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heart-of-copper-dog-training · 9 months ago

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What are timelines?

I've mentioned reactivity and socializing (under and over) in the past and sometimes I have clients wonder, "when will my dog be done being reactive?" Well, unfortunately, I can't say. I can't say they'll ever be truly 100 percent untriggered by a trigger, but I can say we can work until we get into a manageable range.

So, what is a good timeline? Let me tell you about my pups. I have two right now. One is a shelter dog who was picked up off the streets a little under a year old and the other is a purebred from a reputable breeder. They are both about 3 years old now, and I've had the shelter pup for two of them.

My purebred was oversocialized (see, I told you trainers make mistakes) due to the fact that I had not personally owned a puppy in well over a decade. I'm usually a pick up someone from the shelter, usually at least two years or older, type of trainer. But my child wanted a puppy and after prodding for what type of expectations she had for a dog, we picked a breed, did our hunt for a breeder, and got this little dog named Donut, a Bichon Frise.

Donut has never met a stranger, dog or human. He loves everyone and anyone who he can get to and wants to play with all of them. Which was really great when he was a puppy, but as soon as he passed into adolescence, he became a VERY frustrated teenager. He didn't understand why he couldn't go to EVERY dog and EVERY person we see and pass. He didn't know that not every person wants to see him, and not every dog wants to play.

And so, he became my little reactive guy, all from being a little too socialized. Any dog within probably thirty feet was a dog to be barked and lunged at, and people were to be lunged at as well. So we began our reactivity training.

Using classical conditioning, I began to change his emotions behind this reactivity. I had to maintain our threshold and create distance when necessary. I had to have the highest of value cheese (string cheese is his favorite thing) and be prepared to mark with good timing.

We started this journey of addressing his frustration and transforming it into a healthy curiosity about a year and a half ago. Hitting off the tail end of his adolescence and going into adulthood, a very formative time for a young pup.

Today, he is able to be within five feet of stranger dogs and sit/lay calming next to me. He likes to look at them and give a really good sniff, but no more barking or lunging. He will redirect right to me when I say his name, and many times without prompting. And today he went nose to nose with an adolescent rottie he'd never met (another great little guy going through puberty) without ANY discomfort, frustration, or vocalizations. Rottie was a little too teenager brain and got closer than anticipated, and Donut handled it like a champ, immediately turning back to me.

Is he perfect? No, he still needs treats for hard dogs. The ones who give "the stare" or do the same frustrated behavior he displayed if they get too close. But that too close is now less than 10 feet. A calm dog can walk right on past us without an issue, no treats needed. Will he get to the point of being able to ignore those louder, harder dogs, without the treats? Eventually, I'm sure. But I couldn't tell you when.

What about the humans? Well, that actually went quicker than the dogs! We started teaching him human neutrality, the ability to ignore people and just enjoy himself or pay attention to me even if the human looks really fun to play with. We don't need treats for them anymore. I'm able to tell people when he's training and needs more focus on new things to back away, and if they ignore it, he ignores them while we train. I'm able to walk him through or past people when we're just having a stroll and he can also ignore them, even without treats. And he has a "go say hi" command now with people so he can still get his good pets in while showing good manners. I think we hit that level of success about four or five months ago, if I were to guess.

So that's Donut's timeline so far.

What about my shelter girl?

Well, she's a 45lb whatsit name Pancake. I have no idea on her history other than that she was a street dog and spent a couple of months in the shelter. She was maybe a year old when I got her, give or take a little. She spent the first year with me working through her shelter trauma (shelters are very traumatic for many dogs, despite their good intentions, I'll expand on that in a future post), learning to trust me, learning to trust my family and other animals (there are some cats in the house lol).

We spent that year learning what a leash is, learning what a loose leash is, learning to walk just to our mailbox and back without feeling overwhelmed and terrified. (It's about 30 feet from our door, give or take). She couldn't do long walks. She couldn't even do short walks. She did the mailbox and back. She did the backyard. She did indoor enrichment. She didn't meet other dogs besides Donut. She wasn't interested in them at best, and afraid of them at worst. She would hide behind me when people approached, or go hide in her crate when people came to the house. I wouldn't call her reactive in the traditional sense, in that she didn't bark or growl or jump at anyone or anything. But she did hide, she did shut down if overwhelmed, and she had many stress signals at the approach or sight of people and dogs.

She could do great sits, she didn't jump. She was actually very well mannered in the house, she just couldn't really handle the outside world. So I began calming exercises with her. She just really needed to learn to relax. I didn't ask for anything of her. I just brought her out to observe the world. I continued our daily mailbox walk. I started to stretch it, juuuuust a little bit, once she relaxed on the mailbox walk. We went two feet past it and back home. Then five feet past it. Very slowly, we increased how far past the mailbox we could go down the street. It took me most of that year to get her to walk an entire lap around our neighborhood without shutting down, freaking out, or feeling stressed in any way. (it's about 3/4s a mile for distance).

We had our good days, where the entire walk went without any events. We had our bad days, where an off leash dog or sudden loud noise terrified her and we had to hurry away from those scary things. We added Donut to our walks and they had to learn how to leash together. (He'd learned with my prior dog his first year of life but she passed due to old age and Pancake was NOT my prior dog lol).

Year two came with Pancake and we were making solid progress. Walks were regularly a full lap, sometimes more. Leashes were figured out with less trip ups and mix ups. We could go to some trails and parks. We could walk past dogs without her hiding, and she had developed a good recovery from sudden loud noises (usually within a minute she was back to calm).

She stopped hiding every time someone came over, even if she didn't really want to approach immediately. She began to show her goofy wild child side every time water was brought into the picture.

And today, she was able to do a full settle in park with three other dogs she'd never met all within twenty feet. (Yes, I brought both dogs and did separate sessions with the same group for the benefit of all the dogs there including mine). She was focused, relaxed, and really paying attention to me. She ignored one of the adolescent dogs who got a little excited and barked at her, she did some figure eights with the other dogs there.

Is she perfect? No, she still needs breaks. Her endurance is lower than most other dogs when she's out and about. But it grows every day. She can now do quite a lot more outdoor time and actually ENJOY it. This was a dog with a lot of unknowns, yet with patience and careful conditioning mixed with desensitization, she has achieved quite a lot.

So that's her timeline for now.

What is the point of all this rambling? Timelines are flux and unknowns. We don't control the world. We don't even really control our dogs (they aren't robots, after all). We ask them to trust us and ask them to follow our lead. We teach them manners and fun cues and tricks. And when they need us to listen to them, when they give out signs of needing help, we sit down with them and work through it, together.

I can't ever tell you what the timeline for you and your dog is. I can't even fully tell you what my timeline for my dogs is. They are individuals who each take different levels of work to make progress. And progress is measured differently for each of them. For Pancake, making it to the mailbox was her first giant hurdle. Going even two feet past it was too much initially. That was her progress.

For Donut, being in sight of any dog within 30 feet was his giant hurdle. Getting even two inches closer was too much. That was his progress.

I'm proud of their progress, and I see how far they've come. I know they can become even more comfortable in their environment, with other creatures and people in the world, as long as I help them cope with it. I will be there every step of the way with cheese, love, encouragement and support as they make baby steps and giant leaps of progress.

