CrackMonkey wrote: My two small dogs (Mini Schnauzer and a Bichon Frise) don't bark any more than any other dog. The Bichon isn't hyper active at all - she's content to sit in my lap and keep me warm. The Schnauzer has more energy, but walking him a few miles a day is plenty to keep him relaxed at home.
Tell me more about your Frise. I hear they require a lot of grooming because they don't shed. What about their temperament?
Along with Bichon type dogs (along with the Frise, there is the Havanese, and others), I'd also recommend the Lhasa Apso.
The Lhasa is a small Tibetan dog. They were bread to be monestary companions/watch dogs. They tend to be intelligent and like people more than other dogs (they aren't aggressive so much as not interested). They like to show off. As I stated earlier, they tend to be mostly quiet, usually just barking to announce that there is someone entering their territory. They have a well defined sense of territory.
They are longer-haired and require regular grooming.
The Tibettan Terrier (which is not an actual terrier) is very similar in personality and grooming, but is a bit bigger and heartier.
My girlfriend has a mutt that I swear is part lhasa (she thinks something in the Bichon family). Her neighbors have commented that her dog is very quiet and doesn't bark that often. It generally barks just when someone is on the outside landing. When people walk in the door, she says "Hello." I'm not kidding. "Herrrrooooooo. Heh-ooooo. Herr-roo-rooo-rrrroooooooo. Herro. Herr-herr-heh."
Go for the shelter/Rescue dog, pick the breed-mix based on you and your family in regard to whether you want a dog that is always "On" (some dogs are hyper, some are happy to chill). I have a German Short-Hair Pointer that is the smartest, well behaved "Pre-Enjoyed" dog you could imagine! Good Luck!
Chebbie_SB wrote: Go for the shelter/Rescue dog, pick the breed-mix based on you and your family in regard to whether you want a dog that is always "On" (some dogs are hyper, some are happy to chill). I have a German Short-Hair Pointer that is the smartest, well behaved "Pre-Enjoyed" dog you could imagine! Good Luck!
That way, you let some other poor sap take the hit of depreciation in initial value. Everyone knows things things are WAAAAY cheaper a year off of lease.
My older Schnauzer is a rescue dog. He's got his issues, but he's my best friend......we got him by way of the Bull Terrier rescue group (My parent's belong/rescue) and had him flown in from Missouri.
You may want to try www.petfinder.com
Tell me more about your Frise. I hear they require a lot of grooming because they don't shed. What about their temperament?
Yeah, they do require weekly brushing, if you want to keep their hair in a more show-like cut. Especially when it's wet outside. In summer, we just keep it cut short, so brushing isn't needed as much. It is very soft hair - no bristles or undercoat. Little kids love her, and she loves little kids.
Temperament is good. Very affectionate towards her people - as I said, she's usually happy to lie in one of our laps, or next to us on the sofa. Usually ambivalent/aloof towards strange dogs - doesn't bark at them, just doesn't really care. She's a bit of a prima donna - almost like she's half cat. She'll roll over to get her belly rubbed, but it's more of a "you better rub my belly NOW!" than a submissive "please rub my belly".
My only complaint is she HATES the rain. She'll whine to go out to pee, then as soon as she feels the rain, she strains to go back inside. Every Bichon I've ever known (three of them) have been like this. Pretty much have to drag her to the middle of the yard and stand there until she figures out the sooner she pees, the faster she can get back inside.
Bichon, maltese, and the one or two related breeds are lap dogs. If that's what you want, years of selective breeding really has produced an amazing critter. But, they certainly aren't going to go camping with you, run a 10k, or anything else "rugged".
