1. Should I pick a particular breed because I thought of a name that's specific to the breed? I'm thinking of a pug named Nate, which would be the nickname for Nacius, which seems Roman, based on pug Nacius, for pugnacious.
2. Should I pick a dog because I had a dream about a pug who said "I love you," and when I searched the web, I found this:
February 10, 2016
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103 comments:
You can pick your teeth and you can pick your poison.
But you don't pick your dog — your dog picks you.
Don't be a breedist. Anyway, breeds are only social constructs.
Pugs are awesome. They have one of the highest scores on the American Temperament Testing Society's list. But, I suggest going to a breed rescue. There are so many rescued pugs that need forever homes.
Did you learn nothing from "Men in Black"? Pugs are aliens.
"Should I pick a particular breed because I thought of a name..."
No, no, no. Other posts notwithstanding, pick the characteristics you want, match to a breed and then find a reputable breeder. You get what you pay for.
BTW, Pugs are clowns, goofballs, hard to train (including house train). They slobber, bounce around, are generally nuts. Plus you can never really tell which way they're looking. You could probably accomplish most of that and get a cleaner animal with a cat.
Then pick a simple one or two syllable name that doesn't sound like something in common use around your home (like 'beer', you know). I know naming that wild-haired kamikaze puppy "Bernie" would be really funny now, but next year, when he gets elected and all your middle-aged neightbors quit their jobs and you're paying for their college and health insurance, it won't be funny anymore. Take the long view with the name.
A pug?!?!?!?!!!
No wonder you voted for Obama in '08
I would just go to a shelter or rescue and let the dogs figure out which one gets you. Do a meet-and-great and figure out which one needs you the most.
It's more important to get a dog whose needs work with your needs. Some dogs need a lot of exercise, some have to have constant companionship. Some need jobs.
I have personally always gone with "pathetic creature shows up - let's see what I can do with this."
The best dog I ever had was a hopeless abused pup who was going to be put down for pure viciousness, so I think Meade might be right. My better half came home with him out of pure compassion, and he turned into a rescue dog beyond compare, but it was months before I could touch him with being bitten.
Dogs kind of have souls. It's a bit like Meade and you. It's not so much the dog, it's what you and the dog can be and do together.
Get a Papillon and name her "Flutter."
Althouse are you getting a dog?!
one of us, one of us, one of us
big dog has your back
big dog will answer the door
If it's Trump-Bernie, I would definitely go big on the dog
I vote for a mutt from a shelter. Middle aged and older dogs have the lowest adoption rates, so consider one. I believe mutts have fewer health issues. Pugs, I think, are prone to certain problems.
Really, if I were getting a dog, I would pick a breed I am familiar with. I would love to get a Yorkie based on the wonderful, muscular Mr. Pepper. Or, I woukd rely on the perfectly reliable Lab, which we might cal, Adore. Or Dorry. Because I like those very obvious names for pets.
Get a rescue greyhound -- they're clean, sweet-natured, heathy couch potatoes. They come house broken and well-past the troublesome stages of puppyhood. Plus it will come pre-equipped with a name that makes even less sense than Nacius (which Safari wants to convert to "nachos" and would be pronounced Nah - key - oose by the Latins.)
I have a pug.
Things you should know: Pugs need maintenance. You have to clean their face and ears regularly. The folds can get infected with bacteria and fungus.
Pugs are very energetic. I think they are like miniature Labradors. They like to eat and fetch.
Pugs can get fat easily, especially if they are fixed. They really need their exercise and a good diet.
Pugs have some breed-specific health problems, and their life expectancy is 13 years, which is low for a small dog. They can have vision problems, too.
I really like pugs. Mine is intelligent for a dog, despite the reputation pugs have. He's very calm and nice to kids.
You once said you loved the dog name "Pee Gordon Piddly."
I would take the advise of our very own Titus and investigate the Clumber Spaniel. Splendid dog.
1. Don't give your dog a punny name- what's next, a pointer named Sisters, an airedale named Carnegie or a boxer called Shorts? Just say no!