Timelines aren't really important. They're just vague ideas of success. And success, as I've said before, is not definitively measured. Where one dog learns to cope with the outside world, another may learn to safely interact with other dogs. One dog may never interact with other dogs but can learn to cope with their presence.

We don't want to set exact timelines or exact expectations on our dogs. They aren't robots. Just like people, they are individuals. Just like people, they will each have individual potentials and limits.

Let your dog show you who they are, and help them get back up when they fall down.

Dogs are always there for us when we need them most, without any judgement, expectations, or pressure for us to "get better, faster". Let's do the same for them.

#dogs #dog trainer #dog training #positive dog training #dog reactivity #behavior modification

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puppyexpressions · 2 years ago

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Dog Pedigrees: What it Means and How to Get One

Pedigree, purebred, crossbreed, and mixed breed are all very common dog-related terms that, although meaning different things, get used interchangeably without a clear understanding of each one. For example, is a labradoodle a pedigree or a crossbreed? So, what is a ‘pedigree dog’, and does it matter if your furry companion isn’t one? Read on to get the answers to these questions and learn all about pedigree dogs.

What is a pedigree dog?

The general understanding of the term ‘pedigree dog’ is that this is a purebred dog recognized and registered by a Kennel Club so you will have a document from them that shows your dog’s ancestry going back several generations. This is their pedigree. However, having a record of parents and grandparents doesn’t mean that a dog is purebred. There are many examples of crossbreed dogs that have papers showing their parents’ Kennel Club pedigrees such as for instance, F1 Cockapoos or Labradoodles.

Having a pedigree means that the dog, along with their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc were Purebred dogs officially registered with the Kennel Club, and you can trace their lineage (and any show titles they might have won) going back several generations. As many breeds have inherited health issues, being able to trace lines back can help you become more aware of your dog’s health situation and give more clues to any issues they might have inherited. A pedigree would be necessary if you want to show your dog in UK Kennel Club dog shows – including Crufts!

If you get your furry friend from a trusted breeder, they should be able to provide you with a pedigree certificate that shows your puppy’s family tree. Check this before you buy your puppy as if they don’t (and if not, why not?), it could possibly be a red flag that the dogs they are breeding might not be as purebred as they say! If you are 100% sure they have been registered with a Kennel Club (or you don't care whether they have or not), you can contact the Kennel Club and ask for the certificate yourself by submitting an application and paying a small fee.

Do purebred/pedigree dogs have any health problems?

All dogs can have health issues and there’s no guarantee that a pedigree dog will or won’t get sick – except for a few breeds whose health problems have become so severe that they are almost guaranteed. The advantage of buying a purebred dog however is that most known health problems can be tested for before the breeder decides to breed from their dogs and so the puppies will be less likely to develop them. If you are planning on buying a purebred puppy, do some research to see what health tests should be done – and make sure they are done and that you see proof of the results.

These conditions can affect bones/joints, eyes, skin, heart, teeth, and longevity – and this is one of the reasons you should always research not just your breed of choice but who you are getting a dog from and that they are responsible and ethical.

An advantage of buying a dog with a pedigree can be that they are being bred by responsible breeders who have the welfare of the breed at heart – rather than commercial breeders who have profit rather than health as their motivator, and so breed from less healthy and un-tested dogs – and possibly ones that aren’t purebred or registered. However, don’t rely on a pedigree to be a guarantee of health – a breeder doesn’t need to health test their dogs to get one!

Popular breeds are likelier to have increasing health problems due to bad breeding practices and this has become the case in several breeds, so it’s recommended to always make sure you’re contacting a trusted and reputable breeder when looking for a new dog.

How do I know if my dog is purebred?

There are three ways to get a good idea if your dog is a purebred or not. First of all, is to have a Kennel Club pedigree certificate from the breeder – this is an almost certain guarantee – although the unscrupulous can find a convincing way around most things and there are a few forgeries out there! You could get a DNA test for your pup – and a good company with a large database from the country you live in can tell you what breed your dog is – or what breeds are in their ancestry.

And lastly, you can compare your dog’s traits to those of their breed standard (and in countries where dog showing is popular but that don’t have a kennel club, this is often the way dogs are classified and accepted for shows).

Getting a pedigree from the Kennel Club is the quickest way but it relies on the dog being registered. There are plenty of purebred dogs who are never registered with the UK Kennel Club (or another kennel club around the world) so no pedigree doesn’t mean your dog isn’t purebred.

In this case, the DNA option is an easy way of finding out if your dog is a purebred or not. These tests are not 100% accurate (and sometimes breeds will appear in your dog’s DNA that you didn’t expect that are further back than would ever show up on a standard pedigree – so they are still classed as purebred) but they will show you the breed or breeds in your dog’s genetic make-up. This can be a fascinating exercise if you have a mixed breed dog as it can give you clues to your dog’s behavior and personality.

Comparing with the breed standard if much more about guesswork – as when you cross two or more breeds, the results can sometimes look or behave nothing like either parent!

Purebred dog breeds

In total, there are about 221 pedigree dog breeds registered with the Kennel Club and this number increases almost every year. Are you wondering if your dog qualifies as a purebred �� or has their characteristics? Check out this list of the seven groups of dog breeds as classified by the Kennel Club and see if your pup matches any of the breed group’s traits.

1. Working

Working dogs were bred to do a specific job and so are the canine specialists. This job is often to guard, protect, or rescue, meaning that these are often the most heroic canines out there – although they generally need experienced owners who understand their need to have a job. They’re known for their intelligence, agility, and independence which is why many serve as police or military dogs. These dogs include Dobermanns, Boxers, and Siberian Huskies.

2. Pastoral

Like the name suggests, pastoral dogs will do a great job of herding livestock all day, every day, in all kinds of climates. They often have thick coats, lots of energy, need plenty of exercise and training, and love being around people – think of Border Collies, Samoyeds, and German Shepherd Dogs.

3. Gundog

Originally trained to work with hunters to find or retrieve game, dogs in the gundog category are all great companions for any prospective owner who enjoys the outdoor life and plenty of exercise. They can be loving and have a sweet temperament, along with a lot of energy and a big love for games of any kind, as long as they get to run around and spend time with people or other animals. If you haven’t already guessed it, they’re some of the world’s most popular breeds and include Labrador Retrievers, Spaniels, pointers, and setters.

4. Toy

These tiny canines make for great companions and the most perfect lap dogs. They’ll jump at any chance of attention and although toy breeds may be small, they can often be very protective. Toy breeds can become extremely devoted to their owners and want to follow them everywhere – to the point that many can’t be left alone. This group includes Chihuahuas, Maltese, and Bichons.

5. Hound

Hound dogs split into two types – scent hounds and sighthounds (depending on whether they hunt using their noses or their eyes). While affectionate and loving, hounds tend to look down on obedience, and their single-minded desire to chase something that is running or following a scent for hours is still very strong – so while they need plenty of exercise, many need to be kept on leads unless in a totally secure place. Rarely safe with cats (although some can live happily with ‘their own’) and small furries. Hounds include Beagles, Bloodhounds, Greyhounds, and Irish Wolfhounds.

