I like Dalmatians, but the ones I meet seem so hyper. Are they good family pets?
– W.D., via e-mail
For an active family with time to train and exercise an active breed, a well-bred Dalmatian can be an excellent companion. If the breed's a bad fit for your family – or if you get a dog from a source that doesn't breed for good health and temperament – you're in for trouble.
Even a well-bred Dalmatian is going to be too high-energy for many homes. They were developed to run with carriages for hours, so they're going to be very unhappy without exercise. (On the plus side: They're great companions for runners.) Unhappy high-energy dogs dig, bark, chew and generally drive owners crazy.
Dalmatians also have a high potential for deafness and other health problems if they come from a source looking to capitalize on the breed's popularity, which rises every time the Dalmatian gets another burst of movie-related publicity.
For more information, visit the Web site of the Dalmatian Club of America (www.thedca.org).
My sister-in-law has an extremely loud bird. I don't know what kind he is, but he has a bright yellow-orange body with green wings. She is going to move in with us while she finishes grad school. Ours is a quiet home, and I'm dreading this bird. Any ideas? Don't say get rid of the bird. My wife won't do it, and she says it's only for a year. She and her sister are very close, and she's determined to help her. I'm the odd man out.
– P.R., via e-mail
From your description, I'm guessing your sister-in-law has a sun conure. They're beautiful, affectionate and playful, but they're among the noisiest of parrot species commonly kept as pets. If they weren't so beautiful, chances are they wouldn't be popular – that's how loud they can be.
To an extent, you're just going to have to live with the din. Covering the cage or turning out the lights at night will keep the bird quiet while you're trying to sleep. Your sister-in-law should also be careful that she doesn't reward the noise with either positive (picking up the bird or giving it a treat) or negative (punishing the bird) reinforcement.
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