2. Didn't you already bring home Meade so that he'd be around to say "I love you?" Plus, he's housebroken & rarely drinks out of the toilet- bonus!
3. Get a rescue dog or mutt from the pound.
Spoken as a cat person from way back.
If you do get a pug and you do name it Nate -- short for Nacius, short for pugnacious -- then you'll also need a snare drum, the kind marching bands use, so that when you and Meade walk little Nate on this leash and people ask "How cute. What's his name?" Meade can provide the rimshot when you explain.
Get a Lab. They are still far the best.
@Ruth Anne
LOL.
Good memory.
Get two. One that can swim and fetch. And a pug (or even better, a puggle).
One think to be aware of -- I know you don't fly much but dogs with a "smashed in" face typically aren't allowed on airplanes.
I had a pug for 19 years named Caesar. Smartest dog ever. Woke me up at 3:30 am standing on my chest and pushing his face into mine. When I woke up he gestured his head vigorously toward my nightstand, where a dusty water glass had sat for months. I got up and went to the kitchen and in the dead center of the kitchen floor was his water bowl, bone-dry. I filled it up, he drank nearly the whole bowl, I filled it up again and then he ran back to the bedroom and went to sleep. Smart, nice, they watch tv, they're tug little guys and they're incredibly polite, too. :)
Hillary Clinton is a...
French Poodle
Bernie Sanders is a...
Bichon Frise
Donald Trump is a...
Dingo
Ben Carson is a...
Saint Bernard
Jeb Bush is a...
Bloodhound
Marco Rubio is a...
Golden Retriever
Ted Cruz is a...
Doberman Pinscher
John Kasich is a...
Basset Hound
I now have my fourth basset hound. They are great dogs, although not long lived. The first was an adoption as a puppy and was named "Dudley." They need names like that. The second was a rescue named "Charley" whose hind quarters were weak but a week after we brought him home, he was walking around the block with us. He was an angel. Next came Winston, who died a month ago of cancer.
We now have Juliet, another adoption from the basset rescue shelter. Today she had a breast biopsy for a lump that is probably just a cyst.
Pugs are supposed to be excellent dodogsGo for it!
Hillary Clinton is a...
Hmmm... I not too sanguine about these comparisons of the candidates to dogs. Not too enlightening beyond simple stereotyping. I think it's more interesting to contemplate the candidates in the context of the dog owners satirized by Christopher Guest in his mockumentry Best in Show.
Watch this clip and think Sanders.
I love to watch that rolling muscular backside as the pug walks away.
PUUGGSS!!! They are the best!
I have always had a dog. I currently have a female Labradoodle. She is far and away the best dog I've ever had. Her name is Noodle and she loves all people and all dogs. She swims and loves to play catch with a tennis ball. Ballcentric would be an understatement. She's wonderful member of the family.
Pick a dog that will live longer than you, or suffer the consequences.
The first [Basset Hound] was an adoption as a puppy and was named "Dudley." They need names like that.
Goofy looking, though not goofy at all, so they seem to deserve goofy names. There must have been a million Bassets called Boomer or Huckleberry or Buzz. Deerhound owners tend to go all pretentious with names from Celtic mythology. My first was called Bran after Robert E. Howard's Irish barbarian "Bran Mak Morn" (just a rehash of Conan, but placed in real history). Bran was followed by Tom, Puck, Guinness (after the beer) and Kyle. Better names altogether. No explanations needed.
Bran was a great bar dog. He never barked or even showed his full height until I paid up and left.
Here's Guinness posing for a calendar. He was a popular breed representative.
I dreamed last night about snakes.
Get a Chow. GREAT hoe protection watch dogs. Before ours would bed down at night she wuld check out every room, then sleep in the breeze-way between the main house and the den, guest bedroom.