6. Terrier

Enthusiastic about everything and as determined and courageous as they come, the terrier breed group were originally bred mostly as vermin hunters. This means that they are quick-thinking and quick-acting, brave, feisty, and have huge personalities despite their size. This group includes the Jack Russell, the West Highland White, and the Border Terrier.

7. Utility

This last category is a miscellaneous one that includes any other breeds that don’t quite fit the other groups – often because their job was so specialized, they are the only ones! Akitas, Chow Chows, Dalmatians, French bulldogs, and Poodles are all in this category.

What is the difference between pedigree dogs, crossbreed, and mixed-breed dogs?

A pedigree is simply a record of a dog registered by the Kennel Club that shows its ancestry and shows their breed is pure.

A crossbreed dog means that the puppy’s parents were of two different breeds. This has resulted in the popularity of what is often called ‘designer dogs’ - such as Cockapoos, Labradoodles, Cavachons etc.

A mixed breed dog has parents of different breeds – often mixed breeds themselves.

At the end of the day, however, having a pedigree doesn’t make your dog any better, any more loving, or any better behaved. It doesn’t make them a better companion or fit into your life any better. All dogs deserve a loving home and having a piece of paper showing who their ancestors were does not make them any more or less suitable to be your best friend.

The important thing is to make sure you’re picking the dog that best suits your lifestyle.

#dog breeds #purebred dogs

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anonymousewrites · 2 years ago

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I just realized, bc MC is canonically very attractive, more powerful than other Celians, very focused on their job, smart, diplomatic, and described as logical by both Spock and Sarek they're kinda a catch by both Celian and Vulcan standards

Whereas Spock is considered by Vulcan standards to be (though this is a negative view); illogical, emotional, stubborn, rebellious, and even by Celian standards he is out of touch with his emotions

All this to say that, as much as I reproach the idea of "leagues" MC is well outta Spocks

And while Celians would be able to feel MC's love for him and would be more of the opinion that the heart wants what it wants when they get together, it's a little funny to think about how at least some vulcans might be confused.

Even if they didn't typically want a partner of an emotional species they could see that MC is objectively a catch. Protective MC like "this is the LOVE of my LIFE"

Reminds me of that meme about purebred dog owners and feral cat owners, something like this one

This is a hilarious point to me, and it’s so true. Spock is, to anyone with sense, a catch, but to Vulcans he’s to emotional and to other races he seems too cold, so it’s only really people who understand him that see he’s a good guy, and MC absolutely sees that.

Everyone sees MC as a catch, which they 100% are, and that’s why it’s a running joke that they flirt with MC but MC has nothing to do with it since they only have eyes for Spock.

Literally:

people: wow Mc you’re so amazing, you could get anyone

MC, seeing the emotionally repressed and awkward Spock: oh, I want that one

#Anonymouse #anonymousewrites #anonymouse #logos and pathos

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aquarianlights · 1 year ago

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Did you ever do the DNA test on Echo?

No, as I don't have enough for an Embark. 😭 I have been DYING to do it. So badly. Moreso now than I ever have been... Since all these health problems arose and his 10th birthday is on the 17th, it makes me scared I will never get the $ to get an embark before he dies & I don't think it's possible to test after death. All I would have is his ashes, paw print stamp and some fur anyways. Kinda hoping to get a canine tooth of his or maybe both, but idk if I'm gonna genuinely do that yet. All I know FOR SURE is want some tail fur, feet fur and ear fur, a paw print stamp and his ashes. I'd LIKE a canine tooth & a nose print stamp, but it's okay if that doesn't happen.

I want to send the embark in without a picture and without telling them any breeds so there's no chance for bias at all.

Embark is the most accurate out of everything out there, but like with every other DNA kit it only goes back 3 generations. So if he does BY SOME MIRACLE come back 100% pomeranian, I'd be SHOCKED coz that means the mix was further back than three gens and probably WAY further back considering the phenotypes of his littermates and the dam and sire.

I am betting there is Mittelspitz mixed in, but that would be so odd unless his line is an import. Coz it is EXTREMELY difficult to get a Mittelspitz in the US. There are only a couple breeders in the whole country and the Mittelspitz community in America is VERY tight knit. Mittelspitz usually come to America via imports as they are not typically seen in the US naturally or by breeding. The breeding that is happening is only preservation breeding because the community is that small. There's no bybs in Mittelspitz that I know of in America and I have heard breeders outside the US are very selective of what Americans they will sell their dogs to. So it'd be SUPER odd for him to have Mittelspitz mixed in but it's the only thing that makes sense to me. He is the size. His coat texture, colouring and markings are more Mittelspitz than pom. His conformation is much more Mittelspitz. But his temperament and biddability is Pomeranian to a t.

I only know so much about Mittelspitz coz I want to get into them SO badly coz after having Echo, who is 20 lbs at a healthy pet weight, I just don't want to get a pom-sized dog. They're so tiny. And I LOVE that. At least, I DID. But after experiencing a spitz that is 20 lbs, give or take, I have found my perfect size. And finding out what he is mixed with could help me figure out what purebred to look into next. I normally wouldn't stray out of spitzes unless it was a papillion, but if he is mixed with something non-spitz, that would make me pause and look at that breed for a few years to see what they're like to see if I should add them to the list.

Most of all, I am just sad that he is turning 10 and I haven't been able to do it yet. :/ Ik a lot of furmoms always say stuff like, "I don't care what he is! I love him so it doesn't matter! He is loved so that's what is best!" as if they are personally offended, implying that people who DNA test their supposed purebreds don't love them, but I just don't understand that POV coz it's quite the opposite for me.

Knowing what breeds he is will help me with understanding him better regarding his body language and verbal signals, it will help me with his training and will help me develop a deeper bond with him.

Just because my dog is byb/not well bred and I want to find out what is in him doesn't change how I feel about him or how much I love him. It never would. If it did, it would only make me love him more as I would be able to understand him on a much deeper level. So I just don't understand why furmoms get *so* offended when DNA tests get brought up.

Anyways uh...

I know that was a yes or no question. Sorry... if you have me as a friend on fb or knew me in my early tumblr days, then you know how verbose and tangent-orientdd I am lol. 🤦🏼 Someone could say "hi" and I'd write 5 paragraphs lmao.

Ik you didn't come here to hear me ramble on about my dogs phenotype and his pedigree and so on and so forth so uh...

