This summer I will be a first time ever dog owner. I have done a lot of research and have pre-purchased everything I need, crate, toys, leashes, bowls, collars, spares of everything, etc. and I have a vet who knows I am adopting a new dog. What I can't buy now till I actually get the dog, flea and tick, heart worm, city license, food, microchip fee, etc. and emergency fund, I have a savings account for. I just need a little help narrowing down my list.
I have a top ten and am perfectly fine adopting a mix or mutt of any of the breeds I am interested in. I have also done research on special needs/what jobs they were breed for, and common health problems. My list is broken into two parts. The first five are dog breeds that are relatively healthy, great with kids, love to please, easier to train, are very active, and can live in any climate. They are
1. Golden retriever
2. Labrador Retriever
3. Pit Bull
4. Poodle, any size
5. Papillon
My runner ups if I end up deciding on a lap dog that will be a Velcro dog, do tend to have more health problems, are less active, are all small breeds, require much more grooming, and that pretty much need to stay inside all the time and are intolerant to heat and cold are:
6. Corgie
7. Bichon Frise
8. Maltese
9. Shih Tzu
10. Pomeranian
Shedding and trips to the groomer are a non issue. Pet hair gladly welcome.
To prepare for my first dog I have also spent time with each breed, fostered various breeds of dogs, talked to the breed lovers and the less enthusiastic, volunteered at my local shelter to meet all kinds of dogs, and have set up a room for my new dog. Any and all advice is welcome.
Adopting A DOg Need Advice
Moderators: emmabeth, BoardHost
Re: Adopting A DOg Need Advice
Very nice preparation 
I would keep in mind that you may have to deal with human perception issues, and possibly with breed specific restrictions (depending on where you are) if you get a pit bull.
I would keep in mind that you may have to deal with human perception issues, and possibly with breed specific restrictions (depending on where you are) if you get a pit bull.
Re: Adopting A DOg Need Advice
Hi! I think it's great that you are researching and preparing for a dog - well done!
As to "pre-purchasing" things like crates, toys, leashes.... maybe hold off until you know the size of the dog - a Pomeranian and a Lab are going to need very different sizes!
I don't have any experience with the breeds you mentioned as "runner's up", but I know that just because a dog is small doesn't mean you'll end up with a couch potato - my 15lb adult dachshund thrives on 1 - 2 hrs of walking per day when the weather is at all co-operative!
You mentioned "great with kids" - if you have kids or there are children in your life, this is a blog I have often seen recommended for learning how to keep dogs and kids safe: http://www.dogsandbabieslearning.com/blog
Sounds like you've thought alot about breed generalizations (though I'm sure fostering and working with shelter dogs has shown you generalizations certainly aren't true of the individual dog, and that they way a dog acts at a shelter can be totally different from how he/she acts in a home!). Maybe thinking about the specific dogs that you've fostered would help you narrow down your list? Of the dogs you've fostered, have any really stood out in your mind? For what reason(s)?
Have you thought about puppy vs. young adult vs. adult?
[One thing I love about this forum is that there is so much help and support for developing a great relationship with your dog. If you haven't already had a look around, here's a great place to start: Useful Links and Recommended Reading - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11503 ]
As to "pre-purchasing" things like crates, toys, leashes.... maybe hold off until you know the size of the dog - a Pomeranian and a Lab are going to need very different sizes!
I don't have any experience with the breeds you mentioned as "runner's up", but I know that just because a dog is small doesn't mean you'll end up with a couch potato - my 15lb adult dachshund thrives on 1 - 2 hrs of walking per day when the weather is at all co-operative!
You mentioned "great with kids" - if you have kids or there are children in your life, this is a blog I have often seen recommended for learning how to keep dogs and kids safe: http://www.dogsandbabieslearning.com/blog
Sounds like you've thought alot about breed generalizations (though I'm sure fostering and working with shelter dogs has shown you generalizations certainly aren't true of the individual dog, and that they way a dog acts at a shelter can be totally different from how he/she acts in a home!). Maybe thinking about the specific dogs that you've fostered would help you narrow down your list? Of the dogs you've fostered, have any really stood out in your mind? For what reason(s)?
Have you thought about puppy vs. young adult vs. adult?
[One thing I love about this forum is that there is so much help and support for developing a great relationship with your dog. If you haven't already had a look around, here's a great place to start: Useful Links and Recommended Reading - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11503 ]
Re: Adopting A DOg Need Advice
Hi there! I love how much thought and research you are putting into your decision as to what breed to get! 