To be honest, the Jack in the avatar has passed on. I wasn't going to get another dog. We are empty nesters, but my 90 year old mother lives nearby. The dog was her part-time companion. I would drop the dog off in the morning, and then sit, and visit with Mom in the afternoon. The sit, and visit without the dog was dreadful.
I have acquired another Jack. Mom loves her new part-time companion.
I will be updating the avatar shortly.
Get a cat instead, and just call him "the cat."
This is Casper.
She has no spots.
I not too sanguine about these comparisons of the candidates to dogs.
I feel bad about insulting dogs like that!
That Bichon Frise link cracks me up though.
cute, cute, cute, cute, psycho with an afro
Two Jack Russells attacked my Deerhound Guinness one afternoon. I was leading him on the sidewalk to the neighborhood dog park for a romp with his buds when two Jacks dashed out of the front door of a house across the road to attack a dog that outweighed them both by 100 pounds. Guinness responded by flinging one of them bodily about fifteen feet back into the road where an oncoming car just barely avoided hitting it. Meanwhile I snatched up the other Jack out of harm's way and got soundly bitten on the hand for my trouble.
I could not decide who was the border collie. Trump's not smart enough for border collie. Cruz is too mean for border collie.
I like dingo for Trump because of the dingo's messed up dog status. Also, "the dingo ate my baby!"
Bishons alway look like dogs caught in the act of spontaneously exploding.
Get a pug from a shelter.
Virgil, I think Ann & Meade's hoes can take care of themselves.
madAsHell said...
"I have acquired another Jack. Mom loves her new part-time companion.
I will be updating the avatar shortly."
To which I say: I love People doing Good Things.
You are doing a Very Good Thing.
I am Laslo.
Guess which famous power couple this is.
Meanwhile I snatched up the other Jack out of harm's way and got soundly bitten on the hand for my trouble.
I've always had terriers. Jacks and Welshes. If you listen to them, and they listen to you, then they behave. They like being directed. You have to be the alpha dog.
My sister has had three Brittany Spaniels. They were all meaner than snakes, and every one of them bit her husband. I don't understand, and I don't ask. There is a lot of shit going on there.
They spent several thousand dollars trying to train the dog. Yeah...that didn't work. The dog bit him again. Another trip to the emergency room for stitches.
So...basically, your neighbor might be a nut.
If you want a pug, buy a pug, for God's sake...as long as the breed works for your personality and the way you live. Just know its idiosyncrasies (snoring, can be yappy, prone to certain health problems). Do your homework, perfesser.
If you're trying to be cute/clever with your dog's name, before ever having met the dog who chooses you (I agree with Meade on that point), you have no business getting a dog.
Go to the Humane Society -- is it still in McFarland? -- and look at the dogs there, and let them look at you. Which one is drawn to you? That is how you get a dog. Then, knowing its personality, a name becomes obvious.
To which I say: I love People doing Good Things.
You are doing a Very Good Thing.
I am Laslo.
Thank you, Laslo.
She's cheap. She doesn't want to pay $5000/month at Merrill Gardens, but if her grandson needs a "loan", then she can't write a check fast enough.
First dog was a husky shepherd cross we raised from a puppy and named Sybil. She lived 12 years
We decided we liked the husky half best, and adopted a 3 year old Siberian named Skye. A wonderful dog. She died at 14 two years ago.
We went dogless two years and adopted a nearly Identical 6 year old Siberian, who just happened to have the same name. It was kind of eerie for awhile.
Husky good points. Hardy, clean, friendly with dogs and people, pretty smart.
Husky bad points. Lousy guard dogs, escape artists, need a lot of exercise. Did I mention they shed?
No matter what breed you want, there is a rescue out there specializing in them. Save a life.
Feed raw meat and bones (chicken legs, pork, beef ribs, etc) and only feed once per day =
60% less poop, and it's firm and dry.
Dog will not be constantly hungry
A real bone with meat on it is like a book for a dog
Never worry about obesity or it's associated illnesses.
No dietary supplements needed
Far cheaper than dog food which is mostly grain which becomes poop - a dog is not a cow.