TL;DR: No. 😅

#thank you for asking though #at least someone is listening to me...#well #ik three people here are listening to me #they're in my inbox #i just haven't responded but I appreciate all three of them more than they know #and if this is one of you three...#thank you #this made me smile simply for the fact that it feels like SOMEONE is listening to me scream into the void...#i just feel so alone lately #not when I'm with echo #but it is SO hot that we cant exist outdoors #not with echos heart lung and tracheal conditions and double coat #and not with my photosensitive autoimmune condition #so we are trapped inside and it is like quarantine all over again but AWFUL #i loved quarantine coz.i lived alone with echo #so many other things too but i wont get into that #but now we are unfortunately living in my parents guest bedroom against our will... so it's like being captive while being stressed all the #time for absolutely no reason bc of someone else who has no reason to torture you like they do #it's fucking miserable... and I just want my life back #i want our life back...#i was SO happy living on my own and echo was THRIVING #we have both regressed so far bc of mu parents and it couldn't have happened any other way... i just dk why they have to be so attack-y #im just tired... of being alive #but i will never do anything with echo still alive coz he needs me #cardiology appt for him in oct and ik he is scared every night... im probably more scared than him tbh #im not sleeping coz im up watching him breathe every night #i just love him so much.... more than words or actions can convey... and idk what to do with those feelings except die when he dies #i need another dog to bond to before he dies but i could never afford the vet bills associated with a new dog #adding another dog wouldn't be a problem but it's the upkeep in vet bills and grooming that would be a problem and i would never skimp on it

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kangals · 3 years ago

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I have mixed feelings about dogs showing up in non-standard colors (e.g. Merle bulldogs and poodles), because on one hand it’s just color and who gives a shit, after a few generations they’re going to test as 100% pure anyway, there’s functionally no difference in two Labradors if one of them had a Weimaraner as a great-great-grandparent. It’s whatever.

on the other hand SO MANY of these dogs are coming specifically from shitty breeders aiming for “rare” colors that I totally understand the people who get so pissy about it. Like yeah sorry your lilac Merle tan point Frenchie didn’t come from a good breeder, let’s not pretend otherwise. the vast majority of “rare color” purebreds were intentionally bred for that color and if that DOESNT set off red flags for you, idk what to tell you.

#and I’m not talking about naturally occurring stuff like a tanpoint lab or a random one-off blue GSD in a litter #feels like half the puppies I see nowadays are Merle #especially bulldogs and doodles #like are they all mixed breeds? Functionally probably not #are they well bred? FUCK no #this post brought to you by old ladies on FB frothing at the mouth because I posted a picture of a merle corgi puppy on the company page #PEMBROKES CANT BE MERLE THATS A MIX REEEEEE shut up barbara I fucking know. who gives a shit.

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doberbutts · 3 years ago

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All of these shelter dogs listed as purebred is wild to me. I work in a shelter and we are vague as shit when we list our dogs. Like "terrier mix"/"hound mix"/"bully breed mix" and we only ever identify anything as pure bred if we have proof of it. Like an owner surrender with paperwork, otherwise even if it does look purebred we still put "mix" at the end because we don't want people adopting dogs expecting certain breed traits and then getting upset when those traits arent there. Some rescues are wild lol

Honestly I think that's probably what would be best. I understand as I've said before that sometimes rescues just go with whatever the owner told them but owners also are wrong sometimes. I once had someone bring me a dog they bought off craigslist that was a "german shepherd husky". The dog was brindle with white paws. That's uh. Not possible. But if the owner were to have turned the dog in to the rescue, and the rescue lists it as what the owner has said... then the next people are also going to think that's a "german shepherd husky". I also had a "jack russell whippet" come in that was merle, same thing.

Some rescues I've seen have gone "breed free" like yours, where even clear purebreds are marked as a mix unless they have papers with them. I think that's honestly for the best, that way people understand that it is possible their dog is not going to be 100% to expectations on temperament or size or health. I wish more of them would do this, than labelling dogs very incorrectly.

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darkwood-sleddog · 4 years ago

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I find it really fascinating that myself and other users posting about the not so hidden racial slurs in many dog breed names & terms are expected to have the answers and solutions to this problem as if it is something that can be fixed immediately.

We are tumblr users and own purebred dogs ourselves but understand, experience and/or notice the uncomfortable racism within our community. We’re not experts, or breed veterans, in many instances we ourselves are white. Just because we can express and are knowledgeable about a problem you didn’t know about before doesn’t mean we have every answer. I’m sorry.

Trying to rid the dog world of institutionalized racism is just as complex and difficult as getting rid of it elsewhere. Some problems have easier fixes, some things we ourselves would change are almost certain never to happen without major change of public perception which isn’t anywhere near changing. I repeat: there are no easy one time fix it solutions.

And I get it, I do. You want to be able to change the way you speak because you’re understanding of the damage racism has done to BIPOC and knowing you perpetrated the problem is uncomfortable. Yeah, racism that is engrained into our society and the way we think, talk, & name things is uncomfortable. It SHOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE and I’m sorry to say that there is no easy one time fix it solution and now you can be comfortable again. It will continue to be uncomfortable for probably a long time, but our discomfort at using a term we thought was okay but isn’t is nothing compared to the feelings BIPOC feel every day seeing folks being dismissive of this issue, seeing their cultural breed colonialized or culled, having their cultural breeds under the control of white rich people, having their traditional way of keeping said breed and using said breed trashed and seen as abusive. These are wide spreading attacks on their cultures and traditions.

Activist tumblr users don’t have all the answers, we are just people like you often sitting on the sidelines feeling disgusted and horrified. We want things to change too, we WISH we had 100% perfect solutions and answers for you. We want people to be more aware of the racist histories behind many of these breeds because something as simple as a a dog breed name, or a dog breed can be an active participant of institutionalized racism. Something as innocent seeming as dogs can be a factor of institutionalized racism. Think about that.

#dogblr #just because we can express a problem eloquently doesn’t mean we have answers every time #it can be exhausted for some of you to not even google or think about these breeds in a critical way #and it just goes to show how much the struggle of Indigneous people is ignored or dismissed by wider society #like y’all all want to be woke and change the way you speak #so you can go back to being comfortable again #but #these terms and breed names are VERY engrained into white western society #and armed with the knowledge of racist dog names #you will see and hear it everywhere now

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deadinsidedressage · 6 years ago

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do you think that ppl should not be ''taught'' to be scared of stallions? Sure you can't just think that they are like geldings and easy to train. Finnhorse breed for example is starting to little by little having more incest in it since there is not enough stallions and because ppl are taught that even slightest move means they are going to kill you, who would wanna buy a stallion. Then there is everything else like going through fences but those things should be ''easy'' to fix with training.

The sentiment that stallions are entirely dangerous and wildly different from geldings or mares is a fairly uniquely American sentiment. In Europe, you have children showing stallions and it’s a non-issue. (I say this is uniquely American based on the anecdotal evidence of any time in the past this notion running around on here has been met with a lot of Europeans being confused we treat stallions differently).

To relate this entirely not to horses but to something else I’ve researched a lot:

I think a lot of the misconceptions about stallion aggression stems from the same place as misconceptions about “roid rage”. The way the media portrays anabolic steroid use is in a way that suggests anyone and everyone who takes it is transformed into some Mr. Hyde freak-beast who can’t control their temper and breaks everything. Unfortunately that excuse has also been used in criminal defense of athletes who murdered people instead of addressing the fact that in autopsies it’s been proven these people had repeated brain trauma that would’ve mad them more aggressive, more depressive, and more impulsive. The reality is less than 2% of steroid users (and studies are showing that’s a 2% that either has brain trauma or history of mental illness) are impacted by a massive increase in aggressive behaviors or reactions; so while there are some people who go Dr. Jekyll /Mr. Hyde when they’re on or off cycle— that’s untrue of the overwhelming majority.

