#like it Looks like a golden retriever but its actually like 5 different breeds

[darishima]

What kind of puppy are you!!

good question. i am a little golden retriever puppy :3 here is my collection of puppies that Are Me:

that's what i look like. those are all real life pictures of me irl i took them with my own paws. trust

[jae-canikeepyou]

| adjacent | j.jh

pair: jaehyun x fem!reader

word count: 18k+ (unedited & not proof read)

summary: jaehyun turns into a golden retriever whenever the day reaches the most beautiful time; golden hour. a secret he kept his entire life & always wonders how long he could keep it, especially when you suddenly showed up.

genre: au + golden retriever!jaehyun + hs!nct

a/n: idk what came to me as i brainstormed this but by now, nctzens and valentines should know jaehyun’s a golden retriever :3 so i decided to write a plot for this adorable fact T^T heavily inspired with fruits basket and beauty & the beast! i really hope you’ll like it. lmk what you think! enjoy reading lovelies! ~j

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time was ticking real quick.

he rushed through the bustling people, avoiding the narrow crowds and jay-walked countless pedestrian crossings. he needed to hide. no one should see him transform. there was little time left. why was he so careless each time this happened? his parents and younger brother warned him to be alert at all times. did he listen? no, never did. they compared him to a rock— hard headed and stubborn. but all he ever wanted was to be free.

curses! just a little more, a few metres more! he pant as he tried to catch air. he felt his flesh tingling, his senses doubling and tripling. jaehyun peddled as fast as he could, at least reach the line of bushes by the basketball court. hopping over the plants, he threw his bag aside and jumped off his bike before bracing for the fall.

the now broken bell sounded horrible as jaehyun’s brother caught up to him with his skateboard. “dad’s gonna kill you if you ask for another bike for your birthday.” he sighed looking at the loosened chain while picking up the single-track vehicle and the scattered clothes.

jaehyun transformed to a golden retriever puppy and struggled to come out of the bushes with his tiny paws and body. when he succeeded, he scratched the back of his ears to brush off the leaves stuck to them. “won’t happen, sungchan. i’ve already saved up enough by then. i’m not gonna burden dad for my wants.”

sungchan pressed the bridge of his nose. “you’re kinda being a burden now.” he picked the animal— his brother— up and put him inside his coat, as well as the belongings on the ground. he hopped on the bike and headed towards jaehyun’s campus.

“what did you say?” jaehyun barked tried opening the zipper from the inside of sungchan’s coat.

“nothing.” the younger excused. “but can i have your bike if you actually plan to get a new one?”

“ugh just bring me to the court. i’ll be late for my morning practice.”

the brothers were able to communicate telepathically as they’re related and were both cursed. instead of golden hour, sungchan transforms during the blue hour, which occured at twilight. tracing back to their ancestors, all were cursed for unknown inexplainable circumstances. they tried breaking it with all they could. every idea ended a failure. so they had to live through it, adjust, adapt and be alert.

they bumped into ten, kun and jungwoo, who were doing warm-ups and they simultaneously trailed their eyes and heads towards the jung brothers. seeing the huge pouch on sungchan’s stomach area, they all cracked up and checked the time. “oh yeah, it’s sunrise.” jungwoo spun the ball on his pointer finger.

ten grabbed the pup with one hand and jaehyun barked at him but he couldn’t understand a thing. although he was confused, he continued to carry him in his palm because jaehyun’s response was funny. “what is he trying to say?” he chuckled and poked the pup’s snout.

“he said ‘it hurts. put me down idiot’. i have to be honest with you hyung. holding us by the back of the neck really hurts.” unlike his brother, he was rather calm and collected despite already imagining the pain.

“you’re a blue holland lop bunny. it’s normal to carry you like this too right?” ten showed the pup to sungchan.

kun facepalmed at the question and took jaehyun. “no dimwit it’s not normal. sorry jae. you know he just likes teasing your puppy form.”

“‘wait until i turn back’- ugh seriously do i really have to translate hyung’s words every time?” sungchan gave jaehyun’s clothes and bike to jungwoo. “you know what to do when he transforms back yeah?”

they nodded and upon seeing the kid leave and headed towards his campus, jaehyun couldn’t wait to turn human. he would always beat ten up almost immediately— sometimes forgetting that he was naked. for the dudes it was alright. the problem was if he was with girls, though he hasn’t encountered anyone so far. he hoped he didn’t have to.

the harsh drills from basketball practice already sucked the energy out of jaehyun. not only that it was physically tiring, transforming into a dog twice a day before that have doubled the strain. then him transforming back would cause migraines and painful joints, as they were the aftermath of the curse. he had to keep his title of m.v.p and captain since the told them there was a possibility of him of having a scholarship for college. he couldn’t let a minor pain hinder that chance. not ever.

however, ten and the others could read his suffering. to them it was obvious through his exhales and slowing speed. hiding it was of no use. jungwoo ruffled his hair with a clean towel after shower. “can’t you just be like that dog in the movie ‘up’? have a collar that translates barks into actual language?”

jaehyun rolled his eyes and wore his black t-shirt. “it’s a damn movie, jungwoo. the world might’ve evolved and advanced in technology and even if they were to exist they’d be expensive. can’t afford that.”

“you sound negative, don’t you have any hope at all?” kun joined the conversation.

“never had any. stopping this curse is impossible. it’s been generations. my dad’s still suffering too. i have to find a way.” he fixed his black cap in front of a mirror.

but he knew there wasn’t. silence loomed above them as the team struggled to continue the topic. they tried not to bring it up yet each time they did, it always ended awkwardly and badly. it was either they riled jaehyun’s mood— mostly ten— or jaehyun himself was building his own raincloud by sulking about it and not looking at the bright side.

how ironic it was, he thought. generally speaking, even though being golden had good intentions and the breed was meant to bring happiness to others, he felt the total opposite. if he had to describe it, it was all insecurity, lowered his self-esteem and hopelessness only increased over the years as he grew.

thinking about it, he slammed the locker a little too hard that its components caused it to bounce back.. and also added to fuel of his anger. “break that again you’ll be in the coach’s office.” kun tied his shoelaces and the others agreed.

“my dad is the coach, what do you mean?” he questioned at the stupidity.

“you didn’t show up the last time it broke. we got the punished in your stead. uncle wasn’t happy.” ten got out of the showers last, a towel was wrapped around his waist before the younger ones were scarred for a second.

“it was sunset and i transformed! of all people dad’s supposed to understand! i-” jaehyun rubbed his face quite agressively and headed straight outside.

“oi i’m still changing! wait up!”

jaehyun kicked the bike’s stand attached to the rear wheel. he and his father didn’t have the best relationship compared with other kids, but he could say that it was better than the relationship he had with his mother. she loved her little family, yet over time the curse grew onto her. her husband would turn into a werewolf at full moon. and until now, even though that happened once month, she thought a part of him wasn’t the same person she loved before. even more so, when her sons were just the same as him.

your mom’s delusional! she doesn’t love us! she fears us!

that feeling stayed in the boys’ mind until they were old and mature enough to comprehend the situation they’re in. why couldn’t she love them like any mom would? she was no different from an animal mother abandoning her calf/pup just because they were or had defects.

mr. jung tried his best to be the perfect father, for only he understood what his two sons were going through, as they might go through decades with it, just like he was. jaehyun still remembered his first transformation, he only had puppy paws, but that was a sign to mr. jung that he indeed inherited the curse. when sungchan grew a tail at a fine age of one, their father gave up his 9-5 hour office job to tend the boys. and that was before he became jaehyun’s basketball coach. now he could monitor them at a close range.

much to jaehyun’s dismay and for that reason, he felt more caged and overprotected.

—

“y/n! coach’s looking for you!” your classmate called.

no.. you groaned. again?..

it was already after school hours. you slouched on your desk as you covered your ears, remembering the errands he asked you to do previously. you didn’t know why, but ever since you had detention because you refused to run a 1600m marathon for an assessment, seemed like the other punishment was that he passed his job to you. that was a month ago, and today was the tenth time.

but curious as you were to find answers, you brushed it off and tried not to show any remorse. it’s all for conduct, you kept telling yourself. the whistle echoed the entire hallway and jolting you up in your seat. “okay, okay! hold on!” you yelled from the back of the classroom.

as coach jung stood rather comfortably outside the room, he gestured you to walk faster with a dimpled smile. “y/n! took you approximately three minutes to walk here.” he laughed and handed you several files and a zipper folder.

“thanks for counting?..” you replied with a confused and questioning tone. “coach, what’s this?”

“all school sports teams will have an annual retreat before their playoff seasons. i need a representing manager since ours was admitted to a hospital just today.” he pointed at the list. you followed his finger and it landed on your name.

“sounds like to me it’s more practice. and you want me to go because?” you raised your brows. he asked you to follow him to the gymnasium, in which it was making you recall all those extra detention after school.

“to make up with all of the p.e assessments you ‘purposely’ missed.” he said proudly while looking at his team doing drills. but he didn’t get any response from you. when he looked on his side, you were gone and ran across the basketball gym. “y/f/n!”

you squealed as embarrassment crawled your entire body. not only were you escaping from coach, you were disrupting the team’s practice and hitting couple of duffel bags and water bottles. “ah! sorry! coming through!”

*whistles* “after her!” coach jung’s voice added an extra chill to your spine.

“ugh why us?” ten groaned with sore muscles as coach gestured to them widely.

“just go.” kun panted.

then you heard a several footsteps turn into drums until they sounded a stampede. you jumped on your toes as you passed the line of showers cubicles. good thing you haven’t seen a naked man, or else you’d faint without knowing. you turned around and went straight ahead then to your right, and hid in a random room. the echoing voices and squeaking friction between shoes and waxed floors were cut to a silence, like your ears were muffled instantly.

your wobbly legs were tired and you were sighing in exhaustion and crouched down against the door. great, i’ll stay out of their sight- “what are you doing here?” you heard a low voice and froze on the spot. “only members of the basketball team can access the meeting room.”

that sounded like the captain.

“did you hear what i just said?” he raised his brows. you slowly lifted your eyes from his shoes to his legs, then to his built and face. “well if you’re a nobody you might as well leave before coach arrives. you interrupted my recording-”

“i heard you jung jaehyun.” you tsked and realised you had the name list on your hand. “ah, as a matter of fact, i can be here because i am part of the team. my name’s on the list.” you grabbed a pen and ticked the empty box on the paper.

what are you saying, stupid?!

“uh-huh..” jaehyun trailed, putting down his camera.

“y-yeah!” you stuttered. “you heard me.”

the door shook by the loud knocks from the other side. on the frosted window, you could see four figures. orange and black jerseys, they must be the team members. “ah! the door’s locked! she’s definitely in here coach!” one said.

“i’ll toss you the keys!” he yelled. oh crap. you were caught in between. your heart patterned with the knocks.

“you look terrified after hearing coach, y/n.” the chair squeaked from the weight. “i’m guessing you’re that troublesome student he has a hard time dealing with recently?”

of course captain knows you. great reputation you have, y/n.

“so? what’s your point?” you stood up to see his amused grin.

“say hello to a term’s detention.” jaehyun waved as the door swung open, revealing ten, kun, jungwoo and.. the coach.

you sighed heavily and dropped the papers. the coach crossed his arms and you lowered your head a little. “you plan to escape again y/n? then i shouldn’t hear any excuses from you. you’ll join us for the twelve day retreat. period.” he picked the papers up and wrote something.

“sir i can’t be with a bunch of jocks for that long!” your whine had the captain blocking his ears. “i have debate finals to attend to.”

jaehyun flinched at the high pitched sound and rolled his eyes. what was your deal? it was rude of you to suddenly barge into athlete’s quarters but judging them for that was even more rude of you. he had to shut you up at some point.

“so much excuses.” he played with his nails and to you he looked more amused than ever. you rolled your eyes at his chuckle and know he would target you from now on. “dad, y/n told me she’s ‘part of the team’.” he played his video that recorded your voice, clearly saying what jaehyun heard.

coach jung looked rather surprised, but his smile definitely screamed happy. “oh? that’s all i needed to hear. welcome, uh- temporarily. i’ll inform mrs. park about the situation.”

nononono- “i did this.” you were at a loss for words. “i won’t be able to compete in the debate.”

“yeah pretty much you made the wrong decision.” jaehyun stood to tower over you. “i’d like to see you suffer our drills-”

four knocks cut jaehyun off. “oh no, she’ll only do those for two days.”

you swifted your head in confusion, seeing coach jung wrote down your schedule on the white board. you were packed and it’s a lot worse than the actual assessment planned in school. “and what about the rest of the ten days?!” you exasperated that your hairtie snapped at the right moment, and your hair fell in sightful way.

“ooh that was hot.” ten commented in soft whisper, causing kun and jungwoo nudge him on the each side.

“she’ll be our manager for the remaining days, keep track of our drills and score points, or other extra things i needed a hand with while taeyang’s in the hospital.”

jaehyun rested his palms on his waist, swirling his tongue inside with a provoking gaze at you. “see if you can keep up, manager.” he chuckled.

you checked the time, it was nearing 5 p.m. “you know what, give me a day to process all this sport thing. it’s close to evening and i have to get going-”

“it’s evening already?” jaehyun cut you off as he looked outside the window.

the sun glistening at the distance while the sky showed a pretty ombré of warm colours. his senses doubled again and his whole body ached. he had to make you leave. it was already enough that his friends knew about his situation. there’d only be more trouble if you knew too.

“uh duh? the clock’s right there.” you pointed.

“hm, anyway you have to leave now.”

“sheesh i was going to anyway.” you rolled your eyes, but felt jaehyun’s palms behind your back. “hey stop pushing!”

“you’re too slow!” his tone changed. different than the usual because panic was what you felt from his palms. “quickly!”

the rest of the boys could tell you were pissed. they couldn’t understand why jaehyun had to make a fuss out of it when all he had to do was to kindly ask you. using force would only cause misunderstandings, like what’s happening now. “hey what’s your deal?!” you flicked his arms. “do you like to push people around? just because i’ll be with the team for the next two weeks, that doesn’t mean you could treat me like this already!”

“tsk so noisy! you’re wasting time! just leave would you?!” jaehyun turned you around towards the door.

this time you wouldn’t budge. “no jung jaehyun i need an explanation with this stupid attitude of yours!” you wriggled off of his hold, pushing him back with pats several times more that he stepped backwards.

“i don’t owe you an explanation!”

“you definitely do?!”

“why can’t you listen to what i say?”

“why can’t you stop being pushy, pushy?”

“you’re the one pushing me! time’s ticking y/n!”

the continuous back and forth of bickers and the war of pushing each other was an idiotic sight. your wrist was in jaehyun’s palms as he gripped you tighter. “i don’t care captain jerk! it wouldn’t bother you or hurt you to just give me one reason- and he slammed the door at my face! argh!”

jaehyun smirked wide and proudly knowing that he ‘won’ argument. silencing you was better than letting you see his other form. the boys stared him once he turned around to face them. “what?” he questioned,

“definitely not the right way to treat a girl.” they all said simultaneously.

“you know how bad it makes me feel when you all said it at the same time?” jaehyun pressed the bridge of his nose.

he knew well enough that this wasn’t his usual self. he’s good friends with you despite being in different teams of the school. you both took literature as your electives. sometimes you’d let him copy your notes when he had matches or leave small appetisers and juice cartons when he was tired and vice versa.

but no matter how close you both were, he couldn’t afford to let you see his other self.

not just yet.

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waking up so early in the day to assist the team was way more annoying than birds chirping by your bedroom’s window. instead of hearing their tuneful tweets, you had to endure endless phone calls every minute. you couldn’t remember much from that day because you passed out. and the team didn’t look for you until yesterday.

coach jung waved to catch your attention, only to be greeted with your huge yawn and a disinterested face.

“ah there she is! c’mon now, i got the green light from mrs. park. she agreed that p.e is the only subject you’re likely to fail this semester, so she’s giving you a cool-off from the team and focus on here.”

“yep. heard you coach.” you tied up your hair, only listening to half of what he said. “where’s the captain?”

kun did few stretches & jumps, his expression mirrored the other two boys who were also doing the same. you had a feeling about this— their telepathic gaze and awkward silence. you took a basketball to pass it to ten. “is he still mad about me calling him a jerk? that was a few days ago and i didn’t expect him to be that sensitive.”

they laughed because they couldn’t deny his obvious trait. “he doesn’t show it but somehow you know he is.” ten passed the ball back to you. “but not this morning y/n. he’s late for.. another reason.”

you hopped to catch it yet you were a second late, and groaned as you had to run far to retrieve it. “uh-huh. nature calls in the morning, again?” you yelled.

“do you think she knows about jaehyun?” jungwoo asked the older ones. they eyed you rummaging in the bushes for the ball, later looking back at each other for answers, but no one knew how your mind worked. “it’s been five days and no word from her at all.”

“if she actually does, i guess she just doesn’t want to be involved? i think we can trust her for that.” kun drank from his bottle.

ten didn’t look convinced. “involved or not, we have to make sure she doesn’t tell anyone about jaehyun’s curse. keep an eye on her-”

“ah!” they heard your squeals and ruffles from the bushes. “guys look what i found!”

kun sighed when they saw you running back with a golden retriever puppy in your arms, taking back his words said earlier.

“uh-oh. that scream means she has no clue at all.” jungwoo brushed his hair up.

“this puppy is so cute! i wonder what it’s doing here? are you lost?” you hugged and sniffed into its fur and gosh it smelled like vanilla shampoo. there was a metal collar around its neck, the piece spelled “jj”. “aww it has a name!”

no matter how happy you looked from the boys, they couldn’t help but take a photo of you and ‘puppy’ jaehyun. they had to tell you before it was too late. the golden hour in the morning was shorter than sunset, so either they would tell you straight up, or let jaehyun transform back to human.

but guess what? they were too late. they shouldn’t have second-guessed.

what had happened was way beyond your comprehension. it was in an instant. all it felt in totality was that, you weren’t carrying a puppy anymore. you lost balance and the weight in your arms doubled or tripled, you couldn’t tell. but you knew you were falling backwards. was there to brace for impact? none.

you blinked several times from the orange sunrise blinding your vision from the window. slowly you got up to sit and soothe the pain. that hurt..

here’s the thing. remember you mentally told yourself you hoped you didn’t run into any naked boy in the basketball team’s showers? there you have it. you jinxed it. jaehyun’s figure was on top of yours and you knew he had no clothes on. oh goodness.

“hyung? you forgot your lunch box- oh.” sungchan barged in the scene and everyone could tell he sort of malfunctioned. he froze then facepalmed.

you took turns into looking at the embarrassed jaehyun and at the boys who whistled to avoid the numbers of questions you were going to ask.

kun quickly shielded your eyes where your doubts were showing in your face. and no matter how much thought hard, you just couldn’t believe it. with fear written all over you, you dusted your pants and hands reached kun’s arm to support your weight.

“oh so you shielded her eyes but not my body?!” jaehyun’s voice entered your ears and you swore there was a hint of puppy whimper.

“this is a dream.. right?..” you asked before you fainted.

sungchan managed to save you from the fall. “whoa! ah, i had a feeling something like this would happen.”

—

“was she always like that?” minnie took a peep of your classroom, her eyes showed confusion. “is she tired?”

lisa shrugged and in her innocence she pursed her lips. “i don’t know. she’s been sighing a lot for the past hour? i wanna ask her but it might be too personal.”

you could her them and they were wrong. it was nothing personal at all. you’ve been sighing because you didn’t know how it was possible but it just happened— right before your eyes. since then you hoped that science could explain but not even the smartest people could give you a conclusion. you’ve been called out from lessons that came in the day and not that you didn’t blame jaehyun.

because for one thing, he at least told you the truth and the answer to your question as to why he had to make you leave that day. you propped your chin on your palms from jaehyun’s warning: “tell anyone i swear i’ll make you run a hundred laps with no water breaks.”

but the other thing? he was naked. and that’s not something you could erase in your memories overnight.

you let out a small whine that led to minnie and lisa copying your position, obviously making fun of you. “seriously, not a good time.” you laid on the table and hid from them. “don’t ask me anything.”

minnie and lisa looked at each other as you were being unreasonable and already gotten them curious with your remark. they both grabbed each of your arm, tugging on your sleeves where they begged nonstop for you tell them what had happened. they knew it was about the basketball team.

since you started to train and be with them, you’ve never complained. because if you did, coach jung would add another exercise for you, in which you knew you couldn’t handle. broken bones and sore muscles awaited for you. so you chose not to utter a single sigh, but you were careless just now and there was no escaping from these best friends of yours.

“c’mon y/n! tell us the deets! you sighing could only mean one thing.. did someone confess to you?” minnie closed her eyes and a wide smile suddenly became shrieks of laughter when you facepalmed. “oh who in the basketball team confessed?” she singsonged.

it’s not really a confession, jaehyun being a golden puppy is a secret that was never meant to be revealed but i happened to see him transform-

“what if it’s not a guy? maybe two? or three? oh gosh this is like a reverse harem anime-” lisa began to hype an awful assumption but you covered her lips. and plus? her voice was loud and how embarrassing it would be when the rest of the class heard it.

you were already restless at their energy. “none you idiots. i was sighing because i didn’t know that people with dimples would be that attractive.” you tried to divert the topic.

“pfft you’re talking about jung jaehyun?” lisa raised her brows and grinned teasingly to get a reaction from you.

“no, i’m taking about coach jung.” you hit her arm.

“but jaehyun’s his carbon copy, so you’re basically saying he’s handsome too.” minnie quickly rebutted.

“i mean, coach’s the original face so he’s definitely more handsome-” you paused. shoot they nearly got you to a corner. “wait- why are we talking about this? i thought we’re talking about me.”

“ah you were paying attention to our conversation?” minnie’s eyes grew.

“you’re not telling us anything dimwit.” lisa hit you back.

couple of squeals echoed the corridor and your classroom door crowded with people. apparently jaehyun stood by the door frame and scanned the room looking for you. when he spotted you, his face bubbled up and literally glided his way to your seat. you could tell he was slightly fuming, but you didn’t know what reason. “y/f/n! come here for a second!” he grabbed your wrists and pulled you up from your chair.

you tried to catch up with his pace as he continued to pull you. “let me go!”

jaehyun did in fact let go of you, but he instead led you to hit your back against numerous lockers. the squeals didn’t stop there and how that you were the centre of attention amongst all of the students, you had endure this for a little while. he was staring into your soul, eyes piercing that could strain yours, you knew he was pissed about something.

he slammed his forearms at the space right above your head, then the screams of giddy began to grow louder. you managed to see your friends at the far end of the corridor. they were smiling and lisa mouthed ‘kabedon’, making you flustered than you already were. “what do you want?” you asked.

“i thought i made myself clear?” jaehyun smirked as he felt you quiver against his skin. he leaned lower that his whispers tickled your ear. “did you tell anyone? your friends?”

“i’m not gonna risk my health for some dumb secret.” you rolled your eyes and crossed arms.

“please it’s not like our training puts your life on jeopardy-” jaehyun butted back.

“it’s safe with me. if there’s anything you’re worried about, just look at your fanbase. you’re making them sad.” you sighed, walking away and through the girls who has been following jaehyun around.

jaehyun exhaled at a rather slow pace. he liked your reaction and was aware of their presence. and in order to shoo them away, he had to do what he did. he just hoped you’d notice that too. “see you after school!” he yelled.

you briefly stopped in your tracks at his greet, you continued walking and pulled your girls away from the scene. you didn’t pay any attention, but you knew they couldn’t contain their smiles appearing on their faces.

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the bags full of foldable cones fell to the floor. the rest of the team turned to your direction, who already made mistakes on the first day of camp. they knew that you were obviously flabbergasted with your encounter. it was funny that you managed to stride your way so quickly towards jungwoo— he was very much entertained with your expression. “i know right? that was me earlier.” he stroked the large pup.

“h-how did puppy grow so big? that’s an adult sized dog! you stuttered but hiding your love for golden retrievers just wasn’t possible. there were times you forgot that this was actually jaehyun. “it’s only been a week.”

“yeah i’d like to know the reason too.”

suddenly you heard jaehyun’s voice. it felt like he was close to your ears again, but he wasn’t anywhere near you.

remains of memories probably were still in you head. you wouldn’t say you were traumatised, just surprised. why the hell am i hearing his voice? you shook the thought off at first but then again-

oi y/n. beside you. i’m talking to you!

what?

you gasped and fell on your butt. the pup’s ears were on alert and you knew he was hearing you too. “you can hear me?” jaehyun’s dog form practically towered on your fallen self. you avoided his look although the pup was so cute. his paws poked your shoulders, whiskers twitching as he waited for your response. “don’t look away! you can hear me right??”

all the guys could see was jaehyun staring down at you. and while you did the same, your knitted brows only meant something was definitely going on. they wanted to know. “what’s wrong y/n?”

your lips shook in heavens knows it was fear. “you’re asking me what’s wrong? why can i hear jaehyun? can you hear jaehyun? oh my g- this is really really weird-”

“you can?” they scooted closer to you, very much intrigued with your gift.

“and you all can’t?” you pushed jaehyun away for his body was weighing you down. he whimpered and got up to sit in front of the boys too.

they shook their heads vigorously. “only sungchan and coach were able to hear him.” kun stated, typing on his cellphone to inform his family.

“y/n! let’s talk when i transform back!” jaehyun’s paws kept poking you again. you glared at him with a loud hiss. his ears were alert, he didn’t realise that he was clawing you already, and turned a few rounds before he was laying like a bagel-shaped position.

jaehyun thought it was pretty strange. never in his life were there any people who could actually converse with him telepathically. other than his family, you were the first and he was determined to find out why this impossibility was made possible. there was a spark of hope forming in his heart at this sudden revelation. the glow from the orange light then shone above your head, marking the end of sunrise.

you looked at jaehyun’s dog form, it was- correction, he was.. quiet, and was still staring at you as if you were his master. he laid on this front legs, snout on the ground. huh, he can actually be behaved. footsteps were closing in. at the distance, coach jung walked with lisa and minnie, who were in their cheerleading uniforms. right, you forgot that they were also included in the annual athletes camp.

for a moment you panicked because you knew jaehyun would transform back from being a dog. ten and rest knew more people shouldn’t know about jaehyun’s curse. they were glad you read the atmosphere too. seeing jaehyun’s jersey in his duffel bag, you grabbed it and wore it on the animal.

coach jung made eye contact to your direction. he diverted the girls’ attention, and led them away from the basketball court. they headed towards the storage to “retrieve” some equipment.

jaehyun grunted and growled, his fangs tried to bite your skin. however, goldens were known for having a soft jaw, so his bites weren’t that painful. when you finally managed to put the jersey on him, jungwoo couldn’t catch up. “why let him wear the jersey?” he questioned.

