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.
a Doberman would fit in every aspect EXcEPT your size requiemrnet, a SMALL female might work, but otherwise id expect a Doberman to go over your max weight limit, my girls well within breed standard and 75-80lbs...males easily hit 85-90lbs and some big euro lines go bigger than that.
perhaps a Manchester terrier might work if you can find one, or a min pin...expose to cats early as they can have abit of prey drive, but otherwise would easily fit your needs, intelligent, loyal, were bred to work, love to learn, love their people..
I don't know if it is the oil. Scottish Deerhounds can have an extremely oily coat. If they are not bathed, their coat feels like a waxed jacket, very weatherproof, but they are virtually odorless. If they are really dirty and you get your nose close to them, they smell like dirt (earth).
Some of the wire haired terriers tend to be strongly scented if the coat is not kept up, which means stripped and groomed, not clippered.
Often, odor is a yeast infection in the ears, impacted anal glands, tonsillitis, or infected teeth. Sometimes a bad diet makes the skin smell bad. Dogs do tend to smell a bit like whatever they are eating. They also smell if their bedding is never washed.
I haven't noticed any pitbulls that smell bad. The biggest problem with a pitbull is that it will prevent you from renting an apartment or house. It might cause you insurance problems. It can cause problems on walks when you encounter people who are afraid of them.
There can be temperament issues with pitbulls. Temperament is very much inherited and too many pitbulls are virtually random bred without any pedigree research or without bothering to investigate whether or not the dog is good enough to be breeding stock. Some of the pitbull crosses are sired by loose running, undisciplined males who belong to people who don't know and don't care what their dog is doing. The owner of the litter doesn't know who the sire is, what his temperament is like, whether he is dangerous around other dogs, nothing about him.
Those random bred or irresponsibly bred pitbulls could be anything They might be nice dogs, they might have a screw loose, they might be genetically healthy, they might not.
A registered American Staffordshire from a reputable breeder is probably going to be an excellent dog, carefully bred for health and temperament, but he will still come with the issue that he is not welcome in a rental and people are still going to be afraid of him.
I've noted odor in some dogs due to other problems, not simply bully breeds smelling. Maybe I am used to it or my dogs don't smell. I think you are on the right track, there can be a lot of causes to odor, so possibly people find the dog smells without realizing there is an underlying cause. An undiagnosed thyroid problem could even cause this. I think usually if the dog has an off putting odor it is for a reason, more than breed or being short coat, ect.
I don't think a Pit Bull is a good choice for anyone wanting to rent an apartment. It can be such a hardship. The Pit to AST comparison, well wasn't exactly an equal comparison. I would have to agree 100% that getting an irresponsibly bred Pit Bull is a big risk in health and temperament. Getting a well bred AST would likely be a good dog. However, likewise getting a well bred Pit Bull would also likely be a good dog, and a poorly bred AST could have temperament and health issues. The key to stacking the deck in your favor would be the breeder, regardless of breed.
I think they need to do more research into breeds to find one that's going to fit their requirements.
I would say heck no on the border collie and Aussie. They don't adjust well to apartment living; they need space to roam and a job to do. Anyway, it's extremely unlikely you would find any good breeder willing to sell you one. A relative who is on his second border collie had to go to several breeders before he could find one that would sell him a dog because he didn't have livestock, just a few horses, and only has 2 acres in the country. He had to work pretty hard to convince the breeder that he could provide the dog with enough work to keep it busy. He was only successful because he had previous experience with border collies, he lived in a rural setting and the dog was intended to be a companion on horse rides. Another relative tried an Aussie living in a SFH in the suburbs and it was a nightmare. The dog didn't get enough exercise and was left along all day so it destroyed the house and escaped several times. They had to rehome the dog within a year. Very few herding dogs work well for apartment living; they're just too smart, too high energy and too high maintenance.
I would say no to the Pit just because nearly all apartments ban them; it would make it practically impossible for you to find a new rental and your current rental probably won't let you have it anyway. Many condo HOAs also ban pitbulls. I won't even touch on all the additional pitfalls to owning a breed frequently known for being aggressive and dangerous. Additionally, it seems as if you're looking for a purebred dog and pitbulls are not a purebred dog.
Dalmatians are also not good apartment dogs; too high maintenance and too high energy. Tollers are an uncommon dog and would be hard to find and likely expensive if you did find a litter.
No to the Jack Russell and any other dogs under 20 pounds because there's no way they'll be able to run 6+ miles several times a week. Although I agree with the others who have said there's really no dog that's a good choice for apartment living that will be able to run that much. The dogs that can are going to be miserable for apartment and city living. And I also agree that few dogs will be willing to run for 6 miles straight on a leash anyway. Dogs take too many rest and sniffing breaks to make good long distance on leash running companions.
Your best solution is to get a dog that's good for apartment living, run with it maybe a mile or two a few times a week and leave the dog at home for your longer runs.
Last edited by patches403; 02-11-2016 at 01:20 AM..
a Doberman would fit in every aspect EXcEPT your size requiemrnet, a SMALL female might work, but otherwise id expect a Doberman to go over your max weight limit, my girls well within breed standard and 75-80lbs...males easily hit 85-90lbs and some big euro lines go bigger than that.
perhaps a Manchester terrier might work if you can find one, or a min pin...expose to cats early as they can have abit of prey drive, but otherwise would easily fit your needs, intelligent, loyal, were bred to work, love to learn, love their people..
