Help! Need dog breed advice.

[phillybeth]

But, I still find myself wondering, if other families with our kinds of schedules (or worse) can manage a dog, why couldn't we? What's their secret? How do they do it?

We do it because it makes us happy. It's a priority for us. But there are many sacrifices with pet ownership- especially with dogs.

Spur-of-the-moment weekend getaway? Forget about it.
Need to work late? Not unless you want to come home to a mess and a stir-crazy dog.
Go out after work for a few drinks with the girls? See above.
Want to sleep in on Saturday? No can do. Dogs don't understand 'weekend'.
Had a rough day and want to go to bed early? Sorry, Fido needs his bedtime walk.
Family vacation? Great! Add about $500 to your budget for boarding/petsitter.
And no matter the weather, dogs still gotta 'go'. I've walked dogs in blizzards, tropical storms, 95+ degree heat, below freezing cold.

 

[Magalex]

I agree with all the posts about time with a new puppy. Also all the pros and cons that were listed. Yes I love the idea about anyone to volunteer at a shelter. I was just reading a newsletter from one of our local shelters. They offer summer classes for pre-teens/ teens to interact with the shelter dogs and learn to care for a pet. I think they offer the classes during school season too.

My DS is 6 and my DH never had a dog so we were really interested in adopting a dog. I am a SAHM and we adopted an older dog. It has been 9 months and he has become a great little joy to our family( est. 4 yrs Brittany Spaniel mix). He was housebroken and has no separation anxiety. But I still wanted to come & go as needed. We are busy on the weekends too. But if we know that we will be gone from the house for 8 hours we do take extra long walks before leaving.
I really support adopting a shelter dog.
Good Luck with your decision!

 

[KelNottAt]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

I talked it over with DD tonight and she understands all the variables that we face. Her idea now is too wait until school gets out next June and see what the cards hold. (Really, she suggested that before I could.) She totally understands that there's not enough time left this summer to train a puppy. And, since we can't agree on a breed, this will give us time to really research and think. (I'm now leaning toward labradoodle and she's thinking beagle.)

Cheers!
Kelley

 

[java]

I also applaud you for the researching. We are in the process of looking at dogs also. We have a labrador now and she is a love. We had an english bulldog that I just adored. But now we are open- the kids have fallen in love with a boxer. But I am holding my ground on more research needed.

Remember most puppies need to go out at best every 2 hours(some more than that) Our dog is now 70 pounds and almost a year and can go about 5 hours between walks. 9 hours is a very long time for a dog to hold it!

But good luck to you in your decision making process. Dogs are a lot of work but man oh man the love you get makes it worth every second of it.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

We rescued a German Shorthaired Pointer who was 7 at the time. Although we are gone all day, she gets lots of love in the evenings and on weekends.

If we had regular weekend plans that did not include her, I don't think she would be as well adjusted. It's like she understands what we are doing when we get up early and start getting ready for work. She just sits there with her tennis ball and the saddest eyes you've ever seen.

But in the evenings and on the weekends, all is forgiven.

I hope that you find a situation that will make all parties happy. Best of luck to you.

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

I talked it over with DD tonight and she understands all the variables that we face. Her idea now is too wait until school gets out next June and see what the cards hold. (Really, she suggested that before I could.) She totally understands that there's not enough time left this summer to train a puppy. And, since we can't agree on a breed, this will give us time to really research and think. (I'm now leaning toward labradoodle and she's thinking beagle.)

Cheers!
Kelley

Sounds like you have a bright, wonderful young woman on your hands! Tell her that I said thanks for taking the time - and the maturity - to think about it.

It's a decision well worth waiting for. When the time's right, you'll know it!

 

[DawnCt1]

First of all, poodles are not for sissies. At least, not standard poodles. Have your hubby read Travels with Charlie. Until fairly recently, poodles were a man's dog...

?

I agree. I had a wonderful female black standard poodle, Annie. And now I have her nephew Jude. Poodles are very social dogs. They enjoy being a part of a family and unless one has the time to spend with a poodle or any dog, it isnt' fair to the dog.

 

[DawnCt1]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

I talked it over with DD tonight and she understands all the variables that we face. Her idea now is too wait until school gets out next June and see what the cards hold. (Really, she suggested that before I could.) She totally understands that there's not enough time left this summer to train a puppy. And, since we can't agree on a breed, this will give us time to really research and think. (I'm now leaning toward labradoodle and she's thinking beagle.)

