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meraki24601 · 1 year

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OMG omg is it too soon to ask for a part 2 to the last Drabble you wrote?? (Sibling caretaker and whumpee) the cliffhanger was crazy

LOL definitely not too soon friend. I wanted to write a second part anyway, but I wanted to make sure people liked the first part before I did. Enjoy! (Also I'm not good at tagging people but here @tettlod!)

Part 1

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A New Pet Part 2

Whumper’s fingers twisted sweetly but securely into my hair as I clung to the trashcan pressed against my chest. Any stray strands were caught before they could drop into my face. “It’s alright, Caretaker, don’t try to fight it. I should have known this surprise would be too much. Trauma isn’t something to mess with. I’m sorry.”

Another wave of nausea rushed over me as I made eye contact with my younger sibling. Their eyes darted away from mine the instant they met, but not before I could see the recognition behind them.

“You kidnapped Whumpee.” My voice ground from my throat. All I could do was keep the disgust out of my tone. This was dangerous ground. The way Whumper’s fist tightened in my hair was evidence enough.

“I rescued them. Caretaker, Whumpee isn’t human anymore. Your parents took that from them. Do you think it was bad during your childhood?” Whumper released my hair, their hand dragged down my face instead and curled under my chin to force my gaze on them. “I asked them, Caretaker. I asked them what it was like after you left. Before I broke them of their bad habits, I needed to understand them. You taught me that.”

A shiver ran down my spine as Whumper shifted to sit on the floor beside me. Their chest pressed against my back, and one hand rubbed my still churning stomach. Their free hand dipped into my pocket and pulled out my phone. My lock screen was me and Whumper holding my two rescue cats. “A feral animal is only dangerous when it feels it is in danger. If an animal has been hurt by its owners, it will bite you when you try to show it love.

“When you left, your family hurt Whumpee. Look at the scars on their skin. There’s a surprising beauty in the savage pattern. I hope one day you’ll show me yours. They’re older and cleaner, aren’t they? Whumpee told me how the beatings changed. Rough, more often. They took away their food. Locked them in the tiny closet where I found them. They’re dead, by the way. Your parents? It was quick. You don’t have to worry anymore.”

The world around me spun as Whumper lifted me to my feet. “You don’t need to be afraid of Whumpee either. I can feel you shaking. It’s okay. I’m here. Their training isn’t fully complete yet, but I promise I would never put you in a situation where you were in danger. You mean too much to me.” Whumper’s steady support was the only thing keeping me upright as we walked to the elegant cage. “I was lost without you, Caretaker. Before I found you, my business was on the brink of failure. My old pet had to be put down, and the new one refused to take my training. The mansion was drowning in chaos, and the staff was uncoordinated.”

“I gave you advice.” The ringing in my ears was getting worse. “I taught you new consequences for your rescue pet’s bad behavior.”

“A breakthrough!” Whumper’s grip disappeared as they danced around me. The cage rang as I gripped it desperately, trying to stay upright. Whumper didn’t even notice as they ran their hands over a shelf of black boxes. “The other rehabilitators were shocked when I showed them what you taught me. Your technique is now used worldwide to help people with disobedient or stressed pets.”

My heart pounded in my chest. Whumper was insane. This was beyond just one kidnapping. I’ve been a personal assistant to a high-ranking member of a human trafficking ring. Not only that, my name had been spread worldwide.

Whumper wasn’t stupid. They might have been turning their back on me for a moment, but when I looked everywhere they moved, their eyes followed me in the reflections around the room. If they decided they didn’t like my response, I could be the next person in a cage. I had to keep them talking until I could compose myself. A whole childhood of hiding emotions and pain was about to come in handy. Add on the past years of practice I had managing people and learning to connect, and there was a chance both Whumpee and I could make it out of this alive.

“How did you find my parents? They were off the grid. I couldn’t even find them.” It wasn’t a strong start but, it was enough to get Whumper talking.

They rambled as I fully took in Whumpee’s state. Some of their wounds were open and bleeding lightly. They didn’t move except for a small shiver against the cold air in the room. If I didn’t know them, I would have said they were completely empty where they knelt. Dissociating or somehow absent from the terrible conversation surrounding them.

It was a lie. They were there. They were fighting.

I could see the tension leaving Whumper’s shoulders as they talked and moved around the clean, newly renovated basement, seemingly pleased with my continued questions. They gathered boxes onto a cart and set up a medical table in the corner of the room. It took them nearly 15 minutes before they seemed satisfied with their preparations and moved back to the cage.

The cage door opened. Whumper was cautious, failing to hide the knife in their hand as they allowed me to pass into the cage. “I meant it when I said I wanted us to train our new pet together. This is a new start for all of us, and there’s no one I trust more to handle this. Do you want to greet them?”

Silence but the sound of my footsteps took control of the room. As I walked into the cage, listening carefully for the sound of hinges closing behind me, Whumpee deepened their kneeling position until their head touched the floor, tilted slightly where their neck was exposed. A thin scar barely touching their neck and leading down their collarbones stole my breath away.

The scar was the sister to the one on my own shoulder. A three-year-old scar that reminded me every day of when I finally had enough. Father had been drunk. Mother was gone. Father threw his bottle at Whumpee, cutting them. I jumped between them. He didn’t like it. Whumpee simply stood there as he used the glass shards to carve deep into my shoulder. When he finished, Whumpee yelled at me for not stopping him before they got hurt. That it was my fault.

We argued. I left.

Now was my chance to make up for that. First, I had to buy myself time to prepare.

I didn’t have to make my voice cold as I spoke to Whumpee for the first time in three years. “Look at me.”

Whumpee didn’t move. My hand wrapped around the back of their neck, scruffing them like a cat as best I could while pressing my thumb into their matching scar. “I said, look at me.”

Their face stayed blank, but I could see hope build behind Whumpee’s eyes as they followed my order. They heard the truth in my words as I spoke, “You’re safe now, Whumpee. We’re going to take good care of you.” I would always take care of my sibling, and they knew it. It was just like before. Once I could take control, I would get them to safety, no matter the cost.

“Whumper,” I asked, “Those were medical supplies you were setting up, right? I hate to ask you to leave our new pet so soon, but I would appreciate it if I could have a moment alone with them. Would you help me get them on the table? I’ll be done by the time their wounds are bandaged.”

A grin broke out on Whumper’s face as they joined us in the cage. Whumpee tried to flinch away, but I kept my grip sturdy on their neck. I had to take control.

“You’re sure, Caretaker? This must be a lot for you at once. I don’t want you to overwhelm yourself. Some of their wounds are deep.” Whumper questioned as they helped me. They honestly seemed to be worried about my PTSD.

I pulled the neck of my shirt aside, showing Whumper the scar on my shoulder that now gave me courage. “I have plenty of experience caring for injuries. I need a moment to figure out what I want from our pet. I’m sure you have ideas, but I’m new to this. Some time to process would be great, and then we can start writing up a plan for the future.”

Whumpee whimpered as Whumper chained them to the medical table they had set up. A tear rolled down Whumper’s cheek as they looked down on my younger sibling. “You really are amazing, you know that Caretaker. To think, I was worried you would run from me.”

Blood smeared across my cheek as Whumper brushed my hair out of my face. They leaned in slowly and kissed my forehead. “I’ll be waiting for you upstairs. There are cameras in here. If you need anything, anything at all, just call. I’ll be here.” They walked away, closing and locking the door behind them.

Part 3

#whump #whump fic #whump scenario #whump writing #rescue #whump tropes #whump ideas #whumpee #caretaker #whumper #abused whumpee #past torture #pet whump #whump blog

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fatetcrn · 2 years

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Some Absolutely Random Alistair Things: Childhood Edition

Didn't have a surname. ( even now he is extremely reluctant to refer himself as a Theirin ) When it was absolutely necessary he went by Guerrin which only upset the Arlessa further.

Was an energetic child, strong swimmer and a reckless and daring climber. Would often return from his galivanting with miscellaneous injuries and sporting new scratches, scrapes and bruises. ( and then he would get a sharp switch on his hand for running off and neglecting his chores.... worth it! )

As soon as he was old enough he would help as a stable boy, cleaning out stables and feeding and grooming horses. He also helped a bit in the armoury and daydreamed about when would be able to fit the armor he had to polish up.

Collected little carved wooden soldiers, horses and a menagerie of mythical creatures. They each had a name and a story.

He lived in his own head, even when busy with chores he was off on some adventure. This habit later served to stave boredom and loneliness during his years at the abbey.

Would spend hours in the newly harvested fields fighting haybales and scarecrows with wooden swords. He didn't always come out victorious.

Slept in the hayloft in the stables during the summer months. Wasn't allowed a lantern up there in case of fire so he would catch fireflies and keep them in jars for light. Felt a little bad about it though.

He loved listening to the village story teller and knew all the tales and legends by heart.

Wasn't allowed in the main part of the castle where the Guerrins lived but the servants would sometimes let him sneak into the library when they were away. He loved to look at the books. He particularly loved the detailed etchings of monsters and dragons and fabled heroes. The librarian / archivist who maintained the books and records grew fond of him and taught him to read a bit.

He was often told tales of nearby Witchwood. Children who ventured in never returned and children who misbehaved would be dragged off during the night right out of the village by a long fingered skeletal shadow. On nights when the moon was hazy and there was a chill in the summer air and whispers in the breeze, he would say fervent prayers to the Maker untill he was too tired to stay awake any longer, asking for forgiveness for all his trespasses ( stealing apples from the kitchen, letting his favourite chicken escape so she wouldn't get eaten for dinner, talking back to the stablemaster, forgetting to put away the pitchforks, etc ) so he would make it through the night.

Even as a child he was intelligent and articulate for his age. He had a smart mouth retort for everything which often earned him a scolding. This never stopped him though.

He actually loved going to Denerim during the winter months. He saw so many wonderful and exciting things there and would jump at the chance to run errands that took him out of the estate just so he could explore a bit. Though he was never allowed beyond the market square.

During one trip into the market district, Eamon nnoticed how the boy would linger at the shop window where they were selling golem dolls and other figurines and surprised him with one over Satinalia. He usually got old socks or a scarf or a shirt. So: Best Satinalia Ever! It was also the last one before he was sent off to Bournshire a few months later.

Contrary to popular belief, he was always a little scared of Mabari as a small child. These weren't lovable household pets. They were vicious and highly trained war hounds, hunters and guard dogs who only responded to a specific imprinted owner and could tear through several grown men in armour on command. He mostly avoided them at Redcliffe but while in Denerim, he was forced to sleep in the kennels where their cages were kept. It was warm though. ( Barkspawn is the first mabari he actually eventually bonds with. Good dog, best friend. )

Isolde did have some pampered Dailish Coursers that slept inside the castle so he rarely saw those.

Dreamt of a time he would be a Redcliffe Knight and serve his uncle and make him proud. He would watch them sparring in the training yard and imagine going on all manner of quests and adventures. It's all he wanted as a child. Redcliffe was the only place he felt some semblance of belonging and he couldn't imagine leaving.

#alistair : headcanon #ch : alistair #idk i was thinking about this and... had these lying around so #more rambles more shouts into the void

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wigglekingdom · 1 year

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Remote-Controlled Bark Collar for Small Dogs: Top Rated Option

The Idea Behind a Shock Vest

It is safe to assume that you are already familiar with the concept of a "small dog bark collar with remote." You wouldn't be alone if you didn't. The term "electronic collar gadgets" (or "shockers") is another name for these items. Since they give off a little electric current that mimics an alerting noise, dog owners can use them to train their pet without resorting to positive reinforcement approaches of training.

Is it safe to use a shock collar on a dog? The shock collar is a great tool for training dogs that are aggressive or at risk of becoming hostile. While these tools can help you train your dog without resorting to physical punishment, some pet parents may be wary of using them for fear of creating an aggressive pet.

Shock Collars and Their Benefits for Dogs

Dogs that are excessively barky or aggressive can benefit greatly from the use of a shock collar. Barking dogs are a distraction, and aggressive dogs can injure people and other animals. A shock collar may be effective in reducing barking by delivering a little shock to your dog whenever the activity occurs. Positive reinforcement is an effective tool for behavior management.

There is very little work involved in using a shock collar to train your pet. They have been demonstrated to be as effective as, if not more effective than, reward-based training with zero preparation on the side of the trainer. The dog will immediately respond to a mild jolt after you attach the device to its collar and turn it on. If your dog is acting anxious, give it the reassurance it needs as soon as possible, whether that's treats, attention, or a new command.

Suitable for both young and old dogs. Shock collars are a reliable and humane method of training canine companions. However, it is important to consider the device's range before purchasing it, as some have been found to be ineffective for dogs with bigger than average frames. This gear is useful for teaching dogs of all sizes, from newborn puppies to senior citizens.

Reducing Dog Barking and Other Annoying Habits

Do you plan on using a training collar for small dogs ? Several compelling pieces of evidence suggest doing so could be financially rewarding. Proper use of the gadget has shown promise in training pets to cease undesirable behaviors like barking. If they are always yelling at passers-by, they may have a barking problem. With the use of a shock collar, they can learn to behave themselves in social circumstances and prevent harming themselves or others in the process.

Basic obedience in dogs, such as heeling and coming when called, can be taught with the help of shock collars. Your shy dog may benefit from an electric shock to help them gain confidence and overcome their timidity.

Better Than Conventional Methods of Training

A little dog's e-collar could be a useful training tool in particular situations. In cases where your pet's conduct poses a threat to itself or others, such as when it attacks other dogs or other pets, a shock collar may be useful in teaching it to regulate itself and gain awareness of its surroundings.

