#they just aren’t the dog YOU think they bred for purpose

[darkwood-sleddog]

Happy Indigenous Peoples Day!

This is your reminder that the Alaskan Malamute is NOT an indigenous dog breed. It may have indigenous ancestry but its creation, the standards imposed on it, and every aspect of its direction have been steered by white people from the very beginning. Even it’s name is inaccurate to its ancestry.

There are still Inuit breeding traditional sled dogs today. They are not some mythological people of old. They’re uploading photos their dogs, their hunting, their friends, their communities to social media as you read this.

Inuit dog breeds such as the Canadian Inuit Dog and Greenland Dog share struggles the Alaskan Malamute never has. The Canadian Inuit Dogs were culled en mass in the 1970s by the Canadian government which is still a source of trauma for people today. Knowledge of traditional dog keeping has been so fractured that I know of several young people using YouTube to learn their traditional crafts instead of being taught by people in their communities. The Greenland Dog is perhaps one of the most isolated dog breeds in the world and is extremely vulnerable to changes from Global Warming. As the climate warms it is harder and harder for the dogs and the people that seek to continue their traditional way of life to function as they desire. Much of Greenland subsists on hunting and tourism of their landscape and traditional activities. Climate change will make both more difficult.

Yes, the Alaskan Malamute has had its own struggles, World War II took a massive toll on the breed as it did many others. But we cannot let ourselves be deluded by the false histories and mythologizing pushed by the breed club, the kennel club because at their base they are clubs ruled by the west and the west alone. Our breed went to Antarctica successfully where many breeds did not, but somehow that wasn’t enough for the people in charge. They will flush and turn their heads away when you fact check their made up delusion. They will claim the breed is SO different than the other indigenous freight dogs that they HAD to create a new breed while at the same time saying “wow this breed is ancient!”. Is the 1930s ancient? Why must we sell this lie? Where does it fucking stop.

[mothiir]

what dog i think 40k boys would be

based entirely on non-scientific vibes and discussion with @lemon-russ. this started off kind of silly but very quickly became an excuse for me to get slightly deep with the characterisation. slight cw for referenced animal abuse i suppose?

the emperor - border collie

now, for those of you unfamiliar with dogs you may think that picking a medium-sized herding dog is a strange choice for the Master of Mankind. However, if you have ever met a border collie — specifically, a working border collie — you will know exactly where I am going with this. These dogs are ferociously intelligent, completely single-minded, and wedded to their purpose. They will not be distracted from their work by foolish things like ‘fun’ — they will herd those sheep, damn it, and they will herd them where they are meant to be. The Emperor, like a border collie, is distant with his affection, and does not allow room for negotiation: the sheep will go in the pasture, and there they shall stay. But, I hear you protest, the border collie obeys the shepherd, and the Emperor obeys no one but himself! to this I say that the Emperor is his own shepherd; his Plan for humanity is the metaphorical co-pilot here, and it is this plan that guides his fleet, furry feet.

2. malcador — poodle. specifically a miniature white one.

Look, it sounds ridiculous, but poodles are incredibly clever dogs and you’d be a fool to underestimate one — just as you would be a fool to imagine that the frail old man at the Emperor’s side is anything other than a world-destroying threat.

3. the lion — irish wolfhound

Getting into the Primarchs now. It has been said that the Lion has major cat energy — which is completely true. However, I would argue that he ultimately is a hunting hound; a knight at his father’s side, bidden to go where he must. Like a wolfhound, he is tireless, powerful — but also frail in his youth, frailer than you might think (wolfhound pups are notoriously prone to injury because of their longer legs and how clumsy they can be). It is only with age that he reaches his full potential. Also, like most hunting dogs, he likes his sleep.

4. leman russ - a wolf

Well, obviously. However, it’s a really key point that he is a wolf not a dog, because all too often those two things are seen as synonymous when they really aren’t. Wolves and dogs are separated by ten thousand years of evolution, and they rarely get on. Russ loves his family — his fellow wolves — but struggles to relate to his canid brothers, who all seem just a little distant from him. He is drawn to humans (the pull of domestication is strong, even for the wild beast he is), and clashes regularly with the Lion (hounds and wolves can work together, but never rest easy at the same fire).

5. Magnus - borzoi

I’ve said before that Magnus is definitely a borzoi, because they are such eldritch looking creatures — like they know all of the secrets of the universe and they are not planning to tell you. Borzoi are not always viewed as the most intelligent of dogs, but that’s misleading — they’re actually very cunning in their own way, just not necessarily the easiest to train (just like a certain headstrong red fool we know). Independent-minded, a little aloof, friendly to their family — Magnus is a sight hound through and through. And, of course, should he be given a reason to hunt down wolves, he will do so with the baying of his ancestors singing in his ears, and the scent of burning Prospero lodged in his nose.

6. Perturabo - Staffordshire terrier

Squat, grumpy-looking, and sometimes vicious — it’s easy to see the worst of Perturabo in the worst of the staffie. Bred to be pest-killers and dog-fighters, there’s a persistent, harmful idea that these dogs need ‘a firm hand’ when they’re being raised. However, ill-treatment only serves to make these dogs neurotic, nervy and prone to biting — raised correctly, they are soppy and sweet and just want to snuggle on the sofa with the people they love. Unfortunately, Peturabo was reared unappreciated and maltreated, and now it is everyone’s problem.

7. Angron - Old English Mastiff

Mastiffs may have a fearsome appearance, but they are actually some of the sweetest dogs around; happy, dopey drool-machines that only want to spend time glued to their family. But Angron was snatched from his mother’s teat too young, beaten and scourged and forced to bite, and the result is a warped, twisted image of what a mastiff should be: barely-champed down fury, and the sort of hatred that is born when love turns inside out and sour. Every shelter has had to make a horrible choice with certain dogs — seeing that they are too deeply damaged to ever recover, they have done the kindest thing and ended the creature’s suffering, hoping that the next world will be gentler than this one. But no one ever did that for Angron. He is locked outside his master’s house, because at least his anguished howls keep away intruders.

8. Vulkan - Great Pyrenees

Despite their fearsome appearance, livestock guardian breeds like the Great Pyrenees are actually gentle with their flock, living amongst the sheep (like the Salamanders with their human families) — grooming the lambs, cuddling up with the ewes, patrolling with the rams. They are utterly devoted to their task, willing to die for those they sleep alongside, but they love them, and are loved dearly in return. Vulkan is many times larger than his human companions, but they clamber all over him — young and old alike — and he holds them close, vowing to keep them safe from harm, even at the cost of his own life.

9. Sanguinius - Bedlington terrier

You might have to google this one, since it is a little obscure. And now that you have googled it, I probably have some work to do in order to convince you that this floofy terrier is the perfect representation of the Blood Angel Primarch. So, first of all — these terriers are strikingly beautiful. Eye-catchingly adorable — in a strange sort of way , a fey kind of cuteness that has you looking twice. They are sweet little family pets — however, the instant they catch scent of a rat their ancestry rears its head, and they turn into floofy little killers, breaking spines and crushing skulls with merry abandon. And if you need any more convincing think of this — doesn’t the terrier look like a lamb? A cutesy little lamb? A sacrificial lamb?

[gilverrwrites]

I don't fall, I fly.

Circus playboy [AU], Dick Grayson/Reader, 2K

[1/?] ⇒⇒⇒ AN: The fruition of on one of my never left the circus AU ideas. I just want him to chew me up and spit me out okay. CWs: Teasing, crude/cheesy humour, implied size difference, swearing, moderately graphic mentions of sex, Dick being a male manipulator. F!Reader

If they still allowed animals in the circus, Dick would be locked up with the dogs. Not necessarily because he behaved like one, but because, when it comes to girls like you, he turns into a bloodhound. He could sniff you out a mile away and he won't be satisfied until he’s sunk his teeth in.

Haly would wring his neck if he found out he’d gone off task again, but then again Haly knew Dick was prone to getting distracted chasing skirts, and he still sent him out into the public to hand out leaflets. So, when you think about it, Haly is really to blame. Besides, Dick had clocked you from a block away and you were just begging for him, who was he to deny the needs of a pretty thing like you? It’s just the way the game works, certainly not his fault.

