Author Topic: Need help adopting a dog... (Read 708 times)

Tarmac · « **Reply #15 on:** October 05, 2003, 02:36:51 PM »

My buddy has a jack russel terrier... fun dog, but he's alone all day while my friend is at work. He likes to chew things, everything from couches to linoleum floors. He knows to stay off of the pool table, so they are trainable. I don't know if it's the breed or if it's because this dog is from the pound that causes him to be a bit unruly.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #16 on:** October 05, 2003, 02:51:14 PM »

it's the breed.

Furious is right though, I completely forgot about beagle, excellent dogs for kids

manticor · « **Reply #17 on:** October 05, 2003, 04:12:33 PM »

Well i have a border terrier and i would reconmend them because they are great with kids and they are medium sized (15-25) but they are active dogs which need exercise everyday. One of the bad things though is that they have to be "stripped" every 6 months. Stripping is were the outer hair off the dogs body is literally pulled off so that all tha remains is the soft inner layer plus they hardly shed at all!!!!!!! They are more obidient the russle terriers!

OIO · « **Reply #18 on:** October 05, 2003, 04:23:28 PM »

I've had 2 of the breeds suggested here.

Labs are good dogs..but remember, they may be docile and very popular, but they also grow to a decent size and do have appettites. Their body hair also tends to smell rather strongly when wet...and labs LOVE to get wet.

Dalmatians I'd not recomend. They are good companions but they are very destructive. If you get one, expect to replace lots of items in your house. If it fits in their mouths, they will chew it. This includes your daughter's toys and shoeware.

The breed I'd recomend is the Boxer.

Very noble dogs, very protective of children. They are small to medium sized, dont eat very much, easy to train. Short hair means your wife (or you actually) wont have to pick it up from your carpet (and lets be honest, the dog WILL go inside your house more times than you want.. because you will let the dog in ) or off your clothes. Best of all the Boxer is very playful even when they are very old.

When I was a kid my first dog was a boxer. She lived with us for 16 years, and on her last day she was as active and playful as when she was a puppy. We had a lab which had a temper (and attitude).. was an excellent guard dog and loved to play catch... the dalmatian we had to give away before it chewed what was left of the outside of the house (we had almost an acre of land as our 'front' and 'back' porch, the dogs were rarely let in the house...but my sis and I snuck them inside whenever we could).

And i hear you can speak German to a Boxer and it will understand you. So you can get yourself a copilot when you take off in a waffleride

Chairboy · « **Reply #19 on:** October 05, 2003, 04:31:49 PM »

Corgi.

They are smart, herding dogs. They are not weiner dogs. They're basically small german shepherds.

Sandman · « **Reply #20 on:** October 05, 2003, 04:43:43 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by Nash
My brother and his wife have a Jack Russel Terrier. A ton of character and a really cool personality... but devious as hell. Not recommended if you're not going to be around from 9-5, as they want a lot of attention and know how to really mess yer toejam up if they feel slighted.

This is probably true during the first year or two. I've got two Jack Russell Terriers. You absolutely must put them through obedience training. They are head strong and stubborn, but they also have a great personality.

With regard to children.. hit and miss here. My first Jack (the one in the background) won't put up with any crap from a young child. He has no patience for it even though he's the "quieter" of my two. The second (foreground) is absolutely fierce. He thinks he weighs 150 pounds, but at the same time, he very calmly puts up with all sort of toddler abuse.

Hawklore · « **Reply #21 on:** October 05, 2003, 06:40:57 PM »

Definatly go to the pound, I don't know what kinda dog you should have, but the pound is the best place to find a friend.

The dog picks you...

Go with gut feeling aswell. How you feel with the dog.

SaburoS · « **Reply #22 on:** October 05, 2003, 07:24:58 PM »

Don't know if it's good to leave any dog alone for hours at a time.
Maybe it might be best to get two.

muckmaw · « **Reply #23 on:** October 05, 2003, 08:05:52 PM »

Quote

Originally posted by SaburoS
Don't know if it's good to leave any dog alone for hours at a time.
Maybe it might be best to get two.

Most people I know who have dogs work.

