Do dogs smell / scratch?
Discussion
Still working through this dog ownership thing and a few more questions for your experienced input please.
My wife is very house proud but/and is warming to the idea of a dog - however I'm still in the research phase and wanted to check in on a couple of deal breakers which centre on hygiene and damage to our newly built home.
Firstly would a well kept GSD (groomed/bathed/good diet) still smell ? My wife doesn't want the house to smell offensive...
Secondly would a GSD kept outside for a couple of hours each day in a landscaped garden be likely chew / scratch my new build windows/sills/plants or with the right number of toys would they be ok?
Thirdly, would a GSD scratch ceramic floor tiles?
Thanks
My wife is very house proud but/and is warming to the idea of a dog - however I'm still in the research phase and wanted to check in on a couple of deal breakers which centre on hygiene and damage to our newly built home.
Firstly would a well kept GSD (groomed/bathed/good diet) still smell ? My wife doesn't want the house to smell offensive...
Secondly would a GSD kept outside for a couple of hours each day in a landscaped garden be likely chew / scratch my new build windows/sills/plants or with the right number of toys would they be ok?
Thirdly, would a GSD scratch ceramic floor tiles?
Thanks
Any dog will destroy your garden to some extent. They're no respecters of your carefully manicured lawns or borders: anywhere's good to charge through, or to dig.
Any dog will also destroy your house if bored, and/or left alone. Most dogs - although apparently poodles don't - will shed hair in the house. A GSD certainly will, in profusion. I'd also think carefully before getting a GSD as a first-time owner. They're intelligent dogs which require gentle, but firm, and consistent training.
Smell - that's debatable. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and think that all dogs smell to some extent. However short-coated breeds less so. As a first-timer I'd probably get a greyhound (or saluki if you're willing to brush it). Most people think these require a lot of exercise - they don't. They are the laziest dogs. Stupid though.
Any dog will also destroy your house if bored, and/or left alone. Most dogs - although apparently poodles don't - will shed hair in the house. A GSD certainly will, in profusion. I'd also think carefully before getting a GSD as a first-time owner. They're intelligent dogs which require gentle, but firm, and consistent training.
Smell - that's debatable. I have a very sensitive sense of smell and think that all dogs smell to some extent. However short-coated breeds less so. As a first-timer I'd probably get a greyhound (or saluki if you're willing to brush it). Most people think these require a lot of exercise - they don't. They are the laziest dogs. Stupid though.
I'm not sure "very house proud" and "dog" fit in the same sentence, although it might just be me. 
Ours leaves hair everywhere, drags in all sorts of stuff that gets caught in her coat, tries to sneak in secret sticks to chew, dribbles water all over the place every time she takes a drink, her pee has turned patches of grass yellow, well the patches that are left as she tries to rip it out of the ground given half the chance, she destroyed all the pond plants when she was a pup, now she likes to have a bathe in the pond and cover herself in the muck that's left in there.
Saying that I don't think our house particularly smells of dog, although maybe I'm just used to it. She's never, even as a pup, destroyed anything (unlike the cats!).
Hope I've not put you off! Having a dog greet you every morning is awesome and I'd not be without mine.
Ours leaves hair everywhere, drags in all sorts of stuff that gets caught in her coat, tries to sneak in secret sticks to chew, dribbles water all over the place every time she takes a drink, her pee has turned patches of grass yellow, well the patches that are left as she tries to rip it out of the ground given half the chance, she destroyed all the pond plants when she was a pup, now she likes to have a bathe in the pond and cover herself in the muck that's left in there.
Saying that I don't think our house particularly smells of dog, although maybe I'm just used to it. She's never, even as a pup, destroyed anything (unlike the cats!).
Hope I've not put you off! Having a dog greet you every morning is awesome and I'd not be without mine.
steve singh said:
Still working through this dog ownership thing and a few more questions for your experienced input please.
My wife is very house proud but/and is warming to the idea of a dog - however I'm still in the research phase and wanted to check in on a couple of deal breakers which centre on hygiene and damage to our newly built home.
Firstly would a well kept GSD (groomed/bathed/good diet) still smell ? My wife doesn't want the house to smell offensive...
Secondly would a GSD kept outside for a couple of hours each day in a landscaped garden be likely chew / scratch my new build windows/sills/plants or with the right number of toys would they be ok?
Thirdly, would a GSD scratch ceramic floor tiles?
Thanks
My wife is very house proud but/and is warming to the idea of a dog - however I'm still in the research phase and wanted to check in on a couple of deal breakers which centre on hygiene and damage to our newly built home.
Firstly would a well kept GSD (groomed/bathed/good diet) still smell ? My wife doesn't want the house to smell offensive...
Secondly would a GSD kept outside for a couple of hours each day in a landscaped garden be likely chew / scratch my new build windows/sills/plants or with the right number of toys would they be ok?
Thirdly, would a GSD scratch ceramic floor tiles?
Thanks
Yep .... in fact they're starting to employ larger dogs at places like water/telephone/electric companies - where with a little more training the trait of scratching ceramic floor tiles can be taken to the next level enabling them to dig up roads & pavements.
Wait till it takes a dump in the garden then tries to bury it
. On a practical note, is it you or your wife that will clean up the mess? If its a bi tch then their urine WILL kill your grass & leave patches.