You, on the other hand, had not seen him coming. It’s lunchtime in the city and the streets are packed, as per, and as a born and bred Gothamite you know how to circumnavigate through the crowds like the back of your hand. You’re not even thinking about the swarms of people, the only thing on your mind is what you’re gonna order once you reach Mimic Coffee Bar. So, when all 6ft of lean muscle in a wifebeater comes out of nowhere and steps directly into your path you’re not expecting it. You rush to tread around him, but he follows, completely disobeying the rules of the sidewalk and causing you to stumble. Fortunately, he was fast enough to catch you before you hit the ground. Unfortunately, he’s dropped the many flyers he’d been holding in the process.

Blood boiling, you make to snap at him for being a human roadblock, only to clichély be stifled by the sight of him. From above you, his frame is highlighted by the greyish sunlight that just barely seeps out from the cloudy Gotham sky. He has deep, soft blue eyes that contrast with his strong jawline and boyish dimples highlighted by a smile that has you awestruck. At least he’s a handsome human roadblock.

“Falling for me already?” Something in his face shifts then, or maybe his words shake you out of your stupor well enough to read that there’s nothing sincere in his expression. He’s grinning at you with the look of a man who knows exactly the effect he has on the people around him. He probably tripped you on purpose, and the realisation sends your simmering temper searing.

“More like… was tripped.” Despite knowing that he knows what he’s doing, he’s still got you more tongue-tied than you’d care to admit. “Could you let me up now?”

For the second time since he entered your life moments earlier, the random stranger sweeps you off your feet. This time by lifting you like you’re nothing, making a show of holding you in the air momentarily, demonstrating how all those muscles aren’t just for show before carefully placing you gently back onto your feet. You’re not sure which is more surprising, his gratuitous show of strength, or the fact that not a single pedestrian has bumped into the two of you yet. You’re getting plenty of side-eye for certain, but somehow his aura is causing the sea of people to part around the two of you in a way you’d never witnessed prior.

“Thanks.” You mutter to hide how impressed you are, refusing to give him what he wants before stepping back, ready to depart back into the masses before he stops you with a hand on your waist.

“Wait.” His fingers trail over your hip with a relaxed sort of confidence, continuing to trail down your thigh until he’s crouched at your feet and holding onto your knee for support. He looks near godly at full height, but on his knees, he’s downright sinful.

Dick knows this of course. The real reason Haly didn’t keep him behind bars is because people stop for a face like his. They listen, they take the leaflets, they come to the big-top for a peak at him, and they keep coming back because the crew put on a damn good show.

Dick also knows from the chewed-up lip and your refusal to make eye contact that you know he looks good. Reluctant attraction suits you. The way you wear flustered agitation just really does something for him.

You finally begin to look at him straight on again when a lofty-looking woman gives you the most appalled look you’ve ever received as she passes by, reminding you of the improper scene you're currently caught up in. You’re about to ask him what the hell he’s doing when he beats you to the punch. “Would you mind helping me out here?”

With his free hand, he grabs one of his dropped leaflets from the ground and you look around to examine just how big of a mess he’d really made. There must be hundreds of them scattered along the sidewalk, some had already been crushed by passing cars in the road, others soaking up rainwater in puddles or trodden on by passers-by. Good. You should leave him to it; he’s already cut into enough of your lunch break, and it serves him right for… what? Getting in your way? Could you prove he’d done it on purpose? Did he deserve your disdain for being confident in his undeniably attractive appearance?

Are you maybe being a hangry bitch who should swallow her pride and help the poor guy out? As he stares up at you with those damn blue eyes you think so.

Actually, he did do it on purpose and your irritation was totally justified but the moment you’d sunk to knees for him; to help him clean up, Dick knew he was winning a game you didn’t even know you were playing with him.

It wasn’t raining at that moment, but somehow this city always left an air of dampness on everything in its vicinity so most of the papers were a lost cause. Any that didn’t disintegrate upon being touched were still moist to the touch. If he’d had trouble getting people to take them from him earlier, he had no chance now. Despite the dripping ink that would no doubt stain your fingers, you could still make out that it was an advertisement for Haly’s Circus, apparently it would be in town all week and boasted a pretty big lineup of clowns, acrobats, fire breathers amongst many other performances.

“The circus huh? Do you just hand out bills or…” he turns his body to face you completely, unnecessarily giving you his undivided attention and a cocked brow that makes you nervous. "Do you have an act?"

"I do." He nods, giving you nothing but but an infuriatingly charming smirk.

"What is it?" When he continues silently staring you start making suggestions. "Human canon ball? Juggling? Lion taming?"

“Lion taming? Interesting." He finally interjects, his tone is unabashed, teasing, which in theory is fine. You didn’t know him well but from the 2.5 sentences he had spoken in that time, you kind of expected him to make fun of your uninformed guesses, you just didn’t expect; “Why? You got a pussy you want me to break in?”

“Jesus Christ man.” You almost drop the helpless lump of wet paper forming a clump in your hands to the ground. You’re dumbfounded. Shocked by his brazenness and flustered by the imagery that immediately shot into your brain. You can’t even look at him as you ask your next question. “Do you speak to all your potential audiences like that?”

“Just the really pretty ones.” He doesn’t miss a beat. He wants to make a joke about you preferring to watch, but he doesn’t want to push you too far, yet. Can’t risk not seeing you this hot and bothered against his bed sheets, so he settles for soothing you by petting your ego with a much more tried and tested line.

And it works because you’re still bashful, but you smile at him, a real smile that you couldn’t hold back if you’d wanted to. His own unwavering grin must be contagious you think. The more you look at his lips the more your mind wonders what else he might do with them. How he might tame your pussy with that sharp tongue and those strong hands; Until you catch a glimpse of the clock tower behind him.

“Shit, I’ve gotta go.” You thrust the soggy stack of leaflets toward him. “My lunch break is nearly over.”

“Shame.” He clutches your hand in his as he takes the flyers from you, and suddenly there are butterflies in your belly that hadn’t been there the previous two times he’s touched you. “You’re gonna come see me though, right babe?”

“Maybe.” You want to, but you don’t want to commit to anything right now. Already you’re Gotham-raised scepticism is wondering if he really wants to see you again, or if this is just some elaborate marketing tactic to seduce women into coming to see their show. Maybe you’ll feel differently without his sweet aftershave and sunny face overwhelming your senses.

“Come on, I can get you free tickets. You can even bring a friend.” Was he reading your damn mind? No, he just knew $30 deducted from his salary would be worth the chance of getting you alone. If he ever started financial planning, he’d have to give ‘tickets for hot babes’ its own category. “Please?”

“Okay, I’ll try.” You concede, and he finally releases your hand, leaving you with one single flyer, presumably to ensure you had the address and times readily available.

“Great, when you get to the box office ask for Joey.” He instructs. “Tell ‘em you’re there for Dick.”

“For Dick? Excuse me?”

He says it that way on purpose, it’s fun watching you process his words, the haughty look on your face as you land on the wrong conclusion. He knows you’re thinking about something naughty. Dirty girl. “I like the way you say my name.”

“Your name is Dick?” You’re flooded with relief and a little bit embarrassed for having assumed the worst.

“Yeah, is there a problem with that?”

“No, it’s just a bit old-fashioned, isn't it.”

“I get that a lot.” He shrugs before leaning in close, the smile on his face is gone, replaced by a more serious expression and his tone is much lower than you’d anticipated. “When I say you can bring a friend, I mean a friend. No dates, yeah?”

“Why?” It’s finally your turn to bait him with a clever comeback. Vindication for the first words you’d uttered to him being so pitiful. “Are you falling for me, Dick?

“Sorry pretty girl, but I don’t fall, I fly.” He points to the flyer in your hand. Confused, you scan the piece of paper twice over before flipping it to see what he’s referring to. On the back is an illustration of an acrobat, a strikingly familiar man mid-jump between trapezes and the title: The Flying Grayson. When you look at him again, he’s gone, swallowed by the buzzing downtown streets, and you’re late for work.

Despite having an empty stomach, your afternoon goes by pretty well. Luckily your boss didn’t notice you slipping in 10 minutes late and the workload had flown by in a breeze, probably because you’d been daydreaming about your dreamy new acrobat friend instead of focusing on what you should have been doing.

