I have an interesting take on this subject as my husband and I did alot of research and just bought an sony wega lcd (widescreen and HD ready) We DO NOT have cable or satalite. Now most people think that we would be crazy to get a HD tv without the cable and just use air however the Air channels come in BETTER! we are even using the same stupid bunny ears for reception that we used on our old tv. Not only that we were so surprised that we can get 18 channels now, compared to the five we had before. WXXI has about 3 HD air channels and we get a local weather channel!!! My husband loves it. The HD air broadcasts are much better looking on the tv than the non-hd. Our tv doesn't stretch the images though however I understand that not all tv's have the same scaling so it is important to research this first. Our DVD's look awesome too and the sound it much better than our old tv. Although it was expensive I am really enjoying it. We saved up for a while and did alot of research first and I feel we made a really good choice. I was really impressed with the new plasma and lcd technology. We chose lcd because it has a much lower power consumption than plasma and is not prone to burn in like plasma (although this isn't so much a problem anymore) The sony has a usb port (awesome!!!!) so I can hook my camara up to it and view videos and pics. Also you can hook a computer up to it and use it as a computer screen. This is great for my husband who likes to work on it. Our previous tv was 26 inches and now we have a 40 inch widescreen. It is a big jump however and although i was worried about the channels coming in poorly they come in much better and look better! We really only use our tv for DVD's (hence us deciding on this specific tv). We stopped going to the movies long ago because they play commercials (which make us SO mad). We decided we would save our money and then buy a nice tv so we can enjoy our movies at home commerical free! I think the most important thing to do is think about what your tv will be used for most often and then do research to figure out what kind of tv will be good for you. If you are playing video games alot then you really need a tv that is different than if you are watching dvd's only. -renee

Lukkirish, I choose not to abuse my dogs with shock collars and other painful devices and methods. Not sure what your vet's opinion has to do with this as vets are not behaviorists. Educate yourself on the subject. I have. Gee Cynthia, I was trying to be nice with my replies but since you prefer to get nasty, I'm happy to be equally as blunt. If you can't understand why a Vet would have an opinion about how a puppy or dog is cared for, you are more clueless than I originally thought. :c) I know several Vets and they aren't in the business they're in for the money. While making a decent living is always part of the equation, most Vets become Vets because of their love of animals. Most are involved with them some how outside of work too. It's also really obvious that you have very little knowledge about this topic as well. More specifically, you have no idea what the credentials of my Vet are nor the relationship I have with her so who are you to comment on it? FWIW, she owns several dogs and IS very involved with training and local rescue chapters; more than most. I appreciate that she is engaged with her patients and their families. Her advise on general care and behavior training for our puppy has been invaluable. We followed her advise and now have a super happy, well adjusted, fully trained and non destructive dog. Hmmm...it would seem that maybe you don't have a Vet who is involved in the WHOLE care and life quality of your dog. Is that why your expectations of a Vets knowledge outside of the clinic is so low? We are not abusers and go to great lengths (and expense) to ensure our girl is properly cared for. I take issue that you would imply otherwise. NEWS ALERT! Shock collars are not used with invisible fences. A collar that CAN shock is. There is a difference! Of course you're entitled to your opinion, it's just not an educated one. LOL

Please do not leave the dogs alone together. It very likely will end very badly. tiffduke, training will help only to a certain extent. We have been through this. You never know when it will happen - and not just over food. vjtrees - I realize that your posting was from October 2017. I hope for your Dacshund's sake that the Mastiff is now back with your daughter. Please be aware that punctures on the back of the neck need to be checked out by a vet and perhaps meds prescribed to avoid blood poisoning. Dogs, whether they be big or small will go for the back of the neck to ensure that the dog being attacked is trapped. Two of our Dachshund's were attacked in this manner. My heart froze when I saw our big dog holding our Dachshund by the back of the neck and shaking him. There was no reason for it and I should already have left the house - fortunately I had not. The Dachshund was a major Alpha - much to the displeasure of our big dog, who was not alpha. I should point out that our Alpha Dachshund took care of all of his siblings and was not "bossy" with them. Jump forward a few years and we had the same situation - our then Alpha Dachshund was attacked by his Dachshund sibling - who wanted to be an Alpha. They finally seemed to work things out when the little troublemaker attacked our Alpha again. Yet our Alpha did not want to hurt the Alpha-want-to-be. And the attacker knew it. Also, never try to remove the innocent dog without him/her realizing it is you. My husband learned this the hard way - our innocent pup thought he was being attacked attacked on all sides. I hope all is well. We no longer have a Dachshund and I miss them every day.