You have heard of toxicara canis? If not:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Toxocariasis/Pages/In...
Yes, dogs scratch, yes, dogs can smell - esp when wet.
If they have issues with their anal glands or an itchy bum they will happily drag their bottom along your nice lounge carpet:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-empty...
Hoovering up dog hairs can become almost a full time occupation - esp during moulting.
Customer of mine is a dealer in small & medium sized vans. He will not under any circumstances buy or take as a p/ex a van that has been used as a dog carrier as you can never get rid of the smell.
GSD are a large active breed & as you were told in your last thread on this subject need a lot of care & exercise over their lifetime. They aren't just something you can pick up & put down as the mood takes you.
A bored dog will try to entertain itself & that can lead to destructive behaviour. Our Golden Retriever - died many years ago - unravelled several hall carpets in her lifetime!
. On a practical note, is it you or your wife that will clean up the mess? If its a bi tch then their urine WILL kill your grass & leave patches.You have heard of toxicara canis? If not:
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/Toxocariasis/Pages/In...
Yes, dogs scratch, yes, dogs can smell - esp when wet.
If they have issues with their anal glands or an itchy bum they will happily drag their bottom along your nice lounge carpet:
http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/how-to-empty...
Hoovering up dog hairs can become almost a full time occupation - esp during moulting.
Customer of mine is a dealer in small & medium sized vans. He will not under any circumstances buy or take as a p/ex a van that has been used as a dog carrier as you can never get rid of the smell.
GSD are a large active breed & as you were told in your last thread on this subject need a lot of care & exercise over their lifetime. They aren't just something you can pick up & put down as the mood takes you.
A bored dog will try to entertain itself & that can lead to destructive behaviour. Our Golden Retriever - died many years ago - unravelled several hall carpets in her lifetime!
Edited by paintman on Monday 30th December 20:56
krunchkin said:
if you're going to be this much of a fanny about the whole business I would strongly suggest you forget the idea frankly
I don't think that's fair - if you don't research enough you get told to leave it and by your account if you research a bit or ask questions you should also leave it - let me know what works for you so I can adjust my approach !!!!We brought our puppy home last Saturday.
First thing he did was jump all over the geraniums and bushes.
I have since pulled out the geraniums and plan on putting grass seed down instead.
He doesn't smell at all (yet), but if he does, he will have a bath.
I have grown up around dogs my whole life and they only get smelly rarely and you just have to bath them.
First thing he did was jump all over the geraniums and bushes.
I have since pulled out the geraniums and plan on putting grass seed down instead.
He doesn't smell at all (yet), but if he does, he will have a bath.
I have grown up around dogs my whole life and they only get smelly rarely and you just have to bath them.
Don't take it personally Mr Singh. A dog, esp a puppy is like a child, only worse.
Be prepared for it to take over. It has needs that, left unfulfilled will result in its poor behaviour & your resentment.
Aside from the regular requisite exercise, it is very likely to collect filth like a magnet & deposit it in the most inappropriate places at the most inopportune moments.
This will include at best mud & worst animal faeces.
It will attempt to chew everything & anything.
Of course, not all dogs slip to this level of depravity on a regular basis, but if once represents the end, then maybe a dog is not for you & Mrs Singh.
Our terrier is drawn to puddles & ditches like a politician to babies candy.
A 10 minute rub down with a towel after every walk except in the droughty season.
It's great that you are asking questions though, so we'll done for that & good luck with it.
Be prepared for it to take over. It has needs that, left unfulfilled will result in its poor behaviour & your resentment.
Aside from the regular requisite exercise, it is very likely to collect filth like a magnet & deposit it in the most inappropriate places at the most inopportune moments.
This will include at best mud & worst animal faeces.
It will attempt to chew everything & anything.
Of course, not all dogs slip to this level of depravity on a regular basis, but if once represents the end, then maybe a dog is not for you & Mrs Singh.
Our terrier is drawn to puddles & ditches like a politician to babies candy.
A 10 minute rub down with a towel after every walk except in the droughty season.
It's great that you are asking questions though, so we'll done for that & good luck with it.
Puppies will mess in the house in the early days.
They will run into the house with muddy paws if not careful. A long haired dog will get wet in the rain (it'll need walking in the rain aswell as the good days) and you will not be able to dry it completely before entering the house, even clean dogs get a wet dog smell. Be prepared for if your dog gets a bit ill it may vomit in the house or worse diarrhoea (which will then stick on its long cost!!)
I had a whippet, very easy to keep clean and minimal smell, but he did have a smell (which I loved to smell on his favourite blanket after we lost him, still not washed it
). And I had to deal with most of the above on several occasions.
Garden damage will depend on the individual dog but expect some same goes for the chewing of furniture etc.
They will run into the house with muddy paws if not careful. A long haired dog will get wet in the rain (it'll need walking in the rain aswell as the good days) and you will not be able to dry it completely before entering the house, even clean dogs get a wet dog smell. Be prepared for if your dog gets a bit ill it may vomit in the house or worse diarrhoea (which will then stick on its long cost!!)
I had a whippet, very easy to keep clean and minimal smell, but he did have a smell (which I loved to smell on his favourite blanket after we lost him, still not washed it
). And I had to deal with most of the above on several occasions.Garden damage will depend on the individual dog but expect some same goes for the chewing of furniture etc.
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