By the time you get home, you’ve pretty much made up your mind. As you eat dinner you examine the once glossy flyer again, actually reading the fine print for once. It didn’t give anything away that you didn’t already know, and your eyes keep drifting back to the image of Dick, who, given his placement was clearly one of their biggest attractions. You could see why. Yes, it’s only a drawing and a smudged one at that, but it really gives justice to his athletic build and made you wonder if his body could really contort that way. Before you let yourself get carried away in another vehement fantasy you pull out your phone and text a picture to your best friend;

“Circus Thursday night? Tickets free x”

“You bone the ringmaster or sum? Don’t care, I’m in! x’

'Or sum'. Thursday was the night after tomorrow. You didn’t have plans besides work before then, but you just didn’t want to appear too eager. You wanted to push his buttons like he’d done to you earlier, and hopefully, he wouldn’t trip up some other pretty girl before then.

____

Dogs actually are one of few animals allowed in the circus, but we’re not talking about that! 💙

[kaionyx]

wwanna be sir's dumb plaything :((. for breeding an entertainment purposes only!!! get t turn off all m thoughts an jus be ur doggy!! dog dom and puppy sub is such.. a good thought. yummy. bein in heat while ur in rut 😵‍💫. getting bred over n over!!!!!

wahh, i haven't sent an ask in a while. missed doin it.

-🐕🤍

Oh my, such a slutty little thing aren’t you puppy? Getting yourself all excited thinking of being my personal cocksleeve, locking a pretty collar around your neck with a chain latched to my bed so you’re there when I need it. Even making a cute little nest for you to lay in when you’re in heat and i’m fucking another load deeper in you.

It would be adorable watching you slowly start to accept your role as my breeding toy though darling, seeing you almost get excited for my abuse to your little body. Since you asked so cutely I might just take you up on that offer, I am in dire need of a new mutt to mold and break over my cock anyway.

[sothas]

Nilonii Character Details, pt.3!

Decided to pick the questions myself this time as a treat :) As always the list of questions can be found here! <3

🎮 VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER — what are three of your oc's favorite hobbies?

🍇 Perfume making - A headcanon of mine is that the air in the CWC smells like metal (specifically like when you hold coins in your hand for too long), and it’s residents smell like it as a result. While they’re nose blind to it, outsiders aren’t, and when Nilonii realised this she began to experiment with perfumes so she could mask the smell while in Tamriel. She learned very quickly that she loved to create and wear them (despite some stronger smells giving her headaches), and she’ll have her little perfume making time at least once a week. Nilonii also creates unique perfumes for the people she treasures most, using scents that remind her of them.

🍇 Inventing - Nilonii also has a lot of fun coming up with products that would benefit the residents of the CWC! They range from smaller things like a solution that effectively removes oil stains from fabric, to bigger things like thermal clothing made from synthetic fibres (another thing she’s figured out). There’s also treasures/contraband found in ESO that would absolutely be Nilonii inventions, such as a handheld mirror with small lights to illuminate the user’s face.

🍇 Dancing - For Nilonii, dancing is a fun way to burn off energy, to improve her mood and also to show off to everyone. Her style is very much ‘dance like nobody’s watching’ which definitely attracts attention, and some of her unusual moves either make people laugh or energises them enough to join in! Either way she thinks she looks good and she’s enjoying herself, so she doesn’t really care about the judgement. (she also totally kicks ass at Rasputin on Just Dance 2)

💤 SLEEPING SIGN — is your oc a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? how are their sleeping habits?

Definitely a light sleeper. This is a result of her childhood, and she’ll usually wake up at least once or twice in the night; she’s also prone to post-traumatic nightmares. Nilonii takes her sleep very seriously however, and has a whole nighttime routine of bathing, skin and hair care, and reading or solving little puzzles to feel sleepy. She’ll usually go to bed around 8-9pm and wake up around 7-8am. It’s her time to take care of herself and hide away from people in the comfort of her bed :)

🐷 PIG FACE — what is your oc's favorite animal?

Dogs! She loves how silly and affectionate they can be, but also how intelligent and helpful they are, and is fascinated by how the different breeds have been bred for different purposes. This extends to wolves too!

Bonus - if I had to choose an animal that represented Nilonii it would be foxes :) In terms of symbolism they’re known to be mischievous, clever, beautiful, sly and determined, which I think fits her pretty well haha

❤️ RED HEART — what are three of your oc's positive traits?

🍇 Loyal - When she finds people that she truly trusts and cares about, she’s fiercely loyal to them. She doesn’t stand for slander behind their backs and stays by their side regardless of how high or low they may feel, and always tries to get them to live their best lives. This also extends to the CWC, with her always working on ways to improve it and helping its people as though she were its leader, which she does officially become when Sil dies.

🍇 Dependable - If you want something done (and done right), Nilonii’s your lass. She strives to do her best when she’s passionate about a goal or task and can’t stand the thought of failure. It ties in with her stubbornness, and wanting to see things through to the end, as well as her loyalty to her trusted people and place and not wanting to let them down.

🍇 Sensitive - Looking closely at Nilonii, you’ll learn she’s sensitive when it comes to others. She’s conscious of their feelings and words, and what they might need to feel better. She may be hesitant to reach out at first due to her trust issues but she does always try to cheer up those who are important to her in any way.

🍔 HAMBURGER — is your oc good at cooking? are they good at baking? which one do they prefer?

Her cooking and baking skills are really base level, and sometimes even if she goes by exact measurements she’ll still mess up somewhere. It isn’t something she really does, since the CWC has nutriment paste practically on tap, and when she’s fancying something else she’ll pop down to the inn and take some of their food home with her. She thinks that cooking/baking is a fun bonding activity though, and prefers baking to cooking :)

😊 SMILING FACE WITH SMILING EYES — what are your oc's career/general life desires? what do they want to get the most out of life?

Nilonii wants to live her life the way she wants to without others restricting her, and she wants to be genuinely loved and feel safe enough to show love back (which she already has with Sil!). She wants to find a partner, she wants to continue supporting the CWC as it develops, and she wants to explore all the corners of Tamriel that she was previously unable to. And of course, she wants to spend as much time with Sil as possible and enjoy every moment she has being a part of his family. She’s here for a good time folks :)

[redafi]

OH THIS IS SOMETHING I ACTUALLY KNOW A BIT ABOUT

Basically, “purebred” cats are really more of a recent thing. Unlike dogs, they didn’t need to be bred for specific purposes to do their jobs. They are born with the natural instinct to hunt mice. (My cat apparently excluded.) (well not excluded, she tries, shes just really bad at it)

Source? Well for christmas I managed to get a DNA testing kit for my cat (from my kinda-mostly-estranged paternal grandfather and step-grandmother, who I recently realized are probably looking at the wishlists sent out for the “young’uns” in my family and just buying the most expensive thing on it.)

And hurray, they gave me a BUNCH of information on the history of cat breeds. And now I know that I should schedule a vet appointment for Blair to specifically check out her teeffers. Because apparently she has bad breath (I don’t know if id be able to tell) and medium risk of periodontal disease.

Point? Well, selective breeding for cats has only been going on for about 200 years or so now (started in the 19th century). And this makes it so that it’s impossible to really define individual breeds—they aren’t as clearly laid out as dogs, with their thousands of years of selective breeding.

As the “history of cat domestication and breeding” section in my beloved beautiful-and-elegant-little-turd’s genetic report says: “The extremely short timeline of human-driven selective cat breeding has yet to overcome the much longer history of cats reproducing freely. Therefore, modern-day cats rarely have ancestors of a defined breed, and the feline genetic code has remained exceptionally diverse even within established pedigree breeds.” (This is from Basepaws. Expensive, but even just the first report—because they send you more as more tests process (or i assume thats why theres a different timeline)—has 68 pages. Granted, some of that is general information, not all of it is about my cat. But regardless whooPEE thats a lot of info and i think that i certainly got my… well, my rather estranged californian set of paternal grandparents… money’s worth from it.)

[sasukephilosopher]

OKAY doodle posting:

The thing about breeding ___doodles (in my opinion) is that there’s just no good reason to!

Yes, companionship is a viable purpose for dogs, especially today, but poodles already fill that niche in a way that doesn’t need to be “fixed” by mixing them with whatever random breed you can get ahold of.

