#I do love rat terriers

[tea-time-terrier]

The beloved rat terrier.

(This is not supposed to be particularly informative)

[sh5]

im really sorry to hear about your dog :( i cant even imagine what you must be going through right now, i hope youre doing okay. and about succession- id def watch it if you think id give you like More Thoughts. of course you're going to grief over it being over, but atleast itll give you something to think about yk? idk. its all up to you, wishing you all the best

Thank you for the kind words! Sorry that I didn’t see this until I sat down to watch the ep, but you were pretty much right! I probably would’ve sat around and cried like I did yesterday if I didn’t have something to look forward to and then distract me. I’ve been the same with work—it’s really, really helped keep my mind off it.

[belfrygargoyles]

huagh

[portraitofalinkonfyre]

If each link was a dog breed, which ones would they be? (besides golden retriever)

Oooo yess I've seen this question before!

Time: Golden Retriever-- nope, Great Pyrenees! I almost put Bernese Mountain Dog, but honestly? I think that fits another member of our beloved chain a bit better. Anyways, the Great Pyrenees is a breed of livestock guardian dog originating from France, which fits Time's farm background well, and they're known for being very loyal and patient companions, though they can deal a lot of damage if provoked. If anyone decides to draw the LU boys as dogs, I would pay money to see Time as one of these cuties <33

Twilight: Bernese Mountain Dog. I just had to. There's a lot of reasons that I believe this dog is the best fir for our rancher, but the biggest ones are that these creatures were specifically bred in Switzerland as farm dogs (omg it's literally Twi), they're known for being very intelligent and eager to please, and they're one of the best dogs you can keep if you have children (not that you can't have other dogs around kids, but these specific dogs take it to a whole new level). I also love love love the floppy ears <333

Wild: Jack Russell Terrier. Kind of a no-brainer because, like Wild, their adventurous spirit knows 'no bounds' and they've been described as "clownish, lively, and intelligent" by several sources. Also chose this one because they're originally a British breed of dog and Zelda in BOTW has a British accent, so...

Hyrule: This sounds a bit mean, but I can't see him as anything but a Mutt. He's already a bit of a street rat, and no one really knows where he came from, so it makes sense that the type of dog he is (hypothetically) would have similar characteristics of this. Despite this, I definitely think he'd be extremely loyal, if not a bit wary, of new people, but once you're in, you're in.

Legend: Shiba Inu. These dogs are typically classified as being intelligent, loyal, and somewhat standoffish (though they do tend to form very strong bonds with their owners), plus they're just so damn cute! Someone please meme him as this 🥺

Sky: If any of the boys were golden retrievers, it would be Sky, but for the sake of the ask, I think the Saluki suits him best. The American Kennel Club describes them as "thought to be a gift from God" which fits great with Sky's background as the "First" hero + his connection to Hylia and the Master Sword. The only drawback is that Saluki's are known for their endurance, while Sky is not, but he is a sprinter, which these dogs also excel at (some breeders say they can run up to 50 miles per hour for short sprints!!!!!!!)

Warriors: Dalmation. This one was a tough-ie because I was trying to find a breed that has connections with the military (b/c Wars is in the army) AND looks absolutely fabulous while ripping your throat out, which is irrevocably the Dalmatian. Described as "reserved and dignified" by the American Kennel Club, these dogs have been used for hundreds of years to accompany and guard carriages of the wealthy, as well as firefighters, in more recent times.

Wind: Schipperke. My instinct told me to go for a Whippet Hound or something similar (have you seen these dogs?? Absolute cuties), BUT then I discovered the Schipperke, a type of dog specifically bred to accompany sailors on their journeys. They're described as very active, energetic, and overall 'busy' dogs, which fits with our Sailor. Breed colors also include a whiteish-creme color that looks SO adorable.

Four: Papillion. There's a fair amount of smaller dogs out there, but I saw the Papillion and immediately thought of the Minish, so here we are! One commenter on Reddit describes them as: "smart enough that they'll sometimes look at you, consider the command you gave, and decide "nah"", so obviously I had to choose this breed for our smithy.

(Actual answer is that Four is a munchkin cat in disguise LOL)

[08melancholie]

Do you have any head cannons on what animal each gang member would be?

I mostly agree with the popular HCs, like Arthur being a deer and John being a Wolf, so on. However I have a few of my own too still !!!!

Arthur—Deer, obviously.

John—Wolf; even more obviously. But also, raccoon.

Micah—The usual answers are always rat or snake here, because of course, but I actually think Micah would be, specifically, a white Terrier or a bull Terrier. Dog, in general.

Dutch—I'm stuck between a lion and a black panther here, nonetheless I think both fit great.

Bill—A brown bear, obviously! We love the bear <3

Charles—Bison is the usual answer, and I agree with that myself as well, however consider this; a bull.

Javier—Coyote all the way, something about it just feels so right to me.

Colm—People'll often say crocodile, but I think eagle. No specific reason, I just see him and I think of an eagle tbh.

Hosea—Cheetah, also no specific reason.

Molly—Pigeon, specifically the brown ones.

Mary-Beth—A wild cat! Specifically, a Havana Brown :3

Reverend Swanson—A borzoi. No further elaboration.

[numberonesnarkfan]

wrote up a scene I've had in my head for months about Sawyer's childhood. Actually quite proud of how it turned out.

(CW for animal death)

Harley rarely smiled. 

Harley wasn’t happy.

But sometimes he was content for a moment, and that was close enough for him.

Sometimes he was unreachably manic. That was close enough for him.

Harley was eight years old. The little wooden house on the hill was his fourth foster home. Nobody ever kept him for long. They were polite, but he knew what they were thinking. If it wasn’t his general demeanour, it was little ‘incidents’ that got him put back into the orphanage.

Or juvy.

Sometimes the orphanage just didn’t have enough room.

Harley had never felt safe around people, even as a child. They did terrible things to him - the adults, the children. The guilty, the innocent. Didn’t matter. There was something blackened and rotten inside him, he knew. It made him unsafe from the world.

Animals, in comparison, were kind. They bit him not because of that confusing mass, but just because they were scared. He’d prefer to be bitten by a dog: he’d know he’d done something wrong and how to fix it. Humans bit him because he was scared.

He was only a boy. 

He wished death didn’t exist. He felt angry when he saw mothers and their daughters. Perfectly matched sets, so pure.

The orphanage nuns told him that the goat fled into the forest when its family was sacrificed, taking all of the world’s sin with it. He felt like a goat sometimes. Lamb to the slaughter.

He felt like a goat in the forest.

The forest was nice.

It was quiet, calm. No screaming or crying, no laughing or grabbing. Just him and the trees and Daisy.

Daisy was a Jack Russel Terrier. She bit him when she was scared. She licked him kindly when she was sorry. He trusted her. 

They played games with sticks and rocks. Harley sometimes waded into the pond until the water was up to his chest to catch newts and frogs. Daisy snuffled around at the edge of the water. She trusted him. 

Harley watched Daisy chase animals in the undergrowth. “That’s what Jack Russels do,” the foster lady had told him, “they’re bred to kill things smaller than themselves. Daisy’s great at catching rats.”

Mice and rats and snakes.

She trusted him.

He trusted her.

She wasn’t human.

But neither was he.

Harley remembered a summer night.

He remembered it for a long time.

It was half past eight at night. 

“I might just have to foster fail with you, boy.” His foster mother had told him while cooking dinner, “You’re so clever, you’d fit right into our family. When my husband comes back from overseas, he’d love to meet you.”

Cautiously, he’d smiled. 

There was a noise from the front porch. Daisy was barking at a raccoon again. He’d have to bring her inside. She’d try to fight anything.

Harley put on his summer evening coat and stepped outside. He remembered how it felt to reach up and grab the handle. He’d been so proud that he was tall enough. 

He didn’t see a raccoon. He saw a snake that darted quickly away into the foliage.

Daisy lay on her back. Her mouth opened. Her mouth closed. Her mouth opened. Her mouth closed. Her eyes stared. 

Harley heard no sound, no breath, no barking. He didn’t know what was happening. How could he?

He stood and stared.

Her mouth opened. Her mouth closed. Her mouth opened. Her mouth closed.

She went still.

What just happened?

He laughed.

���Daisy’s being silly!” he called back into the house. He mimicked her mouth movements. He thought it looked like a fish. It was funny. He was only a boy.

He sat down next to her and rubbed her belly. She felt different. 

Harley knew what dead things looked like. He’d seen dead lizards, dead bugs, dead kids. Daisy looked too much like a dead thing. 

He hit her. He kicked her. Bite me, he’d thought, Get up and bark at me. 

She didn’t.

He stood and stared. Her body slowly stiffened.

He heard creaking. His foster mother was on the second floor. 

Harley ran back into the house. Back into the kitchen.

Harley reached up over the countertop.

She had been dicing tomatoes. He pulled the knife down.

He walked solemnly back outside. His eyes felt wet, and they burned.

Harley stood over the dog.

It wasn’t Daisy anymore. Daisy was dead. Daisy didn’t exist.

Tears fell and soaked into her fur. 

Harley raised the blade and cut.

He struggled to saw a line down her middle. His arms were barely strong enough, even gripping the knife with both hands, cutting towards himself. He opened the hole. 

He saw her organs. They were still. 

He reached inside. It was still warm. 

He cried.

He didn’t understand.

How could he?

He was only a boy.

He trusted her.

Harley flinched.

He only realised why a few seconds later. There’d been a scream.

The foster lady was standing in the doorway.

She stared at the boy, arm deep inside her precious girl. The knife sat beside him. She’d only left it unattended for a moment.

She wondered what he’d been doing to Daisy out there in the woods, if he could kill her in cold blood right here.

He didn’t understand.

He was only a boy.

He trusted her. 

How could he?

The blood wasn’t washed off until he was at the police station. 

He might hurt the other kids, they said. He’d go to juvy this time.

He didn’t understand. How could he?

He was only a boy.

He’d only been a boy.

[cleoselene]

as I am desolately fucking lonely, I sent an email to the Humane Society today inquiring to make an appointment with a 5 year old rat terrier mix. he is with a foster home and not at the shelter so that's why the appointment is necessary, but someone has generously donated the cost of his adoption fee so he is free! Good for me, I am poor.

The listing said he prefers using puppy pads to going outside and that is actually totally fine with me. Ernie was the same and it's not much different than dealing with a litterbox and then the dog is spared the hazards of going outside like worms or whatever. Florida is too fucking hot to do fun stuff outside anyway. For both me and dogs.

Anyway this little guy is described as also loving to spend most of his day asleep. this is also a personality trait I admire lol. A lazy dog who wants to just cuddle and hang out is what Ernie was. I mean he played, we played, but he was a pretty low key dude.

i am just no fucking good without a dog. When Bobo died almost ten years ago, I went and got Ernie the next day. I am single, I don't have kids, my mom is a 45 minute drive away. My roommates give great hugs but the companionship I need is in a dog.

I miss Ernie so fucking bad, it is a painful ache that is I know also me channeling grief and anger and upset about a zillion different things in my life and the world, and I very much need to find a new companion to have a reason to wake up to every day.

Anyway @sylvieons when i showed a pic of the dude said he reminded her of Ben Barnes in dog form which is. fucking hilarious. he got the skinniest legs

[despazito]

in my old apartment, i had both my little wiry terrier mutt dog (he lives with my mom and dad currently) and my cat. one time i had a mouse running around in my back room - while i was trying to figure out what the hell to do about it i saw my cat just like. watch it scurry right in front of her with only a mildly intrigued look on her face. but a moment after, the second it got close to my terrier he lunged forward and broke its neck so fast and so clean it seemed to surprise him as much as it surprised me. there was literally no blood, just a flash of teeth and it was over. all that to say that i think terriers are tenacious little shits with a prey drive that’s so much larger than their size would imply

i REALLY wish more people who kept barn cats for pest control would instead keep or invite over working terriers to their farms. i love cats but they aren't as reliable, don't fair great against rats, and take a lot of native bycatch when allowed to roam freely.

It's sad because it feels like terrier breeds have just fallen out of favour in general. i'm a zillenial cusper and i remember the tail end of wishbone's popularity and the noughties hot pink purse dog era which included some terriers, it's a shame the latter niche has been replaced by french bulldog ownership..

[ramona-quinn]

✨️🌌🪐 More Regressor!Stolas and CG!Blitzø Headcanons 🪐🌌✨️

Note: Some headcanons are updates from previous ones on my last Stolas headcanons post.

Blitzø will drive Stolas around in his van whenever the owl can't sleep at night. The imp makes sure that Stolas's seat is super-duper cozy (a blanket or two, a few stuffies). Stolas may not be a prince for a century, but Blitzø makes sure that he gets to be the ✨️ passenger prince ✨️.

Blitzø calls Stolas: feathers/baby feathers (idea by @shhtickerbook), buddy, kiddo, pal, little bookworm, and little guy

Whenever Stolas is excited about a book he is currently reading, he will infodump about it to Blitzø via note cards. The imp nods and responds with genuine replies, like, "Wow, I didn't know that!" and "That's actually quite interesting!".

Stolas isn't too much of a junk food person. He likes to eat healthy snacks like fruit and yogurt. He also likes to eat rats.

Stolas can sometimes be insecure about his regression due to many factors (his height and that he's used to being the person taking care of people).

He loathes it when there's any yelling or fighting. When that happens, he will cower in fear or hide away so he doesn't have to hear it. Blitzø will gently coax the owl out of whatever hiding spot he's residing in or sit with him until he's ready to come out.

Stolas is obsessed with little shows that delve into literature and encourage reading (Wishbone, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Reading Rainbow, Between the Lions, Wilbur, Martha Speaks, etc.). His favorites out of the bunch are Wishbone, Between the Lions, and Reading Rainbow.

He also loves shows about nature and wildlife (Wild Kratts, Zooboomafoo, Magic School Bus, Puffin Rock, Elinor Wonders Why, etc.).

He generally likes any kids' show or movie that's low-stimulating and helping him learn about the world around him and Earth's wonders.

Stolas is terrified of the dark. He has a nightlight to soothe him to sleep.

He has four Jellycats: two plants (Baxter (orange one) and Maxwell (pink one)), a Jack Russell Terrier (Wishbone), and a blue bunny with stars decorated on the ears (Nova Midnight). They help him feel better whenever he's homesick.

Stolas loves a peaceful, relaxing nighttime routine. A soothing bubble bath, toasty pajamas, warm milk, a bedtime story or two, a paci, his four Jellycats, plenty of blankets, and his night-light all equal a good night's sleep.

Stolas may have lost his status as a prince, but Blitzø will do everything in his power to make sure that he's still treated like royalty. Even if the imp isn't rich, Stolas is more than appreciative of him and his actions.

[verdantwyrm]

Pet Headcanons:

● Daisuke would own a bunny and would spoil them. He grew up with fish only, but he did research for his rabbit!

○ Anya, I feel like she'd own rats and would love every single one despite their short lives. As I kid, I feel like she owned a small dog, a mutt that was mostly toy poodle.

● Curly feels like a dog person, but I think he would actually be a snake person. Hognoses specifically. As a kid, his family had no pets, but he played with his neighbors pets.

○ Swansea has a dog in canon, but I also feel like he would get another dog when his dog gets older, so the younger dog could keep the senior healthier. He has always owned dogs.

● Jimmy would be in jail, so he gets no pet, but some prisons do have animal programs, so maybe he is doing something there. Maybe with farm animals? He doesn't feel like someone who'd want a pet. He probably had a pet dog as a kid, however.

Daisuke with a little bunny is so cute!!! I think he'd really like beta fish tbh, or really any tropical fish.

Anya definitely is a rat girl, she would take such good care of them. As for her little puppy she would probably have a jack russ or a terrier, something small and yappy, she likes smaller animals so she can cuddle them perfectly.

Curly would love snakes, definitely the kind of kid to go around and pick up the first one he sees and scares everyone else with it, not even intentionally, he just never put danger infront of the cool factor.

Swansea's house would definitely be those famlies with six or eight dogs of varying sizes. He's not much of a cat person. He's an old man let him have his puppies

Jimmy to be feels like a cat owner, simply because they're hunters, independent and agile. He has alot of respect for birds of prey though, and would absolutely own an eagle if he could. He doesn't mind dogs, but they remind him too much of Curly, annoying.

[shini--chan]

Headcannons for if the Darlings of Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg brought a puppy with them home and wanted to keep it?

I changed it to the Yandere bring the dog home, because I deemed that in fitting with the personalities of these three better.

Yandere Hetalia (Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands) - Puppy Love

Trigger warnings: emotional abuse/manipulation, stalking, hunting people down

Belgium

Beatrix would get the puppy as a way to show you her soft side. After weeks of trying to butter up to you and failing, she would opt to give you a practical demonstration of her affection. The puppy would be something that would continue to fit in the aesthetic even later on, like a collie or an appenzeller. She would aim for a loving creature with long fur, the sort of dog that would be pretty and where the owner would need to be attentive. Belgium would lavish the dog with love and attention to show you that she is a good person, and to advertise what you could have as well. 

You taking a liking to the new member of your little family would delight here. Aside from being a testimony of her good character, maybe she could get you to bond over the dog with her. Also, if something so cute and innocent and so good at determining the character of humans would take a liking in her, wouldn’t that be a hint for you to do the same? If the dog would act as a bridge between the two of you, then so be it. As long as a loving relationship would stand at the end of the road, that is. If you take a bigger liking to the dog and never grow close to her, then the dog will simply have to go. 

Luxembourg

Nicolas would get the puppy with the intention of raising a dog to track you down. It would be a hunting dog, either some type of hound, an English pointer or a German shepard - the sort of dog with a lot of loyalty and stamina. A long time before he would act on his plan, he would begin with all the preparation to catch you and contain you. Amongst those would be the acquisition of a trusty dog to track you down should you escape, or hide from him. Best get them young so that they are trained properly, would be his thought process here. As such, he would spend a lot of time with the puppy, to train it to meet his requirements. Even if his new companion wouldn’t be used to track you down, surely it can be used for regular hunting, and for chasing down pesky idiots that would dare interfere in your relationship. 

As a side effect of the aforementioned factors, you would automatically spend a lot of time with the pooch yourself. Luxembourg would find it extremely ironic if you would become enamoured with the puppy at first. Soon enough, you’ll learn to loathe the creature, at very least when it would thwart an escape attempt of yours. Nevertheless, he would find it very amusing to let you spend a lot of time with a hyperactive puppy. He would also use the little one as an excuse to call you over more often. Maybe he would even leave you in his house unsupervised under the guise of dog-sitting, all while he would watch what you do when you think that you’re alone in his house … 

Netherlands

Jan would get the puppy as an investment. This would happen relatively early on in your relationship, before his yandere tendencies would truly emerge. At the beginning, there would be the undeniable urge to keep you safe and shield you from the horrors of the world. A guard dog would be needed, even if it would just be to keep you more safe when you’re with him. He would get either a Jack Russel, that could also be used as a rat catcher, or a type of bull terrier that would have a jaw lock once it bites. It would warm his cold heart to see you play with the puppy, and it would be everything he’d want for the moment. You would form a tight bond with your future protector and he would fulfil a domestic fantasy. 

However, it wouldn’t be enough forever. Soon enough, the personification would find himself desiring more and his protective urges coupled with his paranoia would grow more extreme. Eventually, he would lock you away from the rest of the world and enjoy your presence to the fullest. The puppy you once loved would become another chain keeping you in place, another lock keeping the rest of the world out. The animal would adopt the role of keeping any third party out, and also protecting Jan from any attempts on his life from your side. In other worlds, the creature would devolve to a tool to keep the illusion of a healthy relationship in place.

[tea-time-terrier]

I’m getting back on tumblr for the first time in at least 5 years. Now I have a Rat Terrier too!!! I got so excited when I saw your sweater post ❤️❤️ this is Joyner! We compete in conformation, fastcat, and scent work through the AKC. Do you compete in any dog sports?

Ahh that's so awesome!! I love seeing more rat terriers! Joyner looks like a solid guy👌

We are dabbling in dog sports. Pike's titled in conformation, rally, scent detection, and tricks. She's a really fun dog to try a variety of sports and activities with!

[thesullenfawn]

abby anderson hcs

warnings: none, fem!reader, modern!abby

lowercase intended, pictures are from pinterest and they're not mine

masterlist

♡ she's one of the most gentle people ever, especially with you

♡ always has her hand on you somewhere; so lightly you can barely feel it

♡ lowkey a gym rat

♡ she knows when too much is too much and when to take a break though

♡ yous moved into an apartment together after about two years

♡ yous have a cute doggie, i'm thinking an english bull terrier (biased tbh theyre the sweetest dogs ever)

♡ both of you walk it in the evening after class/work almost daily

♡ she insists on driving every single time both of you go somewhere even though you always offer to

♡ abby has pretty bare socials, probably just highlights on instagram and one ootd with both of you in it on tiktok

♡ you convinced her to do that couples trend that was popular on tiktok where you lift eachother up and stuff (it may or may not have went viral 🫣)

♡ you use your hair masks on her once a week if they also suit her hair type

♡ she also helps you do your hair

♡ you just catch her looking at you like you hung the moon

♡ ugh i love her so much shes just so caring

♡ always tells you that she wants to marry you

♡ you agree

♡ you teach her brainrot jokes since she rarely uses tiktok and you think its funny

♡ "what is skibidi toilet... 😰"

♡ she is more masculine but you still treat her like a pretty princess because she deserves it (as you should)

♡ small spoon sometimes

♡ both of yous have matching rings

♡ also a matching carabiner if you wear one

♡ she almost cries everytime she sees you with children and the same goes for you when you see her with them

♡ again shes just the most gentle person ever

♡ i feel like yous dont really get into massive arguments that often because yous try to talk everything out

♡ overall shes just the best i love her so much

palestine info 🇵🇸🇵🇸

[em1e]

宗谷 // PUPPY LOVE ⠀ ༝ ༝ souya kawata [ angry ] ⠀༝ ༝ 900 words ⠀ ⚠︎ fluff ! ⠀ — souya is is like a dad - says he doesn't want a pet but babies it once it's home.

souya kawata was rarely a man of few words. 

usually, he has something to say, a quick quip always on his tongue ingrained into him from being constantly argumentative with nahoya the entirety of his life. but, as he stares at you, the bag of to-go ramen from his shop hanging loosely from his fingers, he can’t help but only stare in shock. 

here, in your shared apartment, you sat on the floor with a baby gate surrounding you. in that baby gate was . . . a puppy. small terrier, he thinks, based on what he can see. 

you perk up at the sound of him setting the bags on the counter, whispering something to the dog, who only yaps in response, following at your heel as you stand and step over the gate. 

“hi baby.” you smile, wrapping an arm around his waist and standing on your toes, “how was work?” 

“good.” he greets you with a kiss your forehead, soft in your presence, before his brows furrow and he nods his head to the elephant in the room, “puppy sitting for a friend?” 

“hm?” you pretend to be oblivious, head tilting as you turn to follow his gaze, “oh, no.” and still, despite him clearly bringing it up, you don’t clarify what the baby gate is doing there, why there’s a puppy barking from inside it as it tries to crawl out of the gate, or why there are various unopened toys, food, and puppy pads sitting on the counter beside where he’s just put the food down, “what’s for dinner?” you ask, moving past him to take the ramen out. 

“ramen,” he moves towards the gate, towering over the puppy who seems to just want to run free in the apartment, “who’s dog is this then?” 

“ours.” you answer easily, grabbing two bowls from the cabinets and chopsticks for the two of you. 

“ours?” he parrots, turning on his heel to watch you casually make you both plates, “that’s something we should talk about, isn’t it?” 

“we did.” you remind him, bringing the bowls to the table and gesturing for him to come sit, “last week, after we broke in the new bed-” 

“it was a hypothetical, us getting a dog.” his frown twitches to a scowl. of course you’d use him in such a vulnerable state for your own agenda, “we still should’ve gone together. what if i don’t like rat dogs.” despite his annoyance, he sits across from you and mumbles a quick thank you for this meal. 

“but you do,” you continue where he stopped, picking up some noodles and blowing on them, “her name is sugaoku, after the shop.” you smile, and god he really wants to be upset with you but you just look so cute. 

his eyes flit behind you, to the puppy who has mysteriously gone quiet, “yeah, well sugaoku is peeing on the floor,” he nods his head towards the gate, and you drop the chopsticks to whip around as if he could be lying, “and i will not be cleaning it up.” 

you pout, pushing back from the table to open the pack of puppy pads and grab a wad of paper towels while mumbling i knew i forgot something. 

he grins, when you can’t see him, blowing on his own bite of noodles before putting it in his mouth. he couldn’t stay upset with you if he tried. 

and, despite telling you ‘you got the dog, she’s your responsibility’, souya still finds himself taking her out when his alarm goes off. like clockwork, he’d open the door to her crate, hook the leash onto her collar, and take her down the three flights of stairs so she could go potty - a cup of coffee in one hand, leash in the other, while he fantasized about staying in bed with you a little longer. 

it’s really domestic, settling into a new routine of taking care of a plus one, with the work split between the two of you. 

“do you have everything?” it’d be hard for a normal person to pick up on his worry, but you catch it easily with the slight way his brows furrow in, with the way he grips the bag holding all the puppy supplies. you laugh a little. 

“yes, souya, everything is in there. three bottles of water, the portable bowl, snacks, some toys, her collar if the harness gets too hot, and the poop bags. can we go now?” 

he peeks into the bag, scanning over everything despite you already checking it yourself two other times, “okay, yeah. i just want to be sure.” 

“we’re bringing more stuff for her than us.” you point out, taking the leash from his hands to hook it to sugoaku’s harness, “you’re worrying for nothing. s’not like we’re gonna be there all day.” 

he scowls, “i know that, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” he pulls the bag over his shoulder, and souya honestly looks really cute, despite the face he’s making, with the bright bone-print of the backpack contrasting greatly with the rest of his vibe. 

you pinch at his cheek, leaving him to scowl further and swat your hand away, “let’s just go already.”  “aye, aye captain.” you mock salute, picking up sugoaku to make the trip out of the apartment quicker, and souya scoffs at how you seem  to baby her.

for @cu7ie !!

[thethirdromana]

Hello there! 🦇

The October Dracula entries are heart-clenching and teeth-gritting, so I thought I might try my luck with a very light-hearted question:

What sort of terriers do you think Arthur conjured up at Carfax? That is, what breed might one expect from a Lord of his social standing? 😁

Toy terriers? Bullterriers? Bedlingtons? 🤔😁

(I ask you this as I have seen a few of your wonderful history-related posts - apologies if this is outside your cup of coffee! 😁)

Have a lovely day, anyway!

I have to admit that I know very little about the history of dog breeds and I don't really know where to start looking! But I'm going to have a go anyway.

I had assumed that Arthur's terriers are a bit unexpected for the son of Lord Godalming, who you might expect to be associated more with aristocratic hunting dogs, but Sir Walter Scott had a Dandie Dinmont terrier (the breed was named after a character in one of his novels) and Edward VII had a wire fox terrier. So that to me suggests that this isn't so much about social standing and is probably just about personal preference. There are definitely dogs that have upper/lower class connotations but terriers don't seem to have any particularly strong associations in that respect.

