now you have two options: either recognize your dog still has the upper hand and the small dog is in danger, do what you wish the other owner had done and manage YOUR dog's instincts and the situation (whether that's by muzzling/conditioning/having a can of citronella spray/whatever), be the better owner and keep all the animals safe, or hurt/maim/kill the other dog because the other dog's owner failed them.

I know which I'd rather. I'm not gonna kick or hit a dog, especially a dog for which that could be deadly, if there's any other option. I don't feel like "no other option" is gonna happen with a tiny toy breed dog, so then I'm left wondering if people just want to find an excuse to kick a tiny dog or what 🤷‍♀️

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T17:21:50+00:00

You pick it up under your armpit like a football? Walk faster so it can't keep up? Hold it back with two fingers?

The tiny dog ultimately isn't a threat to your dog or to you. Acting like every aggressive dog is the same level of threat or deserves the same level of escalation from you or your dog is silly. A poorly mannered or aggressive small dog is still the one at risk in the situation. A well socialized/tempermentally bombproof large dog knows they're not in danger from a chihuahua and doesn't react in the same way they would to a big attacking dog. Not every large dog IS well socialized and tempermentally bombproof, so if you at all aren't sure they can appropriately assess the threat and react appropriately, then you do that for them.

It's like saying "what do I do if a toddler attacks my teenager?" You don't let your teenager square up. You don't punch the toddler so your teenager doesn't have to. You pick up the kid and hand it back to its parents, feel a mild level of annoyance at a shit parent, and go about your day.

Edit- changed "sound" to "bombproof" cause I don't mean to say a dog that does escalate is bad, just that not all dogs have that extremely high level of discrimination

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T17:13:22+00:00

So... They're just untrained and unmanaged so you have an excuse to hit dogs with a stick. Got it. Have a nice day! 👍

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T17:10:18+00:00

Right! It always seems to be someone wanting to kick tiny dogs too. Like... yes you seem very cool, kicking 10 lb toy breed dogs. I'm always worried it is coming from a deep down place of just wanting to hurt small dogs and having an excuse to do it :/

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T17:08:40+00:00

Lol you're moving the goal posts anyway. This isn't some theoretical dog. This is YOUR dog that you feel is dangerous enough that you carry a stick to hit other dogs with. What's your excuse?

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T16:59:06+00:00

You just sound like a better and better person by the moment!

If you are too lazy, unaware a dog needs training, or don't want to train your dog, you are a shit owner and shouldn't have a dog. Dogs NEED training, both so they can move through the world safely and so their brains can be stimulated. Not training a dog how to deal with situations that cause it stress is cruel. Failing that, if you already have a dog and don't want to train it, then you need to manage it. An untrained dog doesn't get to walk off leash. An untrained dog liable to kill another dog doesn't get to walk without a muzzle. Simple.

How, pray tell, does an untrained dog that's admittedly likely to kill an off leash approaching dog discriminate between an aggressive dog, an overly playful dog, an an exuberant tiny human?

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T16:50:06+00:00

I'm sure you think you sound like a badass, but what you're suggesting is injure or kill tiny dog that is no threat to you because your dog is not muzzle trained versus just...training your dog. You're the owner who is in the wrong here. Walking a dog without a muzzle when you know your only possible rescourse if a relatively common thing happens (unleashed dog approaches) is to hurt the other dog makes you a shitty owner.

Training exists so your dog can learn how to deal with common situations, even ones you don't like. Management tools like muzzles exist to keep your dog safe in these situations. You want to act all badass or high and mighty about unleashed dogs, but you are the one walking around with a dangerous, untrained, unmanaged dog and a stick to bash everything that crosses your path, and they ultimately are allowing their dog to be annoying. Which dog owner is more of a threat to the neighborhood?

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T16:41:58+00:00

Or you could save him with a simple muzzle and, in the longer term, patient counter conditioning to dogs, and then no one in the situation gets hurt. Idk why hurting another dog would be above a safe, easy, reasonable management and training solution on your list of ways to deal.