“so he wouldn’t transform back naked when lisa and minnie arrives.” you pointed out the obvious.

ten held his laugh in. you recognised this tone, and prepared what came after. “heh..” he trailed off. “is it because you want to keep jaehyun to yourself?”

you continuously threw random items at him as heat spread to your cheeks. “screw you!” you scoffed. “get jaehyun to wear his pants. i have to pack a lot of things before we head onto the bus.”

“yes ma’am.” ten nudged your shoulder. “i’m kidding y/n. don’t take my jokes seriously.“

“it’s fine.” you picked up the fallen cones. “you’re worried about people knowing his curse. so i’m just doing my part to keep it secret.”

he pursed his lips and his heart softened at your willingness to help. “hm, i guess i can trust you after all.” ten opened the bag to help you pack. “oh! and also, jae in his dog form already is naked anyway.”

“you think i’m not aware of that?” you rolled your eyes.

your friends already have settled themselves inside the coach bus and you were seated in between them. now they would get to witness you with the team and hoped for a budding romance with any of the boys. you lowered your face under a cap to pretend you were sleeping, but in reality you just wanted to avoid lisa and minnie’s bombardment.

few rows at front, jaehyun stared by the window, deep in thought. rarely spoke a word since they started their journey to the retreat campsite. why was his hunch telling him to get closer to you? why could you hear him and he could hear you? he slightly turned to his side between the gaps of two seats. seeing you giggling with your friends had him rethinking if what happened earlier was just his imagination. he wondered why you purposely ignore him after he transformed back.

he slid lower from his seat. “i’d understand if this was a soulmate thing, but it’s not.” jaehyun sighed heavily where he broke the silence and supposedly ending the conversation earlier. now that he wanted to talk about it, his friends were still up for the news.

“oh yeah. those things are going on. except it only happens to some people.” kun popped a chip in his mouth.

“i just don’t get it. dad told me that never occurred to anyone with this curse.” he stole the bag of chips from the younger one to relieve his emotions.

jungwoo’s pursed his lip in wonder. “maybe the curse in another light has its own blessing? maybe you guys are soulmates?”

“nah, impossible.” they all said simultaneously.

“it’s a possibility-” jungwoo’s face soured where wrinkles appeared on the sides as the boys flared at him.

jaehyun shrugged not knowing what to say. his friends have bizarre ideas throughout the journey, and he wouldn’t say they were wrong either. all he could do was to wait until the next transformation. maybe you would say your thoughts about it through telepathy.

he would know if time passed quickly when he didn’t pay attention to anyone. one of them was the number of times you waved in front of his face to snap him back to earth. “jaehyun?” you laid on the ground and called out, panting to catch air after your successful reps. you tugged the ends of his track pants.

“hm?” he hummed, looking for your voice until he got annoyed with your repetitive pulls of his clothes. “ah stop that. i have to report your record to coach. come with?”

“do i really have to?” you whined. “i could barely stand, my legs are wobbly and i’m hungry.”

jaehyun rolled his eyes and took your hand, pulling you up on your toes. “then let’s grab something to eat on our way to the camp, hm?”

you gulped at the sudden gesture, even more so when you noticed your heart beating faster around him. somehow your sixth sense told you your friends were somewhere in the woods looking at you, and you were right.

minnie had her binoculars by her eyes as you and jaehyun headed in another direction back to everyone else were. she held in her excitement with a huge inhale. out of curiosity lisa stole the binoculars from her. a growing smile showed her pearly whites when within its frame, jaehyun was pushing you from the back before he took your hand again because of how slow you were. “min, consider your reverse harem dream for y/n over. we found her leading man.”

—

“few more reps y/n! do it properly this time?”

jaehyun rubbed his face, raising his tone in question of your athleticism. it was the second and final day of your assessments. your core should be able to get used to the pressure if you’ve done the reps for two straight days. so as of today you salute to all people who persevered and with great stamina. you just.. weren’t that person.

you’ve grown conscious now that jaehyun’s friends were watching a few metres away. you’d prefer kun counting and timing your exercises over him. in contrast, kun’s a little more understanding than the hotheaded jaehyun. “if i say i can’t, shouldn’t you consider stopping here? it’s the last one anyway so put random number on the blank or something.” you struggled to lift yourself up from the ground, arms in an ‘x’ position over your torso.

“is that so? then you wouldn’t mind if i write ‘0’ for the final count?” jaehyun checked the stopwatch while his knees put enough weight on your feet. “at least do five more?” he sat on the soles of his shoes.

“ugh! fine!” you tsked and did sit ups slowly, eyes shut closed.

jaehyun smirked with how determined you were in finishing. and he has gotta credit you for having the last brain cell to endure his overly playful bossiness and plans up his sleeves.

but even his friends has something up in their sleeves. they whispered to each other and nodded heads as excitement already boosted their anticipation. ten cupped his mouth then giving the raised brows as signal to start. “y/n! jaehyun’s recording your expression with his phone!” ten yelled.

jungwoo’s mouth widened and followed along. “jae! there’s a bee behind you!”

“what?!”

“where?!”

the moment you froze and opened your eyes after bringing yourself up, and jaehyun leaned forwards to avoid the insect, was way too hilarious for the guys to see. both of your faces were centimetres away from each other and jaehyun’s ears already tinted pink. jaehyun already found it awkward to help you for three days, but he never prepared himself for something like this.

as his friends bursting out laughing, that was when he realised it was all their plan. you were still too close to him, so he cleared his throat to cut the gap between. “is that a pimple on your nose?” he asked, only for his nose to be smacked and soon be numbed. “agh!”

what the- “jerk! don’t point it out!” you kicked him and rolled sideways to stand up, angrily leaving the area with the sheet in your hands. “i’ll give this to the coach!”

jaehyun held his nose and walked back to the guys, who were still laughing their butts off and rolling on the ground. “you can stop now.”

“oh that was funny! it was like a typical ‘ba-dump’ scene in a rom-com!” jungwoo wiped a tear.

“should’ve recorded it!” kun threw his head back while his hand rested on his heaving chest.

“no worries! at least it’s recorded in jaehyun’s mind!” ten cheered with closed fists.

“it’s embarrassing!” jaehyun threw his towel.

bonfires were mandatory at the start and end of the camp. however, because of your assessment, coach jung had negotiate with the other members of the basketball to get to the campsite a day before the other teams actually arrived at night. so for the kun and the rest, they had a little more free time than jaehyun. and him being the coach’s son.. he didn’t have the same benefits. he was stuck with you because he had to keep an eye on you while

he thought being with you would only be for the first two days, then he would go for his training. and yet here you were, sitting beside him in front of the bonfire while everyone else arrived and other danced to their hearts’ content. maybe he could ask you about the telepathy thing? but figuring you were cranky from earlier, he held back.

“can i ask more about your curse? if it’s okay with you to tell me.”

jaehyun nodded, you had the right to. not because you accidentally picked a random puppy then saw him naked few moments later. you could hear him in your head, and that was enough reason to tell you rather than a general information about it. “yeah. i’m okay with it.”

“you said your ancestors had the curse too. was there any specific reason why they had to suffer that your family and you had to be the..” you paused for a while. jaehyun was waiting for your next words, you guessed it was alright to say it. “..collateral damage?”

“right. i didn’t tell you more of it yeah?” he sniffed from the chilly night. “i don’t know how far back in the years it happened. but they said the head of the family casted out his wife because he assumed he cheated on him. he was the only person the wife ever treasured, so when she was accused, she took his pet and killed it. the head found out, he cursed her that her descendants turn into animals. and we’re the descendants of that woman.”

“that’s awful.” you cleared your throat. “i’m sorry you have to suffer the curse.”

“you don’t have to be. i’m just trying to cope with it.” jaehyun chuckled. “how awesome would it be if there was a way to reverse everything.”

“gotta find the blessing then.” you laid on the grass.

jaehyun’s face wrinkled in disgust. “okay you sound like jungwoo.”

“at least appreciate me for trying to lift your spirits up.”

he hummed in agreement.

“or you can just.. let the blessing find you.” you singsonged as you realised how corny you actually sounded.

“fine, and if it’s you?” he had to give a hint of the telepathic communication.

“because i can hear you when you’re in your retriever form? i’m not exactly a blessing but yeah i’d like to know how telapthy works too.” you stared back at the bonfire, flames flickering as the smoke flew in the air. as of tonight, you wanted to be that person who’d be the igniter of that hope he held on. “if i could help out a little, i’ll be happy to help.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

lisa and minnie stared at you, both had their palms under their chins as if their silence asked you to talk. “i can’t eat when the two of you are like this. it’s very disturbing.” you gripped on your fork, hesitant to eat as you took glances between the food and them.

you knew what they were going to ask. not like you didn’t want to share, it was just that you knew them well enough that they wouldn’t stop once they start. the food was getting cold every second passed, due to the wind outdoors, it was more vulnerable. lisa stretched her elbows while holding her poms to be noticed. five days have gone by and even though you were rarely with them in all those days, she had to ensure you’d tell them about the basketball team and your leading man— although you had no idea about that.

“any updates?” she raised her brows.

“nothing is happening with me or anyone in the team, if that’s what you both wanted to know.” you sighed. “i’m just simply taking down minutes.” you said sternly, kind of regret that you answered her and swirled the noodles with your fork.

“are you sure? twelve members should be enough for that.” minnie tied her shoelaces and bent down with a pressed smile when you pout. she softened her gaze when you were telling the truth and that their teasing should stop there. but they knew that the team should know something about you.

“they’re divided into teams. some did the score board while others practiced on their own. of course i have to be the one- why are you pulling my arm?” you asked and eyed them as if they stained your clothes.

lisa twirled on her toes and posed with her arm rested on her waist. “you’re being quiet again.”

“i’m not?” you said monotonously while you munched on your food.

she sighed and grabbed your chin. “you don’t look at me when you’re lying.” she hummed, yet you didn’t respond. “what’s up y/n? something’s on your mind i can tell.”

in fact a lot of things were.

so far in the week, you’ve helped jaehyun theorise solutions to end his curse after practice. not only for him, but his family and extended family too. some have passed not having to enjoy their lives, while others chose to hide themselves from the world. and a small percentage of the family tree actually tried to live through it— that was jaehyun’s family. coach jung was as determined as jaehyun to put a stop into this curse.

not only that thought alone. to you, jaehyun has been rather noticeable. even if you weren’t thinking of him, he’d appear out of nowhere— during your breaks, on your night-walks alone or even heading to the toilet. you’d always bump into him and his presence seemed to be marked in your consciousness now. not that you liked him around, it was just captain was more friendly than others made him out to be. “really, it’s nothing.”

to say that jaehyun didn’t feel same was definitely an understatement. since the start of the freshman year, he knew you were the loud girl with the two hot cheerleaders, but always wondered why you’ve never joined the team. sometimes he would catch you sitting at one corner, dancing along with the routines aside from cheering your friends on as he was heading to practice.

now he took a peek of you eating alone while lisa and minnie showed off their new uniforms. he was about to call you out to help the team, but the girls pulling you almost immediately once you were done had him holding back. “chaeyeon will be arriving soon, and remember the dare was to wear our uniform.” minnie giggled while you begged her to stop, to the point you nearly cried thinking about it. “you agreed to it-”

“i didn’t agree to it! you agreed for me! i had no say!”

jaehyun’s eyes widened at the thought of you in uniform. your yells were getting louder and pitchier. should he be your knight and shining armour? probably not. he’d like to have something to tease you about. for a moment there was silence, he hid behind the corner of a storage building. you were still telling your friends to stop doing what they were doing. but it was two against one, and he knew you were at the losing end.

the door slammed open, your huffs and puffs getting heavier and closer to where he was. jaehyun’s heart beat so fast that when he finally decided to call out your name, you bumped into him and he caught you to prevent you from falling. “i was about to fetch you, manager.”

you felt heat spread your entire cheek because of the attire you were forced to wear. “well you did and i’m here. can we go? my friends are giving me the stares.”

“fiesty, but i think you look alright.” he chuckled when you grumpily walked ahead. jaehyun followed you from behind with his hands in pockets.

what does he mean by that?

lisa and minnie pursed their lips, soon bursting into giddy squeals and continuously fanning each other from what they saw yet the second time. “he was really checking her out.” minnie laughed.

“his ears said it all.” lisa checked her watch on her wrist. “basketball team’s practice match is starting soon. wanna sit in?”

“girl you bet i will.”

even hours later you blew your baby fringes blocking your view. as you flipped the score board and whistles for a time-out echoed the outdoor gym, your friends could tell how uncomfortable you were but they’d do nothing to get more reactions from you. they liked that you entertained them. and what choice did you have? chaeyeon was already taking pictures of you in the uniform you despised wearing.

coach jung briefed the team information on their opponents this season. you wrote down important points, feeling the chill of the early sunset. you couldn’t wait to change into actual soft and comfy clothes, mosquitoes weren’t your friends.

jaehyun listened to his dad repeating the same points- mostly because he got the advice first before others. he heard you hiss several times, you were supposed to jot the notes down. then it got frequent. he tiptoed to see you opposite from him, shooing the bugs away. of course you were still wearing the cheer uniform. he didn’t want to draw attention, so he stealthy walked behind the guys and straight to you.

“trouble?” he asked.

“just a little chilly, that’s all. meeting’s nearly done yeah?” you hugged the file to your chest.

“say so if you’re cold.” he took his jacket off and draped it on your shoulder.

“and who am i to tell to?” your voice challenging him.

he hummed so low that it almost lulled you to sleep. “me. i’m not the captain for nothing.”

you were both busy talking that you and him weren’t aware of time nor anyone else close by. mind you that minnie and lisa were watching the whole thing. you managed to smile even if you were crossed with how you were dressed. like you enjoyed his company.

they couldn’t hear your conversation, nor were your lips were moving. but the body language they saw already proved and confirmed their assumption. they had to tell you. they went straight to you once the meeting was over, and pulled you aside whilst jaehyun was talking about his childhood.

jaehyun raised a brow and chuckled as you were being pulled away. his friends immediately surround him, bombarding him with questions that he wasn’t paying attention to the meeting. “dude, your time’s near.” ten smacked him on the back.

“don’t make it sound like i’m dying, ten.” jaehyun rolled his eyes, but whenever he did, they were always fixated on you. he couldn’t shake off the feeling you were that something to solve the curse.

“be alert than be busted.” ten shrugged, head tilting to where you were. your friends were busy recording you and giggles filled the air. “how are you so calm now jae?”

jaehyun pursed his lips. “with her, there’s no way i’m calm at all.”

“okay now i can’t tell if that answer was from human jaehyun or doggy jaehyun.” jungwoo pointed out.

his friends all looked at each other, jaehyun wasn’t his usual self. it was as if he was dazed but was able to converse with them properly. slowly his naturally peach-like fuzzy cheeks grew more fur, his tail started to reveal. although they were quick enough to hide jaehyun, they didn’t realise the commotion that came afterwards and drew everyone’s attention.

you swifted your head at the boys’ yells and gathering circle, faintly hearing jaehyun’s refusal into whatever they got him into. “stop it! hey!” he hissed.

jungwoo, a little too excited of the drama going on, spotted you looking at them and gestured you to come over too. your friends built up a curiosity and went ahead of you. as for you, you were mentally tired to think of anything.

not until you heard kun’s wavering yet convincing words. “uh.. y’all wanna see magic?” he chuckled nervously as he knew what jaehyun would do to him after all this was over. “quickly because it’ll happen soon!”

you held in a laugh at jaehyun when he was forced to sit down on the grass to hide his tail. “i’ve been trying to master this for months and i thank jaehyun as my participant. who loves animals? give me a name.”

most hands were up and the answers were said at the same time. some didn’t believe him, but others have seen kun’s little magic tricks over the days. so something of a huge scale like this already got them curious than ever.

“ah i hear great ones but i’ll choose dog. now i’ll turn jaehyun into a golden retriever.” he draped a blanket above his friend.

ten and jungwoo bit their lips to contain themselves, holding onto each other as they filmed this once-in-a-lifetime event. the circle enlarged in scale with the poor lad at the center and the golden hour shone over everyone.

“in 3.. 2.. 1..” kun only snapped his fingers then the blanket shrunk in size. your schoolmates were convinced that something was actually happening.

and it was amusing because you were able to hear jaehyun swearing so much in your head.

you let out a giggle. jaehyun was soon surrounded by everyone who wanted to pet him. even your friends went over to the animal. “at least pretend to be happy for them. goldens are known for being clowns.” you told him.

*sighs* “tell kun i’m gonna kill him.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

the silence was all jaehyun ever wanted after the shock he had to go through from kun’s improv few days ago. he’d be thankful for a moment because he actually forgot the gideon hour at the time, but he would soon later be clouded with annoyance that he should’ve been informed beforehand of his actions— not only kun, the others included. they’ve got a part in this too.

his friends seated side by side with bruises and bandages on their faces, jaehyun still giving them the silent treatment. he was cranky about that, yet even more so when there was no progress into finding a solution to his curse. “jae. we said we’re sorry.” jungwoo apologised and felt that he was the only one giving effort to talk to jaehyun compared to kun and ten.

“and i said it’s fine. so stop saying that before i actually don’t forgive you.” jaehyun pressed the bridge of his nose.

after walking up the slope to the cabin with heaves of breaths, you managed to hear their conversation before opening the door. “i refilled your bottles.” you threw them on a duffle bag, not caring whether either of them rolled away. “i have to apologise too, jaehyun. i haven’t come up with anything to help you.” true enough because you couldn’t think straight or have the energy to use your remaining brain cells for that matter.

“ugh it’s fine. i’m not in a rush or anything. not even assigning you to solve within the duration of the camp.” jaehyun squeezed the bottle as thirst continued to drive him crazy, the heat as well, so he removed his tshirt. you averted your gaze and looked elsewhere. maybe you were still a little bothered seeing him half naked after the incident?

ten sought the opportunity and decided to fan the flame even more. “why look away when you’ve seen him already?”

he managed to dodge your hits and you turned around embarrassed. jaehyun could see you fanning yourself from the heat. “it was an accident!” you cleared your throat.

“gah i’m tired. we’re done with practice. we get a day off tomorrow, so can’t we watch a movie? who has disney plus?” jungwoo wiped himself with a towel.

“i do.” kun brought out his ipad. “what do you wanna watch?”

“i haven’t watched that one.”

“beauty and the beast?”

“o-kay, i’ll be going now.” you yawned as you began to feel the exhaustion take over your body. “see you tomorrow.”

the door closed and suddenly you remembered a funny memory last halloween when taeil dressed himself as belle. he blended in with the other ladies that you didn’t realise it was him. either it was the wig’s work or just taeil in general. you found it funny when a bunch of young teens become children again as disney’s mentioned.

your phone vibrated with your friends asking to help them out with their practice. “i came to the camp for the basketball team, not you two.” you left a voice mail. all you wanted was to rest up today. not until a certain realisation hit you hard.

because what if?

it hasn’t been that long since you left the cabin when the boys jolted from their positions. their peace and concentration on the movie already ruined by you. “oh my goodness i think i got it?” you slammed the door.

jaehyun sat up and set his phone aside. “you’re saying it a question rather than a discovery. not convinced.”

“will you be when i tell you if it’s based on that movie?” you pointed at the tablet.

he trailed his eyes to the screen then back at you, a more confused expression on his face. “you expect me to find someone to love me so my curse will be lifted?”

“pfft nah kidding, you don’t seem that loveable anyway.” you stole a lollipop from ten. “okay bye for reals.”

as the door closed, ten unwrapped another lollipop. “bet you he’s thinking of his potential ‘belle’.” ten nudged the boys.

“shut up. i’m not going to base my life on a fictional movie.”

“but it could be y/n. i mean she can hear you.” jungwoo paused the film.

“it’s not going to be her and it doesn’t prove anything.”

jaehyun thought a lot for two things— you keeping his hopes up, the other was you setting his heart in a frenzy and he always hated that feeling. he groaned and dragged himself to bed to place a towel over his face. sure he’ll hold on to that idea you came up with for now. however it didn’t prove on telepathy.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

your heart missed a beat when jaehyun waited for you in front of the cabin you stayed at. he thought you bumping into his torso wasn’t a good way to greet in the morning, whereas you feeling some fur on his tshirt as greeting was any different. jaehyun handed you a file and a little note from coach.

while you read it, you could sense jaehyun was staring, like he had something to say. he retracted his lips when your friends appeared behind you with grins annoyingly appearing on their faces. “make it quick captain. we have things to discuss with y/n.”

“yeah sure. i just dropped by to pass this to you. coach said to make copies. i’ll come back after you’re done with breakfast.” he cleared his throat and announced his leave.

“hm. fishy. he could’ve just left it here outside but he seems like he waited for you.” lisa drank from her cup as you all sat and ate breakfast together.

“right? it’s been days he acted that way!” minnie walked back to the table. “he’s indeed a gentleman, but there are times he’s very hard to approach.”

you unwrapped the sandwich and took a bite. “anyway, what is it you guys wanna talk about?”

“lisa will go first. she couldn’t wait.” minnie giggled.

lisa laid out series of pictures of nature she recently took and were indeed beautiful. “oh my goodness they look amazing!” you sat up. “as expected from someone in the photography club. i bet if you submit these to johnny he’ll regret putting you as backup-”

“really?! i took advantage of the retreat and i made sure they were pretty!” lisa interrupted you and placed more pictures down. “these are my favourite! i’m thinking of sending these to johnny instead!”

however your face turned sullen at the next pictures. they were blurry and almost gone, but it was definitely jaehyun at the background, each one showed he was transforming from human to dog. you paused and your heart did the same.

the silence got longer, you knew you had to speak up, but no words came out. “what’s wrong y/n?”

“you can’t submit these to johnny.” you brushed the first batch of pictures aside and bind latest pictures together.

“why not? you supported the rest of them! how could these be not good enough?” lisa’s voice changed in an instant, like you’ve taken away her pride. she sat back with folded arms, her behaviour scared you a little.

minnie slightly wiggled your hand. “hey, are you hearing to yourself y/n?”

“sorry, i know i sound stupid-”

“you are!” lisa huffed where her cheeks blew up. it was cute though.

“but you have to hear me out.” one thing was for sure, your stress levels shot up high if word gets to jaehyun. you had to prepare for the consequences.

“okay, so why can’t i submit them?” lisa sighed.

you held her hand. “it would be alright to, only if these are not in the background.” you said, pointing out a figure at the background of the subject. it all became clear as day to them when they looked closely. “did jaehyun just.. transformed?”

you were surprised with how quick they were able to catch on. as much as you wanted to protect jaehyun’s family curse, things would’ve turn for worst if someone else had noticed it. i’m sorry jaehyun, this is for your own good.

“we believed kun’s ability of illusion and his magic tricks. ten sent us a video of it and it didn’t really occurred to us that the golden was actually jaehyun.” minnie pursed her lips. “if you think about it, he does look like a golden.”

“how is this possible?” lisa asked with a growing smile, but refrained since transforming twice everyday was nothing good anyway.

“i found about his family curse accidentally. he turns into a dog when it’s golden hour, like sunrise and sunset.” you propped on your elbows.

“it’s a curse? poor lad.” minnie gasped.

a rather sad nod caught them off guard. “the coach signed me up to join this retreat. it’s not only for my missed p.e assessments but it was to keep his curse a secret. a-and now that you know, i’ll be damned if word gets to him. so you have to promise me you both don’t say or do anything..“ you sounded as if you begged. that was how much your the friendship you have with jaehyun meant to you.

“and yeah, that’s my answer. the magic trick was just a cover up to hide jaehyun’s dog form.” they listened and were surprised to hear you like this.

your fidgety hands and nervous breathing was too obvious. if jaehyun was just a friend, you wouldn’t act as if he was your- “oh no.” you slumped down on your arms. “why did i..” you mumbled as your feelings for him became clearer to you.

“oh my gosh. you like him! you like jaehyun!” lisa covered her mouth and changed the lingering negative atmosphere.

ba-dump. i..

“then that means your love for golden retrievers doubled!” minnie hugged you.

“no! it’s b-because you’re putting m-me in the spotlight-” you stuttered when they leaned towards you. “i’m gonna go.”

jaehyun flinched even though he was at a distance. your friends were yelling quite excitingly. you were being chased by them and although it was inaudible. he answered his phone as it was ringing for a while. “what, ten?”

“don’t ‘what’ me!” jaehyun tilted his head from his friend’s volume. “jae where are you?”

“i’m at y/n’s cabin and on my way bac-”

“nevermind that. i can see you.”

ten rushed towards him and looked at the cabin. “where’s lisa?” he squinted his eyes.

“just her and minnie chasing y/n out. i don’t know how but they left the door open. what are you doing here anyway?”

he mimicked a photographer’s gesture and pointed at the cabin. “lisa told me her pictures have developed and i’m here to get them.”

jaehyun flicked his forehead. “and you could’ve asked me instead.”

“they’re confidential and i’m shy if anyone sees it.” ten walked to the cabin.

“gross. just get them and head back quickly.”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

you lost track of the days that have passed and there was an unsettling feeling that stayed in your chest. had it been two or three? you couldn’t remember. the basketball team’s practice matches and drills were normal. but there was a difference in air lingering around jaehyun. he still talked to you, kept the same gentle smile and was caring as usual. except whenever he did those, it seemed like he was distancing himself from you, creating an imaginary wall just to let you know your limits and boundaries.

you’d like to think it was because of the pressure coach has been giving him since the play-offs were close to date. but, it wasn’t all jaehyun who behaved that way. ten also distanced himself, his gaze pierced against your skull and thinking about it only caused you to have migraines. you were more scared of ten.

coach jung have asked you to help the cheerleading team, saying you’ve helped them enough. the amount of appreciation he had for you was too much, you couldn’t ask him about how jaehyun recently. yet this was all too sudden that your gut feeling told you otherwise. you planned to talk to jaehyun after the day ends. because in all honesty, something definitely happened.

and the boys left you out of it.

approaching jaehyun was harder than you thought. now you’ve realised it, he was always the one who took the initiative and you on the receiving end took the benefits of his kindness. it was supposed to be the other way around, so why were you taking advantage of this?

if having feelings for him was the reason for that, then you’re really stupid y/n. you laid on the grass in defeat from your thoughts and closed your eyes. you decided to have some peace and nature was your best friend in time like these. chirping birds and crashing riverbanks-

“jaehyun where are you?!”

ah crap. you twitched hard enough that swarms of goosebumps appeared on the majority of your skin. on your stomach, you hid behind the bushes to see jungwoo and the others struggling to find him. even at the mention of his name you were already feeling shy and flustered.

