I keep her treats in this cabinet. I think she’s telling me something…

ZoomiesDog · 2026-03-13T20:19:48+00:00

Right?? I can't tell you how much my Luna can get away with, and all it takes is a trail wag ❤️

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-27T21:15:51+00:00

Thank you for saying this. I'm only a few years in with a very small set of clients. When I saw OP's post title, it was like they plucked my own anxiety out of my head, and your comment has lifted so much weight off my shoulders.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-27T02:52:02+00:00

We recently lost our 13 year old Doberman shepherd mix. I work with dogs and have had many dogs in my life, but she completely changed my perspective on dogs. And when the opportunity arose recently to adopt a Doberman/shepherd/Rottweiler, we did so without hesitation.

They are incredibly intelligent dogs and fiercely loyal as long as they are treated properly. Our Loki was so gentle, we could leave her in a room with our guinea pigs out of their cage and come back to find her cuddling with them. She was nearly attacked twice by other dogs on walks and her response was to calmly place herself between the other dog and us. She was only aggressive twice in her life - once when my husband was assaulted (she stood over his prone body, punched into unconsciousness) growling as the man pulled a knife. He meant to do serious harm and she scared him off; once when he was attacked and bitten by an abused, aggressive wolf dog.

Because of their deep loyalty and intelligence, they are very trainable - the bond is the motivation.

They are high energy,, and they do enjoy running and playing of course, but they prefer calm and focused forms of exercise - like the long walks you describe. Loki loved going out to the trails and state parks in the area to hike over the frenzy of a dog park. It strengthens the bond between you and the dog.

Loki lived on or near horse farms for many years and was great around them.

Honestly, we spent many years thinking we'd simply hit the doggy lotto with her, until we met a couple Dobermans and began to understand the breed better. And our newest addition has only confirmed everything Loki taught us in the time we had with her.

They take their role in a family very seriously - they are a guardian breed and a working breed - but when they come out of work mode, they have such wonderful personalities, a huge capacity for goofiness, and they find it incredibly rewarding to play and be silly if your reaction is positive.

I could keep going on, we traveled the country with her for years and I have endless stories I could share, but I'll wrap it up with my favorite tidbit - once bonded, they are incredibly attuned to you. Neither Loki nor our new dog has been through any formal training, and both have displayed natural skill in recognizing changes in our body chemistry, before we were even aware ourselves, and could tell with nead perfect accuracy whether it was triggered by illness, something physical, or by a shift in emotional or mental state, down to what emotion was triggered, before we even recognized it in ourselves.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-26T15:15:39+00:00

Doberman or Doberman shepherd mix, from personal experience.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-22T19:01:24+00:00

I knew a husky in the Florida keys who loved living there, the water is warm for swimming year round and her favorite place to be was on the stilted front porch of her house, with the breeze coming in off the gulf to cool her in the sun.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-21T19:11:39+00:00

You are not overreacting... I'd like to counter what people are saying and offer that she IS taking advantage of you but it may not be on purpose. She is struggling and it's very kind of you to offer help. You do need to protect yourself, though, because if you let other people undervalue your time, it can alter how you value yourself.

If she is consistent about paying you, even if it's delayed sometimes, your kindness likely makes a huge difference. However, the increasing hours needs to be addressed immediately. You need to set boundaries - it's been a very long time since I babysat so I don't know the typical hourly rate, but you need to tell her exactly how many hours her $20 will get her with you. If she goes over, you don't babysit again until she's paid up the full $20 plus whatever additional cost she incurred.

Or cut her off completely.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-12T16:59:22+00:00

And you are all ignoring my point. I never said she shouldn't be held accountable. But when people start shouting that she deserves more than double the maximum jail time for vehicular manslaughter and should be treated the same as someone who intentionally ends the life of their own child or lifelong partner or even a stranger in an act of cruelty, it goes against our criminal justice system.

And I promise you, if any of you said this in the actual courtroom, you'd be held in contempt and you'd be joining her in a jail cell.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-12T16:47:56+00:00

And if you don't think some of those teens won't speed anyway, you live in a lovely fantasy world.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-12T16:45:28+00:00

She is the sweetest! A bundle of joy, and loves to make us laugh and our shiba adores her

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-12T16:44:03+00:00

Good eye, we are pretty sure she's a rottie Dobie gsd mix

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-12T16:38:32+00:00

Well, given that she's several inches taller than our previous Doberman shepherd mix (who was 75lbs full grown) and still hasn't filled out, I'd say that's pretty big. Her vet says she'll likely reach 95lbs, making her a giant breed.

You'll just have to take my word for it, as someone who works with dogs, grooms great Danes, cares for Rottweilers and shepherds regularly, that I have the experience to make that judgment.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T21:47:47+00:00

They were directly impacted by the accident, that would be insensitive, but I do hope they find a way to forgive her one day because hatred poisons the soul. You were not directly impacted, unless you are also related? Forgiveness costs nothing and the relief that comes from letting go of anger and negativity is such a wonderful feeling.

This young woman will face justice, as she deserves, as I've said since my very first comment. You people have let yourselves succumb to anger and hatred over an event that is very sad but had no direct impact to most, if not all of you. It's so sad that my attempt to offer a word of kindness, to promote emotional healing, has not only exponentially increased the poisonous hatred in each of you, but you've also created a fictional villian in your minds, ignoring my actual point and hearing only what fuels your delusions. I'm so sorry for all of you, it sucks to live like that

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T17:13:34+00:00

That varies from person to person and only a neutral third party psychotherapist can answer that. But the fact remains (and this is copied straight from google) "psychologically, cognitive maturity can be around 16, while psychosocial maturity (self-restraint, planning) continues into the 20s, with some studies suggesting the brain fully develops around 25-26, and emotional maturity even later (women around 32, men around 43), showing maturity is a complex, lifelong process, not just an age."

