Welcome to City-Data.com Forum!
U.S. CitiesCity-Data Forum Index
Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Pets > Dogs
 [Register]
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.
View detailed profile (Advanced) or search
site with Google Custom Search

Search Forums  (Advanced)
Reply Start New Thread
 
Old 02-02-2016, 03:08 PM
 
Location: New Jersey
149 posts, read 164,920 times
Reputation: 507

Advertisements

This is going to be a long post so I will really appreciate anyone who reads the whole thing. Over the last ten years I've periodically researched dog breeds even though I wasn't ready to own another one. When I got my last dog we didn't have the internet as a resource. I'm finding that now it is a blessing and a curse. I have taken many quizzes to help select a breed of dog that is right for you. The answers are always so different and when I do further research on the best match I find things that are contrary to what I need in a dog so I'm primarily looking for personal recommendations.

My situation: I work from home most days and probably will be for the next few years at least so I feel that it's time for us to start thinking about getting a dog in the next 1 to 2 years. Ideally I'd go through the application process with a rescue or shelter and then wait for the right dog to be available. First I have to capture and fix a bunch of feral cats that come on my property this is going to be a big expense for this year so the new dog is going to come after the initial spay/ neuter and vaccination costs for these 20 or so cats. Still, I'd like to narrow down what breeds to start looking at.

I have owned dogs in the past. My mom likes dogs so we always had one and when I was in college I got my own dog- a poodle/ pomeranian mix. She was on the small side for me and couldn't keep up with my activity level much of the time but she was a perfect fit for my husband. She had a good long life but as many years have passed since she crossed over the bridge I realize I was a lazy pet owner. She only got training in basic commands and we let her rule the house. I know a lot more now than I did then because I've been researching in anticipation of getting the next dog for quite a few years.

I've been active in cat rescue and have taken a course in animal psychology- which just touched on training methods for dogs. When I get closer to actually getting a dog I will take a course in training but I will also utilize the training classes at petco. Optimally, if the dog takes to training, I'd get them to pass the good citizen course. I work with a behaviorist for one of my cats so if there are behavioral issues with the dog we are already prepared with a good behaviorist.

I live in an semi-urban area in a smallish single family home with a fenced in backyard (25x 30 ft only, fence is at least 6 ft high). Houses here are very close together. The area is pro-dog. There is a parade of dogs every morning. Most of them are small dogs but we do have a few people who've rescued pit bulls. They are very well trained dogs and are always leashed. My husband and I have no kids and we rarely have kids visiting. When we do, they are older kids.

We would be looking at shelters and breed specific rescues first and are completely open to getting a mutt but even the mutts listed on websites are describes as being a mix between certain breeds. I'm hoping to get an idea of which breed mixes to avoid and which ones might be a good fit.

I do realize every dog is an individual and a lot of the dog's personality is dependent on early socialization with other dogs, people and new experiences.

That said here is what is very important for our next dog:

cat-friendly- a lot of breeds that get recommended to me on the quizzes are not considered cat friendly even though I always check the answer that states the dog must get along with other pets. This is the most frustrating problem I'm having with the quizzes. We have three cats that are not scared of dogs. They are very attached to each other and I predict that they will want to play with the dog and also groom the dog. I want a dog that can be best buds with cats. This is extremely important to us.

Stranger friendly- we are looking for a dog that views each deserving human it meets as a member of the pack. We entertain on a weekly basis and want to take the dog with us when we go into town. I'm looking for a breed that is not known for being nervous around new people.

Dog friendly- a breed that's not known for being dog-aggressive. Our dog will have to have respect for other dogs so he can join in at dog parks and on the daily puppy parade of dog walkers around our house.

Not intimidated by noise and animation- we don't have a house full of yelling but we do listen to loud music sometimes and we have musical instruments. I'd rather have a dog that will sing along to the music than one who shivers and hides. Likewise my husband is jovial and loud and talks with his hands. Some dogs react nervously to his boisterousness others aren't bothered. Our dog would have to be able to be around an energetic person.