Cheers!
Kelley

Please think twice before purchasing a designer dog. A labradoodle isn't a true breed. It seems that so many "designer dogs" start with a poodle, which is known for its intelligence, sociability and non shedding coat. Why take a great dog and change it? Here is part of an article that was written by a friend of mine who breeds standard poodles. She is also a vet and takes the health of the line very seriously.

I would argue that many of the crosses I mentioned in the opening of this article do not even come close to picking two closely related breeds and trying to maintain type while improving on a genetic problem. In fact, in many cases, they may be making things much worse. Imagine, for example, crossing a golden retriever with a standard poodle. What is a worst case scenario for a puppy from this cross? How about producing an arthritic, blind, shedding, dermatitis, bleeding dog that bloats? With hip dysplasia as a problem in both breeds, skin allergies a problem in golden retrievers and sebaceous adenitis in poodles, progressive retinal atrophy (pra) in the poodle and cataracts in the golden, shedding in the retriever, von Willebrand’s disease (vWD) in poodles, and both breeds bloat (also known as gastric dilatation and volvulus, where the stomach twists on itself and cardiovascular function is compromised), this could be the nightmare waiting for that unsuspecting puppy buyer.

 

[mumzie2three]

One more thing to think about and it may already have been mentioned.....in 5/6 years will your DD be headed off to college? I know it is breaking my DD's heart that she has to leave her cat behind not to mention that the work of caring for the cat now falls on me.

 

[KelNottAt]

Please think twice before purchasing a designer dog. A labradoodle isn't a true breed. It seems that so many "designer dogs" start with a poodle, which is known for its intelligence, sociability and non shedding coat. Why take a great dog and change it? Here is part of an article that was written by a friend of mine who breeds standard poodles. She is also a vet and takes the health of the line very seriously.

I would argue that many of the crosses I mentioned in the opening of this article do not even come close to picking two closely related breeds and trying to maintain type while improving on a genetic problem. In fact, in many cases, they may be making things much worse. Imagine, for example, crossing a golden retriever with a standard poodle. What is a worst case scenario for a puppy from this cross? How about producing an arthritic, blind, shedding, dermatitis, bleeding dog that bloats? With hip dysplasia as a problem in both breeds, skin allergies a problem in golden retrievers and sebaceous adenitis in poodles, progressive retinal atrophy (pra) in the poodle and cataracts in the golden, shedding in the retriever, von Willebrand’s disease (vWD) in poodles, and both breeds bloat (also known as gastric dilatation and volvulus, where the stomach twists on itself and cardiovascular function is compromised), this could be the nightmare waiting for that unsuspecting puppy buyer.

Sorry.

I had no idea labradoodle was a designer dog. I thought it was just a mixed breed that barely sheds. For lack of a better word, like a convenient mutt. Yet another example of why we need to continue our research.

Oh, btw, I love standard poodles. DH is the one who needs convincing.

 

[DawnCt1]

Sorry.

I had no idea labradoodle was a designer dog. I thought it was just a mixed breed that barely sheds. For lack of a better word, like a convenient mutt. Yet another example of why we need to continue our research.

Oh, btw, I love standard poodles. DH is the one who needs convincing.

No apologies needed. Lots of people don't know. The cost of designer dogs is also outrageous. If you don't clip a standard, "no one will know". and we won't tell your DH. As an aside, the last thing DH wanted was a standard poodle. My response? "you don't vacuum". Annie was black and that seemed to be a color that set well with everyone. You can't imagine the SHOCK when I showed up with Jude, an 8 year old WHITE standard male! "it was bad enough that he was a boy, but a WHITE BOY?!"
Everyone loves him now, especially DH who takes him riding in the car quite often. Here he is. Notice how he folds his paws.

 

[terri01p]

Thanks for all the feedback, everyone.

I talked it over with DD tonight and she understands all the variables that we face. Her idea now is too wait until school gets out next June and see what the cards hold. (Really, she suggested that before I could.) She totally understands that there's not enough time left this summer to train a puppy. And, since we can't agree on a breed, this will give us time to really research and think. (I'm now leaning toward labradoodle and she's thinking beagle.)

