This journal contains a lot of information, but if there is something you still wonder about or need clarification on, please feel free to ask questions!
There is a quick summary of their behavior in the Breeds of Sindow page, however this is more in depth.
Each and every Sindow has their own attitude and how they behave, but I'm going to elaborate on how they generally behave and interact.
Sindows are test tube babies, putting it shortly. They've inherited some behavioral traits of the animals in their DNA. However, a lot of their behavior has been determined by us and how humans have raised them to be. Sindows are intelligent creatures, yet intelligence varies from individual to individual. Some are not the brightest bulb in the bunch while others seem to be acutely aware of everything and learn super fast. They are very much 'monkey see - monkey do' type creatures. Some will learn how to open their stalls and enclosures. Some will learn the patterns of handlers and staff in the stables. On average, their intelligence is equivalent to a dolphin or corvids.
When you have your smaller breed Sindows interacting with larger breed Sindows, how they generally act depends on their individual attitude. You will have your fearless small Sindow going after a larger Sindow. You may have your large Sindow completely terrified of the smaller Sindow.
Generally speaking, smaller breeds know when to back down if they are out-sized, except for Drakens. Drakens are known for their pugnacious behavior and really don't care about who's bigger or smaller, they will pester until they can't.
Most stables have separate areas for their different breeds. Avians have their own enclosure, Drakens have their own, and so on and so forth, BUT it is not uncommon for some stables to have them interacting on a daily basis.
Since Gigans are so large, rare, and rather solitary by nature, they don't normally tolerate smaller breeds. They will if they are trained well enough. Most smaller breeds will avoid Gigan's due to their massive size, except for really plucky Drakens, who feel the need to be bossy little shits.
In this section I've paired Drafts, Variants, and Standards together as they are very nearly the same. They behave the same and are just different in appearance really.
Standard, Draft, Variant interacting with other Standard, Draft, and Variants: These Sindows are generally within the same size range. So, generally they are not threatened by one another size wise. However, depending on the Sindows individual personality, strange Sindows in any form may be threatening, or not threatening.
Upon approach, Sindows generally do a lot of sniffing and looking at the other Sindow(s) before getting close, as they have large eyes with excellent eyesight and excellent senses of smell. Sindows tend to circle or pace about when meeting someone new no matter if they are confident or not. It's to get a good look and inspect the other Sindows general appearance and health. Is it limping? Is it strong? Will this other Sindow hurt me? etc...
It's always good to keep your Sindow on a lead when meeting others. After the circling/pacing is over with and the Sindow has decided the stranger is worth checking out, they will approach with a welcoming chuff. This chuff is kind of like a tiger chuff, but a little lower. Typically if the other Sindow does not make this chuff in return then it is not a good idea to approach. Other signs to this may be flattened ears and crest, growling, and tail thrashing. Welcoming Sindows will have their ears and crests up as well as a friendly wave in the tail, not a wag like a dog, but a gentle back and forth motion.
Once both sides have given a welcome chuff, indicating that it's okay to approach, they will check each other out, walking around and sniffing at one another. Some Sindows may be more outgoing, some may be more shy. Some Sindows may decide that one small meeting is enough and they then want nothing to do with the other Sindow. Others may decide to romp and play.
If the eyeing goes south and one Sindow or both feel like they are threatened, they will give a bark-like call (kind of like the velociraptor bark in JP) to ward off the other Sindow. This barking will go back and forth until one Sindow backs down. If no one backs down (and these Sindows are unattended) a scuffle may ensue. Fights to the death do happen on occasion. Sindows are big animals with claws and teeth and if the handler were to intervene they may get hurt as well. However, Sindows have their own longevity in mind and if they feel they are being beat, they will back off to prevent serious injury to themselves.
Sindows may wear halters or collars at all times to help get a hold of them. Unless the Sindows are trained well enough to come when called, most handlers will not let them free range without some sort of halter or collar.
Biorhythm: They are typically diurnal, and have developed to be this way as humans are diurnal. Although, some may sleep more during the day and be more active at night. They have great nocturnal vision, so unless they are stabled at night, they'll roam around every now and then. They'll sleep a few hours here and there and move about when they please, but if stabled they will most likely rest. So the best way to regulate a Sindow's sleep cycle is to make sure they are stabled at night.
Group behavior: (Standards, Drafts, Variants) When allowed to Sindows do enjoy forming small packs or herds (they can be called both). They are not always group animals and unlike most herd animals, they will not follow the group blindly. Sindows are very verbal animals and express with their crests, ears, and tails as well. They growl, chirp, hiss, bark, warble, chuff, click, whistle, and screech. Think of sounds that are a mix between big cat and bird-like noises. However, they do not roar. There is no fearsome t-rex roar. They use their variety of calls to interact with one another rather than just roar.
Males with Males: (Standards, Drafts, Variants)Some Sindows are macho alpha males while others are more laid back. Generally though, male Sindows get along well when there are no females in heat around. However, some males are constantly chasing after less dominant males just for the sake of showing everyone who's boss. Stables will often keep the more dominant males separated to prevent unneeded injury because their heckling can get pretty severe. Laid back males will pretty much tolerate anyone (especially gelded males), they don't feel the need to chase off everything in sight.
Males with Females: (Standards, Drafts, Variants)Males and females also get along rather well. It really just depends on the Sindow and their individual attitude. The only times females may have an attitude towards a male (if it's not the females individual personality in general) is when she's not in heat and he's trying to court or when she has a litter and she's not sure she wants anyone around. Typically, handlers will keep females with litters separate from the rest of their Sindows until the babies are nearly a year old.
Females with Females: (Standards, Drafts, Variants)Typically, female Sindows are more welcoming of other female Sindows. They band together more easily and can all care for the young. However, some females can be very catty and go after other females. A lot of it does have to do with the Sindows individual personality.
Female Reproductive Behavior: (Standards, Drafts, Variants) Females will come into estrus about once a month during the warmer months and the cycle can last 2-8 days. The Sindow breeding season is typically April - August, biologically their cycles act according to the length of daylight. They want to breed and have their offspring when the weather is nice. However, an odd winter breeding is not uncommon and estrus cycles can be regulated with cycle suppressants. Females can get a little more temperamental or squirrelly during this period. They are highly aware of the males around and will regularly call out to them. They use a crooning vocalization, that if heard without any sound like a human humming a low tune. The male will return this call as well.
