I want a puppy

[Crown Royal]

Hey all.

So, the wifey and I want to expand our family by getting a puppy. Well, more me than her, but she is on board.

I've thought about rescues, but due to my physical and mental health, I know I need to find the right breed of dog that fits with a fairly sedentary lifestyle and makes a great companion animal. So that makes finding the right fit via rescue quite difficult, my sister has a little boy as well that will end up playing with teh dog, so the idea of one with potential behavioral issues or triggers does scare me a little.

After doing research, I feel a Pug is a good fit for me, but due to their health problems, I have decided a Pug cross would be the better idea. Perhaps a Bugg (Boston Terrier/Pug cross).

Do anyone know of any reputable breeders in the Calgary or Lethbridge areas? I would also be willing to go to Edmonton, Cranbrook and Medicine Hat if I need to.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Calgary14]

Dawn's Dawgs (Estevan, Sask) - not close but worth it

[Locke]

Well you cant have mine.

[Ironhorse]

Reputable, proven breeder is key here. A lot of the fashion cross breeds come with all sorts of health problems.

[Crown Royal]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Reputable, proven breeder is key here. A lot of the fashion cross breeds come with all sorts of health problems.

absolutely, like with the Bugg for example, I would want the parents to be Boston Terrier and Pug, because when they start breeding a Bugg with a Boston Terrier or Pug, they start having more health problems. But the Pug has enough problems where they need to cross them to try and help them be healthier.

[bagofpucks]

Just my two cents, but after owning a Pekingese, I would stay away from any dog with a smooshed in face if you are worried about having health concerns pop up. We are super careful with our guy and he’s still had a few overheat moments in 23 degrees weather.

[troutman]

Parrots live longer.

[afc wimbledon]

Originally Posted by troutman

Parrots live longer.

and endearingly #### on everything you own, cost a fortune to feed as they eat maybe 10% of the food you give them and scatter the other 90% around the room ensuring that you will also have mice and rats for 'pets' within a few months if you're not careful, are so loud you will be evicted every few months, top pets they are

[afc wimbledon]

mut's are always healthier, make friends at the pound and something will turn up

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Retired racing greyhound if you like sedentary. They just want to spend the rest of their life lounging around. Dumb as a sack of rocks though.

[TurdFerguson]

We've had a Puggle (long-snout version) for 13 years and he's still going strong; very healthy and active. Great family dog with lots of energy (in a good way). Aside from an unbelievable food drive (beagle), which has gotten him in some trouble over the years, we've had no health issues with him.

We actually just picked up another Puggle (Pug mom, Beagle Dad) from the Vernon area last weekend, he was the last of his litter though and the end of the breading line for that particular group. Sorry, I don't have another referral but I certainly have had good experience with the Pug-Beagle mashup.

Good luck!

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Retired racing greyhound if you like sedentary. They just want to spend the rest of their life lounging around. Dumb as a sack of rocks though.

Yeah, they are great dogs, especially for apartment people. They typically don't bark or jump people. They are easy to keep clean and don't shed a lot. They a very gentle around kids. They actually seem to enjoy cuddling up.

Even the ones that do race, still spend a lot of their down time chillin'

I kind of want a Xolo, just because they are so gnarly looking. That or Brussel's Griffon. Or a Corgy.

I think I just like ridiculously looking dogs.

[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)

[DeluxeMoustache]

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)

Um. Okay. This confused me. Would you care to elaborate?

I know that puppies take time and involve a lifestyle change.

Are you inferring that post partum depression is pretty much in line with, essentially, buyers remorse?

If so, then sorry, you really don’t get it.

[tvp2003]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Retired racing greyhound if you like sedentary. They just want to spend the rest of their life lounging around. Dumb as a sack of rocks though.

Sorry, couldn’t resist...

[VladtheImpaler]

You can accidentally "steal" my dog. He is great.

[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?

[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.

[Matata]

Originally Posted by bagofpucks

Just my two cents, but after owning a Pekingese, I would stay away from any dog with a smooshed in face if you are worried about having health concerns pop up. We are super careful with our guy and he’s still had a few overheat moments in 23 degrees weather.

Smooshed in face dogs are abominations of nature, they're essentially a grey wolf that's been bred to look like a toddler. Not only do most of them have long term physical disabilities, but they tend to be head cases too, it must be endlessly frustrating to have the mind of an alpha predator while being stuck in a useless, malformed body.

To anyone who wants a dog but doesn't want to spend 100 hours training it or take up jogging I say: get a cat. A cat can be perfectly happy with 20 minutes of attention per day and they are perfectly capable of using the bathroom on their own.

[OMG!WTF!]

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?

I'm friends with a golden breeder/trainer in Okotoks. She puts a great deal of work in to genetic testing before she breeds. I would make sure both parents are vet checked and cleared to breed as my number one requirement. She has way more people wanting to buy than she ever will have puppies. It's hard to get a puppy anywhere right now.

Goldens are very easy to be around but I'm always amazed at how much exercise they can handle. They are amazing athletes and can go all day. We do 6 hour hikes in the mountains, sleep for an hour on the way home and then he is ready to go again. Your golden will accommodate your lifestyle and doesn't need all day every day activity. But on the other hand a half hour leash walk twice a day isn't going to cut it.

They are hunters and will go after anything that moves...squirrels are number one. Birds for sure. But also deer, cows, bears et al. If you go on any sort of adventures you will have to keep him or her safe. But if you can channel that into something constructive you will have a very happy dog.

Males are much more affectionate and cuddly. They also stay much closer to you when off leash. The girls are gone and have a mind of their own. They can be difficult to recall. They also like a little more of their own space and are not as sucky as the males.

They are so smart too. And they speak a language all their own. If you can figure it out it's an amazing bond you will have. They're beautiful. I love all dogs and have been around several breeds. And I realize people are biased towards their particular breed. But goldens are very special.