Head vs heart decisions?

TwyfordM

TwyfordM

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What are you supposed to do when a dog totally steals your heart 🤦🏼‍♀️ but it's maybe not the right time/sensible?

I'm currently looking after my friends stud dog as she's in hospital, he's very nervous having been born just outside Kiev in Ukraine during the war. Then transported by random people to Poland before being flown to the UK.

Nobody bar me and friend are able to touch him let alone pick up/put harness on etc and that's only through sheer patience.

He's super submissive and sweet, there's no nastiness in him he's just very nervous. Takes his confidence from you completely.

He is like Velcro to me, happy as Larry if I'm around, looks at me like the sun shines out my backside, has to be touching me (work from home today - he's made a bed under my desk to keep a paw on my foot at all times 😍) jumps into my arms at any opportunity. Will ride around on my shoulders like a parrot all day if I let him (he's teeny - weighs nothing) if I sit down he just curls in somewhere near me.

Never known anything like it!

Gets on well with Miek (his son 4 months old, who is annoying as hell but tolerates him) and my greyhound Lucy quite likes him too, so he fits in the household fine. Miek actually seems to be learning things from him quite quickly

Friend is looking to downsize the breeding she's doing and has been unable to find a Prague ratter girl (so few around) so she was thinking of rehoming him to a quieter household due to his nervousness, which I think is the right call for him. I thought he wouldn't be able to settle here but been proved wrong as he's quite happy!

Am I totally mad to consider taking him on full time?! 😳🤣🤣m

I wanted to stick to one dog - now I'm considering three ...
 
CorvusCorax said:
I wouldn't neuter a very nervous dog.
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This I'm on the fence with - he does mark. But has been considerably less since he's not with girls/other entire males.

But also he's a very rare breed so taking a dog with good bloodlines off the stud market who could potentially boost breed numbers? Wouldn't be a money making thing, but there are so few of them around I almost feel bad ...
 
Amymay said:
I think you need to decide whether he’s going to be a pet or a stud dog….
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I'm honestly not even sure if there are any female Prague ratters in the UK they are so few and far between. I'd have to do some research

I've only ever had neutered males who haven't previously bred. So not sure on what's best in this situation.

Mieks getting the chop ASAP. 🤣🤣
 
TwyfordM said:
This I'm on the fence with - he does mark. But has been considerably less since he's not with girls/other entire males.

But also he's a very rare breed so taking a dog with good bloodlines off the stud market who could potentially boost breed numbers? Wouldn't be a money making thing, but there are so few of them around I almost feel bad ...
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For a rare breed stud dog with good bloodlines, it might be worth checking if there might be any potential interest to use him outside of UK, maybe via AI. Some quick googling on Pražský Krysařík/Prague Ratter says that between 2007 and 2022, a total of 1414 Pražský Krysařík have been registered in Sweden (as I understand it, first in a provisional register, and since 2019 in the official SKK register), and I think there might also be some in Denmark, Finland, and Norway.

Anyhow, having balls doesn't mean that he have to use them, and I agree with CorvusCorax, because castrating him will remove hormones that are involved in calming and serotonin uptake. The result from a survey published 2022 showed that the "surgery increased the number of dogs that were fearful of unfamiliar dogs/humans, as well as dogs with sound phobias, while decreased the prevalence of hiding behavior. Castration greatly decreased incidences of roaming, mounting and urine marking as well as the dog’s overall activity."
 
FinnishLapphund said:
For a rare breed stud dog with good bloodlines, it might be worth checking if there might be any potential interest to use him outside of UK, maybe via AI. Some quick googling on Pražský Krysařík/Prague Ratter says that between 2007 and 2022, a total of 1414 Pražský Krysařík have been registered in Sweden (as I understand it, first in a provisional register, and since 2019 in the official SKK register), and I think there might also be some in Denmark, Finland, and Norway.

Anyhow, having balls doesn't mean that he have to use them, and I agree with CorvusCorax, because castrating him will remove hormones that are involved in calming and serotonin uptake. The result from a survey published 2022 showed that the "surgery increased the number of dogs that were fearful of unfamiliar dogs/humans, as well as dogs with sound phobias, while decreased the prevalence of hiding behavior. Castration greatly decreased incidences of roaming, mounting and urine marking as well as the dog’s overall activity."
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That's interesting, he's very jumpy of sounds as it is (understandable given where he's come from) he's very friendly towards other dogs but is reserved and holds back, he's used to living in a pack and is absolute bottom of the pecking order. People he doesn't know, he bolts. He's very scared of strangers.

He doesn't mount anything that isn't in season. Very polite little gentleman actually 🤣
 
MurphysMinder said:
It sounds like an ideal solution for this little guy. I know you say it is down to his start in life but personally using a dog who sounds so nervous is not ideal. You may have to neuter Miek later rather than have 2 entire males but I agree with others, best not to castrate him.
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Miek only has one ball at the mo 🤦🏼‍♀️ so given the risk with retained ones, I want it done as soon as possible.

He's also full on, confident, sassy and is already humping toys 😂 plus he's a cross breed, so he's not staying entire!
 
I have to ask (amazed no-one else has) but why did his owner use him as a stud if he's nervous? I know the dam's temperament is more important but I'm always reading about how it's not advised not to breed from nervy dogs.

Maybe chemically castrate and see how it goes. I regretted getting Zak done, I agree with people who say it removes their brave pants.
 
Cinnamontoast said:
I have to ask (amazed no-one else has) but why did his owner use him as a stud if he's nervous? I know the dam's temperament is more important but I'm always reading about how it's not advised not to breed from nervy dogs.

Maybe chemically castrate and see how it goes. I regretted getting Zak done, I agree with people who say it removes their brave pants.
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See my post re using a nervous dog.
 
Cinnamontoast said:
I have to ask (amazed no-one else has) but why did his owner use him as a stud if he's nervous? I know the dam's temperament is more important but I'm always reading about how it's not advised not to breed from nervy dogs.

Maybe chemically castrate and see how it goes. I regretted getting Zak done, I agree with people who say it removes their brave pants.
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He's a very rare breed, and likely nervous due to the first 6 months of his life being born into a war zone and transported by random people across the war zone to Poland before being shoved on a plane to uk 😳

His pups are all the polar opposite, confident and cocky 😳🤣

He's settling here and coming out of his shell more and more too 😊
 
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