Do you have a dog?

[C.Darwin]

i have one named snoopy. he left once but then showed back up after a while with a new nametag.

 

[Jeanny]

I rescued a Norwegian Elkhound. He was 1.5-2 years old when we adopted him.... I absolutely love him!!
He is about 70 lbs and thinks he's a lap dog! Very hairy, I bought a Dyson.

Very vocal, he "talks" a lot and loud...we're working on that!

He sleeps on a blanket now, he used to like my bed, but I bought a new one and he can't climb up on it.

He has never been in a crate, other than when he's at the groomers once a month to keep up with his hair!!

Absolutely go for a rescue! They need us as much as we need them.

 

[jpmandan]

An easy to use site to help you with your choice:

http://www.petnet.com.au/selectadog.html

I know its supposed to be for Australians, but I thought it was neat.


We have a Jack Russell and a Corgi. They are very active and love to hunt rats and mice! They are kept quite busy and happy by our two teenage sons.

 

[aunt kelly]

We have two rescue dogs-a jack russell mix (his picture is in my signature) and a German Shepard mix. They were both about a year old when we got them and they are wonderful dogs-so happy to have a family!

We have two kids, and the dogs and the kids love each other. Our dogs stay in the backyard when the kids are in school and I am at work. (I work part-time).Otherwise they are in the house.

The drawbacks of ownership are vet bills, shedding, and having to board the dogs when we go on trips. We find the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks.

I highly recommend rescue dogs. Before we adopted our dogs, I called my vet and asked him about the breeds and what to expect. I would call the vet you plan to use before rescuing/buying a dog and ask for his/her opinions on breeds and breeders.

I think it's great you are putting so much thought into this decision. If everyone did what you are doing, there wouldn't be so many animals that need homes.

 

[JunieJay]

We got a Rat Terrier this past Christmas. We got her from some friends who's farm dogs had puppies but she is a full breed Rat Terrier. We paid $50 for the dog, $300 for all her "stuff" (kennel, collar, leash, toys, toys, toys, etc). It has been about $400 in shots, check-ups, etc. plus another $250 to get her spayed. It turns out she has a degenerative hip disease and had to have surgery for that, another $900. All of this since last December. Just giving you another side of the dog thing. They can be very expensive. My SIL just paid $2500 for their dog's leg surgery (different surgery then we had done).

Don't believe the kids when they say "I'll take care of it, I PROMISE", you know they won't. I knew our's would do ok with things but I am the one that takes care of her the most and wanted the dog the least. I refuse to pick up poop in the yard though. That is for the kids. Guess who the dog is the most attached to though .

She is a good dog and the breed is great because you get a big dog attitude in a small dog. She isn't a yippy, snooty thing like a lot of small breed dogs. She LOVES to run around and play in the yard. Before her leg started bothering her a 3 mile walk was like heaven. Her mom/dad go for 3-5 mile runs with their owners every day. Running around in the backyard is good enough exercise for them though too.

One piece of advice I got about getting a puppy vs an adult dog is that a lot of dogs are rescue dogs for a reason, most commonly the owners can't seem to house train the dogs. Just make sure you KNOW why the dog was rescued.

This is excellent advice as well. I want to hear the good and bad.

Thanks to all who have taken the time to tell me about your dog. Sounds like some really wonderful additions to your families.

We are sort of leaning toward the pug, just because we think they are cute and are about the right size for my small-ish house and no yard. Any pug owners out there? I'm a little concerned about the breathing issues they are known for? I'm not committed to this breed, just interested in learning more.

 

[JunieJay]

An easy to use site to help you with your choice:

http://www.petnet.com.au/selectadog.html

I know its supposed to be for Australians, but I thought it was neat.


We have a Jack Russell and a Corgi. They are very active and love to hunt rats and mice! They are kept quite busy and happy by our two teenage sons.

Thanks. That is a very cool website. It said we'd do well with a Boston Terrier, another breed a friend recommended she thought would be good.

 

[JunieJay]

i have one named snoopy. he left once but then showed back up after a while with a new nametag.

Awww, glad to hear he came back. I'm sure he was easy to recognize, new nametag notwithstanding.

 

[arminnie]

I'm sure he was easy to recognize, new nametag notwithstanding.

When I got my first dog many years ago it was a little furry cocker spaniel puppy. When I took him for his first grooming several months later, I was too naive to tell them to do a cocker cut, and they shaved him down completely (never went back there).

He looked SO different that I made him do his tricks - sit, shake, etc. to assure myself that this was my dog.

 

[mtrak17]

If you have a dog, can you tell me a little about your dog and your family, Like what breed of dog you have?

We have a golden retriever which we adopted at 6 mos. old (our first dog). She is now nine years old and has been a wonderful, loving dog - it is humbling that her greatest happiness is just being around DH and me. The initial issues we had to deal with: she chewed all my brand-new wedding shower gift Tupperware ( ); she hated the crate so much she would vomit (and other unmentionable things) anytime we left her in there for more than one hour (and, yes, I totally researched everything about doing it properly - I think her previous owners may have used a crate for punishment) and I felt like it took forever to housetrain her. However, the chewing stopped within a week or two; we just stopped using the crate and put up baby gates to keep her in a contained area while we were out of the house, and never again had a problem, and the housetraining? - all of a sudden when I thought I was at the end of my rope, she just "got" it.

