# If you could only have one animal as a pet .What would it be and why?



## mike taylor (Jul 30, 2016)

Let's see where this takes us . My animal would be a Red footed tortoise. They always make me smile even when I'm having a really bad day.


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## Tom (Jul 30, 2016)

A male malinois. Why? Because they can do _amazing_ things in the right hands, including warding off attackers and keeping me and my family safe. There are lots of neat pets out there in the world, but nothing is going to give a person return on investment like a good dog.

Glad I'm not limited to one pet in real life.

Here is my boy doing his thing at work:


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## ZEROPILOT (Jul 30, 2016)

Yep. I'm with Tom.
A dog is a no brainer for me.
But maybe something sturdier than my current 2.4 pounder.


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## mark1 (Jul 30, 2016)

a dog , as zeropilot said , "no-brainer" , seems natural . the connection is unmatched in nature ......... we've evolved together ....... zeropilot , all that 2.4lb'er needs to do is bark , that's all mine need to do , after that they're the least of your problems .......


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## dmmj (Jul 30, 2016)

a monkey! Why, because everybody loves monkeys.


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## GingerLove (Jul 30, 2016)

T-rex. Nuff said.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 30, 2016)

Misty! I'll be totally lost when her time comes.


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## lisa127 (Jul 30, 2016)

ZEROPILOT said:


> Yep. I'm with Tom.
> A dog is a no brainer for me.
> But maybe something sturdier than my current 2.4 pounder.


You can send her to me. That's my breed!


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## saginawhxc (Jul 30, 2016)

Tortoises may be becoming my hobby of choice lately, but dogs are my true love.

I have two and would have a whole pack of we had the space and money.


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## Pearly (Jul 30, 2016)

Maine Coon cat!

my Baby Boy Maxi here is begging for his catnip treats


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## MichaelaW (Jul 30, 2016)

Tom said:


> A male malinois. Why? Because they can do _amazing_ things in the right hands, including warding off attackers and keeping me and my family safe. There are lots of neat pets out there in the world, but nothing is going to give a person return on investment like a good dog.
> 
> Glad I'm not limited to one pet in real life.
> 
> ...


I absolutely love the breed. Do you own one?


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## leigti (Jul 30, 2016)

Yvonne G said:


> Misty! I'll be totally lost when her time comes.
> 
> View attachment 181925


A dog would be my choice. I love all kinds of animals but there's nothing like a dog.
I had a dog named Misty, had her 17 years.

sheltie cocker spaniel cross as far as we could tell.
And this is Aspen, she will be 15 in October. Springer Lab cross


My next dog will be a German Shepherd guide dog.


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## leigti (Jul 30, 2016)

dmmj said:


> a monkey! Why, because everybody loves monkeys.


Here you go.


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## Pearly (Jul 30, 2016)

leigti said:


> A dog would be my choice. I love all kinds of animals but there's nothing like a dog.
> I had a dog named Misty, had her 17 years.
> View attachment 181939
> sheltie cocker spaniel cross as far as we could tell.
> ...


Awww! I love senior dogs! And senior people! And senior every living thing. There's something very endearing about all that earthly youthful vibrant beauty being replaced by stillness of wisdom...your dogs are very cute. And german shepherd guides are awesome. I am sorry about your vision troubles. I hope you get your guide dog as soon as you are ready for one. I know you will love him(or her)


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## leigti (Jul 30, 2016)

Pearly said:


> Awww! I love senior dogs! And senior people! And senior every living thing. There's something very endearing about all that earthly youthful vibrant beauty being replaced by stillness of wisdom...your dogs are very cute. And german shepherd guides are awesome. I am sorry about your vision troubles. I hope you get your guide dog as soon as you are ready for one. I know you will love him(or her)


I wish dogs lived 50 or 100 years. It is so hard to lose them. I have been very lucky and had mine for a long time. I won't get a guide dog until Aspen is gone. She is the center of the universe and would really be ticked off if another dog came along. She has hip dysplasia a front legs also. It's getting harder and harder for her to get up and move around. I know a hard decision is coming. But she's lasted a lot longer than I ever thought she would when she first got diagnosed. So I'm doing the best I can to keep her comfortable and happy.


