A couple questions for dog owners?

i got my pup when he was eight weeks old and i walked him from day one ... by ten weeks old he was attending puppy kindergarten ... i live in an apartment so he was walked in public from the day i got him ... i let him close to people i knew with dogs that were vaccinated ... but i did not let him go nose to nose with random dogs until he was fully vaccinated ... if someone wanted their dog to say "hi" i would just tell them my pup was not fully vaccinated yet ... it is detrimental to a puppy to be kept in until they are fully vaccinated ... pups go through two fear stages, one which occurs while in the time frame of the first puppy shots, and keeping the puppy indoors or away from everything and anything because of lack of shots could affect the pup's adult personality ... overly fearful for example ...

i sweep and vacuum once a week ... my dog is only five pounds and i find i have to brush out loose fur, it does not fall out ... he is allowed on any piece of furniture he wants ... but on my sofa and bed, he has his own beds and most often lays in those ...

i have land hermit crabs that are kept in a tank ... my dog is afraid of them when i let them out to wander around ... http://youtu.be/3kwPEwgauBY ... he does get along well with other dogs and cats belonging to friends ...

occasionally some people will call my dog a rat or an ankle biter ... one group of young guys passed me once, one kid (in his 20's) called my dog a rat and tried to kick my dog ... i cracked him in the face with my dogs flexi-leash handle ...

✺ When your dog was a puppy (or your current pup) did you wait until your pup got all its shots before taking it out on walks or to public places?

Yes, definetally! If anything every happens (bites someone, fights, etc.) You are going to need those records!

Also, did you still take your pup outside to potty in your own yard?

On a leash, yes.

And did you still let your pup meet vaccinated dogs or no?

Well my dogs were vaccinated before meeting other dogs.

✺ Do you vacuum/sweep daily because of dog hair?

Yes, I also brush them daily. But it depends on the breed and number of dog, of course.

✺ Do you own any other pets but dogs? How does that go?

I have a cat, they wanted to play with her at first, which terrified her, but then they learned to leave her alone. Of course, breed, sociability

, and how well trained the dog is does play a factor. Starting young is a good idea though!

I was just wondering how you went about letting them meet or if you did?

Just slowly introduced them, they more or less met on their own, under supervision, of course!

✺ Have you ever gotten nasty/rude comments about your dog(s)? And has your dog/pup every hurt himself/herself? Today when I went to answer the door my puppy somehow managed to climb on top of my table from getting on a chair in attempt to eat a piece of chicken that was on a plate, when I closed the door I said "Andy" and heard a whine. I ran into the kitchen (where he was) and he was holding his paw up whining. I rushed him to the Vet. As I was waiting to go in with him (super busy, apparently a lot of dogs had eaten chocolate from V.day) some lady asked me what happened to him. I told her that he fell off a table and she gave me a nasty look and said "well, you should have been watching it!"... I know it was my fault for leaving him alone, even though it was only for a few minutes. I was just wondering if anybody has given you nasty/rude comments/looks about your dog(s) ?

(Oh, Andy (my pup) is fine now, he had a very small (greenstick) fracture and they wrapped his foot up and gave him some pain medicine, said it would heal in a few weeks and he would be just fine.)

Once when I took Copper, as a pup, to a doggie pool, he got called an "attack dog" because he was playing tag with a little pup -_- T He was wagging his tail and happy as ever though. That lady was just mean. Other people stood up for us and she left though. lol Of course there will always be critical and mean people but don't take it to heart. You are doing the best you can to care for your dog, you took him to the vet like a responsible person. Everybody makes mistakes, don't worry.