Couch potato who is also eager to exercise: I want a dog that enjoys exercise and going jogging (once it's bones have matured enough) or for two mile walks but can have lazy days with just shorter walks. Even though I am home most of the time our weekends will be busy so the dog will have to get by just by being walked on Saturdays. We might have some time on Sunday for ball throwing in the back yard for 20 minutes but it's not likely we will go jogging or walk all the way into town. Exercise requirement questions on the quizzes always give me trouble because I want a dog that can be athletic but doesn't need to always be working/ running in order to have mental balance. On quizzes I usually check the box for "couch potato" because I want our dog not to be suffering if it has a low activity weekend.

High affection- we want a velcro dog. The always at your side please rub my belly kind of dog.

Moderately important

grooming requirements- we know how to use clippers and can do basic bathing and grooming. We don't care about shedding, snoring, farting or drooling/ slobber but we would prefer a breed that only needs to go to a professional groomer a few times a year than one who needs to go every 6-8 weeks.

Size- My ideal dog is a big dog that thinks he's a lap dog but is too big to fit in a lap. My husband's ideal dog would be one light enough to be picked up and one small enough to be a genuine lap dog. We are each willing to budge on our ideal for the right dog. In general we'd consider dogs that are 15 lbs and up but probably not over 50-60 lbs. Afterall our house is small and the dog would need to fit into an enclosure in the back of our CRV for vet visits and trips.

Lifespan and health- we have experienced the heartbreak of losing animals. As shelter workers at a no-kill facility we experience loss too often with elderly cats so my husband and I both agree that we want a dog that has a longevity in the 12+ years category. Likewise, we want a breed that isn't riddled with health issues. I understand that working with a good breeder is better for getting a healthy animal but we will most likely rescue so we won't have prior testing and knowledge of pedigree to work off of. So, we want to rule out dogs that have more than their share of known health issues. I am less concerned about obesity related health problems since we will make fitness a priority for the dog as we do for the cats (yes they need daily exercise too!) but tendencies for bone problems like hip dysplasia or cardiac problems are a concern. We want to increase our chances of having the dog to be able to exercise with us until it gets old and lazy right as we are getting older and lazier.

Unimportant

Ease of housebreaking- we are patient and tolerant and accustomed to working with problem animals and will not be put off by a breed that takes longer than average to be housetrained.

Intelligence & trainability- we just want a great pet. I'd like to pursue more advanced training or at least get to the point where he or she would ignore distractions but if the right dog for us isn't blessed with smarts or a natural inclination to please we will work with what we are given and adapt training to suit the dog.

Shedding/ drooling- One of my favorite dogs was a Newfoundland that drooled excessively. Wearing sandals in the house and keeping toilet lids down is a fair price to pay for a great companion. Likewise shedding is no concern.

Appearance- We have zero preference and see beauty in every breed from the hairless to the hairiest.

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this!!!
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message

 
Old 02-02-2016, 03:16 PM
 
17,386 posts, read 11,902,357 times
Reputation: 16131
Quote:
Originally Posted by Majesticmarmocet View Post
This is going to be a long post so I will really appreciate anyone who reads the whole thing. Over the last ten years I've periodically researched dog breeds even though I wasn't ready to own another one. When I got my last dog we didn't have the internet as a resource. I'm finding that now it is a blessing and a curse. I have taken many quizzes to help select a breed of dog that is right for you. The answers are always so different and when I do further research on the best match I find things that are contrary to what I need in a dog so I'm primarily looking for personal recommendations.

My situation: I work from home most days and probably will be for the next few years at least so I feel that it's time for us to start thinking about getting a dog in the next 1 to 2 years. Ideally I'd go through the application process with a rescue or shelter and then wait for the right dog to be available. First I have to capture and fix a bunch of feral cats that come on my property this is going to be a big expense for this year so the new dog is going to come after the initial spay/ neuter and vaccination costs for these 20 or so cats. Still, I'd like to narrow down what breeds to start looking at.