I could see a program aiming to produce poodle crosses as sporting dogs being successful, but again, doodle breeders just don’t seem concerned with that. Instead, the focus is constantly on selling people the idea of a perfect family dog-an idea which is built off of inaccurate information like: Doodles are hypoallergenic (Not so, their coats are often inconsistent and more difficult to manage than a poodle’s) They’re low maintenance dogs with better temperaments than poodles (Also pretty nonsensical, why would mixing one high energy breed with another, specifically thinking of labradoodles or goldendoodles here, suddenly make them a couch potato? And let’s not pretend that well bred poodles aren’t treasured for their temperaments. They make good service dogs for a reason lol)

In terms of health, there are honestly PLENTY of backyard-bred dogs that are off way worse than the average doodle, but that’s not really a point in their favor imo. (And again, if the goal of breeding these dogs was for health, they wouldn’t necessarily be slapping them together with every breed possible)

[blulotl]

Can we drop the idea that if a pet isn't a dog or cat it's not worthy of love? People who own these pets - fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, birds, small mammals - love their animals just as much as cat and dog owners love theirs. They put just as much attention and love and care into their animals as dog and cat owners put into theirs.

I have cats, but I've also had hamsters, fish, invertebrates, insects, frogs, and bunnies. Currently I keep axolotls and a crested gecko in addition to my cats. The amount of people who act like my axolotls and gecko don't exist, or aren't "real" pets compared to my cats, is nuts. I've had people tell me my pets are gross, ugly, disgusting, slimy. I've had them harass me over their food being gross or disgusting or slimy. I've had people tell me my pets should just be released into the woods rather than me spending money on their care, or ask me why I bother taking them to the vet, or "joke" about eating them. I've had some flat out tell me they shouldn't be alive or taking up space in the house or life. When they died, I've had people ask me why I'm sad or tell me I shouldn't be.

What the fuck is wrong with you? These are my pets and I love them just as much as my cats. When I worked at a pet store, I heard all the same sentiments expressed by customers. That's fucking disgusting.

Look, if someone has a pet you don't vibe with, just don't fucking interact with that pet. If you're afraid of dogs and your friend is telling you about something their dog did, do you interrupt and say "Your dog should be killed?" Why do people think this is acceptable behavior if the animal isn't a dog or cat?

Fucking support people and what they love. My best friend keeps tarantulas, which I am terrified of. The only thing I've ever said about it is not to text me pictures of them. I let her gush about them because even though they're not my cup of tea, she LOVES them. It's not that fucking hard. If you can't even do that, NICELY tell the person, "Hey I don't really like X, can we talk about something else?"

Don't fucking tell them their pets should die or not be alive and don't insult the animal just because you don't like them.

Every pet is a valid pet. Don't be a dick.

EDIT: For those of you trying to nitpick, obviously in this post I mean actual pets, bred in captivity, for the purpose of being pets. Not wild animals. Do NOT keep wild animals as pets.

[residentsessionhijacker]

Lucifer - German Shepherd:

German Shepherds are loyal to the grave. They would practically lay down their life for their owner, similar to how Lucifer would die for Diavolo.

They can be aggressive to strangers or people who annoy them, ahem Lucifer and mammon ahem

They are very beautiful dogs, very elegant, similar to how Lucifer shows himself off to be.

I don’t want to be obvious, but c’mon, Lucifer screams German shepherd energy.

Mammon - Jack Russel Terrier

These little ankle biters are perfect for a bad tempered demon like Mammon.

When he turns INTO a dog during a text, he is literally "A little ankle biter". His words, not mine!

Jack Russel Terriers are loud too, yappy and constant, like Mammon.

They're VERY cute and cuddly, though if they could speak, they'd be denying it constantly like a certain mammon we know.

Leviathan - Duck Tolling Retriever

A Duck Tolling Retriever is arguably the best dog when it comes to water, which fits Levi's demon form.

They're the smallest Retriever, and i wanted a small ish dog for Levi, it just fits.

They're loud when needed, but very insistent with attention, like Levi's neediness.

When doing the things they love, they;re the happiest dogs in the world, A duck tolling terrier playing fetch is like Levi watching TSL, they adore it.

Satan - Doberman

Dobermans are very strict, very well trained too when in the right hands, a dog after Satan's own heart.

When it comes to their purpose, dobermans, like Satan’s, are very efficient and on point.

They are known for aggressiveness though, Dobermans could soar after a robber like Satan soars to MC when they call him "Lucifer"

When they are attached, they are ATTACHED. Good luck trying to leave a Doberman's home

Asmodeus - Poodle

This was a dead giveaway, poodles, whether toy or large are beautiful and used for show purposes for a reason.

They can be loud and rude when untrained, like how Asmo is sometimes but trained, they can be the most well behaved dogs!

Their fur was bred to be attractive and soft, like Asmo's demeanor.

They can have a bit of an attitude too, which also suits Asmo very well.

Beelzebub - Saint Bernard

Saint Bernards are laaaarge, like, large to the point where they're clumsy, similar to Beel.

They can be the biggest, softest cuddlebugs on the planet, they're gentle giants like Beel too.

Oh and did I mention, they;re HUNGRY. Like, Beel would almost have competition with Saint Bernards. Almost.

They're bred to save your life, and that they will do. Beel will also protect you with his life, at this point, a Saint Bernard is his spirit animal.

Belphie - Japanese Chin

The color is black and white, Japanese chins basically look like Belphie's pillow, especially with their tiny size.

They're more like cats than dogs, more introverted when it comes to other people, similar to Belphie.

They're very quiet and lazy dogs too, and their cuteness could get them anything they want. Similarly, Belphie was called cute by his brothers multiple times.

Japanese Chins are very intelligent too, matching Belphie's smarts while being slightly feisty like him too.

Diavolo - Bernese Mountain Dog

With the playfulness of a golden retriever and the size of a Saint Bernard, a Bernese Mountain dog is perfect for Diavolo!

They're a lovely, playful dog, amazing with new people, similar to Diavolo's happy personality.

They love attention, the Bernese has the mind of a lap dog and the body of a Goliath. Diavolo would definitely be the same.

They were also bred to save lives, and Diavolo in the amusement park proves that he saves lives too. Overall, a good boy for a very good king.

Barbatos - Guide Dog Lab

Labs are usually excitable dogs, but when trained right, into a guide dog for the disabled for example, they're very sensible, like our butler boy.

Labs are usually very neat, they don't shed much, which means that, like barb, the place they're in is usually pretty clean.

They are known to fetch certain items on command too, they're basically furry little butlers.

Like Barb with Luke, guide dogs are responsible with children, specifically more respectful kids. Overall, Barb is a guide dog. You cannot change my mind.

Solomon - Wolfdog

Wolfdogs, like Solomon, have a bad reputation. But in the right hands, they're actually very soft and sweet.

While wolfdogs aren't trusted, like Solomon isn't, as long as there's a limit to people close to them, they're very protective and happy to see you if you're in that limit.

Wolfdogs can be dangerous though, and while Solomon isn't aware of it, he can be dangerous too, with his cooking and potions and all.

Overall, both have terrible rep. Both don't deserve it.

Simeon - Australian shepherd

Aussie Shepherds are very clever and very well trained, so it's very fitting for Simeon.

They aren't timid though, and i think this fits Simeon well, since many people see him as innocent and sweet, but he, like the Aussie Shepherd has an attitude he isn't afraid to use.

They're very efficient at what they do, and they're known to be loyal to the fault, and suspicious of any newcomers for about 0.3 seconds.

Plus, Simeon's quote of "it's an angel's job to shepherd our little lambs", seals the deal.

Luke - ....

...

...

Oh buddy...

I'm so sorry lil guy.

[darkwood-sleddog]

What do you think about show-bred Sibes aesthetically? They seem to have a very specific look (maybe especially in Russian kennels?), which quite appeals to me personally. But I do think that they look rather different from their working-bred counterparts, so I'd be interested in your opinion - as someone who can look at the dog and see more than just 'little triangle ears cute :)'

They are very pretty and they remind me a bit of plush toys in comparison to working Siberians and I see a lot of them with very heavy bone that is almost equal to a lot of malamutes and to me that is absolutely incorrect to a historical interpretation of the dog.

My big gripe with the show bred Siberian community is that they are convinced that the modern dog looks exactly like Fritz (Togo’s half brother) and therefore that means all working Siberians “lack type” when the Seppala dogs were widely varied in their appearance and imo none of them look that much like show sibes today and ARE much closer to well bred working dogs because of both the variance of the original dogs AND the more acceptable varied appearance of working dogs (no sled dog is a bad color, marking etc. working breeders aren’t going to cull a good dog from a breeding program just for an aesthetic issue).