Dogs from my youth: Freckles. Pepper. Barney. Duffy. Sandy. Misty. Patches. Bess. Mollie. Sam. Ginger. Penny. Bob.
Many more that I am forgetting.
While I recognize the altruism present in the "get a rescue" impulse, it's not a good idea. We have rescued a number of dogs over the years, and had them in the same household as dogs from very good breeders. There was no comparison in either behavior or health. We never knew what the rescue puppies would turn into - timid, aggressive, stupid - and every single one had health issues. The big buck dogs have been invariably wonderful companions, smart and trainable, and exactly the personality we wanted. Incidentally and less importantly, they also have all been beautiful specimens as well.
Get the lab from a reputable hunting kennel. Look at the sire and dam first. Tell the breeder what kind of dog you want and let the breeder recommend a puppy for you based on what he/she sees. You will not ever regret doing this and you'll have the dog of your life.
Downsides to pugs:
They scoot. Be prepared to clean carpet stains regularly.
They snore.
They are prone to sinus problems.
Upsides:
They are adorable.
ummm....Dude.
I'm 59 years old. I only had one dog as a child. My 100 year old Uncle has had less dogs than you. Either you had an extended childhood, or we need to call ASPCA!!
Freud would argue, sure sure after the psychoanalysis but still, he would argue:
1) Pug dreams represent fear with the dog symbolizing change you imagine at first being fun and rewarding but have major reservations about because
2) Subconsciously you recognize the longing for the change/addition is due to anxiety portending a "fear cascade" stemming from
3) Insecurity about the institution of employment/identity being altered significantly by a nationwide ABA centralized bar exam requirement to practice in the Lower 48 and perhaps even Alaska, but not Hawaii, not today.
His conclusion: Dachshund. Dachshund Dachshund Dachshund!
I have bought both rescue and breeder dogs. I like Weimariners like the one in the video clip. Bassets are big dogs and, if you like them, there are quite a few in rescue shelters since people get puppies and when they get big, can't care for them.
I like labs but they are very high maintenance and need lots of exercise. I'm too old for that.
I don't like little dogs and jack mussels are very aggressive.
The rescue shelter I have gone to has 100 basset hounds and you have not lived until you have seen and heard 100 basset hounds bay.
Not sure what breed Hillary is, but she is a bitch.
I have a Jack/Shepard. Half the size of a German Shepard, the spunk of a Jack Terrier but twice it's size. She's fun to walk because when a solicitor comes up and says "aw, what a pretty dog" and you say, "I would stay back if I were you", you are always right. Shepard's are so territorial and Jack Russel's are always up in everyone's business.
This stray came at us from across the street. It was foaming at the mouth. Roxie was giving it the total business even though this dog was over twice her size. I started to try and push her back with my leg. She looked up at me and started giving me the business.
I love my Roxie dog.
The small rescue I've worked with for 10 years has rescued thousands of dogs, of which I've rehabilitated about 100 at my home. When you get them from a decent rescue - and most breed specific ones are good, they are healthy and wonderful, and you can spend plenty of time with them before you decide. A rescue dog is usually just a dog that had the bad luck of having uncommitted people before it met you.
My wife's sister and family bought a purebred Pekingese pup. The youngest daughter named the dog "Poochie" but the name ran into trouble with the purebred licensing organization - don't remember if it was NAPR or AKC or NKC.
The dog's name was not accepted, according to the family, until they changed the spelling to "Poo Chi."
I know, this has all the makings of "an old wives tale."
bagoh20 said...
The small rescue I've worked with for 10 years has rescued thousands of dogs, of which I've rehabilitated about 100 at my home.
Good on you! We've only done 16.
Ann, are you getting a dog? Thats really serious business - they are not fashion accessories, you know . . . so what JCC said the first time I agree with. The second, about rescues, not so much. I'm a German Shepherd guy myself, only breed I ever had, and have had expensive dogs and rescues, and had the better luck with the rescues. The local German Shepherd Rescue knows their dogs and is honest about any problem. Meade must know his way around dogs. Know that hound dogs tend to follow scents and can run off for days.
