Need opinions, getting a puppy..what kind?
 

I'm moving out soon to get my own apt. down in the city, so the parents now have both kids outta the house. i want to get them a puppy so they kind of always have a little thing around the house to remember me by. The thing is though, what kind should I get?

My mom's a neat freak so I don't really want one that sheds too much. I really want to get a golden retriver, well, just cause ever since I saw one on a dirt devil commercial I've wanted one. But, a bud of mine has a black lab, and they are awesome dogs too. A pug is another option, they are like the perfect size to be a house dog. I don't know which one to go with. I pretty much want a dog that won't get too big, but nothing wimpy like a pomeranian or anything like that, know what I mean?

Anyways, I'd like some of your takes on good dogs to have as a house pet.
thanks

Puppies are awesome! I say go for the retrievers (labs or golden). Thats what I want to get when I get my own apt. Or a dog like Beethoveen from the movies.

Ok, I need to play devil's advocate a little bit...


You get high points for wanting to research the type of dog to get your folks but unless you parents are going to be ready for the commitment (time and monetary) involved in having a new puppy in the house, don't get them one! Having a new puppy is just like having a new baby - that means constant care and feeding, not to mention the issues of housebreaking, exercise, obedience training, etc. A puppy isn't something you can get, leave out some food and expect it to train itself to behave properly. Our 2 dogs are 3 years old next month and we still work obedience with them every day. They are housebroken, but every time we leave town we have to pay someone to stay at the house with them and our cats. If your parents travel a great deal, getting them a dog is a bad idea. It's not fair to your folks and it is particulary unfair to the dog.

If you want something that is small, doesn't shed a lot and is a good companion animal, I recommend something like a Bichon Frise or a poodle. Ideally you should try and rescue a dog from your local humane society or via a breed-specific rescue organization.

Some other things to consider:
Terriers are very energetic and keep a puppy mentality until they are 3-5 years old. Labs are about the same way - plus, they chew, a lot. Beagles chew and bark. Pugs are small, yes, but they have tremendous respiratory issues (read that 'high vet bills'). Dacshunds have back problems. Yorkies and Maltese don't shed, but require regular grooming. Same with Schnauzers.

Labrador and Golden retrievers are BIG and they shed and they require a lot of exercise and training. I do not consider them to be good choices for apartment living, unless you plan to have no furniture in your place. They chew and they like to dig. (our 2 are part lab, so I know from where I speak). Unless you can dedicate a couple of hours each day to exercise and training, a large breed is a an unwise choice.

Go to the American Kennel Club site (http://www.akc.org) and read their information about selecting a puppy. It is very informative. But, most importantly, check with your parents to see if your gift would be welcome. Because if it's not going to be welcome, you will save yourself and the pup a lot of heartache by not purchasing a new friend for your parents.

Yeah, poodles are good 'cause they don't shed. But if I were you, I'd get a mix-breed dog (a.k.a a mutt!)--they're generally sweet, and they aren't expensive to get but they can be wonderful buddies. My dog is a chow mix and I love her! I think it's better to get a dog who's at least a year old, though, as puppies really can be just like a new baby and need TONS of attention. Try the Humane Society, too; most of the people I know who have gotten animals there have been really pleased. They will spay/neuter the dog and give it all its shots for a pretty low fee, and there are usually lots of animals there to choose from who need homes.

I agree- I am huge on the adoption of dogs. I have a mixed chow also and for $5.00 - this sweetheart has never ran away, comes when we call her, will even get my morning paper for me and we have also trained her to wait at the door until her feet get wiped before entering the house (my husband is the neat freak- not me)-

I also think mixed live longer. Maybe that is a rumor.

Adopt Adopt Adopt - and make a dog's day :)

Sue

Almost all the hunting or working class dogs can be a problem up to about 3 years old unless you are really good at handling and training them. We had a Golden Retriever that ate part of the side of our HOUSE! (Of course it was wood)

In all my years and all my dogs, the very best have been strays.
They are so darn happy andloyal when you give them a home. They won't run off every time the door opens either.

I completely agree!

Talk to your parents first, and make sure that they WANT a dog. I am a vocal advocate of adopting older dogs (not puppies) from shelters, because when you adopt an older dog, not only do you have less work to do, but by then, the dog's personality is already developed and you are more likely to know what you will be getting. Ideally, you would all go to a shelter together, visit with the dogs, and see if one seems like a good fit. A great site for finding adoptable animals is www.petfinder.org -- you can search and everything.

Good luck!