Like it’s not a problem that a dog breed changes over time. The dog world has made big strides in understanding health and breeding for better soundness. I just wish people would admit the dog/their interpretation of the standard has changed instead of spouting lies and insults at working dogs in the name of “preservation breeding”. Working Siberians that are able to do their job well embody some of the most important part of the standard and that imo is more important than how small the dog’s ears are, how broad it’s bone is or if it’s tail curls or not.

As usual I would like more a focus on working ability but the working breeders in sibes do a great job with that imo and there are some great dual purpose breeders out there breeding excellent sled AND show dogs.

[catherdrashepard]

Lysander was Doomed from the Start Part 1

I was thinking about Lysander, as one does, and I started wondering what would happen if he had made different decisions during Iron Gold. What if he actually had self awareness? Then I got to thinking about what would have to change in Lysander’s life for his story to take a different direction than it did. Dark Age spoilers ahead.

At first, I went over the decisions Lysander made in Dark Age. Why did he team up with Atalantia? And, as much as he thinks he’s out playing her, he’s definitely being used as a pawn for Atalantia’s goals. I’m not entirely sure Lysander fully agrees with what Atalantia wants, in fact...I’m pretty sure he doesn’t. But, I know that he at least thinks the Society has a better system than the one Darrow is fighting for, even he believes the Society needs revamping. I don’t agree with that point of view at all, even if I try my best to understand at least a little where he’s coming from.

Shoving my empathy aside for as long as I can, I’m going to try to look at his perspective from a more scientific and sociopathic angle. From what I understand (and with the wonderful help of @hyena-frog yet again), the first Colors were developed for life on Luna, so the niches they were placed in was practical. But, to quote @hyena-frog: “Over time, eugenic ideals started getting involved.” Evolution is not a fast process, but I do think it’s entirely possible that with the combination of eugenics and advanced technology, the Golds “helped” the other Colors speedrun evolution so that they would fit into their specific biological niches. But ALSO, as @hyena-frog brought up “In other ways, they tampered with natural processes also, like the fact each caste can't have children with other ones without surgery. I think of it like dog breeds. Any dog can have offspring with other dogs, no matter how physically different they are. But Golds artificially made it so Colors can't interbreed even though they're all still human.”

Eugenics is a very Interesting subject because it has both good and bad sides but the connotation of it is negative. Breeding out undesirable traits is a slippery slope depending on what you define as undesirable. I think we all do it on a very small scale based on the people we are attracted to. But I don’t think it’s something people are actively choosing to do? I’m demisexual so my understanding of attraction is.....mediocre. But, as far as I know, people have preferences for physical appearance and that could be seen as a benign form of eugenics. As for the idea that disease and disability should be bred out...I have mixed feelings about it. As someone with a chronic illness, part of the reason I don’t want children is that I wouldn’t want to potentially pass it on to them. However, with illnesses that are probably genetic, it’s still a crapshoot whether or not you’ll have it. But also, I feel that things like diseases and injuries and illnesses help with human innovations.

But back to Red Rising, I’m going to try to analyse what specifically the Golds were using eugenics for. To continue from @hyena-frog’s thoughts, it started off...understandable enough. They wanted to colonise Luna and needed very specific jobs to make that work. For whatever reason, breeding people to be the best at those particular jobs seemed like the best idea. Ok....I mean.....survival of the fittest is a thing, although people tend to misunderstand what it means exactly. Animals in nature (not counting humans) will try to breed in desirable traits and breed out the ones that aren’t. I’m not an expert on evolution (yet), but from what I understand, they do this to aid in survival.

ALSO, to keep on @hyena-frog’s thoughts because I suddenly had more. Dogs. Some dog breeds, as far as I know, are bred for a specific purpose or job. Not all dogs end up living lives where they do what they were bred to do. For example, beagles are bred to be hunting dogs but the beagle my family owned was just a very loved house dog. That being said, he still had those beagle instincts where he was constantly searching and sniffing around for food. Another thought I had was of a certain conversation you have with Ashley in the first Mass Effect. She voices complaints about letting a Turian and a Krogan have full access of the ship. She then goes on to compare them to dogs, saying something along the lines of if you end up in combat with a bear, you’ll leave your dog to fight it off and run. There a few things wrong with that. For starters, no one I know would leave their dog alone to fight a bear EVEN IF it’s a karelian bear dog or something equally competent against bears. I imagine most people would either fight with their dog or pick it up and hightail it out of there.

But of course, that’s not the only problem with that statement. She’s comparing dogs who, while a gift to the world, have a level of sentience akin to children and they can’t develop beyond that. I kind of get what she was saying....because Turians and Krogan are not human and I think the implication is you put yourself and your own before everyone else. Which doesn’t fit the dog analogy anyway because most people treat their dogs as family. But aside from that, the mission you’re on in the first Mass Effect directly affects the Turians as well as the humans. Eventually it’s revealed that the Reapers are a threat to the ENTIRE galaxy, including all the species in it. ALSO, the beef humans have with Turians is over a misunderstanding that happen THIRTY  YEARS ago at the time of the first game AND the conflict only lasted THREE MONTHS.

Anyway, the point is, it’s stupid to hold onto biases based on some kind of us versus them point of view. I understand that in Red Rising (and Mass Effect too but the next point doesn’t apply), there are differences between the Colors but, and this is where eugenics comes back, those were specifically designed to exist. So not only are the Golds perceiving the other Colors as lesser than them, they are doing so based on a system they themselves created. The line Lysander said about some Gold being more miserable is made more frustrating because just....HOW do you misunderstand your OWN thoughts. I just don’t understand how Lysander can’t see that people being miserable in a system they created specifically to keep them at the top indicates a problem with the system itself.

If we go back to Iron Gold and think about everything that happened with Cassius and the Rim, what would it have taken for Lysander to not make the decisions he had? I mean...it’s entirely possible him and Cassius would have died if he hadn’t done what he did but I feel like one of the more important things Lysander did was to save Seraphina. But Lysander’s decision to save her over the lowColors was done because he values the life of a Gold over any other. But why? We know he believes Golds should be leaders; I think he even calls them shepherds at one point. He wants Gold to be the guides for the other Colors. But....WHY?

I know I mentioned in my last post how Lysander was not given the opportunity for to develop like a normal child due to the trauma of witnessing his grandmother’s death and his subsequent isolation. And while that certainly had an effect on what he became in the future (it is not, however, an excuse for being a terrible person), I’m not sure that’s where it started. Which...I mean that’s pretty obvious when we learn just how fucked up Octavia and the way she raised him was. And of course the memory wiping. But I feel like the biggest indicator of Lysander being the way he is is his mother.

We don’t really know much about her other than that she obviously really loved her family. But I think the most important thing is her murder, and the implication that she, her husband, and Atlas were “removed” because of an attempted coup. We don’t get a detailed explanation about why she wanted to get rid of Octavia, but Kalindora mentions in Dark Age that Anastasia was a reformer. So, I think it’s possible that Lysander’s mom would have started her own Rising of sorts if her coup had been successful. Also, if we remember that Lysander was being groomed as the next Sovereign, it would make a lot of sense for Octavia to take extreme measures to make sure Lysander does not have the same sympathies his mother did. I definitely think that Octavia used the Pandemonium Chair to erase any pro-reform lessons that Lysander’s mother may have given him amongst other things. I’m also sure Octavia fed him information about how important the Society is. Octavia was very important to Lysander and I think losing her affected his perception of everything after that.

I want to go over more of Lysander’s perspective, and I’d like to actually get into what I mean by the title but I’ve already talked enough about Lysander. So, unfortunately this is only part 1.

[warwickroyals]

ANGIE’S PET SHOP - MID-DECEMBER - 16:29

Transcript under the cut!

Beginning | Previous | Next

(Karen) This is ridiculous, what type of pet store doesn't have wet cat food?

(Kamryn) I'm sorry, ma'am, but this is really why we recommend you call or check online in advance.

(Karen) You don't even look like you work here. You're not even wearing a uniform.

(Kamryn) Well, that's because I'm not a—

(Karen) Don't you dare get mouthy with me! Is this some sort of prank?

(Kamryn) No, I'm just a volunteer.

(Karen) You need to watch it with that attitude, young lady, that's strike two. Don't let me get to three.

(Kamryn) I just don't know what you want, we don't have what you want, so why are you still here?

