I'm tired of politics, let's talk about our pets!

↑ Siriusly? ↓

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 12:36 pm

FF, your pets are gorgeous! Someone convince dh to let me get something bigger than a rabbit?

↑ FranticFrummie ↓

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 1:34 pm

Rappel wrote:

Absolutely. Cat siblings are the best!

My cat has recently taken a liking to hanging out with my while I shower. It's strange, but kind of cool!

What do I do for my dog? She has very good street sense, loves all the world, but she dislikes anyone who acts in a suspicious/unfriendly/aggressive manner. There's a couple in the neighborhood whom are socially awkward and brusque (they don't mean to be mean, is just the way they are), and their bizarre body language makes her freak out at them every time. They hate her, and I wish she would leave them alone, since we collaborate a fair bit. Any tips?

When I got Nessiyah, she had fear aggression towards children and other dogs. I had to do some intense training with her. I took her out for a lot of walks in crowded areas, and as soon as she would react I'd put her in a sit-stay. She had to look at me, right in the eyes, and I'd tell her "Leave it." I'd hold her in that position until her body language calmed, and then I'd pop a treat in her mouth and say "Good leave it! Good girl!"

I did this over and over for several months. I took her to the park and let all the little kids pet her. I let her play with other dogs, and basically got her properly socialized. I don't think anyone ever did that with her when she was a puppy.

Now, we can walk along the street and I can say very quietly "leave it" and she'll just keep on going. The other day we walked past a chocolate cupcake that had been dropped on the ground. She started to show interest as we approached, and I said "leave it" and she looked away and didn't even slow down. I was so proud of her!

If your dog is in your yard and barking along the fence line, there's really nothing you can do about that. Your dog is naturally territorial, and she's announcing to the world that strangers cannot cross that barrier without your permission. It's a very deep instinct to protect her "pack of people". Just be happy that you have a furry burglar alarm!

I sleep like a baby, knowing that if anything happens Nessiyah will tell me. She can hear my fence open even when she's sound asleep, and she'll give a warning bark saying "Mom, wake up and check it out! Something's happening!"

Dogs also have separation anxiety, and need to sleep in the house at night. If you leave your dog out in the yard overnight, she will get nervous, and that will lead to her being inappropriately aggressive.

If your dog continues to really dislike this couple, no matter how much work you do with her, think about it. Dogs are an excellent judge of character, and they don't second guess themselves. They are pure gut instinct, and they are often much more aware of danger than we are.

My dog does not like Arab delivery men, but she's just fine when Jewish delivery men or repair men come. I don't think she's picking up on my body language either, because I am happy to get my package or get something in the house fixed.

amother

Silver

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 1:36 pm

Siriusly? wrote:

FF, your pets are gorgeous! Someone convince dh to let me get something bigger than a rabbit?

What if it just showed up?

↑ Siriusly? ↓

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 1:50 pm

amother [ Silver ] wrote:

What if it just showed up?

Nah, I couldn’t do that to him or the pet. He’s really not an animal person ( Crying

), it’s not fair to do that to him, and then we wouldn’t be able to keep the pet long term because dh just won’t enjoy it, which is not fair to the animal.

If I came across a wounded animal in the street (if that’s what you mean by showing up), I’d take it in to help it, but dh would probably want me to give it up for adoption once it recovered.

ExtraCredit

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 1:51 pm

Best thread title ever! I love talking pets. It reminds me about the incident where Biden sprained his foot while playing with his dog.
Oops, never mind! FF they’re beautiful! Enjoy them in good health!

MiriFr

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 3:53 pm

My pet is a half frozen chicken cutlet defrosting on the counter

chmom ↓

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:06 pm

We got a rescue cat from the SPCA in January and the entire family is in love
My husband who wasn’t so sure about this has been heard talking to the cat early in the morning, telling his he is a good kitty for making peepee and poopie in the litter box and that he ( my DH) will clean it up right away
All this in a high falsetto baby voice
The kitty’s name is Teddy , we love him to bits

https://I.imgur.com/jZXqAq0.jpg
https://I.imgur.com/r7vMC2j.jpg

Last edited by chmom on Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:09 pm; edited 1 time in total

amother

Oak

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:07 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

My front door is open. My blind cat is in the windowsill, pawing at the glass and meowing to be let in through the window. The window is right next to the front door!

She can come in any time she wants, but if I take her down from the windowsill and try to show her to the front door, she gets confused and runs off.

Then eventually she gets back up in the windowsill. I don't want to leave the window open, because then she'll get used to coming and going that way and I can't keep it open all winter.

What are your pets up to?

