Category Archives: If You’d Asked Me…

How much do Pembroke Welsh Corgis Bark?

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

16. Just how much do Pembroke Corgis tend to bark even if well trained, challenged and exercised?

Depends on the individual. I have two corgis right now.

The older dog came from the Humane Society. She was dumped there at the age of two years, the reason given being “Barks.”

And yes. Yes, she DOES bark. And bark. And bark. And, well, bark . . . In short, she’s very vocal. I can see how this could get on a person’s nerves. Doesn’t bother me most of the time: I live on a large piece of property with plenty of room between me and the neighbors, and I never leave my dog outside. When I got her, I did tell my neighbors that the dog was supposedly a barker and asked them to please let me know if they heard her or were bothered. Made it a point to ask several times over a period of weeks. They repeatedly claimed they were not disturbed.

The other dog, I got as a puppy. She very rarely barks. If she barks, she barks for a clear reason: someone is around, a weird noise can be heard nearby, or something bothers her. She is a watchdog. But she’s not a conversationalist.

How Much Should You Pay for a German Shepherd Puppy?

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

15. How much should a high quality German Shepherd puppy cost?

I paid $1,000 for my last GerShep, about twenty years ago. I’m sure they cost more than that today.

But . . . there is no chance in heaven that I would pay that kind of money again. German shepherd rescues are overflowing with German shepherd dogs, some of them well trained and some not; some healthy and some not. Look into German shepherd rescues in your area. Do yourself and a dog a favor.

The Care and Cost of German Shepherd Puppies

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

14. Are German Shepherd puppies easy to take care of? How much do they cost?

Part a) of your question: No.

Part b): A lot. And the cost of the puppy is just the start.

My dog of choice has been the German shepherd, all of my adult life. Until popularity led to overbreeding, the German shepherd was one of the finest dogs you could own. But you have to know dogs and you need some training and skill in handling large, high-drive animals.

A healthy German shepherd defines high drive. You will need to work with the dog every day: training it, playing with it, walking it, running it, socializing it: do not even think you will get away without several hours of concentrated interaction every day. If you aren’t experienced in training large, powerful, intelligent dogs, you’ll probably have to hire a trainer to help you with the job and to train you in how to teach and handle your dog.

Your veterinarian will be pleased when you bring your pup in for its first check-up. The vet’s investment advisor and also her Porsche salesman will be even more pleased! Before you bring the pup home, set up a savings account at your bank and have a monthly deposit automatically transferred from checking to this account. You will need it to cover the vet bills. True, a Ger-shep may not be a walking vet bill in the sense that a Doberman pinscher is, but either one can rack up some pretty breathtaking tabs at the vet’s office.

And finally, be aware that there are a surprising number of unethical breeders turning out German shepherds, and probably just as many who are not shady but who don’t know what they’re doing. Take plenty of time to look into the breed and to get references to quality kennels.

Can I Get Out of Walking My Dog?

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

13. How can I keep my dog healthy and happy without ever walking him again?

You can’t. Just like you, your dog needs regular, moderate exercise to stay healthy. Unless you’re disabled, it’s your choice to ruin your health by not getting up and walking around the block once a day. It’s not, however, your dog’s choice. If you can’t do that, either hire a dog-walker or find someone to adopt the dog who can do it.

Here in Arizona, it is too hot to walk the dogs in the summertime—even after dark, the asphalt on the roads can burn their feet. When we got out of the sack at 5:30 this morning, the thermometer on the back porch registered 100 degrees. One of the corgis here doesn’t tolerate heat well; the other will go for a long time, but exercising a dog in high heat is a bad idea (their bodies do not regulate heat in the same way as ours do). So there will be several weeks in July and early August when their doggy walks will be curtailed.

The result is that their claws grow long enough to make it uncomfortable for them to walk: I have to file or clip their claws, which they hate. But that’s only the half of it. If they don’t get exercised, they develop joint problems—dogs can get a backache from loafing around, same as you and I do. They become overweight. They may develop diabetes. They become neurotic with boredom.

Just like you and me.