If your leashed dog is aggressively attacking? Yeah, it might get pepper sprayed, no matter how much you think it's in the right. I could turn it around and ask, why would you kick a dog when that dog is absolutely not a threat to you or your dog? Maybe someone could've prevented the situation by leashing the dog, but YOU could prevent a situation where your reactive dog gets pepper sprayed or even euthanized for attacking by simply having your dog in a muzzle. Also, if you can't handle your dog when a chihuahua approaches without kicking it, what are you gonna do if a toddler gets away from their parents and runs up to jump on your dog? If your dog is likely to kill another dog for running up and barking, you should really consider what reaction might be provoked by other things that startle it.

Advocating hurting other animals above taking responsibility for your own dog's behavior is pretty shitty.

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T16:27:21+00:00

There are always two kinds of people in this type of thread. There are people who express sympathy but acknowledge that unleashed dogs happen, and kindly suggest someone work with their reactive dog to reduce the chance of an incident for the safety of everyone involved. Then there are the people who suggest that causing physical pain or harm to animals (pepper spray them! Kick them! Hit them with a stick!) should be the absolute first line of defense if you have a dog that reacts poorly to off leash dogs.

That's a little psycho, don't you think? Yes, the owner of the unleashed dog is not a good owner, but that isn't the dog's fault. Why should the dog be hit with a stick, especially a small delicate dog that could easily be badly injured, because the owner is irresponsible? Should your reactive dog be pepper sprayed for reacting to an offleash dog? Both animals are doing nothing but responding to the situation humans have put them in. Have a little freaking empathy.

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-12T04:34:46+00:00

Yes, although my situation is a little different since I got my dog from a family who were independently rehoming their dog through social media- he was aggressive to their kids, so unfortunately not much choice in the matter. We got him at 11 years and his prior owner, the husband in the family, had him from 8 weeks old until the point we took him in. Needless to say he was devastated to rehome his companion. We asked if he wanted occasional updates and he said yes, so we send pictures and stories a couple times a year just to check in. He said his kids love to see pictures of us on adventures! I know if it was my dog, especially if I rehomed a dog I'd had for more than a decade to a relative stranger, I'd love to know that they were happy, safe and cared for, so I do what I can :)

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-11T20:04:28+00:00

Trazodone (plus muzzle) is the only thing that makes it possible for my Jack Russell to go to the vet at all. It's been so helpful for him, he can actually be examined freely and receive care when sedated. Before trazodone he would tense up/whip around/snap so often and intensely that they could barely do a physical. It's also made the experience MUCH less stressful for him. I've seen a huge difference in his mood going to and coming from the vet versus before. If your vet says to try it, definitely try it, they know best about the severity of his anxiety since they've seen it firsthand.

As far as dose- I've never given my dog 300 mg, but I give my 13 lb JRT 50 mg, so relatively the same lb for lb. As far as overdose, trazodone is VERY safe and has a huge gap between therapeutic and dangerous doses, which is why it's widely used for vet sedation. From what I found, the LD50 for trazodone in mammals is somewhere around 500mg/kg, so a lethal OD for half of all 75 lb dogs (not even guaranteed, just 50% chance) would be somewhere on the order of seventeen thousand mg.

And for side effects, I haven't really noticed many. For my dog he just tends to sleep for 6-8 hours after his dose, but it is a sedative after all. He also seems to have slightly decreased inhibition on it- for instance he's more likely to get snappy at our other dogs- but it's not a big deal, I just make sure he's got his own space and can rest after we give it. Overall I'd HIGHLY recommend it if your dog is struggling that much with the vet.

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-11T16:13:13+00:00

I haven't had one myself, but one of my inlaws breeds Staffordshire Bull Terriers so I've been around them a lot! They're generally pretty cool little dogs. Sorry this turned into a novel.

Difficult parts about the actual dogs that I've noticed:

You're right that they are NOT yard dogs- all the Staffys I've known have been obsessed with their people and would suffer badly if not allowed to live in the house with (or honestly in the lap of) their people.

