The Truth About Hollywood Hounds
Does this scene sound familiar? You take your kids to the latest hit movie. On the silver screen prances what has to be the cutest dog ever. It's darling, well trained, and perfect! When the lights go back up your kids are screaming and begging for one just like it. So the next day your in a pet store preparing to bring home your very own movie star. And you all live happily ever after, right? Wrong! If this sounds familiar, then you, like many other movie goers, have been suckered by a cute face and a lot of hollywood hype. Once you get that bunndle of fur home, it doesn't take long to figure out that the movies aren't always the best place to get ideas for a new pet. The Dalmation breed is slowly recovering from Disney's 101 Dalmations. Jack Russells all over the world are still being comparied to Eddie from NBC's Fraiser. Think that cutie on the screen would look good snuggled next to you on the sofa? Read on to learn the truth about some of Hollywood's K-9 super stars.
The Syberian Husky
Awww! Don't they look like little wolves? You ain't just whistlin' dixie brother. Nordic breeds such as the Huskie, Malamute and the Elk Hound are still very closely relaited to their wolf ansestors. As such, they can have a wild streak a mile long. Plus most of them aren't that great with kids. Huskies were bred for one thing. Running. More importantly, running in sub zero tempuratures. This dog has indurance. It takes a lot to wear them down. No ordinary 10 minuet walk will do. Got a fence? No? Get one. Huskies can't be let off lead in an unsecured area. Because of their love for running, they will do so when ever possible. If you let one go in a park or any other non fenced area, you can kiss your buddy good bye. Have a nice yard? Yes? How about a nice house? Proud of those rose bushes, or that lovely new couch? Then you'll probably want to know that Huskies dig. A LOT! Hey, if you aren't running them on a sled a few times a week, they need some way to let off that energy. Kiss your snap dragons and Lazy Boy good bye. Hope you like dog hair. Huskies shed a heap. It takes a lot of work to maintaine that over coat, and under coat of their thick fur. Huskies also aren't the easiest dogs to train. And if you don't show them early on who's in charge, you'll soon have a dominating brute on your hands.
The Jack Russell Terrier
If you've never been exposed to the breed except for the show Frasier, then you've probably gotten the idea that JRs are friendly, laid back, couch surfing, funny little apartment dogs. Sorry, wrong again. JRs were born to hunt. They, like many Terriers are earth dogs, meaning they were bred to hunt underground, in the dirt, and mud, and filth, and sludge...Well you get the idea. They don't mind a mess. So they can be difficult to house break. They also don't mind making a mess. Get a bored JR in your house and soon you'll have a demolished dwelling. JRs like other terriers, love to chew. They constantly need to be supplied with the appropriate toys to chew on, other wise they start chewing on your toys. And unlike Eddie, JRs aren't all that calm and relaxed. They love to bark and run around. There's nothing quite as annoying to guests as having a Jack Russell jumping up to see you. And when I say jumping up I mean eye level! These little guys have springs for feet. And they make very bad apartment dogs. Trying to contain a JR in an apartment is like trying to put a little tornato in a jar. They also love to dig. So wave good bye to that new flower garden. Natural hunters, any other small animal in the house is fair prey. If you want a great furry companion for a JR, get a horse. No, I'm not kidding either. Terriers are stuborn. There are 3 ways to do things. The right way, the wrong way and the Terrier way. My hat's off to Moose's trainer for doing such an exelent job with what has to be one of the hardest to train breeds in the land. So don't expect an obedence champ out of your JR.
Pugs
The sequel to the ever popular Men In Black is out and one of the hot stars this summer is with out a doubt Frank the Pug. Look how cute he is in this little suite! Yes, well, will he still be cute when he's peeing on your furnature and farting in front of your guests? Pugs are hard to house break. You may find an unnuetuerd male lifting his leg on your furniture. They will still have accedents even after house training. Pugs are lap dogs. Serious lap dogs. No, really, if there's a lap, they need to be on it. Get a toy breed, and you'll never be alone again. They need to be with you 24/7. Seperation anxity runs rampent in the breed. An unattended Pug with free range of the house will soon have a room torn apart. Pugs are also not the most well mannered of dogs. They snort, burp, snore and pass gas. Quite a bit. They can make a lot of rude noises for such a little dog. And that cute little mug of theirs? Requires constent cleaning and maitanence. The wrinkles can easily become infected and those little bludgey eyes are rather delecate. After spending a year in an animal hospital, I can't tell you how gross it is to see a Pug with an eye poped out of its socket. Just goes to show that a little rough houseing can go a long way. Speaking of which, Pugs aren't really the best choice for little kids. They also usually don't get a long well with other animals. Pugs may be short haired, but they shed, a lot, and all the time. So get used to doggy hair. Live in a hot place? Then think twice about getting a Pug. They are indoor dogs ONLY! Very sensitive to heat, humidity, and bug bites and stings. Also, if you're looking for a jogging buddy, think again. Pugs get easily tuckered out. They can also get chubby. And yet again, Pugs aren't easily trained.
Great Danes
Good old Scooby. He's been around since the '70's. Expect your new Dane to last that long? Think again. The adverage Dane lives only 7 to 10 years. You're also not going to find a Dane with Soob's markings. Sorry, there's no such thing as a fawn Dane with dark brown patches. Surprisingly, many Danes are turned over to rescues and shelters because the owners, quote: "Didn't know they'd get that big." Yes, Danes are big. VERY big. You're looking at a dog that can get upwards of 170 pounds or more. Can you house such a beast? Plus your fine new furniture will take a beating. You see, Danes don't know they're dogs. They think they're people. They'll join you for a sit on the couch or arm chair any day. With that much use, any love seat or Lazy Boy will get worn away in no time. Another deadly atribute of the Dane? Their tails. When a Dane is happy, it's a big happy. Those tails wag like wild and knock over anything in their paths. If banged hard enough, the often split open and bleed. So if you have a happy Dane, have lots of bandages and neosporin on hand. And you may want to find something that takes blood out of fabric. Bloat, wobblers, and eye problems also haunt the breed. Trips to the vet will require an auto larger than your adverage car. When you invest in a Dane, you'll also want to invest in an SUV or van. Like drool? No? Learn to. It'll be covering your house. You'll also want a lot of obedence classes. When a Dane jumps up on a guest, they can really do some damage. And at table top level, anything you put out that's edible fair play to a Dane.
Neapolitan Mastiff
First let me start off by saying I'm sorry, this was the best picture I could find. If any one has any better pictures of Fang, send them my way. Any way, if your kids are anything like all the other kids in this or any country, they've dragged you off to see Harry Potter about 10,000 times by now. And you've probably been sitting in the theater, bored out of your mind, watching the scenes with the gigantic silver dog and wondering; "What the heck kind of dog is that?" That my friend, is a Neapolitan Mastiff. Fortunatly there hasn't been a great back lash on the breed from the Harry Potter films, mostly because your average person will take one good look at the Neo and say; "Dear God!" But due to the popularity of the Harry Potter movies, and the fact that the Neo will soon join ranks in the AKC, I decided to put it here. So if you're thinking of bringing one of these gladiator dogs home, here are somethings to consider. Neos are big dogs. They can tip the scales at over 150 pounds. With a dog that big, sociliation and training are a must, but not easy. Neos know they're big, powerful, and intimidating. It takes way more than a few treats and a scratch on the head to get through to these brutes. Bottom line, if you aren't the dominating type, this dog isn't for you. And like Danes, due to their size, you'll be trading in your four door for a larger car for vet visits. Neos are also wrinkly dogs. Those wrinkles need to be cleaned out on a regular basis to avoid infections. Neos also drool in buckets. So if you don't want your furniture covered in slobber, choose a dry mouth dog, not the Neo. Like all large breed dogs, hip dysplasia and bloat are big problems. And remember, the bigger the dog, the harder it is to carry around in medical emergancies. The Neo is an old breed. They were one of the Roman Empires battling beasts. So if you can't handle a challange, back away from this breed.
Chihuahua
How cute. Thinking of bringing home a tiny Mexican toy? Here are some things you'll probably want to know. Got little kids? Then forget about the Chi. Chi's are the smallest breed of dog in the world. Far too small to live with small rowdy kids. Chi's can get very nippy when threatened. So kids are at risk for bites. If you want a family dog, think bigger. Chi's are very close to their loved ones. Almost annoyingly so. Like most toy breeds, they want to be with you 24/7. If you can't handle that much togetherness, try another breed. Chi's come in two coat types; smooth and long. So I have no idea why so many people call them "hairless". Chi's are anything but. Short coats shed a lot. Long coats require up keep to keep from matting. Like many small dogs, Chi's can become afraid of the big bag world. Socialization is a must. Keep it up all their lives as well. These dogs have a reputation for being spoiled, so training is also a must. Don't think they can't do it because they're small. Don't buy from petshops or back yard breeders. A good Chi is worth the wait. Ask the breeder about health problems such as Subluxating patellas, heart murmurs, and collapsing trachea. Also, ask about OFA registration of the knee joint. Dental problems are also a consideration with any toy breed. Get your Chi used to teeth brushing early and stay away from an all wet diet. Chi's are gennerally off standish with strangers. Some can become over protective of their loved ones. Chi's have also been known to duke it out with other pets over your attention. So watch what pets you try to mix. Chi's usually get along well with other Chi's. Also known to be yappy, they must be trained at an early age if you want a quiet house. Last, but not least, Chi's are long lived. A good Chi can be around for 15 years or more. There have even been cases of Chi's living into their 20's! So consider the life span of the dog before purchase.
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