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## Pearly (Jul 30, 2016)

I'm sure you are doing Glucosamine and all that


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## Pearly (Jul 30, 2016)

Some people have also had good results with acupuncture which can help them with pain quite a bit


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## Pearly (Jul 30, 2016)

leigti said:


> I wish dogs lived 50 or 100 years. It is so hard to lose them. I have been very lucky and had mine for a long time. I won't get a guide dog until Aspen is gone. She is the center of the universe and would really be ticked off if another dog came along. She has hip dysplasia a front legs also. It's getting harder and harder for her to get up and move around. I know a hard decision is coming. But she's lasted a lot longer than I ever thought she would when she first got diagnosed. So I'm doing the best I can to keep her comfortable and happy.


Oh I know! I just recently lost my 17 yr old kitty girl, and another one who's 15 is showing the signs... It is extremely hard to let them go over that Rainbow Bridge. I used to have a dog, little golden cocker spaniel girl whom I got as just 6 wk old puppy while I was 16. We were both growing up while being "joined at the hip". I had brought her to America when I was moving here in 1989, lost her to cancer 3 yrs later... I was devastated and took me a long time to get through the grieving losing her


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## mike taylor (Jul 30, 2016)

So most will pick man's best friend.... The dog ! I have dogs a so called wolf pack . Two Boston's,One English,one black lab ,and two mix breeds . Yeah six dogs crazy right . But all of them are good at keeping the yard safe . My bulldog is good at eating an farting . But the lab will not let strangers in the yard at all . He's the king .


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## Pearly (Jul 31, 2016)

Is farting an English bulldog thing? My friend has one who is a big lap dog and insists on sleeping with her mom which is normal to me. My dog used to sleep with me and now I love to have my cats around. So one time I was spending night with her and we had to share her bed for few hrs... Well, Beulah Mae (the Bulldog) was a fart machine!!!! I thought I wouldn't live to see a daylight! It was TERRIBLE!!!! In the morning once I didn't have to worry about waking up my friend I catapulted out of that bed and couldn't run fast enough outside to get some fresh air. My friend didn't seem to be bothered. She said after a while she stopped noticing it


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## Tidgy's Dad (Jul 31, 2016)

Tidgy.
Just Tidgy.


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## Pearly (Jul 31, 2016)

Tidgy's Dad said:


> Tidgy.
> Just Tidgy.


Haha! My grandorts fart too. Very evident in their bath


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

dmmj said:


> a monkey! Why, because everybody loves monkeys.



Yeah. You've never had one in your house...


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

Pearly said:


> Is farting an English bulldog thing?



Not usually. Its a Boston Terrier thing though. Just give them a drop of "Bean-O" on their food and it takes the smell away. You should tell your friend with the stinky bulldog.


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

MichaelaW said:


> I absolutely love the breed. Do you own one?



I'm down to two. Amazing workers. Terrible pets.


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## Pearly (Jul 31, 2016)

Tom said:


> Not usually. Its a Boston Terrier thing though. Just give them a drop of "Bean-O" on their food and it takes the smell away. You should tell your friend with the stinky bulldog.


Haha! I will!


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## MichaelaW (Jul 31, 2016)

Tom said:


> I'm down to two. Amazing workers. Terrible pets.


What is their job to stay busy with you?


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## Gillian M (Jul 31, 2016)

Tidgy's Dad said:


> Tidgy.
> Just Tidgy.


Oli, and just Oli.


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

MichaelaW said:


> What is their job to stay busy with you?



I train animals for movie and TV work. My mals work frequently and usually accompany me to work even when other animals are working. I also do bite work with them regularly. Its what they live and breath for.