Cheers!
Kelley

If you don't want a shedding dog don't get a beagle, we had one for 10 yrs until her death in April and she shed like crazy, that's one of the only bad things about this breed, except for hunting and killing small animals

 

[DawnCt1]

If you don't want a shedding dog don't get a beagle, we had one for 10 yrs until her death in April and she shed like crazy, that's one of the only bad things about this breed, except for hunting and killing small animals

And running away. I had a little beagle growing up. She was adorable. Her name was Patsy. She would put her nose to the ground and never look up. She escaped for the last time when she was 7. My dad always thought that one of the neighbors did her harm.

 

[Liliyana]

It seems that so many "designer dogs" start with a poodle, which is known for its intelligence, sociability and non shedding coat. Why take a great dog and change it?

Amen and thank you! That's always my first thought- "what's so wrong with just a plain ol' poodle?" I know some don't like the stereotypical poodle look, but they don't have to be clipped that way. (OP, that's not directed towards you... I know it's because of your DH and yes, lots of men have that kinda preconception )

By the way Dawn, your dog is absolutely gorgeous!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

And running away. I had a little beagle growing up. She was adorable. Her name was Patsy. She would put her nose to the ground and never look up. She escaped for the last time when she was 7. My dad always thought that one of the neighbors did her harm.

Isn't that truth!

It was nose to the ground, pedal to the metal. The last time our Beagle got loose, I had to chase her down in my bathrobe. She's lucky I didn't do her harm.

 

[DawnCt1]

Amen and thank you! That's always my first thought- "what's so wrong with just a plain ol' poodle?" I know some don't like the stereotypical poodle look, but they don't have to be clipped that way. (OP, that's not directed towards you... I know it's because of your DH and yes, lots of men have that kinda preconception )

By the way Dawn, your dog is absolutely gorgeous!

Yours is too! I can't take credit for Jude. When Annie died, I was going to get one of the breeder's puppies, but he was promised. She asked me to come down and meet Jude. I drove 90 minutes to be polite. I figured if I didn't show an interest in her older dog, who was no longer showing and breeding, she wouldn't consider me for a puppy when she had another litter. I fell in LOVE with Jude. I am so grateful that she just gave him to me. I know that she loves him very much but he isn't a demanding dog and didn't get the individual attention that he deserves. He is KING at our house. He is the ONLY one that can put his feet on the furniture.

 

[WDWisTheBest]

DD is begging for a dog. She is days away from her 13th birthday. She's an awesome kid with perfect grades and a wonderful attitude. I would really love to get her a puppy, but a few things are holding me/us back:
1. Allergies - DH has tons, including dogs.
2. Loneliness - our house is empty 7:00AM - 4:30PM on school days. That can't be healthy or enjoyable for a dog, can it? Plus, we travel frequently on the weekends to visit for various family obligations. A dog would not be invited.
3. Mess - Indoors and out. I can't stand shedding.

So, taking all those factors into consideration, does a bread exist that would be good for us?
http://www.akc.org/breeds/harrier/index.cfm

You are describing a Boston Terrier. No Shedding! No allergies. Easy to care for. Great family pet.

But, please, please buy from a breeder and not from a pet shop. Any more questions can be easily answered for you. Also, the good ones weigh less than 20 pounds. Good luck.

 

[Aimeedyan]

OP, you are very wise to put off this decision for awhile. I hope others reading will take note of your decision! Too many people fall for the cute face in the window and the dog pays for it ultimately in the end.

Our life has completely changed since we added dogs to it. For us, they changed for the good but for some people it would not have been. We don't go out in the evenings, we don't take weekend trips, and vacations are fewer because the boarding is pricey. Not to mention the costs involved in maintaining the sweet things (esp the two that have to be groomed!). And the house has to be dog proof, and we had to replace furniture and bedding with dog friendly stuff, and the muddy paws that got on my carpet, no more sleeping in on my days off, getting up every night to take one to potty, etc.

 

[WDWDancer]

Well my opnion is that if you don't want to get an older dog to keep the puppy company then do doggy daycare a couple times a week with the puppy while your gone...they would get socialized with other people & dogs plus at the daycare's they are always willing to work on obediance and potty training. On weekends get a dog sitter or if you have any nieces/nephews that live in the area to watch the puppy :0

For breeds; I love Dobermans but they really crave their family ALL THE TIME. Currently, we got 2 laberdoodle puppies (so CUTE) One is pure black the other black and white people always think the one is a lab because she has that haircoat....they do not shed are hypo-allergenic and amazingly smart so far.

Any questions PM me!