Moni

OK I want to know the pros and cons about your dog.

My dog is a Maltese and he's very old. I hate to research other dogs while he's still alive, but I want to know what type of dog I want next time around.

I was thinking about a Newfoundland, but I'm open to researching others.

palito

For full info on any breed, check the AKC site. Really.

All I can say about our baby is that a friend of my eldest son gave her to him when she was about 6 weeks old. He travelled about 400 miles to deliver. She lived indoors til she turned 1 year old. And then I built her a nice and cozy doghouse, with a wet bar, a disco, and other amenities. RTOF.

Ahhh, and I made a mistake: She actually become 2 years old on las June 1st. She is AKC registered. Blue eyes and grey fur coat (these dogs are called "ghosts" due to their coloration).

She is very territorial, good with kids and with my mom, wife, my two sons and myself. Also with a few close friends. She seems to sense when someone is not exactly "nice" and will give them hell and put up a barking show (pure muscle, all 79 pounds of her). She also scares the beejesus of the two large male dogs next door (a mean doberman pinscher and a dumbass and mean rothwheiler weighing twice her size). They once tried getting funny with her and she got so piss'd that began snarling and going dog crazy and the two brutes just turned around and fleed.

Now, when we take her for a walk and those two see her coming, they drop whatever they are doing and flee, hahahaha.

With me, personally, she is adorable and extremely good natured and well behaved. So there.

Moni

Any health issues???

What does she like to eat???

palito

ahhhhh... THAT kind of questions.... okay. lemme see:

she eats Iams brand dry food. and her fave treat is either milkbone brand doggie biscuits or the Kirkland superpremium doggie biscuits sold at costco (she favors the later over the former).

she also eats a little white bread now and then (likes Webber's) and loves freshly cooked oatmeal with milk (I eat this every day in the mornings and always leave some for her... goes whackoo and her little tail fans harder than a hummingbird in heat).

sometimes we give her pieces of hotdog (dislikes beef and likes turkey franks from Foster Farms).

She does not like canned dog food for some reason (like rosco, ralston purina and the like).

will eat a badass in a heartbeat and slobber all over nice people and kiddies.

drink? potable drinking water.

toys: used to get her a variety of doggie toys but she just tears them out beyond recognition in about 10 minutes flat. her faves: a kind of small rubbery dumbbell shapped thing. tennis balls, large rawhide "bones" and a piece of rope.

Fave game? actually two: Tug-o-war and one that she seems to have invented herself. Kind of a "catch" game but where she will bring the ball or whatever in her mouth and ask you to take it.... and when you try doing so... she just moves her head in a way that does not allow you to even touch the object while she kind of whinelaughs at your effords and keeps teasing and insisting by nuzzling you.

She will finally "give up" the toy and run far as if asking you to throw the toy for her to catch and then bringing it back and repeating the whole thing.

She is an excellent catcher. Will catch a tennis ball at about 200 feet away.

Ahhhh!! and she loves to play soccer and can dribble a ball between her front paws and shoot with her snout. LOL.

HEALTH ISSUES? Only once in her lifetime: A stomach infection which was treated with antibiotics by her vet. Other than that... none that we know of.

One thing is for sure: She does not seem to think she is a dog but rather an human. Acts like one, loves to balance herself on her hind paws. Very even tempered if she likes you. Otherwise, she looks at you like she wants to have you for dinner. hahaha.


Next question, please...

Moni

And lastly, grooming. How often does she get groomed and how much do you spend in grooming?

palito

She absolutely loves water, so she gets a doggy bath every week or two, depending on the weather (if cold weather, she will get it indoors and not go out til she is completely dry and her body temp normalizes... she prefers to be outdoors, romping, playing and scaring the bejesus of neighboor dogs and strangers alike. A real razzler like her daddy).
This is followed by a good brushing and then a swabbing with a chamois cloth to bring out her fur's natural sheen.
She also gets a special flea pill once a month.
Vet visits every three to four months, unless it is need earlier for some reason.
Grooming expenditures are mostly for shampoo, soap, a special foamy gel for her teeth (her breath is very sweet) and not much else, except that she gets a good professional grooming once a month which is given by a friend at no cost (we take care of our friend's VPN and she takes care of our dog... including vet services -- yep, she and her husband are veterinaries).

We really dont spend that much on this area. However, if we had to pay for everything, including pro grooming service, I guess it could run around $150 to 200 bucks a month or so? Not really sure. Sorry.

One thing I know: Nena is a very happy and stable adolescent dog. She can be cranky at times, like any other adolescent girl....

Moni

Thank you for being thorough. I looked a some pics of this breed and these dogs are gorgeous. I will keep this type of doggy on my top 10 list. Thanks again.

palito

We absolutely l-o-v-e her. She is extremely smart and sweet (with her family). However, she is also extremely protective and territorial with strangers.

If you decide to get a Gray Gohst (the breed's nickname), and I certainly hope you do, please make sure it gets professionally trained and has a large patio area to romp. It is NOT an indoors dog as this breed was originally a hunting breed.

Also, get an AKC registered pup and groom it. You might have a true champion in your hands. Take good care of the dog and you will be in for a long and happy relationship.

Moni

I'm currently looking for a house in this bad housing market. I want to move from the small breeds into a large one. I had a lhasa and a poodle before this maltese. I will make sure my big doggy will have room to be free and be happy that's for sure.

Oh and territorial is fine because I don't like strangers and people who come to my house w/o calling first either.

Steve

I used to Breed Boxers so if you need any info one that breed im your man.

Im pretty up to date on most breeds so let us know what are your top 10.

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