Shock Collars for Dogs: The Proper Way to Use Them

Shock collars are a useful tool for training canine behaviors, but it's vital to remember that not all dog breeds should be trained with them. Shock collars have their uses, but they must be used with care lest you educate your dog to be aggressive against other dogs. Puppies and dogs of any size should never be subjected to these tools due to the potentially fatal results.

If used correctly, a shock collar can help you rein in your dog's bad habits. If used correctly, this instrument can be useful for preventing behaviors like excessive barking and jumping.

Training Tips That Actually Help

Careful execution on your part is required if you don't want to injure your pet when using a shock collar to train it. Please observe these precautions thoroughly to prevent any untoward incidents: Before using this device, be sure to read and follow all applicable safety precautions. Get to know its ins and outs and do everything by the book.

Conclusion

How a e collar for small dogs is used greatly affects whether or not it is effective in training a dog. When used properly, this technique has the potential to make training more humane and successful without resorting to any cruel or unusual punishments. Proponents of this approach, however, should always keep in mind the context in which it will be used, since the incorrect use of high-voltage shocks could result in physical harm or mental pain.

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bigteefsmallbrain · 3 years

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General Soul Eater HCs please

Soul Eater: General headcanons

Death the Kid:

He’s an art critic

Hear me out

He is obsessed with symmetry, and loves the beauty in it

So when he sees something non-symmetrical, especially in art, he can’t help but to critique it

May go as far as to send a personal letter to the artist (If they’re alive) about how offensive it is that they created something so asymmetrical

If he can’t send a letter to the artist, he’ll send one to the owner/museum and request it be taken down, while listing reasons why it’s horrible.

Anything he writes has an even amount of letters and words

Be that his test answers

Essays

Letters

Diary entry

Speaking of diary entries, he definitely has one

But it’s actually just a catalogue of symmetrical things he’s seen

He puts photos into it and writes about how beautiful it was to see

He doesn’t care what it is much, just that it was beautiful

Meaning he takes photos of people too

Which can be unnerving at times

He’s probably taken a photography class before, or at the very least is self taught

Literally has a photo album of things he views are beautiful, but non symmetrical and he would die if anyone found it

Like a particular sunset with uneven hills

Or a flower with one too many petals

Definitely has an 8 ball, not a magic one, just an 8 ball, it’s placed on a velvet pillow in his room and he frequently polishes it

Elizabeth Thompson:

Makes several backup plans as a way to cope

Especially after dealing with an experience with a ghost

She has notebooks full of them, labeled and detailed

At one point she started putting them in alphabetical order but stopped immediately when she realized Kid’s perfectionist habits were rubbing off on her

She practices acting in the mirror

Usually so she can charm a man into dating her

But also to con people

She used to be a “Street rat” and that thought of ending up on the streets again constantly plagues her mind

She takes full advantage of the “Rich life”

Shopping sprees

Quality makeup

Salons and spa days

The works

She lets Patty’s thought that she knows everything get to her head

The fact alone that her sister believes in her that much is enough to make her a bit egotistical

And Patty’s admiration for the girl makes it ten times worse

She literally doesn’t care if she ends up being wrong because she’ll just be right next time anyways

So stubborn in that aspect

Patricia Thompson:

She likes dark humor

You can’t convince me otherwise, you actually can’t, I have evidence

She made an origami Giraffe, and broke its neck

Laughed when Kid said he “wants to die”

She literally pokes him with a stick when he’s depressed

She likes dark humor, and probably looks up jokes to tell others just for kicks

She’s secretly sadistic, and likes scaring her sister and others

She may act naïve and innocent, but she is anything but

She definitely has, more than once, banged on Liz’s door at 3AM just to hear her sister squeal like a little girl

Honestly, she probably purposefully gets their pose wrong, just to see her sisters annoyance and laugh when Kid gets smacked

She likes origami

Probably first got into it because of the paper ninja stars

Then just found it relaxing

She most likely makes the ninja stars mostly, and keeps a box of her origami creations somewhere

Has in the past, and will not hesitate to do so again, beat someone up for kicks or just to destress

Patty has two faces, the childlike innocent one, and the insane anger one

So it’s not too far fetched to say that she’ll hide her anger till she can corner someone alone and beat them up

Or that she gets bored and decides to do so

I wouldn’t be too surprised if her sister occasionally joined as well

Maka Albarn:

She’s a Harry Potter nerd and you can’t convince me otherwise

She loves the concept of magic

Loves the dynamic between Ron and Hermione, though feels a bit of Deja vu thinking about it

Probably used to write fanfiction, but in a way that made it seem like it was actually part of the story

She will hit you if you mention it

Definitely the type to compare books to their movie counterparts

Not in like, a critic way, but she will definitely rant about the differences, or how a character looks exactly like she imagined, or if they didn’t put in a particular scene she liked in the book

Forces Soul into movie nights, but it’s only the movie counterparts to her books

I can see her forcing everyone into a group study session

Be super organized about it, and setting it up in a way so that no one can refuse

She probably has specific ways for everyone to study

Like having Black☆Star work out while studying so he retains the knowledge better

Or setting up the session in a symmetrical way so Kid doesn’t freak out about it

She writes letters to her mom, as a coping mechanism for when her emotions get to be a little too much

Like when she’s having a bad day

Or if she’s particularly peeved at something Soul did

She writes a lot more letters when it comes around the time of her mom's birthday or death anniversary

She likes the thought of an old timey romance, and often listens to songs that give off that kind of feel

She really likes “It’s Been a Long, Long Time”, it’s one of her favorites

She also likes the old Disney songs, like “Once Upon a Dream” and “So This Is Love”

She would be so embarrassed if anyone found out though, especially if it was her dad or Soul

She isn’t quite sure why she’s so worried about Soul finding out though

Speaking of, she half realizes, half doesn’t with anyone's romantic feelings, including her own

She’ll fantasize about getting a love letter or having someone present her with a bouquet of roses

But if it actually happens she’s like “Oh, thanks friend!”

She knows the behaviors, she just can’t put two and two together

They would have to be extremely blunt, no over dramatic confession, just “I’m in love with you and want to be romantically involved with you”

She reads dictionaries for fun

She really likes to read out of date dictionaries, just to see what words and slang existed back then

She also highlights words she likes and uses them frequently on accident

She has most definitely yelled “I have cupid’s kettlebells*! I’m not flat!” at Soul before

Soul Evans:

Bottles. Up. His. Emotions.

He’s influenced by “toxic masculinity” and fully believes that being vulnerable in a serious way “isn’t cool”

He will bottle everything up so deep down inside that it seems impossible for it to surface

Feelings of inferiority to others? Bottled

Want to cry or break down? Nope, gotta be cool

Started crying in front of someone and can’t stop? He’s not crying, you’re clearly blind

Speaking of crying, once he starts, and I mean genuinely starts, it’s so hard to get him to calm down, and even then the tears don’t stop

Sometimes he’ll start to freak out and send himself into a panic attack because the tears just won’t stop

He’s that influenced by the thought of being vulnerable

On a lighter note, he does adore playing the piano, but the only person he’ll play for is Maka

He swears it’s not favoritism, and it’s partially true, but favoritism does play a large role in it

He frequently drags Maka to his room to show her a new piece he put together

And if he notices her feeling a little down that day, he’ll start playing a song that he knows she likes

He definitely knows about her love for old timey romance songs and is very embarrassed to admit a lot of the pieces he constructs are based off of that

The walls are p a p e r t h i n , he can hear her music through the walls

He secretly finds it adorable when he catches her listening to it because she’ll be dancing around to it

He also frequently finds himself thinking about those moments

He’s the stereotype that parents tell little girls about, with how boys will bully their crush

He’s a lot more playful and easy going, but still teases Maka, so much

Unlike Maka, he’s fully aware of his feelings, and acknowledges them, but bottles it up, only letting himself entertain the thought every once in a while

He jabs at Maka’s lack of “Cupids Kettlebells” as a way to try and ensure she won’t fall for him, because he doesn’t know what he’ll do if she does

He reads the same dictionaries that Maka does, not for fun, but so he can know just what the actual h e l l she’s saying

More than once he’s had to look up a particular word or phrase online because he can’t find it in the dictionary

“What the hell? It’s an old Victorian saying!? Where does she keep finding this stuff!?”

Subconsciously, as time goes on, he starts using old phrases as well, he was so embarrassed the first time he got caught saying “Keep your idle daddles* off of her!” when defending someone from a perv.

Black☆Star:

Is so unbelievably selfish with food

It’s not even funny

He will stab someone if they reach for his food

He surprisingly eats healthy most of the time though?

Says something like “I have to otherwise I’ll never surpass the gods!”

The only person who could ever p o s s i b l y steal his food is Tsubaki, but even that’s pushing it

He has the weirdest dreams, and I mean weird

Dreams like being turned into a potato and being cooked, mashed, and devoured by Tsubaki herself

He didn’t talk to her for a week after that dream, and refused to eat potatoes for a full year because “You never know if it could be a person turned into a potato!”

He was also very offended when Tsubaki ate potatoes during that time period

He takes things very literally

Like up above, if someone does something in a dream, he acts like it was real

Or if someone makes a joke about fighting, he will drag them outside to fight

He’s secretly scared of Tsubaki

But it’s for literally the stupidest reason

And he fully believes that because of it she could fight god and win

She used to have a pet cockroach

One of the flying ones

And he is so unbelievably scared of them, because for some reason they just don’t die, and they have w i n g s

So the fact she owned one as a pet scares him so bad even though it was literally for only a week

He has a soft spot for children

He doesn’t really know why

He just does

Is secretly really good with kids

Literally the definition of dad material

He has his flaws but still

Little kids are the only people who could steal his food and get away with it

Every. Time. and it makes the others so mad

Tsubaki Nakatsukasa:

What can I say, she’s perfect

She probably receives love letters

Reads them over when she’s feeling sad

Likes to keep them in a shoebox she painted

She definitely paints to unwind and relax

Likes to go outside and paint the sunrise/sunset

Takes note of beautiful scenery so she can come back in her free time and paint it

She probably draws/sketches too

Carries a sketchbook with her

More than likely has drawn Black☆Star doing something

Like napping or training

She’d never show him though, too scared of inflating his ego or giving him the wrong idea

Stress bakes/cooks

We know she cooks

Liz took advantage of it and pretended Tsubaki’s cooking was her own

So we know she does

Sometimes painting/drawing doesn’t cut it

So she heads to the kitchen and bakes away her worries and unwinds

The main reason Tsubaki would possibly be spared from Black☆Star’s stabbing habit with food is because she cooks all the meals

She makes sure everyone is comfortable around her

She’ll go as far as to learn someone's customs and practice cooking their unique cuisine just to make sure that they feel comfortable and safe in her presence

She radiates mom friend energy

She’s perfect mom material, perfect wife material, perfect in general honestly

*Cupid's Kettlebells is a old term for a woman's bust

*Idle daddles is a old term for hands

I Hope you like these general headcanons for the main seven! You didn’t say which characters you’d like to see, so I played it safe by putting the main characters! Thank you for the ask!

#soul eater #anime headcanons #headcanon #general headcanon #maka albarn #soul evans #blackstar #tsubaki nakatsukasa #patricia thompson #elizabeth thompson #death the kid

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roxy-demir · 2 years

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❝ Dream without fear, Live without limits . ❞

roxelana demir ›› owner of sweet tooth bakery ›› hande ercel ›› tw: n/a

🇦🇵🇵🇱🇮🇨🇦🇹🇮🇴🇳

― ✘ ╱ [ hande ercel | she/ her | 29 ] rumor has it that roxelana demir has been seen wandering around town. they are a witch who is one of the survivors. they are known to be abrasive but deep down they are loyal. when it comes to the brewing conflict in new orleans they’re on the side of the Queen’s Resistance.

Character Chart Character’s full name: Roxelana Aylin Demir Character’s nickname: Rox, Roxy, Rocks, Rocky, Lana Birth date: December 21 in New Orleans, Louisiana Physical appearance Age: 29 How old does he/she appear: 29 Weight: 121 lbs Height: 5′9″ Eye color: Dark Brown Distinguishing marks: N/A Hair color: Dark Brown Hairstyle: Typically curled Personality Good personality traits: Loyal, Determined, Creative, Adventurous Bad personality traits: Abrasive, Impulsive, Rebellious, Intolerant Life philosophy: “It’s no use going back to yesterday, because I was different person then.” Character’s darkest secret: She killed someone to protect her family Does anyone else know? Jamie Carter

Past Hometown: New Orleans, LA Type of childhood: Childhood was decent, Roxelana grew up in a single mother home. Wasn’t much she could complain about outside of the vampires control over the witches for the first 10 years of her life. Pets: 2 Chinchillas named Craven and Damian; A bearded dragon named Drusilla; A parrot named Edgar Allen Poe; Black cat named Beetlejuice (All are still alive) First memory: Most important childhood memory: Witnessed another witch being punished for using magic while the French Quarter coven was under Marcel’s control when she was 7. Why: It taught her that sometimes risks are necessary for the greater good even if it means putting your life on the line. Childhood hero: Jane-Anne Deveraux Dream job: Rock Star Education: High School Graduate Present Current location: New Orleans, LA Currently living with: Jamie Carter and their 4-year-old son, Axel Pets: Doberman Pinscher named Diesel, Black Cat named Beetlejuice, Bearded Dragon named Drusilla, Parrot named Edgar Allen Poe, 2 Chinchillas named Craven and Damian Occupation: Baker/Owner of Sweet Salvation Bakery Family Mother: Aiyla Demir Relationship with her: Stable relationship Father: Ruslan Demir Relationship with him: Complete shit Siblings: Banou Reynolds Relationship with them: She is enamored with her 7 year old sister Spouse: Jamie Carter Relationship with him: Boyfriend (Currently Separated) Children: Axel James Carter Relationship with them: 4-year-old Son Other important family members: N/A Favorites Color: Maroon Least favorite color: Pink Music: Rock, Alternative, Punk Food: Not too picky, will eat generally anything Literature: Thrillers Form of entertainment: Horror and Thriller movies Mode of transportation: Black Chevrolet Equinox Habits Hobbies: Baking, Painting, Playing with Axel Plays a musical instrument? Piano Plays a sport? Softball, Volleyball How he/she would spend a rainy day: Cuddled up with her dog and son watching movies and baking cookies Smokes: Recreational every now and then, Cigarettes every now and then Drinks: Wine, Whiskey, Tequila, Vodka Extremely skilled at: Baking, Spell casting Extremely unskilled at: TBD Nervous tics: Bouncing her leg when sitting, biting at her nails, pacing Traits Optimist or pessimist? Pessimist Introvert or extrovert? Ambivert (A little bit of both) Daredevil or cautious? Daredevil Logical or emotional? Logical Disorderly and messy or methodical and neat? Disorderly but neat Prefers working or relaxing? Working Confident or unsure of himself/herself? Confident Animal lover? 100% Relationships with others Opinion of other people in general: They’re annoying for the most part Does the character hide his/her true opinions and emotions from others? Not even remotely Best friend(s): TBD Love interest(s): Jamie Carter Most important person in character’s life before story starts: Abi, Jamie, and Axel After story starts: Banou, Jamie, and Axel

History

Roxelana was born to two witches whose families wanted their bloodlines to blend.

