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While it isn't so bad online, still hate these type of topics... but getting it over with...

The usual stuff...
35 male, sharing a home with my sister (while not a twin, might happen that she'll get here one day too... she's worse...). Was about 11 years old when I promised never ever to breed and seems to have been a wise choice.

Therapist already suspected the result before tests were done and knew a bit too well how my life seemed to have happened. Sometimes I think the result is ok, sometimes I still find but it helps that at least 'it' has a name. The only thing surprise to him was that I never had been in therapy before. Some teachers tried (at least after finding a school where they weren't part of the problem) but as in some other posts, parents were afraid i'd end up in the loony bin (more honestly keeping a 'normal' profile was important and everything strange is bad for business).
Didn't even go to see him for this, but to somehow stop trying to think about killing myself. I won't, I can't (tried too often and still remember my mother's face when she realized how close it got 20 years ago), but I can't get it out of my head either. (and even doubt this diagnosis helps for that bit). At least at 35 they stop telling you 'this is the best bit of your life'... Telling someone it doesn't get better doesn't really help.
(so far the emo bit, might even start to like twilight soon)

So been reading a bit too much about this and some parts that always return don't really seem to fit (they used to)
The one thing that is certainly true is that I never really liked people. While my parents certainly weren't bad (on the contrary but they just didn't know what to do), I remember being put in time-out for not greeting customers (after a while they learned to live with me being shy). At my last highschool I went missing or kept far away from everyone during recess and when this got noticed and became the reason they did suggest getting help (mostly because during classes all seemed to be rather ok).

I used to be sensitive to sound, could fi. predict when a tv would break down or was on standby instead of really off by the whistling of the current (translating the real parts is a bit difficult but guess you know what I mean). Alarmclocks right next to my bed is also a no go. But this isn't that often a problem now. Lucky thanks to cnc courses and heavy noisy machinery this is less of a problem.
Different conversations at the same time is hell. Sometimes focussing on one helps but helping out in callcenter is now forbidden for me (my real work is a mess when this has to be done). Altough it sometimes feels like i'm an invalid and they do not have the manpower and budget for this, I'm really glad my employer does take my craziness in account (unfortunately I know they won't be able to keep that up). It is rare to work for people that sometimes seem to know you better than you know yourself (and live in constant fear about who will betray who in the end).

Even the endless sleepless nights holding conversations with people that aren't there, redoing them, making conversations that never really will happen... or will have a totally different outcome... seem to be part of this. (didn't even mention that to psych... and it fits)

Those bits match... joy... but...
I have no real thing that I focus on (anymore?). I'm a computer engineer, according to many not even a bad one. But I really lost most of my love for that. Still spend more time as could be considered normal on a computer but mostly just to kill time. Even tried leaving the sector but obviously with no luck. Yes I did grow up loving computers more than people, catalogued everything (ok... still do...), spend days and night poking around and even fingers are slightly crooked due to growing up with square mice. I do collect stuff (not to hoarders scale tough.... probably due to lack of budget but still...)

I'm not a perfectionist. I do go crazy when I make mistakes but make them soo often you can't call it perfectionist.

I do have some sort of humour (i'm not a windows engineer, so I need sarcasm and a synic view to live in my ever dwindling niche. I just call that reality). No calendar or practical jokes but playing with words, dragging them out of context and such (stuff you can't really repeat, moment needs to be there). While most of this is based on making fun of myself, not taking myself too serious (and cursing because noone else does...) was a defence and a way to make life easier in classrooms (and work sometimes isn't that much different).
I hate being seen as a guru (shaving would probably help), even when I try just being normal and fitting in. (IQ test: "you are on the happy side", happy really is in the middle, happy is just plain normal, perhaps high is even the worst outcome)

well... too much info but hope to get some sort of grip on life.

uhm... and yes... the normal bits...

