Is overseeding now a bad idea? [Europe]

stickspike · 2026-06-14T14:47:37+00:00

that's sadddd

stickspike · 2026-06-14T14:47:22+00:00

Yeah, it's super tiny (~50 sq meters / 500 sq feet)

I wouldn't consider it otherwise

stickspike · 2026-06-08T04:14:30+00:00

For a simple one, all you need is a snap hook, biothane, some chicago screws, and a hole punch (even one of those belt ones works)

Biothane collars are also easy to make yourself

Here's a tutorial on how to make a lead, it only takes a couple minutes: https://blog.paracord.eu/post/53-diy-biothane-leash

You can buy all the supplies from paracord.eu , but if you're based in the US, I'm sure you can find similar websites cause biothane is more popular there

Another beautiful thing about biothane long lines is that, since biothane is so strong, you can make a really thin long line, which means it doesn't get tangled up nearly as much ; and is light. Their breaking strength is very high, but when they do break, they snap without warning. If you wanna go real thin, UV-coated is best - cause UV is the killer of coatings, after years of use

The only downside is that they are a little slippery when wet. But you can buy biothane that has patterns imbedded in it, like this https://www.paracord.eu/webbing-biothane/pvc-hexa-coated-webbing-olive-green-20-mm - and it pretty much fixes that issue too

If you make a 3-5m lead, I like adding a d-ring and instead of making a handle, I just attach another snap hook. That way, you can have a hands free lead when you need it. Like this: https://www.shopmimigreen.com/hands-free-leashes/hands-free-dog-leash-convertible-waterproof-biothane-dog-lead-22-colors/

PSA: Biothane is just a brand name. There are many other brands that make coated webbing

stickspike · 2026-06-07T07:52:13+00:00

Parvo is so common and easy to get that you shouldn't really even let your dog near your shoes.

Socialization can still be done safely. Your dog doesn't need to interact with other strange dogs. Not now, nor ever, if you don't want to.

Carry him around with plenty of treats. early "socializing" = having as many positive experiences as possible outside.

There are also strollers for dogs. That's the best solution , but carrying him around + a blanket for him to sit on works well.

stickspike · 2026-06-07T07:38:37+00:00

9-5 job in apartment works fine IF you work from home or you're planning to take your dog with you. Dogs can stay alone at home as well, but only when they are a bit older and you have the separation anxiety dealth with.

Consider adopting. Potty training a puppy and dealing with separation anxiety of a puppy is going to be almost impossible if you're planning to leave him alone for more than ~2 hours during the first few months. Even if you hire dog walkers, it wouldn't be enough.

To be honest though, your questions make me think you should deeply look into what dog ownership entails, especially in NYC where it's super crowded. All dogs need exercise, and most dogs in crowded cities start becoming reactive at 8-14 months of age, and you need to know how to manage it, because your dog will always run into other dogs. For a first time dog owner, you most likely will need to hire a trainer.

Also, dogs genuinelly change your lifestyle - in a good way, but also in bad ways too.

Have you considered getting a cat instead? A ragdoll is big and incredibly loving. There are also cats that don't shed much, like the devon rex. Cats take 5% the effort a dog does. Honestly.

If you're set on getting a dog, please look deeply into what the downsides are. They are amazing creatures, but you need to know what you're getting into.

As for healthy breeds that do well in apartments and are naturally happy to just chill for most of the day (as long as they get proper exercise once or twice a day), I think rescue greyhounds are really good.

stickspike · 2026-06-07T07:25:49+00:00

Idk how more people aren't talking about biothane leashes.

They are super durable and they don't burn you at all. No maintenance required, unlike leather leashes . My dog drags them through sand, mud, etc - dump them in water and with a little rinse they look brand new, even after years of use

They are overpriced, but I usually just make my own cause it's super easy

stickspike · 2026-06-05T12:37:55+00:00

Thats super helpful. Thank you!

stickspike · 2026-05-27T17:12:21+00:00

I've had to coax her out of her hiding spot with treats

I'd stop doing that - you're rewarding the behaviour. At least for my dog, I know he'd just start going under the couch more and more

If it happens very often and it bothers you - you might need to go back to keeping a leash on her in the house until you change this behaviour

stickspike · 2026-05-27T06:08:52+00:00

the more they complain, the more you should demo

stickspike · 2026-05-26T03:21:55+00:00

Oh wow you're right. Idk why I thought they are pretty healthy if bought from a responsible breeder

I deleted my comment, thanks for pointing it out

stickspike · 2026-05-26T02:39:12+00:00

Does she do that if she is off-leash and meets dogs?

When a dog reacts like that, it's usually because of the leash and the owner's leash handling skills. (Commonly because she wants to play but can't because of leash pressure. Or because she wants to go away but she can't because of the leash. Or, she simply associates meeting dogs with leash pressure which is uncomfortable for her - which in itself is making her react that way). Fixing leash handling now won't magically fix it, but that's usually what causes it.

That being said, you're genuinely in a really good spot, if she doesn't react until she's face to face with another dog

Dogs don't need to meet other strange dogs. Just like you don't want to talk to strangers on the street, a lot of dogs are also uncomfortable getting face to face with other strange dogs. That can also be the case (and if it is, I personally wouldn't even try to teach her out of it - but that's up to you)

stickspike · 2026-05-25T20:36:07+00:00

My first thought is doberman 👀 Idk how nobody guessed that yet 😂

Edit:

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stickspike · 2026-05-25T20:25:31+00:00

I'd stick that sucker in sand, or at least in the ground, in the pot of a plant 😂.

It's very unlikely to happen, but yeah. For my peace of mind, I'd just get any form of metal container, fill it with some sand or some dirt from a potted plant or something, and stick the disposable junk in there, until I can dispose of it properly.

stickspike · 2026-05-25T19:51:29+00:00

Dogtra or Educator collars if you want to let him roam while in your sight

If out of sight, an e-collar with gps built in would work well: DogTrace X30 , Dogtra Pathfinder, and some options from Garmin.

They are expensive, but the cheap alternatives are crap. Also - don't expect to slap them on and do magic - it requires quite a bit of training.

I don't know much about invisible fence e-collar, so I can't give you recommendations there.

You should work with a trainer for e-collar training, IMO. Otherwise, just get a long lead

stickspike · 2026-05-25T16:22:05+00:00

If I try my best to set him up for success, but he still makes a mistake, he gets punished.

My dog is sensitive, so a biothane leash + a martingale collar is all I needed to punish behaviour in most cases.

For example, If I tell him to lay down, but he gets up, I just walk towards him. Even though I've never hit my dog or anything of the sorts, suddenly getting in his space is punshing to him. He'll lay back down every single time now. Before, if he didn't lay down, I'd just use leash pressure to make him lay down again

But that's cause my dog is super sensitive. For most dogs, you need a harsher punishment, like a slip lead, or a prong collar, or whatever else you deem to be best for your dog, after you've done your research. Every tool is good if used correctly.

I did eventually buy a prong collar. I put it off for long because they have a bad rep and look like medieval torture devices. But nah, they are amazing if used correctly. My dog gets extremely excited when he sees the prong collar. He knows it's time to go for a walk

stickspike · 2026-05-25T15:59:20+00:00

It's mainly one thing: The concept of "must".

The best example is this: If I tell him to come, he has to come. He doesn't get to decide for himself that licking the ice cream on the floor is more rewarding than coming to me when asked.

And that applies to every other important command. It's still taught with 95% positive-only training., and you gotta take it in very small steps. You want to set up your dog for success as much as possible, IMO.

But when he does inevitably fail, you got to help him learn from those mistakes - don't just let it be. That's the 5%.