I had a rescue black Lab/Britanny Spaniel mix. Looked like a Lab with longer nose. About the smartest dog I've ever had. Learned fast, calm and only barked for a reason. Do anything to please and adored kids. Had to sometimes watch her around kids as she was bigger than some kids (85 lbs) and would sometimes knock them over unintentionaly. The abuse she took from kids was amazing, daughter and friends used to hang on the dogs ears, tail, collar, anyplace and the dog would drag them around the yard, when one fell off she would go back for the kid. In her later years, she suffered from the big dog joint issues and one night we came home from work to find that she passed while we were gone. She was 13-yo That was a few years ago and we still miss her. Daughter has a rescue AKC registered Lab and that thing just won't settle down, she's almost 2 now. Their boxer/pit mix puppy is loads better. I grew up taught that mixed breed are usually calmer than pure breeds. My other daughter has a Husky/wolf hybrid that is calm around people and likes people. No patience for other rambunctious animals though. Had a mix (Cocker/pekapoo) while growing up, she was smart too and loved slides and riding in cars.
Got a call from my wife today while driving home from work. She said stop by her work and pick up a dog she just saved from going to the shelter. Surprises me :omg: as she is old fashioned Korean and dogs have to have a purpose. She tolerated the lab-mix we had because the lab would eat anything, including kimchi/sushi. We now have a 5-yo toy poodle. It seems as though it hasn't been well treated, it runs on 3 legs and favors the left hind leg and has long nails that need trimming and a bump that's tender at the base of the ribs. Seems like possibly broken rib in the past. I think she has been kicked around. She kinda skittish but will settle down on my lap. Got to take her to the vet in the next day or so. Wonder how long till she learns that she now will have an easy life and settle down. hard typing this with her on my lap and head resting on my left arm. :grin: She not getting a fru-fru hair cut though.
+100 on a Rescue dog. I have been doing rescue for almost 10 years now for three different groups, two of which I started myself. Every time I go into a shelter to pick one up I try to acknowlege every dog I walk past in the runs. I give each one a friendly wave, sometimes I even let one or two sniff my had on the walk by. I always make eye contact as the dogs come up to the end of their cage to greet me. I know that 90% of those guys will not make it out of the shelter alive.
When you get a dog from a Rescue Group or a Shelter you are saving a life.
Shelter or rescue, either way is good. Pet stores are the most evil thing in the world (except those that do not actually sell live animals other than, say, fish). "Breeders" are rarely interested in more than money. A real breeder will not be advertising in your local shopping rag.
My "Patented Dog Selection Process" at the shelter is pretty much let the dog pick me. I lean towards medium to large sized dogs. Black dogs have a harder time getting adopted, for some reason. Anything with Lab roots is a good bet, as are Goldens (however, the laundry list of health issues in purebred Goldens should give you some pause). German Shepherd mixes I like, but have not found most GSD's to be my kind of dog. I have no tolerance for yappy or constantly vocal dogs (beagles, bassetts, shelties and any number of drop-kick breeds). I think you are very wise to skip the puppy process. The cuteness wears off in about a day and you are left with a infantile PITA for at least 6 months. Adult dogs are pretty much plug and play. :cool: DO talk to the staff at the shelter about what you are looking for. They may be able to point you towards something you would otherwise have not given a thought to. Do not use size as a deciding factor; I have not found the larger dogs to be any more trouble than the terriers I grew up with. In fact, the smaller dogs can be an annoyance, because they will climb all over the furniture and YOU, among other things. If you wind up with a strong dog that is a leash challenge, get yourself a "Gentle Leader". They rock!
Kids should grow up with a dog. It teaches them a lot. Just understand, you will do all the work.
Another vote here for a golden mix. Our last dog was a 110lb 3/4 Golden with 1/4 choc Lab.
our 3 very (at the time twin 1 yo and a 3yo) children could pull the dog around by his lips. and ride him!
But, last summer we had to put him down due to a non-op brain tumor. :(
Ive got a bluetick coonhound in a one bedroom apt yeah she's a handful but I walk her to the point of exhaustion and she and me gets a good nights sleep. Hyper but a good dog she is 5 months old and heeling pretty well sits good and a electric no bark collar took care of her bawling problem. She goes to work with me everyday and although she ain't my old lab she id growing on me
+1 rescue a dog -1 beagels are loud as hell and love to run off
My wife and I rescue dogs and she works at a doggie day care, so I'll offer my observatory opinion.
I used to breed beagles and bassets when I was growing up. Beagles are friggin great, but can be intensely vocal. They are also hounds and frequently mask their scent by rolling in road kill or feces. Not fun when you pet your dog only to realize you've just stroked cougar poop and its all over the seat of your miata as well. Bassets roll too, but of all the hounds they are the most stubborn. Very difficult to train. They aren't really dumb, they just don't care about consequences so punishing them has little effect on training. Rewarding them rarely bridges the learning gap.
Retrievers are dopey. Smart, but dopey and a little like a bull in a china shop. They are fine as outdoor dogs, but can be a handful inside until they're old and can't walk.
I like labs; brilliant, loyal, beautiful, and for the most part healthy.
A couple general rules as you search the pound (because you wouldn't dream of buying a puppy-mill dog from a pet store, right?) 1- avoid pure breeds. You're searching for a family pet, not a trophy, so you don't need the exclusive dog. Pure bred dogs also have much shorter lives, increased incidents of health issues, and just represent cruelty. Mixed dogs typically have even temperaments and are uglier... and that's cool. 2- small dogs live longer. A typical Chihuahua is expected to live 15-18 years. A Great Dane is more like 8. Consider your investment.
I have three dogs right now, all rescues, and all three are pure breeds; two chihuahuas and one french bulldog. We have to watch the Chi's for luxating patellas and mouth/tooth infections. The Frenchie has to be watched for rectal prolapse, cherry eye, overheats VERY easily, and is prone to sinus infections. Not to mention she farts constantly and is darn near impossible to train. We adopted her 5 months ago and despite hard efforts we are just to the "sit" stage, and even that is only if she wants to.
Get a mutt, get one from the pound, and enjoy.
I know Halloween has come and gone, but digging up old threads is so rewarding, don't you think?
Is there anything this guy Curtis doesn't know?
Six years in with our mixed breed rescue pup, and she's still the best dog ever.
Counterpoint... Our pound-acquired 130lb couch hippo mutt dog is allergic to everything apparently and needs constant attention and medication to keep his fur from coming off in patches, his paws from swelling, and from stinking to high hell. He is also mostly untrainable because he just doesn't give a rip about what you want unless it happens to either align with what he wants or if you're offering to give him a slice (or perhaps a whole loaf) of bread.
Our accidental purebred English Shepard - we got him from a rescue advertised as a mixed breed dog but after we adopted him, they gave us the breeder's paperwork - is completely bulletproof. He can eat pretty much anything without it affecting him, although the half-a-rabbit that he procured from the back yard wasn't a pretty sight when he regurgitated it on the floor of the living room. He has absolutely no health issues. And his biggest fault is that he is so eager to please you so he can be trained to do pretty much anything.
I'm still a big proponent of the great American mutt, but our current lineup seems to be the exception to that particular rule!
Total advocate of breeder pups. But you have to find the right breeder. Not all breeders go for show, we found one that bred airedales for house pets. We got a docile airedale that was great with all kids, never had a health issue and went 15 years. Yes they smell when wet but if we get another dog it will be a bred terrier of similar size. A few years after she passed we got a rescue dog that turned out to have severe digestive issues and she lasted less than half as long. My daughter has 2 rescues, one is dumb as dirt and the other one has 0 bladder control. A loud noise or sudden movement in the house and he is pissing on the carpet. Neighbor across the street has a rescue that at 7 has bone cancer. I know many will give examples of rescues that lasted 15 years with no issues but the problem is you never know.
In reply to porschenut :
We got both our long haired GSD's from a couple of small breeders in Michigan. Amazing dogs the both of them.
If you go to a reputable breeder, they will have done the health screening and won't sell a dog that has potential for issues.
We love our two Mini Poodles, they're high energy and love to get out and explore, super easy to train and currently at 7 years old are healthy as can be, tho one is a picky eater and the other has a cast iron stomach! We've had mini poodles for 45 years or more, and they tend to live 15-20 years. The not shedding part is great, but we do have to have them groomed about every two months - we just take them to Pet Smart.
bluej said:do NOT get a labradoodle. i love dogs and all animals but these are just big, dumb, smelly, ballistic mops.
don't tell my labradoodle that... she will snuggle with you and ask you to play with her until you change your mind.
Rescue a Boxer IMO. I will never not own a Boxer again. They are loyal, protective, love to play, and the boingy-boingy thing is awesome.
Of the 5 dogs I have shared my life with, 4 have been mutts. The one bred dog, a small male Chihuahua was clearly the dog I loved the least. Surly little s**t he was.
Warning; My late wife and I fostered >55 dogs and puppies, including 3 new moms with their litters of 9, 8 and 7 pups.
Whatever breed or mutt you end up with my very best advice is Obedience Training. Obedience is the foundation of a happy human-dog paring. Take a class, find a club, hire a trainer, read a bunch of books.
My very first exposure to obedience training was a class I took with our shepherd/mutt bitch. The learning was 2/3 me, 1/3 the dog.
My niece recently added a dog to their family, I will replicate the data dump I gave her below and I will include 2 titles to get you started.
Dog Food? I really like Nutro! https://www.nutro.com/
https://healthpronutrition.com/collections/dipoz-a-scoop
https://www.clickertraining.com/
https://www.americanstandardk9.com/
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/training-games-to-teach-your-dog/
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/how-to-crate-train-your-dog-in-9-easy-steps/
https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/training/teach-your-puppy-these-5-basic-commands/
I love my Great Dane but I won't have another.
She's a loyal, lovable friend but she gets separation anxiety and freaks out whenever either of us leave the house.
She hates car rides so bringing her with us is stressful for her too.
I won't get rid of her, shes a big sweetie but I feel like I'm causing her stress just by leaving her at home with our other two dogs and the cats.
I had a beagle once, they bark non-stop and run away from you in a straight line at any chance they get. The only dog I have ever had to return to the shelter.
Goldens are insane and fragile, along with the shedding nightmare, but my word they are beautiful.
I have had two amazing pit mixes and to me, they are the perfect dogs. Happy to sleep all day or run all day, your choice. Loyal and obedient, though a bit clingy. Prepare for a lap dog. They are generally very healthy and easy to maintain. They are great with kids and usually great with other dogs and cats (see below, my cat adores him) though YMMV. No need for a breeder, any local shelter will have plenty.
If you want more fur for colder climates, my brother swears by the UBSD, universal black shelter dog. Kinda looks like a shepard, all black, longer fur, pretty common in shelters as well.
Daaaaaad! She's in my bed, help me.
We always get pound dogs from the SPCA. They aren't rescues, they are just mutts from the pound. I refuse to deal with the rescues and their asinine rules. We always get 3-5 year old dogs. At that age, their personality is developed and their health issues are obvious. They are past the point of peeing on the floor or eating the furniture.
The current crop is a 78-pound shepherd mix named Greta. She's as dumb as a post. Loves everyone and if she was any calmer she'd probably be declared dead.
Next is a 14-pound Chihuahua/Wheaten Terrier mix named Maddie. Particular. Loves scratches. Eats anything remotely food-like. Given the choice, she would be 40 pounds and unable to move.
Then there is some kind of terrier/dust mop mix named Napoleon. He's about 15 pounds. Thinks he's the boss of all other dogs even though he can walk under most of them. Loves digging the squeaky toy out of stuffed animals. He is also perpetually dirty much like a dust mop. Greta keeps him in line by stepping on him.
Last and littlest is a 6-pound Chihuahua named Miya. Loves one person, me. Tolerates all others as long as they will scratch her and let her lick them. Ignore the growls, she's just letting you know that scratches are OK but that's it. She loves to play fetch and tug-of-war. If my lap is available, that's where she is. Unless my shoulder is available. Then she is on it and trying to stick her tongue in my ear or mouth. I'm not sure how she fits a 5" tongue in a 2" head but she does and there is nothing she likes better than to lick the back side of your teeth or your ear drum.
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