The Weimaraner is FREAKING OUT!
Our dog names: Daisy(spitz), Texas(beagle), Ginger(mutt), Beaver(collie), Hannah(Norwegian elkhound).
By far, the elkhound was the best. Surly looking, but absolutely pleasant. Sheds blankets however.
I think you should choose the dog you dreamt about.
But other than that, there is no reason to have any dog other than a sheltie.
I have two doggies. One is Molly 'cause her dad was a McNab.
The other is Hillary 'cause... you know why!
We got a pug 3 years ago from a pug rescue group. He was 6 years old at the time. Loves shrp cheddar cheese with a passion. Very well behaved dog; doesn't bark much; wants ro meet people, especially women and girls. He is very loving towards our family and the love is returned , unconditionally both ways. Plus, he provides white noise in the bedroom when we are sleeping. He also likes to go or walks, so you have a built-in exercise machine. And, they are ugly cute!
"gup"
is a good pug name, imho.
I had a 3/4 German shepherd that had 1/4 wolf bred into him. He was the best dog. Lived a long, healthy, happy life without all the purebred problems. He was very territorial but only rousted dogs out of his claimed territory, always careful not to hurt them. A few would-be criminals revisited their plans, it seemed, based on break-ins around us.
It's amazing what a big baritone bark does to people's resolve.
I have a dog-lite, or cat.
These questions cannot be answered in a sentence containing the would "should," unless it's to say that you should choose the dog that seems most right. Don't overthink it.
Folks looking for dogs may want to consider an Australian Labradoodle.
Unlike normal doodles, you can pick a smaller size if that fits for you. And, they require a lot of health testing before breeding.
Or, you could go w/ rare clumbers.
Go to a good shelter and let the dog pick o=yu.
Is this a trick question? I thought Althouse didn't like dogs.
Whatever dog you get, don't let it learn to beg for food. The dog will learn to beg if you feed it other than in a dish at mealtime. If you don't feed it scraps and treats--and you have to be strict about this--the dog will look at you if you have some food but won't beg. We decided to never, ever give our current dog (pound dog beagle-border collie mix) human food, even in the dish, and not to feed her scraps. It is really quite nice to have a dog that does not expect food every time you have some.
And train the dog. If you don't know how get someone to teach you. Basic dog obediem.nce is pretty easy to establish. They like to learn. All you have to do is teach the
" I thought Althouse didn't like dogs."
I think she likes dogs but does not want to have one around the house all the time. That's possible, you know. It's kind of how she felt about men until Meade came along. Things can change.
Dog-lite?
Freeman, I am fond of cats but rarely are they a dog lite. I had one that was, when I was a boy in a neighborhood that was safe for cats (and boys) to be out and about. It would follow us everywhere, all the kids, as we played. I've never seen another cat that would do that. No cats now. My wife is allergic to cats. It's dogs for us from now on.
No no no no no no.
Plenty of breed specific recues. They often have good info about the breed on their websites.
"David said...
Dog-lite?
Freeman, I am fond of cats but rarely are they a dog lite."
My cat plays fetch. He sometimes initiates it.
If you get a dog and you name him Nacious, I think you have to give him a last name too. Perhaps McGee. As far as breeds, I have shared my home with two standard poodles from reputable breeders. On the plus side: smart, no smell, no shed. Minus: the personality of Sartre. They lay on the couch all day and sigh, contemplating the meaninglessness of this existence, rousing only when there is food or a walk in the offing. I am lucky to get one tail wag when I get home at the end of the day. They avert their faces when I try to give them a hug or kiss. Oy. I'm hoping that a golden retriever/poodle mix might result in a more optimistic personality.