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## Momof4 (Jul 31, 2016)

Definitely a dog!! 
I can't imagine not having one or two or three


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## Gillian M (Jul 31, 2016)

Momof4 said:


> Definitely a dog!!
> I can't imagine not having one or two or three


I guessed it would be.


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## mark1 (Jul 31, 2016)

over the years i've known a few dog breeder/trainers from your part of the country that have produced and trained some really impressive dogs, the dogs of theirs that i have known were all bulldogs , they did also have the furry ones too ...... you might know a couple of these guys ,maybe all of them ? Matt Boyd , Al Banuelos , Marcel Harnois , Tom Riche , Joe Lucero and Jose Lopez come to mind ...... did you breed your own dogs ?


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

mark1 said:


> over the years i've known a few dog breeder/trainers from your part of the country that have produced and trained some really impressive dogs, the dogs of theirs that i have known were all bulldogs , they did also have the furry ones too ...... you might know a couple of these guys ,maybe all of them ? Matt Boyd , Al Banuelos , Marcel Harnois , Tom Riche , Joe Lucero and Jose Lopez come to mind ...... did you breed your own dogs ?



I know Al and Jose. Al is an amazing trainer. Jose is an amazing decoy.


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## leigti (Jul 31, 2016)

Pearly said:


> Some people have also had good results with acupuncture which can help them with pain quite a bit


The closest acupunctureist for dogs is an hour away and I can't drive. She takes gabapentin Rimadyl and tramadol. And liquid health glucosamine 5000. And she eats a raw diet. So all of that together seems to be working.


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## Rue (Jul 31, 2016)

It would be a very tough choice. 

Dog probably. ..parrot is a very close second...cats third...

My old age is already planned: I will have my parrots and my tortoise. ..mostly because I won't have to walk them or struggle with kitty litter bags...lol. At the very least I should be able to handle changing the paper and cleaning water bowls...*keeps fingers crossed*


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## Team Gomberg (Jul 31, 2016)

A well balanced dog, hands down.



Our faithful old man here.  love this guy!


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## mark1 (Jul 31, 2016)

Tom said:


> I know Al and Jose. Al is an amazing trainer. Jose is an amazing decoy.


i figured you know some of those folks , maybe some of the others you'd know through their dogs ..... matt boyd owned hi-jumpin mike , schlll , and off him has produced a lot of titled dogs . banuelos got predator from kyle symmes , off him he got ike and nikko ....... kyle symmes is another west coast guy , his dog rattler was chance in the movie "homeward bound" ..... Tom Ritchie like Jose was a highly respected decoy ..... Jose has produced some hard AB's and owned some historic dogs........lucero , bred and trained bandogs ....... marcel has titled ab's in about everything you could title a dog in , his dog malo you may know ........ all of them real dogmen and trainers , in a profession filled with hacks and frauds ........ you wouldn't happen to know the Bybee's?


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

mark1 said:


> you wouldn't happen to know the Bybee's?



I don't think I know them. I might know their faces or their dogs names. I stopped in 2008 because OJ resigned as West Coast Director of PSA and that was my club.

I think very highly of both Jose and Al. Al helped me prep for Nationals one year and I won first place with both of my dogs in two different classes. The guy is amazing. Jose is second to none in a bite suit. I have great respect for his skills too.

How about Luciano? Great guy, and he paid me a compliment when I first started in PSA that I'll remember with gratitude for ever.


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## mike taylor (Jul 31, 2016)

Pearly said:


> Is farting an English bulldog thing? My friend has one who is a big lap dog and insists on sleeping with her mom which is normal to me. My dog used to sleep with me and now I love to have my cats around. So one time I was spending night with her and we had to share her bed for few hrs... Well, Beulah Mae (the Bulldog) was a fart machine!!!! I thought I wouldn't live to see a daylight! It was TERRIBLE!!!! In the morning once I didn't have to worry about waking up my friend I catapulted out of that bed and couldn't run fast enough outside to get some fresh air. My friend didn't seem to be bothered. She said after a while she stopped noticing it


I'd say yes . My Boston's and the English bulldog fart all the time . They say it's from getting to much air as they choke down their food . So you turn their food bowls up side down so they eat slower . Then put them outside for a bit to run off their food . Then they come back in and crash in their bed .


