Quote:
Originally Posted by jwslam
Do you have friends you could dog-sit for a week to understand the impact on your daily life?
A friend of mine recently got a puppy, and about 3 days in she got the equivalent of post-partum depression (puppy blues)
|
I've actually had dogs most of my life, just haven't been able to since we put our last dog down as we rent and moved to a place that doesn't allow pets.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tvp2003
Sorry, couldn’t resist... |
You stole my response.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Azure
Good thread idea.
I've been thinking about getting a Golden Retriever. Any thoughts? Obviously a good breeder is important.
Has to be good around kids and lots of neighbors.
Thoughts on what to look for?
|
Not a golden retriever, but my sister has a beautiful black lab and my understanding temperament is similar. He is wonderful with children, my little nephews have done so many things and he just takes it until he's annoyed and walks away. But once you start playing with him, it's impossible to get him to stop. As much as I love lab breeds, I know they are not for me lol.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Red Slinger
Just to reiterate what a few others have said, check out the local shelters and rescues first. Most of the dogs will be mixed breeds which come with fewer health issues. Yes, there is a greater chance of behavior issues because that's probably what landed them in the shelter to begin with. But there are no bad dogs, just bad dog owners and with proper training any dog can be a good boy/girl.
I'd say when choosing a dog make sure you really pay attention to the dogs energy level and don't just fall for looks. The worst thing you can do is to get a high energy dog and put it in a lifestyle where it won't get enough exercise. It will find a way to release their energy, which is often destructive. Conversely, if you have a very active lifestyle but the dog is too low energy, it will probably lead to frustration on your part, which a dog can sense.
Puppies are cute and a blank slate but they are a lot of work. If you've never had a puppy before it can be a difficult experience depending on the breed and personality. If you are going to get a puppy from a breeder do a lot of research for the type of breed that fits your lifestyle. There are a lot of resources online about how to choose a dog. Even then not all puppies from the same litter will have the same personality traits so if possible try to watch interact for a while before picking one and try not to just fall for the most charismatic or cute puppy. The most playful puppy in a litter is sometimes also the most dominant and may have a natural tendency to want to be the Alpha in your family, if you let it. And of course, make sure you do research on the breeder and invest in a good trainer.
I've had dogs throughout my entire life. The best dog I've ever had is the one I have now (or more to the point, I'm a better dog owner now) partly because her energy level fits my lifestyle. She is a Lab/Rottweiler/Newfy/Pitbull/Boxer/Minature Poodle/African Mystery Breed cross (we had her DNA tested) and has brought nothing but joy to my life, which I've never been able to say about a dog before. Unfortunately, there are a lot of great dogs that are put down every year while at the same time some not-so-reputable breeders continue to churn out vanity pets with chronic health issues for people to use dogs as fashion accessories.
|
Great post.
I've been looking at the shelter here in town (live in Lethbridge) and several rescue organizations, but at least in this area the available dogs are all very high energy or are aggressive towards children/men because some useless prick hurt them. You are 100% right about there not being bad dogs, but bad owners can cause trauma that sticks with those poor guys for life.
I have definitely considered my lifestyle as I can't even consider so many of my favorite breeds due to their energy levels. Then again, I have never met a dog I didn't fall in love with immediately.
I too have had dogs most of my life, all but one were dogs we saved from bad homes, the other was from the litter of our next door neighbor, who we raised from a puppy. They all lived long healthy lives.... except Spike, I left the gate open when I was 8 or 9 and he he ran out when my dad started using a power tool, he was hit by a car and to this day I never leave a gate unlatched
I've actually just opened up to the breeder idea and that is why I posted because I've been having no luck through shelters and rescue organizations and would like to add to our family before Spring.