The pets thread

[MannDude]

If you've got pets, share photos! I've got two cats, though want to get a small-medium dog. (Don't have a huge yard)



I just untacked my curtains from the wall so the cats are now getting in the window again. They tear the blinds up so I don't usually let them up there. The little one is a shit-head that I may give away. The other one is too fat to be a nuisance usually.



I've had her for a few years now. Both cats are from the same mother, just several years apart. She comes out with me from time to time when I step out back for a smoke.

What about you guys? Have pets?

 

[MannDude]

Also, I'd love to get an aquarium again. Used to have fish but it wasn't an elaborate setup. When I moved I let the room mate keep the setup as it was a 50/50 effort and it was easier for me to leave it behind than move it. Wish I still had it though.

 

[drmike]

Animals, I had one for lunch Ahh kidding, but my Chinese neighbor might not be.

I had a bunch of ducks until coons got hold of them.

No pets in my future unless I buy a horse to go with my new land.   A dog wouldn't be a bad idea, but I need someone to train the creature as I have not the time or attention to deal with that.  Trained right though, none of this house pet nonsense.   The dog lives outside too.

Bunches of stray cats here, so always plenty of begging going on and temporary pet.   When the cat herd thins I wonder what is for dinner next door.

 

[MannDude]

Animals, I had one for lunch Ahh kidding, but my Chinese neighbor might not be.

I had a bunch of ducks until coons got hold of them.

No pets in my future unless I buy a horse to go with my new land.   A dog wouldn't be a bad idea, but I need someone to train the creature as I have not the time or attention to deal with that.  Trained right though, none of this house pet nonsense.   The dog lives outside too.

Bunches of stray cats here, so always plenty of begging going on and temporary pet.   When the cat herd thins I wonder what is for dinner next door.

Ducks you say? I used to live on an orchard with thousands of migratory birds. This consisted of ducks, geese, couple swans but mostly ducks. (We also had 40~ peacocks, tons of turkeys, 30 or so chicken, 25 or so pigeons).

Coons are bad. They're vicious little bastards. Raccoons are one animal I don't mind hunting just to hunt. They're a nuisance on a farm and kill chickens and birds just as a fox or coyote would. If one gets in a chicken coop you may go out there in the morning to find a bloody coop with nothing but feathers and random chicken parts. Luckily they're easy to spotlight in trees. Raccoons are pretty damn smart though. Traps rarely work on them. They work in groups. Cunning little bastards they are.

A good dog, everyone needs one. I used to have a pitbull and he was the best dog ever. Well trained. Well mannered. Was a inside/outside dog. I'd never have a dog that had to be kept inside the majority of the time. That's not where dogs belong. (Well maybe if you've got a little dog like a dachshund or something).

Cats are alright. I really didn't mean to get a second one but I just kind of did. Kittens suck. Grown up cats that are fat and lazy are cool though. They just wanna chill in the window sill all day, sleep, and eat. Kittens on the other hand like to climb curtains, walk under your feet anywhere you are in the house, scratch up your furniture and get stuck behind the fridge...

 

[shovenose]

Lilarupa:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=1C3160943066FB82!573&authkey=!AO0z15cM1lpXGfA

 

[trewq]

Lilarupa:

https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=1C3160943066FB82!573&authkey=!AO0z15cM1lpXGfA

Why would you give your dog ice cream?

 

[Amitz]

You are killing your dog by giving it things like ice cream. That is not funny. And not very responsible. I am dead serious.

 

[raindog308]

You are killing your dog by giving it things like ice cream. That is not funny. And not very responsible. I am dead serious.

Could be Frosty Paws, which is an ice cream-like product specifically made for dogs.

 

[shovenose]

Why would you give your dog ice cream?

Lila gets a tiny bit of organic vanilla ice cream twice a year - once for her "anniversary" and once for her "birthday" - I don't think it's killing her.

 

[Amitz]

.

 

[raindog308]

My GSD...almost 9 years old but still going strong.  Canadian father/Serbian mother, so he's a mix of North American (tend to be longer/leaner/sweeter/laid back) and Eastern European (shorter/stouter/work-oriented) lines.

Completely 100% disagree with MannDude about where "dogs belong".  Dogs belong inside.  They're pack animals and keeping them outside in a separate place is a gross violation of pack mentality and is pretty much the dumbest thing you can do with a dog.  It seriously borders on cruelty - dogs live to serve their masters.  They don't mind being at the bottom of the pack, but definitely want to be strongly in the pack, not in the yard.  Also, in my house, if someone were to break in, besides the alarm, there'd be a big GSD in their face.  Finally, being inside exposes to them to many humans.  My dog was never around kids until he was 7, but he's never had any problem with a small child yanking his fur, he knows how to behave around large parties, etc.  Dogs that are not well integrated into families tend to have more behaviorial problems (not always).

