Advice needed regarding choosing a dog breed
ivamae
11 years ago
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mountain_lady
11 years agoNancy in Mich
11 years agoRelated Discussions
What breed of dog would you recommend?
Comments (44)bumblebeez - that's why we take off our shoes at the door. Thanks guys for defending me. Rilie - I wouldn't hose DD off with disinfectant, she already washes her hands when she comes home (as we all do). If she's dirty (I mean really dirty), she takes off her clothes when she takes off her shoes. DH gets so filthy sometimes he takes off his clothes in the garage and puts them in a hamper out there - I'm washing his clothes right now, one pair of jeans was so caked with mud that I had to rinse them off in the utility sink before putting them in the washer (on double rinse). I've even mentioned thinking of getting another W/D hookup in the basement and moving the old pair down there so we can wash the "farm" clothes in separate machine than the "school" and "office" clothes. I don't like finding bits of hay in my bath towels. Of course DH doesn't like finding DD's hair on his clothes or my hair in his food either. I don't get *quite* as filthy as DH, but there are plenty of times that I strip down in the mudroom and run upstairs in my skivvies to take a shower (shoulda had a shower put in the mudroom - have to see if we can put one in basement as originally planned). We also have to check each other for ticks. Sorry if TMI, but that's just a fact of living on acreage. So I wouldn't be able to get a dog until we got a dog bath LOL if it got as dirty as DH! But with the coyote(s), I don't think a dog is a good idea anyway. Now, back to folding whites (washed in bleach and hot water to kill germs LOL)!...See MoreWhat dog breed for us?
Comments (44)Hey coleen, interesting that you should say that your Westie would look away when you asked her to sit. Looking away is actually a "calming signal" for dogs. There are some excellent resources out there that explain more about calming signals than I ever could, but the gist of it is that dogs display certain behaviours when stressed, and people often misinterpret them. Yawning is a really common stress signal in dogs. I compete in dog sports like obedience, and it's REALLY common to see stressed dogs yawning throughout very stressful exercises like the long stays. Sniffing the ground is another calming signal, which again is very commonly observed during obedience stay exercises. It's really common to hear people come out of the ring and say "wow, there really was something stinky on the floor that Fido just had to sniff at", when it's just as likely that Fido was stressed out by the weird environment and an owner who was also stressed by competition, and tries to deflect the stress by sniffing. My guy's stress signal is looking away, and lip-licking. If you watch dogs in situations that make them nervous, like meeting a strange dog, you'll see that they look away. On the rare occasion that I have been really steaming mad with my guy, he desperately tries every calming signal he knows ... he turns away from me, he curves his body, he makes himself small, he walks very slowly and deliberately, he licks his lips and he lies down facing away from me. In fact, I have to be careful with my guy, since he reads my mood better than I do ! If he is displaying any of these behaviours, I have to stop and ask myself if I am mad at anything ! Last night I was cranky with my contractor, and my poor dog was trying his best to get me to calm down. So maybe your girl was not sure what you were asking her to do, and was a little stressed about it ? I am really glad to hear what a good relationship your DD has with her, and it sounds like she will be wonderful with the new pup. I really second oceanna's advice to get pup into a good puppy-K class right away, and socialise, socialise, socialise ! Take him EVERYWHERE until he is 16-20 weeks old, help him see lots of different people, places, activities, events, happy things, scary things etc. The socialisation window for puppies is short and closes around that time ... now is your chance to set him up for success later in life....See MoreAdvice needed on choosing a compatible dog breed
Comments (10)I'm going to put in a plug here for adopting an older dog, at least 3-4 yrs old. Puppies of any breed, large or small, can be very high energy, and require a lot of time and patience to train. When adopting any dog, you have to ask the right questions and hope those trying to home these dogs will be honest and forthright about why they were surrendered. But there are many reasons, besides behavior problems, why older dogs find themselves between homes. Family breakups, homelessness, and allergies, are a few possibilities. Older dogs are less desired at shelters, and too often are euthanized because wayyyy too many people get seduced by the cuteness of puppies, without fully appreciating the work involved in raising them. I got my dog at 7 yrs of age, when her orig owner died. She is the sweetest, most mellow girl imaginable. And contrary to the old proverb, you can teach an old dog new tricks. Mind you, her fairy godmother (the orig owner's sister) related that as a pup, she was a holy terror, barking, chewing, destroying property, and jumping on guests. But like most of us, as she matured, she left behind her adolescent excesses and has many years left as a sweet loving companion....See MoreNeed advice on what kind of little dog to buy
Comments (13)Well first of all, you had me at "I find them instead to be overbreeded, yappy and high-strung". I expected to open this post and find yet another person who wants a chihuahua or yorkie for their 3 year old. LOL Not only because I do love a rescue dog, but primarily because of what you said - a mix may be less high strung because they aren't as overbred. I'll also vote for a rescue. You can still find very small mix rescues. One thing to bear in mind though (as another poster mentioned) is your mother's age. I'm going to bet she'd prefer an adult rather than the higher maintenance of a puppy. In addition, age is a consideration due to the possibility of the dog outliving the owner. I bring this up because its difficult when someone adopts a baby toy breed that will live to be 18 years old, and the adoptor is already in their 70's. When the owner passes, unfortunately this can leave a situation of trying to house a now-geriatric pet. Tiny dogs have better prospects in those situations, but its good to at least try to match up the life expectancies. (Sorry if this is anyway harsh sounding, I'm only trying to be practical and helpful). In addition, with age comes energy-level. That should be a consideration too. There are small breeds and toy breeds that aren't long haired which would be a little less grooming. However, all dogs do have vet bills. For small dogs with short hair, I'm thinking dachschund and pugs. But there are others out there of course and plenty of mixes in between....See Moreryseryse_2004
10 years agoYorkies2
10 years agoangiepangie
10 years agorobertz6
10 years ago
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