Need some advice from the dog people here please

[mjkacmom]

You have a newf?

No, a “minijack“, I wanted an adult dog because I didn’t want to deal with a puppy, but she was already perfectly trained.

 

[TippyThomas]

I've talked to a couple of the local shelters about short term fostering. There is a lot of paperwork and info that I need to fill out and get taken care of but I think it will be a good start for me to see what it's all about. I'll update once I know for sure what is happening there.

 

[RamblingMad]

I suggest volunteering at a shelter to learn more about dogs. Then maybe foster one. And then eventually get one. They’re a lot of work.

My current puppy has an issue with one of his puppy teeth not falling out. The vet dentist said to give it another month. If it doesn’t come out, I need to get it extracted. Of course, this tooth problem is causing behavioral problems. And he starts intermediate puppy school this Saturday.

Like I said, it’s a lot of work.

 

[HeatherC]

We have always had dogs and are huge dog lovers. We currently have a Cocker Spaniel who is spoiled rotten and the star of the family. The last dog we had was a Golden Retriever and was also an awesome dog.

‘If you are looking for a small to medium size that is smart and trainable, a poodle might be worth looking at. They are supposedly very smart and don’t shed a lot either. A Golden is also a wonderful breed and doesn’t have a mean bone in their bodies. But they are big and shed a ton!

‘Have fun picking! Dogs are the best!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I’ve had dogs all my life - six German Shepherds and a Cairn Terrier (Toto on The Wizard of Oz was a female Cairn). It sounds like finding a dog companion would be a wonderful thing for you! Rescuing one comes with a certain satisfaction, just make sure you find one who is complementary to your personality. I’ve mentioned this before on dog threads here, but we had a trainer who had a great saying, “It’s not the right dog for you”. (The person he was referring to being an elderly woman driving down the road with a young Border Collie jumping in an out of her lap as she was driving!)

if you’re a bit of a couch potato, find a dog who’s mellow and likes to lounge, as well. If you’re a runner or hiker, etc., find one who will do that effortlessly with you, then flop down fast asleep at the end of the day. Exercising any dog is important as it helps get their energy out. Many dogs were bred for a purpose and instinctually have the need to “work”. (Even mixed breeds with working genes.) If you don’t keep them busy, they will make up their own “work” and it probably won’t be something you like. (Like chewing up your sofa or barking incessantly out your RV window.)

I agree that a friendly, relatively mellow Lab would make a good first dog. German Shepherds aren’t usually recommended as a first dog unless you find one who is unusually friendly with a great temperament. The potential for injury (bite) is there with any dog, so it’s something you need to keep in mind. Owners are almost always liable for bites and often the dog loses its life if it’s really bad, so you want to avoid bites as much as possible. This starts now by doing your research and learning how to handle a dog. I recommend not playing rough games with the dog as you never want to pit the dog against a human. There are lots of other games you can play that don’t involve roughhousing or dog teeth on human skin. JMO but I think it’s unfair to do that to a dog and then expect they’re going to know not to use teeth on a human in another circumstance. Set your dog up for success.

A good book to read is Good Owners, Great Dogs by Brian Kilcommons. So much will make sense to you when you read it. Good luck!

BTW this thread is really no good without pictures!!

 

[Calee]

My 11 year old has a Goldendoodle. He (my son) has allergies and anxiety and we needed a dog that was good with both those things. She is amazing. Loving, smart, low/no shed which is good for the allergies, loves playing and being outside, but also loves snuggling and is very intuitive to human emotion.

 

[StephMK]

Congrats on your decision! We've always had rescue dogs. 2 have passed, we currently have 3.

In addition to gaining some knowledge about breeds, I agree with others to look at life factors. What dog habits are you willing to handle? Does it need to be good with strangers, kids, cats, are you ok with shedding, slobbering, prey drive, jumping fences,, or barking? Would you take a dog on medications, do they need regular grooming, boarding - most charge based on size.

There are breed specific rescues and places that take a variety. Once you get an idea of what breeds and type of dog fits your lifestyle, keep an open mind and see who you click with on a visit.

We have only owned one puppy, the rest have been adults. While he's a fantastic dog, I didn't really enjoy much of his puppy time because he was so much work.

Plus as a puppy, he was supposed to become a 20 lb non shedding Westie mix. Instead, he grew into a 55 lb long legged, shedding monster. Lol

Keep us posted, would love to hear how it goes!

 

[katie01]

Can’t wait to hear what you end up with, keep us posted! We’ve had all small to medium sized dogs. My smartest and most loyal was our Shetland Sheepdog growing up. He wasn’t what you’d call a cuddler, and he shed a ton, but he was so smart and could learn almost any trick or command.

