What type of dog do you have? What type should I get?

B_Lightkeeper

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Having two poodles years ago, I swore no more - dogs..not poodles. Then after I moved, a stray (lab/? mix) found its way to the house. Having been shot, I gave him vet attention and loved him for about 10 years until tumors forced us to put him down.
Again, I said no more dogs.

Then another came to the house and was a devoted house member for many years until coyotes (or a pit bull) chewed her hind up.

Next, another stray found on the side of the road thus her name "Roadie".

I'd certainly recommend looking at an animal shelter. They make perfect pets and are very appreciative.
 

B_subgirrl

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Having two poodles years ago, I swore no more - dogs..not poodles. Then after I moved, a stray (lab/? mix) found its way to the house. Having been shot, I gave him vet attention and loved him for about 10 years until tumors forced us to put him down.
Again, I said no more dogs.

Then another came to the house and was a devoted house member for many years until coyotes (or a pit bull) chewed her hind up.

Next, another stray found on the side of the road thus her name "Roadie".

I'd certainly recommend looking at an animal shelter. They make perfect pets and are very appreciative.

Sometimes it doesn't seem like we get a whole lot of choice in the matter, does it? I was a dog person. A 100% dog person. Until a mummy cat dumped a 5 day old baby outside my house and walked off and left it. I am now the proud owner of a 6 year old cat who I love to pieces. Now I like cats too. Still want a dog though.
 

EllieP

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I'm such a dog girl, but I don't think I could have another one now. I miss my poodle so much it still hurts, and that was over 8 years ago. She was perfect for me. Never shed, never barked. Definitely not a yippy dog.

I grew up with golden retrievers and would love to have another, but I just don't have the room or time or energy.

Whatever you get I know you'll give it a lot of love. I love dog people.
 

dolfette

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list of question:

will the dog be indoors or out?
how many hours a day can you give 1-2-1?
will it be mixing with children or animals?
will it be around the frail or elderly?
how do you feel about noise, smell & shed hair?
how much grooming are you willing to take on?
are you experienced with dogs?
are you dominant or submissive by nature?
is your lifestyle peaceful or noisy and choatic?
what's your physical health & strength like?
does cost of food & vet fees have a limit?
are you house proud?
what kind of car do you drive?
how secure is your garden? fence height etc.
what kids/animals do next door have?
how easily do you lose your temper?
 

Dave NoCal

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Virtually alll breeds, except some of the toy breeds, are working dogs and have strong inate propensities to certain behaviors. The 'work" of the toy breeds is to be companions to humans. We have two pugs, the largest of the toy breeds. They are a very affectionate breed and like to be in proximity to you all the time. They are even tempered, not yappy, cuddly, and friendly to everyone. They need very little exercise and are happy to just hang around with humans. They do shed. They do not tolerate heat well and are inside dogs that need air conditioning. You can't take them for runs as they become tired very quickly.
Pugs aren't for everyone but those who like them are batshit crazy about them. I am.
 

dolfette

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pugs are nice...but...not everyone will agree with me, but i think there are some moral issues to consider when buying a breed that has what amounts to bred in deformities.

poor hips, overly long spines, brachycephalic breeds, etc.

it's something to consider.
 

PornForPatric

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Wow! I wasn't expecting quite so many responses. Thank you all for your suggestions and input.

Dolfette, I've worked as a dog trainer and volunteered for years at a local shelter, so I'm glad to see you asking the sort of questions I would. I will be going to a shelter, but as I said in my first post, I'd prefer to get a Weimaraner or Border Collie. I'll just have to see who I click with at the shelter and it is very likely they won't have pups of either of those breeds.
 

aninnymouse

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This is something to help you make your decision. It's a site on the various breeds, their strengths and weaknesses, and how they'd fare in various environments. I highy recommend it.

www.dogbreedinfo.com

Has a lot of info on behaviors, standards, etc. and shows what you should be looking for in a dog.