But . . . as the owner of a Pembroke Corgi, I just wanted to throw out that they fit much better in your first group than your second. Neither my experience with them nor any of the other six people I know with them (I'm in a small Corgi club) would say they fit any of the criteria in your second list. In other words, while there will always be exceptions in any breed, Corgi's are not usually:
Lap dogs (mine loves to be right up against you, but rarely ON you),
Velcro dogs (they are loyal and love your company, but mine is super happy being on her own, especially outside lounging in the sun on her own for quite long stretches while I keep a good eye on her),
They are actually a relatively healthy breed,
They are quite active (though not at, say, terrier level!),
They are not all that small (while mine is small for her breed at 19 pounds, the average female is 25 pounds and the average male 30 pounds, so while those shortie legs might give the impression of small, they really are a medium size breed),
They do not require all that much grooming (unless you get a fluffy, they are a short to medium short haired breed that just needs a good brushing a few times a week - easy peasy!)
And they LOVE the cold weather. My dog thrives on it! In fact, heat is much more an issue for her than the cold though even that doesn't hold her back all that much.
So while I highly recommend this wonderful breed, I just wanted to give you a heads up on their actual traits and attributes. In fact, corgi's fit perfectly in your first list! So, move 'em on up, and while your at it, I would move the papillon to the second list. They fit better there.
Good luck searching out your new best friend, and be sure and let us know when you get him/her!
But . . . as the owner of a Pembroke Corgi, I just wanted to throw out that they fit much better in your first group than your second. Neither my experience with them nor any of the other six people I know with them (I'm in a small Corgi club) would say they fit any of the criteria in your second list. In other words, while there will always be exceptions in any breed, Corgi's are not usually:
Lap dogs (mine loves to be right up against you, but rarely ON you),
Velcro dogs (they are loyal and love your company, but mine is super happy being on her own, especially outside lounging in the sun on her own for quite long stretches while I keep a good eye on her),
They are actually a relatively healthy breed,
They are quite active (though not at, say, terrier level!),
They are not all that small (while mine is small for her breed at 19 pounds, the average female is 25 pounds and the average male 30 pounds, so while those shortie legs might give the impression of small, they really are a medium size breed),
They do not require all that much grooming (unless you get a fluffy, they are a short to medium short haired breed that just needs a good brushing a few times a week - easy peasy!)
And they LOVE the cold weather. My dog thrives on it! In fact, heat is much more an issue for her than the cold though even that doesn't hold her back all that much.
So while I highly recommend this wonderful breed, I just wanted to give you a heads up on their actual traits and attributes. In fact, corgi's fit perfectly in your first list!
So, move 'em on up, and while your at it, I would move the papillon to the second list. They fit better there. Good luck searching out your new best friend, and be sure and let us know when you get him/her!
My avatar is Piper, my sweet Pembroke Corgi. b. 5/11/11
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wyvernfire
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2014 9:08 pm
Re: Adopting A DOg Need Advice
Thank you all so much. Don't worry I've researched all breed specific laws in our area. Our town doesn't ban pit bulls or pit mixes, but they do have stricter leash laws and unless you are a registered breeder, have to get any dog you own fixed. As for the crate I foster dogs often and have several different sized crates.
I am getting an adult that way for sure I know their personality and they seem to know they are rescued and return that love 10 fold. A puppy is too much work right now.
Thanks for the info on corgis. I haven't fostered any but my grandparents own one and he is a sweetheart. He is the definition of a couch potato though and looks like one too. XD I tend to find that people who absolutely love the breed tend to gloss over their less desirable traits like shedding, drooling, yappy, snores, etc. All of which I don't mind but it is nice to know upfront.
The 6 foster dogs that stuck out to me aren't even on my breed list. What they all had in common was the fact that they loved the kids, didn't bother the barn cats, didn't bark (except at the coyotes at night), loved to roller blade with me, and wouldn't let me out of their sight.
The first was a pure breed Doberman Pinscher, the second was an American Eskimo, Maltese, Dachshund mix, the third was a pit bull Border Collie mix, and the fourth was a Yorkshire Terrier Maltese mix. The fifth was a Boxer pit bull mix. The last was a purebred Husky. All of them were absolute sweethearts and once we finished skating, they all slept like babies though the night.
I did a lot more research on the breeds and since this is my first ever dog, these were lower on the list since for first time owners they tend to be a handful to train or handle unless you are an experienced dog owner, and that most of the breeds tend to have high prey drives ie chase cats. The barn cats were there first and they have jobs to do so I owe it to them to pick the right dog that will respect them.
The five foster dogs that absolutely drove me up the wall were: A German Shepard Alaskan Malamute Mix who weighted over 125lbs. He loved the kids but was incredibly dog aggressive, tried to kill the cats, and wanted to eat the neighbor's cows and sheep and wouldn't stop barking at everything every time we went skating. The second was a Jack Russel Terrier who hated the kids and cats and never stopped barking. The third was a really mean Chihuahua who hated everything and spent most of the week in his crate growling at anyone who passed by so I had to move him up to my bedroom where it was quieter. He opened up a little and started sitting in my lap for petting but couldn't tolerate anyone walking up to me. The fourth was a crazy Cocker Spaniel mix who wouldn't stop barking and chased everything that moved. The last guy took the cake. He was a Mastiff mix, still a puppy and teething, and he not only chewed through every toy I gave him including a red frozen Kong, but a metal broom stick, the metal food bowls, the wall, the crate, and a good bit of the carpet. He just had an obsession with chewing and it didn't matter how far we roller bladed, he went right back to chewing things the moment we got home. Fortunately he didn't eat any of the bits, and didn't hurt his mouth and the repairs were less than $100. Most of the dogs did settle down on the third day or so after the exercising finally caught up to them and I tired them out further with teaching them new tricks and puzzle toys, but those were some of the most stressful weeks of my summer.
