It's spring. I have mumble jumbles of questions.

My brain is starting to get hyperactive after winter.

There are suddenly loads of things I want to do that comes with loads of other questions. So I will just get it out of my head here.

1. I want a puppy. Anyone have a small dog in small apartment? How's it like?
2. I'm buying $15K worth of stuff soon for new apartment. Considering a credit card to get points so I can travel using points, any recommendations?
3. Where do you plan to do on Xmas holiday?
4. What's your plan next year?

What's your plan this spring?

EN710 said:

My brain is starting to get hyperactive after winter.

There are suddenly loads of things I want to do that comes with loads of other questions. So I will just get it out of my head here.

1. I want a puppy. Anyone have a small dog in small apartment? How's it like?
2. I'm buying $15K worth of stuff soon for new apartment. Considering a credit card to get points so I can travel using points, any recommendations?
3. Where do you plan to do on Xmas holiday?
4. What's your plan next year?

What's your plan this spring?

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Too much red cordial for you!!

1. Dunno
2. Find the best one with point bonuses - then weigh up the annual cost of the card. Westpacs Black Altitude will give you 40,000 points as a bonus but the annual cost is not cheap/
3. We are heading to Japan about 2 weeks after Christmas. Osaka then skiing in Sahoro. Weeeeeeeeee
4. 2 developments. But I'll probably need to buy them this year to get the timelines working

Don't get a puppy. Apartment living is a pain in the neck with a dog. It will chew up all your $15,000 worth of new stuff. You will need someone to mind it on your Christmas holiday. Is your building even pet friendly?

Where do you see yourself in 1 year? 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? Because that's how long a dog lives. Forget lengthy overseas travel or moving overseas. Forget staying in hotels. Forget sleeping in. Forget eating a meal peacefully.

EN710 said:

My brain is starting to get hyperactive after winter.

There are suddenly loads of things I want to do that comes with loads of other questions. So I will just get it out of my head here.

1. I want a puppy. Anyone have a small dog in small apartment? How's it like? get a kitten thats already been house trained, much more suitable
2. I'm buying $15K worth of stuff soon for new apartment. Considering a credit card to get points so I can travel using points, any recommendations? need to spend alot more points to travel than that use cash and bargain better
3. Where do you plan to do on Xmas holiday?
4. What's your plan next year? keep enjoying life

What's your plan this spring?

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answers in red, keep playing sport, play with my puppy and do a bit of study

@westminster
CC - has been looking around and paralysed by choice due to the features...Am thinking about American Express Platinum Edge. Though will have a look at that 40K point... (hahaha).

Japan - *squeeee* Awesome!! Foooooddd!!

Development - Do you have enough time before next year?


@ Luce
Yes the dog is still in very early consideration. Need think on how we can care for it and train it properly. I don't want a stressed and lonely dog with broken $15000 of stuff (my partner will explode).

In 1 year --> still working as usual, travel every now and then.
In 5 years --> Not sure.... hopefully property grow enough so I can cut back work by one day a week? I'll be in Oz though unless this country changed a lot. Visited my home country and Singapore last time and still think Australia offers a lot better lifestyle.
10 years --> Rich and have bigger house, take holiday all the time?? (hahaha)


@sheenlastic
Was thinking of kitten... since cat is usually more independent, so it might not get too lonely.
Re credit card ;_; how much should I spend on a CC??
Study --> what's the topic?

Spring plan:

Try to void the tsunami of Spring Carnival promos and news.

Enjoy the warmer weather and get outside more.

luce.rocks said:

Don't get a puppy. It will chew up all your $15,000 worth of new stuff. Forget staying in hotels. Forget sleeping in. Forget eating a meal peacefully.

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I disagree on the above. Talking from personal experience, if it's well trained and loveable, you won't have a problem. I have the advantage of working from home so I could keep an eye on things, which was critical during her infancy. I'm proud to say our labrador never chewed anything up, apart from her own toys. She sits quietly on her mat in the corner while we eat, only getting fed after us. Both of our parents love her and are always 'dog sitting' while we go away, so no problems there either. Two years on, her impact on our lives has been nothing but positive.

Your issue is mostly with your accommodation. You'll need to walk and tire it out at least twice a day during infancy. If you're not at home with it during the day then you may have a problem. You have to be prepared when getting a dog, such as having a plan if you wish to go away for an extended amount of time, and devoting the necessary time per day to feed, walk and play with it. Good luck if you do decide to get one!