*shrugs*

I went to the animal shelter. Nothing grabbed me...aside from a cute little lab...well..not so little. I was considering her as a pet until she showed she did not have such a great temperment.

Growled and got a little vicious there.

Oh well, the search goes on. I'm thinking beagle.

The JR looks like great fun, but I just can't give it the attention it needs.

Thanks for all the help! You guys rock

Strange · « **Reply #24 on:** October 05, 2003, 08:07:15 PM »

I've had 2 Collies over my short life

You can not go wrong, with their witt's and smartness. You can not go wrong. Their are two breed's a Smooth-Hair and a Rough.

My current dog is a Smooth Tri-color. My frist one was a Rough Blue Merle

This is a smooth and is a Sable & white

This is a rough Tri-Color.

mrblack · « **Reply #25 on:** October 05, 2003, 08:13:48 PM »

Hey you cant go wrong with a Lab;)
there great with kids.
And there smart dogs that learn fast.
I have Akitas and would recomend one to you but you said you where leaving outside 9-5 and they hate being alone(would destroy your yeard LOL).
LAB all the way. good luck.

Toad · « **Reply #26 on:** October 05, 2003, 08:14:35 PM »

For what you're saying you need, tell the shelter that when some young pups come in, give you a call. If the parentage is known, and their small, just take a pup and raise it.

Some of the best dogs I ever had when young were mongrels. Seems like they were all pretty smart and would love the snot out of you if you just showed them a little love.

Get a kennel (6x10) and get a dog crate. When you're not going to be around either kennel it or crate it if in the house. Leave it plenty of chew toys and "jolly ball" type stuff. When you are home, exercise it and play with it.

Leaving a dog loose in the backyard or house when you're gone all day is not a good thing for you or the dog.

My .02.

capt. apathy · « **Reply #27 on:** October 05, 2003, 08:16:05 PM »

Quote

Maybe it might be best to get two.

very bad idea. don not get more than 1 puppy unless you have a fully trained adult dog for them to learn from.

my neihgbors bought 7 chihuahua puppies at the same time. the most horible thing I've ever witnessed. 3 years later and they still don't have one trained or even disciplined dog, just a wild yapping pack of oversized rats.

most dogs are fine with a bit of alone time. but you should spend some time (even 5 minutes) playing with or walking the dog before you go to work or you are in effect leaving the dog alone for 20 or so hours a day (bedtime to arive-home time)

also spring or early summer is the best time to get a new dog, it makes house training much easier. you'll have a hard time teaching a dog that going outside is the prefferable method if it's cold outside. so if you get them in the spring you have 6 months or so for the training to sink in before outside becomes uncomfortable.

Strange · « **Reply #28 on:** October 05, 2003, 08:21:38 PM »

Not that I'm trying to push a Collie's

Heres a link where you might find a collie shelter where a family might have had to give up there dog for moving issues & such.

http://www.collieclubofamerica.org/rescue.html

Bluedog · « **Reply #29 on:** October 05, 2003, 09:35:08 PM »

Wouldnt a cat, or a rabbit or something be more suitable if you intend on leaving it alone for so long, so often?
8 hours a day, 5 days a week alone? As a puppy? That dog, no matter what breed it is, is gonna present problems.
After all, you arent it's 'master', just some dude who shows up at what it will see as his/her house every so often. Sure, it'll be glad to see you and all, just dont expect much obedience from it.
What you are talking about is increasing the size of your family by one, not just 'buying a dog'......dogs take a whole lotta time and love, just like kids.
Treat a dog just the way you would your own children, and you will end up with an obediant, loyal, loving, great fun pet and best mate, who would lay down his or her life to protect you or your family or property without a second thought.
Treat it like a dog, ie, chained or locked up for long periods of time, and you will end up with a canine, of dubious loyalty, and most probably rather annoying habits (like eating your mobile phone/ TV remote, digging out the wife's favourite rose bush, tearing your laundry apart etc.)

Anyway, just thought I'd throw my 2c in....be fair to the animal, would you like to have been left alone all day chained up while you were growing up? What do you reckon you would think about the person who did that to you? Do you think a dg is all that much differant?