I’d wager the same is true of stallions or any domesticated animal we as humans have chosen to keep. Some stallions do exhibit hyper-aggression or hyper-reactiveness as a result of remaining intact. Just like some dogs do as well. Or cats who are intact. Let’s face it— if it was just the presence of testosterone that overwhelmingly created aggression in a population of animals; then wouldn’t every single human man with sex hormones (self-produced or store-bought) be extremely aggressive? Wouldn’t we want to “geld” every man for the safety of society? Wouldn’t it also stand to reason that Mr. Olympia competitors/winners like Kai Greene, Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, or Dorian Yates would inevitably be uncontrollable monsters as a result of the amount of anabolic steroids they take? You’d think so, but all these men are regarded for being extremely soft-spoken in interviews, extremely intelligent in the way they present themselves, and overall not aggressive assholes. In fact, if it were steroids that automatically created aggressive monsters... it would be Arnold Schawrzenegger with an infamous history as a domestic abuser and not Sean Penn? Not that Arnie is a perfect beacon of human decency, but the former 7-time Mr. Olympia isn’t know for aggressive or abusive antics. Sean Penn is and Sean Penn isn’t someone with a verifiable history of steroid use.

The fact of the matter is that testosterone alone doesn’t create aggression. Will I acquiesce that there are certainly outliers? Yes. However, it’s more of an issue of how we’re interacting with them. Have you ever heard the old timer wisdom of “never let a big horse know it’s big”? The idea there is that by never allowing a horse who could easily physically overpower you know that that’s the case; it’s a non-issue. If you never give the horse an interaction where it learns that it has a size advantage to get its way, then you don’t have a horse who uses its size for intimidation. Well, same can be said for handling stallions.

If you interact with a stallion in a way that’s fundamentally different because you have any fear that it’ll act different because it’s a stallion… You’ll get a horse who acts different because it’s a stallion. This isn’t some “dominance theory” nonsense where you can’t “show fear” or the horse “wins”— this is more a case of conditioning. Again, using the big horse as an example; the “big horse who knows he’s big” doesn’t use his size to his advantage because he’s the “alpha” but he uses it because he understands a basic cause and effect: “If I stretch my neck high and act big people are too afraid to make me do something I’d rather not do.” Same can be said of a lot of stallion behavior. If a stallion learns that people will back off because he acts like a “stallion”, he’ll act like a “stallion”.So, do I think people should be taught not to treat stallions differently? Yes, absolutely. Stallions aren’t evil death machines.Stallions aren’t inherently different on some incomprehensible level, but stallion ownership is like owning an intact dog--- you have to be a lot more responsible than the average owner. Someone with an intact dog shouldn’t be allowing their dog off-leash. Someone with a stallion has to be more aware when out in the public and have different “rules” they need to adhere to when showing. Just like with owning an un-spayed or un-neutered dog--- it’s not your animals that’s the probably generally; it’s the negligence and incompetence of the other animal owners you’re going to have to interact with. Aside from all these incorrect notions about stallions that are perpetrated in media & “word of mouth” equine communities--- a lot of people are discouraged from stallion ownership because of the extra precautions they need to take and complexity involved in showing or just being able to ride in public spaces. In my region, we have several stallions that regularly compete at dressage shows of all sizes. They’re all also very well-behaved. The issues that arise with them at shows comes from people not recognizing a stallion in the warm-up and giving them space. You know that picture of the obedient pitbull not eating a steak because he’s following orders to not eat the steak? Stallions at shows are a lot like that pitbull, they’re not necessarily going to cause an issue if a steak walks by--- but unlike the pitbull and the steak... a stallion in warm-up with a mare in heat riding past isn’t the only one who needs to show obedience or restraint. The mare is just as likely to be the problem. When you then consider that stallions are almost exclusively owned and showed by professionals whereas mares are still overwhelmingly shown by amateurs... that’s the issue. It’s not the stallion or the way the stallion has been conditioned or trained much of the time. It’s the issue of how amateur owners and riders react to stallions.Another complexity of showing with a stallion is the stabling situation--- again, pitbull-steak/stallion-mare comparison... it’s not certainly going to be the stallion who is the issue. Whereas a mare or gelding owner you can get around stabling issues of a mare being listed as a gelding or a gelding listed as a mare in show paperwork (one of my mares was always incorrectly filed as a gelding at one showing facility); stallions owners can’t easily take on these mistakes. Even with greatly behaved stallions you can have issues being stabled next to a mare because as much as you can make a point that stallions aren’t aggressive or bad because they’re stallions, you also can’t ignore the fact that they’re stallions.As much as I want to hold-on to the pitbull-steak analogy... at the end of the day, the pitbull isn’t trying to have sex with the steak but a stallion is 100% biologically wired to have sex with a mare. There are instances when training doesn’t hold up against biologic impulses. That’s why animals will mate with their parents or siblings--- at the end of the day you can’t convey consequence for sexual response the way you can convey consequence for misbehavior. No stallion owner wants to deal with their stallion breaking down the stall because he’s too near a mare in heat because the show facility fucked up and listed him as a gelding.

In order to own and compete (or own and keep at “home” without competing) a stallion, there’s a lot of work that has to go into place. For ownership you need a large facility to keep the stallion away from mares. For showing, you need to be extremely proactive and constantly be on top of keeping your stallion out of scenarios that could end badly. It’s a lot.

So, no I don’t think it’s the belief in stallions being aggressive that prevents larger scale stallion ownership. I think it’s an issue with stallion ownership having more difficulties associated with it and those are difficulties that (again, focusing on America) most owners do not want to take on---even professionals. There are many breeding farms that only have mares. There are many professionals who only want to ride geldings or mares because they don’t want to deal with the associated difficulties of campaigning a stallion.

Are the misconceptions about stallions or difficulties associated with stallions related to inbreeding and poor genetic variance? No. To assume this was the case would be to ignore the fact that every single animal isn’t breeding quality. The biggest reason out there why people don’t own and show stallions has nothing to do with misinformation or extra care--- it has everything to do with the fact there’s absolutely zero reason to keep a non-breeding animal intact.

My cat isn’t neutered because I was afraid he’d be dangerous. My cat is neutered because there was absolutely no reason for him to not be neutered. He’s not a purebred with excellent conformation, so he’s not going to be producing babies. Keeping in him intact would’ve just meant I would have to deal with a lot more issues making sure he never tried to impregnate another cat. Keeping him intact would’ve meant I possibly wouldn’t be able to safely keep him with my spayed female and may never be able to bring another cat into our home until he’d passed. I absolutely wouldn’t be able to let him outside off-leash (which I don’t believe in outdoor cats anyway) and potentially never be able to have him outside on-leash. There would be far too many feral intact cats that would cause him to harm me with misplaced aggression if he went outside.

It’s the same for horses. Unless that horse is determined to be of breeding quality conformation and performance... then you don’t keep it intact. Why risk a stallion breaking out to impregnate the neighbor’s mares when you’re just keeping the horse for your personal enjoyment and the horse isn’t of any genetic benefit to its breed? You don’t want to be responsible for anymore unwanted cats or dogs in the world--- that’s why you neuter. You don’t want to be responsible for anymore unwanted horses in the world either--- that’s part of why we geld.