When a female Sindow goes into labor, she will typically start pacing around and isolating herself. Once these signs are noticed, most handlers will bring the Sindow in and keep her stabled in a nesting box (which is just a larger stable box) until she has the litter. Sometimes, the female doesn't show any signs and babies are born out in the paddock/enclosure. However, handlers are very keen on their pregnant females and will keep a sharp eye on them through the pregnancy, so babies born out in the open are immediately brought inside. Female Sindows typically go into labor at night (biologically this is a safer time and their herbivore DNA shows through in this aspect), but an odd daytime birth is not uncommon.
*Females are typically kept separate from males to prevent any unplanned breeding as sometimes Sindows do not present like they are in heat.
Male Reproductive Behavior: (Standards, Drafts, Variants) Males are ready to go all the time, but they are a little more hyperactive when there is a female in heat nearby. Some males can be totally uncontrollable and hot headed. They will roam fence lines and call to the females with the same crooning vocalization as the females do to the males, but more often.
If males and females are allowed together for breeding purposes, their crooning calls turn to warm little growls and affectionate chuffs. They will often walk side by side just to be near one another. Females will roll around to show they are receptive. Courting and breeding behavior also hinges on the Sindows individual personality.
*During breeding seasons, stables are generally filled with Sindow 'love songs' as the humming from one to another may sound like low eerie singing.
Lifelong Mates: (Standards, Drafts, Variants) Some Sindows will bond and will only breed to one another for the rest of their lives, though this is an uncommon occurrence, as they do not typically mate for life.
Raising Babies: Standards, Drafts, and Variants (as with all Sindows) have live born offspring called Cublings. Cublings are born ready to go, like horses, they can stand and run around soon after they are born. The babies aren't suckled and females do not have mammary glands. The mother/father will regurgitate food for them OR if being hand reared the handler will make meat puree's. Babies are born with an extra fluffy and dull outer 'down' coat that slowly falls off as they age. The down coat will shed out within the first few weeks before their real coat shows through. Stables with shedding Cublings are characterized by tufts of fur everywhere, stuck to structures, stuck to other Sindows, floating through the air, and rolling through the yards like tumbleweeds.
Typically, the female is kept separate from others while her babies are just learning to stand and run around. Mind you, Sindows have litters, so this is not just one baby most of the time, this is 1-6 babies (without fertility supplements). Some mommas will have their hands full. BUT once the Cublings are deemed healthy enough and strong enough to go back out into the paddock, handlers will let them out. The other females (most of the time the ones that are closest or related to the mother Sindow) will help with Cubling watching. In the spring, when Cublings are being born, and the stable is large enough to accommodate a special pasture, the mothers and babies are set in their own paddock so they don't have to worry about others and can help one another watch their babies.
General:
These squirts are kind of like giant ferrets with an attitude. They are typically far more active than most breeds and tend to be the most intuitive of them. They need to have a daily regiment of physical activity or they can get quite destructive. Draken's are curious and mischievous and you will often find them shoplifting your underwear or socks if you don't put them away. They have very nimble little feets and can pry open draws, doors, turn handles, and probably unlock safes if they knew the combination. If left outside, they will find small animals to prey on, like cats do and like to leave their owners nice little surprises. However, if their behavior is not kept in check, Draken's can cause disastrous problems as they are not cat-sized. Small animals, like cats, dogs, chickens, and other small mammals such as sheep and goats are prey to them. Since they are omnivorous, watch your gardens too.
Drakens are small enough to be kept like large dogs in the house. Typically, though, they are kept in large 'runs' or enclosures outside as they are hard to manage in small spaces with valuables. If being kept as a house pet, the owner must rear them from a young age and be very strict (not necessarily with physical discipline) with their training. A feat of any trainers career is training a Draken so well that it listens to every command given in an instant. Their attention spans aren't that great, they have to be getting into something or figuring something out.
They have a strong bite force for their size. WILL NOT LET GO.
Biorhythm: Drakens tend to be more crepuscular than other breeds, being more active at dawn and dusk than during the day. Draken events are typically geared towards their biorhythm so that they perform at their best. They will sleep during the long hours of the afternoon and when the night is darkest.
Groups: Drakens are more apt to form packs with a single leader if allowed to group together. This leader is more often male than female, but a female Alpha is not uncommon. There is a clear hierarchy between these packs, and although there is no canid DNA in Drakens, they do form wolf-like hierarchies within their groups.
A pack of Drakens is something to watch out for. You thought one pesky critter was a problem, three or four of them can eliminate your sanity completely. That's why some stables will not allow their Drakens together for fear that they might try a jail break and band together. They are a hard to handle breed and prefer larger enclosures with lots of enrichment to keep them satisfied.
Communication: Drakens also emit a variety of chirps, whistles, warbles, growls, hiss's, clicks, and screeches. They are also known for their squirrel-like chattering when agitated. Their key communication is through warbling. It can be high or low toned warbles and they will keep in contact with one another most easily this way. Whistles and chirps are used for long distance communication or warning calls.
Males vs Males: Male Drakens are very competitive when it comes to their perceived territory and their females. Most will let non-dominant males stick around, but will get after them if they start acting too friendly with the females. However, if there is another dominant male at the stables they will need to be kept separate for fear of them fighting to the death, which does happen from time to time when handlers aren't careful.
How do you tell there are two dominant males? Head bobbing. Drakens do that lizard head bobbing to show dominance. They will do this until one male backs down. Even if one backs down, he should still be separated just in case. Or they will head bob until a fight breaks out because neither male will back down. Draken teeth are small and serrated and when they clamp down they will not let go. Even if they are a small breed, they are hard to separate during a fight.
Females vs Females: Like males, their is a clear hierarchy between the females as well. They will get catty with other females to show who is dominant. Though their fights rarely go to the death, serious injury has occurred during these fights. Females are very protective of their young from others unless it is a direct relative or the father.
Males vs Females: They do get along, unless there is a female who believes she is more dominant than the Dom male. Some females will take on a male leading role and head bob and fight any dominant males who stand in her way. Most of the time though, females and males generally get along.
Female Reproductive Behavior: Females are very relaxed when it comes to the breeding season. Like all Sindows, they do have a biological breeding season, but that can be controlled by cycle suppressants. Unlike their larger cousins, it's really hard to tell when female Draken's are receptive as they don't get irritated, fidgety, etc... AND if there are no males around. They act the same as they always do. Their season is nearly the same as Standards, Drafts, and Variants, with their estrus cycle being a little shorter 2-6 days. Draken females don't go out of their way to find a mate, the males have to come to them.