(Karen) That's it. Who is your supervisor?

(Alex) His Majesty The King.

(Karen) Who are you?

(Alex) Who am I? You know damn well who I am. Look me in the eyes and tell me you don't know who I am.

(Karen) Prince . . . Alex?

(Alex) "Prince Alex"? Are you joking? My name is Alexander James Spencer David, but to you it's Your Royal Highness. Now, do you think I'm stupid?

(Karen) What?

(Alex) Do. You. Think. I'm. Stupid? Do you think this is how you treat fellow commoners in my presence?

(Karen) No, Your Royal Highness, I'm sorry.

(Alex) You're lucky I should report you to the King's 46th Squad Division for disturbing a member of the royal family, but this time I'll give you a warning.

Later . . .

(Kamryn) Oh, my God, that look on her face? So good. "My name is Alexander James Spencer George." Priceless.

(Alex) Alexander James Spender DAVID. You're not a real Warwick if you don't have four names at least.

(Kamryn) And what was that thing you'd say you'd report her to? The King's 46th Squad Division? What is that?

(Alex) I don't know! I made it up. This type of thing always works with people like her. They fall apart like that, just because I wave my title around. I'm starting to understand why you said you like animals more than people.

(Kamryn) Yeah, most people, most people are annoying, stupid, and rude. At least to me. With a dog or something you can train them. Dogs and royals, I guess, I read a story about Shelby Skyes being trained before marrying in.

(Alex) Training?

(Kamryn) Shit. I'm breaking the no assumptions rule, aren't I? Royals aren't like dogs, I guess, they're both bred for a certain purpose but that's beside the point. God, ignore me, I'm talking out my ass right now.

(Alex) You're not the first person to make that comparison. Once when I was seven, my mom took me to a hospital for the elderly and one of the ladies began petting me, stroking my hair. She kept calling me "good boy" too. It was so strange.

(Kamryn) Well, can you blame her? Your hair is so temptingly voluminous. Great, now I sound like Jason. I need to shut up.

(Alex) No, don't, you're so funny when you're embarrassed. In fact, would you like to visit Woodbine Castle sometime? I can't go on just hanging out with you for two hours every weekday.

(Kamryn) Me? In a castle?

(Alex) We have all the snacks you can ask for and a PlayStation 5.

(Kamryn) Well, I guess some offers can't be refused.

[dogduocatquartet]

@kung-slinger i genuinely almost don’t know what to say to this reply, it reads as if you didn’t even look at my post before responding. i specifically said very clearly that i don’t have anything against pit bulls and nowhere did i imply anything about violence being a need for that or any other breed of dog.

dogs will more often than not prefer to avoid fighting, they have a complex language which in large part consists of navigating around conflict (similar to wolves, since you bring that up, since they’re both social species and good communication skills are essential for functioning in groups). there are many breeds of dog that, due to a number of factors, have weaker or less clear body language than others (language between dogs is also in no small part learned, so socialization is also a factor here). pit bulls are generally considered one of these breeds, which makes a lot of the signals they send out disappear or get misunderstood, leading to heightened stress and may accidentally end up in a fight/bite even though the pit bull may have been trying to signal “i need some space”. the exact same could be said for a retriever with poor body language due to lacking socialization. a lot of owners also punish dogs’ ways of communication, such as growling (“leave me alone”), unintentionally leading to their language growing even poorer and instead of a ladder of escalating signals, the dog in question may end up jumping straight from “this is starting to become uncomfortable” to biting, rather than modifying their language accordingly and having opportunity to remove themselves from the situation. none of this is exclusive to pit bulls, but a higher tendency of conflicts CAN be seen in breeds that have poor body language, just as with dogs that are poorly socialized with other dogs.

if the word “aggression” makes you uncomfortable, let’s call it “stress” instead. a stressed dog may engage in behavior we consider aggressive, so these often overlap or are basically interchangeable anyway. some breeds are more predisposed to stress around either other members of the same sex as them or just other dogs in general, though again there are many factors to consider as to why this is. it’s been a while since i read up on this specifically, so anyone is free to correct me on this, but breeds with same-sex stress often have a higher production of hormones, making them more “competitive” with members of the same sex. for wolves, this can be a useful trait if they break off from their original family group (that’s generally what wolf packs are; two parent wolves and their children) to mate, establish their own territory, and create a new familial group (aka pack). akitas, frenchies, shibas, and st. bernards are some other dog breeds that have a relatively high occurrence of same-sex stress. terriers, guarding breeds, and herding dogs tend to have this in higher degrees than hunting or companion breeds. but again, ymmv.

stress, aggression, fights etc. between dogs are also often triggered by resource guarding. any dog can have issues with resource guarding, but breeds that have typically been bred to guard often have a higher tendency of this, and may be quicker to escalate the situation, because that’s what they’ve been bred for. dogs that have been bred to be independent and guard the home also have a higher tendency to “deal with” conflicts on their own, than dogs bred to be more handler-oriented. again, these are things to consider when getting a dog. for some people, these traits are desirable, for some they’re a downside that other traits weigh up for, for others it’s a dealbreaker. all of these are fine, and should honestly be encouraged more, because, as i said, not all dogs are suited for any person, and not all people are suited for any dog.

the reason pit bulls are often overrepresented in discussions of shelters/rescues is partly because it’s more of an umbrella term than a very coherent breed, referring to bull-type terriers and mixes thereof. there technically IS the american pit bull terrier, though this is not a breed recognized by the FCI or the AKC. regardless, a lot of different dogs often get lumped into the same category, especially when the history of the dog is unknown and it kind of looks like a bull-type terrier breed. ive seen plenty of “pit bulls” that probably have more pinscher or molosser/mastiff in them than bull-type terriers. so just on that alone, you have a huge span of dogs with varying temperaments and historical uses, and that’s before you consider more “immediate” factors like genetic lines and socialization (or nurture, if you will). there’s also the fact that due to their appearance, history, and reputation, there are a lot of terrible bull-type breeders out there, who breed for unethical reasons or for profit, which in turn produces a higher amount of dogs with poor backgrounds and poor parentage, which in turn makes a lot of these dogs end up in shelters (good breeders will commonly take the dogs back if there’s an issue or the owner has to surrender it, so more bad breeders = more dogs in shelters). this is not the dogs’ fault, obviously. in my experience, huskies and border collies are also breeds that make up a big chunk of shelter populations, because they might be cute when they’re puppies, but they often end up being more demanding than someone just wanting a family dog can handle. no amount of nurture can change an individual dog’s energy level or need for stimulation. what you CAN do is meet the dog’s needs. this is not the same thing as nature vs nurture. i cant love or train away a husky’s energy level, but i can let it use its natural resources by taking it for longer/more frequent walks/runs, maybe do some sledding/pulling/packing with it, making it a happier and more well-adjusted dog.

i recently saw a family with a staffordshire bull terrier who was very sweet with them and all around a great dog, but who would bark and pull incessantly whenever he’d see another dog. they had no idea how or why this happened, as he was otherwise really nice and they’d tried to socialize him a lot as a puppy. turns out, what they’d done when the dog was younger was let him meet every single dog they saw or walked past on the street, which created an expectation which created stress which ended up in very strong “stay away from me!!!” signals (barking, showing teeth, leaning forward). this is extremely common for dog owners of all breeds and it’s honestly both annoying and saddening, because no dog needs to befriend every dog they happen across, and it’s often counterproductive and create stress instead, especially since leashes limit a dog’s body language. your dog can hate every other dog in the world, but as long as they can walk past them without acting out, it’s literally not a problem. some dog breeds are less inclined to get along with other dogs, and that’s fine! they don’t need to hang with other dogs to be happy and if you train them to walk past other dogs it’ll likely never be an issue. like i said earlier on, dogs will almost always try to avoid conflict when they can, so you’ll be doing you, your dog, and other people and dogs a favor if you stop trying to “socialize” your dog that doesn’t like other dogs with said other dogs, and instead focusing on walking well on a leash. which is something that all dog owners should be aware of, not just owners of breeds that aren’t generally sociable with other dogs or people outside its family, which are typical traits of bull-type terriers.