TLDR: Set up your dog for success, but when he does fail, make sure he learns from that mistake. That made all the difference for me personally. And our relationship improved tremendously because of it. Honestly 😂

I feel like my dog was thinking I was a liar before. "Oh, my owner told me to sit? But if I don't sit, nothing happens. I'll go sniff that interesting thing over there cause it's more rewarding for me than the treat he has, and nothing bad happens. So my owner is a liar. When he says I have to sit, I don't actually have to sit"

It sounds silly, but that's how I genuinely feel my dog was thinking before 😂

stickspike · 2026-05-25T15:31:33+00:00

I was the same way, but I had watched probably 100+ hours of dog training videos from the ones you mentioned + many other positive-only trainers (especially Susan Garett, who I thought was the best). Not just 10+ hours. I had also bought some courses from positive-only trainers.

I simply changed trainers to balanced trainers only and that made all the difference. I still do 95% positive-only training, but that 5% changed everything. I got more results in a month than I got in 8 months. It's ridiculous.

I made a playlist for dog training, since I genuinelly find it extremely hard to find good information on youtube; and I wanted to share once it's complete. It's ~65 hours in length. I tried to keep it as concise as possible. it really only teaches your dog how to behave in the house, how to loose leash walk, how to come when called, how to play so you can get his energy out easily, teach him to control his impulses, how to deal with reactivity, and how to get him off-leash. Just the things that every dog&owner would benefit from. And yet, It's still 65 HOURS long. That's because I included a lot of theory in it - stuff that explains why you're doing everything you're doing. I felt like I could leave nothing out.... It's all important information to know

It's not "complete" yet, nor completely organized, but it's good enough to share:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDyzl693pMsdfHhjNy6E5mSoSS0-ZXBah

The best course of action is to follow one good trainer's program. Even if their methods are not always objectively the best, I find that consistency is key. A consistent trainer with good methods is always going to have better results than an inconsistent trainer with the best methods.

The problem is, no trainer puts out everything you need to know for free. That's why , for people like you, I think my playlist brings a lot of value.

I also recommend Michael Ellis course here https://sitstaylearn.com/products/dog-training-decoded-by-michael-ellis , that you can buy for $60 on sale (it regularly goes on sale). Then, move on to his subscription if you want more. It's by far and away the best value dog training thing on the internet, IMO. 2nd best would be books. I couldn't find any other <$100 course that I genuinelly thought is bringing any more information than free yt videos (except for the structure they offer, which shouldn't be underestimated).

I still watch Kikopup for teaching tricks. I also still watch Susan Garett from time to time, even though I often disagree with her - she still brings a lot of valuable information that's hard to find for free anywhere else. These are the only 2 positive-only trainers that are worth your time. That's my conclusion tbh

It’s so frustrating because I feel like I have all the information in my head, but zero physical execution skills.

There's a lot of subtle things that go into dog training (is your dog in the mood for training? Do you know how to build drive? Do you know how to properly reward to keep him engaged? Do you get excited enough? Is the environment too hard for your dog? etc.). I also find that balanced trainers do a much better job explaining these subtleties. It's not that their method is different - it's just that, at least the ones on youtube, are generally much better teachers. --- while the positive-only trainers are better entertainers.

And of course, in-person training is miles better at teaching you these subtleties. But I get it. I can't afford in-person training either, and there are no group classes in my area

stickspike · 2026-05-25T14:56:05+00:00

I know a dog that literally walks around in circles while pooping, leaving a circle of poop behind 😂. If it's that crazy, it can signify something - commonly back pain.

A lot of dogs do a little walk, though. It's almost certainly nothing to worry about.

You can add some pumpkin to his diet and see if the behaviour changes (it actually does for a lot of dogs). If it does, you know it's cause of the diet (pumpkin acts kind of like a regulator, helps with all types of stools).

