Young Hooligans and Their Musical Expressions

Five or six cars full of Young Hooligans visited our apartment last night around 1:30 a.m. They brought impressively high quality amplifiers in order to share their music with the world. Unfortunately for them, our apartment complex prefers other genres, and before long the police added attractively flashing red and blue lights to the melee. With a last few dozen honks, the Young Hooligans found it necessary to flee into the night.

Before and After

Before and After

 

The day I got Flora: July 3, 2014.  She's 3.5 years old.



Christmas, 2014. I've had Flora half a year. She's 4 years old.

February, 2015

February, 2015

May, 2015. After I've had Flora for 10 months

 

Flora is now a fairly calm, happy dog.  This was not always the case.  After I adopted her (and the spaying drugs wore off), I found out just how bad the dog mill she'd lived the first 3.5 years had been.  I had to teach her how to use stairs.  She was alarmed by cars, which she'd never seen before.  She barked constantly at anyone (except me) who came in the room.  When people came to visit, she wouldn't stop barking until they left.  She basically had no social skills with anyone -- human, dog, cat, etc.  And Cavaliers normally love everyone.

 

Now, she barks when people come to the door but stops when I introduce them.  She will go up to strangers, tail wagging, although shies away if they move too quickly.  When alarmed, she looks to me and knows I'll take care of her.  She is very healthy and comfortable.

 

Dog mills, by the way, are places where dogs are kept for the sole purpose of breeding them.  The dogs in dog mills are vastly overbred, often kept in cages (sometimes in all weather), not fed properly, not exercised, and -- when they can't be bred anymore -- are disposed of, often killed.  Most dogs who come from dog mills are traumatized, have a variety of medical issues (in the females, distended uteruses are common), are not house trained, and have a variety of other problems.  Some have been beaten; all have been neglected.  Flora was lucky.  She was not unusually intelligent (the very intelligent dogs fare worse; I met several who never stopped trembling), she had an unusually sturdy constitution, she was fed enough (not good food, but enough), and she was rescued at only 3.5 years old instead of 7 or 8.

 

A lot of people don't understand about dog mills, or that there are respectable breeders and otherwise, and how to find out which is which -- so they end up adopting ill-bred, sickly puppies far too young (puppies shouldn't be weaned before 12 weeks; dog mill owners often do so at 6) from abusive owners.

 

If you're looking to adopt a pure-bred puppy, do your research.  Don't support dog mills.

 

If you're looking to adopt a rescue dog, still do your research.  Dog-mill rescues are not for first-time owners and will take a lot of care and positive ("clicker") training.  They will have unforeseen and often odd behavioral issues, and most have health issues.  But there are many other rescued animals who need good homes.  Mutts are often healthier than pure-bred dogs, and there are a lot of great ones out there.  Make sure you spay or neuter you pet, license them (it's cheap), get all their shots, and microchip them.  Buy or make them good food (dogs are omnivores.  Puppies need 25% meat, adult dogs 19%.  The rest of their diet should include a base such as oatmeal, brown rice, or yam, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.  It should also be varied -- just like yours should.  If you buy dry dog food, do your research.  Better quality dog food might be more expensive, but it'll save you loads of money in vet bills), with supplements if necessary, give them as much exercise as they need, bathe them according to their breed needs, and brush their teeth with enzymatic toothpaste every day.  And if they are small dogs, empty their anal glands as needed. 

 

Your pets rely on you.  They cannot walk themselves, feed themselves, let themselves out to use the toilet, vaccinate themselves, or brush their own teeth.  They need you and love you.  Respond appropriately.