and just to sum it up and really spell it out: i don’t think any dog is born “aggressive”. i think genetics, socialization, instincts, and training all play a role, and sometimes you can do everything right and still get a stressed dog that may lash out. dogs have also been selectively bred for all kinds of purposes by humans for thousands of years, so dogs of different breeds and origins may have very different behaviors, reactions, and instincts that we’ve often deliberately created. it’s bizarre and just plain wrong to state that all dogs and all dog breeds are born essentially with the same configuration and everything else is just “nurture”. pit bulls are often singled out or used as examples like in the post i reblogged because of their high density in shelters combined with their bad reputation, media sensationalism, and stereotypes. they’re not inherently worse or better than other dogs. they’re similar to rottweilers to me; fine dogs, can be great family pets, but you should know what you’re getting beforehand because they’re big strong dogs that may possess strong prey drive, same-sex stress, or guarding instincts + for which there are a lot of shitty breeders. id say the same for poodles or retrievers honestly; they can be high energy and were originally hunting dogs, so you should do your research, as with any other breed. i feel like over-defending and figuratively “defanging” pit bulls may end up doing more harm than good, even if the intentions are good, because downplaying a dog or breed’s potentially negative traits and specific needs will likely just result in the dog ending up with people who don’t know what they’re doing and who were expecting, like.. a bichon in terms of temperament and drive. how about we all just have a normal, neutral, informed approach to these breeds instead of this insane, eternal discourse where both sides can be equally fanatical? thanks

[thespringertails]

Wait my roommate's mom breeds wolfhounds... What's the problem? I'm not well informed on the issue but are they bad pets or something?

Hi, I wouldn’t say I’m the most well informed person, but I understand quite a bit. Short answer: yes, they’re bad pets. They may not even be considered ‘pets’ they’re in a tough place between wild animal and a pet.

Why is breeding Wolf-dogs bad?

Okay first of all, what is the purpose of breeding a wolf-dog? What benefit’s do you get from breeding a wolf-dog that you cannot get from any other breed of domesticated dog that already exist? Most dog breed’s developed today are bred for a purpose, and responsible breeder’s often breed to improve there breed and increase the amount of healthy dogs developed for this purpose. We know what trait’s these breed’s are supposed to have, and we breed more of the ones that best meet the breed standard and are best made to fulfil their purpose. Most people want a wolf-dog for aesthetic reasons, they like the look of having a big ‘wolfy’ animal, and think it makes them look more powerful for having own one. 

Second of all, wolf-dog’s aren’t domesticated. It took thousands of year’s to domesticate the dog, we’ve been shaping them to our wants and need’s  for millennia’s, possibly even before the ancient Egyptians. They want to be with people, they enjoy our company, and for the most part, as long as they are handled correctly they are completely safe around humans. 

When you breed a wolf with a dog, your not going to get the perfect mixture of wolf appearance and dog personality, because that’s just not how genetics work. Some of the wild, undomesticated trait’s of the wolf will come through, and they just don’t fit well into human society. Some common wolf behaviour’s that can be seen in wolf-dogs which can be problematic in humans society include:

- Territorial needs. In the wild, wolves can have large territories ranging from up to 20 acres of land. They like to mark this territory, hunt on this territory and protect it against any invaders. A wolf-dog is not going to be satisfied with living in a house, and most back-garden’s won’t be safe enough. If the wolf-dog does end up living in your garden, how are you going to ensure that it can’t escape? Wolves can jump up to 12 feet high, most garden’s don’t have a 13 foot fence last time I checked. Why don’t you just take it for a walk? A walk is not the same as surveying 20 acre’s of territory, but also wolves will want to protect themselves, their territory and their owner from any perceived threats, which could include other dogs and possibly even other people. Also, wolves like to hunt, any small animal, which could be a rabbit, or even a cat or a small dog, could be perceived as possible prey to them, and if they’re available to them on a walk, they could try to hunt and kill it. Most people cannot contain their wolf-dog’s need for their own territory and any attempt to limit this could result in a threat to the general public, their pet’s or the wolf-dog’s household.

- rough-housing. It is not uncommon for a wolf-dog to want to rough-house or play with their owner and other member’s of their household. It’s well-known that dog’s love to play at all ages, and for wolves rough-housing can be good practice for the hunting and fighting they will need to practice when they grow up. Wolves and wolf-dog’s have tough skin and thick fur to protect themselves during rough-housing, but they are often unable to understand that their human companion’s have thin, hairless skin that can be easily broken by their bite or their claws. A bite or scratch that would be harmless to another wolf, could lead their human owner needing hospitalisation.   

Say a person ends up with a wolf-dog that display’s these behaviours, and realises that a wolf-dog is too much for them, where are the wolf-dogs to go? They can’t exactly stay in a dog shelter, where dog’s are often limited to kennel-sized spaces, the small space would drive the wolf-dog insane and lead to more frustrated and destructive behaviours. As well as this, it would be a threat to the other dog’s in the dog shelter and to staff who are not qualified in handling wolf-dogs. You can’t exactly release them into the wild either, they still have some domesticated feature’s which could mean that they would not survive long in the wild, and wolves may not even be native to the owner’s area, meaning they would become a threat to the local ecosystem. They would need to go to specialised centre’s that know how to handle wolf-dog’s or wolves, perhaps they could find a suitable home in a zoo, but the truth is that there just aren’t enough of these places for the amount of unwanted wolf-dogs. So the only option left is euthanasia.

Another significant problem that comes with the existence of wolf-dogs, is that many people will claim that their domesticated dog which looks like a wolf, is a wolf-dog. This is problematic for many reasons, say a person buy’s a ‘wolf-dog’ that is really just a wolf-looking domesticated dog, they think it’s great, it makes a wonderful pet and they enjoy it company. Their friends meet it and think it’s pretty cool and well-behaved too, so their friends decide they want to get a wolf-dog too. Except they end up with an actual wolf-dog, they end up with an animal that has all the problematic behaviours that I’ve discussed above, and they realise they can’t handle it and end up with the difficult problem of trying to rehome it. Another problem that comes with this is some animal shelter’s will also claim that there ‘dog which looks like a wolf’ is a wolf-dog, because it can sometimes be difficult to know the genetic heritage of a dog, and DNA tests are expensive. This can make the dog extremely hard to rehome, and could end up with it being euthanised. Also, ownership of a wolf-dog without a licence is illegal in 11 states in the USA, as well as in many other countries, most people enforcing these rules do not have the time or the money to DNA test every suspected wolf-dog, which can lead to the euthanasia of more ‘dogs that look like wolf-dogs’ which could be nothing but loved pets.

This is all that I can think of right now, but I hoped this helped you understand a bit more. If you want to do some further reading, I’ll link some sites below:

https://blog.dogsbite.org/2018/04/fatal-wolf-hybrid-attacks-archival.html

https://www.patriciamcconnell.com/theotherendoftheleash/the-tragedy-of-wolf-dogs

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/17224974.pdf

 https://www.hcn.org/issues/99/3063

[bandizoi]

what does linebreeding mean? I follow you and intriga hounds but am stumped on how inbreeding (if I understand correctly) would solidify diversity in an outcrossed silken pedigree. wouldn’t it make diversity worse? would it have to be a sibling x sibling pairing or something else (I’m also stuck on this part, what generations/related dogs have to be bred to each other for it to work?)?

The difference between linebreeding and inbreeding are, well, nothing. People may give you different definitions but for all intents and purposes both mean that the sire and dam are related somehow. Some will say inbreeding is closer and line breeding is a more distant relation. I use linebreeding to imply a more calculated decision.

Careful linebreeding will solidify certain traits but also has the potential to reveal undesirable recessives that may have been lingering in the line.

As for how it benefits population genetics, we need separate lines that we can breed to. Here’s a hypothetical: take a silken with 100% COI and breed it to another silken with 100% COI (this doesn’t exist but will better illustrate what I’m getting at). Both are as inbred as it gets, BUT neither are related to each other. That means that all of their puppies have a COI of 0%. Every gene that a puppy gets from one parent is different from every gene they get from the other parent.

Right now, let’s say we breed a silken to a borzoi that is completely unrelated to the borzoi founders behind that silken. That F1 has a COI of 0%. Half of that F1’s genes are completely unrelated to the existing silken gene pool. Then that F1 is bred to another silken. Now the F2 only has a quarter of the new genes the borzoi provided. By F3 there’s only an eighth, and so on and so on. Of course, in reality the numbers aren’t that exact but I think this illustrates how quickly those new genes gets lost if we just keep breeding it into the existing gene pool over and over again.