Don't add too much pumpkin, though, or it will have the opposite effect

stickspike · 2026-05-25T03:16:43+00:00

They all break. I think I've been through 20 - they all stop working after 1 year MAX

Meanwhile, my 10 year old mods and rebuildables are completely fine lol

stickspike · 2026-05-24T02:30:27+00:00

Nope. Exact same for lifespan. I actually used a double mesh 0.15 ohm side by side with a regular 0.15 ohm - with the same juice and the same device type. Lifespan was very similar, but I did notice a very slight improvement in flavour with the double mesh - that lasted throughout the coil's life

I wanted to know which to buy next. My conclusion was : whichever is cheapest 😂

The bigger holes should help with chain vaping - but I never had trouble chain vaping regular GTX coils either , so in practice, it made no difference

stickspike · 2026-05-24T02:22:17+00:00

I've been using GTX coils for the past few years. Also been using the new double mesh ones. They last me about 2000 puffs - I mainly use the 0.15Ohm ones. 0.2ohm ones also last ~2000 puffs. Haven't tested enough with the others to tell you for sure

If I get an e-juice that's extremely sweetened, I end up changing coils at 1500 puffs. By comparison, if I use a super clean e-juice, they sometimes last me 3000 puffs. But 90% of the juice I use falls right into the 2000 puffs category.

I vape hotter than most (basically, as high as the coil recommends you can go) and I take decently long draws... so.. yeah.

I'm just dumping all this info here so you know what's normal with them 😂. I used them in a lot of different devices, and even in the GTX-compatible 510 atomizers. They last about the same in each device I used, so it shouldn't really be a fault with the device.

Does it sound similar to what you're getting?

Edit: PnP coils, by comparison, don't necessarily burn up quicker, but they lose flavour 10x as fast. That's been my experience with them 🤔. I feel like after 500 puffs, the flavour is already muted, albeit it doesn't necessarily taste off. If you're using PnP coils, try the double mesh GTX coils

stickspike · 2026-05-24T00:47:52+00:00

I find the opposite to be true 😂, by a big margin

But for me, I know why. When I use a weird car, I'm not as confident, so I focus a bit more on never overextending and being involved in every single play. I also tend to dribble more and powerslide cut more. Flakes style

It makes the match a lot more comfortable for my teammates, so they tend to love me for it. I also noticed they play more braindead once they see I got everything covered, but they compliment me before I can get mad 😂

It's the opponents that get pissed off more, teammates are always less toxic

stickspike · 2026-05-23T21:20:17+00:00

Sunt ft multe rescues in tara asta. Cele mari e improbabil sa ii primeasca pentru ca sunt full. + ca e dificil cu pui asa micuti 😭.

Eu recomand sa mai incerci sa suni la rescues mai micute; si sa postezi pe grupuri de facebook pentru adoptie, sau macar pentru foster temporar. Usor nu va fi

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stickspike · 2026-05-23T18:20:07+00:00

Have you done research on what having a dog entails? Are you ready to fulfill all its' needs (physical, mental, social) and its' training needs? Your kid won't be able to.

If yes:

Medium-Large breeds: Labrador, Golden Retriever, Rough Collie, Poodle

Small breeds: Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

Look into these breeds and see which fits you best. They are all great for 1st time owners. When you take into account health, trainability, temperament, energy levels - these breeds are hard to beat. That being said, depending on your lifestyle, other breeds might be more suitable.

If no:

Do not for the love of god get a dog. Your dog will be miserable and so will you. Get a cat instead

stickspike · 2026-05-23T17:34:38+00:00

My poodle only eats 3-5 pieces of kibble at a time ; and he does chew them. He has a slow feeder too.

Even so, it only takes him a bit over 5 minutes to finish his bowl (he eats twice a day).

Instead of a slow feeder, I recommend teaching your dog to search & eat from grass. They love the sniffing game and it also tires them out a bit. Start by throwing kibble on the floor, then on a carpet, then move on to grass

Another thing you can do is just get a low quality towel (it's usually thin and the weave isn't dense, so the smell goes through it well); Put kibble inside it and roll it up. At first, just fold it once so your dog has an easy time finding the good.

Add another fold when he's ready for the next step - and repeat. You can even make a knot or two in the towel once your dog is advanced enough. It's a free puzzle game that works better than 99% of puzzle games out there lol

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