We got a Miniature Pinscher runt of the litter over 8 years ago. She was so small she did nil damage. She likes walks but can live without it. She loves nothing more than cuddling on your lap with a blanket. When we take her to the dog beach she'd rather sit on a towel than run around. Maybe being a runt is the key to a quieter dog as I've seen over min pins at the beach running around. I don't agree with some reviews that they may not be good with kids. they are easy to take away on holidays as they are so compact, can easily sleep in a cat carrier.
http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/factsheets/Dogs/Miniature-Pinschers/1398
Some pics of them have ears and tails cropped which I don't like.
http://www.dogzonline.com.au/breeds/community/miniature-pinscher.asp
http://www.pups4sale.com.au/miniature_pinscher_pups.htm

INVSTOR said:

We got a Miniature Pinscher runt of the litter over 8 years ago.

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I must add that ours was the runt of the litter too.

BayView said:

Try to void the tsunami of Spring Carnival promos and news.

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Haha, I don't think there are that many festivals in Spring. Except today of course....

jaspn said:

Your issue is mostly with your accommodation. You'll need to walk and tire it out at least twice a day during infancy.

Good luck if you do decide to get one!

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Thank you Jaspn, will it work if I do it very early morning and after work?
Might need to look for a dog walker or place to take care of the dog when we're on holiday. I'll have that covered before we get one.... and if the upcoming BC will allow pet at all (I hope they will!!)

INVSTOR said:

Maybe being a runt is the key to a quieter dog as I've seen over min pins at the beach running around.

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I'm thinking more of a Pomeranian or Spitz, but I think the lesson is to look for a runt of the litter which usually smaller and calmer

I have a 13yo golden retriever who was very destructive as a young dog. She even chewed holes in the walls! She calmed down eventually, but took a long time. She is now very well behaved and is a much loved family member.

I'm not sure how you would go with a dog (even a small one) in an apartment - nothing wrong with them being inside, but they definitely need some time outside each day. You would have to be committed to spending lots of time outside.

jaspn said:

Two years on, her impact on our lives has been nothing but positive.

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No disagreements there. I just want the OP to know that they are a lot of work, and can be really inconvenient (much like children). Too many puppies end up abandoned because people buy them on a whim or have no idea of how much work really goes into having a dog, training it, keeping it healthy, etc.

I don't want the OP to buy a puppy because 'it's spring'. And I don't want the OP to buy a dog without thinking about how that dog will fit into her life in the next 15 years. That's why I was trying to point out some of the potential negatives of getting a puppy.

EN710 said:

Thank you Jaspn, will it work if I do it very early morning and after work?
Might need to look for a dog walker or place to take care of the dog when we're on holiday.

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This will satisfy his/her energy burning requirements, but I'd be a little worried what will happen during the day when you can't keep an eye on things. In that situation you'd have to expect a certain amount of property destruction.

Don't be fooled, they are a lot of work if you want an animal that integrates well and is responsive to its master. Any dog will love you unconditionally, but with this in place, your dog will be able to spend more time with you and your family, thus be more content. It's taken a lot of patience getting my dog to where she is today, but the reward far outweighs the effort and if I look back I wouldn't have it any other way.

luce.rocks said:

I don't want the OP to buy a puppy because 'it's spring'. And I don't want the OP to buy a dog without thinking about how that dog will fit into her life in the next 15 years. That's why I was trying to point out some of the potential negatives of getting a puppy.

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No disagreement here too Luce There will be no dog unless I know I can responsibly take care of it for years. Had one when I was a kid, they're absolute pleasure, but yes, lots of work, but back then I had parents and entire family taking care of it as well, and the house is bigger. Hence why I wonder if it will ever work out in apartment.

jaspn said:

This will satisfy his/her energy burning requirements, but I'd be a little worried what will happen during the day when you can't keep an eye on things. In that situation you'd have to expect a certain amount of property destruction.

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Yes.... this will need a lot of thinking....

jaspn said:

Don't be fooled, they are a lot of work if you want an animal that integrates well and is responsive to its master. Any dog will love you unconditionally, but with this in place, your dog will be able to spend more time with you and your family, thus be more content. It's taken a lot of patience getting my dog to where she is today, but the reward far outweighs the effort and if I look back I wouldn't have it any other way.

