Fokkles 101 (journals can be submissions, too!)
14 years ago
In other news...
(Sort of a follow-up to this http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/2553884/ Only better... And very much in the narriting style of Dogs 101)
As you know, fokkles are broken into three groups: Domesticated, wild, and avian. Today we will be covering the domesticated fokkle, most commonly known as the “noh dog.”
Noh dogs are not only smaller than their wild counterparts, but are bred for showing and as a result are much flashier. The typical noh dog can average out to be around four feet in height to the top of the head and have much smaller antlers than the rest of their relatives. Through careful breeding, colours and patterns can be genetically passed down and mixed to make the most desirable coat. Most noh dogs have very large, bold markings that stretch down their back and sides, but don’t travel down the legs. But what they lack in the typical black designs, they can easily make up for in colour. A wide range of colours can be bred into their thick silky coats, even some shades that don’t seem natural can occur in a finely-tuned show specimen. One atypical difference that noh dogs have against the rest of their kind is that either gender can have either a white or black coat. Since black coats don’t allow their colours or patterns to shine through, they are typically not desirable. A “perfect coat” by show standards is white with a clean, bold design and at least two vivid colours underneath it, symmetrical on both sides. Noh dogs that have been altered with dyes cannot be entered in shows and are effectively banned until their false coats wear off.
Noh dogs have a thick, dense coat that rivals the cleaning routine of a fullblood malamute. It takes a devoted owner to maintain a healthy, fluffy fokkle. The average noh needs at least one brushing every week to keep its coat shiny and full, and baths every month are necessary for a perfect, silky feel. A noh dog will also periodically chew on hard plastics, shoes, and other objects to keep itself occupied, but a simple chew toy or regular dental treats will keep a domesticated fokkle appeased until it feels the need to chew again. Keep strong locks checked on all cabinets and garbage cans as a noh will learn to go through various items to find something tough enough to chew on. The last grooming tip an owner needs to know about their fokkle is how to keep their nails in check. Noh dogs aren’t fully canine in behavior and will tend to scratch their nails on anything that keeps them entertained… Whether it’s alive or not. It’s a common habit of all fokkles to touch with their paws and not with their noses. This can lead to social scratching as a result, which may end worse for living creatures than inanimate objects around the household. It’s a wise idea to keep a noh dog’s nails trimmed and clean so as to avoid accidental injuries and ruined furniture.
Noh dogs are very social creatures and are by far the friendliest of their kind. Years spent fine-tuning the breed have taken the fight out of them so they would be easier groom, treat, and show off among other nohs. While this makes the fokkle easier to handle, it also requires a lot of attention on the owner’s part. A domesticated fokkle will get depressed and destructive if left on its own, so having a full-time job with few others in the house is never an effective way of raising one. At least four hours of play in a day are needed for most nohs, not including a scheduled feeding routine and walks. Noh dogs are high maintenance and have a lot of energy that needs to be spent in play or they will become destructive out of boredom. It is always wise to have another noh around the house for company… If you can handle it. Another aspect of the fokkle is how much the breed loves to be touched. A fokkle will love to be groomed, bathed, and brushed, which makes grooming easy without so much as a collar. Spending time with your noh dog simply by petting or brushing can forge a long-lasting relationship between an owner and their fokkle.
The last concerns any noh dog owner should have are health-related. Noh dogs are prone to ear infections due to the extensive breeding to keep them large during domestication. Since large ears are desirable in a show noh, many genetic traits were overlooked when turning the breed into a pet. Keep the inside of the ears trimmed and free of dirt and loose items and you’ll have clean ears all year round. The other problem domesticated fokkles share coincides with their chewing habits. Since nohs are more canine than their relatives, their diet is much more specific and needs to be maintained. Things like chocolate and other similar substances are considered poisonous and must be locked away where the noh won’t be able to reach or break into.
As they say, the way to a fokkle is through its trust. Keep a close friendship with your noh dog, maintain its fluff and nails, and keep track of its diet and you’re sure to have a lifelong companion. Like all fokkles, noh dogs are very protective of their families and can get aggressive to others if they feel there is a threat, so train them early and socialize them with many to avoid conflict. The average lifespan of a noh dog is roughly forty years, so keep that in mind when choosing your noh as they will form a permanent relationship with their owners. While noh dogs have the same gestation period of a normal dog, breeders advise adoption before breeding because of the long lifespan. Some unfortunate cases involve a noh dog outliving its human companion, making them harder to adopt and socialize. This typically ends in tragic decisions, often in abandonment or euthanasia. Never take on a newborn noh dog if you don’t think you will outlive it.
Stay tuned for more info on the types of fokkles. In the next episode, we learn about the rare and aggressive avian breed of fokkle, known to most countries as the “painted beast…”
EDIT: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7219030/
As you know, fokkles are broken into three groups: Domesticated, wild, and avian. Today we will be covering the domesticated fokkle, most commonly known as the “noh dog.”