Male Reproductive Behavior: Male Draken's become loud and boisterous when there are females in heat around. Head bobbing to the max and more tussles than usual may break out to show who is bigger, stronger, etc... The females want the strongest, best looking mate. Male Draken's aren't the most maternal either. After breeding is complete they rarely hang around or want to raise their offspring.
Lifelong Mates: Drakens will very rarely pair up for life. Even if they do have a loyal personality, most do not mate for life.
Raising Babies: Female Drakens are the only breed of Sindow that has teats to suckle their young. Draken babies typically take a little longer to raise because they are born with their eyes closed and unable to walk well (like puppies and kittens). They suckle for a few weeks before solid food can be introduced. Draken Babies ARE NOT born with a down coat and their horns are soft nubs that slowly harden up as they age. They are normally kept away from other Sindows until the babies are old enough to eat solid food and strong enough to walk on their own.
Females can be very snappy and protective of their offspring and typically will not let other females near them once they are let back out in the enclosure. Drakens females that don't have a litter of their own are known for trying to steal Cublings that aren't theirs. And like with their larger cousins, Draken females with litters may be put in their own separate enclosure to ensure that nothing upsets mom and babies. Most mothers with litters are cooperative with one another, but it's not unheard of for a scuffle to break out if one mother gets too close to anothers offspring.
General: Avian's typically like the company of 2-4 other Avian's. When other Avian's aren't around, they get along with their bigger Sindow cousins, often sitting on rumps or shoulders, grooming themselves as if the bigger Sindow is their own personal chauffeur. That is only if they are allowed out of their enclosure. They are most of the time, mild mannered, but it depends on the individual. They are more cat-like in behavior and can be hyperactive and fidgety like birds, but most of the time they like their naps and judging you from a distance.
Avian's are the only Sindows that are as small as they are, so, some handlers allow them to roam free on the property (with varying levels of tameness) to do what they want pretty much. They help keep rodent populations down and larger Sindows don't consider them as a prey animal as they would a domestic cat, so, Avian's are pretty popular in stables to help keep unwanted pests around. Although, most stables don't have a large storage of grains as Sindows are mostly carnivorous, so rats and mice aren't that big of a problem.
Typically, Avian's that are bred and kept for showing are more likely to be kept in their own enclosure (aviary) so that they don't ruin their coat, get too dirty, or get hurt. However, most handlers will keep their Avian's in their own enclosure just to keep track of them more easily. If bred and raised in and around the aviary, Avian's will see this at home and if they escape or are let out to roam, they will almost always come back.
It is not uncommon to see an Avian wearing some sort of tresses around their back feet. It is just another way of keeping a hold of them. More commonly, harnesses are used as collars may damage their slim, delicate necks if yanked too hard. Typically though, unless the Handler feels the need to keep the tresses or harness on all the time, they will be let free in the aviary with nothing on them.
Avian's can also be house trained. They are one of the only breeds that can live comfortably inside a house with no exposure to the outside world or have the need for constant activity. This can lead to obesity and it is very common among house Avians. As long as they have toys or wheels to keep them active, as well as a good diet, they can be kept fit.
Biorhythm: Diurnal - They will almost always be active during the day, but they do like to take long naps whenever they can, so they may be up at night as well. Avian's can sleep 18+ hours a day, but are geared more towards diurnal activities. However, if allowed, they can become completely nocturnal (especially if they are couriers).
Groups: Avians are far more comfortable in groups than they are on their own. They prefer to have the company of 1-2 others, even if they aren't Avian's. They can be other breeds of Sindow or human handlers. They take on a flock behavior if there are more than five or so. Typically, there is a hierarchy between the members of the flock, with their being a dominant male and/or female, but said hierarchy isn't always present. Avian's form a flock and they like to be together, do everything together, etc.. and despite little squabbles over food, personal space, and nesting areas, they aren't too concerned about dominance.
Flocks can become agonistic to others, especially when there are offspring around. They will dive at and chase anything that comes within their perceived territory, especially if allowed out to roam.
Communication: Avians use a variety of clicks, chirps, whistles, warbles, yowls, and growls. Their calls will sound more like birdsong, but they can yowl like a cat as well as growl. They can also purr. They won't meow or roar. In groups, they typically keep up a constant chatter of clicks, chirps, and whistles. Warbling is typically done during the mating season. Body language (as with most Sindows) is a way of communicating as well. They use their tails in a very cat-like manner.
Males vs Males and Females vs Females and Males vs Females: I've grouped these together because Avian's by far are the most communal Sindows and typically males and females don't have any different behavior towards one another. They all get along. There may be some differences in this behavior during the breeding season.
Female Reproductive Behavior: The female Avian will become very needy when she comes into heat, if the handler is around, she'll rub up against them or any other Sindow in the respective area. She'll become more vocal and affectionate. Female Avian's can cycle all year round, with them coming into heat every few weeks if she has not bred successfully. Each cycle lasts about six days. During this time, she may be a little more territorial towards other females.
Male Reproductive Behavior: When a female Avian goes into heat, you'll know it, even if males and females are separated. The male Avian will (like a tom cat) yowl loudly to get the females attention. Males will also make nests of grass, weeds, pebbles, even in the dirt if they don't have anything to build a nest with. They will then adorn this nest with shiny things they have found. Typically, males will court one or two females, but may only choose one in the end. They don't have a courting dance or display, the nest itself is what attracts the female. She will typically choose the one that looks the safest and has the most shinies. The males may squabble over space and shiny things that are set around the nest are constantly up for grabs and stolen by other males. The aviary becomes a flurry of darting Avians. Handlers will often add coins, tinfoil, or bits of shiny things or the females won't be as interested in the males and may not breed.
Lifelong Mates: Avians are commonly known to pair for life. This makes it hard for breeders especially, but they may take straws from males and females and freeze them to be artificially inseminated later on. It may take a few breeding seasons for an Avian to pair off and some just don't (or are just unlucky).
Raising Babies: Avian offspring are live-born like other Sindows and not suckled. The parents and/or handler feed them regurgitated food until they are old enough to eat more solid food on their own. They have their eyes and ears open and can walk shortly after, however, them and their wings are covered in the down coat. Avian babies tend to be fluffier than other breeds. Within a few weeks this down coat is shedding out of their fur. They cannot fly, but do a good job getting around with climbing and their natural agility. It takes a few more weeks for their wings to start shedding out the down and they begin to beat their wings to strengthen them. After about a 8-10 weeks they are fully fledged and ready to fly about.
