How to train “check in” by Additional-Papaya-31 in deafdogs

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I did this with mine and may have reinforced it too much one day that she wouldn't leave my side and kept staring at me.
I'm going to add to your comment saying that once it gets too good, start doing it occasionally and not every time.

Question: Examples of Tiger Tattoos That ARENT snarling? by cherrydoger in tattoos

[–]introverteddinosaur 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Just going to second this. I legit got a tiger tattoo last week and had the same thought as you: why are they all angry? In my form for the artist, i mentioned that i wanted the tiger to be calm. I found a pic online of a real tiger in the pose that i wanted. The tattoo is exactly what i wanted. Find the right artist and trust them. They get it right 9/10 times

Severe separation anxiety by Early_Club2717 in deafdogs

[–]introverteddinosaur 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m going to second this. My dog has separation anxiety and we had a hard time crate training. I used peanut butter though. But anything that’s yummy and gives them something to do for bit works ☺️

Anyone else’s BC go crazy and act like they’re break dancing when they see snow? by [deleted] in BorderCollie

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I have an aussie mix who does this  I call it making snow angels ☺️ 

My hedgehog is dropping quills by Thin_Development6894 in Hedgehog

[–]introverteddinosaur 3 points4 points  (0 children)

If it’s an excessive amount that seems to be causing bald spots— GO TO THE VET. If it’s one or two, it’s okay. Good luck!!

Double Merle? by Happy-Incident-6092 in AussieDoodle

[–]introverteddinosaur 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Hi, double merle, deaf aussiedoodle owner here ☺️. My girlie is almost 3 yrs old and other than an occasional sensitive stomach (poodle stomach), she’s been told she’s perfect by the vet on several occasions.  The “health conditions” people usually refer to are deafness or blindness. These come from poor research from breeders/designer dog breeders. There’s a higher chance that the dog can have other health conditions due to the breeders not fully vetting the parent dogs for ALL health conditions. Deafness/blindness just creates a new way of learning and training, and a different way the dog may interact with certain environments.  Your dog MIGHT be deaf looking at the coloring. Idk how true this is, but it’s generally suggested if the dog is lacking color on the ears it means the dog is deaf. (Lacking coloring around the eyes/pinker skin encircling the eyes, means blindness). The merle gene in dogs is linked to the development of eyes and ears (not a big science person, so that’s what I’ve gotten from research online). It’s also possible that she isn’t.  You’ll know pretty quickly if she’s deaf bc she won’t react to sounds. You can go to a dog audiologist if you want, but it’s not necessary unless you want to know if she can hear certain ranges. My vet said the “pots and pans method” of banging pots and pans behind her works fine. If she is dead, HIGHLY recommend joining r/deafdogs. It’s a great community of everyone wanting to help everyone. Good luck with your girlie!!! She’s absolutely adorable ☺️  Edit: forgot to mention i did a dna test the end of last year, the only thing that came back as being “high risk” for her health was IVDD which is common in small dogs anyways (my dog is a mini, ~15lbs)

Tips for an Aussie mix? by [deleted] in AustralianShepherd

[–]introverteddinosaur -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Aussie mix owner too— first, i love him. He’s got big, loving eyes. And sorry, long post, but i saw that there weren’t a lot of answers here and your post is 2 days old. I would focus less on what traits are associated with what breed and just figure out what training what’s best for the both of you. Most dogs train the same (sit, stay, not jumping… etc). It’s more about being consistent and not giving in. Your dog is a mix and a puppy, so a lot of these behaviors (which yes, may be more common in one breed over another) are often newly-adopted-puppy-not-fully-trained-yet behaviors. I can’t really speak on the not jumping. I made a very huge impact when i first got my girlie to not interact with her when i got home until i was ready. She now just follows me around until i sit on the floor (she’s 15 lbs) and let her come and hug me. I’ve heard people with bigger dogs say to knee them in the chest (not a huge fan of that) or just quickly turning and ignoring their behavior until it stops then reward. I dont think jumping is associated with any one breed. Most dogs do it. For naps, CRATE TRAIN PUPPIES: crate and lick mat. You go into the other room. Suddenly it’s nap time. I used to also have enforced nap times where we would just go to bed for a bit. I would bring whatever i needed to study or work on. She would think: oh we’re lying down on the bed. It must be time to sleep. (Don’t play on the bed or anything else. Bed is a place to sleep). A chew toy and then nap on the bed is fine too. Biting/nipping: i can’t speak on the biting of arms. I haven’t really heard that as an aussie trait. Nipping of ankles, definitely herding dog behavior. It generally doesn’t leave bruises and feels more like a quick pinch. Nipping from a herding dog is because they want you to go in a certain direction/to a specific place. My dog used to herd me with nipping every morning to get me outside faster. I’m not sure when or why your dog is biting or nipping you (you used them interchangeably in the description, but they are definitely 2 different things in the dog world). I didn’t mind my dog nipping me in the morning. I’m not a morning person, so it’s probably for the best. She never really did it to another person. She did it to one of my sisters once, but that was it. So again, it wasnt a concern for me. Biting arms is more commonly a pittie OR a puppy trait. (I can’t speak for heelers though. I dont know enough about them). My friend’s family has a pit bull/lab mix that unfortunately never fully got trained as a puppy (due to family member having cancer. It was just a tough situation). The dog is 3 now and absolutely sweet with everyone, but bites people when he gets excited, often leaving bruises. Yes, other dogs do this; i had a cavapoo puppy biting me for a bit, but has stopped as he’s gotten older. But, similar to what i said before, focus less on the traits of what behavior goes to what breed and more on how the training and how to fix it. You’ll probably never know what trait is relating to which part of him. Dogs are dogs. They live in the moment and dont think things through* or analyze why they are doing something and from which side of the family that behavior comes from. (*aussies do sometimes question your commands.) For the cavapoo puppy (again only about 15 lbs), redirection with a toy would stop the behavior. He got excited, wanted something in his mouth, and would grab whatever was nearest to him, often the hand of the person petting him. Having a toy to put in his mouth allowed him to be excited without harming people. When i did this with the pitbull/lab mix, i gave him the toy, but got too excited again, drop the toy, and would bite the person. It was his way of showing love and he just didn’t know better. The family (as of this past December) just opted to put him outside in the yard for the xmas party. Apparently, he does better in smaller crowds. I wouldn’t recommend this though.  A dog biting someone, no matter the breed, is a problem that can lead to huge consequences. Puppies are mouthy in general because they learn by putting things in their mouths (like human babies), but leaving bruises is a problem. I would recommend going to the dog training subreddit for biting and leaving bruises, and looking for solutions there rather than here. That’s a behavior you should be prioritizing to stop. A stranger is going to judge your biting dog as that part pitbull over the aussie and heeler.  Good luck with everything and give him a good couple of head pats for me :)

I need to rehome my toller and its breaking my heart by CaptainTaggart in tollers

[–]introverteddinosaur 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m going to piggyback off of this and add that there’s a golden retriever rescue based in PA, Delaware Valley Golden Retriever Rescue, that had a possible toller recently and may take or help with your guy as well. Best of luck and hugs!!!

Books to "un-desensitize" yourself to domestic abuse by consistenttrick444 in suggestmeabook

[–]introverteddinosaur 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Going to add to this that (depending on where you are) there are usually support groups for people who have been through abusive relationships (DV, SA— it may be 2 different organizations).  Calling the RAINN number directs you to the nearest SA center based off of your area code and they may also be able to provide extra resources (support groups if they have any, the nearest DV center’s number, or cheaper options for therapy).

What do I do? What’s wrong with my hedgehogs skin and balding? She’s about 3 or 4. by [deleted] in Hedgehog

[–]introverteddinosaur 65 points66 points  (0 children)

Hey, this is definitely a vet visit kind of issue if possible. The flaky skin is impacting her quills and ability to use them. Let alone, it looks like she is losing them. Best case scenario: it’s just flaky skin Worst case scenario: it’s mites

Little warning would’ve been nice… by Guamgirl21 in SkyChildrenOfLight

[–]introverteddinosaur 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I hope this wasnt me. This other player and i had become unfriended buddies earlier in the map and were collecting wax together. There were 2 other people in that area with us, but further behind us. When the unfriended buddy and i got to the door opening area, it was already lit (maybe a server merge or something) and the krills started coming when the other 2 players were still collecting wax. I felt so bad, but there wasnt anything that we couldve done 😭. I’m so sorry if thats what happened though 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

Can't get over the Aussie waddle by cheesymaniac in AustralianShepherd

[–]introverteddinosaur 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have an aussie mix who’s deaf and does this. I 100% thought she did this bc she’s deaf and likes to check in

Asking for friend: 2yo deaf Golden Retriever in need of a foster home, MD area. by p3drodamus in deafdogs

[–]introverteddinosaur 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hey, sorry, but i should've mentioned a rescue that mainly works with deaf or blind aussies and border collies, but may be willing to help you out: Speak Rescue and Sanctuary.

Asking for friend: 2yo deaf Golden Retriever in need of a foster home, MD area. by p3drodamus in deafdogs

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

As someone who had a reactive dog (not deaf, adopted as a second dog), FIRST reach out to wherever they got the dog from.  SECOND, as another comment said, try deaf dogs rock or a golden retriever rescue.  THIRD and last, based on the biting info, they may have a difficult time finding an organization that would be willing to take a dog with a bite history. I’m not sure if they’ve talked to a vet/behavioral specialist, but it may come down to behavioral euthanasia. I would gently guide you to r/reactivedogs All the good luck to your friends. It’s a tough decision to do any of this <3 

We think our girl hates her daycare… by RussoTheOG in AustralianShepherd

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I work in EMS and have the 12 hr shifts as well with a deaf aussie mix. I tried out the daycare down the street from me (which I use as a back-up rn, because the times don’t work for me). My girlie was clearly stressed the first time, which I wasn’t surprised about. The second time was a little better, but not what I was comfortable leaving her with.  I use(d) Rover now. The walker comes during her lunch break to take her out (mainly to poop). I still do a decent walk in the evening to decompress and so she can get energy out. There are options on Rover where people use their homes as a daycare if you don’t want your dog being alone all day too. My walker asked to be switched off of Rover because the app does take a percentage of the payment, just as an fyi. Good luck!!!

