Choosing a dog

Parent Cafe
1

<p>When I was young I had a part beagle, part something else- spaniel I think.
He was high energy and good dog, but I didn’t know anything about training ( lived in the suburbs and I was 11 when I got him - before the internets)- and he wasn’t.</p>

<p>Our black lab recently died- she was a fabulous dog- about 65 lbs at her strongest, although she was very high energy for her first 5 years and required many walks and tennis ball throwing every day.
I really don’t have the energy for that any more.
( and don’t have the helpers either :frowning: )</p>

<p>I do like a dog you can play with, one that knows what a ball is for, but not necessarily one who will fetch until she drops dead from exhaustion.
We have a yard- only partially fenced- hedges are growing in- but no grass ( native landscaping), but by several parks and in the city.
Happy to walk a dog several times a day, but not throw the tennis ball for hours till my arm falls off</p>

<p>I really don’t have experience with a lot of different types of dogs other than labs/retrievers- who are bigger than I think I should have now , just cause we had to help our dog in & out of the house or the car, ( we have a Jeep which is kinda high) & it was hard on her at times I think.</p>

<p>We got our last dog from a breeder- but I think I really lucked out, because labs as the * most popular dog* have lots of people who don’t pay much attention to genetics/health and just want to make money.</p>

<p>Tell me about your favorite breed of dog & how to find a breeder/good dog.</p>

<p>I will go to a rescue shelter if I need to, but I also know that they can’t always tell much about the dogs & unfortunately we have to consider health costs, cause it is one thing to pay alot when they are older, but I don’t want to have to do that as soon as they come into our family.</p>

2

<p>I will watch this with great interest. :slight_smile: We are considering a dog for the first time ever.</p>

3

<p>I did find this Animal Planet guide, that takes size, energy level etc into consideration-
I never knew there were so many kinds of dogs!
[Animal</a> Planet :: Guides :: Dog Breed Selector](<a href=“http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do]Animal”>http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/dogselector.do)</p>

4

<p>I am an adoption counselor at a shelter and would love to help you. </p>

<p>What kind of grooming are you willing to do? (Daily brushing? Weekly brushing? Professional grooming services?) How much shedding are you willing to tolerate? Are you willing to do training classes? Are you prepared to work with a dog that may be harder to train, or do you want one that is more easy going? How many hours a day do you intend to leave the dog alone? Any younger children in the house or that visit frequently? Any other animals in the house? What kind of life span do you think is ideal (It can vary from about 4 years to 20 years depending on breed)</p>

<p>You are going to have to be extremely careful with the partially fenced yard if you intend to let the dog play in it, hedges or no. Any dog with the slightest prey drive will be gone the instant they see a squirrel (or <insert local=“” wildlife,=“” or=“” car,=“” here=“”>), for safety reasons my shelter does not give dogs to people with unenclosed yards. Not all dogs have strong recall, or any recall at all.</insert></p>

5

<p>A little off the subject, but anyone considering a new dog should contact Best Friends Animal Sanctuary:
[Best</a> Friends Animal Society Home Page](<a href=“http://www.bestfriends.org/]Best”>http://www.bestfriends.org/)</p>

6

<p>You are going to have to be extremely careful with the partially fenced yard if you intend to let the dog play in it, hedges or no. Any dog with the slightest prey drive will be gone the instant they see a squirrel (or <insert local=“” wildlife,=“” or=“” car,=“” here=“”>),</insert></p>

<p>That’s a good point. While our last dog got along with our cats and only barked at the squirrels, she didn’t chase other animals much ( except at soccer practice, when D2 shared the field with bunnies- that had been " relocated")</p>

<p>I am willing to put up a fence- not a 6 ft one- and I wouldn’t leave the dog out by herself, but one that at least was a initial physical barrier.</p>

<p>Our behind neighbors also have chickens, and while our lab, didn’t bother them, I don’t think a dog who was determined to dig under the fence for lunch would be a good idea.</p>