I have been living without a dog for 3 weeks now and it's driving me crazy. Dogs become such a huge part of most people's lives.
My family has a little mut dog that we got in 86 and then we have a pure bred yellow lab. I adore my yellow lab!
If you don't mind training them properly so they don't tear up your house, they are great dogs. Yellow labs have a soft mouth so if you hunt they will gently pick up your catch. My dog has never bitten anyone, but even if he did I doubt it'd hurt.
Yellow labs shed and that's the only problem I have with ours. That and when the seasons change his coat will sometimes get a little more dander which causes me to itch if I pet him too much and then immediately happen to touch my skin.
Other than that they are loyal and mostly obedient dogs. But they do want attention and will show it through their actions. My family was always on the go, so if no one played with Yogi enough, he'd tear through the trash to show his anger (or whatever you want to call it).
Now that I'm living in an apartment and really really really want a dog, I've been doing research and I think Will and I want a pug because they're smaller. PetSmart has puppies for adoption on the weekends only so we're going to go there just to look.
Like Barb said, they are wonderful animals but requier time and comittment!

Good luck and let us know what you decide!!!!!
Hootie

get a pekingese! thats the kind of dog we have, he's going to be 13 years old in march and he is sooooooo sweet! they are small dogs and even though they have A LOT of hair, we take him to get groomed- that way he doesnt shed. I love my dog so much, trust me, if you get a pekingese, you dont be dissapointed!

get a golden retriever!!! they are the best dogs. i have grown up with them, and my parents have even bread two of ours. the puppies are so much fun. Imagine 20 little round, golden, fuzzy puppies running around your backyard? it was great! they are good family dogs.

josh

Only way to go is ROBOTIC, Does Not PEE or POOP!!!:D

Thought about having a Shit Soo but have no time to spend with it! :)

GERMAN SHEPARDS!! They are the best dogs in the world!! My brother and his wife have 2. They are the coolest dogs, I almost miss them as much as I miss my brother and his wife!

My sister has one - simba, appropriately named because he looks like a lion....I love that dog so much, he's definitely the coolest dog i've ever seen.

Two problems - this dog is massive, we've had all kinds of dogs growing up and none of them can compare to the strength of Simba. Since it's such a large dog, only a certain type of ppl are fit for them.

Also, this thing drools NON-STOP...it's so gross, if you're about to hit the bars, you have to keep your distance or you'll get drool all over your clothes.

It's also the same dog in payback and can also be reffered to as a French Mastive.

English Springer Spaniel! :)

i agree with all the people that have said to check with your parents before getting them a dog.

if they do decide they would like one, i would accompany them to the local animal shelter and let them pick one out. people vary on their tastes of animals!

ok that being said, i want you to promise me you will think of a few things before you buy them a dog.

(1) will this dog be an indoor or outdoor animal? it is best to have an animal that can remain indoors for lots of reasons. Its safe. The dog will not risk the chance of getting run over by a car, stolen, poisoned, or especially being exposed to harsh weather - ie rain, snow, heat, cold. Having a dog indoor is the best way to really make your pet a part of the family.

(2) Dont judge a dogs personality based on size. I have heard nothing but amazing things about retired greyhounds. I know you want a puppy, but these greyhounds, that are usually apart of a rescue program, are said to be the sweetest, calmest, best behaved dogs. They love to just lay beside you and be with you and just be quiet. But they are big- no shedding though and make an ideal indoor pet! Another example would be the jack russell terrier. These are dogs that for the most part should NOT be indoor dogs - they are very very very active...its in their genes to hunt! My brother has 2 boston terriers. Small dogs but hyper as hell! They want to play all the time!

Im a little worried that you said your mom was a neat freak. My mom is too...and she always makes a HUGE deal if she sees one dog hair on my floors in my house and makes the statement "there is no way a dog could live in my house!"

I do have several friends who have shitzuhs (no clue how to spell). They are great indoor dogs, seem to be happy if you are there, content if you arent...and dont shed! They do require maintance though - in the doggy salon lol - as well as the bichon frise or other foo foo dogs.

I suggest adopting a mixed breed - they are generally healthier because they arent genetically prone to getting the diseases common in their breed

i love dogs! :D

and the vet chimes in......
 

I hate to tell you this but 99% of the dogs are going to shed unless you get a mexican hairless which are about 1500-2000$. Golden Retrievers shed alot. I deal with golden rescue here in Austin and they love their dogs but spend a great deal everyday just vacuuming. Greyhounds are WONDERFUL. For the most part they are calm, shed a lot less than most dogs and there are plenty that need adoption. If you have small pets (ie cat) be aware that many of these guys were trained to race and just did not make the cut. They were trained to chase small furry things and many will run after and possible kill a small animal-some, not all. We have an animal blood bank at our clinic and 90% of the donors are greyhounds-they are awesome and if I didn't have cats and live in an apartment and didn't work so much I would get one.