What to Do about a Cat Bite

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

12. Stray cat tried biting me today . . .

…but I just got a minor scratch from its teeth with very little blood which stopped immediately after wash. Precautions?

If any animal whose health history is unknown to you bites you, go to your doctor, for hevvinsake! At this time, the main source of rabies infections in the US is the cat. Once rabies symptoms appear, there is nothing anyone can do to save your life.

But rabies is only part of the story. Cats carry any number of unpleasant and even life-threatening diseases.

When I was a toddler, my mother’s cat scratched me in the face. A rash soon developed, which was diagnosed as cat-scratch fever. In the late 1940s, civilian doctors didn’t have a lot of experience with antibiotics, so they prescribed them for everything and anything. I developed an allergic reaction to the drug they gave me and nearly died from it. They told my mother that I would not live through the night.

As you can imagine, this was somewhat stressful for her.

Fortunately, I do not remember it. The message, though, is that you do not want a cat biting and scratching you. Especially not a stray cat, or someone’s pet that you know little about.

What to Do When the Expensive Treatment for Your Pet….

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

11. If I absolutely cannot afford my beloved dog’s very expensive operation, what should I do?

Get a second opinion.

Veterinary practice, alas, is no longer the altruistic calling that it used to be; it is now part of the “pet industry,” which exploits people’s feelings toward their animals to extract amazing amounts of money.

You would never (assuming you have good sense) allow a doctor to do surgery on you without seeking a second opinion. The same applies to your dog: even if you buy what the present vet says, to be fully informed take the dog to another vet for a second opinion.

You may be surprised.

When my last German shepherd was about a year old, I took her to a vet suggested by a friend to have her hips X-rayed for signs of dysplasia; these X-rays were supposed to be sent to OFA for certification.

To my astonishment, when I arrived to pick up the dog, a tech came trotting out, stuck the X-ray up on a light display, and proceeded to tell me the dog was so dysplastic that she needed full hip replacements on both sides. This was going to cost thousands of dollars, but if I didn’t do it, she would be crippled and suffer terrible pain.

Well.

In the first place, the breeder had warranteed the dog against hip dysplasia and I had researched the dam and sire’s background. There wasn’t a lot of dysplasia in the line. I said thank you very much and, over this woman’s objections, walked out the door.

I called the breeder, who proposed that I should return the dog and he would give me a new puppy. Reading between the lines: he proposed to put her down.

Even if I were not by now deeply attached to this dog, let me tell you: raising a German shepherd dog from 8 weeks to one year is not something you want to do twice in a row! How much upholstery, after all, can one person afford to replace?

In prior years, I had lived in the company of a string of large dogs. My vet, who specialized in large dogs, had retired before I bought the pup; this was why I sought friends’ recommendations for a new vet.

He had sold his veterinary, which was well known for large-dog care. Possibly, I reasoned, the guy who bought the veterinary by now had enough experience to opine on the state of a German shepherd’s hips. So, I called the guy and made an appointment.

He took one look at the X-ray and said, “There’s no way anyone could diagnose hip dysplasia from this.” The image, he said, was so poorly made and so blurry that you could not make out any condition in the hip, and because the perspective was uneven the OFA would not accept it. He made another set of X-rays that fit OFA requirements and charged significantly less than the first outfit had.

When he looked at the resulting images, he said the dog had very minimal dysplasia that might bother her someday in her old age but probably would not. We sent the X-rays to OFA, and the certification came back indicating very low-level but acceptable dysplasia.

So. . . . I was very, very glad I’d sought a second opinion, not just for the dog’s sake but for the sake of my checkbook!

Trust no one.

Dogs: Breeding and Overbreeding

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

10. What do you think about breeding dogs to be better for things like being guide dogs?

Possibly if “skills” (i.e., a propensity to do certain things better than others) can be bred in . . . maybe this makes sense.

In so-called “First-World” countries, we overbreed dogs for certain characteristics—usually appearance or protectiveness—and create monsters. Sometimes these results are unintended; sometimes they’re just stupid. But frequently (maybe even invariably?) they create health and temperament problems that harm the animal and create risks and expenses for their humans.

Why not simply select puppies—regardless of breed—that exhibit temperament and characteristics suitable for service dog or seeing-eye work?

Snowball Fight with Your Dog?

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

10. Is it OK to throw a snowball at my dog?

Is it OK for the dog to remove your head?

If you’re playing “fetch” with snowballs, some dogs think snowballs are the best thing since tennis balls. But, dear heart, do not throw anything AT your dog.

Are Bites from Toy Dogs Common?

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

9. How prevalent are injuries from toy dogs?

Don’t know how prevalent they are, but I do know my neighbor, an elderly woman, was seriously injured by her Yorkie. She’d gone outside where her husband was puttering and had carried the little dog in her arms so it wouldn’t run away.

Something set the dog off, and it attacked her, biting both hands and both arms. It tore tendons in both of her hands—she had to have surgery to repair the damage.

A dog doesn’t have to be large to inflict serious damage.

If You’d Asked: Why does the dog hate that guy?

Just for you: a chapter from If You’d Asked Me…the ultimate collection of bathroom or waiting room reading, A new chapter appears here every three weeks, usually by Friday. You can get a complete copy, right now, in PDF format, or, if you like, as a paperback. For details, visit our Books page or send a request through our Contact form.

Section II: Going to the Dogs
(Or Cats)

8. Why do dogs dislike some people for no apparent reason?

Mental telepathy?

While the argument that dogs do not dislike humans for no reason—but may do so for no reason apparent to their own human—makes good, logical sense, I can testify that it ain’t necessarily so.

I had a German shepherd, Anna, who had never been abused, never had a negative encounter with any male human, and was generally mellow and friendly with strangers. She liked men: she doted on my boyfriend and she loved my son.

I used to take this dog to a sidewalk cafe that occupied the front of a local upscale grocery market. My friend and I would buy some coffee and we would sit around watching the rich people come and go and socializing with the locals. Other people would do the same, also bringing their dogs.

This was an effective way to socialize our dogs to humans and to other dogs.

One lovely day I’m sitting there swilling coffee. The dog is loafing by my side, seemingly calm and happy. She has schmoozed with other people and patiently resisted her interest in dismembering other dogs. Life is good.

Suddenly, out of the blue, she springs to her feet and explodes in a barking rage. Highly alarmed, she is launching into full Ger-shep defensive mode. The object of her fury is at first invisible to me. In a minute, though, I realize she’s focused on a man way across the parking lot. This guy is at least 100 yards away. He has only just set foot in the parking lot, having crossed a main drag between the market and a mid-rise office building.

He is a well-groomed, ordinary-looking man in a business suit—he looks like a lawyer or a business executive, which is probably exactly what he is. He’s doing nothing out of the ordinary: just walking along at a normal pace, headed to the market to pick up the usual take-out lunch. I have never met this man; therefore, my dog has never met the man, since she has dwelt with me since she was six weeks old.

The dog goes batsh!t. If I’d dropped her leash, she would have gone after him and absolutely would have attacked him.

He apparently didn’t realize he was the object of the barking frenzy (who would?). He proceeded calmly into the grocery store—fortunately we were seated a distance away from the entrance.

He goes inside, buys his lunch, comes back out, and heads for the office. Soon as she spots him coming out, she goes bonkers again. She barks at this man until he finally crosses the six-lane thoroughfare between the parking lot and the office building.

Turns out this guy was something of a regular. Every time the man would appear off in the distance when we were sitting there, Anna would fly into another rage. Once he drove up in a car, parked, and got out to walk into the store: flying rage.

The dog never had any close-up interaction with the man; he ignored her and didn’t even look in our direction. I’m sure he just thought it was an obnoxious dog, and never realized he personally was setting her off.

Not one other human being ever had that effect on Anna during the entire 12 years of her life. I did not know him nor had I even noticed his existence the first time she went off on him. There may have been some cue unnoticeable to humans—maybe he was a serial dog murderer and stank of dog blood, who knows?

But as far as I could tell there was exactly zero reason for the dog to want to kill that man.