Avian's do make nests, whether it be in trees, on the ground, or somewhere in between. The male will make the nest for the female and she'll stay in and around it until she has her litter. Since the babies are ready to go within hours after they are born, the nest will typically become a home base while they run about and explore. After they have fledged they typically don't return to the nest and it'll become a resting spot for the male, female, or another Avian until the next breeding season where the materials are recycled and shinies collected.
General: Orientals are completely different from their larger cousins. They are semi-aquatic, meaning they can live in and prefer to live near water sources such as rivers, lakes, and oceans. They cannot in water constantly and have to be able to completely dry off every once in a while. They behave much like otters. Orientals can dive for hours at a time. If owning an Oriental, it's best if their enclosures include a natural water source or a man-made pool for them. They like to forage for their food on their own and will not eat out of a bucket or a dish. Just throw fish or crustaceans into their pool and they will be completely happy. Orientals are fine with being singular, but do prefer a small group for company. They are very playful and social and enjoy lots of enrichment in the form of toys, activity, and games.
Family ties are strong with Orientals, so it may be difficult to separate them from one another once they have bonded. Because of this breeders and owners must be aware of exactly what they are doing. If offspring are to be sold, they need to be taken away from the mother almost immediately. Orientals are finicky and a part of their health depends on this social dynamic. Some will mourn the loss of parts of their families for weeks. This has caused some outcry and tensions among Oriental breeders and owners, as some believe it terribly inhumane to do this. However, much research has been done and Orientals may mourn, but they will do this to those who die of natural death as well. It is not psychologically or physically harmful to remove the offspring from their mother as long as the mother can keep at least one Cubling.
Orientals are very sensitive to chemicals. Their tanks/water sources cannot be pools made for humans as prolonged exposure to chlorine is detrimental to their health. If the tank is man made, filtration is not a bad thing in order to keep the water clean, but it must be set up so that no chemicals need to be added. Orientals don't care about how clear the water is, they just need water. Natural ponds or rivers are great.
They can live in saltwater or freshwater. Their systems are made to expel salt if need be. HOWEVER, stables are not allowed to build Oriental enclosures in the ocean or in natural bodies of water without prior approval from the government and environmental organizations that the enclosure will not detrimentally affect native wildlife and natural systems. So 9 times out 10, the pool for them is man made or has been previously on the property and just has to be big enough for them to swim and dive. It does not need to be massive.
Biorhythm: Diurnal - they are completely diurnal, being active during the day and sleeping most of the night. They rarely venture into the water at night. But they have very keen eyesight to see through murky water.
Groups: As stated above, Orientals tend to be more social, but can be fine on their own. When in groups they are called a pod, and there is a general hierarchy led by a matriarch. Pods will get along and males and females can be kept in the same pod without much issue, but typically to prevent unwanted breeding, they are kept separate. The matriarch keeps everyone else in line as squabbles may break out over food and personal space. Typically those who have been with the pod the longest have more dominance over newer members.
If for some reason two pods were to meet up, they would be hostile towards one another, protective over their perceived habitat. However, if one Oriental is introduced to a pod, there generally isn't a problem. It may be swarmed at first or left completely alone, but eventually the pod will accept it.
Communication: Out of all Sindows, Orientals seem to be them most talkative. They are constantly chattering and have a higher pitched tone than all except Avians. They are most known for their dolphin-like chatter clicks. They squeak a lot and do have a long distance bark call. They do not purr, roar, or even growl, but they do hiss. Their highly sensitive whiskers can be lowered and raised and curled forward, and aid in expressing, but are used to sense and lure food.
Males vs Males and Females vs Females: Male get along with other males and females get along with other females. As with all Sindows they may get after each other if food or space is the issue. The only time males may get combative towards one another is during the breeding season. This is also the only time where females will squabble with other females. If one of the females is out of line and tries breeding before the Matriarch, the matriarch may get after her.
Males vs Females: Males and females get along, but females have the say in what goes on. Males are typically put in their place early on if the females sense they are too bold or too aggressive. Females may completely reject a non-related male if he is too aggressive or bold. They will harass him until the handler has no choice but to remove him from the pod.
Female Reproductive Behavior: Out of all Sindows, Orientals are the most finicky when it comes to breeding and courtship. Female Orientals will only go into heat if the conditions are exactly right, adequate water source, adequate food, the right mate, and good familial bonds within the pod all equate, however, even having all this may not be enough, even if the female breeds she may not conceive. Like most Sindows, the breeding season lasts during the warmer months. Females will cycle for 2-6 days.
Courtship consists of the males vying for the females attention by bringing them little trinkets, this can range from pebbles, flowers, and pretty much anything shiny the male can get his jaws on. The Matriarch is the one who breeds first and may be the only one to conceive at all. The lower ranked females may not breed and if they do, it's only after the Matriarch. The males will also head bob, like Drakens, and have standoffs, but rarely does any physical fighting erupt.
Male Reproductive Behavior: Males are generally silent during the breeding season, only hissing or clicking at other males while they compete for the females attention. They aren't loud, unruly, and uncontrollable. They take on a very submissive role as female Orientals are in control. They are chosen to breed and will not initiate anything until they've had a sign from the female, she'll normally lay down by or in front of the male. If the male gets ahead of himself, he will be put in his place.
Lifelong Mates: Orientals have strong familial bonds, BUT, don't normally create mated pairs as they are finicky in general.
Raising Babies: Oriental Cublings are live born on land. They of course are covered in the down fur, but it is a little shorter and less fluffy than other breeds. They can walk several hours after they are born and the mother, along with other females raise and feed them regurgitated food until they can eat solid food on their own. Cublings need to be taught to swim. They are natural swimmers of course, but without someone teaching them they could very well drown. They are introduced to the water around 2-3 weeks after they are born and after the down coat has been shed. The mother will leave them with others on the shore and take her time in the water before coming back. When they are ready for the water, the whole pod takes a part in showing them the water and helping to keep them afloat and how to dive.
General: Gigan's are relatively solitary Sindows. They don't mind the company of others, but since they are so big, they don't really care to have too many of their kind in one place. Typically, a stable may only have one Gigan as they are one of the hardest breeds to take care of as well as the rarest. Typically stables that have Gigan's are in the middle of nowhere.
Gigan's need to be able to fly for their own mental and physical health. To some, this seems like a bad idea because you can't keep them caged and making a cage big enough is far too expensive. The most popular way to keep Gigan’s is through sensor collars with accompanying borders set up that give off a high pitched noise (which they are extra sensitive to) when the Gigan exits the property. Gigan's love to glide on updrafts. So it’s nearly impossible to keep them in an actual enclosure.