I just want to reiterate that you need to make sure your parents are ready for a dog. Though they do not take as much of a commentment as kids they need lots of attention, depending on what breed -lots of exercise and almost any puppy you get will chew things up. Veterinarians are starting to charge more and more for their services unlike the old days where most charged minimally and ended up eating bread and water for their main meals. Thus, you have to make sure they are financially able to care for a pet. I tell people when I see certain breeds for ex. dachshund, start saving up for the back surgery b/c more often then not they will prolapse a disk (avg cost 1500-2000$ in Austin area to correct).

There is pet insurance but some of those companies do not offer very good deals-you must read the fine print.

Good luck with your decision and remember to spay or neuter to prevent pet overpopulation.

No one's got Rottweilers? I have two females at home which I absolutely adore..but they are so expensive and high maintinence, and you have to be really selective about their bloodline and make sure they are AKC, etc...otherwise risk bad temperament, risk of poor genetic lineage, etc. :( Basically they take a lot of research, a lot of space to run around, and a whole lot of dog chow!! But my rotties are the best friends/dogs I could ever imagine...fierce protectors and gentle companions :)

LOL, I never saw anyone spell shi tsu that way! :D

My parents had both a beagle and a lab/beagle mix, both puppies, at the SAME TIME! :eek: I wouldn't recommend that though :)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by PnguinTrax
[B]
They chew and they like to dig.


i can soooo agree w/ that! i have a lab and she chews on everything!!!!!! i am talking everything she is w/in a foot from. she is getting better but from about 3 months until now (7 months) she has chewed on everything. and she's not done yet!!! you have to be really careful with your stuff and corners of end table and beds. they are really good dogs and they are really smart, i would recommend getting one if you can handle the chewing on everything for a while

OMG, get a Greyhound, but don't put dogs in Apartments unless you promise to take them out all the time!!!!

i know small dogs fit better in houses but they are soooooooo annoying!!!

Personally i LOVE german shepherds and Greater Swiss Mountain dogs -- but i dont have 1000+ dollars for one

but if you want a dog that will be rather maintainance free

get a mixed breed!! they are resilient little guys or gals
good ole hybrid vigor

but do your research!! so many breeds have genetic problems

I'm surprised no one's mentioned this. The Waltham company (a company that specializes in pet health and nutrition) has a rather detailed questionnaire on their site that helps you pick the best animal for your living space and temperament.

You can take the quiz at http://www.waltham.com. Since you're looking for a dog, click on "Dogs" and then click "Select A Dog".

I recomend any of you that have a yard or a farm and have a little time to spend with a dog training it as a puppy, you should get a blue heeler (Australian Cattle Dogs) I have one named Dually, and he is absolutely one of the smartest dogs I have ever had. I always wanted a heeler and now I have one. THis year they were recogniced by the AKC as a breed, so thats good. If youve never seen a blue heeler, go to www.blueheeler.com or watch the movie Mad Max. The dog that follows Mel Gibson everywhere is a blue heeler. Ive always had hearding and hunting dogs so thats all I know about.

Are they better than bloodhounds for sniffing out raccoons?

Get Mechanical One, does not shed piss or poop!:D

Turn off and on!:cool:

Lil, they arent nealy as good as my Walker hounds back home on sniffin out a coon, but Dually is hell on groundhogs. He will bury himself in a groundhog hole to get to one. Hes had his face bit up and everything, but he loves to chase em.

I have always been a lab fan, especially of the yellow lab - they do tend to shed and slob a bit but they are the best dogs. They are very friendly, loyal, obedient and fairly easy to train. And as dogs go they are extremely intelligent :)

For the record....
 

The way to spell Shithzu/shi tsu/Shit Soo is SHIH TZU!!

And for goodness sake, don't have it mate with a bulldog!!!:D

I couldn't resist!!

RM

the AKC sucks, they promote crap like ear/tail cropping and inbreeding (well not publicly of course)

i didn't read through all the posts, so i'm not sure if this question has been asked... did you ask your parents if they want a dog. if both kids are out of the house, maybe they just want it to be mom and dad, w/out any add'l responsibilities.

if they vote, "yes", for the dog, i'd get a chocolate lab. they are absolutely beautiful dogs.

I really love all dogs....but I could not be happier with my Pomeranians! They are wonderful dogs, beautiful, don't smell, have amazing, AMAZING personalities, and are very easy to paper train. I've travelled with mine all over the world and they have the most lovely temperment. Either way...I would suggest www.petshelter.org or your local Humane Society, or even a purebred dog rescue organization in your area. Do not buy from breeders or puppy mills! And most importantly, let us all know what you end up falling in love with! :)

If I could have a dog, I would get an Irish Setter. They are so beautiful!:D