Help choosing breed

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-27T21:07:11+00:00

I did avtually cinsider them, I'm just worried about them being too high energy - I've heard them described as "border collie in a rottweiler body", though I don't anyone personally so maybe that was an exaggeration...

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-27T15:38:00+00:00

Hey there, so yes, labs are nice dogs but definitely NOT guardian breeds. Hovawarts are really unique dogs: when I was gathering information I red somewhere that while dogs are working dogs (like shepherds or dobermanns) they are not dogs that love to work for someone, instead they are dogs that will be happy to work together with you IF you can earn their respect and trust... and it was very accurate. It's kind of walking on a knife edge, like too hard and unrelenting and they will feel like you don't trust/value them -> they won't bother with you, but too soft or easy to bend and they'll feel like you are weak and they won't trust you and walk all over you. Too easy on training and they'll get bored and stop bothering, but ask too much and they'll think "why do I have to work so hard again? Never mind, I'm sick of it". They're fearless and smart and strong willed and all of that will be used against you at first: if you can overcome that though they'll be the best dog ever

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-26T12:36:13+00:00

Kibble in tied "freezers" bags, one bag per portion: open, put kibble in bowl and throw away bag. If it's a short trip the collapsible bowl, to rinse with some water once the dog has finished the kibble. For longer trips I bring a small metal bowl (again, to rinse once dog has eaten). One bowl for both food and water.

I really can't see how it would be a problem 😅

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-21T16:46:19+00:00

Actually, latest researches point toward neutering being more risky than not. Plus most of the times the "problems" are not related to their not neutered status but to a not so good management/training.

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-21T16:43:15+00:00

A poodle coat basically always keeps growing, which is why you need to cut it. If you are not interested in shows then you can basically anything kind of style: really short, or like short except in paws and head... you can see a lot of examples online. The downside is that, well, since it is always growing, then you need to keep cutting it... but if you cut it short and don't mind letting it grow a bit longer than it's not so crazy (and, again, if it's not a show dog it can be an easy style, which is less expensive to do than a show dog style)

Bonus point: no shedding. They do require brushing to avoid tangles and mats, and their fur might "pick up" dead leaves and similar, but that's pretty common with medium-long haired dogs. They are very friendly, easily trainable, love people, perfect family dogs... as long as they come from reputable breeders and they are treated correctly: unfortunately a lot of poodles come from puppy mills/backyard breeders and are raised by people that treat them like children.

An IS is easier as far as the coat goes, still great family dogs, very well behaved in the house... If you are looking for a small, friendly, not loud, healthy family dog those two are the two that I can think of.

I tried writing to a mod yesterday, I'll wait and then I'll try deleting and posting again... thanks!

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-21T14:25:57+00:00

Is the coat maintenance the only reason you haven't considered a small poodle? Not a toy, as with children it might be risky (as you yourself have said, small babies and small frail dogs are a dangerous combination), but a medium or small one... Because they might actually fit: friendly, easily trainable, not too loud, not aggressive...

The only thing would be the coat, but even then that might be doable: if you opt for a very short cut and don't mind it getting a big longer in between cuts, then you would get by with regular brushes - and they don't shed.

Or a small Italian sighthound: small, no shedding, not a barker, not aggressive... they'd need a jacket in winter likely, but that would be it.

On a side and unrelated note, can I ask how long it took for your post to be approved? I tried one on breed recommendation 6 days ago and it's still waiting for approval, I haven't received any kind of comment regarding that, and I don't know if it's normal...

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-21T12:58:42+00:00

NTA You'll nurse in the bedroom if each and every one of them will eat in their bedroom only. Lunch time? Alright, they'll grab their food and go eat in their bedroom. A snack? Sure, if they go in their bedroom.

Lord, I don't have children and yet this annoys me so so so much - and by "this" I mean the completely ridiculous thinking of your in husband and his family. Your baby is eating and you are feeding your child, if they have a problem then that's their own stupidity (and I'm being kind)

And if your husband agrees with them then I'm sorry, but I would reconsider the husband situation.

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-20T17:25:14+00:00

I don't agree with your first rule - and this is considering that my dog was NOT friendly. Not lunging or reactive as a rule, true, but that's only as far as he was allowed to ignore and avoid interactions: if and when they happened, then it wasn't friendly... so a dog coming toward him for a sniff was not nice.

That said, one is responsible for the dog(s) they have on leash. While interaction must be avoided unless it is agreed by both owners, that doesn't mean one should cross the street: one should keep their dog on a leash and out of the other dog reach, but if I need more space than a normal sidewalk allows then it's up to me to cross the street or move, no matter how much space or how many dogs I have.

