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inkstainedhands
I've owned so many pets! We are rescue people, and frequently take in the animals that are left behind.
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![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rightdog.com/images/default/dog.png&media=https://rightdog.com/images/default/dog.png&description=Rikku came to us as a "secondhand dog". Her previous owners said she "couldn't be trained", which is usually shorthand for one of two things: owners who aren't sure of what they're doing (or don't have the time), a dog with a strong personality, or BOTH. <br><br>Rikku was a handful, no doubt, and I'm glad I had more experience in dog training by the time she came to us. She was intelligent, had a lot of energy and was the sort of dog who needed a "job" to keep herself from getting into trouble. There wasn't a mean or nasty bone in her body, but she had so much going on- she was just so clever, and was just so energetic- you really needed to stay on top of her and her activities for the first year. Really, though, it isn't hard, once you know how. Consistency, activities, and training. <br><br>She wasn't great with the cats, though- they hated her. Rikku never did seem to understand that while she loved the cats and wanted to play with them the same way she'd play with the dogs--- rough and tumble puppy- play--- that would always result in their running away, or swatting her on the nose. Poor baby. Again, best of intentions, poor results. <br><br>Rikku did tend to bark a bit in the beginning, but she trained out of that quickly. She learned just about anything quickly, although we were VERY slow to let her play in parks off lead, as her natural curiosity made her a little slow in returning. She was highly obedient, though- these little dogs are very smart, and exceptionally eager to please their people, as long as they are well treated. They love to be a part of the family, and Rikku slept by the foot of our bed, in her own little bed, for most of her life. <br><br>Grooming is relatively simple, but you do need to keep up on it, as they have a double coat and there is a LOT of fluff to be managed. I brushed Rikku every day and still had a lot of fur to deal with, but that's the price you pay. <br><br>Rikku was a charming, darling little dog, and we really enjoyed having her as a part of our family. <br><br>While I'm a bit nervous about the newfound popularity of the breed due to the Doge meme, I think they're absolutely wonderful, as long as you have the patience to learn to train a dog that has a lot of intelligence. I don't even think all dogs in this breed are willful (although Rikku definitely was!), after talking to other owners- but they are very, very smart, and that means training takes diligence, effort and time. It also means that owning this dog will always be an interesting and entertaining experience, if you're willing to put in the work!){kind=link}
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rightdog.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/722014_1346661615059DogBreed_americanakit.jpg&media=https://rightdog.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/722014_1346661615059DogBreed_americanakit.jpg&description=Tinook was my first experience with a so- called "vicious breed" dog; although I'd grown up with a German Shepherd, I had never been the primary owner of one of the breeds that had been given a label as being dangerous. My husband brought her home--- she was a surprise, a gift from a friend after he had helped an injured friend who bred Akitas fix her roof. <br><br>I spoke to friends who worked as professional trainers, as I had concerns--- Akitas had something of a reputation, so I wanted a lot more information, right away. I'm glad I did, too--- I loved, loved, LOVED working with Tinook, but she definitely required a firm hand, and lots of guidance! <br><br>Akitas are amazing dogs, without a question, but without the proper guidance they seem to turn into one- owner dogs- fiercely loyal to "their person", which can be a little problematic. I did a lot of work making sure she was properly socialized-- meeting other dogs, spending time with people. In the beginning she would get a little protective of me around other people, especially if they touched me--- she would try to stand between me and other people, particularly during greetings. We strongly discouraged this behavior by teaching her how she should greet guests, and rewarding better alternatives. It's really, really important not to allow your dog to become a "one- person Akita", but other than that, no issues. <br><br>Grooming is a bit intense- it's a fluffy coat, so be prepared, but Tinook loved being brushed, so we just worked it into what I did in the evenings. I'd watch the news after dinner and brush her over a sheet, and she'd be happy as a clam. <br><br>Tinook adored my daughter, and was intruiged by our cats, who didn't mind her at all. She never really bonded with them, but there wasn't any issues, either. This might have been helped along by our adopting her as a puppy. <br><br>One of my favorite things about training with Tinook: she learned "speak" and "quiet" in what seemed like record time. I know that a dog- lover shouldn't be averse to barking, but I really, really don't like excess vocalization, and that was never a problem with Tinook. Even before she learned to quiet, she was a relatively silent dog, and I really appreciated that. <br><br>We never had any health issues with Tinook, but unfortunately, we also didn't have much time with her, either. Tinook was struck by a speeding car at the age of two and died almost instantly. She was a sweet, affectionate dog who would have made a lovely life partner, and we missed out on many fantastic years with her, but we're grateful for the time we had together.){kind=link}
, and he is always jostling for dominance among our other pets. <br><br>Hugo does get along well with our other dog, Lilu, and our cats, though. He touches noses with all of our cats, and will groom our male cat, Barrett, on occasion, as well as sleep curled up into one of our female cats, too. As he's the same size as our cats (approximately 13 lbs), he seems to think that they're his playmates and will try to play with the cats, which doesn't always go well, but they never truly fight. <br><br>Hugo is a barker, which we don't like, and training him out of that has been a continual struggle. He BARKS. It's also a higher- pitched bark, which I find unpleasant. That said, he's very intelligent and trains quickly, and both of his breeds are very food- motivated, so working on training with him is quick and easy. While the barking has been an ongoing struggle, training him in every other area has been shockingly easy. He loves training; I've don't think I've ever seen another dog who wants a "job" as much as Hugo, but then again, he's also my first small dog. <br><br>Hugo is very, very affectionate, which I love. In the evenings, all he wants is to snuggle with his people. He loves to curl up like a cat in a lap and just sleep. If a lap is filled with a book or some knitting, he sleeps in a tiny circle tucked in next to you. It's adorable and the sweetest thing. <br><br>Hugo can be a little needy; he follows us around all day long and really wants to be where the action is at all times. When our daughter comes home from college he INSISTS on sleeping in her room and will bark his head off if not allowed to do so, but all other nights he sleeps in the living room, peacefully. <br><br>We adore Hugo. I'll admit, I'm not a fan of deliberately cross- breeding new luxury mutts, but I'm so glad Hugo is in our lives. He's a darling little guy, and I'm glad he's a part of our family. Mutts really do make lovely pets.){kind=link}
![](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://rightdog.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/522014_12251570615059DogBreed_lilusmaller.jpg&media=https://rightdog.com/Thumbnail/BreedReviewsPhotos/522014_12251570615059DogBreed_lilusmaller.jpg&description=We rescued Lilu about five years ago. She was being given away by two college girls in Baltimore, and they were about a week away from putting her in the pound before they left for grad school- they couldn't take her along with them. The only calls they were getting seemed to be from people who wanted to use her as a fighting dog. She had come from a previously abusive home, and had some problematic behaviors that hadn't been addressed- food issues, submissive peeing, and a fear of men.<br><br>Lilu has lived with us now for a little over five years, and it's been wonderful. We've worked with out vet and a trainer to deal with some of the residue from her early abuse, and she's great. She's very small for a Rottweiler- only 65 pounds- but otherwise in fine shape. Her medical condition has so far been good; she takes antacids for acid reflux, but other than that, we've been very fortunate so far. <br><br>Lilu is a calm, quiet dog. She learns quickly, but like many Rottweilers she has a stubborn streak; she needs to be motivated into training. Luckily for us, she's also strongly food- motivated, so training sessions can be moved along swiftly as long as introduce a few of her favorite treats. Use food as a motivation with caution, though; Rotts do tend to put on weight easily, especially in later life, and excess weight gain can trigger joint issues. <br><br>As she's aged, Lilu has become increasingly sluggish, turning into a typical "old dog", spending most of her days sleeping or watching our neighbors from a window. <br><br>She enjoys playing with our smaller dog, and will also sleep curled up around our cats, as well. She's highly social, in a quiet, slow way, and loves to lean against her human's legs. <br><br>Our only complaint about owning this dog is that she still alert- barks, and while we've trained her to stop after a few barks, sometimes she seems to "lock in" and won't stop for about three minutes, which is bothersome. This happens most of all when we aren't in the room (for example, when we are coming home). I'm guessing this is a problem specific to our dog, though, and not the breed. <br><br>I would own another Rottweiler in a heartbeat, obviously. She's so wonderful.){kind=link}