“is he skipping practice again?”

“ah whatever let’s just leave him.”

“i understand why he’s like that.”

“even i would feel hurt if i were him.”

a heavy and deep audible breath from their sudden entry was difficult to hide your response. you tried to leave as quiet as possible. not wanting to get caught, you had to move stealthily with few glides backwards on your knees, eyes glued to the boys’ actions if they looked elsewhere. when you felt something blocking the soles of your shoes, somehow you knew what it was.

“you’re blocking my way.” jaehyun’s irritated tone made your chest ache— in the most painful impact you never expected from him.

quickly you stood up and made sure you stayed out of sight from the boys. jaehyun scratched his temple at your awkward behaviour. he was already in front of you, why were you hesitating to ask him questions he left unanswered? jaehyun pulled a long face when you still remained silent. “if you’re not gonna speak when you clearly have something to say, do i really have to say it for you?”

what the hell is his problem? what’s with his tone? “yeah as a matter of fact i do. the thing is, i don’t understand why you’re being like this. you ignore me but still talk to me when i don’t help with the team anymore, and for some reason you’re mad at me?” you grimaced while leaning on a tree trunk.

there was cynism in jaehyun’s nods and the swirls of his tongue evident on his cheeks. you hated his attitude and all you wanted was an explanation. “whatever this is, i’ve got no reason for you to doubt me, jaehyun.”

“ah, really? ‘cause you just gave me one.” he fished out something from his pockets and as you watched, the item he was holding was too familiar and they were obviously not his. he flicked the sheets and that was when you confirmed they were the new pictures lisa developed.

why were they with him? at the pit of your stomach, a whirlwind of emotions and stressing pressure began, and you didn’t like the feeling at all. “what-”

he threw the pictures on the floor. “other than my family and friends you’re the only one who knows about my curse! and at some point you go against my back telling them to picture me when i’m left clueless?!”

right now you were really afraid jaehyun’s mood would attract attention.

you closed your eyes as he raised his voice. “look i have no idea how you got those but i promise you i had nothing to do with the picture-” you insisted and could feel your blood pressure rising.

“how- how could you betray me like this?!”

your heart fell and instead of feeling bad about him knowing, you felt your head ache with so much anger building up inside you. because jaehyun didn’t bother to listen or let you explain yourself.

“i found you in the background before lisa actually showed those to johnny! it would spread if she did! where’s the betrayal in that?!”

he stepped closer to you, your entire was itching to run away. “i don’t care! you still told your friends! you could’ve said another excuse like kun’s practicing his magic trick or something! you promised me my secret’s safe with you!”

that’s messed up. i did tell lisa and minnie but not because it was to mock him!

“kun was no where to be seen in the picture! what else can i do? lie to them? i know my friends more than you do and they won’t tell anyone!” you raised your voice as well.

jaehyun scoffed, rolling his eyes. “i don’t trust them!”

“well, i do! and you should trust me!” your tone wavering at all emotions hitting you at once. especially coming from him— the guy you developed feelings for.

“the moment you told them you broke my trust already! what else did you tell them, hm? my dad and brother having the curse too?” he brushed his hair in anger when your silence meant yes. “ugh is this really happening?! you told them everything!”

“okay that’s enough-” your vision blurring from the tears wanting to fall.

“i’m asking what else did you tell them?! dammit y/n what could be so important to you than my secret?!”

“well- i-”

“i what?!”

other than the secret, you knew what went after the reveal. then you realised the weight of your words, you couldn’t tell him that you actually like him. you wanted to be selfish this once. “i can’t.. tell you.”

jaehyun started to harbour more resentment towards your reasoning. he found it ridiculous of you to even continue with this conversation. ten already warned him that the secret wasn’t safe with you in the first place. the glimpse of hope faded when he thought you’d be the key, even if you were, trust was still important to him. it was the very thing his mother lacked and you doing so reminded him of it.

his expression darkened and you were afraid of him— excluding of how cruel he was with you on the exercise reps. you were afraid you just broken a promise and put your friendship on a rocky end.

“so that’s it? i’m begging you with my life on the line and you just gave me the most bullcrap answer!”

“you’re being unreasonable!” you yelled.

“shut up! you found about my curse so you should be the one compromising!”

“y/n!” lisa came running with a panicked face.

tsk, wrong timing. “not now.” you mouthed.

“have you seen my pictures?! i told ten to get them the other day but he got the wrong envelope! it’s the one with jae-” she bent down to catch her breath and was taken aback with jaehyun’s presence. “..hyun.”

the boys followed lisa and once they found their friend, you could tell ten’s stares that felt like daggers. he pulled jaehyun away but eyes still locked on you. “what happened?” lisa asked as you mirrored ten’s expression, but your friends could see the hurt in your eyes.

“he has the pictures. i think ten saw them and gave them to him. jaehyun’s mad, he thinks i betrayed him for telling you-”

“no that’s not it!” lisa held your hand and glared at the boys, especially ten, since he was her childhood friend. “you had every right to tell us because the pictures are my works-”

“shouldn’t have said anything further y/n! you should’ve gotten the pictures and told us instead of them! you promised, remember?” ten finally spoke up.

you rolled your eyes. “and what?! you’re like saying i should risk my friendship for his stupid secret!”

his friends turned heads to jaehyun to see his tight-knit brows and softening demeanour. jaehyun frowned and hurt was evident in his face. he was hurt by you, someone he developed feelings for in a short amount of time. “i believed it when you said you’ll help me. or were.. were all those just words to you?”

ah.. that came out wrong.

you bit your lips to say something, but they left so soon after, making your chest squeeze as if your lungs let out the last bits of oxygen from your body.

shortly over an hour, jungwoo watched his friend pace back and forth, nibbling on his nails when the tension grew in their cabin. “aren’t you too hard on her? you didn’t let y/n explain further-”

“i can’t believe her!” jaehyun crumpled the picture after looking at it. “how could she do this to me?!”

“honestly i just don’t think she’s that type of person to go behind someone’s back for her own entertainment.” kun spoke up and tilted his head, avoiding the cup that smashed on his side of his cheek. “perhaps you’re mistaken.”

jaehyun wasn’t in the right headspace whenever his past trauma was reminded or brought up, so no matter how much reason was given, he wouldn’t listen. “do i have to repeat it? she already had her fun when she told her friends to picture me!”

“your explanations are always so conclusive.” kun sighed.

“and your heart’s too soft as usual, kun! so back off!” jaehyun grabbed the older one’s shoulder and shoved him against the wall.

he released him soon after realising that he didn’t once listen to you, but he was too stubborn to take any more excuses. there was one thing he thought you were wrong— weren’t you risking your friendship with him by exposing his secret he kept so dearly? maybe distancing himself more than he did would clear his mind off from the mess.

—

when all sports teams lined up with their designated coach buses the days after, jaehyun slightly put his chin up to search for you in the crowd— in a subtle manner, since he still stood in his decision into having his space from you yet didn’t want it to be obvious to others that he cared for you still.

you knew he was staring from afar. it was a stupid misunderstanding, both of you were in the wrong, but he made you feel as if you carried the blame for this.

sure that was a given, that he would react worse than expected. you were going to take the pictures from lisa anyway, and the guys wouldn’t know that your friends knew. you didn’t expect you’d burst out of anger or that ten took them before you did and made the assumption. it still drove you mad, ten probably convinced jaehyun of your doing since he didn’t trust you at first.

that aside, you decided to ride the coach bus with the cheerleading team. “when we reach school, you can forget about the basketball team and camp. how dare they hurt you?” minnie hugged you as you stared out the window.

“if i had to weigh it, it’s not me who’s hurting. jaehyun is.” you sighed and pat her back. “how do i act if i bump to any of them? i’ll probably do something stupid again. at all cost, i’mma just- *sigh*”

“she’s talking about jaehyun right?”

“yeah she’s still not straightforward about him.”

“we know she likes him. she doesn’t have to hide it.”

“i can hear you both.” you lowered your hat to avoid their gaze.

jaehyun sat beside his father at the front for a change, playing with the blinds to cover sunlight. coach jung knew his silence more than anyone, even if jaehyun didn’t plan on telling him. “i’ve done what you told me to do. you didn’t want to see y/n after the fight. so? did it to any change?”

“no. i kept my distance and i’ll see if she’ll admit her mistake.” jaehyun adjusted the fan above him.

“jae, if only you saw her reaction when i told her to not come see the team. i know you’re smarter than this. you know it’s not all her fault.”

he clenched his palms hard. crescent moons soon showed themselves on the flesh. “where exactly in this is my fault, dad? have i not been patient to wait for curse to be broken? who said that y/n might have a contribution in this? it’s you, dad. i’m not holding any grudge against y/n. i’m just disappointed at her because she’s nothing i ever imagined her to be. goodness’ sake i even like her.” he mumbled at the last sentence, missing the point that his dad could hear it.

coach jung let out a short laugh at the remark. “not sure if you noticed, you haven’t seen y/n working hard at researching about our curse while you boys practiced. she’s always brainstorming at the possibilities, science or not, she’s always looking for ways. don’t let anger cloud you.” his father paused and had a pressed smile. “..don’t end up having small fights like me and your mother. you wouldn’t want it to be bigger than it already is.”

“yeah.. i know.”

you woke up with a thud and saw a rather prominent bump on your right temple through the reflection of the window. arriving at the campus grounds was quicker than you thought, despite being almost a half day journey. you overheard that the basketball team would stay there a little longer and you had to leave immediately because once everyone has gone home, you’d see him. you didn’t want to risk yourself from being spotted after you both fought.

it was a small matter now that you think about that day. stubbornness outweighed understanding in the two of you, and that resulted in immaturity. and if neither of you were willing to admit, might as well make the first move.

but you were stubborn as he was.

once the coach bus was nearing the parking area, the first and only thing you decide to do was get out of the vehicle and head straight home. you wouldn’t let your friends speak and looked at their bus. there sat jaehyun fiddling with the curtain. you then rushed out, covering your face from the basketball team as they too were getting off. “is that what she meant ‘at all costs’?” minnie facepalmed as she saw you walking away quickly.

“oh look, there’s y/n.” coach jung tapped the window to make jaehyun notice you. the way you behaved was weird for him, because it was too obvious you were avoiding getting seen.

“i don’t care.”

“it means you do.” his father messed his son’s hair. “okay, off you go. i’ll cancel the extra practice today and let all of you rest up during the weekend.”

jaehyun’s lips agape at his father’s last minute decision. he wore his cap and slung his bag. “if you’re doing this and expect i’d make up with her, you’ll regret ever cancelling practice.”

“ah c’mon. your old man is helping you out with a girl. can’t you tell what i’m doing, jae?” he laughed at his son’s reaction. he could see himself in jaehyun and knew things would get better.

“it won’t work dad.”

he rolled his eyes and went to where the bikes were parked. he kicked the stand at the rear wheel when his friends caught up to him with their own bikes. goodness why can’t they just leave me alone? “what do you want?” he stood a little to pedal ahead.

kun rode along beside him, eyes alternating at and on the road. “what now? you’re just going to pretend you didn’t see y/n? like nothing happened?”

“how can i ignore that when her figure’s so obvious and literally running away from here? i’m not going to do anything about-”

jungwoo then sighed heavily, causing jaehyun to knit brows. “she looked over our bus you dimwit! that means she thought of talking to you but held back because of-”

“i’ll talk to y/n in my own terms and in my own time! stop forcing me to do things when you think it would work well for me!” jaehyun pressed on the brakes with his palms.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

kun and jungwoo’s eyes followed your swirling fork and the silent air that had been going for half an hour. they thought knocking onto the doors of jaehyun’s closed heart was hard, never expected yours was harder. you wouldn’t say anything after they invited you, claiming they missed you around them.

because it had been two full semesters since then. from what the boys told you, jaehyun lost focus and couldn’t lead the team to the championships. he always fought with his father and would burst in anger, throwing unnecessary fits towards them even though they worked hard to reach the quarterfinals.

this behaviour would happen so often that it began to strain his relationships with everyone on the team. the transformation did a lot worse to his body, he’d get sick and weak, and for over months, he would not transform back immediately within the golden hour ended. it lasted longer. sometimes even the morning after.

it worried them that if jaehyun given up all hope and continued to act that way, the urge to find the solution would never take place. and that he would remain an animal forever. even so, you knew their intentions to invite you today despite feeling sad for jaehyun. and you prepared your answer before they could speak.

“y/n-”

“as much as i love to stay, i’m here to tell you you’ve wasted your efforts. if jaehyun won’t talk to me.. then i’ll just keep giving him space until he apologises first.” you were already losing appetite talking about it.

“and you think waiting game would pull off too, hm?” kun’s dimple deepened, a flat smile seen on the exterior.

you put down your fork. “i didn’t think we’ll last this long not talking-”

ten smirked in disbelief, you forgot he was there too. his presence was almost non-existent as he kept quiet the whole time. “keep it like that. you’re held accountable for making jaehyun the way he is now.”

“ten!” kun scowled at the guy. “i told you not to talk.”

you rolled your eyes that his words hurt more than the eye roll. “why is he here anyway? you said it’ll only be the two of you. unbelievable.”

“to see if you came up with a solution to lift jaehyun’s curse. looking at you now, i guess you didn’t.” he said and you tried your best to refrain yourself from hitting him. “were you mocking him when you suggested it might be the same answer as that disney film?”

“i said as a joke but it might be a possibility. we live in a world where people go through inexplainable experiences that science couldn’t dive in deep.” you sighed.

jungwoo tapped the table to stop the bickering you and ten were starting. “like my hunch says, maybe it’s another soulmate thing i’ve mentioned to you guys at the camp.”

“it’s not a soulmate thing, jungwoo.” kun and ten said simultaneously.

you brought out an a5 sized sealed envelope and the action alone made the boys stunned. “don’t open this. just give it to him. anyway, the sun’s setting. i really have to go.” you passed the item to kun.

it’s suffocating. i can’t stay here long. they saw how hesitating your limbs were, your eyes averting them and clearing your throat several times.

“ten, does this look like she didn’t do anything? this proves she’s trying.” kun took the envelope and hit it on ten’s head.

as you put on your coat whilst standing next to the table, ten sat back with arms crossed. “acting smart, aren’t you? you really think you’re the belle for jaehyun huh? i wouldn’t believe that for a second.”

“i didn’t say anything about me being the solution. i’m still keeping my promise to help him. and trust me, i don’t think i’m belle either.” you grabbed your bag and left, your food gone cold and jungwoo sighed at the air turning worse thanks to ten.

the cash money was placed on the table when kun called the waiter. “please keep the change.” he looked at your slouching figure by the bus stop across the restaurant. it screamed sadness and hurt all over.

the reason for suddenly leaving wasn’t because you were offended with what ten said. of course there was truth in his words. at some point you thought you were someone important to jaehyun, since you could hear him.

you thought you both were soulmates.

you left because you spotted a familiar figure standing by the door. haven’t been seeing him lately only made you feel angry at yourself. you were a coward, you even passed the envelope to the boys instead of giving it to jaehyun yourself. your friends already encouraged you about it, that that was the only thing to narrow the gap between you and jaehyun. it was to show that you were still supporting him.

why are you like this y/n? if you like him, you’d do anything to get his attention and forgiveness. why are you doing things to push him away, rather.. why are you forcing yourself to not care when you still do?

you continued to walk with your head low for another hour, troubled in your thoughts as they’ve been bothering you for many months. snap out of it y/n-

*tug*

*scratch*

the hems of your baggy jeans were pulled and torn with minimal, adorable force. it took you a while to process the animal before you. a blue bunny, what’s a bunny doing here- oh.

“sungchan?”

—

he rose from the bushes in front of their house. you stood there awkwardly while he figures to cover his body after the blue hour. “i’m sorry for asking you to bring me home. i get tired from hopping sometimes.” he grabbed a towel that he was hanging by the gate.

“no worries. i-i’ve seen- nevermind.” your voice softened at the latter.

sungchan pursed his lips to refrain himself from smiling since he was there and witnessed when it happened. “come in, i’ll make you some tea. it’s my way of thanks.”

although he was kinder than his brother, probably more mature, he was still young that you could see through his intentions. you knew he wanted some patching up done between you and jaehyun. you hesitated for a while, but since you were there already, might as well try to talk to him—

even if there was a slim chance of making things work.

you sat on the sofa, slightly still and awkward being in the residence. little sips, light breathing and the soft wind from the fan were only heard within the living area. “did my brother cause you a lot of trouble during the camp?” sungchan asked and knowing that you were silent, he knew jaehyun probably did. “how about now?”

“actually, i think i’m the one causing more trouble for him because i feel like i’m not doing anything to help when i said i would.” you sighed as he continued to listen.

“really? i heard from the others you’re helping so much that it changed my brother.. at the least he’s not cranky.” his nose twitched so adorably that you thought it was derived from being a bunny almost his whole life. “also, there’s that envelope-” he paused while realising how your expression caught him off guard.

maybe he shouldn’t have mentioned it, but he wanted you to know he wasn’t spying on you. he made that clear with his silence.

if he saw that back at the restaurant, that only meant he was there for quite some time. you let out a small smile that he was probably there not for you, but to wait for his brother’s friends. instead of bumping into them, he bumped into you.

“oh, that. it.. has a bunch of handwritten letters i’ve compiled when i struggled talking to jaehyun. i just felt that maybe it’s more sincere if i had to apologise.. y’know, eventually.”

he pursed his lips and nodded. “then why not put those words into actual words? like verbal words.” sungchan’s fingers pointed upwards, hinting that jaehyun was up in his room. “for all i know it’s the most sincere thing to do.”

crap, he’s not expressive but he’s so so mature for his age. it made you feel inferior for a moment.

“but before you do that, i have to tell you something that my dad and brother missed out about our curse. why jaehyun-hyung is more pressured than i am.”

(few minutes later)

you slid against the wall while sungchan went out to do grocery shopping. at the other side of the door, in between the thin gap, you could hear soft breathing; jaehyun was on his bed, sleeping in his dog form and it hurt you since time already passed both golden and blue hour, he should’ve transformed like his brother did. instead he laid there as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

meanwhile, jaehyun knew you entered his room. he pretended to be sleeping and expected he wouldn’t know how to act when he gets to face you. he decided to stay as he was.

until you pat then caressed his head.

he didn’t want to settle or give in for the fact you loved golden retrievers. he blamed on the shallow euphroria dogs easily feel. and because he was in his dog form, the anger he held for you disappeared. but at the same time, was your touch out of care or pity? he couldn’t figure it out. then he could hear the beats of your heart, and that made him sit up. your heart was fast. it was worrying. it was—

“why didn’t you tell me the whole story?” your voice wavered in heaving breaths as he finally looked you in the eye. his ears twitched and he faced the door, knowing that sungchan told everything.

jaehyun shook his body and whiskers moved before he telepathically answered you. “believe me i tried. i hate myself for being sensitive and i couldn’t bring to tell you because i got angry. but you have to know that i value trust more than anything.”

“you know what’s ironic?” you sighed, pressing your forehead as pain began to form. “you didn’t trust me first and and we fought because you didn’t do that. and you didn’t trust me enough that you only told me what, like 50 percent of it?”

of course he knew what you referred to.

he was going to tell you the day he visited your cottage at camp. but he didn’t get to, because ten told him news ahead of him that it ruined the purpose to talk to you. it wasn’t that he blamed him, it was due to the fact he wasn’t prepared for something like that. even for something like this.

because there was that prophecy weighing on his shoulders.

“sungchan said that it has to directly come from you, so you better tell me now before our friendship falls out.” you warned and leaned back against the headboard.

currently your friendship was on the line, wobbling on tight ropes. pushing you further away would do no good.

jaehyun sat and his paws were dignified into a comfortable position. his head laid on a cushion pillow, facing towards you. “fine. most of my family turns into wild animals, and they couldn’t control themselves in that other form. their wildlife instincts overpowers their thoughts.” he yawned.

“and it’s different for me and sungchan. when we were born, when we had our first full transformation, they were shocked to know we turn into domestic animals. we’re able to remember, think and live as if we’re still humans. at the end, it’s either of us to stop the curse.”

“so why did your brother mention that you’re the most pressured? why did it only have to be you?” this time you spoke, there was more depth into your feelings if you spoke. as sungchan said, verbally was more sincere. “you could share the burden with him.”

he sighed at the tone of your voice. “isn’t it obvious? the role is immediately passed onto me not because i’m the first born.. it’s because you suddenly could talk to me.. telepathically.”

“yeah and we couldn’t even figure that one out yet.” you scoffed remembering the times you’ve placed your efforts on that matter and now it had gone all to waste. all because you both had that fight.

he read through your eyes and sensed the intention from your words. plus he hated how you delivered it with that certain tone. “i didn’t bring this up just to blame you for my own satisfaction!” he groaned. “i brought it up so that i can apologise! i was wrong, okay?! i should’ve listened to you instead of carelessly listening to ten-”

you refrained yourself from showing any further hurt. recalling it would only make you cry. “well you were manipulated with ten’s assumptions. you believed him more than me. he had proof while i didn’t. i was in the losing end! not like i expected you to change your mind. so can we just.. get this overwith and tell me what the prophecy is?”

he was speechless for a while. you being straight-forward yet in a pained voice was too much for him. he was already softening his feelings for you and you had to tense it all up again. “‘only one could save those who lay under the curse, for they must be in the correct peace of mind and body to break it before it turns for worse.’”

“and the ‘worse’ means you won’t transform back anymore?” you asked, the prophecy already piercing your heart as you waited for more explanation.

“that and..” he trailed off. “..we lose our humanity too. we won’t remember anything. memories erased like a snap of the finger. and we’ll just be.. another animal.”

you pushed yourself to sit up as your heart clenched tight. “jaehyun! why say it now and not before?”

“because! what is there for you to do-”

you squished the dog’s into a wrinkly mess, to the point jaehyun couldn’t see anything. his paws tried to put your arms down, but even clawing was hard for him to do. then he felt you lean forward to hug him. “y/n? what’re you doing?” you didn’t answer.

crap, this is warm. it feels.. nice. embarrassed, he put his thoughts at the back of his mind. “are you doing this out of pity? do i look that helpless-”

what crossed his mind was that you thought he needed a hug and was the only thing you could do. but you proved him wrong, so, so wrong. and why didn’t he realise it sooner in his life?

“you have to treat yourself like someone you love!”

what?

“you have to fill yourself with it! have you been thinking half-heartedly or do things half-assed because you’re different from people? do you not realise there are people who loves you? you trust them so less that you’re not confident into breaking the curse! because you didn’t really try!”

he froze in his stance, like a bullet pierced through his chest with how true your point was. he didn’t know what love was when his mother left the family. he didn’t dare to open up with his dad and brother, not his friends as for so long he didn’t do that one important thing— trust.

jaehyun thought he did that. he had enough encouragement but only to the level of content. he didn’t expect more as what else was there for people cursed like his family? “why are you so worried or do this much for me?”

“because no one actually helped you!” your arms tightened around him. “your friends were occupied into thinking that protecting you and your curse from others was the safest thing to do. it’s not! it just gets you self-conscious, conceited and too comfortable to not to do anything at all!” everything you said knocked down the pillars of his pride. he wasn’t at all living in humility if his friends did ever help.

“y/n we’re nothing more than friends. how could you be pushing yourself onto my problems-”

“i’m one of the people, jaehyun. don’t you get it now? i l-”

as if the phone line got cut off, he couldn’t hear the rest. you appeared like a television who lost its voice, however, somehow he knew what came after that. he didn’t want to admit it, after spending time with you at camp, he realised his heart felt the same.

you were quick to catch on. the golden retriever just stared at you, you couldn’t hear him as well. not even telepathically. jaehyun laid back down, ignored you and went to sleep. you nudged him, he wouldn’t move. you felt a swarm of blame towards him. if only he told you earlier, he wouldn’t be in this state where he was just another dog. mostly you blamed yourself for not taking the initiative first to fix things. you went along with your anger and his waiting game.

where did it get you? to this.

the one second revelation he heard from you and then fell into slumber, he was standing in front of himself, before a mirror. a series of himself switching from human to animal throughout the years. the glass cracked over his face. as if he entered a new world, he had to prepare mentally for what was to come.

instead he awoke like he only passed out from exhaustion. to only see you hugging your legs, head down with soft sobs and hiccups, he reached out for you yet hesitated. he checked the time, the golden hour was to arrive.

“y/n.” he called out in a low voice.

“no.” you mumbled. “i shouldn’t be hearing him.”

“but you really are, though.”

you shot your head up, tears rolling down your cheeks when you felt his touch— his large palms holding yours. he transformed, you had many questions as you thought it was too late.

confused and tired, you stared at him blankly. processing the guy before you took a whole minute to realise jaehyun transformed back. “is.. is this a joke?” you coughed and rubbed your tears. “i saw you faint- i saw how you lost the light in your eyes- i saw-”

he’s blushing. his ears are red.

jaehyun pulled you into an embrace, he caressed your head as if he held a newborn. “the curse broke around the time i realised i lacked self-care. it was the same time you said it too.”

looking back, he didn’t treat himself right since the beginning. he realised he shouldn’t have looked for a solution or someone to love him. he was the someone he was looking for, and should’ve reflected on himself than to rely too much on others.

“you’re still hugging me.” you said, stopping his trail of thoughts. you pat his back quickly and he was holding you tight. “you’re squeezing the oxygen out of me.”

“can’t i hold you longer? you’ve been so helpful even when i pushed you away. now i don’t really want to let go.” jaehyun whispered. he never felt something like this before— this urge to love someone. “what if the curse comes back when you go away?”

you felt your head bursting with temperatures your body was experiencing now. “you really have to let go!” clearing your throat, you tried to shove him away.

“no. don’t be stubborn.”

“don’t be clingy, clingy!”

“you want me to hug you though.”

“i do but- wait no that’s not- i-”

he squeezed your face between his hands. “you love me, don’t you. and you said i’m not loveable.” he teased and goodness his dimples shot you at the heart. you kicked him in the chest yet he leaned forwards, closer than usual. “i can feel your veins beating crazily.”

ah for crying out loud! “jung jaehyun.” you called him with a stern and plain voice. “get off me.”