Though not in love, her parents tried to make it work, eventually having Bayley but once she was brought into it the relationship didn’t really last long.

Her mother never remarried, though she did meet a man that she became involved with eventually becoming pregnant with the man’s child thus enters her sister Banou into the world, 22 years after Roxy’s own arrival.

Roxy came into her powers at a young age, her mother beginning to teach her and helping her to hone her powers.

Upon graduation (with two years of college already under her belt thanks to dual enrollment), Rox attended a local community college and finished up with her business degree while working in one of the local bakeries. At 20, Roxelana graduated business school and opened her own bakery, Sweet Salvation Bakery.

A year later, Roxy met Jamie Carter after spending an entire day hunting down the man for robbing her small bakery.

It didn’t take long for the male to win her over and not too long before the pair ran off together leaving her bakery in the hands of her best friend who shared her passion for baking with her until she returned.

They’ve spent the last 8 years travelling

4 years ago they were surprised to discover that Bayley was pregnant with a boy whom they named Axel.

They separated a while ago. Bayley’s return to New Orleans is to not only visit her mother and sister but because she received a devastating call from Kenna and knew that Jamie was going to need her now more than ever so she dropped everything and returned with Axel to New Orleans.

To be continued so stay tuned...

#ffh.intro

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greenninjagal-blog · 4 years

Note

Sentence starters: 14, with Roman & Deceit??

Haha, long time, no write! We’re having a pretty poor time right now so I figured a little bit of Roceit would be in Order! Warning: I did not edit this in the slightest.

Summary: Roman has always been a little curious, but the pastry chef definitely takes the cake on this one.

Words: 3007

Quick Taglist: @chelsvans @dwbh888 @glitchybina @faithfulcat111 @felicianoromano @harrypotternerdprincess @holliberries @jemthebookworm @killerfangirl3 @musical-nerd18 @never-end1ng-suffering @nonasficcollection @silverflame-wc @stricken-with-clairvoyancy @the-sunshine-dims @themagicheartmailman @themultishipperchild @thenaiads @treasureofpriam @vianadraws

Read on Ao3 || My General Writing List || Prompt Page (it should also be stated that you don’t need to pick from this prompt page if you don’t want to. Just send me an idea and I’ll do my best :D)

The Point of This is....

“Here, Bite Down on this.”

Roman has had a lot of weird first meetings. As a kid he liked to wander around the town meeting knew people, which, of course, drove his mother up a wall the first ninety or so times that she had glanced away from him for a second and he had disappeared completely on her. Roman was just a curious type of kid. The first time he had been confused by a couple of workers who were fixing an outlet behind one of the counters at his mothers favorite little shop, and he had just wanted to know what they were doing.

They had told him! Which had been cool. Did you know there were wires all in the walls?! He hadn’t even realized that his mom had been frantically looking for him until she had grabbed his arm in a frantic panic and asked if he was alright, and then don’t you dare wander off again! What if something had happened?! Roman!

It had happened again anyway, the store clerk had been redressing a mannequin and it had been neat! Then window cleaner, then flower arranger from the flower shop, then the busker outside the Irish themed pub he wasn’t allowed to be near, then the sign flipper at the street corner who taught him to spin one of the smaller signs--

The point was that by the time Roman hit middle school he knew most of the “little people” by name, and they of course knew his. Roman knew that a lot of them called him by his full name because his mother used to scream it when he went missing,-- Roman Alexander Prince, if you don’t get back here right this instant-- but he learned a lot of cool things!

He could arrange flowers, knew when and where the most dense foot traffic was, knew how to flip signs and draw attention. He could Macgyver his way through most electrical circuits, had the sewers under his town fully mentally mapped out, and knew that if you hit the vending machine behind the laundromat just right, you could get a free snickers bar.

He liked learning knew things. And for the most part? People liked to teach him.

As he got older, he noticed just how heartbreaking that sort of thing was. When he held the ladder steady for the owner of the Mom-and-Pop grocer while the old man replaced the “N” of the sign, the man had casually mentioned that the last person who asked him how he was doing had been a family man who had stopped coming months ago.

Then the more he looked, the more he had seen it: the when he waved to the woman who worked the bakery her whole face had lit up like he had gifted her the world, when he bought the street performer a water they had almost broken down to tears right there on the street, when he had offered the man sitting alone at the park with his head in his hands a chance to pet his dog, the man had called him a “generous kid” and tossed him five dollars before he left considerably happier than he was when he arrived.

The point-- and yes, Roman did have a point-- the point of all of this, was that Roman liked people. He liked learning things, and he liked hearing the stories that people had to share.

He liked telling those stories.

Which would probably explain how he got here: Mindscape, the ever prestigious school for the gifted. Although “gifted” tended to be a relative term. Roman had met a lot more people here, all his age, who eyed him warily like his smile was something to be scared of.

(”It is!” Remus, his twin had cackled from across the table in the dining hall, as if they didn’t have the same exact face.)

Roman and Remus had gotten in together, both on accident: Remus had crafted an application for Roman, sent it in without Roman’s knowledge, and then hacked the School’s Admissions database and marked the application for acceptance.

Things should have gone really bad, because Remus hadn’t known that the School President, Thomas Sanders, checks each and every application and when he noticed an application had skipped most of acceptance process he started digging.

Things should have gone really bad then. Like really bad. Like Remus ends up in jail and Roman has to change his name and move countries, really bad.

Instead Thomas Sanders, had sent them both acceptance letters, and Remus was required to work in the IT department without pay and take all the computer application classes. Somewhere in the middle of that Remus had struck up some sort of deal with the cyber defense team where the Mindscape’s tech department spent all school year building their best unhackable code, and in the summer Remus got to take anything and everything he learned that year and try to break it.

Remus had been winning for two years now. Roman had seen the grown men reduced to tears the moment that Remus’s hands had started flying over the keyboard.

Again, the point to this-- Roman had been at this boarding school for two years now, barreling his way through the journalism and creative writing classes like they were tissue paper walls. He’s met a lot of people his age, and he’s witnessed a lot of weird quirks about them.

Like how that kid in the library who likes to sleep on top of the bookcases, and Roman had witnessed getting swatted with a broom so many times. He was a gymnast and an acrobat and really freaking flexible-- and he had told Roman to fuck off when he had tried to learn anything more than that.

Or like that artist who ran the yearbook club took pictures of everything. It had been pretty cute the way the puffball had insisted on taking pictures of the cracks on the side walk, the clouds in the sky, the rainbow made from the refraction of the light through the glass windows. They had called it “catching little pieces of happiness in everyday!” Which was much sweeter than Roman had been anticipating. “Oops! Sorry gotta go, kiddo!” They had said and then they had been gone taking more pictures before Roman could ask anything about them.

Or like that guy from his Civics class who had gotten way too competitive about the trivia game they had played in class. It wasn’t just trivia though: Roman had learned later that he apparently Logan Ackroyd, the Logan Ackroyd, who had won the American chess tournament for three year in a row now. Any game that Logan touched, reportedly, he won. Chess, Checkers, Othello, Jenga, even Tic-Tac-Toe, and he treated them each like a life or death situation.

The point is of this is everyone had a weird quirk about them.

Roman knew that, knows that.

Heck, even Roman had a weird quirk, which apparently was wandering the school halls after classes. And now that includes being dragged into one of those classrooms by the hoodie of his sweatshirt and then immediately having a fork of something shoved in his mouth.

“VIRGIL!” Another voice squawks, followed by a telltale click of a camera taking a photo, but okay, Roman is a little too busy choking on a fork to take in everything.

There is a hand on his back, and one on his chest, holding him surprisingly steady, while he basically dies-- and man, he did not think that he’d be dying at seventeen years old. Who knew that his mother would be right all those times she insisted that his habit of walking around aimlessly was gonna be the death of him?

There are tears in his eyes by the time he manages an inhale, and someone takes the fork back out of his mouth. The hand on his back is rubbing soothing circles and his lungs flutter weakly, like a butterflies wings.

“Dude,” A voice says boredly. Roman squints up at his attacker-- because yes this was an attack and Roman will forever be scarred by it-- and vaguely recognizes the purple patched up hoodie for the library acrobat. “I said “Bite down on this”, not choke and die on the floor.”

Roman coughs to dislodge the last bit of whatever food just got shoved down his throat.

“Please ignore him,” A smooth voice says, a new voice, and one that sounds exactly like silk on Roman’s ears. “Are you okay?”

The new person, the man who is holding Roman, is, in a word, pretty. Actually, no wait, not pretty; he’s gorgeous. He’s beautiful. He’s Michelangelo’s David come to life, an angel straight from heaven, the God Apollo himself taking a quick break from driving his sun chariot to walk among the mortals--

“Virgil, what did you do!” The breathtaking stranger yelps.

“I didn’t do anything!” The acrobat shoots back, although he looks worried, “I just put the fork in his mouth! Oh shit, dude come on, please don’t tell me you’re allergic to something-- Dee what was in that? I can��t go to jail for killing someone! I just got here!”

There’s another click and a giggle and Roman blinks himself to enough awareness to realize that beside the three of them, there’s also that photography artist and the Logan Ackroyd in the room, also what looks like a cake with three slices cut out of it.

“You aren’t going to jail,” Logan says, although he’s playing on a Nintendo Switch and isn’t paying all that much attention to what’s going on.

“It just a cake,” Dee adds, almost desperately and Roman’s knees really do go weak at that. A pretty man? Using that tone to address Roman? Roman’s surprised he’s still conscious at all. “Are you allergic to eggs? What about Wheat? Milk?”

“Deep breath, kiddos!” The person with the camera suggests, and Roman knows immediately that they are 100% aware that his flushed cheeks and lack of breath are not from an allergy. They take another picture and Roman dies a little more on the inside.

“Please...don’t let... my brother see that,” Roman coughs one more time, “I’m begging.”

The artist just laughs and takes another picture.

“No allergies?” The god beside him says and Roman finds him looking absolutely anywhere but at him.

“No allergies,” Roman confirms, “None at all. It’s all good. And you know I should be--”

“What did you think of it?” The acrobat interrupts. And when Roman just blinks he snaps, “The cake, Princey! Tell Dee that the cake was fine and he can stop banging his head on the table now.”

Roman chances a glance at the man holding him up, and yeah, he could see the faint red marks were he had obviously been hitting his head on something. Unfortunately, said man was also looking at Roman, looking for his answer to the question that was just asked of him and Roman has already forgotten what it was again.

His eyes were different colors, and that totally reminded Roman of that week in the summer when he hung around the ophthalmologist just outside of town. Roman had looked at a lot of eyes, learned a lot about eyes in that time, but really there was something different about those ones. One was a brilliant bright brown, like hickory and the other was glistening gold. He looked like something straight from a fantasy.

Roman’s fantasy.

“Hey,” The stranger says softly, “Are you okay, darling?”

And that’s the last thing Roman remembers.

Because he fainted.

Because the gorgeous, beautiful, ethereal stranger called him “darling” and Roman’s weak gay heart promptly shut off.

He comes to again, just a few minutes later-- long enough that his head is throbbing and his lungs hurt a bit and mere idea of moving sounds exhausting. He’s comfortable just fine where he is.

On the floor.

With his head in the perfect strangers lap.

“There you are,” The man gives him a nervous smile that makes Roman’s mouth dry out. “Do you remember where you are?”

“Heaven?”

Roman has many regrets in his life. Like that time he thought that crawling down the manhole would be fun. Or the weekend he spent hanging out in the courthouse, which had turned out to be incredibly boring. Or that time he brought dog treats to the dog park and ended up get ambushed by like seven dogs at once and broke his arm.

But this....answering that, and immediately hearing that all too familiar cackle that can only belong to Remus? Yeah Roman rates that at the top of Roman’s Regrets.

The stranger bites his lip but he’s grinning all the same. “Apologies. When you fainted we, called the emergency contact on your phone.”