I have owned dogs in the past. My mom likes dogs so we always had one and when I was in college I got my own dog- a poodle/ pomeranian mix. She was on the small side for me and couldn't keep up with my activity level much of the time but she was a perfect fit for my husband. She had a good long life but as many years have passed since she crossed over the bridge I realize I was a lazy pet owner. She only got training in basic commands and we let her rule the house. I know a lot more now than I did then because I've been researching in anticipation of getting the next dog for quite a few years.

I've been active in cat rescue and have taken a course in animal psychology- which just touched on training methods for dogs. When I get closer to actually getting a dog I will take a course in training but I will also utilize the training classes at petco. Optimally, if the dog takes to training, I'd get them to pass the good citizen course. I work with a behaviorist for one of my cats so if there are behavioral issues with the dog we are already prepared with a good behaviorist.

I live in an semi-urban area in a smallish single family home with a fenced in backyard (25x 30 ft only, fence is at least 6 ft high). Houses here are very close together. The area is pro-dog. There is a parade of dogs every morning. Most of them are small dogs but we do have a few people who've rescued pit bulls. They are very well trained dogs and are always leashed. My husband and I have no kids and we rarely have kids visiting. When we do, they are older kids.

We would be looking at shelters and breed specific rescues first and are completely open to getting a mutt but even the mutts listed on websites are describes as being a mix between certain breeds. I'm hoping to get an idea of which breed mixes to avoid and which ones might be a good fit.

I do realize every dog is an individual and a lot of the dog's personality is dependent on early socialization with other dogs, people and new experiences.

That said here is what is very important for our next dog:

cat-friendly- a lot of breeds that get recommended to me on the quizzes are not considered cat friendly even though I always check the answer that states the dog must get along with other pets. This is the most frustrating problem I'm having with the quizzes. We have three cats that are not scared of dogs. They are very attached to each other and I predict that they will want to play with the dog and also groom the dog. I want a dog that can be best buds with cats. This is extremely important to us.

Stranger friendly- we are looking for a dog that views each deserving human it meets as a member of the pack. We entertain on a weekly basis and want to take the dog with us when we go into town. I'm looking for a breed that is not known for being nervous around new people.

Dog friendly- a breed that's not known for being dog-aggressive. Our dog will have to have respect for other dogs so he can join in at dog parks and on the daily puppy parade of dog walkers around our house.

Not intimidated by noise and animation- we don't have a house full of yelling but we do listen to loud music sometimes and we have musical instruments. I'd rather have a dog that will sing along to the music than one who shivers and hides. Likewise my husband is jovial and loud and talks with his hands. Some dogs react nervously to his boisterousness others aren't bothered. Our dog would have to be able to be around an energetic person.

Couch potato who is also eager to exercise: I want a dog that enjoys exercise and going jogging (once it's bones have matured enough) or for two mile walks but can have lazy days with just shorter walks. Even though I am home most of the time our weekends will be busy so the dog will have to get by just by being walked on Saturdays. We might have some time on Sunday for ball throwing in the back yard for 20 minutes but it's not likely we will go jogging or walk all the way into town. Exercise requirement questions on the quizzes always give me trouble because I want a dog that can be athletic but doesn't need to always be working/ running in order to have mental balance. On quizzes I usually check the box for "couch potato" because I want our dog not to be suffering if it has a low activity weekend.

High affection- we want a velcro dog. The always at your side please rub my belly kind of dog.

Moderately important

grooming requirements- we know how to use clippers and can do basic bathing and grooming. We don't care about shedding, snoring, farting or drooling/ slobber but we would prefer a breed that only needs to go to a professional groomer a few times a year than one who needs to go every 6-8 weeks.