This is what I have learned thus far. Purebred dogs are bred as such so that a person knows what they are getting when they buy a puppy. For example, tempermenmt, size, coat considerations, and required living conditions. The reasons breeders breed purebred dogs are entirely their's personally and somewhere in their reasons is the adherance to a breed standard (usually). Not a bad idea if a breeder can successfully pull this off. However, this does not guarentee the personality of a purebred dog. Generally speaking, temperment is what they are bred for, personality is something they are born with and grow in to. For example, I have been breeding shelties for many years and can tell you that, as a breed, shelties are not "in your face" dogs, they are more cautious and sensitive, they prefer to be beside you at all times, they bark as they are bred to drive stock and alert, they have a double coat which requires lots of grooming and they shed, they are very affectionate, happy dogs and are extremely smart and easy to train. They can develop skin problems, eye problems, hip issues, and a few genetic diseases more exclusive to shelties. That said, this is the case with all purebred dogs, of course, each to their own breed. Reputable breeders will generally strive to produce healthy, balanced dogs with an emphasis on temperment and genetic soundness. To acheive this, a breeder will put in the best in nutrition, health care, housing, training and everyday care which is not only a financially costly venture but a time consuming one. Why?, because they love doing it! Placing our puppies in the "right" homes is the hard part of the whole process. In a nutshell, this is what I have learned about purebred dog breeders. Mongrels are and always will be a dime a dozen as a dog will do what comes naturally no matter who their choices are. That said, this is why the shelters and streets are overflowing with unwanted and uncaredfor dogs. :( Most of those animals are just as loving as any purebred or designer dog ever bred! And ALL are deserving of love and a caring home. Designer dogs is s whole different story and one I am not impressed with personally. Designer dogs, that is dogs bred purposely to create a dog to fit the fad at the time, are not bad dogs. They are dogs like all others. People in their infinate wisdom decided to make dogs a fashion statement or novelty! Like we don't have enough breeds to choose from and we don't have enough hoomeless animals out there that we have to create more. Cotons are an excellent example IMO! They are not a registered breed and are therefore a designer dog! Cute, fluffy, friendly little dogs that they are, it is sad that people are breeding them for "their" own gain!!!!! And the sadest part is that other people are willing to shell out the cash for one to carry around on their arm like a Gucci purse! In addition to the insanity of desiner dogs is the fact that many (NOT ALL) of these poor little dogs are bred in so called "puppy mills" ( I call them "sweat shops") home or otherwise, to satisfy the market demands!! Sick! I won't go any further with my ideas or understanding of how new breeds are developed and come to be as I have probably already said more than necessary. You asked a lot of questions BalTra and I hope to give you my honest thoughts and opinions. I am very passionate about the lives of animals and any other living creatures we have been so blessed to share our planet with. I agree with eahamel in all of what was shared. My suggestion is that you carefully research breeds you may be interested in. The internet is full of information. As well, contact breeders, go see their homes and dogs, and ask TONS of questions. Be careful of breeders who offer health guarentees (check it out carefully as you cannot guarentee health on any living thing)but don't dismiss genetic testing and medical history of the line. Most reputable breeders are more than happy to share their knowledge and expertise on "their " breed and specifically their line, and many have experience with other similar breeds. Myself, I encourage potential owners to visit my home prior to and shortly after puppies are born to learn as much as they can and get to know where their baby is coming from. I owe that to my puppies. They come first and I will do everything I can to ensure I find the right fit. Unfortunately , we don't always get the opportunity to pick a puppy this way so we take our chances. Contrary to what we would like to believe, animal sheltiers can only give us a good guess as to what breeds may be included in a mongrel and what their temperment may be like after spending a limited amount of time with them. We have to take a chance. I believe that very few dogs are "bad" dogs and that it is most often the ignorance or neglect/disinterest of the owners that creates an unruly or hostile dog. Baring in mind also that breed inherant traits and characteristics will always be. You can't expect the average border collie cross, for example, not to herd somewhat. It is as natural for them as it is for a retriever to retrieve and like water! There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Some breeds don't shed as much as others and some have dander that is closer to falling out of their hair (probably why you are more responsive to short haired breeds). If the dog is kept clean and groomed and is fed a quality food with hopes of producing less dry skin, your chances are good you will not react alergically. Some breeds like Poodles, Shih Tzu's, Terriers and such don't generally drop as much coat but require clipping and/or lots of grooming to keep their hair from matting. There are many breeds to choose from and therefore, you have the advantage of getting pretty close to the perfect dog. Only you know your lifestyle, habits and requirements of your pet. IMHO, the perfect dog can only come about by listening to your gut and following it. Your dog will hear that instinctively! I hope I have been helpful and not too wordy. Good luck with your search. It will be an adventure and an exciting one that will end in pure joy with lots of love and puppy kisses ^^^^^ A short story I found that I will share with you that just tugs at my "breeder" heartstrings. Puppy sighs This is one of the neatest stories. You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end (you'll want to share this one with your loved ones and special friends)! "Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this," the mother told the volunteer. "What is it she keeps asking for?" the volunteer asked. "Puppy size!" replied the mother. "Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for." "I know...we have seen most of them," the mom said in frustration .Just then Danielle came walking into the office. "Well, did you find one?" asked her mom. "No, not this time," Danielle said with sadness in her voice. "Can we come back on the weekend?" The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed "You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply," the volunteer said. Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. "Don't worry, I`ll find one this weekend," she said. Over the next few days both mom and dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. "It's this weekend or we're not looking any more," Dad finally said in frustration. "We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size either," Mom added. Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren't permitted. Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, "Sorry, you're not the one." It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer. "Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!" she screamed with joy. "It`s the puppy size!" "But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks," Mom said. "No not size ---- the sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed," she said. "Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!" The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both. "Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms," she said. Then holding the puppy up close to her face she said, "Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!" Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day. They are the sighs of God. Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear. "Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." Good luck Ginny Garden Gairden's Shelties Edmonton AB Canada