“Remus is not my emergency contact,” Roman grumbles and weakly shuffles his limbs to sit up.

Remus wheezes, from where he’s situated with an arm over the artist and the acrobat respectively. “Like-- Hell! I changed that months ago!” Remus grins, “I wasn’t gonna miss a chance to laugh at you while you get carted away in an ambulance! You only die once Ro! I wanna be there for it!”

“I should have consumed you in the womb.”

“Butcha didn’t!”

“The intention was there.” Roman sways, and he really doesn’t like the way the floor shifts like waves of an ocean.

“Pussy,” Remus tosses out, just for the sake of having the last word. He pulls his arms back from around the other two and fusses with the little artist’s hair. “Alright, brats! That’s my cue to drag my dumbass gay twin away before he faints again. But this was fun! Lets do it again! This time Dee can even let Roman actually fall and crack his head on the floor instead of catching him!”

Roman’s ears burn, and he peeks at Dee with a morbid mortification, “You caught me?”

“Well I was already, holding you up so it wasn’t as much as caught you as you...ah,” there’s a twitch of his lips, “as you fell for me.”

The noise Roman makes is not in any way, shape, or form flattering.

Remus cackles again.

There’s a click and a giggle, “Sorry kiddo! That was just too good to pass up!” The artist bounces slightly. “You both should definitely come back though! We’d love to have the company!”

“No, we wouldn’t,” the acrobat interjects, and lets out a heavy breath when he’s elbowed by his friend.

“Yes, we would!” The artist says. “And next time you can even have some of Dee’s pastries!”

“That’s not necessary,” The stranger says quickly, “They aren’t that good--”

“Will you stop lying!” the acrobat says, “You literally got into this prestigious ass school for your pastries, dumbass. They’re good. Accept it already! Geez!”

The stranger rubs his neck and then his cheek, before turning back to Roman. “Perhaps you can be the judge of that then? Darling?”

Yeah, Roman’s knees are weak again, but he’s stubborn enough that he keeps standing. “I think I’d like that. Although, I can’t say I’m any kind of pastry expert.”

“We all have our faults, I presume.”

Roman’s heart beats a little faster. “And admittedly I will be a little bit bias.”

“A little bit?”

“Only a smidge,” Roman reports, “I’ve heard that good company can affect the taste of food.”

“You intend to be in good company?”

“If it’s yours I’m sure it will be.”

“Who knew there was a smooth talker under that blush of yours?”

“If you think this was smooth you should see--

Remus claps his hands loudly enough to make the acrobat flinch and Logan in the corner curse in Korean. “Okay yes we get it: You both are gayyyyyy!” Remus exclaims, drawing it out just enough that Roman feels a bit of the Cain Instinct(tm) in him rise up. “But if neither of you are going to start undressing to give the rest of us a show, then we need to go!”

“Remus!”

“I’m just saying!” Remus shrugs and then hooks an arm around Roman’s neck and pulls him towards the door, “Its not fair to the rest of us, if you keep being a tease!”

“I hope you step on a lego and fall into a pit of sharks.”

Remus messes with his hair, which seems to be his thing right now.

The others in the room call out their goodbyes, and Remus drags Roman away before he can get more than a sloppy wave. Its still embarrassing.

Actually everything that happened was embarrassing, from top to bottom, and there was absolutely no moment were it wasn’t completely mortifying. Not only did he choke on a piece of cake he didn’t even get to taste, but he gay panicked, and then gay fainted, and every second of it was recorded via camera snapshots. And late at night, when Roman is turning it over in his head and screaming into a pillow, he barely notices his phone flashing.

He’s already miserable, because they probably just invited him back to be nice, and he didn’t even know their names. And Remus was still laughing at him for everything, and everything just really sucked. He opens up his phone to check the message, ignoring the way the his screen burns his eyes.

There’s a text message.

An actual text message.

Stole your number hope you dont mind

Roman can’t breath. The phone in his hand vibrates again.

Oh and your heart. I stole that too. this is a ransom demand.

$40,000 in cash. Or a date to the coffee shop in town.

pls?

this is Dee Ekans btw

The baker?

oh fuck pls tell me this is the right number

roman?

And Roman rolls over and presses his face into a pillow and screams.

But really the point of all this is that Roman got the number of the cute guy. And maybe a date.

#roceit #roman sanders #deceit sanders #sympathetic deceit #remus sanders #Boarding School Au?#I guess it is #Look I just started writing and went with it #gay panic #gay fainting #there is nothing more gay than Roman

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thedogloverplanet · 3 years

Text

Dog Training Complete Guide

Dog training is the process of teaching a dog to exhibit certain desired behaviors in specific circumstances. Some examples are:

* Teaching a dog basic obedience commands (part of obedience training) * Teaching a dog to perform tricks casually or for circus acts * Teaching a guide dog to lead the blind * Teaching a rescue dog to find victims of a disaster * Helping a hunting dog learn to perform its instinctive behaviors at appropriate times

The specific behaviors taught in each case are different, but the underlying principles are similar.

In the wild as pack animals, canines have natural instincts that favor training. These instincts are manifested when the dog lives with humans as a desire to please a handler, as a dog would please senior members in a pack in the wild. The handler is simply whoever is working with a dog at the time.

Basic training

Most dogs, no matter their eventual advanced training or intended purpose, live with people and therefore must behave in a way that makes them pleasant to have around and for their own safety and that of other people and pets. Dogs do not figure out basic obedience on their own; it must be trained.

Basic training classes

Professional “dog trainers” usually do not train the dogs, but actually train the owners how to train their own dogs. Although it is also possible to send a dog away to a training school, the owner still must at some point learn what the dog has learned and how to use it and reinforce it. Owners and dogs who attend class together have an opportunity to learn more about each other and how to work together under a trainer’s guidance. Training is most effective if everyone who handles the dog takes part in the training to ensure consistent commands, methods, and enforcement.

Formal training in classes is not always available until the puppy has completed all its vaccinations at around 4 months; however, some trainers offer puppy socialization classes in which puppies can enroll immediately after being placed in their permanent homes as long as disease risk is minimal and puppies have receieved initial vaccinations. In most cases, basic training classes accept only puppies who are at least 3 to 6 months old.

Age for early training

Dog training begins virtually at birth. Dogs that are handled and petted by humans regularly during the first eight weeks of life are generally much more amenable to being trained and living in human households. Ideally, puppies should be placed in their permanent homes between about 8 and 10 weeks of age. In some places it is against the law to take puppies away from their mothers before the age of 8 weeks. Before this age, puppies are still learning tremendous amounts of socialization skills from their mother. Puppies are innately more fearful of new things during the period from 10 to 12 weeks, which makes it harder for them to adapt to a new home.

Puppies can begin learning tricks and commands as early as 8 to 12 weeks of age; the only limitations are the pup’s stamina, concentration, and physical coordination. It is much easier to live with young dogs that have already learned basic commands such as sit. Waiting until the puppy is much older and larger and has already learned bad habits makes the training much more difficult.

There are some professional trainers who disagree with this idea, particularly those who train working dogs, detection dogs, police dogs, etc. They feel that obedience work shouldn’t start until the dog is at least a year old, or after the prey drive has fully developed. These trainers also take the position that spaying and neutering is harmful to the training process, again because of its negative impact on the dog’s prey drive.

Communicating with the dog

Fundamentally, dog training is about communication. From the human perspective the handler is communicating to the dog what behaviors are correct, desired, or preferred in what circumstances. From the canine perspective the handler must communicate what behaviors will give the dog the most satisfaction to his natural instincts and emotions. Without that inner satisfaction a dog will not work well.

A successful handler must also understand the communication that the dog sends to the handler. The dog can signal that he is unsure, confused, nervous, happy, excited, and so on. The emotional state of the dog is an important consideration in directing the training, as a dog that is stressed or distracted will not learn efficiently.

According to Learning Theory there are a four important messages that the handler can send the dog:

Reward or release marker Correct behavior. You have earned a reward. For example, “Free” followed by a reward.

Bridge Correct behavior. Continue and you will earn a reward. For example, “Good”.

No reward marker Incorrect behavior. Try something else. For example, “Uh-uh” or “Try again”.

Punishment marker Incorrect behavior. You have earned punishment. For example, “No”.

Using consistent signals or words for these messages enables the dog to understand them more quickly. If the handler sometimes says “good” as a reward marker and sometimes as a bridge, it is difficult for the dog to know when he has earned a reward.

Rewards can be treats, play, praise, or anything that the dog finds rewarding. Failure to reward after the reward marker diminishes the value of the reward marker and makes training more difficult.

These four messages do not have to be communicated with words, and nonverbal signals are often used. In particular, mechanical clickers are frequently used for the reward marker. Hand signals and body language also play an important part in learning for dogs.

Dogs usually do not generalize commands easily; that is, a dog who has learned a command in a particular location and situation may not immediately recognize the command to other situations. A dog who knows how to “down” in the living room may suffer genuine confusion if asked to “down” at the park or in the car. The command will need to be retaught in each new situation. This is sometimes called “cross-contextualization,” meaning the dog has to apply what’s been learned to many different contexts.

Reward and punishment

Most training revolves around giving the dog consequences for his behaviour, in the hope of influencing the behaviour the dog will exhibit in the future. Operant conditioning defines four types of consequences:

Positive reinforcement adds something to the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, giving a dog a treat when he sits.)

Negative reinforcement removes something from the situation to increase the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, releasing the tension on an uncomfortable training collar when the dog stops pulling on the leash).

Positive punishment adds something to the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, growling at a misbehaving dog).

Negative punishment removes something from the situation to decrease the chance of the behaviour being exhibited again (for example, walking away from a dog who jumps up).

Most modern trainers say that they use “positive training methods”, which is a different meaning of the word “positive” from that in operant conditioning. “Positive training methods” generally means preferring the use of reward-based training to increase good behavior over that of physical punishment to decrease bad behavior. However, a good trainer understands all four methods, whether or not she can put operant-conditioning terminology to them, and applies them as appropriate for the dog, the breed, the handler, and the situation.

Rewards

Positive reinforcers can be anything that the dog finds rewarding — special food treats, the chance to play with a tug toy, social interaction with other dogs, or the owners attention. The more rewarding a dog finds a particular reinforcer, the more work he will be prepared to do in order to obtain the reinforcer.

Some trainers go through a process of teaching a puppy to strongly desire a particular toy, in order to make the toy a more powerful positive reinforcer for good behaviour. This process is called “building prey drive”, and is commonly used in the training of Narcotics Detection and Police Service dogs. The goal is to produce a dog who will work independently for long periods of time.

Some trainers believe that the toy acts as a positive reinforcer for the desired behavior, when in all likelihood the prey drive works on an entirely different level from standard training and conditioning techniques. This is seen most clearly in the fact that, according to the laws of operant conditioning, positive reinforcers lose their effectiveness if they’re given every single time a dog does what is desired of him; the more predictable the reinforcer, the less reliable the behavior. Yet detection dogs only work well when they are always rewarded with a toy, every single time they find drugs or explosives, etc. The reason for this disparity is that when a dog is trained through the prey drive, the training activates an instinctive, automatic sequence that has to be completed in order for the dog to feel satisfied. That sequence is: search, eye-stalk, chase, grab-bite, and kill bite. So when a dog searches and finds drugs or explosives, he feels he hasn’t finished his job unless he can bite something. This is the primary reason he’s always given the toy. It’s not really a positive reinforcer. If it were it would reduce the reliability of the behavior overall. It’s a means of completing the predatory sequence for the dog.

Punishments

“Positive punishment” is probably the consequence that is least used by modern dog trainers, as it must be used very carefully. A dog is generally only given this type of punishment if it is willfully disobeying the owner. Punishing a dog who does not understand what is being asked of him is not only unfair to the dog, but can make the dog a fearful or unwilling worker.

Punishments are administered only as appropriate for the dog’s personality, age, and experience. A sharp No works for many dogs, but some dogs even show signs of fear or anxiety with harsh verbal corrections. On the other hand, certain dogs with ‘harder’ temperaments may ignore a verbal reprimand, and may work best if the reprimand is coupled with a physical punishment such as a quick tug on a training collar. Trainers generally advise keeping hand contact with the dog to positive interactions; if hands are used to threaten or hurt, some dogs may begin to behave defensively when stroked or handled.

Avoiding punishment

Keeping a puppy on a leash in challenging situations or in his crate or pen when not closely supervised prevents the puppy from getting into situations that might otherwise invite an owner’s harsh reaction (such as chewing up a favorite pair of shoes).

The command voice

When giving commands to a dog, a calm, firm, authoritative voice is most effective. Dogs do not respond well to hesitant, pleading voices, nor to yelling, which might sound to the dog like threatening barking or scolding. It is also important that the word used for the command and the pitch of the voice be consistent each time the command is delivered so that the dog can more easily learn what the owner means (siiiiiiiiiiiit does not sound the same as sit, for example).

Using the puppy’s name before a command ensures that the dog knows that a command is coming, that it is for him (rather than for other dogs, children, or people), and that he should pay attention. This is important because dogs hear a lot of human speech that has no relevance for them at all, and it is easy for them to disregard commands amongst the babble.

To reinforce the command, the dog always gets some kind of reward or reinforcement (praise and usually a treat or toy) when it performs the action correctly. This helps the dog to understand that he has done a good thing.

Note that not all dogs are trained to voice command. Many working breeds of dog are not trained to a voice command at all; they are taught to obey a combination of whistles and hand signals. Deaf dogs are perfectly capable of learning to obey visual signals alone. Many obedience classes teach hand signals for common commands in addition to voice signals; these signals can be useful in quiet situations, at a distance, and in advanced obedience competitions.

