Alfs
3:41 Sat Jun 5
Re: Getting a puppy
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The biggest expense with my Springer was when she was a puppy and chewed fucking everything. 2 pairs of glasses, remote controls to every device a family of 6 would own, a whole box of paracetamol (£120 vet bill for making her sick), the children's toys, carpets, anything chewable, she'd decimate.
Loved her to bits though.
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Mike Oxsaw
9:15 Fri Jun 4
Re: Getting a puppy
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When a dog looks into my face for only a second, she's worked out that I'm as fucking ugly as she is.
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Jasnik
8:37 Fri Jun 4
Re: Getting a puppy
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However, when the puppies couldn’t open a box filled with food in a third experiment, they only gazed at the researcher’s face for about a second, meaning they weren’t seeking human assistance.
or they were thinking that person seems really stupid if they don't realise I need the box opened no one else around who can actually help.
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icwhs
12:40 Fri Jun 4
Re: Getting a puppy
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Don’t
Thank me later
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gph
11:22 Fri Jun 4
Re: Getting a puppy
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Interesting article from New Scientist (contains the practical advice that you should talk to the puppies before choosing one from the litter - go for the ones that pay you attention - any that answer you back in English may become very expensive, though):
Domestic dogs are born to socialise with people because we bred them that way. Two-month-old puppies can already recognise when people are pointing at objects and will gaze at our faces when they’re spoken to – both signs that dogs have an innate capacity to interact with us through body language.
Although individual relationships with people might influence that behaviour, at least 40 per cent of this ability comes from genetics alone, says Emily Bray at the University of Arizona.
“Over the course of domestication, from wolf to dog, there’s been a clear selection for these social skills,” she says. “It’s something that’s ingrained in them and that emerges at a really young age even before they’ve had much experience with humans.”
Bray and her colleagues tested these types of skills in 375 8-week-old Golden retriever and Labrador puppies that were destined to become service dogs. It was the earliest age they could carry out such experiments because the puppies were only just old enough to be motivated by food rewards, Bray says.
The researchers found that pointing at food hidden under a cup helped the puppies to find it nearly 70 per cent of the time. The success rate was that high from the start, meaning they weren’t learning to follow pointing, but already knew to do so, Bray says. In a control test, the puppies couldn’t find food hidden under one of two cups at a rate better than random chance, indicating that they weren’t simply smelling it.
Much of the variation in different puppies’ ability to follow finger-pointing is explained by genetics, Bray says. Using statistical analyses based on the puppies’ parents and other relatives, the researchers found that genetic factors were responsible for 43 per cent of these variations.
The team also ran another experiment in which researchers spoke “baby talk” to the puppies and found that the dogs fixed their gaze on the person for more than 6 seconds on average – representing an understanding that they were communicating with them. Again, genetic factors accounted for about 40 per cent of the differences among puppies here as well, says Bray.
However, when the puppies couldn’t open a box filled with food in a third experiment, they only gazed at the researcher’s face for about a second, meaning they weren’t seeking human assistance. The results suggest that, like young children, most domestic puppies are naturally good at understanding and responding to people talking to them. But at 8 weeks old they haven’t yet developed the social skills necessary for asking people for help.
The findings also have important implications for breeders and buyers, adds Bray. People can choose to breed dogs with good social skills, knowing this is a heritable trait. And they can also select puppies that gaze at people’s faces when they talk to them as a start to a good interspecies bond. “If your dog is able to read your communication, that’s likely just going to be a more harmonious relationship,” she says.
Journal reference: Current Biology, DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.04.055
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nerd
9:05 Wed May 19
Re: Getting a puppy
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Always get a Terrier , tough dog , lives a good while and vet visits are minimal so insurance is low . So many dogs are not the right move and cost a fortune .
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Mace66
8:34 Wed May 19
Re: Getting a puppy
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MaryMillingtonsGhost 9:50 Tue May 18
Re: Getting a puppy
Mace66 9:47
Insurance companies = Cunts, the lot of em
Of course they are, aren't they all?
Err yea , isn’t that what ‘ the lot of em ‘ means
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Hallerinthemorning
7:55 Wed May 19
Re: Getting a puppy
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Insurance companies won't insure my dog and he costs me a fortune in vets fees cos we have one of those vets that loves an operation.
Sorry not operation, should have said a pound note.
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zebthecat
12:32 Wed May 19
Re: Getting a puppy
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13 Brentford Rd 3:36 Mon May 17
Really?