They are stoic, quiet, giants and typically will bond with one handler quite well. Once they have a perceived territory and home and get regular meals, you typically don't have to worry about them flying off and never returning. They are smart enough to recognize this and their bond with their handler.
As they are rare, Gigan's are highly sought after and many people try to go about stealing them or getting them illegally. Gigans allowed to roam have fallen victim to illegal traders and people wanting to make a quick buck, that's why most have a tracking device surgically implanted. The SREA is still working on the best ways to deal with these occurrences and have banned inner-city stables from owning Gigan's as they can't have these giant animals flying about the buildings. The tracker also acts as a beacon for flight traffic controllers, to avoid these giant beasts with planes. Gigan handlers are also required to register their Gigan’s paddock with their countries national airlines/airports system, to get it registered as a no fly zone or as a precautionary zone. Gigan's have been known to glide along with planes who fly low enough.
Gigan's will not fly above normal temperature and oxygen ranges as they are not equipped for the temperature fluctuation and high altitude flight. So their contact with commercial airlines is slim to none. It’s the personal aircraft that are more worrysome.
They enjoy sunning themselves as well and will spend long hours just lying in the sun or sitting with their wings fanned out. Gigan's do prefer a more tropical climate, but can survive in winter climates, they just don't enjoy it as much.
Biorhythm: Diurnal - they can only fly during the day, even though their nighttime vision is excellent, they still need a lot of warm air to keep them in flight.
Groups: If more than one Gigan is present, it really depends on the Gigan itself. It may feel the other is a threat and chase them off, or enjoy the company of another, it really depends on the individual.
Communication: They communicate mainly through what is called 'whale song' as they make very low, nearly musical, calls that sound something like that of whales. They also growl, rumble, and make a loud keening screech which they will do while happily flying around.
Males vs Males: Typically if males come into contact with one another they will immediately try to chase one another off, no matter if there are any females around. It's very dangerous to keep two intact male Gigans. If one is gelded then they may be able to coexist in the same area, but that doesn't mean they will get along.
Females vs Females: Females will generally get along with one another and it is not uncommon for those who own more than one female to have these females hang out in a small group.
Females vs Males: They will typically tolerate one another's presence. The only time they will not get along is if the female is in heat, but not ready to breed and the male is, she may snap at him.
Female Reproductive Behavior: Gigan's will only breed every 1-2 years. They will come into heat during the warmer months and if they conceive they will have their litter around 8-9 months after conception. After this, they raise their young for 1-2 years before they are large enough and experienced enough to go off on their own. Even if the young are sold before they are 1-2 years old, the mother still won't come back into heat until it's been at least a year. Females may also fly off to find males if they hear them calling.
Male Reproductive Behavior: Males will get quite fidgety and rowdy. They may spend hours aloft and fly off to find a receptive female. However this is only about once a year during the breeding season that they get this way and can be given hormone suppressants or gelded to keep them from flying off. They will call to any females within hearing distance in low humming calls.
During courtship, the male and female perform a spiraling courtship dance in the air.
Raising Babies: Gigan offspring are rather large when born, but are live-born and fed regurgitated food until they can handle solid food. Like Avian's they are covered in very poofy down fur all over their bodies. The down fur will shed off the body within a few weeks and it takes them nearly a year to be fully fledged. Typically Gigan cubs are sold before they can fly, as once they have bonded with a handler and know where home is, they can be trusted to fly without leaving. Some have been known to fly back to the stable they were born at.
General time period: Takes place during modern times, but technology is far more advanced. There is a lot of touch screens and holograms. With this technology, people can get body modifications, so people in the Sindow world don’t always look human. Sindows have expanded all over the globe, so it is not uncommon to find them with isolated tribes or off the grid families.
In an unknown lab in Pennsylvania, in the early 90's Sindow history starts. It was a happy accident, really. Some might have called it a mistake. Some pioneering genetic engineers had started to experiment with gene splicing, manipulation at the cellular level. What had been their original goal? To patent the next big thing. Several companies had already made genetically modified pets. They were strange hybrids of dogs and cats, fish and lizards. It revolutionized the way people saw their pets, that they could go to the nearest pet store and pick up something different. This isn't without backlash though. Animal rights organizations have been shutting down these laboratories because they thought the modification cruel, that these animals had no natural place in the world. These battles are still ongoing.
This altercation and genetic modification has also been started in humans, allowing them strange features or forms. Or they take on a completely different appearance all together. At first, this genetic modification was strange, but as time went on, it became a common occurrence and a lot of the worlds population doesn't look human anymore. (This allows handlers of all sorts). All these ideas of genetic modification soon gave rise to the Sindow.
One snowy evening, in the light of a microscope, Marcus Rainier, the father of Sindows had an epiphany. Make them different. Make them bigger. Make them their own animal with lives to live. The Rainier family had been a big horse family for years. Even horses hadn't gone without their genetic modifications, mainly to create colors and markings one had never seen before. Marcus gathered his team of scientists, including his childhood friend, Drake Mellavesa. They started their modifications.
The base genome was horse, but they wanted something predatory and faster. Several big cat species, though cheetah was the primary species, were added to the genome. The first pre-sindows were strange, but they just looked like hybrids of horse and cat. Marcus knew he'd have people on him about not being original. So a little more tweaking was done. He started adding DNA of raptors, bird DNA and this gave Sindows the edge they have today. Some were indeed strange and awesome animals, but he refined them, making them large riding animals that would be simple to care for, although he kept his notes because he thought feathers would be neat. They were not ready for introduction yet, first they had to be tamed and bred and have successful training.
As years went by, as things failed time and time again, Marcus and Drake began to have different ideas about how the animals in their care should be treated. Marcus wasn't a cruel man, he did not make the animals suffer. Drake had different ideas. In late 1998, Drake Mellavesa left the team. He didn't go quietly. He ransacked the lab, put Marcus back several years. He took files and he took several of the pre-Sindows too. The others on the team, Evalyn Lucia especially, decided that was their time to leave as well. Marcus let them go with their knowledge. Evalyn started her own company, Robert Breckinridge joined her there, creating a very well established company in California. Marcus was left with only two of his brilliant team, Brandon Monroe and Paulina Welkinson.
Time came to pass and a healthy relationship was built between Marcus's company, Rainier Industries, and Evalyn Lucia's company, Lucia Sindow Solutions Incorporated. They began to share information again and each of them began work on their own line of Sindows. Drake had always had friends in low places. He also created his own line of Sindows, but not through the humane option that the others chose.