Size- My ideal dog is a big dog that thinks he's a lap dog but is too big to fit in a lap. My husband's ideal dog would be one light enough to be picked up and one small enough to be a genuine lap dog. We are each willing to budge on our ideal for the right dog. In general we'd consider dogs that are 15 lbs and up but probably not over 50-60 lbs. Afterall our house is small and the dog would need to fit into an enclosure in the back of our CRV for vet visits and trips.

Lifespan and health- we have experienced the heartbreak of losing animals. As shelter workers at a no-kill facility we experience loss too often with elderly cats so my husband and I both agree that we want a dog that has a longevity in the 12+ years category. Likewise, we want a breed that isn't riddled with health issues. I understand that working with a good breeder is better for getting a healthy animal but we will most likely rescue so we won't have prior testing and knowledge of pedigree to work off of. So, we want to rule out dogs that have more than their share of known health issues. I am less concerned about obesity related health problems since we will make fitness a priority for the dog as we do for the cats (yes they need daily exercise too!) but tendencies for bone problems like hip dysplasia or cardiac problems are a concern. We want to increase our chances of having the dog to be able to exercise with us until it gets old and lazy right as we are getting older and lazier.

Unimportant

Ease of housebreaking- we are patient and tolerant and accustomed to working with problem animals and will not be put off by a breed that takes longer than average to be housetrained.

Intelligence & trainability- we just want a great pet. I'd like to pursue more advanced training or at least get to the point where he or she would ignore distractions but if the right dog for us isn't blessed with smarts or a natural inclination to please we will work with what we are given and adapt training to suit the dog.

Shedding/ drooling- One of my favorite dogs was a Newfoundland that drooled excessively. Wearing sandals in the house and keeping toilet lids down is a fair price to pay for a great companion. Likewise shedding is no concern.

Appearance- We have zero preference and see beauty in every breed from the hairless to the hairiest.

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this!!!
Golden Retriever. Seems to tick all of your boxes.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 03:18 PM
 
Location: ATL & LA
986 posts, read 1,852,994 times
Reputation: 1597
After years of research, I am getting a Brussels Griffon soon. Here are some of the reasons why I chose this wonderful (but rare, and quite hard to find) breed. It strikes me as a breed you'll want to look into!
  • Often described as a "velcro" dog - affectionate, funny, and loves all of it's family, but has a special attachment towards 1 person usually
  • Small dog (but thinks he's big, so best of both worlds!)
  • They can live 10-15 years on average
  • They are great apartment dogs, and really adapt to whatever exercise level you are! So if you want a dog who will run with you, they will. But if you also want a dog where you just have to take them on regular walks and aren't very active with them outside of that, they'll adapt to that too.
  • They usually get along great with other pets and cats.
  • The rough-coated ones don't require clipping. You can just "hand-strip" them a few times a year. So they're pretty low maintenance (and don't shed if you hand-strip them). You can learn to do this yourself, or you can find a groomer that knows how to hand-strip terriers.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 03:20 PM
 
Location: Houston TX
269 posts, read 177,189 times
Reputation: 323
In before some idiot says Pit bull and starts an argument that takes over the thread.

Also, +1 on the Golden Retriever .
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 03:33 PM
 
Location: North Idaho
32,509 posts, read 47,521,327 times
Reputation: 77823
Quote:
Originally Posted by Majesticmarmocet View Post
...........

cat-friendly-
Stranger friendly-
Dog friendly-
Not intimidated by noise and animation-

Couch potato who is also eager to exercise:
High affection- we want a velcro dog.

............!
Cat friendly: most dogs will tolerate their own cats in their own house, with a little bit of careful training. Biggest risk to cats is taking in an adult dog that little is known about. To be extra secure, stay away from breeds whose only purpose was to kill, like the entire terrier group. Even terriers can be OK with their own cats if they are started young and carefully trained.

If you want cat safe, I suggest that you start with a puppy and pay attention to the training.

Many dogs who are cat safe for their own family's cats are not safe for stray cats. Keep that in mind.

