Breed for inexperienced owners? (labrador, shih tzu, poodle, retriever)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What breed of dog do you think is best for someone who has never had a dog?
I know a family who never has a dog before, not as children nor as adults, who went and bought a Giant Schnauzer
Needless to say it's not going well
What breeds do you think are best for first timers?
There's a reason the Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed. Easy to train. Very people-pleasing oriented. No professional grooming needed. Great for first timers.
Small dogs are where it tends to go wrong imo. There's also a reason why smaller dogs tend to be more associated with being ankle biters, nervous pee-ers, having "Napoleon complexes", and prone to separation anxiety. Many owners like to carry them around everywhere and treat them more like babies than have them walking with the pack.
I suggest spending some time with a shelter worker or other person who knows dogs. You want a dog that has had a good start, and I recommend an adult that's already house-trained and has a stable personality. At this point, you're not ready for any "special needs" dogs that have fear-bitting tendencies or other problems.
Also see if your local pet store has classes and whether those will fit into your schedule and budget. Teaching an adult dog canine good citizen skills is both rewarding and will teach you a lot about how a dog thinks.
Whatever you do, please don't be like my neighbors who work all of the time and get a dog that they either lock in the basement or the backyard for most of the day. This dog is a mess! It will probably have to go to the shelter soon because it barks nonstop and they can't be bothered to train it.
I suggest spending some time with a shelter worker or other person who knows dogs. You want a dog that has had a good start, and I recommend an adult that's already house-trained and has a stable personality. At this point, you're not ready for any "special needs" dogs that have fear-bitting tendencies or other problems.
Also see if your local pet store has classes and whether those will fit into your schedule and budget. Teaching an adult dog canine good citizen skills is both rewarding and will teach you a lot about how a dog thinks.
Whatever you do, please don't be like my neighbors who work all of the time and get a dog that they either lock in the basement or the backyard for most of the day. This dog is a mess! It will probably have to go to the shelter soon because it barks nonstop and they can't be bothered to train it.
I agree, I think adult dogs are great for first-timers. You get to see the true personality of the dog, fully cooked.
There's a reason the Labrador Retriever is the most popular breed. Easy to train. Very people-pleasing oriented. No professional grooming needed. Great for first timers.
Small dogs are where it tends to go wrong imo. There's also a reason why smaller dogs tend to be more associated with being ankle biters, nervous pee-ers, having "Napoleon complexes", and prone to separation anxiety. Many owners like to carry them around everywhere and treat them more like babies than have them walking with the pack.
I've read that Labs are pretty high energy up to a certain age? I agree though, they have great personalities
The AKC actually recommends that you pick the smallest dog that meets your wish list, if that makes sense. So if you want a companion couch potato, get one that is smaller rather than bigger. I guess the idea is that smaller is always a bit easier to manage. I agree though, I think a lot of small dog owners don't go through the training necessary for any dog
I was thinking about this family who got the Giant Schnauzer as their first dog and my thoughts were just WHY
A lot of people lack experience with dogs and fail to do the research/take classes, so there are thousands of ruined dogs in the shelters and rescues. I would think if they got that schnauzer at a breeder that they would've been provided with some counseling, but some sellers are in it just for the money.
I guess that they didn't have any classes nearby? Even just a few sessions learning to train a puppy can have a huge impact on how the dog behaves, proved the new owners will do the work.
A lot of people lack experience with dogs and fail to do the research/take classes, so there are thousands of ruined dogs in the shelters and rescues. I would think if they got that schnauzer at a breeder that they would've been provided with some counseling, but some sellers are in it just for the money.
I guess that they didn't have any classes nearby? Even just a few sessions learning to train a puppy can have a huge impact on how the dog behaves, proved the new owners will do the work.
It boggles my mind how a first-timer would buy a Giant Schnauzer. One google search tells you right away that it's a lot of dog for anyone to handle.
I agree, I think it's totally irresponsible of the breeder to sell a dog like that to people who have never had a dog and live on a postage-stamp sized property
They are doing a lot of training, so that's good. But I still think he is going to end up getting rehomed. I just don't think they are the right family for the breed
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