After years of experimentation on all fronts, in April of 2014, they successfully introduced the Sindow species to the public. The first ever Sindows are:
-- Rainier
-- Rainier
-- Lucia
-- Welkinson
-- Breckinridge
MR Don't Kick the Hornets Nest (#6)
-- Monroe
-- Mellavesa
With the others following closely behind. These seven Sindows, with two coming from the Rainier family, are the very first of their kind and are revered as such. Having an offspring descending from one of these Sindows is a huge accomplishment for some breeders.
Though there were some dissenters, the Sindow species hit the world with a bang. They were wildly successful and Rainier Industries and Lucia Incorporated got most of the attention. With this attention, Marcus decided to create the Sindow Racing and Eventing Association. This association tracks all official Sindows, even non-members as only elite Sindows are accepted into the SREA. It deals with the shows and anything related to the official lifestyle. The SREA is made up of several high ranking Sindow officials, including Marcus's son Jason. The board members delegate all Sindow matters and what breeds are released and so on and so forth, so that the founders could finally sit back and watch their creations flourish.
Drake's lab was failing. In a moment of complete and utter anger, he gave up. He stopped trying to keep up with Marcus and the others and started doing things illegally. In one last ditch effort, he tried to kidnap Ramses, the finest specimen of Sindow in his eyes. In the process he killed several of Marcus’s people. Marcus was absolutely devastated.
After Drake Mellavesa's betrayal, more bad blood ensued among the families, the Mellavesa's being blacklisted and unable to walk on the grounds of any official stable. The Mellavesa's retreated into the darkness to start their own illegal Sindow ring and not starting, but making street racing and pit fighting big. This of course is all illegal as well and the cops and SREA try to keep these under wraps, but like any illegal activity it has prospered even with a watchful eye. However, The Mellavesa's still retain an official stable that Drake Mellavesa's daughter, Lucine, runs. She claims to not associate with her father and his dealings, but most don't believe her. She keeps everything official, though and has been allowed to keep her Sindows and stable.
Many Sindow types were made in response to the large interest in this strange breed. People were wanting small breeds, large breeds, and exotic breeds. Marcus Rainier and the others were happy to comply. Now, the Sindow world is filled with many Sindow varieties, with the founding families being like royalty amongst Sindow culture. Things are simple and peaceful for the moment, but with the Mellavesa family recruiting numbers, who knows how long the peace will last.
This journal tells more about the world surrounding Sindows and how it all ties in. It also gives more information on handler appearance and such and how and why we can have handlers that don't look human in a group setting that takes place on present day earth.
Location and Setting: Earth, Present Day
The group and species is set on Earth in this time period, yet technological advances have been made earlier. Everything is slightly more modern, but not much different from what you'd see if you were to look out your window. Think Jurassic Park, where everything is generally the same, but some things are more advanced technologically. Sindows were created with this seemingly out of place ultra modern technology. You can read more about Sindow creation in the above tab.
Body Modification: With the onset of the gene splicing technology used to create Sindows, other labs and companies have created their own type of odd genetic mutation creations. One of the biggest is BioMod Industries, this company rose nearly around the same time Sindows were coming into creation as well. It allowed humans to be genetically modified and surgically altered. The first tests were shady and no one knows how BioMod was actually allowed to test on human subjects, but we can just assume there was money involved and someone was paid off. At first, BioMod was for the ultra rich, but now 'mods' can be done for under $5,000 USD, depending on what you want done of course. They have clinics all over the world.
So what does BioMod actually do? Well, it depends on what you want done. Humans have been able to completely transform themselves into all kinds of 'creatures', but Mods can be as simple as adding horns or completely altering the body genetically to look like an animal (anthro animals mostly.) Wings, horns, tails, scales, and fur. Pretty much, if you can imagine it, BioMod can get it done. (This is to allow you to be able to have your anthro handlers and fit with the world. I could've done it several other ways, but thought this was fitting with the gene splicing advancements already in place.) BioMod allows for biological modifications only! They do not give people robotic arms, infrared vision, etc... They don't do anything technological. That's not to say people don't have more 'cyborg-like' prosthetic limbs. Tech has advanced so we can assume prosthetics have as well.
People aren't born with mods even though it is genetic modification it's not passed down to offspring. Not all humans have mods. Some look completely normal. Some look human with simple mods like horns or animal ears added. So, you may see two modded parents with a human baby. Everyone with a mod is still a human, however, with the genetic manipulation sometimes, animal instincts and even senses can be present. This will not give them things like super strength or super hearing, but it can give them slight advantages, slightly faster, stronger, or can hear slightly better. People with mods are just like you and I. Think of them as people, they are people, they are human just with a different outside that they paid to have done. Some, though, have signed up for testing through BioMod and have gotten their mods done for free.
At first, body modification was a taboo, then it was a statement for the ultra rich and celebrities that turned into a fad that was pretty much saying 'look what I can do'. However, strangely enough, BioMod didn't keep their prices so they could only be afforded by the rich. The company decided to slowly lower their prices and found they were making bank still as more and more people could afford what they were doing. Now, it's kind of a 50/50 split as who has body mods and who doesn't. Mods are quite common and pretty normalized. Clothing to support mods, like ear slots in hoodies, special shoes for different kind of feet, etc... has been made and is relatively accessible.
Are there still people who can't stand body mods and vice versa? Yes. Of course you're going to have your negative nancy's and people who think it's a sin, weird, and what have you. Sometimes things are said, fights break out, and so on and so forth. But, as stated above, mods are pretty normalized.
Some of you might think it's weird to have this in the storyline, but I know how it is to hate drawing humans and find a group that I like, but need completely human handlers, and thought this was a fun way to allow it without some magical lore or races of species. So, we're not going to get into all the technicalities, BUT, people can look like animals, sort of like animals, or aliens, or any sort of chimera creature you can think of. There isn't a set appearance and as long as it's generally a biological thing (no plants/trees tho and no Sindows) your handler can have it or look like it. They WON'T have feral appearances, remember that, nor be able to shapeshift. This is listed in the handler info journal. Appearance is always anthro.
Just remember, modded handlers are still human. They are not animals taking care of animals (Sindows) they are people with genetically modified appearances.
General Terms:
Mod/Mods/Modded: Generalized term for body modifications.
