Keeping cats inside helps a lot with worms and ticks, plus, it keeps them from killing birds or toads or whatever and dragging them home for you to admire. It's just healthier for them.

An Akita makes for a great guard dog and at the same time a lovable companion. Through experience, Akitas are one of the best dogs to have, as well as Golden Retrievers, and occasionally Rotweilers. Also, unless you're planning on using the dog for hunting or some sort of show, don't crop it's ears and tail.

I'm not a cat person, but if you're going to be on your own I see no problem. Too bad you're not for Siamese, I was going to recommend getting one of those.

get a slog! not really i prefer cats, dog are just mean!

Ugh. I thought you were banned.

I had a warning because i was mean, well thats the old me, i didn't know how to act on a fourm!


I WOULD LIKE TO SAY SORRY TO ALL THE PEOPLE I WAS MEAN TO LAST YEAR!

That type of behavior will never be forgiven or forgotten.

I've had (as in, my family's kept) three cats in my lifetime, and two of them have disappeared without a trace by just plumb running away.

Luckily, the cat we have no has some sort of Feline aspergers ( or it's, y'know, winter) but I'd only let it out if I was reading on the porch or something and could keep an eye on it.
I'll certainly look into it, but I'm kind of set on a Whippet at this point. I do have a long list of "Dogs to adopt if you can't find anything else" and I'll add an Akita to it.
I don't hate Siamese, but from experience they're far too vocal. I seem to remember having a bit more prejudice against them than that but I guess that's it, again, I'll keep them in mind.

I will jubilantly disagree. Dogs are some of the most sociable, friendly and pants-shittingly adorable animals to ever grace this Earth. While some do seem to have a bad case against them (Pit Bulls, most notably) I find it hard to see why a dog barking at me from behind a fence is 'mean'. A puppy is not born to attack you. Typically it's the owners.


You know that 'Dog Whisperer' guy? I hate his guts. I think that he has this disrespectful and 'clinical' streak in dealing with dogs and he's just a dick in general. Fucking dick.

EDIT: did my research, Akitas seem nice, but I don;t need a long-haired hunting dog that bores easily. Nobody likes hanging out with a mirror.

Cats don't really love you they just get food off you while dogs are social and consider you as a fellow member of the "pack".

Shut the hell up.

My cat loved me heaps. We'd spend cold nights on the carpet in the living room, watching Robot Wars together...

*sniff*

I still miss her!

No, she just found that sitting on your lap was convenient, warm and a good way to get extra attention.

So why did she lick my nose?

Quiet, you'se, cats are still great.

Did it elicit a response the cat would have found favourable? If so: congratulations. You were trained by your cat.

I sneezed.

Cats like that?

I don't know your cat. Maybe.

Still, I was freezing. Why did she come over and warm me up when the heated armchair was cozier?

I believe they do show affection and love for an owner if you show it to them. Sure, you can look at it as just getting things from you, but it's no different to a kid hugging his mum and getting a new transformer in return.

Aaaand... I agree with you entirely. Thankyou for proving my point.

Only a fragile human mind is capable of producing something as Insipid as love.

Oh, that's just too cynical for words.

Yeah, similar emotional attachments have been observed in the behaviour of other species, too. But it is difficult to use the word "love," because this runs the risk of anthropomorphising other species, which is scientifically irresponsible.

I don't know if ole' Canadia is being hit hard with bullshit BSL or not, but if not, get a pit bull. They're an amazingly smart and loyal breed. Easily trainable, and eager to please.

The best part is that there are a ton of them in need of a home, so finding one you like won't be hard. Mine is fairly muscular, and she only weighs about sixty pounds.

I know all they get is bad press, but seriously, consider it.

Yeah, in Canada you can only adopt a pre-existing specimen.

Well that seems like a fairly decent policy. If California BSL took a turn in that direction, I might applaud it. Backyard breeders are ruining the breed.

Pit Bulls are great. There was one at the Humane society who'd been there for a year and a half. She was an awesome little dog, but had come from a puppy farm (Thank you SPCA, you were the nicest coworkers I had) and had distended nipples. it was pretty gross. But this old couple adopted her for Christmas.

I didn't really consider one, but you've got a ton of solid points there. I'll give it some thought.

You too could be the proud owner of an incredibly dignified couch potato:

http://b4.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/0...93001014_l.jpg

That creature contains the darkest thoughts known to canine-kind. I would not call that expression dignified. Demonic is what comes to mind.

Hell yeah, short hair. None of that Australian shepherd ass combing bullshit.

I'm sorry. Really.

http://i43.tinypic.com/onssy.jpg

I own two Muscovy ducks and they are darlings! (This photo was from they were just little ducklings.) Ducklings will actually take you for their mothers and follow you EVERYWHERE. This probably isn't what you're looking for, though... :p

I've only heard good things about pit bulls, so go for it! As for cats... I used to like cats, but if you're an active person, you might want a dog. I don't want to upset any cat-lovers, but it just feels like dogs love you more. It is like that old joke: when you pet a dog, it thinks, "you're God." When you pet a cat, it thinks, "I'm God."

LOOKITTHALITTLEDUCKSAHUEHUEHUEH

I personally wouldn't get a bulldog, I believe one of the worse breeds for physical and genetic problems.
A mongrel would seem best for health, temperament and individuality, since breed is irrelevant to me, to a degree. Small dogs tend to be more aggressive and annoying (Jack Russels being prime examples), while larger dogs tend to be calmer.
A whippet will be heavily dependant on space available and time, since they require much more excercise than many other dogs for obvious reasons. Other large or sporting dogs are similar in this respect.
Pit bulls don't deserve the bad press, other breeds are just as likely to be aggressive in similar ways, just the media has centered on them and given them an unfair image.

Thinking about ducks and thus birds, have you considered a parrot?

Parrots make terrible pets for young people.

Wait until you actually own a home before you even consider it.

I thought Dobermans were the worst breeds for physical and genetic problems. Or, it may just be physical, because aren't their skulls too small for their brain and their brains keep growing? They are one of the breeds most likely to turn on their owner.

Bulldogs are only like that if you raise them incorrectly, because most of the bulldogs I've known and seen were very tame and friendly.

I think he meant the fact that bulldogs have been bred for various physical features that result in them being unhealthy, particular wrt breathing issues.

I suggest that everyone read "WE3" by Grant Morrison. It's about 3 bio-weapons created from a kidnapped Dog, Cat and Rabbit. I can't explain much other than it's absolutely brilliant.

I'm considering getting Mastiff just because of it.

Don't.

I'm considering getting a poodle because of Hulk.

If you put a poodle in a microwave, it blows up.

The mastiff eats one of the good guys and is put in the worst light. I was just being sarcastic.