That aside, I think I'll stick with my top five because even though it's hilarious roller skating with tiny dog like a Chihuahua, because no matter how hard they try I'm always faster than them, it saves me a little effort and tires out bigger dogs faster when they pull me.
I am getting an adult that way for sure I know their personality and they seem to know they are rescued and return that love 10 fold. A puppy is too much work right now.
Thanks for the info on corgis. I haven't fostered any but my grandparents own one and he is a sweetheart. He is the definition of a couch potato though and looks like one too. XD I tend to find that people who absolutely love the breed tend to gloss over their less desirable traits like shedding, drooling, yappy, snores, etc. All of which I don't mind but it is nice to know upfront.
The 6 foster dogs that stuck out to me aren't even on my breed list. What they all had in common was the fact that they loved the kids, didn't bother the barn cats, didn't bark (except at the coyotes at night), loved to roller blade with me, and wouldn't let me out of their sight.
The first was a pure breed Doberman Pinscher, the second was an American Eskimo, Maltese, Dachshund mix, the third was a pit bull Border Collie mix, and the fourth was a Yorkshire Terrier Maltese mix. The fifth was a Boxer pit bull mix. The last was a purebred Husky. All of them were absolute sweethearts and once we finished skating, they all slept like babies though the night.
I did a lot more research on the breeds and since this is my first ever dog, these were lower on the list since for first time owners they tend to be a handful to train or handle unless you are an experienced dog owner, and that most of the breeds tend to have high prey drives ie chase cats. The barn cats were there first and they have jobs to do so I owe it to them to pick the right dog that will respect them.
The five foster dogs that absolutely drove me up the wall were: A German Shepard Alaskan Malamute Mix who weighted over 125lbs. He loved the kids but was incredibly dog aggressive, tried to kill the cats, and wanted to eat the neighbor's cows and sheep and wouldn't stop barking at everything every time we went skating. The second was a Jack Russel Terrier who hated the kids and cats and never stopped barking. The third was a really mean Chihuahua who hated everything and spent most of the week in his crate growling at anyone who passed by so I had to move him up to my bedroom where it was quieter. He opened up a little and started sitting in my lap for petting but couldn't tolerate anyone walking up to me. The fourth was a crazy Cocker Spaniel mix who wouldn't stop barking and chased everything that moved. The last guy took the cake. He was a Mastiff mix, still a puppy and teething, and he not only chewed through every toy I gave him including a red frozen Kong, but a metal broom stick, the metal food bowls, the wall, the crate, and a good bit of the carpet. He just had an obsession with chewing and it didn't matter how far we roller bladed, he went right back to chewing things the moment we got home. Fortunately he didn't eat any of the bits, and didn't hurt his mouth and the repairs were less than $100. Most of the dogs did settle down on the third day or so after the exercising finally caught up to them and I tired them out further with teaching them new tricks and puzzle toys, but those were some of the most stressful weeks of my summer.
That aside, I think I'll stick with my top five because even though it's hilarious roller skating with tiny dog like a Chihuahua, because no matter how hard they try I'm always faster than them, it saves me a little effort and tires out bigger dogs faster when they pull me.
Re: Adopting A DOg Need Advice
Hey there it's really awesome that you are doing such great prep work for your new dog, stick around this forum and read as much as you can. There's a thread with some great links on it viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11503.
Don't under estimate the tinys, my little one is 10 inches tall and weighs around 8lb but she'd definitely outrun you on your roller blades She's a JRT so not a great breed for you but there are plenty of little dogs out there that need more exercise than some of the larger breeds.
Bare in mind also that it wouldn't be great for a large/giant breed dog to be doing any hard pavement running until they where physically mature due to the risk of damage to their joints, this could be 2 - 3 years depending on the breed.
it's really awesome that you are doing such great prep work for your new dog, stick around this forum and read as much as you can. There's a thread with some great links on it viewtopic.php?f=4&t=11503.Don't under estimate the tinys, my little one is 10 inches tall and weighs around 8lb but she'd definitely outrun you on your roller blades
She's a JRT so not a great breed for you but there are plenty of little dogs out there that need more exercise than some of the larger breeds.Bare in mind also that it wouldn't be great for a large/giant breed dog to be doing any hard pavement running until they where physically mature due to the risk of damage to their joints, this could be 2 - 3 years depending on the breed.
Operant conditioning rocks but classical conditioning rules