Full Mod: A modification that affects the whole body, the whole body no longer looks completely human
Modders: Groups of people with modifications
The Sindow Boom: After Sindows became known, they became commonplace with time. So, even in the midst of a bustling city, you'll see people walking their small breeds (like Draken and Avian) down the street like they would their dogs. It's not uncommon to see people riding their larger breed Sindow's in towns and cities, but Sindows need room to roam, so most people who own them live outside of city limits unless they happen to have an Inner City Stable.
Sindows have spread all over the world, so your stable can be located anywhere you'd like, no matter where you're from.
Inner City Stables: Like Zoo's in big cities, you may come across stables that pop up in between the buildings and these can be either Official or Street stables. These people bought the land and made it into a compound for their Sindows. One minute you'll be walking down a busy street and then suddenly a gap in the buildings and houses yawn open to reveal a burst of nature. Most of the time these stables have large, gated entryways to let trailers in and out of. These stables are generally large and expansive so it won't be just a small open lot, it'll be tucked in, around, and between buildings. If it was there before the buildings, the buildings will be around it. Inner City Stables also have more codes to comply with, they have to make sure their fencing and compounds are up to standard. The SREA will perform checks on all official Inner city stables. So that brings us to our next tidbit. Street stables.
Street Life: So generally, you all know the difference between Street vs. Official, but just in case you're reading this before looking at other information, Street life is off the books, rougher, and more involved with illegal activity in the general sense.
You don't have to have a 'street gang' to be a part of street life. Some people own street Sindows, have a stable, and just want to do their own thing. They may have a few friends or employees, or it may be just them that helps run the stable. The less Sindows they have, the less they have to worry about having other people around. Lone Wolves, as these people are called, are generally not really liked by the street gangs in their areas, as they are competition, but not aligned with anyone. Some may be chased off, forced into some sort of contract or deal, or even killed (rarely) if they are seen as a threat.
Street gangs don't tear up the streets with their Sindows all the time. They aren't riding casually out in broad daylight. Street gangs either have inner city stables where they keep their Sindows or they have compounds just ouside the city. Some stables may have housing on the grounds that they have the gang members stay at and typically, gang members work at the stables. Most of the time though gang members live on their own and travel to get to the stable. Some have an inner city headquarters and a stable outside the city.
How do they get away with it? A sindow stable in the city isn't exactly something you can hide. Street stables will often run under the guise of just a stable, 'oh we just have these Sindows for pretty pets', or even be registered as an Official stable with one or two officially registered. The SREA can do nothing about it if nothing obviously illegal has occurred. Having a street Sindow isn't illegal, it's just a Sindow that was not bred with paperwork, it's taking part in the act of street racing, pit fighting, and any of the other street discipline that is illegal. The cops and the SREA generally have their suspicions of who is partaking in illegal activity.
Street gangs typically aren't in the business of abusing or treating their Sindows poorly. Typically they want to breed the best of the best so that they can be the best just like Official stables. There of course are abusers. There is also the pit fighting stigma. Even within street life pit fighting has two different types. Typically, street owners train their pit fighters to pin rather than fight violently and cause life threatening injury, so that their strong, prized Sindows can keep going and no one's Sindow has to die. However, there are some who want to see two animals fight. They still don't always condone fighting until the death, but some do.
And then there are the people and stables themselves. Not all are constantly seedy looking and not all stables look like a shack and be in a back alley. A lot of the street stables have very lucrative 'businesses' and make a decent amount of money. They have nice stables and grounds.
street life and owning a street bred Sindow doesn't always mean bad or illegal. Some just like to own Sindows no matter where they're from or how they're bred.
Official Life: Again, some may know what official life is already like generally, but take a look at the alignments journal to see generally what they are like and read here for more details.
Official life is the opposite of street life. Official life is typically thought of as the good lifestyle. People who own Official Sindows typically live an average life in which nothing illegal or out of the ordinary ever happens, but of course, everyone's storyline is different. Most of those who take part in official life are focused on their Sindows training (not that street gangs aren't) and entering them in shows.
The street has gangs and Official life typically has associations or just general groupings of people who are centered around one main goal. Associations may be several stables joined together or a single stable with main members. Stables are run according to how you want them run. You can have one owner and several Sindows. You can have an owner or two, multiple employees and riders, and so on and so forth. You can even have your stable contain extra housing so that your employees or riders can live right on the grounds. Some stable compounds are expansive.
Of course, most Official breeders detest street lineage. They don't want those 'bad tempered' Sindows in their pure bloodlines. However, you'll get official breeders who aren't concerned and some that even own their share of street bred Sindows. It really just depends on the person.
Official life may be the 'good' lifestyle, but that doesn't mean everyone involved is so nice. There are those who like to cause problems and drama in the Official world too. There are some who like to see what kind of tricks they can pull and awful/rude behavior they can get away with. They are typically dealt with by the SREA if they are caught or found out to be doing things like giving their Sindow steroids and so on and so forth.
As with street stables not being seedy back alley shacks, official stables aren't always top of the line establishments. Some can be pretty run down depending on the handler/owners income.
Handler, Stable Owner, Employees: Just some more clarification tidbits. Your handler does not have to own a stable. You can create a character that owns the stable. you of course will still create and upload said stable journal, but your handler doesn't have to be the owner of it. A lot of stable owners are handlers as well, but there are some who haven't ridden a Sindow in years and pretty much manage the place. And then there are the stable owners who have barely looked at a Sindow and typically frustrate the hell out of their Sindow-minded handlers/employees.
Handlers and employees can be the same. Handlers still muck out stables, clean tack, groom Sindows, etc... Sometimes you'll get stables that hire riders/jockeys to do the competition work and have stable hands and so on that do the work in the stable. Again, it's just how you want your stable run.
This journal will definitely be added to or new ones like it may be made highlighting other things. So if you have a question about something in the Sindow world, please ask away.
What is the SREA?
The SREA or Sindow Racing and Eventing Association is the Official lifestyle presiding association. The SREA (much like the AKC -American Kennel Club - or APHA - American Paint Horse Association) governs what can be done with Sindows, what makes each breed each breed, and holds shows often to see which Sindows are the best of the best. All Official Sindows are born registered with the SREA. They are tracked with specific ID numbers and tracking chips, which are different for each specialized breed and Standards, Drafts, and Variants, are tracked under the same grouping of ID numbers since they can easily breed with one another without any lab involvement.
The SREA is run by a panel of members. All decisions are done through vote. Each founding family has a represenative on the panel, so there are 6 members at all times and they run through decisions on the Sindow breed daily, proposals, scheduled shows, business dealings and vote things through or keep them held back. If the vote is deadlocked, they bring in one high ranking officials to vote.