When my golden was two, we got a black lab puppy from a reputable breeder. Although I adore her (she is completely sweet, very smart, and loving; never chewed anything (really), trained very easily), I would probably not get a lab again simply because I don't think our lifestyle is exactly what she needs. I thought her exercise requirements would be similar to my golden, but my lab really needs HOURS of exercise to expend her energy, not just a walk or two. I think labs would be perfect for a family that has kids running around the yard, etc. to exhaust them, because they love playing.

What are your family demographics, whether or not you had kids before or after you got the dogs?

Just DH and I

Whether you leave the dog at home while you work, and if so, what is the arrangement (crate/free to roam the house)

Both of my dogs are left in a room in my house anytime we leave the house (including work). They are both more comfortable with that than a crate. We don't have any problems with this, since it has been the same room all along and we have the same routine when we're leaving the house, so both dogs sense when we're heading out and sometimes go in the room without us even telling them. Of course, we keep their beds, etc. in there.

What you do with the dog when you are on vacation (dog sitting? kennel? take the dog with you?)?

This is an added expense to any trip we take. We pay for someone to dogsit. Because we did not introduce our dogs to kenneling from a young age, I really think it would traumatize them (and, for two dogs, the cost is the same for dogsitting as kenneling).

Whether you got the dog as a puppy or as an adult?

Golden - adopted at 6 mos.
Lab - puppy from breeder

Anything else you can share:

Only time I wish I didn't love dogs (and therefore wouldn't have any): There is SO MUCH FUR EVERYWHERE IN MY HOUSE ALL THE TIME WITH TWO DOGS!!! It doesn't matter how much I sweep, vacuum, brush, lint-roll....Just my observation: I actually got a lab, in part, because I thought there would be less hair then my golden. Wrong! My lab's hair is more course and tends to, instead of falling to the ground, stick to the walls, weave into my furniture, etc. Between the two of them, I could spend all day sweeping (and could create a third dog from the hair I pick up over the course of the week )

Good luck with your decision-making!!!

 

[JerseyJanice]

We have a 120 pound lab mix named Max. He's an awesome dog who fits our family well although I keep saying my next dog will be a lot smaller. The bigger the dog, the more the responsibility, I think.

We got him as a puppy and yes, he was a lot of work to train, but overall, I think he was worth it. FWIW, I know of a number of people who had very bad experiences with rescue dogs. I'm of the opinion that a dog who's been through a few owners can become psychologically damaged. A puppy really bonds with its family and becomes a very loyal pet. It's what dogs are meant to do IMO.

Max has a cage that he spends less and less time in as he ages. He'll be 4 this November. When he was younger, he was in there whenever we went out as he would chew anything not nailed down or sprayed with Bitter Apple. Now he has only occassional spurts of wanting to chew, so we can leave him alone outside his cage for a few hours.

He's a hunter and that's a big pain. Finding dead squirrels and birds in the yard is no joy. And the worst thing ever--he was sprayed by a skunk last month. Let me tell you--that was one horrible experience I never want to repeat. Skunks smell bad enough walking past your house; the odor they leave on your dog is beyond belief.

So far, we have taken only vacations that he can come on with us. That's fine with my husband who hates flying, but one day soon, I want to go to WDW, and we'll have to leave him behind. By then, though, my sister should have a house and Max can stay with her. He loves his Aunt Di!

Good luck in finding your dog! I think there's a certain amount of fate that does into the right one coming into your family. Keep your eyes, ears and heart open, and the right puppy will find you.

 

[disneyfanforever]

We have 2 Yorkshire Terriers. Chandler is 11 and Sydney is 1 1/2. We have 2 DSs ages 9 and 5.

Our oldest dog is definitely set in his ways. We got him when he was around 8 weeks old. He is nice with our boys but they know better than to pick him up. I think since Chandler was in our lives before we had kids he is not as tolerate of them laying all over him. He is bonded with my husband so much that I think sometimes my DH would pick him over me.

Sydney on the other hand is an absolute dream with our kids. We brought her home at 9 weeks and she loves playing with our boys. They love holding her and loving on her. Even kids that are terrified of dogs love Sydney and want to hold her.

Our Yorkies are not the very tiny ones. They both weigh 7-8 pounds and I like the fact that my kids are much bigger than them. That being said though, I would love to have a Golden Retriever or Lab someday.

When we go on vacation, my parents watch them unless they go with us then we do have to board them.

During the day, Chandler gets the run of the house. Sydney however has to stay in her crate because there is no telling what kind of trouble she would get into. They both sleep with my DH and I at night.

We got both of our dogs from breeders we found in the newspaper. Especially with Sydney breeder (my DH and I were older and wiser when we got her), we talked to the breeder for a long time about her experience and her dogs. Clearly this lady knew what she was doing and most of all loved her dogs like family.