The specific command words are not important, although common words in English include sit, down, come, and stay. Short, clear words that are easily understood by other humans are generally recommended; that way, people will understand what a handler is telling his dog to do and other handlers have a good chance of controlling someone else’s dog if necessary. In fact, dogs can learn commands in any language or other communications medium, including whistles, mouth sounds, hand gestures, and so forth.

Thanks For Reading Hope This Will Help You

#dogtraining #dog train #training #pet training #golden retriever #labrador #pug #dog training tips #dog training tip

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theramseyloft · 5 years

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Hi, I have a very broad question. what can you generally expect from the experience of having a pet pigeon? I know a bit about parrots and their relatives, enough to know that I would not be able to give them the time they deserve for a good home. pigeons are not as smart as parrotkind, but are they as social? as loud? do they require the same amount of work? in short, what are you getting yourself into when you adopt a pigeon? I’ve always loved the idea, but don’t want to be neglectful.

The long and short of it is that you are more forging an interspecies friendship than adopting a pet.

I’m noise sensitive. I can’t be around anything too loud or pitchy with out tremendous pain, so the low cooing of pigeons makes them an ideal fit for me.

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Here are a few minutes of my flock enjoying breakfast and conversing, for reference.

A single pet pigeon does not require the same amount of manual work in cleaning and food prep as a psitticine.

They don’t like the cluttered environment that psitticines need as enrichment. They can’t climb. Flight and walking are their only two modes of transportation, so they prefer a clear air space to move around in, with perches spaced well apart.

Basic physical needs are simple.

Pigeons are strict granivores. Seeds are all they can digest, so a wild bird seed with a good, varied blend is a decent start that can be bolstered with unpopped popcorn, dried lentils, and split green peas.

Calcium can be administered for a few pets through drops in their water, dust over their daily feed (reptical purchased from a pet shop, or cuttlebone grit by a cheese grater), or oyster shell offered in its own dish, which ever is easiest for you.

Pigeons are intensely social, so a cage for them should be more like a wire crate is for a dog: a safe place for them to sleep at night or wait while you aren’t available to supervise them until they have learned the house rules.

And speaking of wire crates for dogs, they are easy to modify, and make a comfortable enclosure for a single house pigeon that’s kind to your wallet and bird.

These are labrador sized dog kennels with a garden stake used for a perch (pigeons are cliff nesters. round perches hurt their feet.) and a rabbit corner litter pan hung up as a nest.

If you have a bigger breed, like a King, in mind, it would be best to seek out a great dane sized wire kennel and mod it.

Pigeons enjoy splashy baths, swings, mirrors, and anything stick-shaped, shiny, and/or jingly, but most of the enrichment they really need is social.

They can be very happy with an attentive human partner, with out needing to be on you all the time.

They like having the option to come see you and hang out, and go do their own thing when they want time to themselves, so free roaming at least in their handler’s room if not the entire house is ideal.

Pigeons are exactly as smart as parrots. They just have a different skill set and can’t mimic speech.

Pigeons are highly cooperative pattern mapping social learners, about as smart as a five year old human.

Pigeon flocks are democratic meritocracies.

Every bird that can fly has a say in what they do when they go foraging, and they decide by vote.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/04/100416214045.htm

Birds earn their place as leaders by proving they are the best at that specific task, be it finding food, water, nest material, or navigating back home.

If some one else proves they are better, the flock will demote their former leader by choosing to follow the new one who has proven themself.

https://www.audubon.org/news/in-homing-pigeon-flocks-bad-bosses-quickly-get-demoted

they are capable of high level cognition.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090212141143.htm

because their brains are wired very similarly to ours.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/07/130717095336.htm

They recognize faces like we do

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110411171847.htm

show superior self recognition to three year old humans

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080613145535.htm

They categorize like we do

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140402095107.htm

Learn the equivalent of words by the same mechanic as human toddlers

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/02/150204184447.htm

They can even learn written words with enough nuance to differentiate a real word from an acronym with the same number of letters.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/09/160919111535.htm

And they understand the abstracts of time and space, using the same regeon of the brain that humans and primates do.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/12/171204144805.htm

The relationship with a pigeon is a lot closer to friendship with a nonverbal child than the typical owner/pet dynamic.

Their social structure is so similar to an extended human family that individuals socialized with humans integrate easily into a human flock.

The way they pattern map makes them adept at picking up language.

If you talk them through everything like you would a toddler that doesn’t know those words yet, they will pick them up.

For example, “You like chasing that ball?” tells them the object they are interacting with is a ball and the action is chasing.

“I feel sick/sad/angry/happy” will help him learn the words for your moods and states of well being.

Pigeons are smart and socially conscious enough to draw parallels between yours and their own, largely on their own.

Because their flocks are democratic meritocracies, pigeons innately understand the concept of consent and are capable of expressing what they want, once they work out what indication you can understand.

If you make a habit of telling the bird that you need to do something that may be unpleasant for the sake of their well being (like going to the vet, or untangling a hair from their toes), doing that as quickly as possible, and releasing them immediately afterwards, and only asking what the bird wants when they have the option to decline, you and your pigeon can work out a means of answering yes and no and indicating their choice.

They are smart enough to learn house rules as well as a dog or cat, provided you are consistent enough.

My Assistance Pigeon free roams my house like a puppy. Even taught himself to try to poop on tile, where it’s easiest to clean up.

There is some difference in the personalities of cocks and hens.

Cocks build friendships primarily through rivalry, and their affection is very pinchy and aggressive.

People often think a human-social cock is antagonizing them because he dislikes them, when what he is actually doing is trying to impress them with his strength and tenacity, the way he would a hen he was courting.

You can wrestle them back with out fear of hurting them.

When you want the game to finish, just relax your hand and move it where ever he pushes or pulls, until he finds the position he wants.

Hens tend to be more cuddly and clingy than cocks.

Check out @tinysaurus-rex, @birdgeppetto, @sensitive-pigeon, and @katskip and ask them about life with their pigeon house mates.

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annoyedbritishperson · 6 years

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Raptors

What if instead of humans being space Australians or space orcs we were more like space raptors; we appear like an old extinct race that has faded into distant memory and rarely anyone knows about their true nature, they’re hesitant around us because we’ve been known to be violent predators but when they do come into contact with us their fear grows due to our intelligence and ability to learn quickly (their knowledge might be genetically programmed into them making it harder for them to learn but they see themselves as overall more intelligent, which I don’t blame on them since they wouldn’t need to put in the effort to learn like us) but since we imprint and pack bond were seen as potentially powerful allies.

———————————————————

After around 20-30 Terran years after humans were officially contacted it became a large talking point in the media about them, not because they were a new sentient species, this wasn’t the first time a new species was contacted, but instead because they bore a close resemblance to documents of an ancient extinct species. While it was absolutely certain that they were unrelated to this original celestial civilisation that didn’t stop blogs, talk shows and news reports from jokingly making the link. As a result of this inadvertent advertisement this builds a symbolism around the humans, while typically this might be seen as a happy coincidence it causes some of the more rich and powerful aliens to desire our “company” or in other words, have us as pets.

At first this went unnoticed, by both the IGU and the human government. This was largely because only adult humans were taken; when contact was made with taken individuals they claimed to like it, they were basically treated like kings by their captors, mainly as a result of the media symbolism that caused the desire for them. Unfortunately their symbolism is the only thing going for them, and this help quickly becomes hell as demand for them rises.

Because of the lack of contact, our language(s) haven’t been commonly added to universal translators, and so our speech is still heard as growls and hisses (lets be honest here, foreign languages do typically sound like that to non-native speakers, so it would probably sound even more primitive to an alien species that might make different noises e.g clicking) coupled with the fact that we still growl when aggravated.

At first the aliens didn’t think this increased demand would be much trouble but to the humans, this was awfully reminiscent of a time of human trade and tragedy: slavery. Now, you might be wondering why the imagery of slavery wasn’t triggered in the first place; largely as a result of the high treatment of them, they were never asked to work or labour so not paying them seemed fair as they didn’t exactly do anything, secondly, it didn’t come to mind since, at first, so few were taken to this “new life”. You might be thinking of their families, those of the taken humans to be exact. Well, to put it simply, it was easier to take those with nothing than those with a life; basically, they were homeless.

While the first humans taken for this “exotic pet” trade were fine, even happy, with this new life, as demand for humans grew, it became obvious that their dislike of being captured and potentially taken from family and friends was stronger and there were risks on both sides. A risk for those capturing is that they’d have to deal with an aggressive human, a creature typically on the larger side for a supposedly sentient being and one known for its carnivorous traits, meaning there’s a high chance of the hunter becoming the prey (or at least from the aliens perspective). And there was also a risk to the humans, for one, the traps could potentially cause injuries and secondly, so little is known of them they could easily be sent to live with aliens that don’t know how to look after them properly.

While you’d be more likely to capture a human on their native planet, “Terra” it’s commonly called, this is considered a bad idea since there are also a number of other creatures that could pose a threat to the alien trapper; as a result they typically target human colonies, the more recent the colony the better. This is due to the fact that humans have decreased the amount of rovers they send to possibly habitable planets, they merely send a satellite to determine its habitability and see if it’s worth colonising, this is important as the lack of rover or drone checks decreases the knowledge of the planets finer details, thereby meaning they assume losing colony members is inevitable, whether there are hostile forces there or not.

Certain types of human also had different value, top of the list being young calico humans, who are essentially humans with vitiligo. They could go for millions, even on rare occasion, billions of credits.

Private ownership was rare among common individuals, likely because trappers charged high prices as a result of the high personal risk of capturing humans, but they still wanted to see this newly contacted species in the flesh; this caused zoos to begin requesting humans. Now that zoos started wanting them they wanted younger humans too and that’s what caused the trade to be put underground or at least to be hidden from the human government. The main reason that zoos wanted younger humans was because that they could have them for longer and it would be easier for them to imprint with trainers. Unbeknownst to the trainers their youth makes their minds more malleable to learning, however they don’t know this, meaning they assume the tricks they’re taught are instinctual.

Unfortunately this also causes some of the more, egotistic, for lack of a better term, of alien species deem humans practically evolved to be pets, that is, until they manage to acquire their own human and quickly learn that they don’t like taking orders without personal gain, or at the very least as a favour (of course we only give favours to those we like, why would we waste time, effort and dignity to entertain - again, for lack of a better term- an asshole) of whom quickly learn their lesson once pinned to the ground by a beast typically twice to three times their size, faced with a mouth filled with white teeth bared directly at them.

Now, what the zookeepers and “exotic pet” owners didn’t expect was that humans had an annoying tendency to escape, frequently; too frequently, more frequently than was thought possible for any species, sentient or otherwise. Unlike with the rich, of whom would typically have only one or two humans at a time the zoos usually found their humans nearby after. Common instances of escape for “pet” humans ended with the human leaving for good, never to return to their “owners”. Zoo kept humans however usually only escaped their enclosures, an interesting result of this escape is that they always raided snack bars and food storage for both their own foods and other animals foods. There were some more concerning incidents however where, if it wasn’t the biggest zoo and didn’t have many snack bars to raid or many creatures for food to be stolen from, worst came to worst and humans would sometimes break into separate enclosures and consume other zoo kept animals, though this was less of a concern if the captive human wasn’t especially young when taken or of Hunter/farmer status.

After these occurrences became widely known it became standard to have extra food for the humans merely to subside their voracious appetites, it even became law on certain planets when it was found out that the majority of humans had a particular taste for certain sentient species, most notably the Gar’el (later studies found that their flesh tasted almost exactly the same as a preferred human food known as “burgers” (and I’m not just saying the burger meat I mean the combination of flavours that make a burger, cooked and all)) and the floons (of whom also bore a flavoured resemblance to “cookies” the texture difference from their exoskeleton and soft flesh beneath only made them more desirable to certain humans). As a result of this it was advised for these species to avoid circumstances that would lead to contact with humans.

Escape isn’t guaranteed, provided that the human(s) in question are well cared for. In these cases they will likely pack bond with the individual(s) that care for them. This is a good thing for multiple reasons, the first being that they’ll never willingly hurt you or let you come to harm in general (provided that they could prevent this harm). This trait was briefly considered as beneficial for war but when put into practice the humans being “trained” revolted within two weeks, unfortunately there were no survivors.

While pack bonded humans will protect and even care for you this also means they’re more confident around you in general, in most cases this is a good thing but when faced with a situation or circumstance they don’t like they’ll make it known in the form of growling. This may be perceived as a threat display but provided there’s a pack bond they will refrain from any actual damage. A classic example of this is getting in the way of their food, they’ll express frustration and even growl but they won’t actually attack (unless you’re straight up starving them).

It’s common practice for Alien zoos and poachers to use locks unfamiliar to humans; due to the fact that we weren’t pre-programmed with the knowledge of how to escape them, it was thought that caught humans would be trapped. This was also proven incorrect as older humans tended to find methods of escape. This is another reason why younger humans were put into captivity more frequently, they found it harder to escape as quickly. While this was a plus for the trapper it would also bring concerns, younger humans find it harder to contain their emotions and will commonly lash out in fear; subsequently it’s not unusual for trappers or even zookeepers to lose limbs or even die as a result of these fear induced reactions.