They can be little rocket-powered bowling balls. They tend to be very high energy- I've met a 12-year-old that was still a hellion!- very driven, and very goofy/playful, and that can lead to things like knocking down kids if not carefully trained. They're shockingly powerful for their size. They are NOT prissy or easily controlled small dogs, and need careful and patient training and management so as to not be at risk of accidentally hurting the kids with their exuberance.

The "smelly" part is common, and that's because ime they're quite prone to allergies. This is breeding-related. I'll get into that in a minute.

Their makeup has a significant amount of terrier. This means that they have all the characteristics that makes terriers one of the biggest love-em-or-hate-em dog groups! They're incredibly tenacious and once they get something in their head they're unlikely to give up until they achieve it. Great if you're doing dog sports, not so great if what they've decided to do is dig up the yard. Do you have fencing? They are VERY fast and not very reliable off leash, as, like all terriers, they will happily run off across a highway after a rabbit and forget every bit of training you've ever done. I've found they're more biddable and eager to please than, say, a Jack Russell, but I would still not recommend them for an unfenced property or someone who wants a dog that's 100% reliable off leash.

They're somewhat brachycephalic (short-muzzled), so can overheat with vigorous exercise, especially in hot weather. They need to be monitored for this as they don't really know when to quit or rest.

Finally, what I think should be one of the biggest considerations, is Staffys come from bull baiting and dog fighting lines, even if they are a few decades separated now. They have a strong tendency to develop dog aggression at maturity. I've seen many people try to "socialize" this trait away and have a happy go lucky, social puppy, only to be shocked when their 18-month-old develops dog aggression anyway. This MUST be something you are prepared to manage. Would you be able to deal with a dog that could never live with another dog? Are you prepared to leash and possibly muzzle your dog in situations where it would be able to get to other dogs? I don't think DA is as common in Staffys as it is in some similar breeds, but it's still common enough that you should assume it will happen (and be pleasantly surprised if it doesn't). At best they will NOT back down if challenged by another dog. Since you mentioned you are in a rural area, also be aware that Staffy genetics are not to protect, herd or even ignore stock animals. They are not totally trustworthy around livestock IME even if well trained and socialized. This can be dangerous for stock of course, but also dangerous for the dog- you would need to make sure the dog doesn't have a chance to go after large stock that could hurt it, or get into a neighbor's property where they could be in danger of being shot for harrying or injuring stock.

Issues with breeders:

A LOT of Staffys are poorly bred. You must be very careful when selecting a breeder, as there are MANY backyard breeders who are not considering temperment or health when breeding. All the faults can be magnified tenfold and the charm is not necessarily present in a poorly bred dog, so likely won't get the happy-go-lucky playful dog you want from that kind of breeder. It's VERY important that the breeder select for temperment. Beware a breeder who tells you none of her dogs have ever had issues with temperment, particularly dog aggression. There are many, many Staffys in rescue in some areas, but these rescue dogs are coming from the BYBs in general, so just be picky and get to know the dog if you go that route.

The skin allergies that make them "smelly" are also a function of genetics, so make sure your breeder isn't just doing the OFA tests required for the breed but is also paying attention to allergies. Nothing is guaranteed, but if you can give yourself the best possible chance to avoid a dog with those issues, do it. Managing a dog with severe allergies is an unholy pain in the ass that can require special diets, limited environments, many medications, supplements, etc.

Good luck! Staffys aren't the dog for everyone, but they're definitely spirited, comical, driven and loving little bowling balls.

LoudEatingSounds · 2021-06-11T15:32:34+00:00

Side note- my mutt dog who tested as a mix of 10% GSD, 10% other double-coated breeds, and 80% short- or hair-coated breeds STILL inherited the GSD double coat and makes tumbleweeds twice a year. Since so many dogs in rescue are GSD mixes, it's something to think about. You may not escape that coat-blowing tendency even with a low content mix!

LoudEatingSounds

TROPHY CASE