I've had six (not all at once obviously) and, apart from jabs I've to shell out nothing except for one who got bitten by a fox or badger and that didn't cost all that much.
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Nurse Ratched
10:02 Tue May 18
Re: Getting a puppy
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I'm watching you, Kenzo.
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MaryMillingtonsGhost
9:50 Tue May 18
Re: Getting a puppy
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Mace66 9:47
Insurance companies = Cunts, the lot of em
Of course they are, aren't they all?
Still lessens the pain when you need them though.
Redundacy insurance, now THAT'S a different story!
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Mace66
9:47 Tue May 18
Re: Getting a puppy
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We’ve started claiming for tablets for our dog ( heart complaint typical of cavaliers )
So they’ve put the premiums up from £26 to £40 a month.
I phoned them and told them I thought they were crooks and I was going to stop the premiums. They told me of course I can do this but if I do I won’t be able to claim another penny even though it’s an existing claim and we’ve been paying the insurance for fucking years
Insurance companies = Cunts, the lot of em
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Mr Kenzo
3:43 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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I wouldn't waste any money on a Cat, fucking cretins
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13 Brentford Rd
3:36 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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We've got 2 cats and had others as well as the pup Poodle. He's not needed the vets yet except for Jabs etc. The cats over the years would have cost us at least 10k over the years if we'd not had insurance. Cats do get sick quite a lot, bloody pussys.
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Northern Sold
2:00 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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On dog number 4... the last 2 dogs we have insured... current one (Black Lab) costs £38 a month... nearly 13 years old... apart from having his nuts off and a few small ailments (arthiritis etc) never visited a vet... this is a hound who eats shit ... runs through tree stumps... jumps over chasms... swims in 15 foot seas... basically lives (or did) a life of an all action SAS canine... same as with our old Goldie Retriever bitch we had before... never saw the vet apart from having her wombe whipped out and ger last rainbow bridge injection... so it's a lot of fucking money we have plyed out in dog insurance... BUT... it is security and nice we have the knowledge that if something seriously went wrong then it's not so harsh on your pocket... but when I calculate how much we've paid out... wow
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ted fenton
1:00 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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Insurance companies obviously offer this Insurance to make money ! sure there will be times when they pay out over and above the average but in general they make massive profits !!
Fortunately we could afford the only major problem with our dog in the last 4 years which was recent teeth extractions but Insurance wouldn't have covered it anyway !!
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13 Brentford Rd
11:36 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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jfk, you just disproved your own theory by showing why insurance is a must.
Vets ain't cheap, even a quick visit for something minor can set you back a couple of hundred quid.
Chances are you'll be visiting the vet again more than once, especially as pets get older.
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jfk
1:30 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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I’ve read loads regarding insuring dogs vet bills is a minefield.
I’ve come to the conclusion it’s wise not to.
Dogs need loads of exercise daily in some cases twice.I’ve chosen to feed our dog on a raw diet which money wise amounts to 70 quid a month.
I’ve been reasonably lucky he’s been in good health and still going strong as a 10 year old.
He was deaths door through a twisted stomach/Blout he’s a big pointer with a deep chest most fit big breeds are prown to this and can be fatal unless treated quickly.
Luckily he pulled through but was rushed to a vets late Saturday night and the vet on duty was available.
Paid two grand on a card upfront and was told it was 60/40 against him pulling through he did thank fuck.
Final bill was just over four grand which was a kick in the bollocks but worth every penny.
Apart from that bar the cost of injections haven’t paid out on anything else.
Dogs are great company and soon become part of the family,or in some cases brilliant companions for singles.but need plenty of daily exercise as well as mental stimulation of some kind.
If treated well can’t express enough what great company they are,mans best friend and all that.
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Forest Gate Ugly
12:26 Mon May 17
Re: Getting a puppy
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Sniper, I have a seven month old Cockapoo. I haven’t tied him to a lamppost yet and walked off but they are seriously hard work. Unbelievably hard work. I cannot stress how much hard bloody work a puppy is. Good luck.
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Briano
11:51 Sun May 16
Re: Getting a puppy
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My Springer at a year old was limping, the vet referred her to Noel Fitzpatrick
I was insured up to 6k, the bill came to 9k
Make sure you get insured
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Northern Sold
11:20 Sun May 16
Re: Getting a puppy
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-9584097/Animal-rescue-centre-getting-multiple-calls-week-abandoned-death-row-dogs.html
As predicted.... now people who want dogs now... rather than pay £5k for your designers cross breeds why not get down your local shelter...
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