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If you are really thinking of getting a dog (and I think they are fine in apartments, my grandmother always had them in hers), read the guides on Before you get Your puppy and After you get Your puppy from this site. The most important thing I've read from this (I'm about to get a puppy) is that you need to give them something to do during the day so they suggest giving them Kongs which you stuff food in and they have to break into in order to get it out. They suggest that you do that as the only way of feeding your dog for the first six months so they learn to occupy themselves during the day. The people I've spoken to from the Pet rescue centre swear by this method. I'll be trying it out when I get my puppy next week

http://www.dogstardaily.com/free-downloads

Thank you luckyone, reading half of Before you get your puppy book - it's really informative

Please let me know how it goes with the Kongs

EN710 said:

I'm thinking more of a Pomeranian or Spitz, but I think the lesson is to look for a runt of the litter which usually smaller and calmer

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Do heaps of research on breeds. I'm not interested in woolly dogs as I don't want to spend much effort on grooming and trimming or dogs that shed heaps so I try to choose low shedding dogs.

Little dogs usually take heaps more effort and patience toilet training.

Both of my current dogs are runts and rescue dogs from surrended pregnant dogs.

My sis has a Pomeranian x Maltese x that her friends bred. She is a cutie. She has fur rather than wool but has a shave in the summer to keep cool.

INVSTOR said:

Do heaps of research on breeds. I'm not interested in woolly dogs as I don't want to spend much effort on grooming and trimming or dogs that shed heaps so I try to choose low shedding dogs.

Little dogs usually take heaps more effort and patience toilet training.

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Need to be small as it will be apartment... and yes, if I decide to do it, means I need to already have the commitment to train and spend the time

Grooming is ok, I'm sure grooming the dog for 30 mins will feel lots better than to spend 2 hours on computer after work...

INVSTOR said:

Both of my current dogs are runts and rescue dogs from surrended pregnant dogs.

My sis has a Pomeranian x Maltese x that her friends bred. She is a cutie. She has fur rather than wool but has a shave in the summer to keep cool.

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Lovely ^^

If you had told me when I was 20 that I'd one day be besotted by poodles I wouldn't have believed you,

They are smart, devoted, non shedding, don't get smelly. Good with kids. Love to swim. RTWD can surf on a boogie board and loves to sail with me.

They do need a clip every few months but that is no big deal. Easy enough to do yourself. Just cut off all the bits that don't look like a dog and you are fine.

Range of sizes from gorgeous standards to delicate little teacups, I wouldn't recommend one of those with kids.

Mine aren't even real poodles, they have a bit of cocker in them just to make them trendy and add a bit of hybrid vigour.

I wouldn't touch a Maltese anything. They have the highest rate of biting because they can be a bit high strung.

Mine are awesome watchdogs and RTWD chased a prowler down the street a couple of years ago as she heard him on the verandah trying to steal an old chair and I opened the door to let her get a piece of him.

Same dog follows me into half the local shops here and smooches up all the old ladies in the pharmacy. She really does have a sense of looking after the family and home and normally is a very affectionate girl. The other day at the dog beach there was a baby just sitting on the sand. RTWD bolted over and just lay down next to it. The baby proceeded to poke and prod her.

Ever since RTWD had pups she has been very maternal towards kids and puppies.

She loves a run, walk or swim but if we miss a week she doesn't care in the slightest. Just as happy lying on her chair all day within sight of me.

As a pup she followed me down the drive to get the paper. Within the week she was bolting down to drag it back to me, paper was bigger than her. I didn't need to toilet train her at all. A couple of accidents only because she couldn't get outside in time but that was it.

Best dog I have ever owned. Or even known for that matter.

Quick update - checked with the OTP project manager - the strata will allow one dog without needing approval from OC.

So next step is to speed up my own education on dog and save some funds.

Contacted several breeders - still waiting for response though.

Simon said:

They do need a clip every few months but that is no big deal. Easy enough to do yourself. Just cut off all the bits that don't look like a dog and you are fine.

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Uhm.. I will go to groomer and ask... things that attached to the dog other than fur looks like dog

Simon said:

As a pup she followed me down the drive to get the paper. Within the week she was bolting down to drag it back to me, paper was bigger than her. I didn't need to toilet train her at all. A couple of accidents only because she couldn't get outside in time but that was it.

Best dog I have ever owned. Or even known for that matter.

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How do you find toilet training the pup?