He wants an athlete who can RUN 6 miles or more - on concrete. Won't work.
What breeds would you recommend for an active 24 year old living in a very urban environment?
Here are qualities that are important:
- Can live with a cat and another dog
- Loves to be trained and would do agility and lots of tricks
- Not over 65 pounds or under 10-15
- Could run with me, longer than 6 mile runs and hikes
- Would prefer a dog in the herding or sporting groups but open to any suggestions
- Velcro dog, lives for attention. Doesn't need to love strangers, but not overly suspicious either
- Relatively healthy (so no GSDs or labs)
- Would swim in water
- Most importantly, could live happily in the city and all that comes with that - kids, dogs, trucks, trains, sounds, stores, all different kinds of people and stimulus, etc
- Not looking for a shelter dog. this time around i want a pup from health tested working parents
Most important questions you left out. How many hours a day will the dog be left alone?
In my experience, a LARGE part of you finding what you are looking for is going to be contingent on you taking the dogs for that run - like at least 5 days a week. That is going to be critical. And at least half of that run is going to have to be about letting the DOGS do their thing somehow. Not many dogs are going to be happy JUST tagging along for 6 miles.
IMO, you should reconsider labs, but I agree about GSD. All the collie types - Aus, border, English, Shelty, can do well in the circumstances you describe. If the exercise is guaranteed. But they might not, and it is more up to the individual dog than the breed, I think. I have known Aus and Shelty who do well w/o the exercise regimen, and do ok. And I've known other dogs who were terrors if they were w/o.
Shelter dogs. IMO, more important that you get them young, e.g. 4 mo., than worry about shelter vs purebred. Adult dogs (=>8 mos) are getting tied into routines, habits, expectations. Life templates are, for the most part, in place. You've still got some room to work with @ 8 mos, but the clock is ticking.
Not to say you can't work with dogs older than 8 mos. You can. I am right now. It is just more time-consuming, and a much slower process. And some things may take years to overcome.
The working collie types have the advantage, for you, of fitting your weight profile. And their abilities fit your stated needs. They pick up stuff pretty well.
I would suggest you read Jean Donaldson's "Culture Wars", and Suzanne Clothier's stuff (if you can find it), and Ian Dunbar. I think they may give you a slightly new perspective on what working with dogs is all about - and if you do get some gold nuggets from these trainers/authors - you may change what dog you decide to take into your life.
The routine you describe could be "heaven" on earth for a dog - if you understand what the dog is thinking, and what the dog needs.
Good luck!
I disagree about the shelties. They should never live in apartments as they bark. A lot.
An anecdote suddenly popped into my head. I was in San Diego, sitting in a car at a stop light and a runner went by. His dog was running behind him, struggling. The look on the dog's face was shear desperation. He was beyond his limit and he was terrified that his owner was going to run off and leave him.
I can't remember what breed it was. The runner was totally oblivious to his dog's plight. Probably bragging to his buddies how the pooch kept up with him as he trained for the marathon. Poor dog. That was a long time ago and I can still remember the look on that dog's face.
I disagree about the shelties. They should never live in apartments as they bark. A lot.
Feel free to disagree! Still, tho, I have known some who did well in a fairly sedentary lifestyle.
Even today, one of my best friends has one who would rather stay home than go with them on a walk. He did used to walk with them (they are in their 70's, and no longer go for runs!), but he has some arthritis issues, even tho he is not "old" yet (<10, but I forget exactly), so he would rather walk around the yard. Obviously, he would not fit the OP's requirements, but my point is quite valid - individual dogs' behavior patterns and needs will vary, even in the high-energy breeds. I have a sister with an Aus who gets little more than standard walks, and they do fine.
And both of those dogs bark, but not unnecessarily. They bark "a lot" only when somebody comes to the door or pulls in the driveway. After a bit they calm back down. Alert over, barking done. Others, as you note, are just plain barky. I remember some apartments where that would be a problem, and some where it would not. So, yeah, that might be a consideration.
Still, as I did before, I recommend to look elsewhere than the high-energy breeds, as they ARE more likely to be incompatible with the OP's characteristics. And one might not even realize it on meeting a dog, or even living with it for a short while.
Border Collie, the smartest. My dog can wait on the mail (big help, since I am slightly deaf), she can retrieve from the frige, she wakes me up when I set an alarm and do not hear it, otherwise, she lets me sleep.
a Doberman would fit in every aspect EXcEPT your size requiemrnet, a SMALL female might work, but otherwise id expect a Doberman to go over your max weight limit, my girls well within breed standard and 75-80lbs...males easily hit 85-90lbs and some big euro lines go bigger than that.
perhaps a Manchester terrier might work if you can find one, or a min pin...expose to cats early as they can have abit of prey drive, but otherwise would easily fit your needs, intelligent, loyal, were bred to work, love to learn, love their people..
Could a miniature pinscher run six miles? There is a regular jogger on my road who sometimes used to bring his dog with - I think he jogs about 5 miles. Haven't seen the dog in a year or so. No idea why, this is not a neighbor I "know", other than having seen him on his jogging route for years now. Anyway, his dog looked a bit like a min pin.
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.