Breeds that are suffering from too small a genetic pool don’t benefit from allowing subpar genes. Gelded Finnhorses (or gelded any other breed) are gelded because they do not possess traits that should be passed down. If you breed low quality horses, you get lower and lower quality horses. The only way to salvage breeds that don’t have enough genetic variance is to allow in outside breeds. Which is hard to do with breeds that have closed books and aren’t open to the idea of losing “purity”--- which just leads to a continued degradation of the “pure” horses left. More people owning stallions can’t fix a small gene pool.The horses that are marked for breeding quality are marked for breeding quality (generally) before they ever hit the market. Are some horses that could be beneficial to the breeding pool that never get bred because they’re sold into the sport market by breeders without the resources to keep them? Yes, but generally horses that are actually going to be benefiting the breed stay within the breeding community.

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darkwood-sleddog · 2 years ago

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I understand your frustration, I’ve echoed my distaste for AKCs lack of regulation in several areas many times, but you’re asking them to take issue with something they have no oversight over.

The Breeder of Merit badge is not necessarily a marker of quality. It’s something breeders can pay to get if they meet the following requirements:

Been involved with the AKC for 5 years

Earned conformation, performance OR companion event titles on a minimum of 4 dogs from AKC registered litters they have bred

Health test their stock as recommended by their breed club (vaccinations are not health screenings)

AKC registered 100% of the puppies they produce.

That’s it. They meet those requirements and pay for their badge so they can get better placement on the AKC marketplace and discounts on microchips.

On top of this involvement in the purebred dog world is incredibly wealthy, white, and conservative. Lots of these people likely share the anti-vaccination sentiments of the breeder you found, but may be less upfront and more quiet about it. Rabies is truly the only vaccine “required” for dogs. A dog can have titled, health tested parents and come from a prestigious pedigree, but may also lack vaccinations I’d 100% want to see puppies have. It’s really not uncommon unfortunately.

Does anyone know if there's anyone I can report an antivaxxer breeder to? I can't find any info on the akc website

#dogblr #AKC #it IS disappointing the purebred dog world is like this I know #I’d love to see AKC limit registration to puppies that only come from parents achieving a certain amount of health screening #but that would vastly limit the $$$ AKC gets from puppy mills and shitty BYBs so they won’t ever do that #they here to make $$$ only.

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bandofbronies-blog1 · 6 years ago

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Most beneficial Horse Names of Perpetuity

There are a whole lot of regulations when it involves calling a steed for instance no obscenities, you can't duplicate the name of a Three-way Crown or Dog Breeders Mug Champion and if a steed is in the hall of popularity Horse his name is off limitations to make sure that forces Horse owners to be creative.

I've scoured the Web; I've called a few of the earliest Horse handicappers I understand searching for the very best, the coolest, the most symptomatic and totally suspicious names we can come up with.

When I made my choices I asked myself does this name make me grin. Does the name create an effective image in my mind? Can I claim this name before my mother without really feeling uncomfortable? Let's have a look.

The Past one decade

The Jockey Club has actually definitely tightened up what they take into consideration appropriate pure-blooded names so the previous ten years are not nearly as vivid as the 100 plus years before. Here are a few of the very best Horse names Farmpally.com of the past 10 years.

Funny Cide - The 2003 Derby champions name is a play on his daddies name Distorted Humor as well as his moms Belle's Great Cide. But to me the name Funny Cide sounds like a Superman villain some type of Bizarro World version of Jack Kevorkian.

Big Brown - Called after UPS, Big Brown delivered the excellent product placement. UPS contractor Paul Pompa Jr. named his Horse after his biggest customer. Now if only Kit Kat candy bars and Bombay Sapphire Gin would name an equine after me.

Stevie Wonderboy - Owner Merv Griffin said of his Horse, "My Horse isn't blind he simply uses huge sunglasses.

Simply Really Great Names

Tabasco Feline - The 1994 Belmont stakes champion was as fiery as his name ideas. Tabasco Feline put the kid of fitness instructor D. Wayne Lukas in a coma for several weeks after breaking lose throughout a training session.

Nutzapper - Nutzapper was the name offered to Andy Hillis' gelding Horse until the Jockey Club found out the name had nothing to do with cooking chestnuts in oil. The Horse is currently called Awaiting Justice.

Ghostzapper - ALRIGHT maybe I such as the name zapper for a horse however Ghostzapper not just had a great name; he has the heart of a lion. After winning the 2004 breeders mug he might have retired to stud, earning a trendy $200,000 per go round (My charges are substantially much less) he came back for one more race easily winning the 2005 Metropolitan Handicap.

That's a Silly Name for a Horse

The Belmont Risks has a history of squashing the imagine Triple Crown hopefuls with 20 steeds, consisting of ins 2015 Huge Brown, winning both the Kentucky Derby and also the Preakness stakes before catching the Belmont. During the very early years, the Belmont likewise had an unusual run of winners with strange names, well strange for purebred steeds.

1875 - Calvin

1889 - Eric

1905 - Tanya

1908 - Colin

1928 - Vito

The Preakness Risk had a couple champions named after my auntie as well as uncle.

1876 - Shirley

1879 - Harold

I hope this dark duration in auto racing's history never ever duplicates itself.

I'm Feeling Tipsy

The great feature of the Kentucky Derby is all the traditions that come with the very first Saturday of May. The well dressed gents, the females putting on hats they 'd never ever wear beyond Churchill downs and certainly my favorite the Mint Julep. Google the dish, it's a wonderful combination of Kentucky Bourbon, Spearmint, Powdered Sugar and also water. Several recipes will not tell you yet I will allow you know a little key. The secret to highlighting the special preferences of a Mint Julep is to consume it from a metal cup.

Allow's take a look at a couple alcohol inspired names

Go with Gin - Mastered a careless track in 1994 to win the 120th Kentucky Derby an offer instructor Nick Zito his second Derby victor in 4 years.

Not Bourbon - This Canadian victor of the 2008 Queen Plate might be in the competing following year's Kentucky Derby yet his name assurances he'll be dealt with like an outsider in the land of Makers Mark.

Just How Times Have Actually Changed. Where was Al Sharpton, when we needed him?

Multiple years means several equines were registered under the same name. You can kind of make an instance for the horses called prior to the elevation of the civil legal rights movement but for the 3 equines registered after 1975 you just have to shake your head.

Tar Baby (1944, 1975, and also 1985).

Uncle Remus (1944 as well as 1965).

Darkie (1950 ).

Uncle Tom (1950 ),.

Jungle Bunny (1953 ).

Blackface Minstrel (1980 ).

The most egregious example of this lax registration completed 3rd place in the 1911 Preakness Risks. Well let's just claim the name rhymes with bigger and is made use of frequently by Chris Rock and also Dr. Dre.

Can they claim that on Tv?

Late Fantastic Comedian Bill Hicks was in advance of his time, his comedy was typically over the heads of his target market, which would certainly result some grumbling as well as some heckles from a quick-tempered target market. Here are some of the most suggestive, sexually suggestive and down best filthy Horse names from the past 150 years.