As previously mentioned humans have the rather annoying ability to escape with ease, studies eventually pinpointed this trait to unnaturally fast learning capabilities. While this faced a problem for most that had to keep and care for them since theoretically no lock could keep them in, zoos took this differently. Instead they took inspiration from Terran zoos and tried to train the humans to do tricks in exchange for food. Again, you’d think this wouldn’t be a problem but it just instead increased their demand to the entertainment industry and the fact that this time you’re getting them to follow orders without volunteering to take part in this (aka jobs) only raised the Terran suspicions of slavery. But among these tricks they were trained against hostility, basically they were taught not to attack; this was mostly effective except for training scenarios where their trainer would be attacked of which it was common for the “attacker” to face the force of a swipe from a 170 pound mammal.

It’s not long after this spike in demand for humans that it became obvious that where this was going wasn’t desirable. A few rare cases of adoptive abduction could be overlooked provided that the humans taken were ok with this new life, a whole trade in humans was a bit harder to turn a blind eye towards. Since they were so recently contacted no laws were put in place to allow or prohibit anything concerning humans and they weren’t part of the IGU either so violence from humans towards aliens was completely legal. This lack of laws around them allowed for their capture with little consequence; fortunately it also allowed for their revolt with little consequence.

Typical escapes still ensued but now they all happened at once, as if planned. (You must bear in mind that since humans were kept and typically treated as less than equal, the fact that we were also a sentient space faring species faded from mind). In zoos, humans didn’t just escape to raid food anymore, they visited other zoos, a fair amount of the time they came back in the early morning before anyone had noticed, other times they just left; forming packs that simply roamed the streets for resources. Escaped humans were typically treated like raccoons or bears, avoid feeding them etc or they might see you as a means for resources and stay, whether you want them or not.

However it was soon discovered that they weren’t only breaking out to visit others of their own species, they were stealing, and stealing weapons at that. Unlocking homes and raiding them for plasma guns and sharp objects (some kept them for self defence like some people do with guns). Fortunately they didn’t hurt or kill anyone during this process but it quickly became a concern when news broke out about a silent weapons burglar.

For months this continued until the captive humans were sure they were better armed than their captors and all other nearby individuals. The first revolt was on fskarr 150-c, hundreds escaped but instead of silently slipping out like shadows as usual they chose to escape in the middle of the day. They most likely chose to do this as a show of power; a statement not to be messed with. And it worked. The city was terrified, not only was this creature able to escape, with ease, but is also intelligent enough to outsmart their defence systems. They were prepared for a blundering beast and entirely confident with the prospect of facing one, what truly terrified them was that they could so easily learn and outsmart them.

The police forces ordered to neutralise the issue were somewhat successful, they managed to capture a fair amount of humans, but they weren’t quick enough. The humans were apparently able to take in information even during these stressful situations. Long story short they were able to steal a ship and return to their respective colonies, but there were casualties a result, most of whom weren’t human. With the stories confirming what the Terran government had feared they released propaganda in their news to rebel against this trade.

Around 12 years into the human trade their language is finally added to universal translators, making direct communication possible. It’s quickly discovered that humans were more complex than previously thought, despite all indications towards this. As a result, the IGU decided to ask for a conference with the Terran government on the subject of human rights. New laws are put into place confirming that they’re actually equal to other sentient species and have the same rights to freedom as each other.

Though they’re considered equal now their stereotypes haven’t exactly faded, and are now commonly hired for the old jobs they were bought for. A fortunate side effect for the humans is that they can charge ridiculously high prices for their services and get away with it.

(I kinda wrote this in a sort of history book format because I was too lazy to think of characters and a story lol sorry. Feel free to add on and give feedback)

Moral of the story: don’t hug a hungry human

(Ok maybe, some are very cuddly)

#humans are space oddities #humans are space australians #humans are deathworlders #humans are space orcs #humans are weird #humans are awesome #humans are space raptors #humans #aliens #space

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ruffheroblog · 5 years

Text

The Most Effective German Shepherd Training Guide For New Owners

If you’re thinking about adding a German Shepherd to your family, you’re about to make a great decision! German Shepherds are wonderful family dogs, highly intelligent, and easily trainable.

Puppies can start training as soon as they arrive at your home and will benefit from regular training and refresher courses throughout their life.

You’ll need some basic know-how to ensure a smooth transition from puppy to a socialized, well-trained dog, but with adequate time and consistency, you’ll have a dog that is incredibly loyal, devoted, and eager to please.

Continue reading for your all-inclusive guide to raise and train your German Shepherd puppy.

Training 101: Basics

It’s vital to start training your puppy as soon as you bring them home. For German Shepherd puppies, it’s never too early to start training. If you put it off, the longer you delay, the harder the training will be.

German Shepherd pups are known for developing bad habits if left on their own for too long. The older they get, the harder it will be to retrain their habits.

Expectations

When you start out training your pup, you need to have a clear set of expectations in mind and remember that puppies will need time and consistency for training to cement. A seven to ten-week-old pup probably won’t be fully housetrained or instantly obey your every command.

In general, set your expectations for the following age markers:

3 Months – Come, sit, walk on a leash, wait for a potty break 2-3 hours

6 Months – Shake, food and treat eating by command, wait for a potty break 4-4 ½ hours

12 Months – Basic commands, walk on a leash in crowded areas, come despite distractions, wait for a potty break 5 hours

Be the Leader

German Shepherds¹ are highly intelligent, loyal, and protective. These traits are wonderful as long as you know how to work with them. You must teach your dog that you are the leader of the pack.

Otherwise, their dominant tendency might evidence itself, and they might try and take over. Teaching your dog that you are the leader ensures that they will take their commands from you, rather than deciding what to do on their own.

Teaching your dog that you are the one in charge happens through training, as well as through more subtle hints including:

Only let your dog each after you have.

Always proceed with your dog through doorways.

Set boundaries, including rooms to not enter.

Speak to them in a firm tone.

Never accept disobedience during their training. Refocus your pooch and repeat the command until they respond properly and can be rewarded accordingly.

Training 201: Training Methods

There are two predominant methods to use for successfully coaching a trained German Shepherd – the rewards system and a clicker.

German Shepherds thrive when you offer firm training and positive feedback. They are built to work and please, making them highly receptive to training. A clicker can be paired with a rewards-based training system that your dog will quickly associate with good behavior.

Using the Clicker

You can purchase a clicker from any pet supply store or online. These are basic tools that fit into your hand and produce a distinctive “click” noise when pressed. Using this tool effectively can help speed up the training for your German Shepherd pup.

Using a clicker works the same way for any task. You give your dog a command, and the instant they follow through, you click and offer them a treat. They start associating the click with correct behavior and will listen for it when training.

It’s essential that you click as soon as the command is obeyed correctly. It should not be clicked for incorrect tries or poor behavior.

As with any reward system, you can opt to reduce clicking and instead use pats to reward good behavior as commands are learned.

Optionally, if you have sequence commands, using the clicker at the end of a sequence helps your dog attach the entire string of commands into one command.

Training 301: Basic Commands

All dogs need to learn a variety of basic commands to function properly in your family. These basic skills ensure a happy dog and a happy family that can live together in harmony.

Here are five basic commands to teach your dog and the method for training.

Sit

When training your dog to sit, you should gently push down on their hind quarter while saying the word “sit.” As soon as their rear connects with the ground and they’re in a sitting position, give them a treat to reinforce the behavior.

Repeat this process for several days. As they start to learn, move away from offering treats and instead offer a loving pat and affirming words such as “good boy” or “good girl.”

Stay

This is the next command after your dog has learned to sit. Start by telling your dog to sit. When they are seated, tell them to “stay” and hold your hand out with your palm facing them. Walk backward several steps. If your dog stays put, offer a treat for their behavior.

Repeat this process and increase the distance you move away. Do this entire process slowly, so they aren’t tempted to run after you, thinking you’re playing a game of chase.

If your dog tries to follow when you slowly walk away, command them to sit and try again.

Lie Down

When teaching your dog to lie down, start with them in a sitting position. Use a treat to then get them all the way down by placing it in front of them and having them follow the treat to the ground.

Say the words:”lie down” a few times while they are following the treat to a lying down position. As soon as they are down, offer the treat. Repeat this process until they get the hang of it and, similar to training used for “sit,” eventually move away from offering a treat and instead offer a pat and a “good boy.”

Shake

Start with your dog in the sitting position for this next trick. Put your hand out like you’re expecting something, say “shake,” and then use your other hand to put your dog’s paw into your hand.

When their paw is in your hand, offer them a treat. Repeat until they start offering their paw on their own. Finally, transition away from treats to pats for a job well done.

Come

Training for this command is typically a two-person job. While a friend or family member holds your dog in place, you walk away at a distance. When you’re several yards away, you command “come,” and the person with your dog releases it.

As soon as your dog arrives, you offer them a treat. This may take some repetition, and it’s best to start in a place that is distraction-free when first training your young German Shepherd.

Training 401: Command Variations

The commands above are basic versions any trained dog should know. Unfortunately, everyone else, including potential intruders, knows this too. Unless your dog is a trained protection dog, they may respond to the command of another person.

There are two ways to make your German Shepherd more impervious to the commands of strangers: hand signals and German commands.

Initially:

Training your dog using English is always a good idea, so you and the dog can get a good handle on the commands.

Once your dog has learned the commands you’ve taught, you both can afford to take another step up the command ladder. If you want to teach your dog to respond to commands in German instead of English, begin using a combination of English commands and hand signals for each command.

Be sure each hand signal is distinct.

After you’ve practiced commands with the English and hand signal hybrid, start switching out English for German. Your German Shepherd will respond to the hand signal and associate the German word with the command.

Here are a few German words you’ll need to know:

Sit = Sitz

Stay = Bleib

Lie Down = Plotz

Come = Hier

Training 501: Obedience School

As much training as you can do with your dog, sometimes additional training is needed for specific tasks, such as capabilities associated with protection dogs. German Shepherds make wonderful family protection dogs and when trained properly, they can learn to:

– Alert you to an intruder

– Identify friend from foe

– Act as your guardian

– Defend against an intruder

– Go on the offensive against an intruder

– Occupy an intruder until police arrive

Protection dog training is far more intensive than the regular commands we’ve discussed in this article but can be well worth the investment depending on how you want your dog to function in your family.

German Shepherds Breed: A Cut Above

Some things to know about the German Shepherd breed is they are loving, loyal, and hardworking dogs. They love to please, are eager to work, and will respond well to consistent, firm training. Over time, you’ll be able to train them to do a variety of tasks and can even transition from English to German.

If desired, you can enroll them for specialist training so they can learn how to protect your family. Do these fantastic K9s sound like a dog you’d like to have around?

#Dog Health #Health Supplements #Natural Products

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winryofresembool · 6 years

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Fic: Kittens and grandparents

Summary: Al and Mei visit the Curtises with Ed and Winry’s kids and encounter a cat problem.

A/N: /Finally/. @finalcam, here’s your giveaway fic! You wished for Izumi and Sig baby sitting the Edwin kids, with hints of Al and Mei, and I tried my best to do it in quite few words. This has honestly more Almei focus than Sig and Izumi but I still hope you enjoy! Once again I have @randomlyopeneddictionary to thank for this idea. What would I do without your help? As usual, comments are very much loved.

Characters: Al, Mei, Sig, Izumi, Edwin kids Alan and Emma (no Ed or Winry tho WHAT IS LIFE?)

Words: 1650+ (more than planned but since I made you wait, I guess that’s OK)

Genre: general, a tiny bit fluffy (because of the cat :D)

warnings: none

“Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

Two kids, a 4-year-old boy with golden hair and equally golden eyes and a 2-year-old girl with a slightly lighter shade of blonde hair and azure blue eyes, were getting impatient. Only a little while ago they had been so excited to get onto a train with their aunt and uncle who were spending the summer in Rush Valley as their family’s guests. However, based on the amount of seat kicking and bickering about the smallest things, they seemed to have forgotten about the excitement already.

The kids’ parents had seemed visibly relieved when Al had suggested he and Mei would love to take the kids with them to see “granny Izumi” in Dublith. It didn’t take Al too long to understand why; the two Rockbell-Elric children could be angelic when they wanted to be, but they were just as stubborn as Edward and Winry were, and also impatient. They had only been on the train for an hour, but this was probably the third time Emma and Alan started chanting the question that was familiar to a lot of traveling parents in unison. Al had hoped that maybe a good meal at the restaurant car would help, but it seemed to make the kids even more energetic than before. Two more hours to go. Thank goodness they didn’t have to travel to Dublith all the way from Resembool…

As the large buildings of Dublith finally started to show, both Al and Mei sighed of relief. At least when they’d make it to the Curtis household they could trust the kids to behave well because they seemed to respect Izumi in a way that neither them or Ed and Winry could never reach. Besides, Sig had a habit of sneaking an extra piece of the kids’ favorite sausage on the sandwich when they were acting nice (as long as they wouldn’t tell Izumi), and it seemed bribery worked pretty well on Emma and Alan too.

Once the kids had gotten their stomachs full (Al and Mei wondered how they could fit all those sandwiches there after the proper meal on the train), they went to take a nap, giving Al and Mei a good opportunity to go outside to see all the familiar places where Al had wandered as a child. Devil’s Nest seemed to be empty at that moment, and Al felt chills in his core as he remembered some not so happy memories from that place. Sensing what he was feeling, Mei squeezed his hand to pull him back from his thoughts, and he smiled at her gratefully.

Continuing their walk, Al noticed that Xiao-Mei who was sitting on Mei’s shoulder seemed to get irritated by something she saw. Her ears went flat and she emited small hissing sounds. The reason for the panda’s reaction became clear soon; Al heard a tiny “meow” behind a box someone had left on the sidewalk. The small furball peeked at them nervously, probably wanting to run away but not knowing to which direction it should go.