Noh dogs are not only smaller than their wild counterparts, but are bred for showing and as a result are much flashier. The typical noh dog can average out to be around four feet in height to the top of the head and have much smaller antlers than the rest of their relatives. Through careful breeding, colours and patterns can be genetically passed down and mixed to make the most desirable coat. Most noh dogs have very large, bold markings that stretch down their back and sides, but don’t travel down the legs. But what they lack in the typical black designs, they can easily make up for in colour. A wide range of colours can be bred into their thick silky coats, even some shades that don’t seem natural can occur in a finely-tuned show specimen. One atypical difference that noh dogs have against the rest of their kind is that either gender can have either a white or black coat. Since black coats don’t allow their colours or patterns to shine through, they are typically not desirable. A “perfect coat” by show standards is white with a clean, bold design and at least two vivid colours underneath it, symmetrical on both sides. Noh dogs that have been altered with dyes cannot be entered in shows and are effectively banned until their false coats wear off.
Noh dogs have a thick, dense coat that rivals the cleaning routine of a fullblood malamute. It takes a devoted owner to maintain a healthy, fluffy fokkle. The average noh needs at least one brushing every week to keep its coat shiny and full, and baths every month are necessary for a perfect, silky feel. A noh dog will also periodically chew on hard plastics, shoes, and other objects to keep itself occupied, but a simple chew toy or regular dental treats will keep a domesticated fokkle appeased until it feels the need to chew again. Keep strong locks checked on all cabinets and garbage cans as a noh will learn to go through various items to find something tough enough to chew on. The last grooming tip an owner needs to know about their fokkle is how to keep their nails in check. Noh dogs aren’t fully canine in behavior and will tend to scratch their nails on anything that keeps them entertained… Whether it’s alive or not. It’s a common habit of all fokkles to touch with their paws and not with their noses. This can lead to social scratching as a result, which may end worse for living creatures than inanimate objects around the household. It’s a wise idea to keep a noh dog’s nails trimmed and clean so as to avoid accidental injuries and ruined furniture.
Noh dogs are very social creatures and are by far the friendliest of their kind. Years spent fine-tuning the breed have taken the fight out of them so they would be easier groom, treat, and show off among other nohs. While this makes the fokkle easier to handle, it also requires a lot of attention on the owner’s part. A domesticated fokkle will get depressed and destructive if left on its own, so having a full-time job with few others in the house is never an effective way of raising one. At least four hours of play in a day are needed for most nohs, not including a scheduled feeding routine and walks. Noh dogs are high maintenance and have a lot of energy that needs to be spent in play or they will become destructive out of boredom. It is always wise to have another noh around the house for company… If you can handle it. Another aspect of the fokkle is how much the breed loves to be touched. A fokkle will love to be groomed, bathed, and brushed, which makes grooming easy without so much as a collar. Spending time with your noh dog simply by petting or brushing can forge a long-lasting relationship between an owner and their fokkle.
The last concerns any noh dog owner should have are health-related. Noh dogs are prone to ear infections due to the extensive breeding to keep them large during domestication. Since large ears are desirable in a show noh, many genetic traits were overlooked when turning the breed into a pet. Keep the inside of the ears trimmed and free of dirt and loose items and you’ll have clean ears all year round. The other problem domesticated fokkles share coincides with their chewing habits. Since nohs are more canine than their relatives, their diet is much more specific and needs to be maintained. Things like chocolate and other similar substances are considered poisonous and must be locked away where the noh won’t be able to reach or break into.
As they say, the way to a fokkle is through its trust. Keep a close friendship with your noh dog, maintain its fluff and nails, and keep track of its diet and you’re sure to have a lifelong companion. Like all fokkles, noh dogs are very protective of their families and can get aggressive to others if they feel there is a threat, so train them early and socialize them with many to avoid conflict. The average lifespan of a noh dog is roughly forty years, so keep that in mind when choosing your noh as they will form a permanent relationship with their owners. While noh dogs have the same gestation period of a normal dog, breeders advise adoption before breeding because of the long lifespan. Some unfortunate cases involve a noh dog outliving its human companion, making them harder to adopt and socialize. This typically ends in tragic decisions, often in abandonment or euthanasia. Never take on a newborn noh dog if you don’t think you will outlive it.
Stay tuned for more info on the types of fokkles. In the next episode, we learn about the rare and aggressive avian breed of fokkle, known to most countries as the “painted beast…”
EDIT: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/7219030/

Markoh
~markoh
OP
Hell hath no fury. lol

no_scope_legend
~noscopelegend
You made my brain hurt @.@

Markoh
~markoh
OP
o-o

Xkashent
~xkashent
Again, I would like to see some illustrations to go with these lovely tidbits, starting from your last article. Please and thank you! Either way, these little insights are always fun and enjoyable.

Markoh
~markoh
OP
I will once I get some good, undistracted time on this computer. lol Mine doesn't work and I'm having to share Kayla's, so I don't want to impede anything.

Precursor
~precursor
But how are they with kids? Should parents worry about their kids attempting to "ride the noh dog like a horsey?" Also what is their favorite food/treat?

Markoh
~markoh
OP
Noh dogs? Naaaaaahh, they're sweet. They'd love the attention and likely trot around with the kid. lol They know a kid when they see one and are very playful with their own young, so they'd totally understand it. :P