I had a look at A History and Description of the Modern Dogs of Great Britain and Ireland, part 1: The Terriers, published 1894. One thing we do know about Arthur's terriers is that they're excellent at catching rats. The book is particularly enthusiastic about bull terriers as rat-catchers:

I think I am quite correct in calling Jemmy Shaw's (London) extraordinary little rat-killer Jacko, a bull terrier, perhaps one fourth bull. This historical creature died in 1869, and amongst other deeds he succeeded in killing sixty rats in 2min 40sec; 100 rats in 5min 28sec; and 1000 rats in less than 100min!

I'm not sold on Arthur's dogs being bull terriers though, because a bull terrier is quite a sensible-looking dog:

That's not anything that can be described as a 'so little dog', as Van Helsing does. That's a serious dog. That's a dog with a job.

A History of Modern Dogs also notes ratting ability in Irish terriers, Scottish terriers, fox terriers, Dandie Dinmont terriers (which are now rare), black and tan terriers (which are now extinct), Airedale terriers... in fact, basically anything that's not a toy terrier, which is a pity because I really want Arthur's 'so little dogs' to be as little as possible.

So I think I would pick Dandie Dinmont terriers (left). Look at them! They are so little! And the association with Sir Walter Scott feels satisfying, in a Dracula context, since Mina talks about reading Marmion.

This also lets me talk about one of my favourite historical dogs, Callum, who was a Dandie Dinmont terrier. Here's Callum in a portrait from 1895, looking ferocious with a rat:

Callum belonged to Mr James Cowan Smith, who left £55,000 in his Will to the Scottish National Gallery (£3.2m today), but on the condition if they accepted it that they would display the portrait of Callum in the gallery. Permanently.

And he's still there today.

[bas-rouge]

If you make a list of breeds you would recommend most to your average household, what would you include? Any best-kept secrets? Any breeds that are popular as pets that you absolutely would not include?

Ohhh man. Hm.

Collies are an easy one - they are best-kept secrets in that not many families have them, but they're almost invariably incredible family dogs when well-bred. I've met one (1) Collie that didn't go "OMG YAY A CHILD" and get all gooey. They're friendly, they tend to be easy to train and live with, and (depending on line) they are often not demanding when it comes to exercise. I know people often say that Smooths have higher energy levels but I haven't seen this myself, just certain breeders who produce dogs (rough or smooth) with higher energy levels... a lot of "sporty" breeders just so happen to breed mostly Smooths ime.

I think most of the small companion breeds are fabulous, too. I've loved the temperaments of the well-bred Frenchies I've met - so sweet and funny. Obviously not a secret since they're so popular. Labs and Goldens (obviously), but I have known people who got a field line Lab as a family pet and ended up with a neurotic, understimulated nightmare. So, yk.

On the bigger end I find Berners to be incredible family dogs, and in my experience well-bred Mastiffs are, too (again be careful re:lines, I know some people who breed for more intense Mastiffs). Saints and Newfs are also great but a lot of maintenance.

Rat Terriers ime are great companions, they are so fun, so clever, and so portable. I've met very few that wouldn't make good family pets.

I wouldn't include Sibes (they don't seem as popular now as they were 10 years ago, but still), pits ( @pitbolshevik correct me if you'd like, I think AmStaffs/APBTs can make great family dogs but I do think prospective owners need to understand a bit about the breed and its history beforehand), GSDs (the well-bred ones I've met have been lovely, but even AmSL (the only ones I interact with) have been very suspicious of strangers... I imagine poor socialisation could still mess them up pretty bad), BCs, and. Sorry. Doodles

I'm not going to bother with Doodle discourse but I DO think that a lot of families buy a Doodle (Aussiedoodle, Bernadoodle, Sheepadoodle, what ever) because they think it's going to be like the Goldendoodle/Labradoodle/Cockapoo they met. "Doodle" has become such an ambiguous thing that I feel like pet owners don't really understand what they're getting when they get an "Aussiedoodle". I've never met two Goldendoodles with the same temperament, but ymmv I haven't interacted with many on account of the dog show thing

On a similar note, I know Mals are constantly touted by some as a "stay away stay away stay away" breed, but I have found show line Mals to be pretty great little dogs. 🤷‍♂️