Best of luck

Oh, and by the way, I like "real" dogs. Shepherds, Shepherd mixes, Labs, Dobies, and the like. Pitts are nice, I just hate the reputation that unjustly get. Most all of the Pitts that I've met are absolute sweeties.
 

dolfette

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Wow! I wasn't expecting quite so many responses. Thank you all for your suggestions and input.

Dolfette, I've worked as a dog trainer and volunteered for years at a local shelter, so I'm glad to see you asking the sort of questions I would. I will be going to a shelter, but as I said in my first post, I'd prefer to get a Weimaraner or Border Collie. I'll just have to see who I click with at the shelter and it is very likely they won't have pups of either of those breeds.
i got a qualification in canine behaviour therapy and never used it, lol. by the time i passed i'd done the show scene, grooming, trained dogs to track, agility, manwork. at the end of it i was just dogged out!

my poor old man is on the way out now. he doesn't have full bowel control and his back end is starting to go, so i know it's going to be that one way trip to the vets' in the next few months... the worst part of keeping a dog.

that'll be it. no more dogs.
it'll be the first time i've been dogless.

collies V weimaraners... well collies need more time & attention, weimaraners need a firmer hand. personally, i'd rather live with a weimaraner. keeping collie brains occupied can become a full time job. weimaraners will challenge if they see any sign of weakness. which of the two is likely to piss you off more? is a good question to ponder.
 

PornForPatric

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It is always some sort of tradeoff. Border Collies are fairly easy to train. But they are high energy dogs. They need some serious attention/workout every day or they go into household destruction mode to burn off energy.

Weimaraners train well, but they need a bit more of the booster training sessions. They are good with a twice a day walk and some time running in the yard/dog park.

Either will try to establish dominance, which is why it is necessary to train early and often with both of them. They need to understand that you are in charge. Not that they won't continually challenge you, but after some time they'll get to understand that you're in charge.

Usually, when I'm dog sitting I follow a morning walk with time outside in the yard around lunchtime and then a walk and trip to the dog park where they can run around while I answer e-mails. My yard is 20x30 feet, so it is enough for a bit of running around, but not for any serious exercise.
 

dolfette

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remember to get the breeder's hip score for both breeds, and check for a history of collie eye if you go for a collie.
not always doable with rescue dogs but it might save you a lot of money & stress.
 

PornForPatric

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remember to get the breeder's hip score for both breeds, and check for a history of collie eye if you go for a collie.
not always doable with rescue dogs but it might save you a lot of money & stress.

With shelter dogs it is pretty much hit or miss. You very rarely get a pup or even an adult that has history and papers with it. There is almost no chance I'm going to go to a breeder. After so much time working in shelters, I just wouldn't feel right to do that.

The only thing about getting a hip score for me is the cost. My vet charges $225.
 

dolfette

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With shelter dogs it is pretty much hit or miss. You very rarely get a pup or even an adult that has history and papers with it. There is almost no chance I'm going to go to a breeder. After so much time working in shelters, I just wouldn't feel right to do that.

The only thing about getting a hip score for me is the cost. My vet charges $225.
ouch!
do you know anyone with a good eye?
someone with a good eye will be able to tell problematic hips from even quite a young dog's gait. it's not as fool proof as a hip score, obviously, but an expert eye will weed out the worst.
 

atlclgurl

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This thread makes me sad... reminds me of my baby who I had to put down a couple years ago, after a diagnose of incurable lung cancer. (No, I don't smoke, neither did she, I don't know how she got it!)

I loved her madly and miss her even more. I can't bear the thought of losing another pet that way, so I'm not looking to adopt another dog, although I do have cats and I know, they too will someday pass away (not too soon hopefully!).

I thought I would be able to keep a pit puppy that I found who had been neglected, but his prey drive was really strong and he kept trying to kill the cats, so I had to give him away. (I was lucky enough to have found a really, really good home for him, where he's an only dog, with 3 kids who love on him and a "mom" who adores the breed.)

So, here I sit, five cats, and no dog. Sigh.