“tsk i said i wouldn’t-”

“jaehyun you’re naked.”

hm? he pulled himself away from you, looked down and covered his lower body. ah heavens- “i’m sorr-”

a thud was heard by the door. you both turned heads to sleepy sungchan dropping a parcel delivered to jaehyun while holding a toothbrush with his mouth and prominent bed hair. “uh bro, this is-”

“dad! i think hyung’s in his mating season!”

“i’m so not!”

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

because the curse was lifted and jaehyun made it happen, all those who fell under it soon experienced freedom and joy after years of agony and pain and fear. feelings opposite to them showered upon them that morning like spring rain.

you sat in between jaehyun and ten, who haven’t been talking to each since they fought over little things, mainly about you. ten still didn’t believe that you were jaehyun’s girlfriend, because he recalled you guys were not going to mend things.

“so that’s it? it’s so hard to believe. she just hugged you and the curse’s gone? even more so you’re both dating?”

“ten, c’mon dude.” kun brought out his fist to bump yours. “she’ll be hanging with us from now on. you have to stop being a stuck-up.”

ten shrugged in defeat and finally nodded in acceptance. “fine. i’ll let it go. i mean the curse’s broken won’t bother jae anymore.” he turned to you. “i’m sorry y/n. jae and i have been best friends since kindergarten. so it’s kinda a brotherly instinct to protect him. it just comes out.”

“you do seem like the leader of the pack.” you fiddled with jaehyun’s fingers while he draped his arm around you.

“i thought i was the leader?” kun sounded offended, but not entirely.

jaehyun remained quiet. he told everyone what had happened. however, there was still one question left unanswered. what was the telepathy about?

what did it have to do with you and him? he thought about that real hard. were you actually a missing piece in the prophecy or did he misunderstand it? there were a lot of possibilities, a lot of ideas coming up that maybe he figured it wrong. maybe you did contribute to the breaking of the curse-

“ah!” jungwoo exclaimed as flicked the paper back and forth. he proudly showed what he found, putting the pieces together. the paper was moving quickly that the pairs of eyes couldn’t focus or see anything. “i’ve been telling you guys since camp but you wouldn’t listen to me!”

you squinted your hardest to see the words. all you got from the sheet of paper scribbles and connecting lines. the boys started to fight for the so they could read the younger one forcibly shoved in front of their faces.

jungwoo wanted his friends to feel their pride stepped on them, and held on the paper. “read the prophecy again. i’m excited-”

“you being excited about these things is nothing new-” ten yelled, and kun covered his mouth at the loud volume.

“‘only one could save those who lay under the curse, for they must be in the correct peace of mind and body to break it before it turns for worse.’ guys, it’s already hinted in it!” he pointed at the parts he was scribbling on earlier.

he expounded the prophecy was a little misleading. it wasn’t being literal about the right mind and body. they were the results of the having the correct heart, as the two would only be affected greatly if not for the heart.

jungwoo scooted next to you. “y/n, you weren’t only the key to solving it. you were the only person who gave him that push and made him realise he should love himself for who he was. you gave him that peace of mind because you are the heart. as we all know, the mind and body can’t function without the heart.”

“that sounds sweet?” kun blushed even though he wasn’t supposed to.

“yeah sure but the telepathy happening at the same time with my curse was just a coincidence though?” jaehyun asked.

“onto my next point!” jungwoo drew on the paper again. “i realised you told us before that only family members of the same curse can talk to each other telepathically.”

jaehyun’s brows only furrowed narrower. “which doesn’t make sense because she’s not part of my family.”

jungwoo grinned widely, it almost made you nervous but if it was coming from jungwoo, it always had to be something good. “not even us lads can even talk to you with our minds though we’re close like brothers. what if it’s a sign that she will be part of your family? even if the curse’s broken, it still proves my point that you were soulmates all along.”

somehow you knew it was headed to this. what jungwoo’s saying was similar to your hunch. you weren’t confident as he was because at the time, the curse wasn’t lifted. now that it was, you never knew you were actually right.

jaehyun shrunk in his seat after hearing jungwoo’s theory. he looked at you; who was now giggling with the others. he never thought you were his soulmate, it never crossed his mind. you appeared in his life as a shadow at first, before you resurfaced and made it a roller coaster ride. it was an eye opener for him too, you loved him for who he was, his flaws— that being the curse. although there were frequent bickers, that didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy or hate them. he was afraid you’d leave after knowing his transformation.

you didn’t. you stayed. not because you were forced to just to keep his secret, you stayed since you said you’d help. and that lifted weight off of his shoulders. colours came into view more spirited, clouded thoughts in his head faded and everything he heard that were once muffled became clear. he had to compare it like he was reborn.

in the end, you were still beside him, adjacent to him.

[drawlfoy]

The Placebo Effect p.1

pairing: draco x femslytherin!reader

warnings: probably gonna be some “mild” language (ok, coming back, i say fuck twice, so if you’re not down, now’s the time to nope out of here)

a/n: my first real writing post! please let me know if you have any feedback/constructive criticism. my requests are open, so pleaseeee send in stuff ;) also i’m not british so i deeply apologize if i don’t have enough british slang/if i misuse it...please tell me if i do!

summary: slytherin reader isn’t a big fan of draco and they argue allll the time. slughorn reshuffles potion partners the day they’re required to brew amortentia and... a little something happens. takes place in 6th year. 

word count: 1,936

pla•ce•bo ef•fect (noun) ~ a beneficial effect produced by a placebo drug or treatment, which cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself, and must therefore be due to the patient's belief in that treatment.

Y/N was growing increasingly irritated with her house: the dimly lit common room that always smelled faintly like shoe polish, the dorm rooms which always chilled her to the bone, the dark green that clashed with her favorite color (pastel blue, if you were wondering), the disgusting amount of blood purity prejudice, and of course, Draco Malfoy. 

He had been tolerable enough in the beginning, focusing all his chaotic energy on Potter and the rest of the Golden Trio, but ever since 6th year had started, he’d pulled back and instead moped around like a very pale golden retriever who had just been told he wasn’t ever going to play fetch again. Well, a very pale, very rude, and very rich golden retriever. As a result, Y/N had to see much more of his ridiculously pale (but admittedly very delicately structured) face.She hadn’t known peace since.

“Watch where you’re going.” 

The cold and haughty voice ripped Y/N out of her thoughts as she accidentally bumped into a silk-clad shoulder. She looked up to see none other than Malfoy scowling down at her, his silver eyes narrowed and his jaw set. 

“My apologies. Didn’t your mother ever tell you it was rude to block the doorway?” Y/N’s voice was sugary sweet, dripping with sarcasm.

“Yes. She also told me how improper it is to get into the pants of a muggle. I’m guessing yours didn’t buy into that lesson?” A perfectly plucked blond eyebrow raised.

Y/N felt her face grew hot. How did he know her mother married a muggle? Her mouth opened and closed as the overwhelming feeling of being lost for words overtook her.

Stay calm, stay calm. Don’t let him see that he rattled you. 

Y/N set her face into a smirk that rivaled his. 

“No, actually.” She readied herself to go in for the kill. “Instead, she taught me the importance of rejecting an ideology that would eventually lead to me fucking my cousin.”

With that, Y/N made her exit, slipping past Malfoy and flouncing off to the Dining Hall. Sometimes it felt good to beat that prick at his own game.

“Alright, students,” Professor Slughorn began. He clapped his hands to get everyone’s attention and cleared his throat in a way only old men could. “Today, we’re going to be brewing the most powerful love potion in existence. Can anyone tell me what this potion is?”

Pansy Parkinson’s hand shot up. Y/N rolled her eyes. When Granger wasn’t here to remind everyone how smart she was, Parkinson was always available to pick up the slack. 

“Yes, Miss Parkinson.” 

“Amortentia. Its aroma is different to every individual, depending on what scents you find most attractive, even if you aren’t aware of it. Consuming it will make one obsessive with infatuation.”

“Thank you, Miss Parkinson.” Professor Slughorn cleared his throat once again. Y/N felt a smile form on her face. She had a special place in her heart for the professor. He was so pure and reminded her of her grandfather...even though he was a muggle. 

“I’ll assign each of you to new partners.” Slughorn’s words immediately made Y/N reconsider her previous thoughts that portrayed him kindly. She turned and sent Daphne Greengrass, her (ex) potions partner, a disappointed frown and waited to hear her name. All of the other Slytherins were intolerable or at least a little prejudiced.

This is too much for a Monday morning she thought, placing her hand on her forehead in a dramatic gesture. 

“Greengrass you’re with Zabini. Nott, you’re with Parkinson. Y/L/N, you’re with Malfoy.”

The names afterwards morphed into a slush of noise that Y/N couldn’t even be bothered to comprehend. Daphne reached over and gave her shoulder a sympathetic squeeze as Y/N sat, frozen with disappointment and surprise. 

This couldn’t be happening. She had done so well in his class. Why was Slughorn punishing her now? He couldn’t have missed how much of a piece of work Malfoy was, and Y/N was one of Slughorn’s favorite students. How could he betray her like this?

“Does everyone know who they will be working with today?” Slughorn’s voice pulled Y/N out of her pity party. 

“Yes, Professor Slughorn.” The depressed chorus of voices in the room offered Y/N some solace that, yes, she wasn’t the only one displeased with the new seating arrangements. 

“Good. Find your partner and begin. Your time starts now.”

Everyone sprung up in a mad dash to find their fellow worker and get started. Potions class was much harder now that they were 6th years, and each student needed all the time they were offered. 

“Fancy this.” For the second time that day, Y/N was given the treat of being surprised by Malfoy’s voice right next to her. 

“You chop, I stir.” Her words were matter-of-fact and straight to the point. She’d be damned if someone as rude as him messed up her shot at getting the highest mark. 

Surprisingly enough, Malfoy nodded, flipping open the potions book to the designated page and gathering ingredients while Y/N prepared the cauldron. 

Y/N almost started feeling bad for him as she stirred. The bags under his eyes were large enough to be designer and his eyes, once a bright and sparkling silver, were dull and unenthused. Perhaps she had judged him too quickly.

“Uh...Malfoy,” she began awkwardly, losing confidence once he met her eyes with a convicting stare, “I’m sorry about this morning. For calling you...er...a cousin fucker, and stuff.”

His eyebrows raised again. She wondered if his eyebrows ever got tired with how much he judgmentally lifted them.

“No. You’re not.” His tone was more defeated and uninterested than vindictive, so Y/N let it slide. They continued their work. 

“Your hair.” 

The phrase jolted Y/N out of her flow and forced her to look up at her partner. 

“My what?”

“Your hair. It’s about to get into the potion.” Malfoy glanced down at the lip of the cauldron and back up to my face with one eyebrow cocked as if to say yeah, look. Y/N obliged and saw a single strand of her hair barely about to touch the edge of the cauldron. 

How had he even noticed that? 

“Overdramatic much?” Y/N shot back. 

“We’re almost done, can we just get through this first?” Malfoy’s tone came across as nearly pleading, something that Y/N would never expect.

She rolled her eyes and looked down at the directions. She only had to stir the potion thirteen times clockwise, and it would be done. 

“No, I think we can talk about it now. It is basically done.” Y/N glared at him. If he wanted a fight, he could get one. 

“Well then.” His tone was a 180 from the pleading one he had adopted just a few seconds ago, now snippity and offended. “I said that no, you weren’t sorry, because I meant what I said this morning. I know you did too.”

“How would you know what I think?” 

Merlin, who did he think he was? 

“Half-bloods. They’re all the same, so predictable. It’s like you all have a hive mind or something.” He paused to fiddle with his sleeve. “But it doesn’t matter whether you meant it or not. We both know it’s not true.”

Y/N was fuming. How many times had she stirred? Ah, yes, 8. 5 more to go. It took all her willpower to continue stirring at a controlled pace. 

“Don’t you know that your blood purity isn’t a personality trait?” Y/N hissed back. 

“Sure. Still makes me superior though.” His eyes were flaming despite his measured response.

“What are you gonna do once your lot is all intermarried? What’s the plan, genius?” 

2 more stirs to go. 

“I don’t take questions from pathetic half breeds,” Malfoy spat.

1 stir left.

“Why, because you can’t answer it?” Y/N exclaimed. “You know you’re wrong!” 

13 stirs. Y/N’s hand slowed the ladle to a stop.

“No.” Malfoy leaned in, so close she could feel his hot breath one her face. “You just know that you’ll never be welcome here.”

That was it. Y/N’s hand shot up from the cauldron, aiming to shove the Malfoy heir away from her, but she forgot to drop the ladle. Instead, the ladle was flung at the two with enough force to splatter their exposed skin with the freshly brewed amortentia. 

Y/N and Malfoy both froze, staring at each other, then staring at the potion coating them.

“What have you done?” Malfoy whispered, eyes growing wide. Y/N had never noticed how kind his eyes looked--they were like two miniature stars, flickering and shimmering with the reflected light of the room. 

So that’s why my favorite color is pale blue Y/N thought dreamily, letting her hand drop the ladle to the ground. It clattered as it hit the stone, but she didn’t notice. It was much more worthwhile to admire the fairness of his hair. How could it be so pale and delicate? It reminded Y/N of spun gold.

Draco--when did she start calling him Draco?--raised one quivering hand to the side of her face.

“You have an eyelash.” His voice was quiet but deep and melodic.

His thumb brushed over the skin under her eye, making her shiver from the cool touch. He had very long, elegant fingers. How had Y/N never paid any mind to them before?

The classroom had fallen silent at this point, but Y/N hadn’t even noticed. All that existed in the room was the boy gazing at her with eyes softer than anything she had ever seen before. He still hadn’t moved from his close proximity. If Y/N looked hard enough, she could count the dark grey flecks in his eyes--ooh, or each of the long eyelashes fanning them. 

Draco licked his lips, a motion that pulled her attention away from his eyes. 

“I didn’t mean what I said about your mother,” he whispered. Never had Y/N ever heard such a tenderly stated sentiment before. 

“I know. I didn’t mean what I said either.” 

Draco’s hand was resting on the side of her face, cupping her cheek and holding her in place.

When had that happened?

It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore, nothing except the fact that the blond boy was leaning even closer, his eyes beginning to flutter shut. She followed suit, sending one last glance down at his lips before they touche--

“Well, isn’t this an interesting scene.” 

Y/N and Draco sprung apart to see Professor Snape staring cooling at them.

“Thank you for calling me over, Professor Slughorn. I can take it from here. Parkinson looks like she might need some assistance.”

No matter how hard she tried, Y/N had difficulty tearing her eyes away from Draco, and it seemed as though he was fighting the same struggle.

“Do indulge me,” Snape drawled. “How did you both manage to accidentally consume the same potion?”

“Professor,” Y/N replied, “We didn’t drink it. It just spilled.” Her tone was giddier than she would’ve liked, but it was okay. Everything was okay, just as long as Draco kept looking at her with those jewel-like eyes.

“Well then.” Snape sighed. “I am assuming that neither of you bothered to listen to the explanation of how amortentia functions?”

“Well, sure, Professor,” Y/N responded. “It’s the most powerful love potion in the world and it makes you fall in love with--”

“You see,” Snape interjected, “If you or Mr. Malfoy decided to pay attention, you would’ve heard that amortentia is meant to be consumed. Its effects don’t occur from skin contact.”

“What are you saying?” Draco looked just as concerned as Y/N.

“I’m saying that you two have some unfinished business to work out. The potion didn’t cause,” Snape motioned to the two students, “this.”

With that, Professor Snape stalked off, leaving Draco and Y/N to gape at each other. 

final a/n: if you would like me to continue this, let me know! thank you for reading and send your requests in! and in the case you’re confused by the ending: check out what the placebo effect is. it’s a very interesting topic! 

[jeaniinesmith]

Best Dog Coats for Harsh Winters: Buyer’s Guide for 2020 and Top-Rated Products

A coat for your dog can provide protection and warmth from harsh winter conditions. The best dog coats are a must if you live in a part of the country that experiences freezing temperatures, high winds, sleet, heavy rainfall, or snow. Some coats even feature panels of reflective material that’s designed to make you and your pet highly visible to motorists and other pedestrians, in low light conditions.

But finding a dog coat isn’t as easy as it may sound. You need to ensure you purchase one that will actually provide the type of protection your dog needs, based on their size, breed, and where you live. My buyer’s guide will go over types of materials to look for, attachment options, and how to choose the right coat based on your dog’s needs. I’ve also included the best four models on the market that have a reputation for providing top of the line protection and a comfortable fit. Below, you’ll find a comparison chart that lists each of the coats that made it to my must-have list, the features they have to offer, and how they rated.

Dog Coats Comparison Chart

ProductSizesMaterialWaterproofRatingKuoser Cozy Reversible Dog Coat Shop On Amazon!7Polyester/CottonYesKurgo Dog Jacket Shop On Amazon!9Nylon/FleeceYesCarhartt Chore Coat Shop On Amazon!4Nylon/CottonYesVecomfy Small Dog Jacket Shop On Amazon!7Cotton/FleeceNo

Kuoser Cozy Reversible Dog Winter Coat

Our Rating: (5/5)

This coat is perfect for breeds of all sizes, ranging from toy to extra-large. The jacket is made out of terylene, cotton, and polyester. The outer shell of the coat is waterproof, while the interior is plush and comfortable, providing excellent insulation. This coat is perfect for freezing temperatures and weather conditions that include sleet, rain, and snow.

Pros

Waterproof

Seven sizes available

Durable

Excellent insulation

Cons

Velcro loses its sticking ability after a few months

Conclusion

This coat is versatile, comfortable, and can handle a variety of weather conditions. There are also sizes available that will work with all breeds including extra-large breeds such as golden retrievers. However, the Velcro does lose some of it’s sticking power after a few months of use, which can be a big drawback for some pet owners. But considering the low price, this coat is definitely worth a second look.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Kurgo Dog Jacket

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This model by Kurgo is adjustable, reflective, and reversible. Designed with comfort in mind, this model is perfect for those colder months, especially if you’re looking for a reflective coat your pet can use for early morning or late night walks. The jacket is also water-resistant and designed to withstand snow, rain, and sleet.

Pros

Lifetime warranty

Reversible

Waterproof

Thick insulation

Cons

Runs a couple of sizes small

Conclusion

This jacket will come in handy for harsh winters but may be overkill for parts of the country that experience milder winters. The coat is available in nine size options and is made out of reflective material that’s designed to make your pet highly visible in low light conditions. It’s a great buy if you’re looking for a coat that has a reputation for durability and comfort.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Carhartt Chore Coat

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This Carhartt brand dog coat features a durable loop and hook closure and is made out of a ring spun cotton and nylon blend, complete with a water-repellent coating. The coat comes with a couple of pockets, so you can store treats or bags, and it works for small to extra-large breeds. Unfortunately, the coat will be too big for toy breeds.

Pros

Two pockets

Durable closure design

Water-repellent coating

Made out of nylon and cotton

Cons

Only four size options available

Conclusion

If you’re familiar with the Carhartt brand, then you know this is one durable jacket. The loop and hook closure is one of the most popular features since it works well to keep the coat securely in place, even for the most active pets.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Vecomfy Small Dog Jacket

Our Rating: (4/5)

This coat is made specifically for small breeds and features a cotton and fleece construction that’s designed to keep your dog warm in colder temperatures. However, since it’s not made out of waterproof material it’s not recommended for harsh winters and cannot keep your pet dry in the event of snow or rain.

Pros

Lightweight

Durable

Breathable

Soft

Cons

Designed for small breeds only

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a coat for chilly, windy days, then your search is over. This model may not be able to protect your pet from snow and rain, but it’s a great option for those overcast days. If you’re looking for a comfortable, warm coat for your small breed dog, one that comes with a heavily padded design, then hit that buy now button. Durable, breathable, lightweight, and perfect for moderate weather conditions, this coat is a steal for the price.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Dog Coats Buyer’s Guide

If you live in a warmer part of the country, then a dog coat may not be a necessity. This can also be true if you live in a part of the country that experiences harsh winter conditions if you have a breed of dog that’s lucky enough to have a dual coat. This means these breeds are well-equipped with a natural coat that will protect them from the elements. But there are many breeds that don’t have this type of natural coat. Just like you and I, a dog can get cold in freezing temperatures, which is why a coat is crucial, especially if you have dogs that have a fine coat, such as a chihuahua.

Benefits of Using Dog Coats

Dog coats aren’t just a way to dress up your pet. In fact, they’re a necessity if you live in a part of the country that experiences heavy rainfall, sleet, or snow.

A dog that wears a coat that actually keeps them warm will be encouraged to go outdoors to use the bathroom during inclement weather. Many dogs will have accidents in the home because it’s too cold to go outside to do their business.

If you have a hyper dog who enjoys spending time outdoors, then a jacket will allow them to enjoy their time outside, without the risk of frostbite, which can happen in as little as thirty minutes of exposure in freezing temperatures, if your pet has a coat that’s not meant to handle freezing temperatures.

If it rains a lot where you live, then you know the hassle that comes with chasing a wet dog around your house with a towel, in an attempt to prevent your dog from getting the carpet and furniture wet. If you’re tired of dealing with that wet dog smell, then a coat is the answer.

Must-Have Features

When you’re shopping for a coat for your pet, make sure you factor in your lifestyle, the climate, their breed, size, and coat type. If you’re looking for a coat that offers the best protection and insulation, then a polyfill model is a great choice. If you have a highly active dog, then a model that allows them to run and move unencumbered is also important. These coats will have leg straps that allow your dog to move freely.

Breed Type and Age

Dogs with an outer and undercoat may not need quite as much protection from the elements as chihuahua, which has a very thin coat. If your dog has a thin coat, then make sure you purchase a model that offers the most insulation, in addition to an outer shell that’s made out of water-resistant material.

If you have an old dog, you may notice that they have a tougher time moving around in the winter months, especially in the morning. This is usually a direct result of the colder weather, combined with aging joints. A vet will recommend a coat for older dogs since the added warmth can do wonders to prevent joint pain and other related issues. Additionally, an older dog’s body cannot maintain warmth as easily as a younger dog’s. For both of these reasons, you should always use a coat for your older pets.

Size

Choosing the right size is important since a coat that fits well will provide the best protection from the elements. Make sure you measure your dog prior to shopping around. Never buy a coat based on the description of the size alone, since one brand’s size large can be another brand’s size extra-large or medium. Instead, take your dog’s measurements and check out the manufacturer’s sizing chart. The sizing chart should clearly list what measurements each size will work for.

Material

The primary function of a coat is to provide insulation and warmth. Models that are equipped with fleece lining will provide maximum warmth and comfort. This material is also referred to as polar fleece, which is somewhat stretchy and offers excellent insulation. Coats that are made out of nylon or other types of weather-resistant material will keep your dog nice and dry in the event of snow or rain. Many pet owners search for coats that are made out of wool, and while you can find them, wool is not the best choice since it is not water-resistant and will instead absorb the water, keeping the wet material close to your pet’s skin. Cotton has the same problem. For intense winter weather, opt for a model that’s made with fleece on the inside and water-resistant material on the outside.

Reflective material is a must if you take your dog for a walk during the winter months. Many coats will come equipped with reflective piping, which will make both you and your pet highly visible to drivers and other pedestrians when you’re out early in the morning or late at night.

Types of Dog Coats

There are many types and styles of coats to choose from. Below, you’ll find a list of the different options available, which will help you pinpoint the style of coat that will work the best for your pup, based on weather conditions, temperature, and breed type.

Raincoat

Just like a raincoat designed for humans, a dog raincoat is made out of waterproof material that’s designed to keep your dog nice and dry. However, most raincoats don’t come equipped with much or any insulating material, so if you live in a part of the country that experiences freezing temperatures, then a raincoat isn’t the best option.

Windbreaker

This type of coat is perfect for mild winters, windy conditions, and even light rainfall. But like a raincoat, a windbreaker doesn’t usually come with much insulation, so they won’t be the best choice if it snows in your neck of the woods.

Fleece

A basic fleece coat features a non-bulky design and provides plenty of warmth for a pup outdoors during windy days, cold temperatures of fifty-five degrees and up. However, these coats are not water-resistant, so if it normally rains or snows during the winter, you’ll need to choose a different style of coat, one that can provide both insulation and protection from wet weather conditions.

Parka

A parka is exactly what you need for a harsh winter. These jackets provide excellent insulation and feature an outer shell that’s totally waterproof. These are considered heavy-duty jackets that are perfect for rain and snow, but if you live in a part of the country that experiences mild winters, then these jackets will definitely be overkill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does My Dog Need a Coat?

When it’s cold out, you should always put a coat on your pet since these coats will keep your pet warm and dry. This will be especially important for older pets with joint problems, dogs with thin coats, and most small breeds.

Is a Dog’s Natural Coat Waterproof?

No. While there are dogs that have two coats, no dog’s coat is fully waterproof, although there are some breeds that have coats that are waterproof to some extent.

When Should I Put a Coat on My Dog?

Most vets recommend using a coat for your pet in temperatures under forty degrees. For old pets, dogs with thin coats, and small breeds, you should use a coat once the temperature is fifty degrees and under.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know what to look for on your search for the best dog coats, you can find the perfect style and size for your pup, one that’s designed to provide the right level of protection for your dog, based on weather conditions, breed, and the part of the country you live in. Each of the jackets on my best-of list is designed to keep your pet warm, dry, and comfortable, during even the harshest weather conditions, and for a price that’s reasonable.

source https://fourpawideas.com/dog-coats/best-dog-coats/ source https://fourpawideas.blogspot.com/2020/02/best-dog-coats-for-harsh-winters-buyers.html

[fourpawideas1]

Best Dog Coats for Harsh Winters: Buyer’s Guide for 2020 and Top-Rated Products

A coat for your dog can provide protection and warmth from harsh winter conditions. The best dog coats are a must if you live in a part of the country that experiences freezing temperatures, high winds, sleet, heavy rainfall, or snow. Some coats even feature panels of reflective material that’s designed to make you and your pet highly visible to motorists and other pedestrians, in low light conditions.

But finding a dog coat isn’t as easy as it may sound. You need to ensure you purchase one that will actually provide the type of protection your dog needs, based on their size, breed, and where you live. My buyer’s guide will go over types of materials to look for, attachment options, and how to choose the right coat based on your dog’s needs. I’ve also included the best four models on the market that have a reputation for providing top of the line protection and a comfortable fit. Below, you’ll find a comparison chart that lists each of the coats that made it to my must-have list, the features they have to offer, and how they rated.