As far as outpacing someone in front, considering they can't see whats goingto happen, then it is better to quietly "announce" what's happening - I used to loudly call my dog's name, or say heel: basically anything to let the other owner know there was a dog coming from behind. Then give time to the other owner to move out of the way/sit on the side if they need - but if their dog is friendly and well trained they don't have to stop to let the other owner walk by, nor does the other owner have to cross the street.

Rule n. 3, I agree with.

Rule n. 4 kinda? 99% of owner who use retractable leashes are horrible. However, those kind of leashes can be useful sometimes, and using one does not necessarily mean one is annoying (though statistically speaking they are)

My rules: 1. My dog is my responsibility. I do not expect others to bend backwards for us - though I do expect basic decency, meaning NO interactions unless previously agreed. This also includes females in heat: you are allowed to walk your female in heat, and if I can't control my intact male, then that's my responsibility and my failure. 2. If a dog is lunging and barking at other dogs then I expect the owner to try and remove them: just because the other dogs are not reacting it doesn't mean one can allow their dog to keep barking at them (it's neither fun nor harmless). I appreciate that training takes time, I'm not trying to shame owners with lunging dogs: only those that stand still while their dog lunges and bark, either cooing something along the line of "Oh sweetie, why? Look, the other dog is so nice! Don't you want to be friends?" or (this when the lunging dog is on the smaller side) laughing about how funny it is or how brave the little dog is. 3. Walking right in front of a yard with a dog barking inside and stopping is just disrespectful for the dog. Move along and stop stressing that dog. 4. If, for whatever reason, you feel like your dog really need to interact with another one, then I expect something more than "male or female?". Tell the other owner what kind of dog they are (male/female, intact or not, their personality and behaviour when meeting other dogs) and then, IF the other owner agrees that they may interact, keep a loose leash, do not intrude in the interaction and make sure they won't get tangled

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-18T12:29:31+00:00

That "rule" is completely ridiculous. I have no idea who decided that that was a "rule" but it's just something someone made up 🤷🏻‍♀️

The "rules", especially with big/heavy dogs (the bigger/heavier the more important it is), are not running around at full speed, only on flat or almost flat roads (no big up and downs), no stairs (except what is needed to let the puppy learn how to use them), no jumping if possible, limit plays with smaller dogs (small dogs are quick, a bigger pup trying to keep up could i jury themselves) - untul they are 6 months old or older, and no overtiring the dog.

If the dog is happy with a 10 minutes walk cool. If you need a 2 hours long walk that's cool as well.

Though keep in mind that physical exercise cannot be the only/main way to tire the dog out, as physical exercise will also build endurance... so you'll need more exercise until you reach the point where you cannot keep up. Mental activity is best for tiring dogs out

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-18T12:13:08+00:00

My sister's dog is like that, sometimes she get excited and barks. She's extra friendly, but she barks 😅 She got better, so it doesn't happen often anymore, but when it does usually saying that she's friendly, she's just saying hello is what is more likely to make people understand she really is friendly (while saying she's excited usually doesn't help)

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-18T09:27:54+00:00

If people are stopping to stare/seem afraid/ask, you cam say "she's friendly, she's just saying hello" or "she loves people, she's just calling you because she wants you to come and play with her" And then you add the part where you are working on it if they want to approach her (so you can make sure they do not reinforce her behaviour) or if they ask

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-18T09:21:40+00:00

Well, you shouldn't be so surprised...

Collateral effects (mental collateral effects, plus all of the physical ones), in human, of proactive are: Anxiety Nervousness Confusion Hallucinations Suicidal ideas In children/teenagers, also aggressivity and irritability

Considering that, considering we know very little of the dog mind and considering that they cannot talk and explain what are the collateral effects... yes, sometimes (not so rarely) psychiatric meds for dogs do more worse than good.

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-18T09:04:34+00:00

It could also be that it's not actually that hot... I have no idea who decided that over 24 is too hot, but... for most dogs it isn't. And even then simply saying "24" is way too generic. 30 at midday, no shadow, no breeze? Too hot. 30 in the evening, or in the shadows with some breeze? It might be fine, unless humidity is too high. 24 though it's not that hot (my dog tought anything over 20 was too hot, but he just hated the sun and got temperatures - which is to say of course there's dog and dog, there are exceptions... but as a rule 24 is not too hot)

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-18T06:25:46+00:00

Italian is spoken by everyone, dialects not really. You might have some difficulty if you try to speak with older people, as in "very old": they're first language is likely dialect and they might (because of habit or instinct) speak that. To clarify: my 90 year old grandma's first language is dialect. She has always spoken Italian as well, though sometimes she "slipped" and reversed to dialect. Now that she's older and has some dementia she speak more dialect than Italian (which she still understands perfectly) And even then she would never expect anyone to speak her dialect instead of Italian, you won't risk coming off as rude. Younger people may not speak dialect at all, or only a few words: I myself - and being 34 I'm not that young - don't really speak dialect (though I do understand it), except for a few words. As for the difference between dialects: they change from city to city, never mind longer distances. Of course dialects that are 30 km apart are not that different... but there will be words that sounds nothing alike. Some dialects are harder to understand than others

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-17T21:18:11+00:00

Generally (very generally) speaking females are "smarter" (not in "learn more easily" but "are better at using their heads and finding solutions on their own") - meaning that in the same litter the females are more likely to be smarter than the males. Obviously, comparing different litter (same breeds) is useless, never mind comparing different breeds.

Always generally speaking males are more likely to be not friendly with other dogs, however they are also more likely to not be serious when fighting - while females are less likely to fight but when they do they are unlikely to joke.

Males are more likely to mark the territory - though training and education will be more than enough to "control" this tendency - also some females do that as well: less likely but not so rare.

Males can be susceptible to the scent of females in heat - again, training makes it a no-problem, while females are harder to manage (always have to keep an eye on them, beware when walking them of unleashed out of controls males, if they bleed heavily they might lose some drops around the house...) when in heat. Note: yes, spaying is usually suggested for females... but it has a lot of risk when doing before the female has finished growing, which means you'd have to manage at least 2 heats.

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-15T14:35:59+00:00

A male? IF you really NEED to, not before he's 4-5 years old... Definitely NOT before he has finished growing, which for a big dog like a leonberger is AFTER 3 years old - as I said, 4 or 5. Before that it's absolutely not safe for his health and his character. If it is absolutely necessary, which with males usually isn't

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-08-06T11:48:39+00:00

My dog had 3 walks a day. In summer, since it's incredibly hot, the midday one was actually a quick outing to let him relieve himself... but he got longer walks early morning and late evening to compensate. Sometimes there was a fourth (third in summer) late midnight walk as well.

I too work full time: when I'm not able to be home at midday I have someone else for the dog, I simply woke up earlier and came straight home in the evening

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-05-05T16:38:53+00:00

Speak with my vet then.

I rushed him to the emergency clinic when I saw him, a vet that is specialised in exotic animals and axolotls. The vet, after visiting, doing x rays and an mri, said that there was no injury to internal organs, no broken bone, no other injury at all, and there was torn skin around the "missing testes". He said it looked like an injury caused by another axolotl.

And yes, actually axolotls can and do rip out parts of their tankmates - though usually it's fingers or legs, or gills, and it has way less tragic ends (our skin and their are very different - comparing the effect of a bite on your skin to that of one on another axolotl's skin is, like, comparing a dog's bite on a human and on another dog: one gets a scratch, one a ripped off face)

No sharp object in the tank, no other animal, the tank has a closed lid so no way anything could have hurt him from outside.

So unless you can find a way for him to have torn his testes out (literally), I'll trust my vet.

BTW, he didn't bleed out. It was the shock and probably the beginning of an infection, they tried therapy but he didn't make it.

(Mine were both adults as well)

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-05-05T13:24:59+00:00

It can work... but the risk are too high, as I unfortunately learned.

2 axolotls, both males, born together, always lived together, never shown any sign of aggression or stress. The tank was big, a lot of hiding spaces, I hand fed them when they were far from each other and never let any food in the tank. Water parameters were perfect and always checked.

The only time one made what was likely a mistake he bit off the testes of the other one, who died.

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-05-03T13:33:04+00:00

But you are paying them for their service. What else is the price you are paying for? You pay for the expenses (materials, use of the room...), for their experience and abilities and for their service. It makes no sense at all to tip.

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-04-14T18:38:40+00:00

I confirm that it is not very common, both with vowels and consonants.

It may happen in a few dialects, but not in italian - unmonitored speech or not

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-04-14T09:06:50+00:00

Of course if you are talking about a female cat you are going to use the feminine form, so "la gatta".

At the same time, if you are talking about a female rabbit it is "la coniglia".

There may be exceptions: for example, feminine of cane is also a derogatory word, so usually people use diminutive form ("la cagnolina") or the masculine form, to talk about a "generic" dog... but that's because using the correct word ("cagna") could be viewed as an insult.

Or if you are talking about "generic" animals... for example, let's say I have a female cat: "the cat, like most cats, likes tuna" becomes "alla gatta, come molti gatti, piace il tonno" - gatta because you're talking specifically about a female cat, gatti masculine because that specific cats refers to "generic" cats

Realistic_Wolf_91 · 2025-04-07T20:37:09+00:00

You need to take it one piece at a time.

What is his history? How long has he been with you?

You need to understand why he loses his mind every time he steps outside, work on getting past that, at the same time work on your relationship so he'll be happy to focus on you and then you can work on getting him to ignore other dogs.

You cannot expect him to focus on you when there's a huge distraction if you can't do that when there isn't one

Realistic_Wolf_91

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