“Mei? Could you… make sure Xiao-Mei doesn’t run anywhere? I’m gonna… try to talk to this little pal.”

Mei wanted to protest but put the tiny panda into her bag and saw Al starting to approach the cat. He walked really slowly, not wanting to scare it away, talking to it in a calm and quiet voice. Somehow, he managed to gain the kitten’s trust and soon it was sitting on his hand while he was petting it with the other one.

“Alphonse?” Mei asked carefully. “You do know that someone might be looking for that cat, missing it dearly?”

“But look at it! It’s so small and alone, and it’s gonna be cold tonight. I can’t leave it here!”

“Fine,” Mei gave in. “But just for tonight. You will start looking for its owner tomorrow, will you not?”

“Sure thing, my princess. But just because she’s insisting,” he whispered to the kitten, lifting it close to his face so he could snuggle his cheek against the soft fur.

“Meow!”

…

Some time later, the couple returned to the Curtises to find Al’s nephew and niece already awake. Alan, who was already good at reading people’s emotions, sensed that Al was hiding something, and asked:

“Uncle Al? Why do you look so funny?”

“Yes, Alphonse-dear, do you have something you would like to share with the kids?” Mei asked slyly, and Al had to pull the kitten from his pocket.

“Kitty, kitty!” Emma yelled excitedly. From very early on she had showed interest in animals. The new dog at home had gotten more pats from her than anyone else in the household, but for some reason her parents didn’t let her get a cat.

“Shhh, Emma, please don’t be so loud… If Izumi hears…” Al said, clearly very nervous about his old teacher’s possible reaction.

“If she hears what?” Sig asked, entering the room at a critical moment. Al felt like a school kid again when he tried to push the tiny cat into his pocket, but not before Sig saw what he had in his hands.

“Alphonse, aren’t you a bit too old for that already? You know how Izumi feels about cats. Especially after your brother managed to talk her into keeping that one when you lived here…”

“Did daddy have a cat?” Alan asked curiously when he understood they were talking about Edward.

“Well, he helped me get one when we were little…” Al answered, still looking a bit awkward.

“It was quite a funny story too. Do you kids want to hear it?” Sig asked, smiling at the memories.

“YES!” they shouted in unison.

“Fine. Once Edward and Alphonse found a kitten on our neighbor’s backyard and overheard the neighbor wanted to get rid of it. When she left the house for a moment later that day, the boys snuck the cat into their room even though they knew Izumi would be mad if she found out. Apparently she had had bad experiences with cats as a kid. The neighbor was of course very happy when she couldn’t find the cat anywhere, but my wife got suspicious when she heard they had disappeared. You just don’t keep secrets from her, especially if you’re living under her roof.”

“Anyway…” Sig cleared his throat. “Not much later, she found the boys hanging out in their closet instead of doing their homework, and… it was pretty scary, even for me. But Ed didn’t budge. He had seen how important the cat was to Al, and he wanted his little brother to have this one nice thing, even if it meant he’d get his, um, butt, kicked for it. So, when Izumi asked, why the boys had hidden a cat in their closet, Ed looked her straight into eyes with a very serious expression, and said: “All is one, one is all, that’s what you taught us. We are learning about the circle of life by making it eat the mice in the closet.””

Emma looked a little bit upset when she heard the cat ate other animals, so Sig continued quickly: “Anyway, Izumi just stared at him for a while, before bursting into the loudest laughter I had heard in a long while. Then she just shook her head and mumbled something about the nerve the boys had, but after that the cat was never talked about again. It got to stay in our garage until the boys left back to Resembool. After that we searched a new home for it.”

“Sig? Why are you telling them about the only soft moment I have ever had?” a woman’s voice suddenly said behind the group, and Sig’s ears turned bright red.

“No reason, honey!”

The kitten in Al’s pocket decided to start meowing in that moment, and Izumi rolled her eyes.

“Alphonse, have you still not stopped picking random cats from the streets? Who knows what illnesses they might carry…”

“But teacher… I mean Mrs. Curtis… It’s so small, and it’s gonna be a cold night…” Al stuttered. Mei wondered what exactly had happened during the brothers’ apprenticeship that made an adult man so nervous. He hadn’t been that nervous in front of her father, the previous Emperor of Xing, when she had introduced Al to him.

Everyone was surprised when the little Alan stepped in: “Granma Izumi, it’s not…” he struggled with the words a bit, “… eqi… equivalent exchange if we get to sleep in our warm beds but the cat has to sleep on a cold street!”

It was the first time anyone had ever called Izumi a grandma (the kids had called her that at home but never in front of Izumi herself), and that alone was enough to soften her heart. But she also realized how much the boy reminded her of his father, using alchemy phrases and all, and couldn’t help but smile a bit when she answered:

“You know what, Alan? I guess you’re right. He may stay here tonight. Just tonight, though. Tomorrow you will try to find his home, right?”

“Alright,” Alan agreed, and Izumi patted him on his head.

Watching the kids (and Al) having fun with the kitten later that day, Izumi felt the weird kind of happiness in her chest that she didn’t remember feeling after the boys had left Dublith. Finally, she managed to name the feeling; she was grateful and proud that Ed and Al had managed to go so far in their lives; Alphonse was back in his body, living with a girl he would soon marry, still loving kitties as much as he always had. And Edward’s two children were happy and healthy (and dare she say, quite nosy already), and if they were anything like their parents, they would do well in this world. And that was all she could hope for.

#almei #fullmetal alchemist #alphonse elric #may chang #my fics #izumi curtis #sig curtis #emma rockbell elric #alan rockbell elric

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written-in-starlight · 5 years

Text

Tax Forms Pt 4

The rest of the night passed in an angelic blur.

A biblical reading followed by a silent prayer.

The Bible pages being peeled away from his body like flower petals.

Whipped cream in his mouth, Jacob’s ears consumed with the sound of the white cream being released.

The rat being set on the bedside table to bear witness.

Gabriel’s large hands on Jacob’s shoulders.

Gabriel’s hands everywhere.

Gabriel’s low, sensuous voice at Jacob’s neck, fractured by ragged breaths.

Jacob reciting Sunday school verses.

The hunger rearing and squirming under Gabriel’s divine power.

Blessed handcuffs.

Sweet moans.

The basement was hardly impressive. Gaudy red drapes continued to wreak havoc on the walls while cheap candles desperately tried to lit the intimate space. Gabriel shrugged his coat closer to himself, as if to keep himself from such filth. Jacob found it quite cute, and winked at him again.

“There you are, Jakey Wakey,” Giglia cooed, jumping up from wear she and Max had been… “We thought you might have left early. We were so worried.” Her voice swayed just slightly, and Jacob looked passed her to see Max downing the dregs of a champagne bottle.

“Sure you were. This is where all that occult shit is happening, right?” Jacob replied coolly.

“Yeah, baby,” Max answered from behind Giglia. “Who’s the himbo?”

Giglia snorted and playfully kicked Max’s extended foot. “Pet, what did I say about talking out loud during parties.”

“Talking is for Giglia,” Max grumbled, falling backwards to stare drunkenly at the ceiling.

Meanwhile, Jacob hadn’t realized Gabriel had stayed by his side and eyed him curiously. He had a strong jaw and lush hair. A thick, fertile body hiding behind pastel formalwear. A sort of smirk on his face. He knew what effect he had on those around him, and he relished in it, the half-fear, half-awe. Jacob had to have him.

“This is Gabriel, a friend of Sandalphon’s,” Jacob responded finally, disregarding the lovers’ spat.

“Well then may one’s choice in friends not reflect their soul,” Giglia commented, shaking Gabriel’s hand. Jacob imagined a whole host of wonderful ways he could use that hand. One step at a time.

“Where did Sandalphon go?” Gabriel murmured, turning his head.

“Probably to grab a drink or chastise some young couple,” Jacob stated, hoping he was right. Sandalphon would totally kill the vibes.

Unfortunately, someone else decided to take up the task. “Ladies and gentlepeople of theater society!” a loud, slightly manic voice cried out. “Thank you all for joining me on this momentous celebration of the new production of Heathers.” The source of the voice, a wiry young man with a fur coat and thick black eyeliner, stood on the main table in the basement, rattling the drinks that had been set upon it. “Now, I have not set foot in this house since my dear old father, who many of you likely hated, the bastard, passed away. But given that my dear sister is starring in such a marvelous production, and that I am directing-”

“Assistant directing!” piped a slightly annoyed feminine voice. Its source, a stunning woman the shade of cherry wood, with elegant hair running down her back like a waterfall, crossed her arms at the speaker.

“Yes, that, well anyway, the production has been so wonderful that I felt the need to reinhabit this tragic space, and make it something more. So as the new owner of this house, let me invite you to participate in a seance to clear the house of evil spirits.” His eyes gleamed. “After all, I can talk to the dead.”

“Klaus!” The woman snapped, but the man just hopped further out of her reach and hurried to grab a cardboard ouija board clearly purchased at a Dollar Store.

“What do you say, Gabriel? Shall we?” Jacob asked, keeping his voice slow to let Gabriel soak in it. Gabriel smiled knowingly and brushed his hand against Jacob’s.

“Sure, little mouse.”

“Mouse? Have you already given me a nickname?”

“I make a habit of not remembering names. Mouse, I think, will do just fine for you. A mouse is sweet, small, fleeting. Waiting to be caught in a trap.” Gabriel had leaned over Jacob, so close his perfect lips took up the whole of Jacob’s vision.

“Is that a promise?” Jacob smiled and looped his arm in Gabriel’s. Let’s have some fun.

Jacob woke to the sound of someone knocking on the door. The bed was made, he was dressed in a purple button up and khakis, the handcuffs were gone (though marks on his wrist remained). Gabriel was gone, too. Of course he was. It had to be this way.

Jacob stood and examined himself in the mirror. Little bruises all over his neck, his shoulders, probably other places if he bothered to look. He smiled knowingly and buttoned the shirt to the collar. No need to let others in on he and Gabriel’s little tryst.

“Jacob?” A voice called out. A stranger’s voice. Jacob immediately grabbed one of the knives from his backpack, his adrenaline spiking. But not to the point of seeing red, not to the point of getting lost in the promise of spilling blood. That hunger had been sated (sedated?) for now. Jacob held the knife behind his back and approached the door.

He opened it just a crack, with the lock still attached. A short blonde woman with a feisty look to her and an older gentleman who seemed like he taught some odd esoteric university seminar, bow-tie and all, stood in front of him.

“This is him,” the gentleman told the woman, pushing passed her and forcing the door open. The lock gave way too easily.

“Hey what the hell!” Jacob held up his knife to them. What bastards. He’d kill them, regardless of the hunger.

“Sorry, dude, my friend has some issues with personal property,” the blonde explained, following the other. “We’re not going to hurt you though.”

“Who are you?” Jacob snarled.

The blonde took a deep breath. The gentleman gave her a reassuring glance. “My name’s Eleanor. This is Michael. We need to talk to you about the Angel Gabriel.”

“We’re from the bad place.“

prev / next

#sydney #carlyn #jacob #anonymemers #y'all are getting tagged now #enjoy this fuckery lol #submission #tax forms

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birdy-rps · 5 years

Text

The camera shifts slightly ad her face comes into view. Checking the settings one more time she smiles and waves to the camera,

"Hi! Today we are going to go through the various creatures I own and how I got them! Now, while I own an aviary, many of the birds just visit momentarily and then return home either to their owner or they are relocated to a proper habitat after rehabilitation. I own around 9 different birds, 2 different reptiles, one amphibian, one arachnid and 5 mammals."

She turns the camera around, showing her walking to a door. The door opens to reveal what appears to be a animal paradise, different glass domes showcasing brilliant fauna from different ecosystems. The first dome she walks into appears to be a north American forest, and the camera shows her sliding a thick leather glove onto her hand.

"First up, let's meet Arthur. Arthur is a Male great horned owl, who used to be a pet until his owners got tired of him. Instead of bringing him straight to a place like mine, they just let him out into the wild, leaving him defenseless and vulnerable to predators. He had no idea how to hunt for himself and hardly flew around unless he wanted to perch."

She makes a whistle noise and theres a barely there sound of flapping as a large owl swoops from the trees and lands on her gloved hand. The owl settles himself and preens lightly under the view of the camera.

"He was given to me by someone who found him practically starving to death out in the woods. I taught him how to fly and how to hunt by using treats whenever he did it well, but since he had been a pet most his life he refuses to leave and thus cannot be rehabilitated. He's very friendly and behaves well around all age groups so he is one of my best models for photographs when I go to teach kids about animals"

Raising her hand and making another whistle noise, Arthur flies off into the trees. Moving to another patch of trees, She reaches into a bag at her side and pulls out a small piece of raw cubed beef, clutching it between her thumb and index within the large glove. She makes a high pitched scree noise and a more noticable flapping noise is heard from directly in front. A gyrfalcon swoops down and lands on her hand, quickly gobbling down the beef.

"This is Fawkes, my gyrfalcon. Hes about 8 years old, and came to me about a year and a half ago, suffering from an injured foot. He was given to me by a retired falconer and very quickly got used to being pampered because of his injury and prefers to stay in the aviary where he can stretch his wings whenever he pleases but still get attention."