Dog Coats Comparison Chart

ProductSizesMaterialWaterproofRating Kuoser Cozy Reversible Dog Coat Shop On Amazon!7Polyester/CottonYes Kurgo Dog Jacket Shop On Amazon!9Nylon/FleeceYes Carhartt Chore Coat Shop On Amazon!4Nylon/CottonYes Vecomfy Small Dog Jacket Shop On Amazon!7Cotton/FleeceNo

Kuoser Cozy Reversible Dog Winter Coat

Our Rating: (5/5)

This coat is perfect for breeds of all sizes, ranging from toy to extra-large. The jacket is made out of terylene, cotton, and polyester. The outer shell of the coat is waterproof, while the interior is plush and comfortable, providing excellent insulation. This coat is perfect for freezing temperatures and weather conditions that include sleet, rain, and snow.

Pros

Waterproof

Seven sizes available

Durable

Excellent insulation

Cons

Velcro loses its sticking ability after a few months

Conclusion

This coat is versatile, comfortable, and can handle a variety of weather conditions. There are also sizes available that will work with all breeds including extra-large breeds such as golden retrievers. However, the Velcro does lose some of it’s sticking power after a few months of use, which can be a big drawback for some pet owners. But considering the low price, this coat is definitely worth a second look.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Kurgo Dog Jacket

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This model by Kurgo is adjustable, reflective, and reversible. Designed with comfort in mind, this model is perfect for those colder months, especially if you’re looking for a reflective coat your pet can use for early morning or late night walks. The jacket is also water-resistant and designed to withstand snow, rain, and sleet.

Pros

Lifetime warranty

Reversible

Waterproof

Thick insulation

Cons

Runs a couple of sizes small

Conclusion

This jacket will come in handy for harsh winters but may be overkill for parts of the country that experience milder winters. The coat is available in nine size options and is made out of reflective material that’s designed to make your pet highly visible in low light conditions. It’s a great buy if you’re looking for a coat that has a reputation for durability and comfort.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Carhartt Chore Coat

Our Rating: (4.5/5)

This Carhartt brand dog coat features a durable loop and hook closure and is made out of a ring spun cotton and nylon blend, complete with a water-repellent coating. The coat comes with a couple of pockets, so you can store treats or bags, and it works for small to extra-large breeds. Unfortunately, the coat will be too big for toy breeds.

Pros

Two pockets

Durable closure design

Water-repellent coating

Made out of nylon and cotton

Cons

Only four size options available

Conclusion

If you’re familiar with the Carhartt brand, then you know this is one durable jacket. The loop and hook closure is one of the most popular features since it works well to keep the coat securely in place, even for the most active pets.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Vecomfy Small Dog Jacket

Our Rating: (4/5)

This coat is made specifically for small breeds and features a cotton and fleece construction that’s designed to keep your dog warm in colder temperatures. However, since it’s not made out of waterproof material it’s not recommended for harsh winters and cannot keep your pet dry in the event of snow or rain.

Pros

Lightweight

Durable

Breathable

Soft

Cons

Designed for small breeds only

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a coat for chilly, windy days, then your search is over. This model may not be able to protect your pet from snow and rain, but it’s a great option for those overcast days. If you’re looking for a comfortable, warm coat for your small breed dog, one that comes with a heavily padded design, then hit that buy now button. Durable, breathable, lightweight, and perfect for moderate weather conditions, this coat is a steal for the price.

Shop Now On Amazon!

Dog Coats Buyer’s Guide

If you live in a warmer part of the country, then a dog coat may not be a necessity. This can also be true if you live in a part of the country that experiences harsh winter conditions if you have a breed of dog that’s lucky enough to have a dual coat. This means these breeds are well-equipped with a natural coat that will protect them from the elements. But there are many breeds that don’t have this type of natural coat. Just like you and I, a dog can get cold in freezing temperatures, which is why a coat is crucial, especially if you have dogs that have a fine coat, such as a chihuahua.

Benefits of Using Dog Coats

Dog coats aren’t just a way to dress up your pet. In fact, they’re a necessity if you live in a part of the country that experiences heavy rainfall, sleet, or snow.

A dog that wears a coat that actually keeps them warm will be encouraged to go outdoors to use the bathroom during inclement weather. Many dogs will have accidents in the home because it’s too cold to go outside to do their business.

If you have a hyper dog who enjoys spending time outdoors, then a jacket will allow them to enjoy their time outside, without the risk of frostbite, which can happen in as little as thirty minutes of exposure in freezing temperatures, if your pet has a coat that’s not meant to handle freezing temperatures.

If it rains a lot where you live, then you know the hassle that comes with chasing a wet dog around your house with a towel, in an attempt to prevent your dog from getting the carpet and furniture wet. If you’re tired of dealing with that wet dog smell, then a coat is the answer.

Must-Have Features

When you’re shopping for a coat for your pet, make sure you factor in your lifestyle, the climate, their breed, size, and coat type. If you’re looking for a coat that offers the best protection and insulation, then a polyfill model is a great choice. If you have a highly active dog, then a model that allows them to run and move unencumbered is also important. These coats will have leg straps that allow your dog to move freely.

Breed Type and Age

Dogs with an outer and undercoat may not need quite as much protection from the elements as chihuahua, which has a very thin coat. If your dog has a thin coat, then make sure you purchase a model that offers the most insulation, in addition to an outer shell that’s made out of water-resistant material.

If you have an old dog, you may notice that they have a tougher time moving around in the winter months, especially in the morning. This is usually a direct result of the colder weather, combined with aging joints. A vet will recommend a coat for older dogs since the added warmth can do wonders to prevent joint pain and other related issues. Additionally, an older dog’s body cannot maintain warmth as easily as a younger dog’s. For both of these reasons, you should always use a coat for your older pets.

Size

Choosing the right size is important since a coat that fits well will provide the best protection from the elements. Make sure you measure your dog prior to shopping around. Never buy a coat based on the description of the size alone, since one brand’s size large can be another brand’s size extra-large or medium. Instead, take your dog’s measurements and check out the manufacturer’s sizing chart. The sizing chart should clearly list what measurements each size will work for.

Material

The primary function of a coat is to provide insulation and warmth. Models that are equipped with fleece lining will provide maximum warmth and comfort. This material is also referred to as polar fleece, which is somewhat stretchy and offers excellent insulation. Coats that are made out of nylon or other types of weather-resistant material will keep your dog nice and dry in the event of snow or rain. Many pet owners search for coats that are made out of wool, and while you can find them, wool is not the best choice since it is not water-resistant and will instead absorb the water, keeping the wet material close to your pet’s skin. Cotton has the same problem. For intense winter weather, opt for a model that’s made with fleece on the inside and water-resistant material on the outside.

Reflective material is a must if you take your dog for a walk during the winter months. Many coats will come equipped with reflective piping, which will make both you and your pet highly visible to drivers and other pedestrians when you’re out early in the morning or late at night.

Types of Dog Coats

There are many types and styles of coats to choose from. Below, you’ll find a list of the different options available, which will help you pinpoint the style of coat that will work the best for your pup, based on weather conditions, temperature, and breed type.

Raincoat

Just like a raincoat designed for humans, a dog raincoat is made out of waterproof material that’s designed to keep your dog nice and dry. However, most raincoats don’t come equipped with much or any insulating material, so if you live in a part of the country that experiences freezing temperatures, then a raincoat isn’t the best option.

Windbreaker

This type of coat is perfect for mild winters, windy conditions, and even light rainfall. But like a raincoat, a windbreaker doesn’t usually come with much insulation, so they won’t be the best choice if it snows in your neck of the woods.

Fleece

A basic fleece coat features a non-bulky design and provides plenty of warmth for a pup outdoors during windy days, cold temperatures of fifty-five degrees and up. However, these coats are not water-resistant, so if it normally rains or snows during the winter, you’ll need to choose a different style of coat, one that can provide both insulation and protection from wet weather conditions.

Parka

A parka is exactly what you need for a harsh winter. These jackets provide excellent insulation and feature an outer shell that’s totally waterproof. These are considered heavy-duty jackets that are perfect for rain and snow, but if you live in a part of the country that experiences mild winters, then these jackets will definitely be overkill.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does My Dog Need a Coat?

When it’s cold out, you should always put a coat on your pet since these coats will keep your pet warm and dry. This will be especially important for older pets with joint problems, dogs with thin coats, and most small breeds.

Is a Dog’s Natural Coat Waterproof?

No. While there are dogs that have two coats, no dog’s coat is fully waterproof, although there are some breeds that have coats that are waterproof to some extent.

When Should I Put a Coat on My Dog?

Most vets recommend using a coat for your pet in temperatures under forty degrees. For old pets, dogs with thin coats, and small breeds, you should use a coat once the temperature is fifty degrees and under.

Final Thoughts

Now that you know what to look for on your search for the best dog coats, you can find the perfect style and size for your pup, one that’s designed to provide the right level of protection for your dog, based on weather conditions, breed, and the part of the country you live in. Each of the jackets on my best-of list is designed to keep your pet warm, dry, and comfortable, during even the harshest weather conditions, and for a price that’s reasonable.

source https://fourpawideas.com/dog-coats/best-dog-coats/

[thegrumpygroomer]

The New Groomer’s Guide

Hello! If you’re following this account, I’m assuming you’re either already a groomer or interested in becoming one. And for both, I’d like to say: Welcome! For today’s post, I would like to pass on the knowledge I gained and kinda wished I could’ve figured out earlier. Many of you might go “yeah, duh” to a lot of this shit. Other’s might go “haha, yeah.” Hope you get something out of this either way.

1) It’s more than just ‘playing with puppies’- In this sense, I was kinda lucky. In my interview, my boss actually leveled with me and said “look, this job isn’t glamorous. It’s not about playing with puppies and having a good time. We clean dog assholes for a living.” That always stuck with me.

I’ve met some newbies that clearly didn’t get the same talking to as me. Or they thought it was fewer dog assholes and more puppies.

Either way, you learn quickly whether or not you want this just by that.

2) You will get bit- You’ll start out being wary of some dogs. Typically, those are the ones you should worry about least. I don’t know if you’ll ever get bit bad enough to make you bleed, but I’m talking from my own first and second-hand experience. I’ve seen some of the best groomers who’ve been doing it for far longer than me, stride out of the back with a bleeding hand. Sometimes it can’t be avoided because them motherfucker’s quick.

On the bright side, you can see it as training for a zombie apocalypse. No bitch-ass dead bitch gonna get you when Fido already taught you how to stay away from teeth.

3) Get a good pair of tweezers- This is something just about everyone forgets to tell you directly. Hair splinters are a BITCH. I have about twenty little shits permanently infused into the side of my pinky finger. They get to stay put for now because they didn’t cause any pain and alert me to their presence. To me, the ones on the palm are the worst. Especially the little white ones.

You will have a very intimate relationship with tweezers. One of those tiny magnifying glasses might help too.

4) Maybe get yourself a face mask and goggles too- Hair. It’ll be everywhere. There will be days you’ll walk out from drying your dog and your hair will have a new layer to it. You’ll find it hard to breathe then blow your nose and find out that husky from a week ago is still lodged in your nasal cavity. It’ll spiderweb all over your eyes. So, protect yourself so you can breathe and see.

Also, nail dust is a thing so the mask can be used again.

5) You’ll make a dog bleed- This is a very sad reality of grooming. But, there will come a time when you’ll draw blood. Maybe it’ll be a nicked paw pad, maybe your blade caught a scab. Most likely, it’ll be cutting a nail too short. No matter what, you’ll probably have a similar reaction to both me and a few people I trained.

You’ll cry and be afraid of doing it again. You might even react more than the dog you think is bleeding to death. It’s going to be okay; you’re going to get through it. It’s probably the crappiest part of the job but it is still a thing to prepare for. But, if you want this, you’ll have to get up from the floor where you passed out and learn all the steps to take to keep this from happening again.

And a better way of reacting if it does. Can’t have groomers always passing out.

6) You’ll gain breed prejudice- Huskies and German Shepherds? Get the fuck out of here. Yorkies? Those little shits better calm down! Border collies? Dude needs to take an ambient or something. Pit bulls? Fuck yeah! Always room for a pit bull bath!

You might think it’ll be obvious. Of course, you’ll love one type of dog over another. It’s not. Not at all. I’m more wary of a Pomeranian than I’ve ever been of a dog that comes up to my hip and I was attacked by a Shepard mix when I was seven.

This one’s pretty cut and dry. Hate some breeds, love others. There’s no telling what direction it’ll go.

You’ll never wanna do a pug nail trim though. That’s pretty universal.

7) Your tolerance levels are gonna change dramatically- When you do get a puppy, it’s both the best and the worst. Because, holy hell those little shits are adorable. But also, holy fuck this dog has never done this before and is scared shitless of everything! Puppies take practice and patience. A whole shitload of it. And that’ll be where your tolerance level should skyrocket. Remember, it’s a baby. It doesn’t know any better. (this should also hold true for any first timers and older dogs. Or just straight up nervous animals)

Now let’s talk about where tolerance will have the opposite effect: people.

Many will still have the whole “customer is always right” philosophy. Unfortunately, this is one of those places where that simply is not true. If you neglect to brush your dog? He gets a shave down rather than a light trim. You wanna shave you’re golden retriever because she’s shedding? That’s not how things work, ya dumbass!

I lost count of how many times I wanted to tell someone to do their fucking research before buying an animal. I didn’t get into this job to torture dogs.

It often helps to think that maybe this owner doesn’t know better. But, when you know for a fact they should know better, then you’re just going into the back to slam your head against the wall for a little while.

Also, those are the people who will usually become your request clients. So, you’ll have plenty of time trying to explain this shit to them. Enjoy!

8) You’ll be blamed for dumb things- The other day someone called to blame a groomer for giving a dog a mole. Not nicking a mole, GIVING him a mole. As if she had some kind of lame superpower to add something that usually takes forever to develop. Another time, I was accused of not giving a dog a bath because he went home and, the next day, “smelled like a dog.”

I don’t know why some people feel the need to do this. Maybe they lost touch with what it’s like to be a person with emotions. Maybe they think these are the best ways to get free things. Maybe their lives are just so miserable they need an outlet to dump all their crap. And what better scapegoat than a person in retail/service? You know, the one you just paid to get literally shat on?

(little gross extra for you: you will clean up shit. Sometimes, you’ll find it in your pocket. Don’t wear nice clothes to work…)

9) You’ll be in pain, like, 80% of the time- That’s a low ball too. I’m not a person who likes to be touched anymore than necessary. I don’t really hug unless I know you pretty well. I really like my personal space and strangers should never be in it.

But I would kill for a good back massage right about now.

If I could look into the future when I was in high school and saw this life, I would’ve done better in P.E. to prepare for it. I’m naturally a pretty strong person. I can lift some pretty heavy dogs without much of an issue. Even so, there are times my body screams at me for it. My main reason for wanting to go back to the gym is for upper body strength.

And then there’s carpal tunnel. It’ll be a bitch and you may need surgery down the line if you’re not careful. Just something to keep in mind.

Aches and pains will be a normal part of your day. Just think of them as a reminder that you are alive, I guess.

Now, I know you’re thinking that you just heard me bitch and moan about all the terrible shit in this job. Why would you wanna stay? Ore you may be thinking “Okay, so this is the part where they say something nice and return a bit of hope to our hearts.” Well, fuck you! I’m not some kinda straw man, Buzzfeed ass bitch here for your entertainment!

…..

Anyway.

10) it does have its upsides- I’ve had a lot of different jobs, most of which were a creative field. One of them paid a lot better than grooming. Many of them had their benefits like… not having to clean literal shit out of your pocket. But, it’s rare to find a job that can actually be fun.

All the bullshit I listed above is true; it’s all happened to me or around me. But most of the stuff are things that happen to everyone. That in itself brings you a certain amount of community. The people in the salon are very close-knit; it becomes almost like a family. And, like a family, we fight and bicker. But within that same hour, we’re laughing at bad puns and poop jokes. Immature? Maybe. But there’s not many other jobs where you can make these jokes without worrying about offending someone or just making things awkward.

There are days where I’m actually excited to go to work. Not many people can say that. Years ago, I couldn’t say that! So, I guess I’m lucky in a way.

This is not a job for everyone, don’t get me wrong. But when a job is geared for a certain type of person, it kinda sets up for a truly strong, supportive relationship.

-

Alright. Enough of this mushy sentimentality. This has been my New Groomer’s guide. Or, as it probably should’ve been titled “Ten things I wish someone told me when I became a Groomer.” But, ya know, I didn’t like that title.

Hope you enjoyed!

[iknowiknowiknowiknowiknow-blog1]

"Pit bull terrier bites were responsible for a significantly higher number of orthopaedic injuries and resulted in an amputation and/or bony injury in 66% of patients treated, whereas bites from law enforcement dogs and other breeds were less associated with severe injuries."

"Among the breeds identified, pit bulls are proportionally linked with more severe bite injuries."

"47.8% of pit bull injuries required operative repair, which was 3 times more than other breeds."

"Pit bulls are more likely to cause severe injuries that require operative repairs."

"Of the 9 patients with extended hospitalization, 6 (66.7%) were caused by a pit bull...confirms our theory that this breed results in the most devastating injuries at our center."

"Our data were consistent with others, in that an operative intervention was more than 3 times as likely to be associated with a pit bull injury than with any other breed. Half of the operations performed on children in this study as well as the only mortality resulted from a pit bull injury."

"Our data revealed that pit bull breeds were more than 2.5 times as likely as other breeds to bite in multiple anatomical locations. Although other breeds may bite with the same or higher frequency, the injury that a pit bull inflicts per bite is often more severe."

"Of the more than 8 different breeds identified, one-third were caused by pit bull terriers and resulted in the highest rate of consultation (94%) and had 5 times the relative rate of surgical intervention."

"Unlike all other breeds, pit bull terriers were relatively more likely to attack an unknown individual (+31%), and without provocation (+48%)."

"Although a number of dog breeds were identified, the largest group were pit bull terriers, whose resultant injuries were more severe and resulted from unprovoked, unknown dogs."

"The findings of this study are consistent with and extend from previous publications...Dog bites from pit bull terriers, compared to bites from all other dogs, are more common, more severe, and not related to the dog being provoked."

"Compared with attacks by other breeds of dogs, attacks by pit bulls were associated with a higher median Injury Severity Scale score (4 vs. 1; P = 0.002), a higher risk of an admission Glasgow Coma Scale score of 8 or lower (17.2% vs. 0%; P = 0.006), higher median hospital charges ($10,500 vs. $7200; P = 0.003), and a higher risk of death (10.3% vs. 0%; P = 0.041)."

"Attacks by pit bulls are associated with higher morbidity rates, higher hospital charges, and a higher risk of death than are attacks by other breeds of dogs. Strict regulation of pit bulls may substantially reduce the US mortality rates related to dog bites."

In this controlled temperament test, pit bulls were at least twice as likely to attack as Dobermans, three times more likely to attack than Rottweilers, and nearly ten times more likely to attack than golden retrievers. Note that the anti-breed ban activist authors found "no significant difference" between breeds when the definition of "aggression" was watered down to the point that even whining was considered aggressive. But pay close attention to Table 5 on page 138: out of all the breeds tested, pit bulls were markedly the worst when it came to the percentage of dogs that actually attempted to bite or attack. Close to one out of seven pit bulls reached level 5 during the one hour test compared to only one out of the seventy goldens tested. "Staffordshire terrier" is what some breed registries call the pit bull terrier.

The interactive dangerous dogs map kept by the city of Minneapolis is maintained in a "breed-neutral" way in that MSP does not "discriminate against" pit bulls. Still, 70% of the dogs listed as dangerous are pit bulls; 81% are pit bulls plus closely-related bully breeds. In fact, this list has always been over half pit bulls since it was launched in 2015.

In fact, pit bulls dominate animal control dangerous dog reports throughout the U.S.: I've just singled out Minneapolis so folks can't pull the usual "but pit bulls are always misidentified" excuse because this list shows clear photos of each pit bull.

People scoff at dogsbite links, and admittedly, the editorializations on Dogsbite.org can be quite unprofessional and I disagree with many of the opinions expressed. But the matters of fact cited on Dogsbite.org are generally independently verifiable and the site generally makes clear efforts to link to and archive the original source. For example, this list of animal control reports is a good source: the data are reported directly from animal control departments and departments of agriculture.

Dogsbite.org also publishes photos of dogs that kill people on its website. If you wanted to put together a 12-month calendar of the most popular breeds in the U.S., it would look like this. But when you make that same image using the most recent reasonably clear and credible photos of the dogs that killed people in the U.S., it's considerably less diverse.

Note that these aren't the most recent deadly dog attacks, they're the most recent deadly attacks where either law enforcement or a news outlet published its own photos of the fatally-attacking dog(s). See more recent photos, including ones taken from owners' and victims' social media, here. The American Veterinary Medical Association has essentially acted as an animal breeding industry lobbying arm since 2003: the AVMA published and its position paper continues to misleadingly reference an incredibly deceptive study authored entirely by pit bull activists without mentioning their conflicts of interest or addressing any of these problems with the study.When someone "rescues" a pit bull, they're still buying a dog: a dog for whom they'll need to buy food, supplies, and veterinary care for the rest of its life. The conflicts of interest the pet care industry has in defending pit bulls is obvious. I'd be much more impressed with a ringing endorsement for pit bull innocence from any human health or public safety organizations, but literally none of them say anything remotely close to "actually, pit bulls are safe." The most comprehensive research to date on BSL in North America, conducted 2012, found a significant decrease in dog bite injury hospitalizations in regions where pit bulls are banned. The lead author, Malathi Raghavan, is assistant director of research and education for the American Veterinary Medical Association:“What we found is where the legislation was enacted, then the number of bites was reduced relative to places where the legislation wasn’t enacted,” said Dan Chateau, one of the authors of the study and a research scientist at the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy. “How strongly we can claim that one caused the other, that is a little bit still up for debate but the relationship is definitely there.” From 1984 to 2006, the total number of dog bite hospitalizations per year fell by about 20 per cent, from 3.47 to 2.84 for every 100,000 people.“ Hospitalizations for dog bites are really rare. A 20 per cent reduction in anything is good, particularly with dog bites,” Chateau said. “I would think it’s a substantial reduction.” The “crusade against pit bulls” ...is hilarious to hear about in light of the fact that pit bull lobbyists spend millions of dollars every year to pimp pit bulls in cable TV and in the news and in coffee table books with insipid titles like I'm a Good Dog: Pit Bulls, America's Most Beautiful (and Misunderstood) Pet and in feature films and with an invented history as sugary and fake and absurd as "nanny dog" and "American icon."...while anti-pit bull crusading is pretty much limited to Dogsbite.org, which gets less than $50,000 in funding annually, and news reports on severe and fatal dog attacks. What other breed has a lobby backing it up? Why would a breed need lobbying on its behalf? Why is there no historical evidence to support either "nanny dogs" or the idea that pit bulls weren't historically stigmatized?The Little Rascals? They weren't just any kids, they were scruffy troublemakers from the "wrong side of the tracks." So was their dog. And the dog symbolizing the U.S. in WWI posters? In other posters, this dog bears much more similarity to a white bullterrier than the pit bull, and at the time, show bull terriers were considered distinct from "pit" bull terriers. If the pit bull terrier was such an "icon," why isn't the dog shown in those posters unambiguously a pit bull? Why isn't it labeled as a pit bull terrier, and why is it white and not colored like a typical pit bull? Why was a pit bull cast as the companion to poor kids who often clashed with others around them?Why didn't the American Kennel Club recognize pit bulls until 1936? Why did the AKC only agree to admit them under the star-spangled name of..."Staffordshire terrier?" Staffordshire is in England. Why didn't Americans want to take credit for "America's Dog?" Why didn't the American Kennel Club give this "American icon" an American name? The general public is under the impression that this breed is carnivorous, vicious, and, fed on a diet of raw meat, will devour a human being...When the pit bull terrier was introduced into America, he was more commonly found to be owned by prize fighters, saloon keepers and habitues, sporting men and the like. From the start the breed earned an unjust reputation due to his fighting ability and the character of the owner. To this day he is still trying to live down an unjust and undeserved reputation. Joseph Colby, The American Pit Bull Terrier, published 1936. Colby was then one of the world's best-known pit bull breeders, and when he addresses the pit bull's reputation, he makes two key points: Pit bulls had a bad ("unjust") reputation "from the start" (or about the mid-1800s) and pit bulls still had a negative reputation a century after the type originated. A "pit" bulldog belongs to a strain of dogs which have been trained to fight each other in bloody battle to death in a dog pit. Around this pit, or arena, inhuman humans, more brutal than the brutes that they are brutalized, assembled to gratify an evil lust for blood and rejoice in the suffering and death of the wretched animals they had trained to cruelly and ferocity...Small wonder that pit bulldogs have inherited the ferocity of their masters, who trained them to brutality...no pit bulldog should be ever made the companion of a child. Milwaukee Sentinel, Feb. 17 1945 

The bull-and-terrier type, which later became the pit bull, arose because dogfighting became popular after bull-baiting was banned.

The original bulldogs, however, strongly resemble pit bulls and at the time they had a strikingly similar reputation (attacking without provocation, not letting go, not warning before an attack, et cetera.)

In his 1792 A General History of Quadrupeds, Thomas Bewick referred to bulldogs as "the fiercest of all the Dog kind.”

in British Field Sports, an 1818 guide to hunting, William Henry Scott described these dogs as “devoted solely to the most barbarous and infamous purposes” and “the real blackguard of his species." He also argued that the bulldog possessed “no claim upon utility, humanity, or common sense” and concluded that “the total extinction of the breed is a desirable consummation.”

Writes William Bingley in Memoirs of British Quadrupeds (1809: "The Bulldog is remarkable for the undaunted and savage pertinacity with which he will provoke and continue a combat with other animals, and when once he has fixed his bite, it is not without extreme difficulty that he can be disengaged from his antagonist...He is oftentimes fierce and cruel, and seems to possess very little of the generosity and disposition so remarkable and so celebrated in dog species.”

Bingley also warned that bulldogs were especially prone to unprovoked attacks on humans, arguing that this breed “frequently makes his attack without giving the least previous warning." Bewick, too, wrote that “the bull-dog always makes his attack without barking” and because of this, “it is very dangerous to approach him alone.”

The entry for “bulldog” in the fourth edition of The New American Cyclopedia:

So strongly marked is this peculiarity that an able recent writer on the dog considers the bull-dog a sort of abnormal canine monster, a dog idiot, yielding to uncontrollable physical impulses, now of blind ferocity, now of equally blind and undiscriminating maudlin tenderness, which renders him more addicted to licking, slobbering, and mumbling the hand, the boot, or any other part of any person to whom he takes a sudden and causeless liking, and whom he is just as likely to assault the next moment than any other of his species.

Editor George Ripley argued that “the bull-dog does not display the usual intelligence nor fidelity of the dog; since he will capriciously attack his master." It is not true that pit bulls have a special locking mechanism in their jaw but it is true that they hold on when they bite and they won’t let go. In fact, experts recommend that pit bull owners carry something called a "break stick" around at all times: that's literally a tool used to pry a pit bull's jaws open during an attack and they're pretty much just for pit bulls. As to the myth that pit bulls who were man biters were culled by dogfighters, here, this blogger put together a documented list of famously human-aggressive fighting dogs who not only weren't "culled" but were bred so often that they produced over 1,200 known, registered offspring:"The man-biters were culled and the pit bulls were not bred for human aggression myths were created from thin air, complete fabrications. There is not a sliver of truth in the myth that dogmen culled man-biters. Not only weren't human aggressive pit fighters NOT culled, but a talented man-biter was heavily bred, his stud services were in high demand and the stud fees commanded a premium. The progeny of man-biters are still sought out long after he or she has passed away. This Italian game-dog website lists their choice for the Best Ever fighting dogs, three of the five are known man-biters and the other two trace their origins to the others on their "Best" list. Some famous man-biters have their own facebook fan pages. If you happen to be a 10x winner with 3 kills and scratching on the carcass, people tend to overlook a little thing like the danger she poses to people and she is also likely to be nominated for the cover of this month's International Sporting Dog Journal. Some famous man-biters not only have a facebook fan page, they have their own promotional merchandise too."

Let's lay aside the on-its-face absurdity of the "no one knows what a pit bull looks like" shtick: Appellate courts have consistently ruled that people "of ordinary intelligence" can identify pit bulls as pit bulls. Pit bull apologists have spent literally millions of dollars to teach us not only what pit bulls look like but also why we should adopt one and proselytize on social media about how "sweet" and "misunderstood" they are. You can't have this massive multi-million, multi-decade rebranding campaign on social media, TV, movies, books, and everywhere else...and then claim that most people have no clue what a pit bull is.

Here are some of those rulings:

Vanater v. Village of South Point, Ohio: Village criminal ordinance, which prohibited the owning or harboring of pit bull terriers or other vicious dogs within village limits, was not overbroad, even though identification of a "pit bull" may be difficult in some situations.

Toledo v. Tellings, Ohio: The Court found the state and the city have a legitimate interest in protecting citizens against unsafe conditions caused by pit bulls. The evidence presented in the trial court supports the conclusion that pit bulls pose a serious danger to the safety of citizens.

Hearn v. City of Overland Park, Kansas: The court held: (1) the ordinance is not unconstitutionally vague or overbroad; (2) the ordinance does not violate the due process rights of plaintiffs under the United States and Kansas Constitutions; (3) the ordinance does not violate the equal protection clauses of the United States.

Dog Federation of Wisconsin, Inc. v. City of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin: The court found that reference to recognized breeds provides sufficient specifics to withstand a vagueness challenge. With regard to equal protection, the court held that the ordinance is founded on “substantial distinctions” between the breeds of dog covered by the ordinance and other breeds of dog. Moreover, the ordinance is “germane” to the underlying purpose of the ordinance to protect persons and animals from dangerous dogs.

Colorado Dog Fanciers v. City and County of Denver, Colorado: The court found the ordinance to be a valid police power exercise to protect the health and safety of the citizens since the evidence showed pit bulls to be inherently dangerous.

American Dog Owners Ass'n, Inc. v. Dade County , Florida: The District Court held that ordinance sufficiently defined “pit bull” dogs by specifically referencing three breeds recognized by kennel clubs, including a description of the characteristics of such dogs, and provided a mechanism for verification of whether a particular dog was included. The uncontradicted testimony of the various veterinarians reflected that most dog owners know the breed of their dog and that most dog owners look for and select a dog of a particular breed. The Court found that the law afforded fair warning of what is proscribed. I find it kind of funny when people say calling pitbulls dangerous is racist because pitbulls are associated with POC, but here’s an interesting fact: The Ku Klux Klan is inextricably linked to pit bull and dogfighting culture and to this day, the image of a pit bull is still listed as a hate symbol by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Found this on reddit:

Pit Bull Owners More Likely to Show Sociopathic Tendencies

A significant difference in criminal behavior was found based on dog ownership type. Owners of high risk dog breeds were significantly more likely to admit to violent criminal behavior, compared to large dog owners, small dog owners, and people who did not own dogs. The high risk dog breed owner sample also reported that they engaged in more types of criminal behavior compared to all other participant groups of criminal behavior (i.e., violent, property, drug, and status).

The interesting addition to our knowledge that that this study provides has to do with the personality characteristics of the high risk dog owners. In general high risk dog breed owners were significantly more likely to engage in sensation seeking and risky behaviors. As a group they were also more careless, selfish and had stronger manipulative tendencies. - Psychological Characteristics Owners of Aggressive Dog Breeds, Psychology Today

"Owners of cited high-risk ("vicious") dogs had significantly more criminal convictions than owners of licensed low-risk dogs." - Ownership of high-risk ("vicious") dogs as a marker for deviant behaviors: implications for risk assessment. - Full text PDF

" Findings revealed vicious dog owners reported significantly more criminal behaviors than other dog owners. Vicious dog owners were higher in sensation seeking and primary psychopathy. Study results suggest that vicious dog ownership may be a simple marker of broader social deviance." - Vicious Dogs: The Antisocial Behaviors and Psychological Characteristics of Owners - Full text PDF

"Vicious dog owners reported significantly higher criminal thinking, entitlement, sentimentality, and superoptimism tendencies. Vicious dog owners were arrested, engaged in physical fights, and used marijuana significantly more than other dog owners." - Vicious Dogs Part 2: Criminal Thinking, Callousness, and Personality Styles of Their Owners

Also see: Personality and Behavioral Characteristics of Owners of Vicious Breeds of Dog (dogbitelaw.com) I’ll edit this for formatting and add to it in the future.

[the-blonde-hurricane]

Here’s Why Being Afraid of American Pitbull Terriers Perpetuates an Unrealistic Fear, Causing Thousands of Deaths to a Suffering Breed.

ASPCA commercials of sad animals in kennels, unadopted and without families is hard for pretty much anyone to watch who is an animal person in one way or another. The majority of the dogs there, however, happen to be the American Pitbull Terrier, the “scary” dog. 

Below are pictures of pitbulls. I did not purposefully put together adorable photo shoots, or baskets of pitbull puppies, or pictures of them specifically with small animals or children. I am not here to further convince you that pitbulls are nice, friendly dogs. The reason why is because if this were about any other dog, it wouldn’t be necessary. I wouldn’t need to pick very specific pictures to show you that a nice dog is actually a nice dog, you would already assume so. I’m making this post to show you, hopefully remind you, that this fear of pitbulls is ridiculous, sad and quite frankly sickening.

Take a look at these statistics. I mean, really look at them. Doesn’t quite resonate with you? Allow me to shed some light. 

The American Temperament Test Society  is a group of people who, can you believe it, test the temperament (or the dog’s natural disposition) of over 30,000 different dogs of all different breeds. The breed, age, sex and amount of training a dog already has is taken into account. The test takes no longer than 12 minutes, with the subject dog being on a loose 6′ leash. The dog is presented with multiple tests to have its anxiety levels, panic without recovery and unprovoked aggression recorded.

The tests include 2 different situations with strangers, one neutral and one friendly. Next is 2 different loud and abrupt noises the dog can’t see or find. The next 3 are visual and tactile tests, including a umbrella popped open unexpectedly and strange floor the dog has to walk on (this is to analyze the dogs recovery from fear/panic to stepping on something unusual. it does not harm them). The last test are 3 different levels of aggressive behavior by a stranger.

This is where you can find the complete details to the test because I summarized them for obvious reasons.

That being said, should we go back to the picture above, pitbulls had an 86.8% pass on this test, being second best out of all the other “scary*” breeds listed.

*not all breeds are listed, but the ones that are tend to be the most common breeds restricted from apartments, homes or have had a history of being the “scary dog of the decade”. yes, golden retrievers included.

“But pitbulls are inherently vicious, it’s in their nature!”

First of all, false. Second of all, take a moment and take the “dog” part out of that. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? Defining a whole group by the actions of a few? Don’t we frown on that? We do. And if you don’t, you should ( because what the hell you fuckin racist ).

But here’s the kicker folks. Dogs don’t know anything other than what is shown to them. Unfortunately, the pitiful you’re afraid of gets hit, abused, and or neglected. Whether the poor thing is getting starved or beaten, it’s been taught to fear. Dogs can handle themselves when they need to so when all they know is fear, do you expect them to trust you? Of course not.

Now before you go on your merry way to tell me i shouldn’t be justifying an awful thing these poor dogs have done out of fear, rewind for a moment, and hear me out when i tell you you should not be afraid of the dog. you should be livid at the humans who have made this dog believe that the whole world will hurt them

“But Pitbulls have lockjaws! Once they bite down they won’t let go!”

WRONG. AGAIN. I am literally only going to say this once because if i hear it again I swear on my melting pint of ice cream I’m wrapping myself in a straight jacket and never coming out. 

Pitbulls. Jaws. Do. Not. Lock. 

That is a myth, it has been a myth ever since pitbulls became the scary dog of america and it will remain a myth because it is the stupidest thing I’ve ever fucking heard. Stretch your arm out and lock your elbow in place. Magically, you can still bend your elbow back, because it’s not really locked. There is no part of your body that you can lock to your will without being able to unlock it (if you can, go see a doctor. something is wrong)

If you take the skull of a chihuahua and the skull of a pitbull, besides their size, the mechanisms will be identical. The myth that pitbulls have locking jaws came from being bred to not back down until their goal was met, even despite pain inflicted on them, as they were used to take down larger animals. It is in their nature to be tenacious, but it is not in their nature to be vicious. The same way a foxhound, beagle or greyhound would go after rabbits, foxes and coyotes to tear them to shreds if given the chance and freedom.

“(Pitbulls) work through the years has been control of other animals- never humans.  A correct pit bull is more often than not submissive toward all humans, and adores children.”(x)

Now lets get personal

This is my dog, Kala

She is the cutest, sweetest damn thing this side of the equator. When I adopted her, she was 5, and the people said she was abandoned and found as a stray. Her nipples were sagging and they said she had to have had no less than two litters already, at the age of 5. They told me when she was found, she had a chip but the contact connected to it never responded or answered any calls.

The day I met Kala, she cried when I turned to leave even though she was the quietest dog in the room. The first time I saw her mouth open into a smile was when she got into our car to take her home. She thinks she's the size of a cat (and lays down like one too, with all her paws tucked underneath her) and will always want to be sitting in your lap or touching you in some way to know you're close. She’s is ever protective of my 11 year old niece and 7 year old nephew. My youngest nephew, who just turned 1, is wary of her only because he’s only familiar with cats. But when he begins to panic around a large animal such as Kala, she steps back and lays her entire body down for him.

She’s 8 years old now and gallops around like she’s 3. Her favorite treat is a banana shared with me, and I would rather sit in a cardboard box on the street, with her healthy and happy by my side, than give her up to be euthanized soon after so I can live in an apartment complex that won’t allow pitbulls, rottweilers and huskies because “they don’t do well in communities”

In conclusion:

If you are scared of pitbulls simply because they are pitbulls, you are part of the reason I can’t find a home for me and my best friend. 

Fuck you.

[the-whoofwhoof]

Things Didn’t Know About the Goldador

A dog is man's closest companion, however like we must be particular with our human companions, we likewise need to get the dog that finds a way into our lives. Knowing the characteristics of each dog empowers us to settle on the correct choice. In the event that you are considering getting a Goldador, you should realize they are shrewd, perky, and friendly creatures that make extraordinary allies for youngsters and grown-ups. Be that as it may, there are different things you should consider, so peruse on to check whether some of them will forestall or urge you to have a Goldador. If you looking for best pet grooming in delhi visit to our website

1. They are not perceived by the American Kennel Club

The Goldador is a half and half whose guardians are the Labrador Retriever and the Golden Retriever. Because of the dog not being an unadulterated variety, it isn't perceived by the AKC. Its folks, notwithstanding, were perceived by the AKC very nearly a century prior; the Labrador Retriever was enlisted as a brandishing breed in 1917 while the Golden Retrievers entered the vault in 1925, additionally as a wearing variety.

2. The crossover energy hypothesis may not have any significant bearing to them

Most reproducers pick unadulterated varieties that will supplement each other healthwise so the subsequent posterity is less inclined to medical problems influencing the guardians. On account of a Goldador, that cross breed life is in all likelihood not material in light of the fact that the two guardians experience the ill effects of a similar medical problems. Thus, the half and half acquires similar illnesses. Notwithstanding, you can at present guarantee your dog isn't at high danger of other medical conditions by guaranteeing that you get your half and half from a trustworthy raiser. Notwithstanding being inclined to diabetes and waterfalls, a Goldador's odds of getting malignancy are a lot of lower than its Golden Retriever parent. If you are searching best dog grooming in delhi contact to whoof whoof.

3. Require customary exercise

Canine Weekly clarifies that the Golden Retriever and the Labrador Retriever are fiery. Subsequently, even their posterity will in general have a similar energy level, which must be very much used by practicing every day for at any rate 60 minutes. Despite the fact that strolls are sufficient, particularly once they accomplish development, any movement that keeps the dog on its paws will do. Inability to practice the dog will bring about ruinous conduct or weariness.

4. They can be counter-surfers

In the event that there is a dog breed that will never give you a migraine during taking care of time since it won't eat, it is the Goldador. They like to eat, which implies that in the event that you are not watching out, your biscuits will continue vanishing from the ledge. Other than stressing over the counter-riding propensity, you should likewise be sharp that the dog doesn't get overweight. With their adoration for food, Goldadors can overload, and they can likewise represent an issue for you during strolls when they run off to ask for food from food stands. Consequently, aside from preparing them to stand by until they are served, normal exercise guarantees they don't get stout. If you are searching best dog grooming in delhi contact to whoof whoof.

5. What amount do they cost?

As per Next Day Pets, Goldadors as a rule cost $600, yet everything relies upon the raiser, area, and the market interest. According to the article, a doggy that has rearing papers will make them delve further into your pockets than the one that doesn't. Normally, those with reproducing rights can go up to $1200, and on the off chance that the guardians were of prevalent quality, at that point you can leave behind as much as $5,000.

6. Requires customary prepping

While a few cross breeds like the Bernedoodle are ideal for those with sensitivities, the Goldador doesn't bear the cost of you that extravagance. Despite the fact that it is refered to as not shedding a lot, it actually does, particularly during fall and spring; the remainder of it is somewhat moderate. Thusly, to limit getting stray hairs on the love seat, you ought to consistently brush the hide double seven days is sufficient. Throughout the fall and spring, you should brush the dog each day, regardless of whether the hide length doesn't appear to be too long to even think about needing any preparing.  If you looking for best pet grooming in delhi visit to our website

[revolajgosocr-blog]

The Top 10 Smartest Dogs

Dogs are widely considered as smart and talented animals. Sometimes, watching them doing their tricks will leave you speechless and amazed.

By the way, these four-legged creatures are great mathematicians too!

When we talk about dog intelligence, we often compare them in human terms.

According to studies, dogs have the same level of intelligence as toddlers around two to three years of age.

How do we know if a dog is smart?

All dog breeds usually have their own unique characteristics. While a friendly, or a loveable dog is a great character, still, you cannot say that they are smart as well.

While there are many smart dogs out there, there are certain types of dog breeds that will always stand out.

The top 10 smartest dogs should have at least two of these abilities below:

A smart dog has the ability to predict human behavior.

He should have a great communication skills with people and other animals.

She will comfort you when you’re sad or upset.

He knows how to get his owner’s attention.

She can learn your command quickly and remember it even a year after!

He can open and close the door.

She has the ability to solve a toy puzzle.

An inteligent dog will listen first to their owners everytime.

He can protect himself and always take safety precautions.

Big dogs or small dogs? Which breed is smarter?

If you’re curious about the answer to this question, there is actually no solid proof which breed is smarter.

However, researchers have already made a theory regarding this topic.

According to Dr. Stanley Coren a well-known Psychologist, these specific breeds possess the abilities of a smart dog that is mentioned above.

Are big dogs are smarter than small dogs? This list will definitely give you an answer to this trend.

I know you’re totally excited about whether your beloved pooch is on the list.

Here are the top 10 smartest dogs in no particular order based on Psychological studies and research:

1. Poodle

A Poodle is a medium-sized formal dog breed that has three varieties which originated in France and Germany.

This famous breed is widely known as one of the most skilled when it comes to dog sports.

In records, they have taken all the honors in many different dog shows.

That is why Poodle is considered by many as top-ranked in the sports category.

Aside from being one of the smartest dogs in the world, Poodle is recorded in the United States as the seventh most popular dog breed.

2. Border Collie

Originated from the United Kingdom, Border Collie is widely considered as the most intelligent of all dog breeds.

This breed is specifically bred for obedience and intelligence.

However, the Border Collie has more associated genetic health problems among other domestic dog breeds.

Collie Eye Anomaly and Epilepsy are the two primary diseases in this breed.

Still, the Border Collie is regarded as the smartest dog in the world.

3. Golden Retriever

Another dog breed who made the list is the Golden Retriever. This specific breed which originated in Scotland, United Kingdom has a distinct trait in hunting.

The Golden Retriever is also popular in dog sports and dog shows.

But one thing that makes the Retriever stand out is their unique strength in dog assistance.

Making them the perfect guide for people with disabilities such as a blind and deaf persons.

By records, the Golden Retriever is listed as the third most popular dog breed in America.

4. German Shepherd

The German Shepherd is also one of the top 10 smartest dogs in the world.

Obviously, this medium to large-sized breed came from Germany and they are also known as a working dog.

With Its intimidating wolf-like appearance, the German Shepherd is often criticized for being an aggressive and attacking dog breed.

According to Australian reports, the German Shepherd is the third breed who most likely attack a person.

But overall, you cannot change the fact that the intelligence of this breed is off the chart.

5. Shetland Sheepdog

The Shetland Sheepdog is a cute and longhaired smart dog breed. Their obedience and extreme intelligence are a top-notch.

According to research led by Dr. Stanley Coren, the Shetland Sheepdog is among the smartest dog breeds in the world.

In fact, they ranked 6th out of 138 breeds participants who have been tested.

The Sheltie is very bright and easy to train. They can easily adapt a new trick in just a few tries.

They can perform different tricks with minimal supervision and guess what, they can do it with 95% accuracy! This breed is a genius!

6. Doberman Pinscher

The Doberman Pinscher also known as Doberman is intelligent, tenacious, and has a long muzzle.

The Doberman is widely considered as one of the most loyal companions. That’s why they are popular as guard dogs.

Although they look intimidating, the Doberman is actually caring, loving, and protective companions according to many dog owners.

This breed is very easy to train and can learn very quickly. If you aspire to be a dog trainer then this breed is a perfect choice.

7. Papillon

If you read this list from the very start, you will notice that the Papillon is the only small breed in this list of top 10 smartest dogs.

The Papillion is identified as the most sociable dog of all breeds. They are also friendly with other people and other pets such as cats.

This breed is very intelligent that they can learn a new trick in a very short period of time.

However, the Papillon can get ultra-aggressive especially when they’re happy and excited.

8. Labrador Retriever

The Labrador Retriever also belongs to the smartest dog breeds. In addition, this breed is also very popular in many nations.

They are popular as dog assistance for people with disabilities. The Labrador is a loyal and caring companion.

They also love to play with people and they’re also trained for hunting.

Also known as fishing dogs, they often help to retrieve fishes that had gotten away.

9. Australian Cattle Dog

Also known as Cattle dog, This breed is a short-coated and medium-sized dog that has two main colors.

The Cattle dog is the type breed you should look for if you want to become a successful dog trainer.

They are easy to train, they embrace challenges, and love being tested in new tricks.

10. Rottweiler

Another smart dog breed originated from Germany, the Rottweiler is widely known as a domestic dog breed.

This breed is extremely intelligent and with its natural body strength, they are often trained to be a search and rescue dog and guard dog as well.

The Rottweiler is also listed as one of the most popular dog breeds in the world.

Based on the list, 9 out of 10 smart dogs came from big dogs. However, keep in mind that all dog breeds have different distinct traits.

Dogs are all smart in their own way.

The post The Top 10 Smartest Dogs appeared first on What Do Animals Eat?.

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[intriga-hounds]

Hey! I just discovered your blog and Sivi and you are both FANTASTIC!!! I looked to see if you had answered anything like this and hadn't seen anything so I thought I would ask what your experience with Sivi has been as far as temperment/needs/personality? Ive been interested in sighthounds but wanna hear more from people who own and love them. I wouldnt want to get a dog that doesnt mesh well with me or my lifestyle and wanted to know your thoughts!

hey! good for you for doing some research. i’ll answer to the best of my ability, but as i’m sure you’ve already assumed, sivi is an individual. he is as different from the typical silken as he is the same as the typical silken, so anything i say about his individual personality, you should know that not every silken will be like that. and i’ll try to include as many “cons” as i can, since i’m sure you’ll get mainly pros from other people you ask. silkens are really cool dogs.

i’ll start by speaking in general about the breed/sighthounds. i will say that when i first met silkens their personality seemed a bit “flat” to me. the reason being they were quite reserved with me, a stranger, and they made very little noise and movement compared to other breeds i’d seen. but they were mellow, and they were sweet, and those were the things i wanted most. as i met more of them, i began to see the subtleties in their personalities and saw that they were not lacking at all–it was me who had to adjust the way i was looking at these dogs. my dogs at home with my parents were a golden retriever, a terrier mix, and a maltipoo. these are all exuberant, smelly, sometimes noisy dogs that, more than anything in the world, want to be right next to you getting pet at all moments of the day. to me, that was how a dog showed its affection–squealing with delight when you come home, scooting up close, soaking up love and attention. 

sivi was not like that. some silkens are, but most are not, at least not in the way that my terrier mix, oliver, is. adjusting to sighthounds was hard for about 6 months. sivi is an extremely independent dog, first of all. most silkens are really openly affectionate and cuddly; mine is not. i think a lot of my frustration with sivi was in thinking he didn’t really like me as much as my other dogs liked me. that wasn’t true–he just showed affection in a different way than other dogs. once i figured that out, we developed a crazy tight bond. sometimes, sivi just looks at me affectionately. sometimes him being somewhere he can see me is as satisfying to him as it is for my terrier to practically crawl into my lap. and i got better at showing him MY affection too. he didn’t want to roughhouse with me or be held. but he sure does love his “puppy massages”! and he sure does love napping with me. 

now, training. everyone raved about what biddable sighthounds these dogs were. i wanted a dog to try obedience with, but i didn’t want a dog as driven and energetic as, say, a german shepherd (a breed crush of mine that i don’t know if i can ever actually own). i wanted a dog that would be food motivated and learn quickly. sivi is both of those things, but it wasn’t immediately clear to me because he didn’t work like oliver, or any of our existing dogs, for that matter. sivi is particular about how and when he works, and what food he’s getting as payment for that work. typical sighthound quirks, i’m told, but for me it was an adjustment. oliver wants to do everything i ask him to do at any given moment, and all just for a pat on the head or a “good boy”. sivi was prone to being too tired, too bored, or too picky to work whenever i wanted. so, i had to figure out how to motivate him, because the things i did with the other three dogs didn’t work with him. now he works VERY well and is very smart, and he likes to work for me. he’ll even tell me off if he knows it’s the usual time we work and i’m still eating dinner. our mentor at obedience class mentioned that we have an “incredible bond”, and not just once. it seems whenever she introduces me to anyone, she has to tell them how lovely my dog is and how bonded we are. it’s probably the most important compliment i’ve gotten in the past year.

a bit of a side note, though still related to training: sivi was a NAUGHTY puppy, probably the naughtiest i’ve ever had. this is not typical of a silken, but nevertheless, he was naughty. he’s STILL a devious little bastard. that too was hard to get used to, because our other dogs would never dream of breaking a rule. they would be devastated to have anyone mad at them. to sivi, rules are just guidelines, only to be followed at his discretion. he will still try to dig in the yard and counter surf if you don’t watch him very closely. you can tell him to leave something alone 100 times, and he never will until you either put it away, or he wins. maybe that’s common sense to some people, but our other three dogs were never like that. you told them no, leave it, and they said, ok! meanwhile, sivi will sometimes look right at me as he does something he knows is wrong. as you can imagine, potty training with him was a nightmare. he’d hold it for 5+ hours when he was only 10 weeks old just for the chance to pee on a blanket or dog bed. again, not at all typical of a silken, and one of the things i hated most about sivi’s puppyhood. he was still having accidents at 8 months, and when i traveled this summer, he acted out in true sivi fashion by peeing in the kitchen. oliver was potty trained in a day, so this was unfathomable to me. my parents would tease me because i was such a fanatic about dog training at the time and they would be like, well how come you can’t teach your own puppy to pee outside? i found this really embarrassing and frustrating haha. but we got through it, and now looking back i know i handled it all the wrong way. i was treating sivi like he was oliver, and he wasn’t oliver. 

so i guess to summarize: i had very little exposure and experience with sighthounds in general when i got sivi, so there was a learning curve for sure. however, now that i understand him better and have changed the way i approach things with him, things are so much better. i love the shit outta that dog, and he adores me too. anyway, thanks for asking this, because it was nice to look at the past year with sivi critically and see how far we’ve come. no matter how much you research, how much you prepare, there will be things you weren’t ready for. but then it’s all okay in the end.

[sid-the-super-tramp]

Top 15 dog breeds - Most popular dog breeds in the U.S

Check out the American Kennel Club's full list of most popular dog breeds in the united states (USA). Some of the topmost spots are of no surprise as they are been occupied by the same breeds for years. But few middle-order spots are quite surprising this year. Check whether Beagles hold in the top 5 positions or someone knocked them down. Do the family-friendly, intelligent Labrador holds its top spot? Also find out the positions of most King Charles Spaniel and French bulldog which surprisingly jumped several positions up, to make to the top 10 most popular dog breeds in America. Well, the rankings are based on registration numbers for the year 2017. Well, let’s find out if your favorite made it to the top 15 lists. I would also brief why these breeds made it top, what people for looking in breeds that made to so many registrations.

There are certain characteristics of each breed, which is liked by dog lovers to keep them around. Choosing the right dog breed for your lifestyle or your family can be a challenge, so let’s make it smile. Scroll down for more information on the most popular breed.