<p>We did training classes with our doggie , for rudimentary training- not for shows or agility, although I think she would have liked the attention & I was expecting to do that again if needed.</p>

<p>I was a SAHM working/school part-time , not only because I was so involved with the kids & their schools, but so I didn’t have to leave our dog alone- as a lab, she was very social and loved going with me to their schools/camping etc + it’s nice to have the company.</p>

<p>Now I am mostly “retired”, I still have a flexible schedule, and wouldn’t leave them alone for more than a few hours at a time, but outside a lot & it would be nice if I had a dog I could bring for my restoration work- but I guess that rules out anyone that would chase wildlife :(- so that isn’t a top criteria.</p>

<p>We don’t have any kids at home, but the neighborhood is changing with more young families & I expect ( hope?) that at some point at least one of my kids will even have chlldren! :wink:
I also like cats, we had two until about 5 years ago, and they were really special, so I can see also getting a cat at some point.</p>

<p>I was even thinking about getting two dogs at the same time, if they were manageable enough- but I have never had two dogs- except when I lived on a lake and my roommates each had a dog. A golden and a beagle- they got along OK, but I wouldn’t say they were best friends.</p>

7

<p>I have had three practically perfect dogs as an adult.</p>

<p>Dog #1 was a black Lab-pointer mix (but fundamentally indistinguishable from a Lab). We got her when the people we bought our first house from left her there. (I’m not kidding.)</p>

<p>Dog #2 was a super-fancy pedigreed yellow Lab. My wife’s then-boss had bred her dogs, one of which came from a line of show champions, and the other from a line of field champions. We knew both parents were nice dogs. We had the runt; we picked her out at 6 weeks and took her home at 8. She looked like a supermodel. If you can imagine Seth Rogen walking around with Gisele Bundschen – that’s what it looked like when I took her out.</p>

<p>Dog #3 is a total Coalition of the Willing, mainly some sort of shepherd and something to shrink the shepherd to 50 lbs and give her floppy ears. Black with tan shepherd markings. We met her at an SPCA booth in Ithaca when our daughter was doing college tours, and applied to adopt her on the spot. It was clear from our 20 minute “interview” that she was responsive, calm, and sweet.</p>

<p>Anyway, dogs are generally pretty good at doing what you want them to if you are clear about what you want, and if you pay attention to them and engage with them. It doesn’t matter what kind they are, or how they are bred.</p>

8

<p>I strongly feel that people should have the sorts of dogs they understand, and that they can live with rather than the sorts of dogs that complement the decorating. I also like purebred dogs from quality breeders (read: people making better dogs not more dogs) because you have a better shot at getting the dog you think you are getting. Every dog in the shelter is there for a reason – if it’s a reason you can live with, great. If not steer clear!</p>

<p>So in selecting a dog you need to, as Emahoo said above, consider coat, size, temperament, activity level, trainability, and the ‘job’ you have for this dog. </p>

<p>One of the vets I know recently told me that, in her opinion, the very best <em>pets</em> are the dogs that were bred to be the pets of royalty. Such as the Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, the Shiz Tsu, etc. </p>

<p>You could also look for a rehome or older dog placement (up to 1-2 years) from a breeder who was growing something out for show that didn’t make show quality.</p>

9

<p>My dog choices did/do not match yours. Our Shih Tzu died last August and once we sell this house and move I want another one. He had as strong a personality as the rest of us- was hard to train as he only went for treats if he was hungry and too smart to obey just because we requested it. Pure love, however. Social IQ 1000, obedience IQ 50 on a good day. Nonshedder, we kept his hair short. Curious (more intersted in the open computer than son- got the photo of him looking into the case on the floor). Quiet. Etc. It sounds like you would do well with a dog similar to your previous one.</p>

10

<p>We’ve had a couple of wonderful German Shorthair Pointers. There is a variety in size, but similar to a lab. Ours were friendly and fun and easy to train, affectionate, but not nearly as demanding or high strung as a Weimaraner.</p>

<p>Not sure how that would work with the chickens, one of ours caught a duck in mid-air once!</p>

11

<p>My H likes the idea of having two dogs too- although I have known people who have had twins ( kids), and they say that the twins get into way more trouble than they would by themselves- I would guess dogs could be the same way.</p>

<p>Those of you who have two dogs- did you choose that way on purpose? Would you do it again?</p>

12

<p>EK4…I love my pug. She is great toy chaser, player, but likes to play about for 10 minutes and nap 5 hours…great combo for me. In our pug club locally, the majority of pug owners have a pair of pugs. They are soooo cute together. Pugs do shed, but other than that her grooming is easy. Our pugs favorite “toy” is a blown up balloon…she will spend endless time hitting it with her blunt face, tossing it to the air…she doesn’t like to hit the ground…it is her own private game and I get tired watching her…lol.</p>

<p>For big dogs, out last big dog, also a German Shorthaired Pointer was an amazing animal. Very easy to train and she loved the tennis ball. Now…I don’t throw tennis balls…I hit them with a racket…they go futher, not much effort on the part of the thrower and the dog gets worn out faster.</p>

13

<p>JHS, “Coalition of the Willing” gets my vote for laugh of the year!</p>

<p>I’m no help on this as I just posted about my dog that won’t lose weight. He was a stray, and we love him so much. I must admit that I am partial to the underdog and would always go with a shelter.</p>

<p>ETA: I second the German short-haired pointer. That’s what I had growing up. They were hunting dogs, very trainable with nice temperments.</p>

14

<p>I have a boxer and he’s a great dog. I had another one before the current one and had one growing up as a kid. Actually, a boxer is the only breed I’ve had.</p>

<p>Boxers are medium sized dogs that are generally pretty active, very playful, very good with people - especially kids. They can be protective and will often place themselves between the perceived bad guy and the family - sometimes even if the family’s just rough-housing. They’re short-haired dogs and don’t require any grooming.</p>

<p>Boxers are also the cutest dogs around :wink: with very expressive faces. It’s fun to grab their face and squish their jowls. </p>

<p>Although active and muscular, boxers don’t have the stamina for very long runs that some other dogs might have. Mine can handle my 5-7 mile run/walks (includes hills) but he’s dragging at the end. He also loves to go out and play frisbee or ball but he’s not obsessed over it like a retriever - sometimes he’ll do 4-8 chases and then he’s pretty much done with that game.</p>

<p>We got our current dog at a boxer rescue and he’s pretty perfect. I can’t imagine why anyone would have given him up.</p>

15

<p>Dogs are so varied. Mine was in excellent condition in his prime- actually walked for about 3 miles at a time in over 45 minutes- including stopping to sniff every few yards and visiting everyone we crossed paths with. The word retrieve was never in his vocabulary. I’m also firmly convinced owners have a lot of influence in a dog’s socialization/character regardless of breed based on relationships with neighborhood dogs. My scariest dog encounter was returning home in the dark one summer to hear a loud bark on the corner- out came a neighbor’s Visula who had been let out to do his thing- he noticed us and wanted us to visit (we complied, going within his fence collar’s range on their driveway). Favorite lost dog story- neighbor 2 doors down had an Irish Setter who escaped her collar and found her way in the snow to our deck to visit. Let her in after another neighbor called asking if we had seen her. Put her in my kitchen/dinette area that was child gated at that time for our shih tzu (to avoid messes elsewhere) and was surprised when she put her paws up on the kitchen counter to look out the window- our dog could stretch to put his up on a chair seat.</p>

16

<p>We always had 2 dogs when we both worked outside the home, even had 4 dogs once-not intentionally. My DH would always want to have 1 dog now that he has a home office as the bond between man & dog becomes so very close.</p>

<p>With 2 dogs, they amuse each other and you are a little less required</p>

17

<p>I used to show dogs (sight hounds: specifically whippets and afghan hounds). I have also owned sporting breeds and currently have a terrier mix. </p>