They can be very snooty about what they allow to pass and what they don't. To outsiders the SREA can seem like a bunch of stiff snobs, especially those whose proposals are rejected. However, the SREA isn't truly stiff, they just have to make sure the decisions they make benefits the species and sometimes benefits come with strict rules.
What is the Mellavesa Family?
Depsite being thought of as lawless with no rules, the Street lifestyle does have some rules they live by. The Mellavesa Family is the head of the Street lifestyle, but instead of a panel of members, the Mellavesa Family is headed by one, Drake Mellavesa and his two sons, Torin and Connor. His daughter, Lucine has no part in the bad part of the family business, but others have cause to think not. Lucine runs the official stables. Drake makes the decisions for the Streets, what's allowed, what isn't allowed, etc... It is pretty much anything goes, but if you don't pay up when Drake asks you to pay up, you may disappear forever. He keeps track of the street Sindows with ID’s as well, though he’s not too worried about the different breeds, any street Sindow is a good street Sindow, however, he does practice careful breeding to make the best competitors. Any Sindow born to streetbred parents will also be considered streetbred, though most are kept track of, some slip through the cracks.
Drake likes to have control over everything. Each gang or family pays him some percent of their income. If they don't, they are considered rivals and either run off or killed. But, Drake can't control everything. There are gangs and families as well as lone wolves outside his control, as he runs his business near Philly and anyone outside the state has free reign. It bothers him in the utmost, but he knows he can't go around killing everyone in sight. That would really cause some issues with the police. He does have part of the Philly PD in his pocket, covering up crimes and funneling goods and money to him.
The Mellavesa Family is made up of Drake, his sons, and those he trusts to take care of his Sindows and get good results during races. They don't have to be related by blood, just have earned Drake Mellavesa's trust or be useful to him.
They keep track of every Sindow, however, these Sindows are just kept track of, they are not ‘Registered’ to these associations. Due to the nature of Sindow creation, they are heavily tracked, but just because they are tracked doesn’t mean they are up to snuff when it comes to being apart of the association and allowed to carry the title.
You can also join these associations for benefits! However, these benefits come with some rules, so please read along to see if joining one of these associations is for you.
Benefits and Drawbacks
To keep things fair, the same rewards are given whether you join the SREA or the Mellavesa Family. They are two sides of the same coin really. (And storyline wise Drake Mellavesa modeled his prizes after the SREA’s so that people would also like to join him, and not join the SREA).
Registration is done PER Sindow. So it’s the Sindow who gets the rewards, but it may benefit your Stable to have more than one Sindow in the SREA.
There are some activity requirements to have your Sindow in the SREA. So please consider carefully as there are greater benefits than draw backs!
Benefits:
5,000 SC Sign on Bonus and an extra 1,000 SC per month
+1 Stable Point per month (these will be handed out at the beginning of each month to each stable that has Sindows in these associations. And this is PER Sindow. You have two in, you get two Stable points every month)
+1 GQ bonus for every art/writing piece that the Sindow is in.
+1 Stat point added to a stat of your choice when a showing or working piece is completed (no matter your results).
Access to new Starters before everyone else. Since starters are neutral now in whether or not their official or street, there are only the first handful of starters that are considered official and street, both associations will get access to them.
This is done one of two ways, by fee (significantly cheaper than it will be after the early access window) and by lottery. Each Sindow in their respective association acts like a ‘ticket’. 1 in 5 Sindows will win a slot, this slot goes to the respective stable the Sindow belongs to and is not Sindow specific. However you can’t win more than one slot to said Sindow. If your Sindow happens to be chosen and you’ve already won a slot, it’ll go to the next person. Everyone is shuffled and put into a pool for drawing.
50% chance at +1 Cubling per litter (this 50% is from both parents if they are both player owned. Starters do not give the 50%)
You will get an item that's added to your Sindows log that shows you are in the SREA or Mellavesa Family and list the bonus's you get with it. If the Sindow is removed from the SREA or Mellavesa Family at any time, the item will be removed as well.
Drawbacks:
Sindow can ONLY breed to other Sindows within their Association (and starters of course).
You must complete at least ONE showing or working piece for your Sindow per month.
You personally do not have to make the art/writing. You can comission or have someone complete a piece for you.
You can put more than one Sindow in the piece if the discipline allows it.
Missing one month will not get you kicked out, but if you miss three months, your Sindow will no longer gain benefits and is removed from the association. You can submit another piece to be able to join again. (If your Sindow has been bred while in the associations, that does not count against your Sindow being bred.)
You may be able to reapply, but to cut down on people putting in minimal effort, you get 3 re-applications. After that, your Sindow is removed from the association and you will not be able to join with that Sindow again.
If you breed your Sindow to a non-association Sindow, you are automatically out and cannot reapply. Admin will check for this, but will not warn you, this is up to you to keep track of.
How to Join:
To join the SREA or Mellavesa Family, some work must be done.
Sindow must have Basic Training AND Career Training finished
Must have breeding certification finished, but CANNOT have been bred. (meaning if you’ve bred your Sindow it cannot join these associations. Clancy Matchmakings Count)
Handler must be at least Intermediate.
You must also make an art or writing piece that follows these guidelines for EACH Sindow you want to enter into the associations. You cannot put more than one Sindow into the piece.
Every Sindow who joins these associations is put through a rigorous amount of testing to make sure they are viable for the association and have all the markers the association looks for. You must draw or write about your Sindow doing ONE of these things:
Health Exam - draw or write about your Sindow being looked over by an association vet (is random, draw whatever character you like). This can be done indoors or it can be done in an arena. (Typically, you travel to one of the SREA/Mellavesa Family compounds, so the stable/scenery you depict can be whatever you like).
Fitness Exam - draw or write about your Sindow taking part in their discipline. This does not need other competitors, they are just showing the judges they are competent, physically and behaviorally.
Behavior Exam - The judges want to make sure the Sindow is bombproof. They take the Sindow through crowds, make loud noises, move suddenly, etc… to test the Sindow and their reactions. Well trained Sindows are very sought after. Draw or write about your Sindow going through this exam.
ART and WRITING Requiements:
Art must be larger than 300 x 300 pixels
Art must depict 100% of Sindow and 100% of Handler - association vet must be shown at least 50% in Health Exam piece
Art must be lined, colored, and have a background. If doing a painterly style, it must be neat.
Writing must be at least 850 words.
Writing must pertain to the test at hand, you can give some backstory, like their journey to this test etc… but at least 850 words of it must be mostly the core of the test.
Submit your Piece Here: