#another source said smth big coming for next 2 years

[nicolascageisagoth]

«According to rumors and various sources, Alan Wilder is said to be working on new song material. So a new Recoil album could be released soon… If more information comes, I will of course keep you updated.» DM Europe , 20.09.2023

[maisietheyellowlab]

My Dog Breed Selection Process

Yesterday I got this message from an anon:

“I saw your getting a Koolie!! Nice!! They're such pretty dogs. And actually if you don't mind I have a question for you? Feel free to not answer. But you have a lab and are getting a koolie, two different breeds obviously, so do you have any tips for someone trying to find a breed? It'll be my first purebred dog and going to the shelter is hard enough because all the dogs are so cute so how do you narrow down the list for the perfect dog? Idk if you had a list - but how'd you decide on a koolie?”

and I quickly realized this was gonna be a long post, so here it is. This whole thing:

This is the general procedure that brought me to my breed choices:

First come up with a list of “must haves” “nice to haves” and “must not haves” for the type of dog you want (size, coat type, shedding, energy level, trainability,..) (as @katieisstilltumbling / @winedogs already pointed out in the original ask).

Be very honest with yourself and consider that while the dog has to be a good fit for you, you have to be a good fit for the dog as well!

Then go through a list of dog breeds and/or take a few “what’s the right breed for you” type quizzes OR if you really like a dog sport check out the breeds that usually do well in that sport (e.g. mushing: Huskies, Alaskan Malamutes,..)

→ see which of those you like and check their breed descriptions

→ check blogs, forums, videos, fb groups of owners and breeders of that breed, see if you still like what you see

→ if there are any events where you might be able to meet the breed irl (dog shows, trials, breed meet ups…) go there and talk to owners! (this step is not always possible but it’s very helpful if you can do it!)

→ check if the dogs of that breed fit your “must haves” and “must not haves”

→ look up breeders

→ contact a breeder, ask about the breed, their dogs, what kind of owner they like for their dogs, ask if you can meet them and their dogs

→ when you meet irl, see if you like the breeder and their dogs

→ if you’re now sure you want a dog of that breed, tell the breeder you’re interested in getting a puppy from their upcoming litter

→ be patient and respectful

→ get puppy

→ done!

So, here’s an example of my personal breed-selection journey:

Dog breed selection process 1 - Labrador Retriever:

The first step at all was trying to think of the dog breeds I'm generally drawn to/think they're cute and looking them up, checking out youtube videos where owners talk in depth about the breed and being real honest with myself if the breed would fit into my lifestyle. For example, I always liked Cocker Spaniels, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Labs and Dalmatians.

Second step was going thru breed lists online and checking them out, trying to see if there's more breeds I like, but maybe haven't seen or heard of before.

Third thing I did, was take some Dog Breed Selector quizzes online, to see if I'd like any of the dogs that would come up as recommended to me. Ofc this is not to be take too seriously, bc you can be a perfect home for a border collie, but the quiz results won't match you to Border Collies, just because you didn't tick the box that said »I have an enormous yard.«

So at that point I had somewhat of an idea what I would want in a dog, and I had a list of traits in my mind that I applied to my top ~10 breeds.

It was something like this:

Must haves:

Medium size

Tolerates cold&hot weather

Easy coat maintenance

Easy to train --> biddable or will to please

Medium/high energy

Suitable for hikes&canine sports

Playful

Good around older children

Good for first time owners

Not very sensitive

Okay with being left alone for a few hours regularly/not prone to separation anxiety

Good with people and dogs

Average lifespan longer than 10 years/as long as possible

Breeder in my country

Cute!

Nice to haves:

Doesn’t shed a lot

More of a quiet type of dog

Litter in the next 6 months

Likes water

Longer than average lifespan

Must not haves:

Guards people/property

Very large or very small

Prone to health issues

Very independent

Very sensitive

High maintenance coat

Prone to DA or HA

Pure working line

Ideas: Australian Shepherd, Toller, Border Collie, Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, Brittany

I started looking for breeders of those breeds in my area and looked through all the websites I could find. I looked at their dogs, their breeding practices, the offspring and of course, litter plans.

At that point I felt like a balanced Aussie might be the way to go, so I contacted and met up with a breeder. Turns out we didn't really click and the way that she described the breed and her personal requirements for her puppies' owners left me feeling very overwhelmed, so I decided agains getting a dog of hers. I looked at some other breeders websites, but the more I researched the more I also started realizing that an Aussie might not the the best choice for me any the household I was living in at that time.

So here I learned a very important lesson. Not only do you have to find a suitable dog, you also have to find a suitable breeder. A responsible breeder will stay in contact with you for the res tof the dog's life, try to point you in the right direction, will be a source of help regarding the dog's development, health and training, so you need like them and they need to like you back. So I added another bullet point to my puppy search list:

a breeder that is helpful, friendly, nice to be around

Dog breed 1, try 1: Aussie →  not a good fit.

I eventually narrowed my selection down to Goldens and Labs, because they were generally easier for first time owners than the rest of the breeds, less prone to sensitivity and there were announced litters in the next few months.

In the end I went for a Lab, because they seemed a little more sturdy and had slightly less health issues, as far as my research showed. Then I contacted two breeders, I think, and I went with the one that felt more right. Oh and also, I thought the parents of the litter looked better, bc that's honestly a big factor too. You're gonna live with this dog for 10+ years, why not choose the one that fits your criteria as much as possible.

So that was it, this is how I chose Maisie's breeder. She's great, helped me a LOT during the first few months when I needed it most, and we're still in touch, I visit her every year. It feels like she's my aunt or smth, she's really nice.

Dog breed 1, try 2: Lab → WIN :D

Dog breed selection process 2 - Australian Koolie:

The second time around I approached the breed selection a little differently, since I had already met more breeds of dogs irl by then and also had an idea of what I’d like in a second dog from experience with Maisie. A part of my decision to go for a herding dog came from what I want to do with them - I want to try more canine sports that include jumping, so a dog with a lighter build and more will to please. That kind of dog will enjoy those activities more and be able to do them more safely than Maisie.

Must haves:

Medium size, lighter build

Tolerates cold&hot weather

Easy coat maintenance

Will to please

Medium/high energy

Suitable for hikes&canine sports

Suitable for jumpy sports

Playful

Okay if sensitive, would prefer less sensitive tho

Okay with being alone for a few hours if needed

Good with people and dogs

Isn’t bothered by obnoxious Lab behavior very much

Average lifespan longer than 10 years/as long as possible

Working/ working x mixed line

Cute

Breeder in Europe

A helpful, friendly breeder

Nice to haves:

Doesn’t shed a lot

Not noise sensitive

Not very sensitive in general

More of a quiet type of dog

Litter in the next 6 months (hahahahhaha I’ve been waiting for a little over 2 years at this point)

Likes water

Likes snow

Likes toys and food as rewards

Longer than average lifespan

Must not haves:

Guards people/property

Very large or very small

Prone to health issues

Very independent

High maintenance coat

Prone to DA or HA

Pure show line

Ideas: Aussie, Border Collie, Rough Collie, English Springer Spaniel, Welsh Springer Spaniel, Toller, Koolie

I’d met enough Aussies by that point to realize they weren’t exactly what I wanted in a dog, but I still really liked Border Collies. This time around I wasn’t intimidated by higher energy level anymore, but I was still a bit worried about sensitivity and the fact that most BCs I’ve met low key hated Maisie. There were a few who liked her, but many didn’t so I kept looking for a better fit (I thought it wouldn’t be fair for the new dog to be stressed by Maisie just existing and being herself..it wouldn’t be fair to either). I was considering Tollers too, but there weren’t any litters announced at all, and I knew of literally one breeders, so I kept on looking. I had a hard time with finding Rough Collies without extreme show coat and had trouble finding non extremely showy Springers around here as well.

I think I found out about Koolies when I was going through herding dogs, and it was a new breed I’ve never heard of or seen before. They were rarely included bc I was mostly looking at very generic lists I think. I read the description, watched a few videos and really really liked them. They had all the traits of aussies and BCs I liked, but weren’t as sensitive as BCs generally are or as prone to guarding as Aussies tend to be. I found two breeders in driving distance, contacted both, one was kinda weird with replies and said she doesn’t want to sell pups outside her country, but the other breeder was very nice and helpful in her replies and that’s how I started talking to the breeder of my future puppy! I met her and two of her dogs about two years ago and loooved them. They also aced the “can tolerate a playful (obnoxious) Maisie” test, the main thing BCs struggled with.

So unfortunately I couldn’t get a puppy from the two litters that were born in 2017 and 2018 bc my life circumstances weren’t suitable for a puppy at the time, but now I am READY and basically just waiting for the puppy to be born sometime this year.

Dog breed 2, try 1: Koolie → win!

[isaacathom]

So, when the dragons first reappeared, they did so in a big show of force - attacking the Sevarian Castle, home to the royal family

the royal family was very public, as is common. the king and his queen were well loved and admired, as was their eldest child, the princess Mathilda. her many younger siblings, while too young to make real character impacts, were adorable and loved. but there was a sibling of hers who seemingly avoided the public at all times. the second oldest child, the princess Sofia.

noone was sure exactly what her issue was with the public, but Sofia never left the castle. Many Sevarians didnt even know she existed, unless they thought hard about exactly how many children the king and queen had. She was quite and contemplative, and simply faded from the background. Mathilda, on the other hand, was very boisterous and confident, a hogger of attention and a genuine sweetheart.

all these children are at home in the castle, playing with each other in one of the big rooms while their mother watches over them and chats to some officials. Princess Mathilda is taken away to talk to her father, and in the course of their discussion wind up on the parapets between two of the towers, chatting in the sun. The clouds above moved fast, quite fast. When Mathilda noticed the glowing eyes and glittering fangs, it was far too late.

The dragons, arriving from the sky in groups, tore down the centre of the castle, splitting Mathilda from her father. His last clear sight of her was her screaming, the flapping of faded blue wings, and an empty, crumbling parapet.

Within the castle, little Sofia feels the rumbles and hears the screams. Interpreting it as an earthquake, and being old enough to have learnt about them, she quietly picks up her youngest brother and walks crawls under the table where her mother is sitting with the officials. as the rumbling gets worse, the Queen stands up and calls to her children, and holding their hands firmly where shes able, escorts them quickly to the safest room in the castle. and there they wait for news.

it comes slowly, at first. the Queen is denied exit to the safe room on the basis that the King cannot be found, and that in his absence her safety is paramount. News comes from chamber maids coloured white as snow, whispering gently to the Queen as she pats the heads of her children and coos gently. Sofia stands quietly at her side, looking intently at each bearer of news, barely hearing but completely understanding all the words that pass their lips. to the third maid, she asks a simple question - where was Mathilda? there was only silence and the shake of a head, but it said enough for Sofia to understand what that meant. for even as young as 8, Sofia knew her place. she was the second oldest of the royal children, and in the absence of the true heir, she was the heir.

The rumbling would eventually stop, and with in the news erupted. The queens exit from the safe room was met with screams for aid, for anything. The kids were instructed to remain in the room with a maid, but as she devoted her attention to soothing and feeding the crying toddlers, Sofia quietly slipped out into the wreckage of her home.

im losing steam and thats good fun, but the idea from here is that Sofia sneaks into the kitchen - which was ok in the attacks - and steals a bunch of sweets. and the cooks, who are busy making like, soup and shit for the people who were injured as well as like, really rudimentary potions (because you could hundred percent make potions here) either didnt notice her entry and exit or thought nothing of it given her hitherto complete obedience. actually, she probably offered to deliver some of the soup, like carry one of the trays, and the cook instead gives her a loaf of bread to carry (to accompany the soup, yknow) and directs her to where everyones kept. (like the main hall or smth)

and what Sofia does is she gives people a slice of bread and a lil lolly. she finds a couple of her cousins, whod been visiting, and she gives them extras and draws smiley faces on their band aids with a texta. in the chaos, shes noticed and told off, but never told to leave, and she continues quielty coming and going to deliver sweets and quiet smiles.

it takes far longer for concrete news about Mathilda to arise. the King is finally found, dazed and exhausted at the base of a collapsed tower, having had it collapse around him as he tried to descend, and only protecting himself from the falling debris with the magic inherent to his bloodline. hes incoherent and babbling, and quickly hidden from the sight of his emotional children and taken to the nearest hospital.

on the next day, as the media floods with the news of the dragon attack and subsequent major structural damage to Severia Castle, the King comes to and reveals Mathilda’s fate - kidnap by one of the dragons. through coordination with the castle knights, whod fired en masse at the dragons, they work out where it SHOULD be and begin to set up a troop to track it down. but until they know for certain, the kids aren’t told what they expect happened, simply that Mathilda is missing. but little quiet Sofia, with wide eyes and hushed lips, knows. she knows. and she steps up promptly.

When the Queen appears before the media to issue a statement re: the dragons sudden reappearance and attack, Sofia stands proudly at her side, her first major public appearance since she was a very small child. When the Queen finishes talking officially, the journalists press the two of them for more information on what they experience, and Sofia tells them about how she stole sweets for the injured and gives a massive grin as her mother looks on in horror and the crowd laughs. the queen laughs too, in the end, and gives Sofia a massive hug.

individual scenes dont really go much further than this, but the idea is that, with Mathilda’s death at the hands of the dragons (which is confirmed when her body is eventually recovered from the dragons lair), Sofia basically Becomes Mathilda. she emulates her deceased sister in a lot of ways in regards to her personality.

and what was fun about this, beyond general melodrama which i love, is what this means for Cecilia. see, Cecilia is the daughter of a Duchess, and has visited the castle a few times. but primarily, the royals would come to her estate for celebrations, and as such, Cecilia rarely if ever saw little quiet Sofia. its unlikely she never did, but with age, she believes that must be a younger sibling of Sofia (as Sofia does have a younger sister). and due to a delay on meetings between the royal family and Cecilia specifically due to the disaster, Cecilia doesnt see the royal children for like, 2 years. and when she meets Sofia then, shes a different person. and what Cecilia has done, with her naivety, is replaced Mathilda with Sofia in her mind, despite the fact that all of her memories of a pre 11 year old Sofia are actually Mathilda. the reason this works is not just general physical similarities, like hair and eye colours, but the fact that Mathilda hadnt hit puberty when Cecilia last saw her (she was like, 10?) and when Cecilia met Sofia proper, Sofia had, and basically looked to match. in Cecilia’s head, all that happened in that gap in time was that Sofia hit puberty. she didnt realise the age inconsistency because she didnt realise Mathilda was actually older than her, or even that Sofia was 4 years her junior. she simply had no reason to think

what it boils down to is this - Cecilia doesnt know that Mathilda and Sofia are different people. she never referred to Mathilda by name, only as ‘her highness’ or ‘her majesty’, and simply never realised the mistake she made. up until someone - probably Arianna, because Sofia doesnt know either - tells her the truth about it. in a conversation along the lines of ‘do you know all of sofia’s siblings’ ‘yea. younger bro and sis... ooh, another younger bro!’ ‘youre missing one’ ‘what’ ‘she had an older sister’ ‘WHAT’ and its kinda wild.

my idea for that is that Arianna, being as she is the daughter of a Marquis, has herself visited the castle and met the royal siblings. likely at an event relation to her families history as powerful warriors. something about veterans. whatever it was, Arianna personally met both Mathilda and Sofia, remembers them clearly as distinct entities, and clearly remembers hearing about Mathilda’s death. especially since its part of Arianna’s whole cowardice complex (smth like that). since the de la Fayes promptly fled the city following the dragon attack instead of helping people recover, blackening their once respected name. and like, the family does feel guilty about it, which is Why Arianna’s cowardice is her whole thing for her book specifically. but the point is that she knows Mathilda died because she feels like her family is responsible, even though realistically their aid would have done little except recover her body sooner.

the irony there is that Arianna is the same age if not slightly younger than Sofia, who was 8, while Cecilia was 12, and yet Cecilia had no idea about Mathilda’s death specifically. the whole naivety and coddling thing.

while all this is happening Leila was probably aware of the whole thing (being shes in the middle of Sofia and Cecilia age wise, i think, or older than Cecilia) but isnt aware that there was every any confusion. she never saw any reason to bring up Mathilda based on the simple fact that to do so would be a faux pas real bad. so Leila’s very much out of the conversation here. like, itd make sense for her to tell Cecilia about it since she and Cici are friends, but shes also not aware its a problem specifically. shes knows there is an issue with Cici’s perception of Sofia and who Sofia actually is, but she doesn’t know the source and doesn’t have the first idea of how she’d work it out, so she sticks to just cutting Cici off when she starts getting weird about it. hence it falls to Arianna to fix it, especially since shes met Sofia and Mathilda (while its not impossible for Leila to have met Mathilda or Sofia prior to Dragon Attack, its unlikely and wouldnt make a huge change) and since shes antagonistic towards Cici. like, Aria is a lot more critical of Cici’s actions, and is therefore more likely to notice whats causing it and address it, ESPECIALLY since Aria considers Sofia a good friend and she wants to help her. plus Aria adores getting an upper hand on Cici, fuels her ego real good. Sofia would never confront Cecilia about it, not just because of her general nature, but also because thats a really sensitive topic for her and has a lot to do with her personality as a whole, so bringing that up is.... yknow.... faux pas, again. hence Aria doing this 1v1 with Cici instead of bringing it up in a bigger conversation.

tl;dr Mathilda was real cool and then got totally fucked up by a dragon, and a quiet and shy Sofia promptly filled Mathilda’s role as heiress by basically emulating her sister and her mother in equal measure and just. bam. there she is! and Cecilia, for a long time, has no idea that Mathilda and Sofia are separate people, or even that Mathilda ever existed.