<p>If you are certain you want a purebred dog but aren’t sure of the breed I would suggest visiting a dog show and talking to the owners and handlers. The majority of people would love to talk to you about their breed of dog and what is great about it. In addition, if they are breeders they want the best placement for their puppies so they aren’t going to mislead you about the qualities of their breed and if it fits your needs.</p>

<p>If you do go with a sporting breed I would suggest staying away from field trial breeding lines. Those dogs go and go and go some more. I’ve had labs, german shorthair pointers. chesapeake bay retrievers and springer spaniels. The ones bred for hunting and companion dogs were great but the ones bred for field trials were a bundle of energy.</p>

<p>Small dogs can have their problems with house training. Since you are home a lot it might not be as much of an issue for you. They also get somewhat of a bad rap for being naughty. A lot of that is because people don’t always train them as well as they would a big dog because they are little and cute. Just a side note, if you do get a small dog please use a harness rather than a collar. Little dogs can have their windpipes injured very easily by someone pulling on a collar.</p>

<p>If I had to choose a large dog breed I would probably choose a saluki, a kerry blue terrier or a chesapeake. For a medium size dog I would choose a springer spaniel, a whippet or a poodle. For a small dog I would suggest a corgi, a cairn terrier or a king charles spaniel. All those breeds have good and bad qualities.</p>

<p>Please also look at the American Kennel Club website. It has a lot of good information.</p>

<p>I personally would not get two puppies from the same litter at the same time. They tend to bond to each other rather than with you. If you get two older dogs you should be fine.</p>

<p>Finally, please do consider a shelter dog. Most have been checked out by a vet. They usualy can’t give you all the specifics of the dog’s history but the look in a shelter dog’s eyes when you take them home is priceless.</p>

18

<p>Owned 2 dogs - both beagles.</p>

<p>First beagle was bought from a farm at age 6 weeks. He was very friendly and affectionate, I think that was partly because for H & me he was our “first baby”, lots of attention. </p>

<p>Second beagle (the one I have now) was adopted from a beagle rescue group. I had some information when we got her and she was already past that “puppy stage” ( she was housebroken, no chewing) which was nice. She is very sweet, but not nearly as cuddly as the first one. I’m not sure she had as much socialization when she was young. She does not like young males (except for S), but is pretty good with everyone else. The one thing I would do over is that I would have adopted another one when I got her.</p>

19

<p>Three questions you should ask to find out if the breeder is breeding for love or money:</p>

<p>1) parents: why did you choose this particular mating? what traits were you looking for? can I meet the parents?
2) genetics: what genetic and health tests did you do before breeding? why did you do those tests? Can I see the paperwork from the vet and from the testing organization?
3) actual puppy: how do you decide which puppy goes to which prospective owner?</p>

<p>Obviously you are looking for a thoughtful breeder. Are they breeding for health? Temperament? Good looks? Trainability?</p>

<p>Every single breed out there has genetic diseases now. An x-ray for hip dysplasia is merely the beginning. (Oh, and check that they really did do that x-ray–some breeders will tell you they did, but didn’t.) A breeder should be able to talk for hours about the genetic diseases in their chosen breed and what they’ve done to avoid passing them on to their puppies. (Watch out for breeders who are breeding very young dogs. No way they did the testing.)</p>

<p>Finally, choosing owners: a good breeder will match the personality of the puppy to the needs of the family.</p>

20

<p>Now, on to the question of breed. I am, of course, partial to poodles. They don’t shed. They come in a size that suits any family (you can choose from small, medium, or large). They are smart and easy to train. They have an off-switch.</p>

<p>But they are not for everyone. They do require regular grooming. They grow hair in places that make them difficult for a non-professional to groom, so you either learn to groom or you pay someone else to do it for you. Either way–high maintenance.</p>

<p>Given your description, I think you’d be best off contacting Seattle Purebred Dog Rescue and looking for an older dog. Sadly, there are a lot of nice older dogs in rescue these days, as people are forced to give up their pets due to finances.</p>