Living in Belgium, Europe (for as long as it still exists, if it breaks this bit will be Flanders)
I do read a lot, mostly fantasy (Pratchett, Hobb, Holt,...), sometimes classics (used to be afraid of them... school required reading ) and collect Tiny (very macho.... Belgian children's books)
Have 6 dogs (3 chinese cresteds, 1 inherited jack russel, a schipperke and poodle rescue) and 3 cats (but I'll deny involvement)
Used to do modell building and considering taking that up again (an attempt to get away from comp more often), if not only to keep cnc skills up to date (aka it will fail keeping me from comp....)
Love zeppelins (the airship type) but combining that with above will be a challenge...
Like beer but you'll be surprised that I'm not really the pub going type. (+ chimay fan so more sane to cherish that at home) and not an extremely bad cook (only should take more care in presenting)

(not all of the above are as active as others, dogs work best since they do ask for their time or you make cleaning kitchens a hobby)

Hi Ponder! Welcome to Wrong Planet! Check out the many interesting and helpful forums here. You are among friends here at WP!

HI, I like Chinese Crested dogs-- are yours hairless or fluffy? I think both are adorable. Love dogs. Can talk dogs for hours. It is one of my obsessions. I think my obsessions kept me alive much of my life. There was always something fun to set my mind on so I could stop thinking about the parts that were miserable.

My husband talked about being suicidal as a kid. The teachers and other students made school hell, a couple members of his family made home hell, the school kept insisting he was crazy and ret*d, his neighbor insisted he was a mental case, and he kept getting punished for no reason he could figure out.

He decided that even if they were correct and he was really dumb, he figured he could do well enough to feed, cloth and house himself and not have to be a burden on society, and he decided his ability to enjoy life on his own terms was sufficient to be worth keeping alive for it. Since he figured he could enjoy life and make his own way that it would be OK and he decided not to kill himself.

Teen years stunk like a rotting corpse of a skunk. However, middle age isn't so bad. Amazingly, it gets better as you get older.

Welcome to Wrong Planet!

1 puff, 1 hairless, 1 who is officially hairless but really a puff. One sure thing... they are more crazy than I am. (short version) When checking out breeds, powderpuffs (the hairy types) made it to the shortlist, seeing hairless life (they are often ugly on pictures) changed her opinion. Met breeder, bought hairless pup, I got bitten by his powderpuff halfbrother (already dumped by 3 buyers 'we found a hairless elsewhere'... puffs are not popular) and it was bringing him home or loosing my hand. Since I buy most of my t-shirts in a pet shop, it isn't a real secret and a safe hobby. If you don't overdo it, walk around in doggy t-shirts covered in doggy hair all the time and order grooming equipment to be delivered at work. At least it keeps the allergic people at a distance (unfortunately it attracts others).


My grandfather litterally asked me to stop trying to kill myself because it was bad for business (and that was only the first public attempt) but in general home wasn't that bad (not even him). We were usually kept well away from life and entertained ourselves, can't blame parents since well... we didn't really ask to go somewhere and they rarely forced us Punishment was extremely rare (thanks to a quite hippy young mother I presume).

I've had Bichon Frise for many years so I think the puffs are adorable. I like the hairless too, but the puffs just are so darn cute. It is too bad that people don't appreciate them. My ex was into showing so at one point we had 15 dogs living with us and had to have a kingsize bed so there was room for the dogs to sleep with us. I liked the dogs, the ex hated me, it was good when he left. I hated showing, but love training for obedience.

I've also had schnauzers and as hubby is a big dog person and I like all dogs, the next family dog will be a giant schnauzer. But not yet, we've a couple things too up in the air to add a dog. For one thing, it wouldn't be fair to the last two Bichons I have who are getting older, and an elderly cat who is my last because hubby is allergic and the kids are not yet big enough for a big dog puppy in the house. But after two years of discussion we have chosen our breed and I have been confirming our choice through chats with people who live with them.

Why is dog hair on the clothing a problem? I didn't follow what you said very well. I don't mind dog hair and neither do my friends or they would not be friends.

Having lived with both a large pack and smaller numbers of dogs, I like having one dog that is mine and if another family member wants their own dog, I don't mind multiples but would rather not groom more than one.

After years of keeping up with a house full of show coats-- I use clippers on my dogs and we do not do fancy coats but very very very short ones that do not require blow dryers after baths!

