Best/Worst liked Dog Breeds

[Diomedes]

yeah, but leave the ears floppy

[PhillyPhanInDC]

F that. Cropped ears are better for the dogs, and make them look evil.

[Diomedes]

better for the dogs?? 


my understanding of cropped ears generally...on any breed...is that people crop them for two reasons:  1.) less ear to bite off is good if your are fighting dogs and 2.) cropped ears are not nearly as expressive, giving the dog an angry appearance, and therefore intimidating people...

same with the tail.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Those are some of the reasons iceholes do it, but for some dogs, such as American bulldogs and presas, it helps keep the ears from getting constantly infected.

[hbionic]

With that reasoning, why don't you just get rid of them all together...eliminate infections in their entirety.

[General_Failure]

Nothing wrong with floppy ears on some dogs.

[Seabiscuit36]

I'm dogsitting my buddy's New Foundland pup.  She's 7 1/2 months old, 100lbs, and a farging oaf.  Chooch our golden is the same age, and he's lightyears ahead as far as listening and general understanding stuff like how to go take a shtein when she goes outside.  I'm not sure if its because Chooch is a male,and she's off her game, but had anyone dealt with young pups like that? 

We've had her since Wednesday, she's pooped 3 times.  Once on my floor when she got here, in her cage yesterday after holding it for 12 hours, and finally last night outside after a ton of time.  I trained my dog with the rewarding treats for each time she goes outside.  This dog just sits there and thinks i should feed it treats all day long.  I dont know who to be more pissed at the dog or my buddy. 

[Sgt PSN]

The blame lies with your buddy. Can't blame the dog for crapping in her kennel after 12 hours....that's actually on you for leaving her there so long.  But the dog doesn't seem to be fully house broken yet and it isn't because it's a bad dog who wants to do wrong. That's not in a dogs nature.

[SunMo]

we are still working to get my guy trained.  we went to crate training a few weeks ago and it works for the most part.  he still goes in the house a few times, but we tied a bell to the back door handle and he hits it when he wants to go outside.  we give him treats when he goes out there.  the problem is that he doesn't want to shtein before bed and ends up shteinting in his crate.  i guess there is no way to induce that before bed, just try to get him on schedule?

[Seabiscuit36]

The problem is my buddy works from home, and takes smoke breaks roughly every 30mins.  She's just used to walking around all the time.  We didnt leave her in her kennel for 12 hours, thats a fleshpop move.  We left her in her kennel for 4, wife took a half day to get home so we could get her to go.  She just held it for 12 hours.  I literally took her out at 3am, 4am, 5am, and spent 40 mins up until i had to roll into work.  It's just frustrating. 

I guess i just have expectations, we housebroke our pups usually by the 2nd week, and taking them out was never a big deal.  They just go out, do their business, run around a bit.  This oaf just stays glued to your hip leash or no leash. 

[Sgt PSN]

So if I understand correctly, your buddy takes a smoke break every 30 min so I assume that means he takes the dog outside with him every time?  That might be part of the problem too.  If the dog is given an opportunity to do its business every half hour, then she has no need to really learn how to hold it. 

Also, I didn't think about this before, but don't discount the fact that your house is a strange environment and the dog might not be comfortable (perhaps that's why she dumped on your floor on the first day.)  When we adopted our dog back in January, he did the same thing....left a land mine in the middle of the kitchen floor, but hasn't since then. 

[Sgt PSN]

Also, I found out yesterday that my dog hates whoopi cushions. 

[SD]

we are still working to get my guy trained.  we went to crate training a few weeks ago and it works for the most part.  he still goes in the house a few times, but we tied a bell to the back door handle and he hits it when he wants to go outside.  we give him treats when he goes out there.  the problem is that he doesn't want to shtein before bed and ends up shteinting in his crate.  i guess there is no way to induce that before bed, just try to get him on schedule?

Instead of letting him out before bed time, take him for a walk instead. I know it's not as easy but he'll most likely shtein because that's what dogs do to mark territory. After two or three weeks he'll be in a routine of shteinting and won't go in the crate any longer.

[SunMo]

cool, thanks SD

[Seabiscuit36]

So if I understand correctly, your buddy takes a smoke break every 30 min so I assume that means he takes the dog outside with him every time?  That might be part of the problem too.  If the dog is given an opportunity to do its business every half hour, then she has no need to really learn how to hold it. 

Also, I didn't think about this before, but don't discount the fact that your house is a strange environment and the dog might not be comfortable (perhaps that's why she dumped on your floor on the first day.)  When we adopted our dog back in January, he did the same thing....left a land mine in the middle of the kitchen floor, but hasn't since then. 

Yeah, his schedule isnt exactly setting up expectations.  She just has a history of shteinting all over herself in her kennel, but i thought she had outgrown it.  Like your advice to Sunny a page ago, normally a kennel will make the dog understand that the cage is its home.  That usually transfers quickly to the rest of the house.  She's done it a number of times since they had her so i dont know if she understands its farging nasty when she shteins a house out