New foster dog - wonderful Domino - questions.

Evesmam wrote:Doesn't look like Akita in her to me our Kai is a staffy akita cross


Oh not as furry as I would have thought! But much wider muzzle, and gorgeous by the way   

Rupertsbooks wrote:Hello everyone

I have been finding your comments really useful. Thank you. Any more thoughts are much appreciated.

Jogging: I jog for about two minutes and then give up. I suppose what I meant is that, among her long list of qualities, she would make someone a very good jogging companion.

I know what you mean about finding something she really really likes. It is really helpful being reminded on here of the obvious. Just last night I identified her all-time favourite thing so far. They both eat raw but Domino loves raw bones more than life itself. What I am doing right this second is leaving her in a room while I clean downstairs. She's with her bone. Check on her occasionally. She's also had a big breakfast and a good work out with Rupert in the park.

As to crate training - no she had no training at all. Perhaps a tiny bit of house training. Regarding being molly-coddled - yes, that is very possible. She is so unbearably cute - people come up to me to stroke her all the time - and I can imagine in a household it would be easy to just have her around all the time, especially as she is so calm. Then - when you go out - she gets very upset, and her anxiety escalates.

I am going to look at that link. Meanwhile - for crate training - should I get a second crate? One for the living room (tv) and one for my room?

ps she is fine if left in the car with Rupert. Just not in the house.

As to her mystery cross -breed. Here is what I have noticed about her.

Coat
Very fluffy and very soft. Hair is less coarse than Staffy hair and the coat is thicker and longer. She smells a bit more strongly than Rupert which might be because she is fluffier.

Character
Extremely calm in the house and not obsessive about anything. Doesn't chase things. Indifferent to geese, cats and so on. She doesn't feel very terrier-like in that sense. She is playful but in a light-hearted way. Very good with children as she is completely undemanding. Not mouthy with people at all. Is mouthy when playing with Rupert.

Cuddliness
She is very affectionate but she is not a cuddle monster like Rupert is. She just likes to hang out near the nearest person and go straight to sleep next to them. Rupert - as are a lot of Staffies, I think? - is very in your face affectionate and loves massages and cuddles and has an endless appetite for both. Rupert is much more "interactive", loves games and puzzles and won't rest until he has solved them. Domino is also lower energy than Rupert.

Gait
She is long legged and more graceful but also more colt-like than Rupert or the other Staffies I know. She can also swim quite well and doesn't have a problem with rain like Rupert does.

Confidence
She is fine with all other dogs but likes to stick to my side. Rupert has always been an adventurer and will go exploring/squirrel-chasing when we go for a walk. I had to work quite a bit on his recall. Domino hangs out with me and is very easy in that sense. She doesn't seem to have that terrier thing where they go temporarily deaf when something exciting or squirrel-y shows up.

Barking
Doesn't bark except when she thinks there is someone coming into the house, or when she has v bad separation anxiety.

Paws
Claws are white (not black, like most Staffies). Paws seem longer and more elegant, with longer "wrists" than Staffies. She is also relatively narrow, and fairly elegant looking, I suppose.  

Cleanliness
Is very clean and licks herself like a cat when she has been rained on. She does, however, like to roll in stuff in the park which I have never experienced with Rupert.

Determination
She is more of a scavenger than Rupert, constantly dipping her head into passing rubbish bins and so on. However, Rupert is more obsessive. If I hide a treat for him, he will not rest until he finds it. Domino doesn't have that focus. I suppose she's a bit less "intense" than Rupert, although also a little more anxious.

Finally, she is not very muscular at all.

What is she...?