We also had a Cavalier King Charles spaniel, they are beautiful and cuddly dogs, but tend to have a lot of health problems. I would say he was probably not the smartest dog we’ve ever had, but that’s ok

Now we have a shih tzu/bichon mix, and a Papillon/Yorke mix that we rescued. The Papillon/Yorkie mix I personally think is the most beautiful dog I’ve ever had. She’s very agile and has a flowing white and brown coat. I am her “person” and she’s very loyal to me. She also loves my husband, she is good with our kids but sometimes she hides from the youngest lol. She’s an excellent watchdog as far as alerting us to anything out of the ordinary. She does shed a bit but it’s more like clumps of fur at certain times of the year, not daily shedding all over the place. I feel like most of the Yorkie or Papillon mixes share her traits of energy but also lap dog-ness, and are good watch dogs if that’s something you’d like (not that they could fight off an intruder, but it’s handy to know they’d bark if anything suspicious was going on, and ours has alerted us to situations).

Our shih tzu/bichon doesn’t shed at all. Her mix is known as a teddy bear and it’s an apt description, you can hug and hold her just like a teddy bear. She’s incredibly lazy but does like short walks, and she definitely has her playful moods and wants to fetch toys. She’s smart and really quick learning tricks, but has a stubborn side for sure, she doesn’t have the “I’ll do anything that you ask” mentality that our Shetland Sheepdog had, it’s more “what’s in it for me” lol. But if you want a cuddly lap dog that doesn’t shed, I’d highly recommend a shih tzu, or Maltese too.

I think your idea to foster is a great one! With dogs who have been rescued, I’d say just give them time for their true personality to emerge. It can take months, but it’s so with it. Our rescue came to us very scared and the hardest dog I’ve had house train, but once she finally decided to trust us she just became the most amazing dog, and also hasn’t had a single accident in the house since

 

[princesscinderella]

We have three Boston terriers and they are great dogs. They are smart, I easily trained them to ring a bell to go outside. Require no grooming other than a nail trim. They are not big barkers either and love to cuddle.

 

[BayouQueen]

Our immediate and extended family have become Pomeranian people -- because they are smart, super companionable, and don't make us sneeze. DH and I grew up with bigger dogs -- labs and the like -- and loved them. But Dog Life began for me when I made friends with a Pommie.

 

[FairestOfThemAll37]

I can’t advise on what dog to get, but I can say confidently don’t get a Shiba

They’re adorable and small but they’re *******s to put it bluntly. They’re too smart and stubborn for their own good and well aware of how pretty they are. It’s a dangerous combination haha. I love mine but some days, I swear that dog screws with me on purpose.

 

[RamblingMad]

My 11 year old has a Goldendoodle. He (my son) has allergies and anxiety and we needed a dog that was good with both those things. She is amazing. Loving, smart, low/no shed which is good for the allergies, loves playing and being outside, but also loves snuggling and is very intuitive to human emotion.

What's up with the doodles? Half of my last puppy class was doodles.

 

[RamblingMad]

No idea what breed the OP should get.

My dog is a mutt. When I took him to the vet dentist, the vet couldn't figure out his breed. He has the build of a Lab, the colors and ears of a German Shepherd, and his facial features and tail look like that of a beagle. And he can be a total demon dog when he's not feeling good. Puppies are so much fun

 

[RF536]

We have always had rescue dogs so mutts. I can give some advice on camping and dog breeds. As someone else mentioned earlier, some campgrounds don't allow what have been deemed as aggressive breeds, pit bulls, German Shepherds, Dobermans, ects.
Also be aware of breeds that are known to be yippy. You don't want a dog that barks every time someone walks by or at every little noise. It will drive you insane and annoy your neighbors to no end. Some campgrounds will kick you out of your dog barks too much.
We have been camping with our dogs for 20 years and found it to be great having them with us when we travel. Get them used to camping unit as soon as you get it. We actually camp in our yard a couple of nights when we get a new unit or dog. We want them to get used to it before leaving home.

 

[HeatherC]

.

 

[HeatherC]

What's up with the doodles? Half of my last puppy class was doodles.

They are very popular right now. They are also very gentle but can be very expensive. I have family members who between them have four. They paid around $3000 per dog! Blows my mind when there are so many in shelters in need of a home. But to each his own.

