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Wow, you guys have really pushed me into reconsidering a Retriever seriously, and I will. Anyone knows where to find a good one in Delhi NCR, with proper papers and history?

Hi Roy,
Congrats on your decision to become a pet parent!
Having had a Lab for 13.5 years, I can tell you that they are adorable and very loyal.
But Labs are very hyper when young, so be prepared ! When our lab was between 6 months - 2 years old he was so hyper and used to hate being left alone and would literally chew up anything in sight if left alone for more than 3 hours - so please ensure that you dont leave him alone as much as possible
Also another point you need to consider is that when going on long drives and holidays, you need to take him along with you (he will need full space in your car!)
I don't recommend leaving him in a kennel much as they tend to fall ill. Our lab used to fall ill almost every time he went to a kennel and would need a week to recover after that and he was also injured a few times.
You will need to exercise him at least for 45min twice a day to burn off their energy as they are hyperactive and need a lot of exercise. The best way is to take your bicycle and take them for a run (if you have traffic free roads).
Congrats and looking forward to some pics of your little one soon.
Here is a pic of mine with my son a few years back.


My son was born when he was two years old and he used to be very protective about him and was like a big brother.

You can't really go wrong with a retriever or a lab - but do remember, they need a lot of exercise. The dog won't demand it (infact they generally prefer to load up on food and sorts vs exercise) but their health deteriorates (after ~5 years) with regards to their fitness. Talk to forum (and off-forum) folks who have owned a lab (especially for 5-10 years).

That's a flawed view. Indies are very malleable/adjustable so they pick up skills depending on their training or their surroundings. Hence the wide variety of temperament seen in street dogs.

We have had an indie for nearly a decade and he's a different animal compared to the breeds we have had before. Very friendly, very adjustable and extremely un-demanding. Most important of all - most resistant to diseases and health issues. Same is the case with multiple family friends that have mix of indies and breed dogs. The indies are no-worry pets.

Best case scenario - a mixed indie breed. Ask around if you can find one. A friend in Gurgaon was lucky enough to get one from the local pound - she looks like a retriever (hair, looks, etc) but has all the benefits of a indie. And they live in one of those typical Gurgaon apartment complex, so the space situation is similar to yours.

Hi, does anyone here know of more healthier alternatives to Dentastix?

My 3 yr old Indie just loves chewable food sticks. We've been giving him Pedigree Dentastix (1 stick a day) since the past few months but someone told me that it is neither beneficial for dog's oral health nor overall health. I've also tried locally available chew sticks and chew bones but he doesn't seem to like their taste.

Bully sticks. I will let you look up what they are :)

Order online from Canine Cravings https://caninecraving.com/

I have three cats, none of which were invited (or not by us humans, at least). I had seen a youngster passing through the garden a couple of times, and was glad that it ran away from me. A few days later I found it standing at the front door.

I sternly told it, "No! No Vacancies!"

Haven't seen it since. I'm sorry... but three is enough, especially when I don't even have a cat-loving wife.

@roy_libran check here https://www.dogspot.in/amp/adoption-in-delhi/ if you find someone. They'll all be anxious for a loving home.

Wow, great thread. I’m seeing so many more families taking in(adopting) or getting pets since this lockdown began.

We are considering buying a larger SUV styled car in place of our sedan - something with a large boot and foldable seats.

Creta, XUV or maybe even the new Ertiga(xl6).

Any thoughts/suggestions?

We have had Daschunds for a long long time and that too in pairs. Beautiful dogs and minimal maintainance as these have short coat etc. And pretty intelligent too. I have always been surprised how do these go like bullets when they chase someone.

In my experience, girl dogs are much more loving and even fiercer too - those (breed) dont put a lot of weight and an very much survive without a lot of exercises.

PS: I was about to suggest this breed and you mentioned it.

Suresh has given a good link with plenty of options (bones, sticks, treats etc) so my answer is redundant, nevertheless posting.

I used to import good quality chew sticks and dried beef jerky from ebay.com from American sellers (one has to find a seller with good ratings and large number of orders). They were of really good quality and my seller (a lady who ran a family business) would give discounts on bulk purchases.

Avoid feeding raw hide treats. They're a choking hazard.

Roy,
When you select a dog breed, the size is the last thing to look at. What you need to see is what the dog was bred for. A Great Dane is is an excellent apartment pet whereas a Fox terrier is the worst. Why? The former are certified couch potatoes whereas the latter are maniacal little hunters that will go nuts without proper stimulation and exercise. I personally have a Caravan hound in a Mumbai apartment.

Not true. If bred well and socialised well then they are both equally good irrespective of breed. Where they may differ is size. With females the only issue is dealing with the heat cycles.

Already spoken about this above. Yes pugs have health issues but saying smaller dogs have health issues is also incorrect. I'll elaborate further if you want.

Absolutely true.

Not really. Any good shelter can throw some light on the pup's temperament. Becomes easier if you can interact with one or both parents.

Street dogs can gang up on any dog or human. They don't differentiate, very noble that way. Has nothing to do with the breed.

This is a scenthound originally bred for hunting. Yes they can be stubborn but the more pressing problem is their howl. When they get going it can be incredibly loud.

A man made breed. Everytime a bull dog is bred a fairy dies in Neverland. The modern bull dog is a joke. Has breathing issues and needs a Ceasarian to be delivered because of the abnormal head. Forget the tales about it being a brave and fearless breed that were used to tackle bulls. The modern version will die if you make it run up and down the stairs 10 times. I only slightly exaggerate but bottom line is AVOID.

If you see the spine of the Dachsund you will automatically realise it is against the laws of physics. Fearless little dogs though.

Better to avoid if even one member of the family is against it. Better to source a pup from an ethical breeder.

They can be a bit neurotic and nippy too. Especially with kids this is not a good idea. Plus they need regular grooming.

Call up the Kennel Club in your city. My sincere recommendation is to get a labrador from Mukund Joshi of Joshberg Kennels in Aurangabad. He breeds the best labs and is a thorough gentleman and an ethical breeder. For Golden Retrievers look no further than Bessie's Retrievers in Guwahati. They both will ship. I have no affiliation to either.

First call up the Kennel Club and ask for recommendations. Then call the breeder and ask:

• How many dogs and bitches does he have?

• How often does he breed the females?

• Does he practise inbreeding (Father-daughter/Mother-Son? Answer should be no. Note that some folks call this line breeding.

• Does he have KCI papers for the adults and can he share these? This helps in seeing if there is any line breeding anywhere.

• Will he give KCI papers? Do not fall for crap like price is higher with papers and lower without. Any good breeder will have his pups registered for sure. This should be non-negotiable.

• Does he show his dogs? Has he been a judge for the breed? The first is good practice. The second is just and advantage but not a deal-breaker.

In general if you get a good dog then look to working and socialising with it. Do not spay or neuter before a year. Do not go about looking for a mate to satisfy his/her urges. If it is show quality then ask your breeder about mating it. Good luck!

Heat cycles? Just spay your pup at 6 months or so. You don't even need to wait for the first heat or anything.

As for strays - keep on good terms with the ones in your area, an occasional biscuit packet or two or a bag of pedigree is an expense well spent for their not ganging up on you and your dog.

My sparky is half indie half GSD so I just got her spayed at 6 months. There's no question of breeding her and being stuck with puppies that almost nobody would want.

She gets bravecto pills every 3 months so I have a bit less hangup about letting her socialize with some of the local strays - there are some families in my area that have got them vaccinated, given regular tick treatment and keep them fed. So she's the best of friends with them, happily rough houses with them during our walks etc.

Agreed which is why at the bottom of the post I mentioned that they shouldn't go about looking for a mate. No sense in breeding a dog unless it is of good stock and will help improve a breed. Regarding spaying/neutering there is enough modern research to confirm that it should not be done before 1 or 1.5 years. Leads to problems with temperament (ironically the reason given by a lot of vets for spaying), growth, incontinence, etc. Here is a good link. In the west atleast there is now a trend against spaying early.

The Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad, spread over 380 acres, located adjacent to the 600-acre Mir Alam Tank, houses nearly 155 indigenous and exotic species numbering about 1550 animals, birds and reptiles. The 55-year-old-zoo is a popular destination and draws nearly 30 lakh visitors annually. The zoo plays a vital role in ensuring the survival of many wildlife species, conservation and breeding of rare and endangered species.

The scheme

The zoo started the ‘Adopt an animal scheme’ first in 2014, but it did not find enough takers. Ratnakar Ari, manager, Nehru Zoological Park, says, “One can adopt any animal, big or small. The adoption program enables individuals, corporations, schools, clubs, families and groups to participate and make a valuable contribution towards the care and enrichment of the animals living here.” He believes that the adoption fee not only helps the zoo to take care of the animals, but also goes towards the protection of endangered species. The zoo has successfully completed the reproduction protocol for mouse deer which is being reintroduced in the wild, he shares.


Sidhanand Kukrety, additional principal chief conservator of forests and director of Nehru Zoological Park, states that although a government initiative, the Hyderabad zoo is slowly inching towards self-sufficiency. “We endeavour to upgrade our facilities, from our esteemed donors and visitors under the aegis of Zoo and Parks Authority of Telangana. However, owing to our large number of exhibits, the funds for supporting all species, upgrading facilities, and other educational programme are insufficient. Therefore, contribution from animal lovers would provide the much needed help in advancing the zoo’s work with wildlife conservation,” he explains. He shares that it is also a rare opportunity to teach children and adults to take care of living creatures and understand the environment that wild animals belong to.

According to Ratnakar, all animals adopted are symbolic adoptions and remain within the zoo. Animal choices are subject to change; if for some reason, the animal that has been adopted needs to be removed from the zoo, then the adoption will be transferred to another animal of one’s choice. “If one is interested, one can adopt Royal Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, giraffe, hippo, rhino, elephant, chimpanzee, black buck, bear, monkey and many more.”

Benefits to donors

The adoption fee is eligible for income tax deduction under Section 80G (2) & (5) of IT ACT 1961. Other benefits include free entry to the zoo and car park, allotment of guest house for the day when the donor visits the zoo, certificate of adoption with a photo of the animal, zoo souvenir and innovative merchandise and the individual’s name/company logo displayed near the enclosure, zoo website and mobile application.

Source

https://www.thehindu.com/society/hyd...le24044845.ece

I read those. The research is not very conclusive is the thing. And my pet has not had growth or incontinence issues. When you spay make sure you find a vet that does microsurgery / laparoscopic spaying where a tiny hole is made in the abdomen rather than a six inch cut.

That cut operation when clumsily done is the reason for most of the incontinence. Growth issues as well if eg the testes or ovary aren’t properly handled.