We don't show anymore. Like obedience more as well, only the 2 oldest went to school tough. When most were on holiday, I've had trainings with 2 great danes and me with one powderpuff
Depends a lot on the dogs as well, the fake hairless has the attitude more for show, one gets carsick easy so doesn't move at all when on show. Now I only visit sometimes but haven't entered in years.
Showing was more my sister's hobby (also did agility with the hairless... badly but was fun ) and she also had to quit for health reasons.


not exactly makes for a clean work look but i'm not really bothered either


With schnauzers and (belgian ) bichons , I can imagine you have enough work People often comment that the hairless don't need work, but you could be surprised



Since I did go to grooming classes (also strange story of probably overreacting, enlisting in grooming classes because one person complains to your breeder...) I do have to point out that that really isn't healthy for them and can bore you to death on that topic. But I do understand, still better than no grooming at all (had to do so myself as well so complaining too much would be hypocritic). Not sure anymore but think bichon was (like poodles) an exception to that rule anyway (but a definate official 'never' for the schnauzers & clippers )

Hairless need a lot of skin care, so no, not at all easy. I find stripping a Schnauzer much easier than dealing with the full coat on the Bichon. I never was very good with scissors. A really short cut is so much easier, it stays out of the eyes better and can be allowed to curl without all the matting that happens when the hair is longer.

The dogs I have now are very happy to see the clippers. They don't enjoy the fancy coats. Their uncle had 11 best of breed wins and HATED his coat, happiest day of his life was when I gave him a buzz after he retired and he was over-joyed. He was so bored showing that he would fall asleep in a stack and if the handler didn't fluff him to wake him up he would fall over when the leash was tugged. Another lovely dog I had was so vain he would check himself in the mirror. If ANY dog was getting a bath, blow dry and scissoring, he would line up and insist on being done too. If you didn't, he would know they looked nicer, get depressed and refuse to eat. I never clipped him!

I've had Bichons that liked to do obedience and others who did not. I once told one lovely sweetie that I wanted him to do Agility-- we were watching the dogs perform at the time, and he looked at them, looked at me, looked at them, then moaned and put his head under my arm. Needless to say we did not do agility!

Welkome to WP

Mick

Heard a similar story of an afghan that was shaved nearly completely naked. Used to go up to their room and whine in front of the mirror


Sounds like my Irix "Don't even think about it". Not only the owner but dog should like it as well. Sometimes jealous at dogs who just seem to do just whatever their boss likes. While basic training should be for all dogs, some just aren't that sporty. I have a shephard that is afraid of sheep and a very dumb poodle so even breed descriptions don't really match the individual dog (With my luck I'd be stuck with a labrador that won't do anything for me and a lazy border collie if I'd actually selected breeds for sports )

I chose a border collie years ago because of the pups on the sheep ranch, two lay down in the shade at watched the sheep and the third came and sat in my lap and cuddled-- I took the one who was going to flop as a sheep dog home with me to catch frisbees.

I think for performance, you need to select the individual dog for that event. If a breeder has Volhard tests done on their litters, they can pretty well tell you which pup is going to excel at training, or as I think my dog thinks, "stupid human games"

Or you can just to to a shelter and bounce a ball, looking for the responses. A dog who clearly wants to come play with you can be taken out for more interaction and you can test a bit. Clicker work is fun, but so is just tossing the ball and seeing how the dog works with you. I think once a person has had a couple of dogs they get so they can feel if there is potential for a good partnership there.

A breeder is stuck with choosing from each litter they produce, but if you seek a dog for training together, you can seek in shelters and at as many breeders as you can get to visit with you and have a much broader range of individuals from which to choose.

Dogs are always a great topic.

Since I haven't been here in some years, a small update.

Irix is dead (died peacefully about 1.5 years ago).
The quest for an official diagnosis continues but on the right track now. Kept postponing the appointment (more honest, failed in asking for a day off and stick to it every time) but too much at stake now.
Ran off from work (if only they knew and believed how much I liked all of them) with the intention to end everything but they contacted emergency services so ended up in epsi (psycho emergency) instead. Social services are now aware of our situation and neighbors are probably wondering about the police checks.

Condolences on your loss. Hope you make your next testing appointment.

I had to put my elderly dog to sleep last week. It is sad but my middle age dog now gets all the attention. It feels odd to only have one dog.