Raising her hand like she did with Arthur, Fawkes flies off into the trees. Taking the large glove off, she flips the camera to face her again,

"Those were my north American birds, now on to my tropical species"

There's a jump cut and now Sarah is shown standing in an area of lush fauna, two different species of macaws on her shoulders. The one on her left shoulder is a scarlet macaw, the one on the right is a hyacinth macaw. Adjusting the microphone on the small headset, she introduces the pair,

"This is Bow, the scarlet macaw, and Beck, the hyacinth macaw. Both are around the same age, about 4 years old, and I got both from a rescue program after their habitats were destroyed due to logging companies. Both are very friendly and will attempt to take any buttons you happen to have on you, hence why I'm wearing a regular T shirt without buttons on it. They hang out here in the tropical dome with each other and anyone who happens to stop by, so they're never lonely"

The camera now shows her sitting on a low branch next to a toco toucan, the bird walking back and forth along the branch.

"This is Tulio, the toco toucan. He has been with me ever since he was a hatchling, his species being a very popular pet. He was the runt and was gifted to me by a very reliable avian breeder. He's very friendly and loves to eat fruit, and I often let those who pose with Tulio feed him a berry or two as a treat for good behavior."

Another jump cut and now she is standing holding a greater bird of paradise, the bird preening his feathers as he perched on her arm.

"This is Tico, the greater bird of paradise. He is about 3 years old, and loves being in the spotlight. I got him after he was injured in his habitat by some logging crew after he refused to leave. Since being brought to me, he has recovered fully but now thinks I am his mate and consistently performs a display to hopefully get me to accept his proposal."

She visibly sweatdrops as she mentions this before the scene changes to her opening the door to another dome, this one lacking very many trees and instead having tall Savannah grass. As soon as she closes the door, a pair of wings can be heard getting closer, and the moment she turns around, a large African crowned crane is standing in front of her.

"Oh! Hello Majesty, heheh. This is Majesty, my African crowned crane. She was gifted to me by a local zoo after she got involved in a pretty bad spat between her and another of their female cranes. She enjoys attention and pretty much demands the focus be on her at all times, and there has been one or two incidents of her pecking at someone who didnt give her the attention she wanted. Because of this, I rarely have her pose for photos, although she loves having her picture taken."

The scene cuts and now she has the camera pointed to a secretary bird, standing tall with his head feathers moving in the slight breeze. He steps toward the camera and pecks at it before Sarah moves the camera away, laughing softly,

"This is Jaques, my Male secretary bird. He has a habit of pecking at anything he can get his beak on, Haha. Despite that though, hes much more behaved than Majesty and thus I have more pictures of him. He tends to stand on people's shoulders if I have them crouch next to him. He was also given to me by a zoo as they needed more space for different animals they had received and had no where to put him. He enjoys being scratched under the beak and that's usually what he's asking for if he shoves his head in your hand."

The camera cuts again to show Sarah holding a large bearded vulture on her arm. He has bright orange pigment in his feathers.

"This is Steve, my bearded vulture, or lammergeier. Their diet is primarily bones, and they put pigment in their feathers to make them more intimidating. Steve prefers to be left alone and thus keeps to himself when I'm not around. I've had him for about 3 years now, after being injured by a trap someone had set. These fierce birds are captured and poisoned in acts of illegal persecution, and seldom make it out before the person who trapped them comes back to check their traps. And that's all of my personal avians!"

The view changes to being inside a fairly spacious room with terrariums lining the walls. She walks over to the closest one, opening it to show an African fat tailed gecko, carefully reaching her hand inside for the small reptile to crawl into her hand.

"This is Kiwi, my African fat tailed gecko. She's very friendly and her favorite place to sit is on people shoulders or head so she can get a good look around. Kiwi is an oreo morph, one of the rarer ones as this morph type is recessive. She likes to lick things and it feels very ticklish when she does, heheh. I've had her for about 2 years, and I got her for my birthday."

Placing Kiwi back into her tank, she moved down to another one, opening it and carefully removing a piebald python. The snake immediately slithered itself up to rest around her neck, causing Sarah to flip the camera view.

"This is Cookie, my piebald ball python, shes about 3 years old and was probably the best Christmas present I ever received! She enjoys curling around people's necks and she's extremely photogenic, she poses in just about every picture I've ever taken of her. And given how comfortable she is around my neck right now, I think itd be best if she stays there for the rest of the video."

There's a cut and the camera focuses on a black salamander with yellow spots, leisurely resting in a small pool of water.

"This is Mino, my black and yellow spotted salamander. I got him from my college professor who told me she couldnt take care of him anymore because of her new apartment having a strict no pets policy. He prefers to stay in his tank and it's best to not handle him because the oils from human hands could hurt him very badly. So most of the photos I have of him are of him in his tank."

The scene changes to show a large tarantula crawling on her hand. Sarah whispers softly into the microphone to avoid startling the arachnid,

"This is Luna, my rose haired tarantula. She is one of my oldest pets, being 13 years old. I've had her since I was in highschool and she's been with me through pretty much everything. She's very docile and is very okay with being handled but since she's so special to me I only let her take pictures with those I know personally."

Coming up to the last few minutes of the video, the camera shows two ferrets, a cat, and two dogs, playing next to a couch. Of the two ferrets, one is a dark eyed solid white and the other has a standard sable coat, and they seem to be playfully fighting over a toilet paper tube. The cat is a ragdoll and is leisurely resting in a patch of sun coming from the window. The smallest of. the two dogs is a pomsky, the larger being a albernese mountain dog.

"To end my video, I'm going to introduce you all to my five mammalian pets, Jinx and Greg the ferrets, Maria the ragdoll, Skye the pomsky and Kiba the albernese mountain dog. Out of the five, Maria is the oldest at 10 years old, Kiba coming in second at 5 years old. Jinx and Greg came from the same litter, both being 3 years old, Greg being the runt. And Skye is the youngest at 2 years old! I got all of them from reliable breeders and I cherish all of them dearly. And that concludes all my personal pets! Thank you for tuning in, see you next time!"

The video ends with a slideshow of various pictures of the animals with various people.

#animals #introduction to the crew #this is really long oof

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clairebeauchampfan · 6 years

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Meeeow! Why are we obsessed with cats?

Claws out! Why pop culture clings to the crazy cat lady

Lucy Jones, The Guardian newspaper

Mon 16 Apr 2018 16.48 BST

For years, women with cats have been portrayed as lonely, sexless and eccentric – but why does this stereotype endure? And can millennial ailurophiles reclaim the purr-jorative?

Did you hear the story about the old woman from Ohio who was arrested for training her 65 cats to steal her neighbour’s stuff? The Columbus police department found thousands of dollars’ worth of jewellery in the 83-year-old lady’s house and discovered she taught the cats to bring back “anything that shined”.

The news story went viral at the end of last year. How do you picture her? Unkempt hair, dressing gown and slippers, living alone, rarely leaving the house? The “crazy cat lady”, in other words. In fact, the story was fiction on a satirical website, but people bought it and shared the story thinking it was real.

The crazy cat lady is a common, recognisable trope in contemporary culture: think of Eleanor Abernathy in The Simpsons. After a promising career in medicine and law, she experiences burnout, starts drinking and gets a cat. Next minute, she’s talking gibberish, looking dishevelled and throwing her army of felines around. Then there’s Robert De Niro’s predictably bonkers elderly Christmas cat lady in a 2004 Saturday Night Live skit: she “had dreams and then she was kicked by a horse and now she has cats. The end!”

The younger version of the stereotype is usually associated with being single, kooky and weird; after her relationship with Carol Burnett comes to a head, 30 Rock’s Liz Lemon acquires a cat. “I can fit Emily Dickinson’s whole head in my mouth,” she tells a concerned Jack Donaghy. You can even buy a Crazy Cat Lady action figure online, complete with deranged, staring eyes.

To understand why this trope exists – and why it may be on its last legs – let’s scoot back to the middle ages and the earliest perceptions of women and their cats. Even before witch-hunts, cats had a bad rep in the western world – with associations with heretical sects and the devil. Medieval types conflated feline sex lives with lustful, sinful, female sexuality: cats were seen as “lecherous animals that actively wheedled the males on to sexual congress”, according to the historian James Serpell. Although, in recent pop culture, cat lady has evolved into shorthand for a lonely, sad, sexless woman. Too sexy, not sexy enough: can’t please ’em.

The earliest cat ladies in the west were, of course, witches. In Malleus Maleficarum, the landmark medieval treatise on witchcraft, a 13th-century folk story is recounted, whereby three witches turned themselves into cats, attacked a man on the street and accused him of assault in court, showing the marks on their bodies. From then on, witches were believed to have cats as familiars, or to change into felines at night.

Why would cats get such a satanic rep? We can only guess. Cats are mysterious. They come and go. Unlike dogs, they refuse to obey and be domesticated. They’re nocturnal. The Ancient Egyptians worshipped Bastet, a woman with a head of a cat. Although the Bible does not specifically mention cats, early Christian pilgrims were highly suspicious of other religions, and they deemed the black cat to be so demonic that being seen with one could be punishable by death.

Although the 18th century saw people beginning to question superstitions – such as the belief that a woman’s wart was a teat suckled by Satan – negative connotations of the relationship between cats and women remained. The Victorians switched witches for old-maid stereotypes – for single women without children: “Old maids and cats have long been proverbially associated together, and, rightly or wrongly, these creatures have been looked upon with a certain degree of suspicion and aversion by a large proportion of the human race,” wrote a journalist in the Dundee Courier in 1880. The Old Maid card game was often illustrated with a dour woman and her cat, the “friend of the friendless”, as it was described at the time. In the 1900s, anti-suffragette propaganda used images of cats to portray women as silly, useless, catty and ridiculous in their attempt to enter political life.

The inception of the “crazy” moniker is harder to pin down, but its connotations of hysteria are an old gender stereotype. Added to this, the extreme end of the modern “crazy cat lady” stereotype has more than a few cats, which is unusual. Eleanor Abernathy, for example, has cats dripping off her: she is, essentially, portrayed as a mentally ill, alcoholic, compulsive hoarder.

There may be some truth in the idea that animal hoarding is more common in women. A study in Brazil found that, while generalised hoarding disorder affects men and women equally, nearly three-quarters of animal hoarders were women. Since 2013, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders classifies compulsive hoarding as a psychiatric disorder, with animal hoarding as a subtype.

Another recent theory is to do with a parasite called toxoplasma gondii. This tiny critter infects rats and mice and changes their behaviour by, scientists believe, creating an attraction to cat urine, so it can wind up in the stomach of a cat, where it reproduces. It also infects between 30% and 60% cent of people. Scientists are exploring evidence that toxoplasmosis could create behavioural changes in people, leading to lots of excited articles wondering if the parasite is a clue to explaining the phenomenon of “crazy cat lady”. The parasite contains an enzyme that creates dopamine, which is associated with risky and impulsive behaviour, among other things, but so far the data is inconclusive.

But, really, the concept of the crazy cat lady tells us more about societal perceptions of women than anything else. It has long been a pejorative term and a device for transferring shame and judgment on women who challenged traditional roles, or were hard to domesticate and keep in line. Here is the co-creator of Batman, Bob Kane, explaining his creation of Cat Woman: “I felt that women were feline creatures and men were more like dogs. While dogs are faithful and friendly, cats are cool, detached and unreliable … cats are as hard to understand as women are,” he said. “You always need to keep women at arm’s length. We don’t want anyone taking over our souls, and women have a habit of doing that.”

But millennial ailurophiles have had enough. Over the last few years, there have been multivalent efforts to debunk the crazy cat lady stereotype and project a positive view of women and their cats. Pussy is striking back.

From glossy fashion magazines celebrating the feline-human relationship – Cat People, Puss Puss – to Taylor Swift and Katy Perry’s unashamed adoration of their feline pets, the stereotype is being recalibrated. CatCon Worldwide, a new conference celebrating cat culture, has, as its core value, the desire to “change the negative perception of the crazy cat lady and prove that it is possible to be hip, stylish, and have a cat”.

The book Cat Lady Chic (2012) offered elegant images of cat-owners Audrey Hepburn, Georgia O’Keeffe, Diana Ross and Zelda Fitzgerald as an antidote to the Eleanor Abernathy archetype. And Girls & Their Cats, a sophisticated series of photographs of women and their feline companions, was created by Brooklyn-based fashion photographer BriAnne Wills to help dismantle the stereotype.“It just wasn’t representative of any of the cat ladies I personally knew, who are all independent, cool, career-driven women who really love their cats,” she said. “Also, there are more than a million cats euthanised each year so if women (and men) are afraid to adopt because of negative stereotypes it definitely hurts cats in the long run.”

In the memorable short story Cat Person (2017), Kristen Roupenian inverts the cat lady trope by giving her male protagonist, Robert, a couple of pet cats. She employs the presence of Robert’s felines as a symbol that Margot uses to construct her image of him. “We decide that it means something that a person likes cats instead of dogs,” said Roupenian in an interview. But there is something sinister going on. Margot never sees the cats, and wonders if Robert has lied about them. So what is it about pretending to have cats that might endear Margot to him in a sexual setting? Is he using his cats to lure her in?

But perhaps the moment the crazy cat lady motif truly jumped the shark was with the song Buttload of Cats on an episode of the television series Crazy Ex-Girlfriend earlier this year. Rebecca Bunch walks herself down to the Lonely Lady Cat Store. “The smell is overwhelming inside / This is the future smell of my house / It’s the smell of my dreams that have died,” she sings. “When you’re a permanent bachelorette / It’s mandatory that you go out and get / A buttload of cats / Oh, yeah!”

The song made a mockery of the hysteria projected on women who own cats. So is the notion of the crazy cat lady over? Wills believes there is still work to be done to change perceptions, but she hopes that her photography project will help. “It is 2018,” she says, “and women are tired of defending themselves.” And their love for their cats.

AND I LOVE CATS TOO. ESPECIALLY SIAMESE (but my dog hates them)

#outlander samcait sam and cait samxcait

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