My yorkie doggie is nuts when it comes to the mail delivery person and mail! He grabs any mail and runs with it and tears it up! He thinks it’s the enemy. If I manage to get it first he’ll run after me to see where I put it and then he spends five minutes trying to grab it downl

↑ Rappel ↓

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:13 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

Sounds like you did great work with her!

But that's why I mentioned that Ally has good instincts. I don't want to change her life perspective. She's normal, happy, well socialized, and is overall a very calm, fun dog. She used to hate young middle-sized men, because she was tortured cruelly as a puppy, but she's even relaxed about that now. She is gentle with children, with other animals, and she's great at reading body language and situations. If a kid makes her nervous, she leaves, she doesn't fight. She barks a warning at strangers, but not aggressively.

So her response to this couple really is outstanding, and the only reason I can come up with is that they really do act very socially off. We consider them friends, so she can't be reading our body language. And I don't think they're bad people at all, but their manner is very brusque and off-putting. Very socially off, very traumatized. There used to be another gentleman whom she disliked, he was always stiff and awkward and reclusive, but we became friends over his birds, and now when she sees him she is relaxed. It's only them.

It just makes things awkward, because we do come in close contact with them frequently. But I can't seem to teach her that they're fine, and we've been working on it for a year. If anything, it's only gotten worse over time - she used to just bark at them, but today she rushed the husband in a business-like way. I've never known her to bite any living creature, but if I thought it were possible, then she looked like she was going to bite him.

I don't think they are secretly evil. And I don't know how to fix this more than I already have done.

↑ Rappel ↓

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:15 pm

chmom wrote:

↑ Rappel

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:16 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

Her name is Yuni, because I got her in June. She's a rescued feral cat.

I also have a black rescue cat named Lucky, because when he was brought to me he was near death. It was touch and go for about two weeks before I was sure he'd pull through. I didn't name him until I was sure he would live. He is a really good hunter! Mice and spiders don't stand a chance against him.

I have a little rescue dog named Nessiyah. She's the sweetest thing ever. I am her person, and she is always glued to some part of my body. Right now, she's pressed up against my leg, sound asleep. She's just my speed, too. She's a sight hound, and her idea of fun is 3 minutes of intense play, followed by a 4 hour nap.

https://scontent.ftlv2-1.fna.f.....DF71F
https://scontent.ftlv2-1.fna.f.....AAC72

Gorgeous dog, and nice sewing machine!

Fox

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:23 pm

↑ chmom

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:26 pm

Rappel wrote:

I know. My husband is 6ft 2 and a strapping lad

↑ Siriusly?

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:27 pm

Fox wrote:

Lol! So true! Do tamagotchis still exist??
And which one of you dog-owners will be my friend so I can have all the fun and none of the effort? Very Happy

icebreaker

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:39 pm

Today we found out our cat has diabetes. She’s old and has been losing weight for quite some time now. But she’s still a feisty thing and healthy other than the diabetes, so we’re hoping that getting managing it will give her more healthy, happy years! She’s currently sitting on the floor next to me, watching the dogs and making sure they come no where close to her LOL

amother

Apricot

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 4:46 pm

We have a goldfish named Grandpa which we got as a joke almost a year and a half ago. Had I known, it would live so long... It’s taking up precious counter space and lives on fish food and its own poop. Funnily enough, we googled how to tell the gender of a fish and we think it’s actually female. Keeping the name though.

amother

Azure

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 5:51 pm

Fox wrote:

The official fun vs. effort graph on pets

They forgot sourdough on this graph!!!

↑ BH Yom Yom

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 6:47 pm

chmom wrote:

Awww he is beautiful!!😻

Love that story about your DH “daddying” Teddy. 💕

↑ FranticFrummie

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 6:58 pm

chmom wrote:

Oh my, that second picture got me laughing so hard! I love when kitties do that.

I also take care of a feral mom and her 4 kittens. I'm in a daylight basement, and my kitchen window is at ground level. I keep a water bowl out there for them, and if I have any extra food scraps I put them out in a bowl too. (I can't feed Nessiyah any human food, she has a delicate tummy and will barf it all back up.)

When they hear the window screen slide open, they all come running. They hover at the window whenever they smell me cooking something in the kitchen, too. It's cute watching all of the kitties line up - it's like a bird feeder, but for cats. LOL

shanie5

Tue, Dec 01 2020, 7:19 pm

DD has a pet rabbit. named Mini Devil. Minnie for short. She loves being out of her cage, but poops all over the place! We are now trying to potty train her. Then she can have more time to run around the house without us having to find poop everywhere.