What dog should i get?

So, we're on the hunt for the perfect dog. And i need the advice from my fello ATSers.

What dog should we get?

We want a fairly small dog, as we have a standard backyard and we want to be able to throw him in the back of the car.

We were thinking of a Staffordshire Terrier or maybe even a Beagle.

He also needs to get along with cats as we have an 18 month old Burmese that owns the joint.

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Cheers,

Ben

How about a HOT DOG

You can throw it in the back of the car.

You can leave it safely with the cat.

You can experience the fun of time travel (if you have a microwave).

It wont crap on your floor.

It wont wake up the neighbors.

Perfect

MonKey

LOL Monkey

Dingleberry...I have no experience with the two breeds you mentioned, but we have a pug. I KNOW I'll get flamed to death for this if there are any other pug owners on here. It seems pug owners are loyal to a fault.

I do love animals, dogs especially. My mom trained dogs on the side of her normal 'day job' so we always had dogs around the house. We too wanted a small, easygoing dog that didn't require tons of exercise and walking as we have a very crazy schedule here. Somehow we let ourselves get talked into this pug.... *sigh*

He is the cutest thing ever, and we do love him but OMG we might as well have had another child! He constantly makes noise...grunting wheezing, sighing, whining, snoring, farting. He won't leave us alone..always has to be where the action is, which is usually on top of my feet. He LOVES to lick...anything and everything including our cat's bum and her litter box and after a quick lick of his own bum tries for your face ugh... He's very high maintenance; have to clean his face wrinkles and ears constantly. They also shed like noone's business!

He likes to eat, as you'll notice many pugs are F A T!!! Ours will eat anything and everything...sticks, rocks, dirt, flowers, glass, cigarette butts, dryer lint..the list goes on (the good thing is that he doesn't chew on normal house stuff like shoes or baseboards though). We have to keep a close eye on his diet so the vet doesn't yell at us! We *knock on wood* havent had this problem yet, but a lot of pugs get ahem blocked anal glands that the vet (or you!) has to empty...shudder...

He's just very needy and sucky and almost worse than adding a child to your life. Maybe it's just my pug, but I have read stories on the net from other owners claiming pretty much the same thing. He is very loving, and GREAT with the kids, but we can't leave him for anything. As for the throwing him in the car thing...he gets car sick too :shk:

So, if that's not what you're looking for, then ummm go for the beagle LOL


Michelle

I think you're on to something. They also won't shed hair and if you're a tad hungry on the road you can have a nibble.

reply to post by dingleberry77


I love pets. Dogs and cats, and have had several of each over the years. I have had a collie, a german shepard, a pug, a golden retriever, a huge mutt, and a toy fox terrier. Currently I have 4 dogs. A rat terrier, a long haired chihuahua, a mutt terrier (looks like a long haired ratter) and a really ugly mutt that has long hair but is shaped like a coon hound.

Out of all those dogs, the mutts have been the best, personality wise. They have been the easiest to train, and seem to just enjoy life more than the other dogs I have had.

Check out a shelter for a puppy or a dog that needs a home before you spend a fortune on a pedigree. Trust me, they are just as lovable, if not more, and they need good homes!

reply to post by Michelle129


Michelle, pugs were honestly on our list until i read your post. He sounds like a nightmare. But i guess that's what owning an animal is all about. Every dog or cat has their own little thing. My dad has a Rotty that has a fetish for pissing in the pool and our Burmese won't drink anything apart from the shower water after we've had a shower.

I loved your story. Thanks. I'll stay away from pugs.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


We're actually going to our local pound on the weekend. Although i am worried about the chance of getting a nightmare. I've heard a lot of stories about pound dogs that have issues. But you are right, getting a dog from the pound is much better for the lost dogs and your pocket.

I also thought mutts we're hard to train.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


We're actually going to our local pound on the weekend. Although i am worried about the chance of getting a nightmare. I've heard a lot of stories about pound dogs that have issues. But you are right, getting a dog from the pound is much better for the lost dogs and your pocket.

I also thought mutts we're hard to train.

reply to post by dingleberry77


I am not sure where you live, but in the experiences that I have had with shelters, a few things might happen. Sometimes the keepers are aware of why a dog is up for adoption. If the owner couldn't care for it, or if they moved to a location where they couldn't keep the pet, ect..If you ask, most the time they can tell you, unless the dog was a stray.

They might also know if the dog is good with children, is housebroken, and if it gets along with other pets, like cats.

Take a list of what you are looking for with you and stick to it, which is hard when you have all those faces staring at you from the inside of a cage.

If they think a pet might be a good match for you, they will possibly suggest you take it for a short walk. Take the time to do this. See how the pet acts on the leash. Try to give it a few commands, like sit, shake paw and such. If the dog is willing to listen to these commands, more than likely it's going to be housebroken as well.

Puppies, well, are puppies. You are starting from scratch, and all the training will be up to you. As for mutts being harder to train, I am not sure why I have been more sucessful with them, other than they seem to be less high strung than pedigree dogs, and more laid back, if that makes sense. Pedigree dogs, in my experience just tend to me more high strung for some reason.

If you are looking for a pal, beauty isn't everything. While pedigree dogs are really attractive, I think sometimes the personality is lacking.

Best of luck to you! Oh, yes, and also, don't loose hope in the shelter. Sometimes it can take a few visits before you find your new best friend!

Thanks for the advice mate. I'll try the first shelter this weekend and see how it goes. We're pretty much open to anything. I guess you know when you've found a good one.

Good luck and try bulldogs. They got the nice smug look on their faces and rollicky tongues, too.

Justed wanted to wish you luck in choosing your new dog!! I tend to like my dogs on the larger side (two weimaraners!!) so I dont have much advice to give except that my Bro had a wired haired terrier which was a fun loving nut case lol

Good luck at the shelter this weekend! It's always great when you can rescue one of those poor animals. We got our cat from a rescue shelter and she's the love of our lives!

When we got our dog we couldn't find what we were looking for in the shelters unfortunately. I think they tend to have more larger dogs as people get them as puppies forgetting how BIG they'll become.

On the topic of training a "mutt", my experience with this was when I was a child we found a stray dog on our front porch. We put up flyers and ads in the paper and nobody claimed her so we kept her. She was the weirdest looking dog ever, and definitely not a purebred anything! She turned out to be one of the smartest dogs we've ever owned. Was totally trained in a matter of weeks and always aimed to please! I think no matter what kind of dog you get, as long as you train them properly and consistently, they will catch on.

Good luck and have fun

Michelle

Hey dingleberry77,

check out this SITE

Great information on every dog breed.

You should look for characteristics Character and Temperament.

I know that I don't want an Independent dog when I get one, cause they are harder to raise and show less affection.

Anyway, just thought I'd throw you that site because there is a TON of info!

good luck on the dog hunt and I'm sure youll make the right choice!

Thanks for the advice everyone. I think i've narrowed it down a bit. It looks like we are getting a Staffie cross Cattle Dog from our local pound. We just couldn't say no. Seeing those poor little buggers that have no home was very sad. We had to at least save one.

Have you got your pooch yet dingleberry? Staffs/Staff crosses are great dogs. Butthey need alot of looking after. Lots of exersize,I'd say at least 2 or 3,2 mile walks every day. Also,something to chew if it's a young dog you're getting. