Having a dog...questions
Moms View Message Board: General Discussion Archive: Archive January 2006:
Having a dog...questions
How did you decide whether a dog would be a good fit for your family?
I'm considering getting one and would like to know things I should consider that I may not have thought of.
I do know they're a big responsibility etc. but...some insight would be nice.
IF I do decide to get one we would probably adopt one..it would have to be a mostly in the house dog although walks a lot would of course happen. My children are older so I know they would be able to "help" in the care of one.
Also I would probably go with a smaller breed simply because I couldn't imagine having a huge dog in the house so if anyone has recommendations on those too that would be nice (small to medium), good with kids etc. Personally I will probably go with a mixed breed also not a purebred...
This sounds like a thread for Shelly....and Jackie.....and Conni......who have young kids and multiple dogs. 
We just got a Phalene Papillon. He looks like a Papillon, only it has shorter hair and the ears can droop. He is about 9 lbs and won't get much bigger. He's very smart and easily trained. I have done alot of research on the breed. They are very good with kids, highly intelligent but not overactive such as a Jack Russell or a terrier could be. We got him from a breeder but they do have rescues for this breed also.
We have four kids, many neighborhood kids in and out plus two other dogs and a cat. He has fit in since day one.
We had both of our Jack Russell Terriers before Natalie came along. Riff was our 'first born' without a doubt and still our big 'ole baby.
I think you have to consider some of these things:
-How much space do you have in your home or yard?
-Does X breed need to be walked regularly and do you have a place for that and the time/energy?
-Does X breed need room to run and play or is it a lap dog?
-With children, I would always be thinking of breeds that have a history of being good with people (of course there are ALWAYS exceptions, but I would still think about it personally)
-How much food will this dog eat and can I afford it?
-Does X breed have a history of medical conditions? (dalmations tend to have health issues, jack russells are very healthy, long-living dogs for example)
-Shedding...can you keep up with it? I don't know how Conni does it with those beautiful labs, but you go girl!
-Crates - Will the dog need a crate and do you have a place for one depending on the size of the breed you choose?
Hmmmm...can't think of anything else right off the bat.
JRT's are VERY high maintenance and I'm glad ours were older when we finally had a child. (7 and 4). BUT, depending on how old your kids are, older children could be wonderful for a JRT! They are definitely good with kids (at least mine have been and I could tell you some stories that would scare the crap out of you that my dd has done and these dogs haven't reacted negatively in the slightest, whoaa big run-on!). They just need lots of play and have lots of energy. We have a large fenced in yard. They are also hunters by nature so any wildlife in the area may end up at your back door. Fortunately for us it's a good thing. We live in the country and Riff gets rid of rodents and snakes for us, but sadly rabbits, too.
Feel free to email me if you want more info on Jacks...we feel like experts now! reds 9298 at insight bb dot com (w/out the spaces).
Our first dog originally belonged to our neighbor, but we took her for walks, and gave her baths, because she liked to roll in poop. My neighbor was in her 90's and we told her that if anything happened, we would take the dog.
So, that was in the summer. In November, she broke her hip and we got the dog. We had already been playing with the dog and stuff, so we knew she would work out.
With Jasmine, we kind of wanted an Australian Cattle Dog and when one came into the Humane Society, we adopted her. We had done lots of research on cattle dogs and pretty much knew what we were getting into.
I dont know that much about other breeds, we just happen to have 3 lab's and thats what *we* love for *our* family... Its such a personal choice. I just recommend doing alot of research and spending alot of time with a dog before you bring it home permanently. We always get purebred dogs and raise them from puppies (again, just a *persoanl* choice for our family, no right or wrong)...
The only thing I can say is that it doesnt matter *what breed* you get you need lots of time, patience, love and money. We spend as much at the vet on our 3 dogs and 1 cat as we do at the doctors office on 3 kids. The bills are neverending, but our animals are our kids too.
There are alot of diff breeds that would be good for what you described. Inside, good with kids, etc... I can name some off that I have had good experiences with and some that I havent! lol
Good:
mini schnauzer (con is they have to be groomed which is an expense)
Shihtzu (again, they have to be groomed)
Poodle (my Grandma always had a poodle, have to be groomed and some arent as fond of kids)
Yorkie (they are tiny so may not be good if kids tripped or stepped on them but they are SOOOO sweet)
BAD (for me!!!!)
Cocker Spaniel (i am not sure WHY but my sister had one and I could not stand it. ROFL It was the biggest pitb. Now other people have these and LOVE them)
Weenie dogs (these dogs HATE me and frankly I dont think I care for them either lol Everyone I have been around growls at me and will not have anything to do with me no matter how many times it has seen me. Again, other people have these dogs and LOVE them.)
OK, you can all throw tomatoes at me now. She asked and I am going to be honest! lol
Thats all I can think of. Again, its such a personal choice. You just have to research and spend lots of time looking. Have fun.
LOL Conni! I hear you about cocker spaniels...we had one when I was a kid and I did NOT like that darn thing at all!
I know it's a really personal choice and IF I do decide to get one it will be after a LOT of research into breeds.
Thank you all so much for advice on different breeds I also plan on looking around a lot and not saying anything to the lil ones until I decide for sure.
I also think I should discuss it with my bf too cause well he spends a lot of time here and we go camping a lot in the summer and well I can't just leave a dog home so he'd have to like the one we get too lol (at least to a point)
Here is a good article on picking the right breed.
http://www.petfinder.com/journalindex.cgi?path=/public/adoption/1.1.7.txt
I highly suggest that if you adopt a small dog that you get one from a rescue. Small dogs are delicate and can be snappy. Find one that is being fostered with children.
Breeds I would stay away from (small)
Chihuahua
Schnauzers
Lhasa and or Shih tzu's
Cockers (by the way, most reported bites in the united states.. COckers)
I am not saying that all of the above breeds are snappers, but in my experience about 80% of the ones I have rescued are.
Good little dogs.
Poodle and or mixes
PUGS! I HAVE never met an aggressive pug.
Corgi's
I agree with your "stay away from" breed list Shelly! We have had bite experiences with both schnauzers and cockers, and both with small children. My parents have chihuahuas as well and I wouldn't trust either one of them with my toddler.
I really love corgis. They're sturdier than many other small dogs and have a big-dog bark, which made me feel safer at night. Our's have been great with our little kids and they'd outgrown the puppy stage at one year, not the two years that some bigger dogs seem to take to mature. They are very smart and family oriented. My biggest suggestion with ANY dog you choose is to either get it as a puppy so that it is raised with kids or make sure it is from a home that had children. I think it's very hard to get an older dog used to life with kids, if they've known differently.
Its funny ya'll mentioned Corgi's. My sis and her family have 2 Corgi's (they are 1 yr old). Blake and I were at their house last weekend and had the best time playing with their dogs. I havent been around them much and it was really fun to watch them play together. They were very tolerant of Blake. lol
And I remembered after reading Shelly's post that even though we had a schnauzer growing up that was very tolerant of us, my sister did get her ear bit by one of our friends schnauzer's when we were kids! lol She had to get stitches.
I'm so glad its not just *me* about the Cocker's. lol I didnt want to offend anyone who has them when I posted that. lol That's an interesting fact about the dog bites!
Cockers (by the way, most reported bites in the united states.. COckers)
It was a Cocker who bit me in September - and I KNEW the dog! My finger has a permanent band of scar tissue from that bite, which makes it impossible to wear any of the rings I currently own on it, due to the size.
I never knew Cockers were that way - my aunt always had several of those and Irish Setters when I was a kid and we played with all those dogs daily.
Cockers have been in our family since I was little. (Don't worry, I'm not offended. To each, his own...) My cousin always had one, and I loved them. After our mini dash was killed, I decided I wanted a cocker spaniel. She is wonderful with the kids, and with other animals. We have a ferret and they run and chase each other, and Jazzy always drags him around by the tail on our hardwood floors.
She's wonderful with our kids, and trust me, my dd can be difficult for poor animals to love. She loves animals so much, but she is a bit hyper, and she always wants to be holding them and doing this and that. She loves doing Jazzy's hair with hairbows, and clips and such.
We got her at six weeks old and she grew up with the kids playing and us. I always try to "rough house" a dog a little as they are small so they won't be so timid and bite at any little thing. Not being mean, but playing kind of rough. Getting the dog hyper and such.
But we haven't had any problems with her and she's been around a lot of kids. She likes to bark and bully a stranger if she thinks she might scare them a little, but as soon as they talk to her, she's right there loving up to them.
She's by far the most loveable dog I've ever owned, and I can't remember ever not having a dog since my earliest memory of one at age 2 or 3.
Glad we got lucky with a well-tempered dog because I did tons of research into the breed and was told by many that they are very playful and accepting of kids and are a good family dog because they love interacting with kids and the family. They are not big dogs, but not small enough to be overrun by a child.
Now, I will go out on a limb and say I will never own another mini dash again because he was snippy and had an attitude, and I didn't trust him around my dd. My sister also has one, a female, ours was male, and she is the same way, and so I just don't trust the breed. They tend to be very jealous of kids and want all of their owner's attention.
However, I do love mutts. My favorite dog growing up was a mutt. Part beagle, part chihauha, we think. She was great!
Wow, I am so surprised that Lhasas on on the snappy list! We have one that is pushing 16 years old and she has been the best dog I have ever seen. I will say that in her older age, she is a little less tolerant that she ever was before of things, but that has only been in the last 3 years or so. She has never been one to bark much at all, we have never had a problem with her leaving the yard (no fence or chain, she just stays) and she was always great with dd and her friends when dd was younger. She has had no health problems at all and we are dreading the say that they start. With her age, we know it is just a matter of time. Dh and I were just talking about her last night. Last year when she went to the vet for her yearly visit, he starting talking about things that can signal the end of life is near. I think he was just preparing us because like I said, she has never had any health problems at all. I think he will be surprised when she comes in again this year for her check up!! LOL
We have a basset hound and got her after much research. We like don't like little snippy high energy dogs and our last dog was an Akita-Shepherd mix and we had aggression problems with him, so we wanted a docile breed. A lot of people say bassets are incapable of biting. That's not true, but they aren't prone to it. She actually had had some food aggression issues and didn't like boys with baseball hats because of past mistreatment, but her foster mom rehabilitated her and broke her of those problems. (Yet another reason to get a rescue. You REALLY know what you are getting because they tell you the good and the bad. They want the dog to stay in a happy home, so dogs and people are well matched)
Pros:
*Doesn't have high exercise demands--usually a walk a day--but they aren't as lazy as people think they are. She usually does the "Basset 500" around the house a few times a day
*Big dog on short legs
*Bark sounds like a really big, mean dog
*Very snuggly and affectionate
Cons:
*Can never be off leash...EVER. Their sense of smell is second only to a bloodhound. If they are off-leash they will track and track and get lost and never come home.
*They stink, no matter how much or how well you bathe them. All hounds have a hound-dog smell that is very particular to the breed.
*They shed...a lot
*They counter cruise (although they are short, when they stand on their hind legs they are quite tall. Remember that sense of smell? Well, they'll cruise along the counter looking for food to swipe or knock down and eat.)
I have realized that while I like dogs, I am not a dog-lover. I get frustrated with the chewing, trying to get in the garbage, and the stuff that comes with dogs being dogs. Bassets are supposed to be hard to house-train, but ours was not. She was a fostered rescue. We've had her for a year and she celebrated her 2nd birthday yesterday. She is very loyal, think she's a lapdog (and weighs almost 50 pounds), and she makes the most wonderful groans of utter ecstasy when she sleeps. Very cute and makes us laugh all of the time. Bassets are called the goofballs of the dog world and they definitely are. She's a funny girl. They are notoriously stubborn and hard to train though, but in an endearing kind of way.
I'm all about the schnauzer. Less hair, less mess to clean up and great with any age kids.
It's funny how we all have our doggie preferences! I prefer larger dogs - Kali is 70 lbs. and just borders on large. I have no problem with owning a larger dog.
And I LIKE to have my dog sleep on the bed at night. And.....unlike Pam, I always thought I *just* liked dogs - but I discovered I LOVE them, and can't imagine my life without always owning (at least) one, forever.
Our dog is a chow/samoyed, or chow/husky mix - translated *MUTT* She starts blowing her coat just about this time of year. However, we had her shaved right before Christmas, so it shouldn't be too bad. I guess I am just used to the shedding, and I'd rather her shed hair less than an inch long as opposed to the normal 4-5" long.
As much of a bad rap as chows get, my dog seems to have inherited mostly good traits. She's a licker, and she loves to be petted and played with. She has put up with Madison climbing on her, dressing her up, decorating her with Mardi Gras beads and actually climbing up and trying to ride her like a horse, in the last 5 years. But she is a roamer - she will gladly run off and investigate the neighborhood if given a chance.
She also likes to *hunt* - if anything gets in the yard at night, she will stalk it until she gets it, or we bring her in. And she is a jumper, something we've never been able to break her of.
Another plus is she doesn't seem to have a lot of health problems you find with over-bred dogs - like cherry eye, and skin allergies/grass allergies, ear infections, etc. The only health problems we have had with her since owning her are a food allergy - now we just feed her lamb & rice, she used to itch and scratch constantly before that, and she has gotten a staph (?) infection twice from scratching while outside lying in the grass, which was quickly resolved with meds from the vet.
I don't know a lot about different breeds, and I've recently discovered I want to learn more, mainly because we really want to adopt another dog.
But I have to agree, mutts, or mix breed dogs are great!
And whatever you do, be diligent about getting your dog's rabies vacination yearly and giving her/him their heartworm meds every day!
Ditto Groovepickle!! We love schnauzers!! I will say, though, the schnauzers we had when the kids were little were great with them. The kids could sit on them, pull their beards, whatever, and they were so patient. Fritz, our current schnauzer, was not around when the kids were little, and he doesn't like small children at all. So in my experience with schnauzers, you may need to get a puppy and get them used to kids. But I love them! They are great dogs, lots of personality, they don't need a ton of exercise, and THEY DON'T SHED. It's true they do need groomed, though, so that is an extra expense.
We loved our schnauzer too. Her name was 'Gretyl'. (as in hansel and gretyl lol) We got her when I was in 4th grade and she died of cancer when I was a senior in high school. I have never experienced grief *quite* like that. The next yr our cat died that was 13 yes old. I grieved the cat and I grieved the boxer when he died (i was 3 when we got him and he died when i was in 9 grade)... But nothing compared to the sadness I felt when we lost 'Gretyl'. Ugh My entire family cried for months. She was like my little sister, I swear. We still talk about her when all get together. I remember how I LOVED when she came home from the groomers. She always looked and smelled so good and she felt so spunky! lol We always bought her new sweaters, etc... I could cradle her like a baby in my arms and she would pass out and sleep like a baby. She was really smart too.
We have some family members that have 3 shihtzu's and they are like big babies too. Sweet little dogs. They were bought as puppies and raised around kids tho. Blake can play and play with one and it totally tolerates him. When it gets tired it will just hop up in her Mom's lap and take nap. It almost makes me want one when we are around them. lol Dh says no foofoo dogs. I will probably get a dog like that too baby, have groomed and put little bows on it, and keep it in the house when the kids are grown and gone.
My dh had a Cocker and he says it was a great dog. I just have a mental thing about them after the dumb one my sister had. rofl I STILL tease her about that silly dog.
Ive always prefered larger dogs myself. Growing up, we always had a large dog. My favorite breed is a Golden retriever. Right now I have A Golden mix, and a yellow lab mix. Both are wonderful, playful dogs. The yellow lab though, she may have a little too much energy. Plus we have our foster dog Shelby who is a beagle mix. Im not use to smaller dogs. We keep calling the beagle "puppy".. I will say "Wheres the puppy now", or "did the puppy eat yet", only because of her size(and shes actually not that small). She is 2 1/2 LOL..My point, Im just use to larger dogs, anything small I refer to as "puppy".
I didnt know Cocker spaniels had a bad rep for biting, that is interesting.
There are so many mutts out there , Im sure there is just the right dog looking for you.
We adopted a Japanese Chin in the fall, and she is the calmest, quietest small dog ever!! She acts like a cat, perfectly content to sit on the back of the couch and sleep. We always had big dogs, but decided to go with a small dog this time, and she was a great choice!
We have 3 big dogs.
Chowdo is 16 and is a chow/doberman mix. She weighs 45 pounds.
Brandy is 10 and is a yellow lab mix. She weighs 70 pounds.
Cosmo is 6 months and is a black lab purebred.He weighed in at 76 pounds at the vets this week and is still growing.
We prefer big dogs and yes they sleep with us
I was bit by a cocker spaniel when I was a kid. I still have a scar on my leg from that dog. I would never have a cocker. My parents have a Shihtzu (sp?) and it is the sweetest dog I have ever met. I always joke that I would get one but it would be a cat in our family (meaning I would still need a big dog).
This is all personal opinion. I haven't consulted Scott, other than our frequent chats about dogs.
I personally prefer larger dogs, but realize that with a smallish apartment it can be a problem. But, a lot of large dogs are basically couch potatoes (I know our Sascha, a Rottweiler, is). Sascha, for example, wants two walks a day, a bit of play with Scott with a squeaky toy or a pull rope for about 15 minute once or twice a day, and then naps a lot. Long walks are out - the first mile the Rottie will be ahead of you, the 2nd mile you will be even, and the third mile you will be pulling the Rottie (because they are just too big to carry).
I don't like small dogs because they have to be defensive just because they are small. By and large, they tend to be yappy and, because they can be hurt easily, can be more snappish in self-protection. I don't blame the dogs, but think that because they are small they have to establish their territory and their "rules", just to keep from being hurt. I generally don't like small dogs with young children because young children don't understand that "play" can hurt a small dog.
Although we have a Rottie and I love her, and I've had Dobermans and love them, I would not want either around really young children. They are really big, strong dogs, and can tend to be very protective of the person they decide is "their" person. And they have a lot of teeth (no more teeth than any other dog, but big ones, and strong jaws). And they can knock a child over just greeting it affectionately. I know Sascha has made Scott see stars more than once when she pushes her head up to kiss him hello and hits his nose. I feel the same about most bulldogs, except maybe the smaller ones, for the same reasons.
I have heard from a whole lot of people, including many people who have adopted them, that rescued greyhounds make wonderful pets (one of my co-workers adopted one a few months ago, and I run into about 6 or 7 over a month while dog walking). They are very gentle, need a good walk a couple of times a day (not just out in the yard, but on the leash and walking for 4-6 blocks), but other than that tend to be very quiet, lie on the rug (or bed or couch), dogs. Almost every rescue group checks them for temperament and can tell you immediately which ones will do well with children, cats, etc. They are short-haired - yes, they have to be brushed, but don't shed as badly or as much hair as a Labrador or Retriever because they don't have as much hair. Because they don't have a lot of hair, they do need protection from cold weather - a coat and maybe boots, as you are in Canada. They are very affectionate once they learn how to be sociable, and the rescue groups generally do a good job with that. The only real downside I've heard (from several people) is that they have to be taught how to go up and down stairs, because they never have that experience while they are racing dogs. They definitely do well on leashes, because they are on leashes a lot while racing. They also do well with being caged, because that's part of their experience. And they do look elegant. I suspect you'd have some problems at first with a greyhound wanting to chase squirrels or rabbits if you have them in your area, but they are, from what I'm told, fairly easily trained out of it.
I agree about cockers, and we had one. Their ears can be so darned sensitive that they can be a risk.
And yes, Corgis can be a real fun dog to own. Watching them run is a hoot. Jack Russells and most terriers are born hyperactive, but a lot of fun.
You want to be careful about mastiffs in general (including Rotties) and Shepherd type dogs, as they can be really prone to hip problems, which means you have a hurting dog and vet expense (dealing with that with Sascha now).
Poodles are great dogs and if I ever get a dog of my own (if/when I ever stop working full time) it will be a Poodle - mid to full size because I don't like little dogs - but they do require grooming and that costs or takes a lot of time and you have to learn how to do it properly. The upside is they don't shed, I am told and believe.
Labs and retrievers are, by and large, really sweet natured dogs and really good with kids - but do shed like crazy, and can tend to bark a lot. Irish setters are absolutely beautiful, but same issues and can be a bit nervous.
|
Members