Dogs require as much care as children - besides socialization with humans, they need extensive socialization with other dogs.  My guy is very well behaved around other dogs (loves to play with them), well behaved around humans, walks nicely on a leash, etc.  All of that comes from patient training in his first 1-2 years, hanging out with humans, and hanging out in dog parks.

 

[raindog308]

Lila gets a tiny bit of organic vanilla ice cream twice a year - once for her "anniversary" and once for her "birthday" - I don't think it's killing her.

Anniversary? She's married!?!?

My dog's birthday treat is a mix of salmon, tuna, and some other kind of fish...fish is his favorite food and he prefers it to any other kind of meat.

 

[shovenose]

Anniversary? She's married!?!?

My dog's birthday treat is a mix of salmon, tuna, and some other kind of fish...fish is his favorite food and he prefers it to any other kind of meat.

Anniversary of joining our family. She is a "rescue dog"...

 

[MannDude]

My GSD...almost 9 years old but still going strong.  Canadian father/Serbian mother, so he's a mix of North American (tend to be longer/leaner/sweeter/laid back) and Eastern European (shorter/stouter/work-oriented) lines.

Completely 100% disagree with MannDude about where "dogs belong".  Dogs belong inside.  They're pack animals and keeping them outside in a separate place is a gross violation of pack mentality and is pretty much the dumbest thing you can do with a dog.  It seriously borders on cruelty - dogs live to serve their masters.  They don't mind being at the bottom of the pack, but definitely want to be strongly in the pack, not in the yard.  Also, in my house, if someone were to break in, besides the alarm, there'd be a big GSD in their face.  Finally, being inside exposes to them to many humans.  My dog was never around kids until he was 7, but he's never had any problem with a small child yanking his fur, he knows how to behave around large parties, etc.  Dogs that are not well integrated into families tend to have more behaviorial problems (not always).

Dogs require as much care as children - besides socialization with humans, they need extensive socialization with other dogs.  My guy is very well behaved around other dogs (loves to play with them), well behaved around humans, walks nicely on a leash, etc.  All of that comes from patient training in his first 1-2 years, hanging out with humans, and hanging out in dog parks.

Good looking dog.

When I said 'outside' I simply meant I could never own a large dog without a large yard. If I had a dog your size, I'd prefer a large yard so it can just be let out where it can run around and be outside or on a farm where it can just run free. I've lived with small house dogs that were basically let out to use the bathroom and large dogs that were a mix of indoor/outdoor dogs, though my pitbull stayed inside at night most the time. But during the day it'd be outside, but I worked outside on the orchard, so it'd run around a 20 acre property with me.

I'd never just leave a dog chained up outside. If I had a dog that had to stay outside. It'd have a large area to run around and not be chained or confined to any small area. The lack of having the proper yard is what keeps me from getting a dog, as my yard is only fenced in only on 2 sides.

 

[raindog308]

My dog is content on about .4 acres...however, the back yard is fenced in and he goes to a dog park every morning and evening, with weekend hikes in a federal forest    As long as he gets his daily burn, he's content.

 

[drmike]

Nice Shepard @raindog308.

Do you call him/her a German Shepard or is it a mix of two other Shepard breeds?

 

[Nick_A]

I have a 14 year old male German Shepherd (yes, 14), a 6 month old full blooded male black Lab, and a female mutt who my mom's cousin had to give up. Planning to breed the lab when the time comes.

 

[MartinD]

This would be my best friend, Rocky. Sitting at the top of the stairs, as he does every night, waiting for me to go to bed:

He's a 4.5 year old Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

The old 4ft tropical tank:

Quite sad about this actually. When we moved house it became difficult to move the tank. We ended up with a split in the bottom so had to decant the contents in to some large bins and took them to my sisters house where she had a tank we gave her. Unfortunately, she didn't look after them so the whole lot died shortly afterwards.

I do have another tank now (used to have 5!) but I can't find any recent photos!

 

[Reece-DM]

My cat



He's 12 now.. getting on some but very healthy for his age. 

 

[raindog308]

Nice Shepard @raindog308.

Do you call him/her a German Shepard or is it a mix of two other Shepard breeds?

He's a German Shepherd Dog.  I really don't care about AKC, papers, etc. but he is a true GSD.

What you call a GSD is a subject of debate.  In German the word is Deutcheshaferhund (German Shepherd Dog).  Most GSD owners I know call them GSDs.  However, Wikipedia calls them "German Shepherds".  A German shepherd is a Teutonic man who carries a crook and watches sheep...GSD is the proper name in my opinion.  But I wouldn't go to war over it.

My dog has the herding instinct but has never practiced - most GSDs are not used for herding but they can be trained to do it very easily.  

My guy mostly defends us from the dire threat of imminent invasion by backyard squirrels.  He's kept use safe from these rodent assaults  for 9 years.