Do you own a mutt or a pedigree? Purebred Keeshond from both Champion and Obedience titled lines How much did you pay for your dog? Only me and my breeder know - and it will stay that way. where did you get your dog from? Well researched breeder 2 days drive away that I met 10+ years before at our national bred specialty. When I thought I would be ready for a puppy in the Spring - I contacted her in the Fall and found out that she had bred a b*tch that I liked and that she was due shortly and that she thought she would have more puppies than were reserved at that time - but that she would then not be breeding again for a full year. I put my name on that litter - that is my current 7 year old girl. Currently I have my name in for a puppy form her next litter and have been waiting for over a year. My first 2 Keeshonden came form a breeder 2 hours form our house - that I found when looking for the breed and then my 3rd dog came from a breeder about 4.5 hours away that I had competed against in Obedience at a regional specialty. All of these pure bred litters were Kitchen raised, and both parents where house dogs. All of the puppies in each litter were placed by the time the puppies where ready to go to their new homes at 9 weeks. (My first Kees was the one puppy not placed at 9 weeks - so the breeder had done a Newpaper ad - which I am very glad for as it means I got a great fully health checked puppy from good lines when I was still to green to know the right question to ask). what do you feed it? Biologically Approriate Raw Diet ( supper will be Turkey gizzards, and hearts) with assorted "processed", and "human food" snacks. She'll get salmon treats for a training session when I get home and then some popcorn with the TV movie tonight when one of my best friends brings her Golden Retriever over - the dogs play with each other and then "beg" for popcorn while the humans talk and watch a movie.

I waited until my puppy had all of his shots. I potty pad trained him at 8 weeks to use the pad and then after he had all of his shots, I trained him to go outside.

I don't vacuum every single day because my dog never sheds. He's allowed to sit where ever he want's and sleep with me if he wants but, he usually doesn't.

My dog is 15 now but, when he was 8 weeks old, I already had a cat. She was 18 years old and very cranky about the dog. She would attack me and the puppy so, I took her to the vet and found out that she was sick and had to be put down but, I will never own a cat and dog at the same time. In fact, I will never own a cat again.

The only time my dog hurt himself was when he was about 6 months old. I came home from work and he wouldn't come when I called him which was very out of character for him. I found him on my bedroom floor next to the bed. He wasn't able to move from the waist down. I rushed him to the animal emergency hospital and he had injured his spine. All we could figure out was that he must have fallen off of the bed while playing. He was paralyzed from the waist down for about 3 months but then one day, I was in the kitchen and I turned around and there he was. He made a full recovery but, now at age 15, he does have some arthritis from the injury. I've never had one person say anything nasty about my dog. he gets along with everyone.

Okay, I will do my best to answer your questions.

1. No. I do not give my dogs vaccinations. I see no reason in pumping poisons into my dogs. My dogs have a strong immunity and are able to fight diseases naturally. My dogs are fit and active and have never had nor need vaccinations.

2. Yes. I do have to sweep my floor daily because my two mutts shed constantly and heavily even though one if short-haired and the other is semi-long-haired.

3. I own 2 dogs, 1 cat, 1 gerbil, and 50 chickens. We plan on getting goats, pigs, and rabbits come spring. I let them meet with the dog on the leash and the cat free to go. He knows how to protect himself from many dogs and so far, my dogs have never hurt him.

4. Well, we live out in the country but I did take my female dog with me on a 40 minute trip to a big(ish) town today. I walked around the store and got 17 compliments (yes, I do count. lol) on how big, pretty, gorgeous, and well-behaved she was. I HAVE gotten a couple mean comments before. Once when someone said she looked like a vicious Pit Bull and told me that she'd never let her kids near my dog (my dog is a GSD/Great Dane and looks NOTHING like a APBT). Also, another time when a veterinarian told me I should send her to the humane society so she has a chance at a better family that will feed her kibble and give her vaccinations. I feed my dogs the Prey-Model-Raw diet by the way. :)

Also, yes, my dogs have hurt themselves. My female dog has gotten her paws sliced up twice while swimming in our nearby creek. Some irresponsible people threw their crap in our swimming area. She has also cut open her paw by trying to jump over the coffee table (which was mostly glass). She landed in the center, cut open her paw pad, and I ended up doctoring it for a few days until it healed. She also once ran full speed into a wooden pole that was hidden by long grass. She limped a bit but was fine after a while. She has never hurt herself bad enough to have an X-ray, get a cast, or to get stitches.

Hope I answered your questions well.

I work in a vet's office so they day I got Tazr he got all his shots. I let him play in the yard there and at my house though. He never went out walking around the neighborhood though.

No, my dog doesn't really shed.....

Yes, I have 4 cats. Tazr tries to play with them but they just smack him him and run away lol.

No, but he will occasionally be running around outside and trip over something and hurt his foot. He'll limp for 5 seconds then be fine ( I've had the Dr. look and they said it was fine)

I have quicked Tazr a couple of times though by accident. He bled a little but I just used a nitrate stick on it, but he didn't even whimper.

Yes, as it was not worth exposing the pup to an unnecessary risk.

