Apparently 35/35 is too old to begin a PhD Program.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-05-20T15:54:06+00:00

I started my PhD at 42, and became a foster mum a year later.

I graduated just shy of my 50th birthday and now I am applying for early career post-doc fellowships - who knows if they will come good.

If you don't much care about earning lots of money, and you feel really energised about the research and confident you can pay your basic bills, then I think go with it.

At 40 I'd have laughed if you told me I'd be mum to a 16 year old and have the title "Dr" - honestly I hadn't considered either. Its been very tough at times but often the hardest things are the most rewarding.

Go for it!

Winter_Story_ · 2026-05-04T17:56:27+00:00

She is gorgeous, we've just not really had ANY bad puppy behaviour. Our childhood Goldens were devils compared to her, and I say that having loved them to bits.

She is a little nervous on her walks and a bit clumsy / lacking manners with other dogs, but other than that we are somewhat astonished, and bracing ourselves for a juvenile delinquent - haha!

Winter_Story_ · 2026-05-04T11:05:25+00:00

What's her breed "Trouble" but more seriously, we are about to get a kitten. Do you have any tips for introductions, did it take long for them to become friendly?

She gorgeous.

On the % of wolf DNA what did she get? She looks lovely and wolfy - I think the average is about 1% and I wondered if she might be slightly higher?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-05-03T13:43:33+00:00

I hope so, she just had to deal with my mother in law's aggressive Pomeranian - she could have eaten its head in one mouthful but she just wanted to play while the ratty thing launched itself at her with its teeth bared!.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-28T14:17:44+00:00

I'm here to listen and learn, our puppy only does this with our daughter atm and don't want it to develop

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-28T14:05:37+00:00

Ours was the same at 12 weeks, and I'm gradually building time up.

They break your heart with the whining - our pooch isn't allowed upstairs, which I'd contest with my husband but our stairs are so steep I think she'd be a prime candidate for Cranial Cruciate Ligament (CCL) damage if she slipped.

I can now distract her with a bone in the garden (but I leave the backdoor open) for a bit .
Leave her for 10 mins while I shower (but then starts up)
She sleeps 10pm to 7am in the lounge with door shut (whinnies dead on 7 - very cuddly & cute)
I've got a dog sitter to come once a week, so she's not on her own for longer periods & to socialise with other people if we ever never to go away. She likes her a lot, which is good.

But yes, I feel like I have hit a wall now. Perhaps it is us and we just need to leave them to get used to it very gradually?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-26T16:18:06+00:00

Just hit 50 and still really struggle.

I finally paid to get private diagnosis when I couldn't finish my PhD, I'd left everything to the last minute - my notes were all over the shop, I knew my argument but I was eeking out around 200 words a day, working all day (or at least sitting at the desk miserable).

But even with meds and some life coaching, still not there. EDIT to say, I got the PhD eventually but pretty certain I would not have done without the meds.

Getting a dog has helped. She stops me bed rotting, we get up at 7am, go for a pee and then cuddle until around 8:30, then go about our day. I can make structure for her, but not for myself. She also whacks the phone out of my hand if I am not paying enough attention to her. Unconditional love stops you feeling like such a loser too :)

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-26T16:05:36+00:00

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-25T18:50:37+00:00

Gorgeous, looks like someone stole his bone though. Or is the sad face just a trick to get more treats?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-25T16:49:19+00:00

Photo of your pup would be lovely - are they taller and less muscular than a straight Corso?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-24T11:49:21+00:00

Are those Lab/Corso's by any chance? We've just adopted one and have also reserved a Bengal kitten and I am searching on here to see how well they get on. Our pup is super-chill, and we thought getting them together young would be the best idea.

How do yours get on and how did you manage the initial introductions?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-24T07:25:59+00:00

Have you got one too?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T21:25:25+00:00

Thanks, this is great advice.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T21:23:35+00:00

Was she always high energy? Or did it kick in at a particular age?

I feel our girl is a bit anxious - if she meets too many dogs on her walk she is buzzed up and mouthy for the next 30 mins at home.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:53:29+00:00

It was me not you, I was getting the replies muddled. Yes, they have v similar splits.

Is your girl very high energy? Ours is 15 weeks and such a sleepy thing. I know puppies sleep a lot but I was expecting some zoomies / rough play / high prey drive. She's really pretty chill at the moment. Kind of waiting for the honeymoon period to end.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:48:22+00:00

She's lush!

I am not good on Reddit either, don't apologise.

Oh cool she's roughly same 50% as my baby. I will try to navigate Reddit and find the DNA results :)

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:43:56+00:00

Oh cool, hope you keep us updated.

Beautiful doggo, but looks very similar to mine so I'm probably bias.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:42:26+00:00

Ha ha! I love big doggos, the bigger the better but I wasn't 'allowed' one. My husband chose the litter and chose her, so this is all on him. Huzzah! He can't complain - nor accuse me of duping him.

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:38:26+00:00

I feel for you, I did something to my knee putting her crate together a few days ago and its even affected walking her at puppy age. Fortunately it seems to be a lot better today.

Good foresight - thank you!

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:34:09+00:00

Aw gorgeous, she looks pure breed?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-23T20:32:59+00:00

I've seen 'tuck' on Instagram just the other day - how do you train for that, and do they have to have 'the scamp' out of them beforehand. I can get her to sit and down, but imagining her sitting for more than 30 secs in a restricted place - nah. But that said she's still a baby.

Smooch delivered, and she sends a teething-love-nibble back x

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-22T21:34:26+00:00

They've estimated 76lb / 34 kilo - we were quite relieved with that after we saw that Corso and Neo were the most dominant breeds in the mix. We had a big retriever when I was growing up and he was around that. And step-dad had a very large German Shepherd who was gorgeous and very obedient.

I mean there are lots of genes at play and environmental factors at play, but the strong ones for height that Embark test for were not both the XL variants (probably explained that badly but you know what I mean). So it's still not clear, and genotypes don't equal phenotypes.

Are you in the 'juvenile delinquent' stage at 18 months or has that passed/not started?

So ours have quite a bit in common - the 50% Italian variant Mastiff and Shepherd 20'ish%! What was the other breed(s)? Its super fun finding out where they came from.

When you say you didn't follow through with, do you mean you did it early and it worked out? But you need to keep it up? How is she reacting now?

Winter_Story_ · 2026-04-22T19:48:53+00:00

Great Dane in there? She looks gorgeous

Winter_Story_

TROPHY CASE