One of the things that made us go with Yorkies is that they do not shed. My DH is very psycho when it comes to cleaning and having fur everywhere would have driven him crazy.

 

[Disney Doll]

We have an English Springer Spaniel. He is 12 now, but we have had him since he was 10 months old. He was house trained, and crate trained, but not really obedience trained, so we took him to obedience school. I would recommend obedience school...they really teach you how to train the dog.

ESS's are great dogs as far as personality. Ted is a happy, personable dog, good-natured, even-tempered. He is great with people and kids. We have a friend who has a boy woth Down Syndrome, and Ted has always been great with him...patient, protective.

He's a medium-sized dog...weighs about 55 lbs. His biggest issue is his coat. It's thick and long, so requires a fair amount of attention as far as brushing, keeping it mat free. The other issue with him is his ears. They are long, so they require some attention or he can be prone to ear infections.

As a puppy, he had a TON of energy. He has slowed down and settled down as he has gotten older though.

Truthfully, he's a great dog. I would recommend the breed to anyone.

 

[mtrak17]

As a puppy, he had a TON of energy. He has slowed down and settled down as he has gotten older though.

When exactly does this happen (I need a specific date )??? I have my lab who is now SIX and have been waiting for her to "settle down" for the past four years - hasn't happened

 

[mylilnikita]

Hi
First let me say as other posters, it is wise to think about this, it is a big decision. i have had dogs in my life from the age of 3 when my parents and I returned to the States. It is my DM, DD8 and myself.
I have 2 dogs: Nikita who will be 8 next month a husky/rott mix. We got him when my DD was 1 month old, they are a month apart in age-CRAZY! My husband got him because the GS I had after 13 years had to be put down from cancer. So Nikita was trying to house train and my DD was in diapers and they teethed at the same time. We kept them apart for a time, slowly got them to meet and get used to each other and they are joined at the hip. He used to like eating shoes.
I also have a 11 month old German Shepard, Sasha. The dogs get along great. Sasha was crate trained and it worked great. The dogs are very different, Sasha learned how to open up the back door to let herself out, while Nikita will start to follow her out and then stop. He weighs 70lbs and she is now at 50 and still growing. Got to love the big dogs.
It is a big responsibility with keeping them up to date with shots, and brushing their coats. But I could not imagine not having them here.
When I go on vacation, they go to a dog kennel that they both have gone to that has doggy daycare during the daytime.
When I work, they are outside in a big fenced in yard if the weather is good, if the weather is bad, they stay in and I have the back door accessible to the puppy to let herself out.
Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[bekkiz]

We have a 2.5 year old mini-schnauzer. We got hime right at 9 weeks old from a breeder we had researched and found to be the best in our area (still a 2 hour drive away!) We had to wait about 6 months for him, as the best breeders plan their litters well in advance. He was a pretty penny but SO worth it because he had been bred for temperment as well as looks, and he is one of the calmest terriers I have ever met His dad was the top mini in the country for like 3 years. Man people say "well, I don't NEED a showdog" but the time and effort that breeders put into thier lines is important for health and stability of the breed.

That said, shelters can be good places for pets, just be very careful as you don't know the background. The pup might be great around your kids but may hate the mailman or other dogs or something. My mom's dog (a shelter find) is fantastic with all people, a big love bug, but they can't take him anywhere there might be other dogs because he goes nuts and even broke the wondow of her car trying to go after another dog.

In terms of some of your other questions:
I wasn't working full time when we brought him home which helped a ton with potty-training. When we were out he stayed in an excercise pen (which is where his crate and food/water was). He slept (and still sleeps) in his crate. Now that he's older, he has run of the house, but we didn't give him that freedom until he was about 1 or so. We also took him to day care when I was working more, about 1-2 times a week. This helps a lot with socialization and they are tired for like 2 days

We leave him at a kennel when we travel. He's in a doggy day care setting for the day and then he sleepis in his own room at night. We travel quite often, and in fact, went on a big trip when he had only been home 2 months. That time he stayed with the breeder (oh, I cried when I dropped him off!)

We think schanuzers are great dogs. They come in mini (12-20 lbs), standard (around 40 lbs) and giant (maybe 80-100 lbs? I'm not sure on that one).

They are very smart, gentle and sturdy. Our mini is a big dog in a little dog body. He has no problem holding his own against a german shepard!

The best part--NO SHEDDING! That was a must, as I hate to vaccum

Let me know if you have any more questions

 

[luvsmickeymouse]

We have a toy poodle and she is almost 10. She is everything I wanted and more. She doesn't shed, but I have to get her hair cut every 10 weeks or so. She always has free run of the house, never crate trained her, I am home part of the day. She is great with the kids and great company. She fits in perfect with us. She sleeps with me every night. She is smart, very smart, and just perfect for us. I had 2 big dogs before her, they were old when they passed, and they were great with the kids too. I always make sure my dog is part of the family. When we go on vacation, my parents watch our poodle. She has traveled with us as well. They can be expensive. She is worth every penny. I give her whatever she needs. She is alot of fun and is a poodle that doesn't know she's a poodle. She is so in tune with me, its amazing. I will always have a dog.