If you could change anything about your dog(s)...

[CrystalGSD]

If you could change absolutely ANYTHING about your dog (physical appearance, health, temperament, literally anything), but it was only one thing, what would you change?

For Crystal, I wish she was less picky and selective about other dogs. I tend to label her as SSA, but that isn't really true... I guess. She's fine with all male dogs, and she's fine with all small dogs. What really riles her up is females her size or larger, she tends to get fearful and defensive with them. I know this is because nobody worked with her much as a pup, so she wasn't socialized well. Anyways, that'd be the one thing I'd change about Crystal.

What about you?

 

[Sekah]

Just one thing? With Cohen, the most contentious issue that results in the most stress in my relationship is that she doesn't settle well inside. I would love if she could turn it on when I needed it and be a couch potato when I didn't. She doesn't need to follow me from room to room, sit next to me everywhere, wake immediately from a deep sleep if I shift to the other cheek, etc.

It's largely a training issue, but it's one that I've given up on fixing at this point.

With Mega... I don't really know. She gets on my nerves in so many different but small ways. I guess the biggest stressor is that she will still periodically pee/poo in the house after long stints of trustworthiness and management. She came to me at 6 or 7 years old with this issue, I thought I'd gotten rid of it when we were living in the apartment for a year but apparently not.

 

[Dizzy]

Freds pasterns. And top line. I love his personality. Even if he is a soppy stupid get.

Bodhi nothing. She's not perfect but I just love her warts and all

 

[Laurelin]

I would make Summer young and make Mia be healthy.

 

[k9krazee]

I would eliminate Crossbone's worries and weird fears.

 

[MicksMom]

I'd get rid of Caleb's allergies.

 

[*blackrose]

I would give Cynder the love of play. She's always so serious and uptight all of the time, it's a rare occasion for her that she actually let's loose enough to play (and she never plays with toys).

(Or I'd get rid of her MegaE. She is doing so well lately it is almost as If she doesn't have it, which is why I didn't say that immediately.)

With Abrams, I would make him not an excited/submissive urinater. He only dribbles and has gotten better with age, but holy cow is it annoying.

 

[BostonBanker]

With Meg, either make her young again or immortal. The only other thing I would change might be to get rid of her dog issues, but they aren't a huge deal.

With Gusto, I would amp his drive up about 200%. I think the other issues (little too soft, little too worried, little too affected by my mistakes) would be managable with more drive. Or start him over again at 8 weeks and fix my mistakes. But I am not sure I would live through his puppyhood again!

 

[Red.Apricot]

I'd take away Elsie's sound phobia.

 

[straw]

I would get rid of Venice's stranger danger.

I mean, she's come a long way but every now and then a person will come along that totally spooks her, and it breaks my heart to see her that scared of someone.

 

[Julee]

I'd make Em immortal. Or at least live as long as I do.

Copper wouldn't have her rain phobia.

Shadow... I don't know. Shadow's fine enough.

Bloo would be a little more social with strangers and a little more accepting of other dogs. And not outrageous with cats.

 

[sassafras]

I would like Maisy to be good with other dogs.
I would like to wave Pip's anxiety away.
I would like Squash to have less prey drive.

 

[Southpaw]

Juno - would make her not anxious about life.

Happy - would make her not be most sensitive dog on planet.

Cajun - would give her better dog socialization skills. And an awareness of her body.

Lucy - just... stop being stereotypical small dog. Lol.

 

[Linds]

Traveler: get rid of his counter surfing completely without having to always manage it.

Didgie: get rid of her motion fixation in how it presents with other dogs.

Fergus: HE NEEDS AN OFF SWITCH NOW

 

[JacksonsMom]

Hmmm... ONE thing? I guess it's a tie between his noise sensitivity... I would love to make him not so stressed when he hears thunder, fireworks, gun shots, anything similar, etc. I hate seeing him stressed, panting, pacing and hiding. It's not a huge part of our every day life, so technically it's not a huge deal 85% of the time, but when it does happen, I feel so bad. He also tends to run away and hide from his problems and doesn't want to be held/close to me which worries me if there was an emergency.

And I guess sort of along the same lines so maybe it's 'one' thing but his fear of strangers touching him. He's fine out in public and very confident and will even allow a petting from a stranger occasionally if I use 'go say hi' but I'm more talking about professionals... like, he's had the SAME mobile groomer for 4 years now, and I know she is wonderful with him, but he still expresses his anal glands and shakes the minute I pick him up to bring him in her truck. Same thing with the vet, he gets sooo beyond scared. Any time he's had to have a procedure, he comes back with a wet butt from expressing his glands and panting so heavily due to stress.

I don't mind his aloofness, in fact I kind of prefer it to over-friendliness, but it's the big fear that makes me so sad for him to see him that stressed. So yeah that's what I'd take away. And then honestly, he'd be nearly a perfect dog to me.

 

[elegy]

Steve's storm phobia
Bean's BARKING
Luce's bad knees
Hambone's barking

 

[Doberluv]

I'd change it so these Poodles were easier to train to stop yapping so much. Maurice yaps when he is playing...chasing Matisse and it's so annoying. They're both alarmists and bark easily at things...very shrill and loud. I've been working a little on "enough" but it's really hard to make much head way.
They're very determined little dogs. They're more yappy than my Chihuahuas have been.

Otherwise, I love everything about them. They're fearless, friendly to dogs and people, so fun loving, smart as can be, learn new things in just a couple repetitions. But they do have a mind of their own sometimes and need some creative motivation and you can't ask them to do things too many times in a row...boring. lol.

 

[sassafras]

Fergus: HE NEEDS AN OFF SWITCH NOW

The more I hear about Fergus, the more I think you have a Squash on your hands.

 

[LostAndConfused]

Hudson would be more impulse control. I know it is mainly as training thing and we really don't do much so it is mostly a non-issue.

 

[Finkie_Mom]

With Kimma it would be to get rid of her random assortment of fears.

Jari it would be to get rid of his reactivity. We're almost there but man I had hoped that after Kimma I would never have a reactive dog again. SO much management, even though his reasons are because he wants to play whereas hers were because she was afraid.

Bubbles, I guess it would be for her to understand what LLW is after 2+years of working on it LOL.

Pen it would be to have him not hate Jari so he could be back home