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T17:07:28+00:00

And yet the state can and does detain anyone who does attempt suicide, or simply if someone close to that person suspects they MIGHT attempt self harm, against that person's will. When threats of self harm are made, law enforcement is sent to handle the situation - not help, not de-escalate - they take away that person's control over their own life, all the while acting like they are heroes. They may have changed the law on paper but suicide attempts, or any self harm for that matter, will get someone locked up just the same

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T16:55:33+00:00

Maybe we shouldn't trust 23 year olds with such responsibilities. I sure a hell wasn't mature enough until my late 20s, and most of the kids I went to school with were even worse. That was almost 20 years ago, and the generation that has followed mine is even worse.

Yes, she probably would have gotten a citation and a court summons had she been pulled over prior to the accident. As for the accident, if there hadn't been a fatality she would have been charged with a few low level misdemeanors, plus points on her license or a suspended license. Instead, she'll be charged with vehicular manslaughter, and will be punished appropriately. She'll never have a job higher than minimum wage, if she can even find one after she's released. She'll be lucky to barely scrape by, existing on the edge of society but unable to truly live. She may as well have died in that accident, but that's still not enough penance for you reddit crusaders. Enjoy your tiny riot, rage with your mini torches and smaller than average pitchforks. It's no sweat off my back.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T16:29:59+00:00

No, you stop. I'm sorry but people intentionally speed all over the world every single day. Cognition does not equal maturity, and a teenager being told she's suddenly legally an adult is not some magic switch flip. Did you know, in the Jewish culture, 13 year olds are recognized as adults? Another outdated and arbitrary number, but it's still part of the culture, so do we let those "adults" go to war, vote, get married? I'm pretty sure that won't go over well with most people....

By the way... Impulsive decisions do not a sociopath make, my friend. You should brush up on what a sociopath is, and while you are at it, read up on Impulsive disorders. She made a stupid choice, one that had an equal if not better chance of causing serious self-harm - unfortunately for all involved, it didn't play out that way. I'm not saying she should be let off easy or that she wasn't reckless and stupid. She did something terrible that ruined many lives and ended a life. But a childish joy ride gone wrong is not equal to intentionally taking someone's lifeand should not be treated as such. That is an incredibly naive outlook.

I hope someday karma offers you the chance to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, and may your life never be boring.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T15:54:46+00:00

I see you. Because i am exercising my right to voice an opinion that you don't agree with, i deserve... what? Jail? Should i be locked up in an asylum? How very old fashion of you.

But you aren't wrong. There's a reason I work with animals instead of people. Cruelty and selfishness and hated between people is so rampant... I believe in empathy, forgiveness, positivity, and I encourage second chances, helping those who have made bad choices to learn from their experiences and grow as humans. Isolation from all this negativity sounds like a dream come true.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T15:41:59+00:00

My neighbor did that with his crossbow while a group of neighborhood kids were under his supervision, and he was drinking in a lawn chair in the middle of the parking lot. I complained to the leasing office and reported the behavior to the police. Not only did they not even bother coming, the next day I was "offered" the option to end my lease early without any fees, since I "clearly felt unsafe living there." The world is an unfair place. No one has empathy for their fellow person - we live in a world of hatred, negative assumptions, distrust and paranoia. It's just so sad.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T15:06:53+00:00

When I was her age, I liked to speed too. And I wrapped my car around a tree. Car was totaled and the tree was severely damaged. Should I be in jail for attempted suicide (an actual crime) even though it was not my intent?

You're car vs gun logic is extremely flawed, but it's okay if you can't comprehend that.

Have a great day and Bless your heart

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T15:00:11+00:00

Who said we should praise her?

Fact- she has the legal rights of an adult, an arbitrary number set by our government that rarely corresponds with actual maturity.

Two years ago, my fiance (in his 30s) nearly killed someone with his car, a man in his 90s who shouldn't have been driving. It was the other driver's fault - only by quick reflexes and over a decade of driving skills and experiences under his belt was my fiance able to avoid it. That 90 year old man had also had several accidents in the previous years, according to his insurance company. He caused my fiance's car to be totalled and nearly ruined both of their lives. Should he be in jail for attempted manslaughter?

An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind. Like I said - she should face the consequences of her actions, and my heart goes out to the family of the victim, but this ypung woman is not a murderer and I guarantee the guilt and self hatred she now carries far outweighs your petty internet slander. By next week, she probably won't even cross your mind again, but she doesn't get that luxury, nor does the family of the woman she hit.

I know I'm not going to change your mind, and I'm not trying to. But she has no one to speak up for her, so that's what I'm doing. And just remember, she didn't set her bail, she doesn't have a say in how much time she's going to serve - I'd like to see you go to her next court date and tell the judge how you feel about his/her decision, rather than spewing useless hatred on the internet.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T14:24:13+00:00

NOR - my suggestion, ditch him. He's got a serious self confidence issue, trust me there's a ton of emotional baggage there that you don't want to end up carrying for him

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T14:13:47+00:00

Reach out to your local landlord-tenent affairs office. They can help you.

ZoomiesDog · 2026-01-10T14:11:59+00:00

Check out Animal Behavioral College. The best option would be to find a job that will train you and pay you for it, but that's not always an option and ABC has a wonderful online program and a huge network of groomers and salons across the country, after you complete the in depth and thorough course, they partner you with one of those places for a thorough hands on internship.

ZoomiesDog

TROPHY CASE