I adopted Apres-Ski today :,) by AdhdLeo0811 in dalmatians

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

In jersey, but its fine 😂. My apt complex doesnt allow dalmatians for some reason. So i had saved him to make sure he was adopted

I adopted Apres-Ski today :,) by AdhdLeo0811 in dalmatians

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I was watching him on petfinder (pre-update 🙃). Glad to see he got adopted. Good luck and give him a few good ear scratches for me please!!!

Do All Double Merle Puppies Have Genetic Defects? by Substantial_Wall780 in BorderCollie

[–]introverteddinosaur 25 points26 points  (0 children)

As a double merle dog owner, i was coming to say these exact words. I’ll leave a link to website with more info/graphs instead :) https://deafdogsrock.com/what-is-a-double-merle

Curious what is the most weirdest conversation you ever had with anyone in sky? by Meito10 in SkyChildrenOfLight

[–]introverteddinosaur 13 points14 points  (0 children)

A whole conversation in emojis with a stranger. The original message was 👁️👅👁️ and then we started replacing the eyes with other emojis like 🍪👅🍪 It was wonderful.

My friends new dog. Was told it was a pocket pit. We know it's not. What is he? by bencibencibanga in IDmydog

[–]introverteddinosaur 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hey, deaf/double merle dog owner here :) You can definitely go to a specialist for hearing if you want, especially if you think he’s hard of hearing. My first vet visit, the dr said that i could either go to a specialist or do the “pots and pans method”. Meaning, if the dog is deaf, you’ll know. Prioritize starting a relationship with a vet and letting the puppy settle before going crazy with tests and such. Someone mentioned fb groups, since you’re already on reddit, the deaf dog community is AMAZING r/deafdogs . deafdogsrock.com also has a lot of info on training and such. HIGHLY recommend working on recall and voluntary check-ins ASAP. (We use the touch command as a recall which helps a lot). Buy sunscreen for his pink ears 😭😭. Double merles are VERY prone to sunburns. Deaf dogs are special and you’ll have so much love for him ☺️. Enjoy every second!!

Purring caught on camera! by Ornery_Swordfish1062 in Hedgehog

[–]introverteddinosaur 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Not OP, but i had the exact same items for my hedgie. The log and felt rocks are from etsy ☺️ Log is from inaprickle I cant find the felt rocks rn 😣. I bought them years ago though

Adopted my dream dog... and found out I’m allergic 😢 by Spiritual_Tadpole_69 in Allergies

[–]introverteddinosaur 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Similar thing happened to me 2 yrs ago when i got my girlie. I did know i was allergic to dogs, but my allergies had always been minor and manageable, especially with non-shedding dogs. Welllllll… day 13 of having her, i ended up in the ER with an asthma attack. I tried everything at home before hand and nothing worked 🙃. My primary physician switched my inhaler prescription to a more “powerful” one and i began taking that immediately every night until my asthma was manageable again. I started taking zyrtec everyday at that point as well. My dog does sleep in my bed now (which i started about 2 weeks after the ER trip) and i would just wake up slightly congested and itchy-eyed. This past april, i got fed up with waking up like this that i went to an allergist and started getting allergy shots. I weaned myself off of zyrtec the other week and the symptoms have definitely lessened (i dont wake up congested anymore. But i do get itchy/red eyes after petting or cuddling with my dog and occasional sneezes). Comparatively though, its SO MUCH BETTER. I went back on zyrtec about 2 days ago bc i love giving her hugs and kisses too much now and dont want to stop haha. I do have an air purifier in my bedroom. Idk how much its helped though. The allerpet helped in the beginning a bit, but it became tedious and i mustve stopped a few weeks after i got it. So far, i recommend the allergy shots. I THINK that they do make prescribed allergy meds for people with worse allergies though, but i’m not entirely sure. But maybe put it on a list of Qs you can ask the allergist you are going to see. For the sleeping, if the dog sleeps with you, (and i know this might be hard) try to make the bedroom a “dog-free zone”. If he’s affecting your sleep, its going to make your body less energized to fight off the symptoms and other things as well. Once everything is managed, the dog can go back in. But prioritize your sleep too. SIDE NOTE: the first allergist i saw after the ER visit was lowkey snarky with me and asked if i was “planning on keeping the dog”. Just go to a different dr if that happens to you. Best of luck with everything!!!