 

[MrsCobraBubbles]

Toy and specifically terrier breeds are probably better for RV living because of their size but they can be challenging for a first time dog owner because they can be stubborn and prone to Napoleon complex. Plus they tend to be noisy, which your neighbors at the RV park won't appreciate.

Hunting dogs tend to be good for first time owners and families with small children and they don't bark as much as the smaller breeds but when they do make noise it is LOUD so you'll want to get that under control. For example, we had a beagle when my kids were small and he was pretty bomb proof--never bit anyone no matter what the kids did, never barked, didn't jump on people, didn't get protective of the front door, all good qualities, but when he got riled up he would howl so loud! We lived on a farm and our neighbors that lived over the hill and out of sight of our house could hear him. Still, I would recommend almost anything in the AKC sporting or hound groups for a first time owner. One caution though, 20 years ago Cocker Spaniels had been so overbred that they were prone to something called "rage syndrome". Because of that I wouldn't recommend them to a first time owner, but admittedly I've fallen out of the dog world since then so the breed may be perfectly fine now.

I wouldn't recommend a border collie for a first time owner because I've seen them get neurotic if they don't get lots of exercise and mental stimulation, I'd put them in the list of challenging breeds along with toys and terriers and any breed in the AKC working group. You'll want to find a good trainer if you get any of those breeds and start them in training young.

Good luck and have fun choosing!! I'm jealous, I've always dreamed of RV living, I hope you will keep us all updated when you decide to travel!

 

[Moliphino]

I wouldn't recommend a border collie for a first time owner because I've seen them get neurotic if they don't get lots of exercise and mental stimulation, I'd put them in the list of challenging breeds along with toys and terriers and any breed in the AKC working group. You'll want to find a good trainer if you get any of those breeds and start them in training young.

I agree with this. I would also not recommend a husky for a first time dog owner, as they can become destructive if they don't get enough exercise and mental stimulation. I also wouldn't recommend a Norwegian Elkhound if you're looking for an obedient and trainable dog. They're very smart, but they really don't care what you want them to do unless there's something in it for them.

One of ours is a border collie / Norwegian elkhound mix and I adore him, but he is buckets of crazy.

 

[firefly_ris]

I grew up with Rough Collies (Lassie) -- very smart, friendly dogs but gigantic shedders of course. But overall I would consider them a relatively easy breed.

When I moved out on my own I adopted 2 dogs from the SPCA -- a 45lb pit bull/hound mix that was 2 years old, who was very matronly and affectionate -- once I started having children I'm pretty sure she felt she was their nanny. She died at age 15 almost 2 years ago and I still wake up and expect her to be laying in front of my fireplace. The other dog was a 2 year old Collie/St. Bernard mix, male, he was about 95lbs in his prime, also very friendly but neurotic and was a barker -- leaves, squirrels, etc. He was also good with the kids and had the herder mentality -- liked it when everyone was in one room and he would sit in the doorway facing out to keep watch. He was higher energy and would wander around the house whining for no reason. I loved him but he was a lot of work.

Once they were both gone, I fostered all sorts and sizes of dogs for a local rescue -- some puppies, some puppy mill rescues, and some strays. Unfortunately we had an attack incident with my final foster and my younger daughter and stopped fostering after that. My daughter then developed a fear of dogs including family dogs she was close and familiar with and in addition to the physical repair also had therapy.

Anyway, all that is to say I did not want this to become a lifelong fear and wanted to ease us back into being a dog home, but I knew she wouldn't be ready to have a large breed dog in the house again for a long time.

So, after research we ended up with a Havanese puppy from a breeder. She checked the boxes for what we were looking for -- small, known for pleasant disposition, outgoing, receptive to training. The bonuses were that they don't shed, and she is a lot easier to cart around on trips because of her small size. She is not yappy, as in she will watch people and dogs out the front window or on the porch and not bark, but she will bark with excitement when people come to visit for the first few minutes of their arrival, but she would do well at a campground because she doesn't bark at every passerby. She is also pretty sturdy for a small breed, doesn't need much exercise but is up for any walk or play when I prompt it. And has helped my daughter immensely. And while I'm not a first time dog owner, this is a breed I would feel comfortable recommending for one.

 

[Alicefan]

She was such a character, and she was my perfect match. I haven't gotten another dog, because I want her. And, there won't be another her.

I sure do feel your pain here. I lost my pug Rose in August. I had her for over 15 years and I keep saying the same thing. "I'm not sad and lonely because I need another dog, I just miss HER and HER personality." I'm too afraid that I will be looking for her in every other dog and it would cause me not to bond with a new one. Rose and I were just in sync....and I don't mean the boy band, though we did have some moves. lol