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smollandtoll · 7 years ago

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HC: ICY

OKAY imagine an AU Sid's goddaughters aka Flower's kids having that pupper, but the pupper turning out to be like rambunctious and y'know having a few health problems (purebred problems) and like someone in the family is allergic to him or something. It was a good idea in theory, and it made the girls really happy, but he was just a little too much work for their young family. And college friend Sid has been around through early days and he likes dogs and the girls love him - tons of history there!

So when they move (SOB) they give the dog to Uncle Sid because he'd be safe and good and looked after with Sid, and they could ask for pictures whenever they wanted, and if they visited they could play with him as much as they wanted.

Sid of course bargains a favour with Flower for taking in the dog and when Flower drops him off with all his doggy accessories Sid finds himself with an armful of bone-patterned doggy bed, watching the French Bulldog waddle excitedly around his foyer. "You know, this is legitimately a ridiculous dog, I always thought I'd get like a golden retriever, or a husky, maybe a german shepherd. Y'know something to run with"

Flower shrugs and grins, “Well now you have Ice Cream. He has asthma, he farts and he snores.”

“I can’t re-name him can I?”

“The girls would never understand your betrayal.”

So Sid has a french bulldog named Ice Cream, his best friend moved to Las Vegas, and everything seems like it’s gonna be shit, but in a strange turn of events it’s actually great. Icy (Sid immediately starts calling him Icy and kind of likes it) often gets hot and needs water and attention and to take a break from even the chillest runs, but Sid adapts and just carries him a lot, he’s great resistance/ weight training honestly. Sid’s been thinking about getting a puppy-papoose or something for even weight distribution. Hear us out just DEDICATED DOG-DAD SID.

Icy snorts awkwardly at squirrels and pants snuffily and randomly headbutts couches. He’s not super bright but he’s always happy, always excited to see Sid no matter how short a time they’ve been apart and he soon becomes the bright spot of Sid’s days.

Icy suddenly becomes his phone background and lock screen, they spend a lot of time cuddling on the couch as well. Being raised from a puppy by two little girls Icy is always up for petting, snuggles, kisses, belly scratches, and ear stroking and Sid is always up for indulging that lil face.

Sid just absently clicking around on his laptop, kissing his pup between the eyebrows while they chill together on the sofa. Or like just stroking his ears while they snuggle and watch food network. Or Sid like making dinner for one and tossing bits of pepper and carrot for Icy to gobble.

Sid laughing as much as Icy is grinning while they struggle through a puppy bath

That dog being so happy that Sid is home! When he jumps up to say hi his front paws barely reach Sid’s knee! That dog running full tilt after the ball Sid wings for him and then getting pooped after the 8th time and just sitting there panting and grinning with it in his mouth until Sid comes and scoops him up.

When it gets cold outside Sid caves and is definitely that person, and Icy 100% has a selection of warm little hoodies that go under his harness, and even a rain jacket that is so cute he sent about 800 photos of Icy in it to Flower...for the girls...of course.

And like, no one expects Sid to have this adorable french bulldog named Icy which is genuinely several very silly decisions compiled into one adorable furball that clearly makes Sid extremely happy. Taking him for walks and going to the dog park and stuff becomes the highlight of Sid’s days. Suddenly people are coming up to him and girls smile at him a lot and coo over the dog and give him long up and down looks like they want to give him their number if they don't outright just give him their number.

You see, Sid’s a personal trainer, and after getting Icy he starts making his routines a little more flexible, trying to find ways to train his clients outside the gym. Besides his mantra is a lot more about feeling internally good and having self-confidence and inspiration rather than looking like something particular in a mirror. So he makes his own schedule and sometimes takes his clients to the park depending on who they are and what they need so sometimes he takes Icy with him.

He's a great tool, because he needs water and needs special care because he has limitations and people need to learn their own limitations and know that there is no shame. Every body type is different, just like every dog breed is different. Just because Icy isn’t a greyhound doesn’t mean he can’t run, it just means he can’t run for as long or hard or as fast.

In this universe Geno is a dog walker who frequents the same park/dog park of course. He and Sid have chatted a few times, just pleasant greetings and amused exchanges about how whatever dogs Geno has that day are excited to see Icy, and Icy is excited to see Geno (he carries treats, all dogs are excited to see Geno). They don’t know each other’s names because somehow people always introduce their dogs but never themselves.

"What's this one name?"

"His name? Ice Cream. I call him Icy for short."

So Geno thinks of Sid as “Icy’s Pretty Papa” and Sid thinks of Geno as “The Nice Dog Walker”.

Wait for that moment whenever Geno passes Sid and a client in the park, doing fast feet or going through an obstacle course, Sid being Hot™ and Encouraging™ and Woke™ about body image and health with the cutest goofiest dog while Geno is like sweaty and gross and has dog puke on him and definitely smells faintly of shit.

See Geno is like ESL and gay and this was the job he could get and y’know life isn't always super sunshine-y but Sid seems so nice? Geno definitely daydreams about Icy's Papa maybe too much, but Sid always looks so beautiful and put together.

He 100% falls in love with Sid the day that he's chilling and the dogs are taking a water break in the shade and he's just like watching Sid roll up his yoga/pilates mats and saying goodbye to his latest client, putting away his things. Then he turns to Icy and Geno is too far away to make out what he's saying but it seems like he’s congratulating Icy on being a good boy and being helpful. And just when Geno doesn't think his heart could get any bigger Sid is suddenly chasing Icy and then catching him and getting into the grass with him to tussle and roll him on his back and give him a load of belly kisses. He’s beautiful and wonderful and loves dogs. Geno is so screwed and doesn’t even know how to say it in English.

In this universe he's really struggling with English, like he has no constant media pressure or really a lot of English speaking friends or an immediate automatic support group/team of hockey bros so like, he doesn't have as much immersion as he could y'know? But the dogs still understand him mostly, and he knows English dog commands so he can at least yell at them to sit in their usual format.

But other than that dogs just need just big smiles and stuttered words and gentle hands. They respond so much to tone and body language, it’s easy with the dogs.

ANYWAY he's working on it, but yeah he's STRUGGLIN’ and thinks about moving back to Russia a lot, but he's gay and it’s like his heart is broken in both directions to think about it. America means English and being away from his entire family and friends and life but Russia means the inability to live his life freely with love and he's such a romantic he just can't live with the idea of being alone forever so he's working as a dog walker and figuring it out and drooling over personal trainers in the park.

On the flip side, Sid definitely thinks Geno is like HELLA HOT and super good with dogs and like...the Russian accent DOES THINGS to him. But Sid doesn't want to approach or bother Geno, he clearly spends all day outside and walking and running and hanging out with dogs, he doesn't need personal training and Sid doesn't at all see the potential to just be friends, because almost every time they've interacted it's petered off into uneasy silence. So he thinks that Geno is just nice but very very uninterested in talking to him but in actuality that's mostly one part Sid being awkward and mumbling and one part Geno going omg he's talking to me omg omg! and then going SHIT I WASN'T LISTENING I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE SAID AND EVEN IF I KNEW WHAT HE SAID HE SAID IT IN ENGLISH FUCK. So there's just a lot of awkward smiling and waving and Icy doing interference.