Not that anyone cares, but I'll add my personal breed preferences: Retrievers - Lab and Goldens - and German Shepherds. I have hunted over retrievers, and trained and worked with both SAR retrievers and work GSD's. Retrievers are outgoing, happy and just want to hang out and be your friend. GSD's are maybe the easiest breed to train, among the smartest and will serve as the Neighborhood Watch, Pool Lifeguard for the kids, and if it comes to that, will kill anything on 2 legs or 4 that threatens your family.
We always have one of each in the home. We really want a hot Border Collie but we're traveling a lot and not sure how to fit one in right now. So many breeds...so little time.
Dogs don't talk the way people seem to think (related - mean dogs in films aren't talking mean at all, but are exuding pussycat). Apparently few people bother to talk with dogs, or notice when they talk.
Talk about what the dog will be interested in, using the same phrase; and they'll remember and notice the phrase because it preceded something predictable.
Notice what the dog does.
My Dobermans have always picked up a toy that they thought would interest me, when they wanted to go out and do something.
You have to be interested in toys predictably for the dog to do that.
I like Dammit as a name. You will be saying it a lot if you have a dog.
"Feed raw meat and bones (chicken legs, pork, beef ribs, etc) and only feed once per day =
60% less poop, and it's firm and dry.
Dog will not be constantly hungry
A real bone with meat on it is like a book for a dog
Never worry about obesity or it's associated illnesses.
No dietary supplements needed"
Hey, this is my own current diet. I really AM a dog!
Poodles. Hypoallergenic. No fur, it's hair. No vacuuming fur and dandruff. Got to get to the groomer once in a while for a trim, and keeping the ears hair-free is continuous. Poodles are bird dogs and love to play fetch. YMMV
Doberman Julie talking today. She wants us to go out and do something.
She stands between kitchen, where I am, and door, holding a toy she thinks I'm interested in.
Usually we'll go out if just for a second, to show that the talk means something.
At the moment in today's photostream there are 3 toy-holding messages, Let's go out.
Dobermans are self-cleaning. Dirt drops off the fur on its own.
chillblaine said...
Poodles. Hypoallergenic. No fur, it's hair.
"Contrary to popular opinion, there are no truly “hypoallergenic breeds” of dogs or cats. Allergic dander in cats and dogs is not affected by length of hair or fur, nor by the amount of shedding."
"Husky good points. Hardy, clean, friendly with dogs and people, pretty smart."
Warm. They like to snuggle with you if you let them in your bed.
"Husky bad points. Lousy guard dogs, escape artists, need a lot of exercise. Did I mention they shed?"
Did you say shed? If I don't vacuum at least once a day there are drifts of underfur everywhere.
She is a red Siberian and if I don't walk her at least two miles she's restless all day. She has wandered quite far, but if the Moose Lodge is open she'll head there first to see if she can cage some handouts.
Other thing to love. Watch them trying to catch mice under the snow.
"SA: Is there a difference between hair and fur?
NS: There isnt. Hair and fur are the same thing."
We have a 16 year old "rescue" mutt named Chrissie. Covered with tumors but not in pain. Our vet has told us for over two years she only has a month or so to live.
I have vowed, and my wife has promised, that when Chrissie dies we will be without a dog for a while. We travel a lot and our dog sitters are no longer available.
Then, last week, I was called on to transport a dog who was abandoned back to the shelter that had chipped him two years ago. Nine point four pounds of Chaweiner (but I told him he's a Rhodesian Ridgeback). He ought to be about 13 to be healthy. Named Neil. On the three hour drive to the shelter Neil and I bonded over a warm pick up truck cab (he didn't have enough body fat to fight the cold) and mutual love of beef jerky. Gentle and loving, housebroken and playful. Couldn't stand to leave him at the shelter even though I now it's one of the good ones. I volunteered to foster Neil until he was a bit healthier. He gained 1.4 pounds in that week. Took him to the shelter today for medical clearance for an adoption event Saturday. Took him back home.
Damn little dog loves to burrow under the covers. And into your heart.
If you get and keep a dog from the pound, or a shelter if that is different, I will forgive you your iniquities. Every time I want to launch on garage, I always remember that he is a dog lover.
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