Stranger friendly. Some of this is training and some of it is genetics. Every breed needs good socialization in order to be good with strangers. Some of the guarding breeds might not be good for you. Livestock guardians might not be good for you. A few of the guarding breeds are great with strangers as long as they are socialized. I've owned German Shepherds and they were all rock solid about strangers, although they would accept attention but not seek it. I've know Dobermans who were wonderful with strangers and kids. Some of that is brains, some of it is confidence, and most of that is good judgement on the part of the dog.

Stranger friendly. The spaniels and the British origin gun dogs all seem to love everybody. Because they were bred to arrive at a hunt with lots of strange people and several strange dogs and to get along and get their job done without jealousy.

Dog friendly. Spaniels and the British origin gun dogs are almost always born dog and stranger friendly. That's what their job was. Herding dogs, not so much, since it was their job to chase off threats to the livestock. Terriers tend to be scrappy, so not always good with other dogs. Hounds are almost always OK with strange dogs and people.

High affection. Toy breeds were developed for no other reason than to be lap dogs. Spaniels are affectionate. Hounds tend to be more aloof, except for possibly beagles. Beagles love to follow a trail more then they want people, but when they are not hunting, they want to be in a lap. Probably the pack hunting scent hounds are all that way. They will sit in your lap as long as there is nothing better to do.

Not intimidated by noise. That varies by each individual, but the gun dogs and spaniels don't seem to care. They were developed to be around guns. I've had sight hounds around exploding cannons and they barely glanced the first time and ignored it after that. The sight hounds don't do the high affection that you want. My Leonbergers and 99% of my German Shepherds didn't care about loud noise.

Much bigger than you want, but take a look at the Leonberger. Easy grooming, can take a 5 mile jog, excellent judgement, like everyone, not fighters, have nothing against cats, they will protect you but you won't believe that until the chips are down and they are right there, because they think everyone is wonderful and you won't be able to imagine them ever biting anyone. Of course, do not do it if you don't like to be the center of attention because they draw crowds.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 03:57 PM
 
Location: FL
297 posts, read 570,816 times
Reputation: 745
I have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, 25 pounds. He's light enough to pick up if I have to, but too big to fit on my lap, so he just lays next to me or across my lap.

He loves everybody and everything. To him, there's no such thing as a stranger. If Godzilla walked down the street, he'd run up to make friends.

He's happy to do whatever I want to do, as long as he's with me. He loves car rides, walks, running on the beach, laying around watching TV (as long as he can cuddle!), going to the vet - he loves, loves, loves going to the vet so he can visit with everyone there! He's a velcro dog, must be in my office with me when I'm working (I work from home), sleeps in the bed.

He gets a short haircut every 3 months. No, he doesn't have the Cavalier look with the short hair, but we're both happier since he doesn't get matted and I don't have to brush him.

My biggest problem with him is when I have to crate him when a service person comes into my house. He cries and cries because he wants to meet the person and make friends.

He's 11 years old now and I've never seen him show fear. Oblivious to fireworks and other noise. He doesn't like to swim, but I met a woman with a Cavalier at the beach and hers was sopping wet from swimming in the ocean, so it's isn't a breed thing, just his preference.

Edited to add: I already had a cat when I got the Cav. My cat wanted nothing to do with the dog. But the Cav wouldn't take no for an answer, and they quickly became the best of friends.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 04:28 PM
 
17,386 posts, read 11,902,357 times
Reputation: 16131
Quote:
Originally Posted by TheKiwi View Post
After years of research, I am getting a Brussels Griffon soon. Here are some of the reasons why I chose this wonderful (but rare, and quite hard to find) breed. It strikes me as a breed you'll want to look into!
  • Often described as a "velcro" dog - affectionate, funny, and loves all of it's family, but has a special attachment towards 1 person usually
  • Small dog (but thinks he's big, so best of both worlds!)
  • They can live 10-15 years on average
  • They are great apartment dogs, and really adapt to whatever exercise level you are! So if you want a dog who will run with you, they will. But if you also want a dog where you just have to take them on regular walks and aren't very active with them outside of that, they'll adapt to that too.
  • They usually get along great with other pets and cats.
  • The rough-coated ones don't require clipping. You can just "hand-strip" them a few times a year. So they're pretty low maintenance (and don't shed if you hand-strip them). You can learn to do this yourself, or you can find a groomer that knows how to hand-strip terriers.
I wouldn't run with a Brussels. They're brachycephalic, and very sensitive to heat.