That does not mean to say he was kept indoors until it was safe for him to be on the ground, instead to begin socialization and expose him to a wide variety of sights, sounds, experiences and situations, I carried him in my arms and in the process grew arms like a gorilla, or it felt that way at the time. He was also taken on the bus, train and for trips in a car.

No more work because of the dogs because the vacuuming would be done daily regardless. There will always be a few dog hairs missed and that is to be expected – I know I’ll be wearing a few on my person now which is not unusual. My Dogs are invited on the couch, chair, occasionally to nap on top of my duvet cover, but usually in their beds because they hog the space.

I currently own two dogs and no small pets as the b^tch would see it as a light snack.

Nothing is usually said about the breed I own in my hearing. However in the minds of some the reputation of the breed precedes it and they instinctively reaction with caution. For example crossing over or walking into the road to avoid my dogs calling children over/moving them to one side or picking up small dogs. My red Doberman has an easier time of it than my black b*tch because few people correctly identify his breed.

Aside from a piece of branch having to be surgically removed because of my dogs explodes with excitement at the sight or scent of a rabbit and will track her target with single minded intensity, wherever it takes her, heedless of what sharp stick may be under paw.

Good that Andy’s injury was fairly minor – hard working caring for a puppy, into everything.

We waited until he got his shows be for we put him on the ground in public areas.

No.

Yes three Cats. They are outdoor Cats so they don`t interact much wit the Dogs.

Yes. I have people always saying that my Pomeranian Charlie will bite. I once had a lady thought that we just had Charlie in a snuggly for fashion when really it is because of his bad leg. Had two mothers say to their children that they couldn`t pet Charlie because he would bite, he is the most friendliest Dog I ever met and LOVES children, people assume he bites because he`s a small Dog and is a Pom, Men some times call my Dogs rats or not real Dogs because they are small. The worst thing is when people try to ignore my two black Poms and only pet my orange German Spitz because of probably superstition.

Charlie has hurt himself many times when he was young because of his leg. Barry (My other Pom) has Luxating Patella and will some times pop his knee out. Barry also doesn`t always think when he jumps, but has never hurt himself (Has super tough bones, just not tough knees).

1) it is safer to wait for all of the shots but I believe in socializing dogs young so as soon as has his second shots he was in public but I carried him the majority of the time.yes depending on the history of the house. I knew for a fact no.one had lived in our current house for the last 8 years so yes.

2) No I don't sweep or vacume daily our dog is short haired lab/ pointer mix and doesn't shead much.

3) As for other pets.I have a cat and 2 bearded dragons. My dog is only 5 months so he still gets excited when the move or run but I have taught him 'calm' where he lays down and crawls to get closer and 'easy' so when they run he starts to chase and I call easy and he comes to a slow walk.

4) people love Ruger but I get complaints of him jumping on people generally older or younger kids, but he's still young and in training I also get that he barks too much which is honestly when he trys to play with a older dog that doesn't. Other than that I get good compliments and I ask a lot and expect alott from my dog so others think he is extremely well behaved and intelligent which I agree with

I do not take them on walks outside of our yard until they have had all their shots. Yes my pup is taken out into the yard to potty train. Yes my pups are allowed to be around other vaccinated dogs.

When we owned our Dalmatian I vacuumed every day because they are heavy shedders. With my other dogs I vacuum every other day. She can get on the couch ...when allowed but has her own dog bed to sleep on. She does not spend much time at all on our bed. It is a high bed and she cannot jump on it without assistance.

No other pets.

I have never received any nasty/rude comment on any of my dogs. My dog did tear a dewclaw. Our dalmatian split the tip of her tail by wagging it and hitting the wall.

Just there is no need to keep a human baby hidden away from other people and places before its old enough to have its vaccinations, there is no need to do this with puppies. I was taking my dog out before he even had his rabies shot.

I do not sweep every day, though I probably should. When my dog got fleas I HAD to sweep every day just to control them.

My dog could never live with a cat. But one time I had a guinea pig in my house and there was no incident. He would stare at the guinea pig while I was holding it, but he wouldn't try to grab it. I would never have dreamed of leaving the guinea pig unsupervised anywhere in the house.

That vet should have been ashamed of herself for such a rude, judgmental remark. A couple times my aunt threatened to kick my dog. I told her I would kick her out if she did.