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## MichaelaW (Jul 31, 2016)

Tom said:


> I train animals for movie and TV work. My mals work frequently and usually accompany me to work even when other animals are working. I also do bite work with them regularly. Its what they live and breath for.


Very cool! How well do you think they would do with long distance running? I'm actually going through the process of adopting a German Shepherd mix. Very intelligent dog.


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## KaitlinKeefe_ (Jul 31, 2016)

I already have him 

my cat whiskey, he's my cuddle buddy and is really more like a dog then a cat. he's a little over 20lbs and so love able



great drinking buddy too lol just kidding


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## Tom (Jul 31, 2016)

MichaelaW said:


> How well do you think they would do with long distance running?



I think they'd do as well as or better than any breed out there, but remember, they are a working breed. Not suitable for house pets.


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## leigti (Jul 31, 2016)

MichaelaW said:


> Very cool! How well do you think they would do with long distance running? I'm actually going through the process of adopting a German Shepherd mix. Very intelligent dog.


If you want to do long distance running get saluki or a German shorthaired pointer


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## mark1 (Aug 3, 2016)

Tom said:


> How about Luciano? Great guy, and he paid me a compliment when I first started in PSA that I'll remember with gratitude for ever.


 i only know Lucillano by name and some of his dogs , Jose spoke of him highly . i believe norcal's had one of his dogs .....


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## Crzt4torts (Aug 3, 2016)

I am going with a Maine Coin mix cat! I love dogs but cats are more tolerant of my crazy schedule.


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## Eileen Turpin (Aug 3, 2016)

I'm a Bulldog girl, all of them my current a Frenchie, I have Raylan for personal safety he's a Glock 21


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## Alexio (Aug 3, 2016)

I feel like a tortoise traitor but I'm going to have to vote ball python. They are so much more comfortable being held than a tortoise. 





This is Lightning watching tv on the couch.


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## Crzt4torts (Aug 3, 2016)

Alexio said:


> I feel like a tortoise traitor but I'm going to have to vote ball python. They are so much more comfortable being held than a tortoise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Wow


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## Pearly (Aug 5, 2016)

KaitlinKeefe_ said:


> I already have him
> 
> my cat whiskey, he's my cuddle buddy and is really more like a dog then a cat. he's a little over 20lbs and so love able
> 
> ...


Omg!!!! Love him! Love white cats! All of them really!


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## Turtleneck123 (Aug 5, 2016)

Tomas <3


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## mike taylor (Aug 16, 2016)

So mostly dogs and cats . That sure is something.


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## Crzt4torts (Aug 16, 2016)

mike taylor said:


> So mostly dogs and cats . That sure is something.


I love reptiles, but just have never found the interactions with them to be as (personable?) as interactions with dogs, cats, even horses, and rodents ( rabbit, Guinea pig, etc).


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## Pearly (Aug 16, 2016)

.


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## Pearly (Aug 16, 2016)

Alexio said:


> I feel like a tortoise traitor but I'm going to have to vote ball python. They are so much more comfortable being held than a tortoise.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I think your snake is really cool, but surprised that your tort is not comfy being handled. Well it probably helps that our babies have been handled DAILY since they were tiny hatchlings. Our torts are totally cool being handled. The only thing they don't care for much is having their hind legs or tails messed with.


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## jockma (Aug 16, 2016)

Parrot! A medium to small sized conure to be exact. Parrots are my favorite pets. I love how expressive they are, it's therapeutic for me as someone who can't communicate well with people.

I'd love to get a Camelot macaw someday but I'm still on the fence about hybrids and I like smaller birds because they're easier to play with. That and there's less risk of losing a finger.


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