However, if we take that F2 and breed it to one of the F1’s siblings (their aunt/uncle), we’ve then concentrated more of the new genetics. Their offspring will have a higher COI, yes, but now we have way more dogs that can be used to diversify the existing gene pool. It basically keeps a larger amount of the new genes accessible.

I hope that makes sense 😅

[queerautism]

Am I exploiting my dog?

Yesterday I asked @severelynerdysheep if I'm exploiting my dog by having him as an assistance dog in training (assistance dog is the legal UK term for service dog), and they linked me to this article.

It's an incredibly bad piece. Let's go through it.

"Firstly, it should be obvious to most observers that many service animals are being harmed. Police canine units and military animals are often intentionally cruelly treated as part of the training process"

'Service animal' is not a term interchangeable with 'working dog'. These are not service animals and irrelevant to the discussion. Though, for the record, police and military dogs just shouldn't be a thing and their training is garbage.

"The question of exploitation and harm is more nuanced when it comes to service animals used to assist those with disabilities, such as emotional support animals or guide dogs for the blind."

Really, those are the two examples you're going for? Emotional support animals are NOT service animals, and do not need to have any kind of special training that a pet wouldn't have, or perform any tasks outside of their presence being a comfort. Lumping them together does a huge disservice to disabled people, and it's an extremely common misconception by people who know very little about actual service work.

Only mentioning guide dogs for the blind also isn't great, because it's the only kind a lot of ableist people know about and recognise, which means a lot of handlers get told we don't really need our dogs, because we aren't blind. You had an opportunity to actually bring up the amazing diversity of service dogs here (autism dogs, psychiatric service dogs, Medical alert dogs, etc) and educate people, but instead reinforced misconceptions and stereotypes.

"These animals are not usually subjected to stressors which any ordinary companion animal wouldn’t be"

This is not exactly true. Service dogs deal with many situations and environments ordinary pets don't, of course. But you cannot define for a dog what they should perceive as a 'stressor', anymore than you can decide what a dog should or shouldn't find aversive. Many dogs find loud noises stressful and aversive. Mine, as a service dog in training, does not, and hasn't ever, since he comes from a line of working dogs bred to be very 'gunsteady', which means hunting dogs who wouldn't be scared of the loud sound of a gunshot.

If a service dog finds these things stressful, they'll wash out and not be one anymore.

"these animals are still being exploited for human gain, they are bred, raised and trained solely for human benefit."

And we come back to the central idea of exploitation. I just don't get it. It's like these people can't imagine building a mutualistic relationship with a dog, based on trust, where you work as a team. Where the dog also benefits.

What do they think our day to day looks like? What exactly is exploitative about it?

"As for whether or not these animals would be better off were they not service animals, this is something of a moot point, since these animals are bred specifically for the purpose of being service animals."

Actually mostly they are not! Program breeding, where the whole litter is bred for a specific organization and all puppies are expected to be service dog prospects, is quite rare and very much not how most disabled people get their prospects.

It's a lot more common for good breeders with breeds and lines suitable for service work to place some puppies from each litter as prospects, if they seem to have the temperament for it.

As an example, my dog's breeder does not breed exclusively service dogs at all. They are working line poodles, and in my dog's litter there was a lot of variety! - Another one of them also went to service work, I believe two went into dog sport homes, another one into a dog conformation home, and the rest went to pet homes, all depending on their individual traits and what they would be happiest as.

"Service animals are currently very rarely drawn from rescue populations, but this seems like an obvious way to solve a lot of the ethical issues involved with using service animals."

Fun fact, I tried talking to a few rescues, including breed specific rescues, for a few months after I decided I needed a service dog myself. It was my first option.

They all ended up turning me away, saying the same thing. Their dogs had their own difficulties to work through, and the chances of being successful with this training are extremely low. 99% of them simply aren't suitable.

Proper service dog training takes about 3 years. Here you're asking disabled people to adopt dogs with unknown genetics and spend incredible amounts of money and time for a huge chance of failure. It's cruel and dismissive.

Even in the cases where rescue dogs have successfully become service dogs (which of course still happens), they often have a very short working life, because they haven't been bred responsibly and with all the proper health clearances, which leaves them at risk of serious health issues and early death.

"There are groups mounting pressure to only train rescued animals, contrary to popular belief, many breeds of animals are capable of being guide dogs or emotional support animals, and since many dogs in shelters are still young there is little reason to resort to irresponsible breeding practices to fulfil the demand for service animals."

If you want rescue only service animals, you literally don't give a shit about disabled people. We are acceptable casualties to you. What we actually need from our partnership with our dogs is secondary to your ideology here.

Rescue dogs can be excellent emotional support animals, I'll agree there. Because as I said, they aren't service dogs and they don't need any especial training. They are still pets.

They most often cannot be service dogs. Even if they are young, temperament in dogs has a huge genetic component. Dogs that end up in rescues are not responsibly bred (a responsible good breeder will take any dog they produced back at any time, and stays as a secondary contact in the dog's microchip in case they do end up in a rescue somehow), and their unknown genetics not only can cause issues with their temperament and health that makes them unsuitable for work, but also often mean they are not a representative example of the breed and do not show the usual traits that make that breed successful at service work when bred reputably.

Adult temperament does not fully develop until a dog is +3 years old. This means you could do everything right with a young rescue dog, only for them to develop dog reactivity or aggression once they fully grow up.

It is simply not fair to ask every disabled person who needs a service dog to put years of their life into this process while stacking the cards against them like this.

Actual good responsible breeders absolutely exist. They do right by their dogs and work their asses off to bring healthy, sound dogs into this world. No one is talking about irresponsible breeders here.

All of their arguments recap into this:

"1) The animal was not specifically bred for purpose and is a rescued animal.

2) The animal must be treated as a companion rather than a worker, and as such must be properly retired with a loving family once they can no longer work.

3) Animals should not be placed under any stress or put in danger.

4) There should be no viable alternative for the use of service animals."

1) Again, they usually aren't specifically bred, certain lines have a few puppies from each litter that have service work as the best fit for them.

2) Of course they are companions. We're a team. Of course they deserve a happy loving retirement.

3) You cannot avoid all stressors, that's life. Low levels of stress to be overcome actually help dogs build their confidence. Obviously none of us want our dogs in any danger.

4) if you think the stipulations you've presented for service dogs are sufficient to fullfil disable people's needs, I'd love to know what you consider to be a 'viable alternative', because something tells me it ain't gonna be good either.

"An example of this might be a therapy dog who has come from a rescue center as a young dog, and would probably otherwise have been killed."

Most places do not have an overpopulation problem so big they're killing young dogs at rescues. The UK sure doesn't. Young dogs get adopted extremely fast.

Also, a therapy dog is NOT a service dog. You cannot keep using these terms interchangeably and expect me to take your opinion on service dogs seriously.

A therapy dog is simply a pet as well, with a general calm and friendly temperament, that volunteers with their owner to meet and cheer up people. It's a completely different thing with different standards. Many rescue dogs can indeed be excellent therapy dogs!

"We do not have to deny that animal use is exploitation in order to justify service animals in some scenarios. Yes, service animals are being taken advantage of"

Still would love to hear how exactly I'm taking advantage of my dog, or what the alternative 'living with a dog without taking advantage of them' looks like.

"We are seeing some advancements in robotics which look promising as a replacement for service animals, so this may become a non-issue in the not too distance future."

Imagine complaining we're the ones not treating service dogs as living individuals but thinking they can be fully replaced by robots. Amazing.

"Regardless of your viewpoint on this, no negative judgement should ever be placed upon the people who require the use of service animals in order to function, it is not their fault that this is the option that has been given to them, and no one who relies on a service animal should be made to feel bad because of it."

You can say this as much as you want, but it's absurd. You're 100% being extremely ableist and asking disabled people to do things in the most costly, effort and time consuming way to fit in with a morality position which is clearly been developed with no real accurate knowledge of service dog work or training.

Plenty of us have chosen this option with full understanding of what it means, it hasn't been 'given to us'. Don't go 'oh the poor disableds don't know any better tho' like it absolves you of all the shitty things you've just said about us and our dogs.

Anyway I said my piece. Have a cute pic of my dog Kovacs, assistance dog in training for my Autism and CPTSD, currently almost two years old and living his best puppy life. I had to stop writing this for a little while many times because he demanded pets.