As for hand-stripping, that's a tough thing to do on a dog. Have you ever hand stripped? I could never do it - my hands wouldn't hold up. And finding a groomer that hand strips will be VERY expensive.

That said, I think they're a great little dog.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 04:34 PM
 
Location: ATL & LA
986 posts, read 1,852,994 times
Reputation: 1597
Quote:
Originally Posted by ringwise View Post
I wouldn't run with a Brussels. They're brachycephalic, and very sensitive to heat.

As for hand-stripping, that's a tough thing to do on a dog. Have you ever hand stripped? I could never do it - my hands wouldn't hold up. And finding a groomer that hand strips will be VERY expensive.

That said, I think they're a great little dog.
Will not run long distances. 1/2 mile at most.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 04:34 PM
 
Location: City Data Land
17,156 posts, read 12,872,384 times
Reputation: 33164
Quote:
Originally Posted by ringwise View Post
I wouldn't run with a Brussels. They're brachycephalic, and very sensitive to heat.

As for hand-stripping, that's a tough thing to do on a dog. Have you ever hand stripped? I could never do it - my hands wouldn't hold up. And finding a groomer that hand strips will be VERY expensive.

That said, I think they're a great little dog.
Agreed with everything you said about Brussels. They are charming dogs, but not dogs you want to run with. I second the vote for Leonberger. I have Great Danes and they fit most all OP's requirements as well. They are VERY low key dogs, but love good exercise. They bark when need be, sleep most of the time, but love to run. And clippers not needed If you get the American variety, drooling is not an issue. The heavier Euro tupe has a more Mastiff appearance with the thick jowls and drooling.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
 
Old 02-02-2016, 04:35 PM
 
7,329 posts, read 16,354,957 times
Reputation: 9692
I just wanted to say that when a dog at a shelter or rescue is listed as a mix of two breeds, that is usually a guess on the part of the people who run it. Even if they were told certain breeds by owners who surrendered the dog, that might also have been a guess on someone's part (and vets are no better at guessing than anyone else who's somewhat knowledgeable). My point being, quizzes about breeds are not going to help that much if you are looking at shelter mutts. I just suggest going and looking at dogs until you find one that clicks with you and your husband. They can test them with cats, and if the dog is in foster, many foster homes have cats, so you can find out with even more certainty. Cat friendliness is my number one requirement for dogs, so I totally understand that that comes first. Certain breeds have reputations for being less cat-friendly (huskies, greyhounds, and chow chows come to mind), but that doesn't mean it will be true for every individual dog. I'm not going to recommend any particular breed, including pit bulls. I can't help bringing up that I have 2 pit mixes (both young adults when we adopted them) along with cats, since some people think that's a bad idea, but I have no intention of making this a thread about pit bulls as a choice of pet!! I hope no one will jump in and do just that.
Reply With Quote Quick reply to this message
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.


Reply
Please update this thread with any new information or opinions. This open thread is still read by thousands of people, so we encourage all additional points of view.

Quick Reply
Message:


Over $104,000 in prizes was already given out to active posters on our forum and additional giveaways are planned!

Go Back   City-Data Forum > General Forums > Pets > Dogs

All times are GMT -6.

© 2005-2024, Advameg, Inc. · Please obey Forum Rules · Terms of Use and Privacy Policy · Bug Bounty

City-Data.com - Contact Us - Archive 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37 - Top