And that’s the status quo, until Icy gets lost.

It’s a normal day like any other, Sid turned his back for, he swears, A SECOND to put away some gear and suddenly Icy was just gone. He called for him and whistled and looked in all the bushes nearby but he just wasn’t turning up. And Sid genuinely was trying not to panic, but his mind was immediately jumping to the idea of his dog having run into the road after a squirrel or something, or maybe even someone dog-napped him - he was a purebred french bulldog after all.

He couldn’t even stomach the thought of any of it, he was entrusted with Icy’s care, Flower’s girls were going to be heartbroken to find out Sid had carelessly LOST their dog. Sid was going to be heartbroken, that dog somehow had become his best friend. He cancels his next appointment citing a family emergency and then starts to slowly circle the park, asking other regulars if they’ve seen Icy, feeling more and more heartsick as they confirm they haven’t and express their sympathies. He calls every shelter and vet and animal hospital in the city from the park, none of them have reported Icy.

He really starts to panic as the sun starts setting and he returns to the spot he always trains in, and sits in the grass defeated, realizing pretty soon he’s just going to have to go home, and make some really depressing posts about his lost dog on facebook and try looking again tomorrow.

And that’s when he hears a faintly familiar "Go! Go to Papa!" and then Icy is all squirmy in his lap! and licking up his tears! God when had he started crying, that’s so embarrassing but he’s just so happy to have his dog he breaks into a fresh wave of tears in relief.

There’s a hand on his shoulder and kind eyes in the setting darkness beside him. Cue Sid thanking Geno profusely, embarrassingly blubbery and unable to get it together but just so grateful for his dog.

Geno is so confused he can’t make out at all what Sid is saying, and he’s talking so fast and looks so happy/sad/beautiful he finally manages to spit out: "OK. Slow. My English...bad. Not understand."

And then everything just like CLICKS for Sid and he's like ohhh he doesn't understand English...it's not ME.

“Oh.” he’d hiccup. Geno would cringe and smile sheepishly, stroking Icy’s soft ear.

“Sorry.” he’d chew on his lip for a terrible minute and then huff greatly, “My name, Evgeni.”

“Oh, Evj- Yvg-”

“Geno.”

“Geno.” Sid would smile at him, “I’m Sidney...Sid.”

“Sid.”

So they probably start talking more and getting to know each other a little better and Sid like downloads the Russian language section of google translate so he can lookup words without internet to clarify vocab when they’re chatting sometimes. Geno rededicates himself to his English learning, doubling down on his study, actually working wholeheartedly on his homework.

And then they just start to have little meetups in the park when they’re both out walking dogs/Icy. There would be pining for so long while they work out the kinks in their communication. Sid holding himself back from being inappropriate because like Geno might not know, he might not understand the whole situation or Sid’s intentions if he just springs a date request on him! He might not know the implications- it gets very regency very fast.

So that’s the story of how Geno and Sid and Icy fall in love one summer~

#sid/geno #sidgeno #hockey rpf #headcanons from the icy void #ICY THE PUP IS THE BEST UNIVERSE #I'M FULL OF TEARS AND JOY #SID NEEDS A CUDDLE BUDDY LIKE THIS

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typhonserpent · 6 years ago

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AU Game

SO @dovabunny tagged me in a game and by the way THANK YOU I’m 100% on board with rambling about this.

So I want to do something fun! Write short character descriptions on the DA2 crew for any AU. Fantasy, law firm, mythology, bloggers - whatever AU you want!

So not long ago I wrote DA:I AU where the whole game is just a game of pretend being played by children, which by the way you can read on both Tumblr and Ao3. And ever since I’ve been thinking about what roles other characters would have in the AU.

Did someone else think of this? Am I allowed to name it if I’m the first. I’m calling it the Pretend AU. Boom! It has a name!

Hawke: Things have been pretty tough since his father passed away. Leandra took on a second job and now Hawke sort of has to be the new man of the house. He cooks and cleans a lot, feels pretty overburdened, especially any time his mom or his siblings ask him for something. He likes playing their pretend game because he gets to feel older and tougher than he really is, it takes a lot of the weight off his shoulders to pretend he can provide for his family. Also his dog gets to play, so hey, bonus.

Carver and Bethany: Largely unchanged? Carver likes playing with nerf swords and Bethany likes ponies. Hawke only occasionally lets them join in on their game, because what kind of LAME kid wants to play with his little siblings all the time?

Dog: Just a big ol’ boxer mix with a giant block head. Hawke claims he’s a purebred mastiff but everyone knows that’s not true. A good boy.

Leandra: A single mom trying her best but completely burnt out. Her day job was working as a secretary, and after Malcolm’s death she started doing freelance work as a seamstress. Most of her spare time is spent in her sewing room.

Varric: Varric’s parents are divorced, what used to be a large house that could afford plenty of amenities is now a tiny ramshackle two-bedroom place lived in by Varric, Bartrand, and their mother. His mother drinks a lot, and Bartrand is off partying with his friends more often than not. Varric was very young when the divorce happened, and doesn’t remember anything of their old lifestyle or why Bartrand and his mom are so sad to have lost it. He likes pretend because he gets to be knowledgeable. When he’s in Thedas, he gets to be a spy with a massive network and he always knows what’s going on.

Anders: Anders lives in a group home with fairly strict rules regarding curfew. Not that he follows those rules. He was seized from his parents a few years prior and still doesn’t fully understand why. He also runs a stuffed animal hospital. Mending things makes him feel like he’s in control of his life, which is also the reason he enjoys playing pretend so much.

Fenris: Danarius and Hadriana are Fenris’ parents. They’re incredibly abusive, Danarius is emotionally unavailable at best and outright violent at worst. Hadriana thinks denying meals is a good punishment for when Fenris disobeys, and he finds himself at Hawke’s house for dinner a lot. Leandra thinks of him as a fourth child, and is usually happy to let him raid the fridge or stay the night. I don’t think I have to explain why Fenris plays pretend.

Isabella: Isabella actually lives in a different neighborhood, but she attends the same school that the rest of the kids so. Quite frequently, she sneaks onto the school bus to Hawke’s house rather than her own. Her mother is in the Navy, which she intends to enroll in when she grows up. She likes playing pretend because she gets to be a pirate and pirates are awesome. Sometimes it be like that.

Merril: She lives next to Isabella. Her parents never really got out of the hippie movement. To describe their lifestyle as “commune” woudn’t be fair, because they own their own house, it’s just that the house is very frequently filled with visitors, old and new friends of her parents. Unlike Fenris’, her parents are OBSESSED over being emotionally available for their child, resulting in an extremely naive and under-socialized kid. Isabella pressured Merril into joining the pretend game so she’d have another girl there. Merril enjoys having friends who don’t poke fun at her for being a mama’s girl.

Aveline: Avelines mother and Leandra are actually close friends. They're both single moms and tend to lean on each other a lot for comfort. Aveline has known Hawke for as long as she can remember, and would happily punch any kid who dared to tease him. She plays pretend as an excuse to have fun, and seeing Hawke happy really helps well.

I think that’s everyone? If I missed anyone let me know. Thanks again! :D This was fun!

#pretend au #tagged

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