15 . Pembroke Welsh Corgis

Temperament: Affectionate, Smart, Alert these dogs bred to herd cattle.small but sturdy, short-legged herders.bright, sensitive dog who enjoys playing with his human family and responds well to training. lifespan: 12 – 14 years Potential health problems Intervertebral Disc DiseaseHip DysplasiDegenerative Myelopathy

14 . Great Danes

Temperament: Friendly, Patient, Dependable The AKC calls this breed “the Apollo of dogspowerful giants are the picture of elegance and balance.courageous, never timid; always friendly and dependable.Patient with kidsMakes friends easily. lifespan: 8 – 10 years Potential health problems Dilated cardiomyopathyBloat

13 . Dachshunds

Temperament: Friendly, Curious, Spunky Smart and vigilant, with a big-dog bark, they make fine watchdogs.they can be brave to the point of rashness, and a bit stubborn. lifespan: 12 – 16 years Potential health problems Intervertebral Disk DiseaseHypothyroidismEye Issues

12 . Siberian Huskies

Temperament: Loyal, Outgoing, Mischievous Most energetic dog, which requires a lot of exercise and family time.Better suited for cold temperature regions.Huskies are naturally clean, with little doggy odor. lifespan: 12 – 15 years Potential health problems Hip DysplasiaEye DefectsUveodermatologic Syndrome

11 . Boxers

Temperament: Bright, Fun-Loving, Active Developed to serve as a guard, working, and companion dog.Great dog with children due to their patience and protective nature.They are playful and loving, while still being agile and protective of home and family. lifespan: 10 – 12 years Potential health problems Boxer CardiomyopathyAortic/sub aortic StenosisDegenerative Myelopathy

10 . Pointers (German Shorthaired)

Temperament: Friendly, Smart, Willing to Please These dogs are known for being versatile hunters and gun dogs.known for power, speed, agility, and endurance,Always ready to spend time outdoors like running, swimming or anything that will burn their energy. lifespan: 12 – 14 years Potential health problems Hip DysplasiaCancereye diseases

9 . Yorkshire Terriers

Temperament: Affectionate, Sprightly, Tomboyish small size easy to carry and playfulfavorite among urbanites - easy to take care and portable weight.Have hair and not fur, making them hypoallergenic — good for people with allergies. lifespan: 13 – 16 years Potential health problems Luxating patellaLegg-Perthes DiseaseHypoglycemia

8 . Rottweiler

Temperament: Loyal, Loving, Confident Guardian They have an intimidating look.Though early training and socialization make him less aggressive, always good to treat as a guard dogThey make great guard dogs because of their bulky and strong build. lifespan: 8 – 10 years Potential health problems Sub-Aortic StenosisEye IssuesHip Dysplasia

7 . Poodles

Temperament: Active, Proud, Very Smart Very active dogs which requires exercise every day.Infrequent sheddingextremely intelligent and easily trained. lifespan: 12 – 15 years Potential health problems Hip DysplasiaEpilepsyProgressive Retinal Atrophy

6 . Beagles

Temperament: Friendly, Curious, Merry Excellent hunting dog and loyal companionThe ability and desire to track down smells, making them excellent working dogs.Beagles are loving and lovable, happy, and companionable—all qualities that make them excellent family dogs. lifespan: 12 – 15 years Potential health problems EpilepsyHypothyroidismCherry Eye

5 . Bulldogs

Temperament: Friendly, Courageous, Calm Kind but courageous, friendly but dignified. Bulldogs were looking lot different initially. Due to selective breeding, to get the 'snub' nose look they look different now. Also now people buy them for their looks, not for any of their benefit. Bulldogs will end up a very expensive dog for maintenance. Due to their allergies, skin issues and numerous breathing issues, also they can't give birth naturally must have C-sections. lifespan: 8 – 10 years Potential health problems cardiac and respiratory diseaship dysplasiacherry eye

4 . French Bulldogs

Temperament: Adaptable, Playful, Smart French bulldogs are affectionate and playful.a little bit stubborn in nature, so you’ll need to exercise some patience when training.One among top 5 positions is only due to the small size and its looks. lifespan: 10 – 12 years Potential health problems brachycephalic syndrome or difficulty breathingback problems including ruptured or herniated discs

3 . Retrievers (Golden)

Temperament: Friendly, Intelligent, Devoted

Great beauty, golden coat and trustworthy.Friendly, energetic, easily trainable and have a great personality.Loves outdoor activities anything their human partner is interested in. lifespan: 10 – 12 years Potential health problems hypothyroidismeye disorderselbow dysplasiasub-aortic stenosis

2 . German Shepherd Dogs

Temperament: Confident, Courageous, Smart More popular in police, military and security for their high discipline.willingness to put their life on the line in defense of loved ones. lifespan: 9 – 13 years Potential health problems Hip DysplasiaElbow DysplasiaPerianal FistulaMegaesophagusOsteoarthritiDegenerative Myelopathy

1 . Retrievers (Labrador)

Temperament: Friendly, Active, Outgoing Always a good family dog.Easily socialized, energetic, love for people and intelligent.the enthusiastic athlete that requires lots of exercises to keep physically and mentally fit. lifespan: 10 – 14 years Potential health problems Hip dysplasiaelbow dysplasialuxating patellaBloat

Health Concerns explained

Dogs do usually have pretty good health. Moreover, their human companion will never let his loved ones to get sick. But some breeds are prone to health disorders. Some due to genetics and some catch up from an environment. So let's keep them at bay. Let’s ask questions to your breeder before making your final choice. Let me explain what these diseases or disorders actually mean, knowledge is wealth, keep reading. Intervertebral Disc Disease Intervertebral disc disease is when the discs between the vertebrae bulge or herniate into the spinal cord space. Usually have trouble walking, refuses to jump, is incontinent, won’t eat, or appears anxious. Breed: Corgis, Dachshunds Hip Dysplasia An abnormal formation of the hip socket that, in its more severe form, can eventually cause crippling lameness and painful arthritis of the joints. It is a genetic (polygenic) trait that is affected by environmental factors. Breed: Corgis, Dane, Siberian Huskies, Pointers (German Shorthaired), Rottweilers Degenerative Myelopathy Disease related to the spinal cord in older dogs which eventual paralysis in the hind limbs. Breed: Corgis, Boxer Dilated cardiomyopathy Dilated cardiomyopathy is a degenerative heart muscle condition that gradually weakens the heart’s ability to pump blood effectively. It is usually associated with an enlargement of the left ventricle. Breed: Dane Bloat Bloat is a gastric dilation of the stomach caused by an abnormal accumulation of gas or liquid. Breed: Dane Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism is a clinical condition resulting from a lowered production and release of T4 and T3 hormones by the thyroid gland. Breed: Doberman pinschers, Beagles, Irish setters, golden retrievers, great Danes, old English sheepdogs, dachshunds, miniature schnauzers, boxers, poodles, and cocker spaniels, Poodles Eye Issues/ Eye Defects Eye issues including cataracts, glaucoma, corneal dystrophy, tear duct anomalies, and progressive retinal atrophy Bree: Dachshunds, Siberian Huskies, Rottweilers, Poodles Uveodermatologic Syndrome Dog's immune system produces chemicals called antibodies to protect its body against harmful substances and organisms such as viruses, bacteria, etc. An autoimmune disorder is a condition in which the immune system cannot tell the difference between harmful antigens and its own healthy body tissues, leading it to destroy the healthy body tissue. Inflammation of the interior of the eye and Loss of skin pigmentation in the nose, lips, eyelids, footpads. Breed: Akitas, Samoyeds, Siberian Huskies Boxer cardiomyopathy The development of ventricular tachyarrhythmias, resulting in syncope and sudden cardiac death. Breed: Boxer Aortic/Subaortic Stenosis Subaortic stenosis is a narrowing (stenosis) of the area underneath, the aortic valve, that causes some degree of obstruction or blockage of the blood flow through the heart. Breed: Boxer, Rottweilers Luxating patella Luxation of the patella is movement or dislocation of the kneecap. Breed: Yorkshire Terriers Hypoglycemia Hypoglycemia is a fast drop in blood sugar levels. Breed: Yorkshire Terriers Legg-Perthes Disease The dog’s hip area begins to receive inadequate circulation of blood, the bone in the dog’s femur weakens and begins to collapse; the cartilage surrounding this can become cracked and malformed. Breed: Yorkshire Terriers Epilepsy Epilepsy, the most common cause of seizures in the dog. Breed: Poodles, Beagles Cherry Eye Prolapsed gland of the eyelid refers to a pink mass protruding from the animal's eyelid; it is also called a "cherry eye." Breed: Cocker Spaniels, Bulldogs, Beagles, Bloodhounds, Lhasa Apsos, and Shih Tzus. Read the full article

[centralparkpawsblog]

What Type of Dog Should I Get?

http://www.centralparkpaws.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Giant-Mastiff.jpg

Puppy Love: Finding the Perfect Canine Companion

Of all the animals in the world, there’s no greater variety than found within Canis Lupus Familiaris – better known as the common dog.

Big and small, tall and short, fat and thin, hairy or naked, and pretty much any color combination you can come up with, these majestic – and sometimes silly – animals have been dubbed man’s best friend, and rightfully so.

For pretty much any human need, there is a canine that can fill it.

Need a traveling buddy for all those weekend adventures? Get a dog.

Need a protector from the creepy neighbor down the street? Get a dog.

Need a companion to watch the game and yell at the refs? Get a dog.

Need a playmate to dress up in fru-fru outfits and bows? Get a cat – and a first aid kit.

Giant Mastiff

Once you start looking at the different breeds, that’s where the differences start to show up.

The regal Afghan Hound with her tall stance and silky, flowing hair.

The Giant Mastiff with its coat that’s three sizes too large.

The exotic Peruvian Inca Orchid, a mid-sized hairless dog that sports a natural mohawk that matches the boy your daughter brought home senior year.

The downright creepy Chinese Crested that’s almost so ugly it’s cute – but you still wouldn’t want to meet the 6lb little beast in a dark alley.

It’s almost beyond belief that these widely varied animals are all descendants of the Wolf.

Fact really is stranger than fiction !

With so many differences in the dogs on the outside, there’s just as many differences in their overall personalities and temperament – so it’s important to pick one to perfectly match YOUR personality and lifestyle.

Yeah, the German Shepherds are without a doubt the most awesome (me, biased? noooo…) dog on the planet – but are they appropriate for a tiny apartment in the middle of the city where the most excitement that ever happens is a new season released on Netflix?

Location, Location, Location

It’s true in real estate and it’s true in searching for the perfect dog – it’s all about the location.

Your living conditions really are one of the most important considerations, because your home is his home.

An 800 square foot apartment in the city would not be the best living conditions for, say, a Great Dane with a shoulder height of almost 3 feet and an average weight of 175 pounds – and that’s before adding a human and furniture!

Your living conditions are usually – but not always – reflective of your basic lifestyle.

Apartment Life

For the most part, apartments are on the smaller side, which limit the space to romp around inside.

Also, most apartments relegate any exercise for your canine to walks – and this usually eliminates the ability to really get in a good run to stretch their legs.

Don’t forget that most apartments frown upon a dog that barks at every little noise.

Bulldog contemplating life

A smaller living space should shift your focus to one of the small or mid-sized breeds that require less consistent exercise and tend to be a quieter breed.

Be sure to check your rental agreement for animal regulations and size limitations!

Bulldog: quiet and calm, these dogs tend to be unfazed by the world outside the walls – and don’t require a lot of exercise.

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel are a favorite of female apartment dwellers due to their loving demeanor and small size.

My House, My Rules

A better option for a canine is the typical single-family home. More interior room as well as a yard allow your dog to get their wiggles out as needed, and fresh air does their soul good.

Golden Retriever knows what you did

Longer walks through the suburban neighborhoods allow for more investigation of smells, and parks are perfect for a game of fetch or a romp with the canine neighbors.

Bull Terriers are perfect for houses with small or mid-sized yards, and are known for hanging out and playing in the yard for hours without constant supervision.

Golden Retrievers are one of the most popular breeds in the ‘burbs, being friendly with the neighbors and other dogs as well.

Where the Buffalo Roam

Often misunderstood as the perfect scenario for dog owners with the endless acreage for day-long excursions and the other animals for companionship, the farm isn’t without its own unique set of hazards.

Wild predators and nuisance animals like skunks can all add up to trouble for a dog owner who erroneously thinks he can have an ‘open range’ dog – not to mention what bugs and diseases he can bring back!

Just like any other housing arrangements, a dog is a pet and a responsibility.

Border Collies are almost a natural for a farm. They love to run and explore – and thrive when given chores to do.

Catahoula Leopard Dogs are popular in the south, and are common on farms for their protectiveness of livestock and their ability to cover miler each day – and never miss their dinner bell.

What I like to Do For Fun

Your personal lifestyle is another factor in the equation for the perfect canine companion.

How you spend your time during the week days and weekends is important because your dog doesn’t understand the work week – they just know if you’re home or not.

These are a few of your priorities that need to be weighed in light of the needs of the dog you choose – whether you want a snuggler of just a distant companion. Besides, if you’re not home to take care of your four-legged fur baby, who will?

Days

How do you spend your daytime hours? Do you work from home or pull a typical 9-5, or are you an 80 hour-a-week workaholic who uses home as a place to nap and shower between stints at the office?

Shar Pei’s are those adorable dogs that are covered with rolls and wrinkles – and are noted for their low energy.

Maltese is a beautiful white fluffball that likes to be the center of attention – or left alone for hours on end to nap in the sunshine.

Weekends

What is your leisure time like? Are you a weekend adventurer, hitting the trails for a new adventure? Bar hopping to take in all the games and as much alcohol as humanly possible?

Those ears!

Or are you a ‘Netflix-n-chill’ kind of person – weekends spent with your favorite movies and series, with Chinese and pizza delivery on speed dial?

Basset Hounds are probably some of the lowest maintenance dogs on the planet. They require little exercise and lots of sleep – and like to hang out with you on the couch with Netflix and a lot of pizza.

Labrador Retrievers are perfect canine companions for those adventures, and can handle just about any weather or terrain you encounter.

Socialization

Are you a hermit who likes to keep to yourself, or do you stop and talk to every person you meet? Opposites might attract – but when it comes to your puppy, it’s best to be more suitably matched.

Bullmastiff is a large breed – and just as lazy – will enjoy those calm evenings and weekends at home, provided they get a few short walks in … And some of the pizza.

Irish Setters are playful and energetic – and love making new friends, no matter what species they are. Their luxurious coats grabs attention and are conversation starters.

The Whole Gang

Who shares your home and life with you? Are you running a bachelor pad for your college buddies, or are you a single mom with young kids? Newly wed or cohabitating?

The amount of time and attention you actually have free, as opposed to your good intentions, is an important consideration.

Pugs are perfect companions for households that are busy or constantly shifting; they have great dispositions and low stress levels – and just like to be around humans!

Welsh Corgis are the queen’s favorite for a very good reason; they are fun and frisky and people pleasers to the core.

Why I Want a dog

Ah, the bottom line is always why. And that’s the most important thing you need to figure out before you run out and hit the local SPCA or pet store – why do you want a dog?

There’s honestly no right or wrong answer. It could be as simple as you just want one. Or, you could have very specific reasons.

Either way, the more on target you are with what motivates you, the better you can make the perfect match – and eliminate any possible disappointments or unmet expectations for you as well as the new pup.

Above all, remember that a dog is a permanent addition to your life – so if you’re looking to fill a temporary opening, consider a hobby or a goldfish.

For the Kids

If you’re hearing the begging of tiny little voices and pleading little eyes – you’re probably past the point of no return.

Happy Weimaraner

While it’s true that kids who grow up with dogs have higher self-esteem, miss less school, are healthier and are overall more responsible, you need to understand that the promises of doing everything required to take care of it will, in fact, become you doing the majority of the work – kids need to grow into the role of canine caregiver.

But the rewards are out of this world.

Newfoundlands are gentle giants with an endless supply of patience and eternally devoted – perfect for families and young ones, especially as a first dog.

Weimaraners stand out for their unique gray coats, but are friendly and most importantly, incredibly obedient.

Working or Hunting

Is there a specific job that you expect your dog to do? Are you looking for a duck chaser on hunting days, or a deterrent to keep unwelcome guests out of the business yard?

If you’re looking for a working dog, you also need to decide if it’s going to be a straight working dog – trained to do its job – or will be pulling double duty as a family pet.

Chesapeake Bay Retriever is probably the greatest water hunting dogs due to their coat and webbed feet – and their ability to master the land as well as water.

Dogo Argentino is an excellent guard dog – and when trained to hunt boar, is unrivaled for its tenacity and ability to take down a full-grown wild boar.

Midnight Blues

American Eskimo

Not to be compared to the crazy cat lady up the street, are you looking for a dog to fill a certain void in your life – or as a complement to your life? Are you between loves and looking for someone to come home to?

Pomeranians are cuteness overload, and all they want do is cuddle and get loved.

American Eskimos are sometimes called miniature Samoyed’s – but these dogs are bursting with affection and will follow you anywhere.

Critter Manager

If you’ve decided that a dog is the perfect animal to keep mice or other small rodents under control, we have to have a talk … But there’s always the Rat Terrier, which is a smaller breed, bred for – you guessed it – catching rats.

But seriously, you should leave the mice catching to the cats. Just sayin’.

Adventurer

German Shepherd is ready to go!

Are you a weekend warrior who tackles the trails or camping spot every weekend? Is your idea of fun trudging through the backwoods and blazing new trails?

Are mosquitos your best friends? Do you spend most time covered in mud and sweat?

German Shepherds are the perfect companion dogs; from Saturday hikes to a week in the Smokey Mountains, the GSD is a faithful companion that can keep up and, with a canine backpack, can pull his own weight … Unlike Mike on our last camping trip…

Siberian Huskies aren’t just for the snow – but it’s no doubt that’s where they shine. From wooded trails to open country, the husky is at home out in the open.

Three’s Company

Are you looking to enlarge the herd? Got a single dog that you think might be a little bored – or is too clingy when you’re around and trying to get stuff done?

If you’re looking to add a dog to an existing household, there’s a few things to keep in mind before taking the plunge;

 Dog expressions don’t match human expressions. In other words, just because they look lonely doesn’t mean they are lonely

 A clingy dog might not need a friend – they might just love you to pieces!

 Does the current canine occupant get along with other dogs it encounters?

Sleepy Beagle

If you’re still committed to adding to the flock, there are several breeds that are naturally social with other dogs

Beagles are the smallest of the hound family, and unquestionably is a friendly and happy dog that loves everyone and everything.

Boston Terriers are fun loving social butterflies that try to make friends with every other animal they meet.

Get Your Game On

Jack Russell Terrier ready to play

How often do you see a jogger with a dog and think, “That could be me!”? If you’re considering a dog for a workout partner, I guarantee that they will be a buddy that never begs off that 5 mile run in favor of sleeping in.

  Greyhounds are perfect dogs for loafing around the house all day, and taking for an extended run after work or on weekends. There are hundreds of ex-racing greyhounds available for adoption across the country.

Jack Russell Terriers are little perpetual motion machines that will keep up with you on and off the workout circuit.

I Wanna Talk About Me

Probably the most important part of choosing a dog is matching their personality traits to YOUR personality.

By taking a few minutes to consider some traits about yourself (hey – we’re not judging here!) you might realize that dream dog you thought you wanted could, in fact, be your worst nightmare.

Just think about it and decide yourself – we promise we won’t tell anyone.

ID, Please

Your age goes a long way in choosing a dog. Whether for your adult-self or as your child’s first pet (for the love of God – don’t buy a puppy for someone else’s kid!), age and maturity level goes a long way.

Bichon Frise are the perfect match for senior pet owners with their quiet demeanor and loving personalities.

Chihuahua’s are noted for their ability to bond and pledge their undying loyalty to one person.

Have A Heart

Chow Chow

Do you wear your heart on your sleeve, or do you suck it up? Do you need hugs and kisses, or just a beer and a little peace and quiet until the commercial? Your emotional sensitivity level needs to match your puppy’s.

  Irish Wolfhounds are giant teddy bears when it comes to sharing the love with their humans – and their giant size matches their heart.

Chow Chows are hard to miss with their large fluffy bodies and jet black tongues. Originally working dogs in China, their loyalty is matched by their sense of independence.

Martha Stewart’s Nightmare

Are you a neat-freak, with a place for everything and a low tolerance for muddy footprints? Or are your housekeeping skills enough to send Martha Stewart into cardiac arrest?

Is the lawn perfectly manicured, or are your neighbors taking up a collection to buy you a goat?

No matter your level of cleanliness, as crazy as it might seem – there’s a dog for that!

Alaskan Malamutes are playful and affectionate companions – and can’t walk across the floor without leaving a thick trail of hair in their wake.

Xoloitzcuintlis – the Mexican Hairless Dog – is the perfect companion for a neat freak because hey – you can’t have dog hair everywhere if the dog is bald! But its loyalty and protectiveness is unsurpassed.

Pass Me A Tissue

Oodles of Labradoodles

If you dread the change of seasons, or sneeze at the sight of a dandelion, have no fear – allergies don’t keep you out of the running for dog-parent of the year.

Check our article on Hypoallergenic Dogs to see that dogs and allergies really can co-exist.

Poodles are the most popular “hypoallergenic” dog breeds. Bred in a wide variety of sizes from 3 pound toys to 60 pound standards, there’s a perfect size for anyone.

Labradoodles are wildly popular due to their hypoallergenic status thanks to the poodle and their easy going, fun attitude from the lab side.

Early Birds and Night Owls

Your preferred hours of activity might make you think that you’re eliminated from the puppy owner pool – but nothing could be further from the truth.

If you start getting into your groove when the clock hits midnight, or prefer to start your day an hour before the sun even thinks about popping up over the distant hills, your dog could certainly adjust their circadian rhythm to match yours.

The question is what you do during these non-standard hours of activity. If you’re a night owl, are you an active and outside? Or do you do your best gaming online during those overnight hours?

Great Pyrenees are a livestock guard dog – and given the choice prefer the night shift. So if you’re a daytime sleeper and have the room for a companion who keeps the same hours, it’s a match made in heaven.

Belgian Malinois is gaining in popularity among single men, and their energy level – especially at sunrise – makes you think that there’s an instant on switch in there somewhere.

Indoor Plumbing, Please

Dalmatian, probably named ‘Spot’

If you prefer the conveniences of modern technology and can’t go a city block without your designer coffee, or if your role model is Crocodile Dundee, you need to take that into consideration before bringing home a 4-legged bundle of love.

Dalmatians are actually a lot higher maintenance than most people realize. Contrary to the calm canine sitting on top of the fire truck, Dalmatians need a lot of room to run – and a lot of free time to do it.

Dachshunds are easily identifiable by their oversized ears and body, and undersized legs. The short legs allow them to get enough exercise without having to venture out into the world on a regular basis.

Which One Will You Choose?

We’ve already said it, and it’s still true – you need to carefully consider what you expect from your future canine companion and be sure you’re able and willing to have this addition to the next decade of your life.

You’ll be so glad you did!

The post What Type of Dog Should I Get? appeared first on Central Park Paws.

from http://www.centralparkpaws.net/dog-training-tips/what-type-of-dog-should-i-get/

[kidkei]

Mast Cell Tumors – PawNews24

Labradors are susceptible to a very aggressive sort of mast cell tumors. Pugs, Boxers, Golden Retrievers, Beagles, and Boston Terriers are additionally overrepresented within the inhabitants of canine with MCTs.

Mast cell tumors (MCTs) are the most typical type of malignant pores and skin most cancers that happens in canine, accounting for about 14 to 21 % of all pores and skin tumors. There is important variability within the presentation of MCTs from dog to dog and even from tumor to tumor, which explains why this type of canine neoplasia is sometimes called sophisticated and difficult. But the actual fact stays that MCTs are treatable, and lots of canine are thought of cured after remedy and go on with joyful, wholesome lives.

How MCTs Develop

Mast cells are a subtype of white blood cells that derive from the bone marrow after which turn into residents of particular tissues, particularly these which might be closest to the exterior surfaces of the physique, such because the tissues of the nostril, mouth, lungs, pores and skin, and round blood vessels. Their major capabilities embody protection in opposition to parasitic an infection, tissue restore, and formation of recent blood vessels; additionally they play an essential function within the allergic response system. They might be activated by the immune system – a course of known as degranulation – to launch all kinds of inflammatory mediators, together with histamine and heparin, which in flip modify immune reactions and irritation.

When mast cells replicate in larger than regular numbers, an MCT (often known as a mastocytoma) can type. They are often first seen on or simply beneath the pores and skin, however they’ll type anyplace on the physique. The commonest location is on the trunk, adopted by the limbs and in between the toes; they’ll often be discovered on the pinnacle and neck. The pores and skin mass may seem as a raised lump or bump or progress; it will probably comfortable or agency; hairless or lined by hair; it might or will not be pink, ulcerated, or swollen.

MCTs may happen internally, growing on the spleen, liver, gut, and in bone marrow, in addition to on the salivary gland, nasopharynx, larynx, oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract, ureter, and backbone. This sort is extra aggressive, and it’s often preceded by dermal and subdermal tumors.

MCTs cannot solely fluctuate in location, look, form, and dimension, but additionally generally tend to current with various scientific conduct, which is suspected to be influenced by breed. MCTs may even change in dimension (rising and lowering from each day!) due to reactions occuring within the mass. This is because of secondary irritation attributable to the discharge of histamine, which then leads to intermittent swelling.

This sort of tumor tends to current in canine of center age or older, however can happen in canine of any age. No gender predilection has been reported. MCTs sometimes current as a solitary tumor however about 11 to 22 % current with multiple tumor and 10 to 20 % of those who have had an MCT will develop a brand new MCT in one other location in some unspecified time in the future.

Cause?

The reason behind MCTs is unknown. Certain breeds of canine are predisposed to them, so there could also be some genetic part. A genetic mutation within the protein c-package tyrosine kinase receptor – known as a c-package oncogene – is present in 25 to 30 % of tumors. Chronic irritation can also predispose canine to growing the illness, similar to canine which have a historical past of allergic pores and skin illness. There has been no affiliation discovered between solar publicity and MCT in canine.

Breed Predisposition

MCTs are over-represented in Pugs (in danger for a number of however low-grade tumors), Boxers, Labrador Retrievers (at elevated danger for the extra aggressive type), Golden Retrievers, Beagles, and Boston Terriers. Other breeds exhibiting an elevated chance of growing the illness embody Schnauzers, Bullmastiffs/Bulldogs/ Bull Terriers, Cocker Spaniels, Fox Terriers, Weimaraners, Rhodesian Ridgebacks, Shar pei, and Dachshunds.

Diagnosis

The preliminary analysis of a suspected MCT begins with a advantageous needle aspirate and cytology, from which a prognosis is often made. Grading of the tumor can’t be finished at this level as solely cells are obtained from the aspirate; visible examination mixed with the cytology report will decide if the MCT is a candidate for surgical excision.

It is cheap to stage (consider how far the illness has unfold) the tumor previous to surgical procedure; in circumstances of a recurring tumor, a number of tumors, or proof of metastasis, staging upfront is taken into account obligatory.

When an MCT spreads, the most cancers often strikes into the regional lymph nodes close to the tumor, then to the liver and spleen; it will probably additionally unfold to different locations within the stomach in addition to to the bone marrow. At a minimal, the staging checks ought to embody an aspirate of the lymph nodes close to the tumor and an stomach ultrasound.

The ultrasound can present if there may be any proof of metastasis or something suspicious that requires additional testing. Aspirates of the liver and spleen could also be beneficial, even when all of the organs seem regular, as a result of they could harbor most cancers cells.

Treatments

The most popular remedy for MCTs is surgical elimination – and for a lot of circumstances, that is the one remedy wanted. Prior to surgical procedure and to alleviate among the disagreeable signs of MCTs, a dog could also be positioned on antihistamines and antacids to mediate the consequences of the histamine generated by the mast cells. Because MCTs are liable to rising into surrounding tissues, the seen tumor is eliminated with the addition of vast surgical margins – 2 to three centimeters on all sides, in addition to layer of tissue under – in an try and take away all cancerous cells; because of this, the surgical websites might be fairly giant. If there may be multiple tumor, a biopsy is beneficial for every one as a result of particular person tumors might be of various grades and require completely different programs of remedy.

The excised tumor(s) can be despatched to the lab for pathology; the ensuing biopsy report will present the tumor’s grade, verify whether or not or not the tumor was utterly eliminated (“clean” or “dirty margins”), and supply a basis for prognosis. If the biopsy report reveals that detectable most cancers cells stay, the tumor can regrow. In these circumstances, a second surgical procedure (if the location is amenable) or radiation remedy might be beneficial. Mast cell tumors might be slower to heal publish-operatively with suture websites which have the potential to interrupt down.

If the situation of the lesion disqualifies it as a candidate for surgical procedure, additional diagnostics might be carried out to acquire its illness stage. If the tumor is deemed too giant for elimination, chemotherapy and/or radiation remedies could also be beneficial in an try to scale back the mass to an operable dimension. Inoperable tumors must be evaluated by incisional biopsy for histologic grade.

The resolution to pursue further remedy ought to think about the grade of the most cancers in addition to the outcomes of different prognostic checks. Post-surgical radiation and chemotherapy are warranted on a case-by-case foundation. The most essential concerns when figuring out if a affected person wants further remedy following surgical procedure are tumor grade, how full the excisions of the tumor have been, and whether or not the MCT has unfold or not.

Grading

Traditionally MCTs have been labeled utilizing the Patnaik grading system, which assigns a histological grade of I, II, or III to every tumor. Studies have proven that the grade assigned to a selected tumor can fluctuate as it’s primarily based on the subjective opinion of the pathologist; accordingly, typically a second analysis of the biopsied tissue is warranted.

Grade I. About 33 to 50 % of MCTs are labeled as Grade I; these tumors act in a benign method and are often thought of cured with full surgical excision and easy monitoring over time. They are usually contained and never liable to metastasis or recurrence. One exception is low-grade tumors on the dog’s muzzle or lips; these have a excessive charge of unfold and must be handled extra aggressively, as 50 to 65 % of them will develop metastasis.

Grade II. About 25 to 45 % of MCTs are labeled as Grade II – and that is the place the selections about their remedy get actually difficult. Some Grade II tumors act like Grade I tumors, however others are just like Grade III and harder to deal with.

In basic, Grade II tumors are much less outlined than Grade I tumors and about half of them usually tend to unfold into surrounding tissues and different elements of the physique, with about 25 % having already unfold on the time of prognosis. A Grade II tumor with a mitotic index (extra on this under) of better than 5 must be handled as a Grade III tumor.

Grade III. About 20 to 40 % of MCTs are labeled as Grade III. These very aggressive tumors invade rapidly and into deep tissue layers. About 50 to 90 % develop and metastasize, with most circumstances exhibiting unfold by the point of prognosis. If eliminated, 55 to 95 % are more likely to recur. Surgery together with chemotherapy and/or radiation is often beneficial.

The Kiupel system of MCT grading is newer and achieves higher consensus amongst veterinary pathologists. This less complicated strategy categorizes the tumors as both excessive-grade or low-grade; the assessments this technique makes use of present for a extra correct prediction of the conduct of the illness and due to this fact hopefully to find out a extra important prognosis. High-grade tumors are usually related to elevated chance to metastasis and poor prognosis with a median survival time of roughly 4 months. Low-grade tumors have a median survival time of greater than two years.

Supplemental Testing

As there isn’t a single issue or take a look at that precisely predicts the conduct of the illness, supplemental testing might be invaluable in growing an correct evaluation and bettering the prognosis of affected canine.

Mitotic Index. This take a look at measures the speed at which the malignant mast cells are dividing and populating on the time of biopsy (this is without doubt one of the checks within the Kiupel system of grading) and is now often included in biopsy studies. A tumor with a mitotic index of 5 or much less might be handled as a Grade I MCT with a very good prognosis and a median survival time of greater than 5 years (no matter histological grade). MCTs with a mitotic index over 5 must be handled as Grade III tumors. Median survival time for these with larger mitotic indexes is 2 to 4 months,  once more, whatever the grade.

In basic, the upper the mitotic index, the poorer the prognosis. For these difficult Grade II tumors particularly, this take a look at offers perception into how the tumor is more likely to behave,  so an acceptable remedy plan might be developed.

MCT Panel. The MCT prognostic (or proliferation panel of checks can derive further info from the biopsy pattern could assist develop a prognosis and remedy plan, particularly for top-grade/Grade II/Grade III tumors. This panel evaluates the particular markers AgNOR, PCNA, Ki-67, c-Kit, and checks for c-Kit mutation standing, that are associated to the proliferation of the MCT.

Approximately one-third of all canine with MCTs have c-Kit mutation of the mast cells. This is an abnormality within the c-Kit gene, which impacts a protein discovered on the cell’s floor and is concerned with proliferation and different organic actions; the mutation causes the tyrosine kinase receptor enzyme within the gene to be caught within the “on” place, inflicting uncontrolled progress. In explicit, the c-Kit mutation take a look at can point out whether or not chemotherapy is warranted, in addition to present a tenet for which chemotherapy protocol to make use of.

While the presence of this mutation is often present in larger-grade tumors and signifies a extra aggressive type, it additionally could also be extra vulnerable to remedy with a category of medication generally known as KIT inhibitors. Palladia and Kinavet are two chemotherapy medication that concentrate on this mutation particularly; they act by reducing of the blood provide to the tumor and inhibiting tyrosine kinase (a protein that performs a job in progress and growth).

Other Treatments

MCTs are very vulnerable to radiation remedy, a localized remedy. Radiation is very useful in stopping regrowth for incompletely excised tumors. The majority of canine with low-grade MCT stay tumor-free two to 5 years after surgical procedure and radiation remedy.

Even canine with Grade III MCT can profit from this twin mode remedy; one examine documented 70 % nonetheless alive one 12 months following remedy; one other examine reported a median survival time of 20 months. It can also be used to deal with tumors that aren’t candidates for surgical elimination as a result of dimension and/or location, both to scale back the dimensions previous to surgical procedure or as palliative care by lowering the dimensions of the tumor and bettering scientific indicators. It doesn’t forestall metastasis.

Radiation as a major remedy is taken into account a palliative strategy; the addition of chemotherapy and steroids can enhance this strategy and could also be provided for circumstances with no different remedy choices.

Chemotherapy could also be beneficial as a part of the remedy protocol in circumstances the place the MCT has metastasized or has been rated as excessive-grade or Grade III, in addition to these with a constructive c-Kit mutation outcome, soiled margins, excessive scores on both the prognostic panel or mitotic index, or presenting with a number of tumors. Chemo can also be thought of to forestall tumor recurrence, particularly when radiation isn’t an possibility.

Combining chemo with surgical procedure sometimes improves the prognosis of canine with excessive grade tumors; median survival for canine with Grade III tumors present process surgical procedure alone is six months whereas those that endure surgical procedure and chemo have a median survival time of 12 months. Combination chemotherapy protocols, typically along with steroids, additionally supply improved efficacy. Commonly used medication embody Lomustine (CCNU), Vinblastine, Palladia, and Kinavet. Vincristine, L-asparaginase, and cyclophosphamide have additionally been used with some effectiveness.

Supportive Treatment

In addition to antihistamines, supportive medicines to think about embody: prednisone to scale back irritation; cimetidine, an antacid that helps to counter the elevated acid manufacturing within the abdomen attributable to the MCTs; and intralesional triamcinolone, a corticosteroid, which might be injected instantly into the tumor to scale back dimension. Cryotherapy is typically used to freeze and destroy small MCTs; this strategy might be an possibility for older canine for whom anesthesia and surgical procedure aren’t an possibility.

Prognosis

Prognostic concerns for MCTs embody grade, scientific stage, location, systemic signs, standing of surgical margins, and mitotic index. Mast cell tumors which might be utterly eliminated and are Low-Grade, Grade I, or Grade II with a low mitotic index and freed from metastasis have a superb prognosis, with most circumstances being thought of cured. Dogs with tumors that have been incompletely eliminated however subsequently handled with radiation remedy have a superb prognosis as properly, with 90 to 95 % having no recurrence of the tumor inside three years.

Poor prognosis is related to MCTs that happen on the muscle, across the mouth, in inner organs, within the bloodstream, or in bone marrow; these which might be ulcerated, giant, quick-rising, or recurring are additionally on this class. Dogs with c-Kit mutation are additionally related to poor prognosis, as are canine with Grade III tumors as native recurrence and/or unfold is probably going (solely about 10 % of those canine dwell a 12 months previous surgical procedure). Survival charges for canine with a mitotic index of over 5 is barely two to 4 months. As daunting as a few of these figures are, keep in mind that these are solely pointers; each dog is completely different.

On the Horizon

A lot of thrilling therapies for MCTs are in growth:

New remedies utilizing receptor tyrosine kinases inhibitors for tumors with c-Kit mutations are an lively a part of most cancers remedy analysis for each people and canine.

QBiotics has accomplished scientific trials on Tigilanol Tiglate EBC-46, a novel anticancer pharmaceutical protein kinase C activator remoted from the seeds of the Blushwood tree (Fontainea picrosperma). The drug, administered by injection into the tumor, stimulates the immune system, leading to destruction of the mass in addition to the blood provide to the tumor. Complete tumor destruction was achieved in 75 % of the circumstances after a single injection; the trial demonstrated that the remedy was properly-tolerated (minor negative effects) with fast therapeutic and minimal scarring. Application for approval is in course of.

A latest examine on the Animal Health Trust Center for Small Animal Studies regarded on the genetic adjustments in mast cells that promote metastasis. Researchers hope this may assist develop a extremely correct take a look at that may predict whether or not an MCT will metastasize; if profitable, targets might be recognized for brand new medication to forestall metastasis. Future analysis will try and establish the causes of these genetic adjustments, ensuing within the growth of recent trigger-focused anti-metastasis medication.

The Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is conducting a scientific trial to judge an experimental drug in canine with stable tumors (similar to MCTs). The hope right here is that the drug is not going to solely stimulate the immune system to destroy the most cancers cells but additionally kill the most cancers cells instantly.

Oncolytic virotherapy is an rising therapeutic possibility for most cancers remedy. Studies have discovered {that a} modified Sendai virus (of the Paramyxoviridae household) can unfold in tumors and kill malignant cells whereas sparing regular cells.

A latest pilot examine of six canine with MCT acquired the oncolytic Sendai virus remedy. It was properly-tolerated with minor transitory negative effects. All tumors responded, both partially or utterly, indicating a promising strategy. Because this remedy doesn’t overlap with any recognized mechanism of present typical MCT remedies, researchers hope it would show efficient together with different protocols, and warrants further analysis.

Companion Animal Health not too long ago initiated a partnership with Nanospectra Biosciences, Inc. to conduct scientific trials within the remedy of MCT utilizing a mix of laser and nanoshell remedy. The strategy of this remedy is to destroy the tumor with out damaging adjoining wholesome tissue. The preliminary outcomes are encouraging, and trial outcomes must be printed quickly. It is hoped that it’s going to ship an improved remedy possibility and prolong life with out dangerous negative effects.

Watch Those Lumps

My Border Collie Duncan had 29 lipomas. Every time he developed a brand new lump, I had it aspirated and checked to ensure it was only a lipoma, not an MCT. I additionally tracked each considered one of his lumps on a diagram (see under) so I knew whether or not any given bump was new and probably harmful or simply an current lipoma.

Early detection for MCT is vital and essential for acquiring optimum remedy and lengthy survival charges. If you discover a progress in your dog that doesn’t go away after a month, please see your veterinarian to have it aspirated. Even canine with excessive-grade metastasized MCTs can have a very good high quality of life.

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Dear Mark: Health Effects of Neutering, Grain-Free Dog Diets, Ideal Dog Diet

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from last week’s Weekly Link Love comment section. They’re all about dogs. First, are their negative health effects of neutering or spaying? Second, do grain-free dog diets give dogs dilated cardiomyopathy, a kind of heart disease? What’s the alternative? And third, what is in my opinion the ideal dog diet—and should everyone be feeding it to their dogs?

Let’s go:

Mark, wouldn’t neutering dogs cause some long term negative health effects in them, as I assume it would in humans?

As you might expect, removing a dog’s testicles or ovaries—major reproductive and endocrine organs—can have negative effects. That’s just common sense, and we have observational studies paired with physiological mechanisms to make the case. The best-studied complications are cancer and joint disorders.

Among German shepherds, 7% of intact males were diagnosed with a joint disorder. 21% of males who’d been neutered before age 1 had a joint disorder. 5% of intact females were diagnosed; 16% of spayed females were diagnosed.

Among a group of 700+ golden retrievers, 5% of intact males had hip dysplasia, while 10% of early neutered males had it. No intact dogs had ever had any cranial cruciate ligament (an important ligament in the dog knee) tears, while 5% of early neutered males and 8% of early spayed females had torn one. 10% of early neutered males had a diagnosis of lymphoma, three times the rate of intact males. In females, late spaying (after 1 year of age) seems to have increased the rate of certain cancers, including hemangiosarcoma (a blood vessel cancer) and mast cell (breast) tumors.

Similar results with regards to joint disorders have also been found in labrador retrievers.

Both spaying females and neutering males appears to increase the risk of heart cancer, a fairly common cancer in dogs. Spayed females have the greatest risk of all.

Early spayed or neutered Rottweilers have an increased risk of bone cancer, another common disease to the breed.

Neutered/spayed dogs have a higher risk of hypothyroidism.

Intact dogs have higher metabolisms and lower appetites. The opposite is true for neutered dogs, which could explain the rise in pet obesity.

If you’re going to neuter a dog, I’d recommend waiting as long as you can. At the least 1 year, and ideally longer until sexual development completes. That allows the dog’s joints, muscles, and skeletal tissue to reach its full potential.

Also realize that the sex hormones aren’t only about sex or physical/structural development. They also help determine mental and psychological development.

Interesting SwS post about dogs. I would caution people to make assumptions canines need the same diet as people. Recently, many folks are discovering that dogs on a grain free diet seem to have a higher likelihood of developing hart issues. My house is kind of an n=14 experiment and I would guess that our dogs get on the active side in terms of exercise. We also have three dozen sheep, two dozen ducks, and a bunch of chickens. My wife is a dog trainer so in addition to our dogs she works with a bunch more. Too much info to post here but look up diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy and some of the recent studies. The research is not yet to the stage where they know what causes DCM but it appears that dogs that are on “boutique exotic grain free (BEG) diets seem to be much more likely to develop DCM.

The way this research is presented in the media, most people assume that the problem with grain-free diets are that they’re too high in meat. That dogs need “heart healthy whole grains,” just like people supposedly do.

The reason “grain-free” dog diets are linked to dilated cardiomyopathy is not that these animals are eating too much beef, lamb, chicken, and fish protein. It’s that they’re replacing the grains with potatoes and peas, lentils, and other legumes and inducing taurine deficiency. Taurine deficiency-induced cardiomyopathy is well-established in cats, who cannot synthesize taurine on their own and must consume it directly in the diet. Dogs can synthesize taurine themselves, but they’re also adapted to a diet rich in taurine-rich meat, so it’s smart and evolutionarily congruent for them to also eat high-taurine diets—which must contain meat.

Say what you will about grains. I’m no fan of them for dogs (or humans, for that matter), but they do possess the amino acid precursors for taurine synthesis.

A response from a veterinary nutrition researcher at Tufts University claims that taurine probably isn’t the cause, instead suggesting that the “exotic meats” found in grain-free diets are likely candidates. She goes on to warn against raw-fed diets as well, since they “increase your dog’s risk of many other health problems.” She fails to specify which health problems raw meat and bone diets increase, but since she has some acronyms after her name we can trust her.

It’s odd, because I’m aware of some actual benefits to feeding dogs raw meat and bone diets:

Improved immune gene expression, indicating lower inflammatory status compared to kibble-fed dogs.

Improved gut biome compared to kibble-fed dogs.

Purina funded the Tufts University veterinary nutritional center where the writer of the article resides, which may or may not have affected her opinions.

In your opinion what should we feed our dogs?

Ideally, we should feed our dogs a well-formulated, nutrient-dense diet based on raw animal foods: muscle meat, bones, organs, seafood, eggs, quality dairy, and select supplemental foods. In other words, the ideal dog diet would look a lot like a really good carnivorous human diet.

The problem is that you have to do it right. It’s easy to do it wrong. One thing the dog food companies are pretty good at is avoiding gross deficiencies. The calcium:phosophorus ratio will be right. Most of the nutrients may be synthetic additions to refined junk food, but the basics will be there. This doesn’t always hold (see the dilated cardiomyopathy scandal mentioned above), of course, and it tends to cause chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes from mismatched macronutrients, but at least a kibble fed dog probably won’t develop osteoporosis.

Certain fish are dangerous when fed raw without adequate preparation. Pacific-caught salmon off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington can carry parasites that kill dogs (and other canids like wolves and coyotes). Freezing long enough at a low-enough temperature will kill the parasite, but you really have to be careful.

Dogs need to eat bones for the calcium and to keep their teeth clean, but they can break teeth on the wrong kind of bone. Load-bearing ruminant bones are good for gnawing, but not for eating. Do you know the difference?

Dogs need connective tissue, just like people. People can just throw some collagen powder in their coffee. Dogs really can’t. Are you going to seek out chicken feet, pork skin, beef tendons, green tripe for your raw-fed dog?

Dogs need organs, and not just liver. They need heart and kidney. Can you source it? You willing to handle it?

Dogs who spend all their lives on kibble only to be given a plate of turkey necks, beef liver, and lamb trim might not know what to do with themselves. Just like people who’ve spent their lives in restrictive high-heeled shoes can get into trouble when they try running a marathon in bare feet, dogs who are used to hoovering up kibble can get into trouble when they try to eat a neck for the first time.

None of this stuff is a deal-breaker. It can be done. Ideally, it should be done. But it does take time and energy to do things right. It’s harder—and better, don’t get me wrong—than just dumping some kibble in a bowl.

I’ll write more on this in the future. For now, check out this older post on raw-feeding dogs I did (and this one for cats).

Take care, everyone. Thanks for reading and if you have any follow up questions, let them loose down below.

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Dear Mark: Health Effects of Neutering, Grain-Free Dog Diets, Ideal Dog Diet

For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions from last week’s Weekly Link Love comment section. They’re all about dogs. First, are their negative health effects of neutering or spaying? Second, do grain-free dog diets give dogs dilated cardiomyopathy, a kind of heart disease? What’s the alternative? And third, what is in my opinion the ideal dog diet—and should everyone be feeding it to their dogs?

Let’s go:

Mark, wouldn’t neutering dogs cause some long term negative health effects in them, as I assume it would in humans?

As you might expect, removing a dog’s testicles or ovaries—major reproductive and endocrine organs—can have negative effects. That’s just common sense, and we have observational studies paired with physiological mechanisms to make the case. The best-studied complications are cancer and joint disorders.

Among German shepherds, 7% of intact males were diagnosed with a joint disorder. 21% of males who’d been neutered before age 1 had a joint disorder. 5% of intact females were diagnosed; 16% of spayed females were diagnosed.

Among a group of 700+ golden retrievers, 5% of intact males had hip dysplasia, while 10% of early neutered males had it. No intact dogs had ever had any cranial cruciate ligament (an important ligament in the dog knee) tears, while 5% of early neutered males and 8% of early spayed females had torn one. 10% of early neutered males had a diagnosis of lymphoma, three times the rate of intact males. In females, late spaying (after 1 year of age) seems to have increased the rate of certain cancers, including hemangiosarcoma (a blood vessel cancer) and mast cell (breast) tumors.

Similar results with regards to joint disorders have also been found in labrador retrievers.

Both spaying females and neutering males appears to increase the risk of heart cancer, a fairly common cancer in dogs. Spayed females have the greatest risk of all.

Early spayed or neutered Rottweilers have an increased risk of bone cancer, another common disease to the breed.

Neutered/spayed dogs have a higher risk of hypothyroidism.

Intact dogs have higher metabolisms and lower appetites. The opposite is true for neutered dogs, which could explain the rise in pet obesity.

If you’re going to neuter a dog, I’d recommend waiting as long as you can. At the least 1 year, and ideally longer until sexual development completes. That allows the dog’s joints, muscles, and skeletal tissue to reach its full potential.

Also realize that the sex hormones aren’t only about sex or physical/structural development. They also help determine mental and psychological development.

Interesting SwS post about dogs. I would caution people to make assumptions canines need the same diet as people. Recently, many folks are discovering that dogs on a grain free diet seem to have a higher likelihood of developing hart issues. My house is kind of an n=14 experiment and I would guess that our dogs get on the active side in terms of exercise. We also have three dozen sheep, two dozen ducks, and a bunch of chickens. My wife is a dog trainer so in addition to our dogs she works with a bunch more. Too much info to post here but look up diet-associated dilated cardiomyopathy and some of the recent studies. The research is not yet to the stage where they know what causes DCM but it appears that dogs that are on “boutique exotic grain free (BEG) diets seem to be much more likely to develop DCM.

The way this research is presented in the media, most people assume that the problem with grain-free diets are that they’re too high in meat. That dogs need “heart healthy whole grains,” just like people supposedly do.

The reason “grain-free” dog diets are linked to dilated cardiomyopathy is not that these animals are eating too much beef, lamb, chicken, and fish protein. It’s that they’re replacing the grains with potatoes and peas, lentils, and other legumes and inducing taurine deficiency. Taurine deficiency-induced cardiomyopathy is well-established in cats, who cannot synthesize taurine on their own and must consume it directly in the diet. Dogs can synthesize taurine themselves, but they’re also adapted to a diet rich in taurine-rich meat, so it’s smart and evolutionarily congruent for them to also eat high-taurine diets—which must contain meat.

Say what you will about grains. I’m no fan of them for dogs (or humans, for that matter), but they do possess the amino acid precursors for taurine synthesis.

A response from a veterinary nutrition researcher at Tufts University claims that taurine probably isn’t the cause, instead suggesting that the “exotic meats” found in grain-free diets are likely candidates. She goes on to warn against raw-fed diets as well, since they “increase your dog’s risk of many other health problems.” She fails to specify which health problems raw meat and bone diets increase, but since she has some acronyms after her name we can trust her.

It’s odd, because I’m aware of some actual benefits to feeding dogs raw meat and bone diets:

Improved immune gene expression, indicating lower inflammatory status compared to kibble-fed dogs.

Improved gut biome compared to kibble-fed dogs.

Purina funded the Tufts University veterinary nutritional center where the writer of the article resides, which may or may not have affected her opinions.

In your opinion what should we feed our dogs?

Ideally, we should feed our dogs a well-formulated, nutrient-dense diet based on raw animal foods: muscle meat, bones, organs, seafood, eggs, quality dairy, and select supplemental foods. In other words, the ideal dog diet would look a lot like a really good carnivorous human diet.

The problem is that you have to do it right. It’s easy to do it wrong. One thing the dog food companies are pretty good at is avoiding gross deficiencies. The calcium:phosophorus ratio will be right. Most of the nutrients may be synthetic additions to refined junk food, but the basics will be there. This doesn’t always hold (see the dilated cardiomyopathy scandal mentioned above), of course, and it tends to cause chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes from mismatched macronutrients, but at least a kibble fed dog probably won’t develop osteoporosis.

Certain fish are dangerous when fed raw without adequate preparation. Pacific-caught salmon off the coast of California, Oregon, and Washington can carry parasites that kill dogs (and other canids like wolves and coyotes). Freezing long enough at a low-enough temperature will kill the parasite, but you really have to be careful.

Dogs need to eat bones for the calcium and to keep their teeth clean, but they can break teeth on the wrong kind of bone. Load-bearing ruminant bones are good for gnawing, but not for eating. Do you know the difference?

Dogs need connective tissue, just like people. People can just throw some collagen powder in their coffee. Dogs really can’t. Are you going to seek out chicken feet, pork skin, beef tendons, green tripe for your raw-fed dog?

Dogs need organs, and not just liver. They need heart and kidney. Can you source it? You willing to handle it?

Dogs who spend all their lives on kibble only to be given a plate of turkey necks, beef liver, and lamb trim might not know what to do with themselves. Just like people who’ve spent their lives in restrictive high-heeled shoes can get into trouble when they try running a marathon in bare feet, dogs who are used to hoovering up kibble can get into trouble when they try to eat a neck for the first time.

None of this stuff is a deal-breaker. It can be done. Ideally, it should be done. But it does take time and energy to do things right. It’s harder—and better, don’t get me wrong—than just dumping some kibble in a bowl.

I’ll write more on this in the future. For now, check out this older post on raw-feeding dogs I did (and this one for cats).

Take care, everyone. Thanks for reading and if you have any follow up questions, let them loose down below.

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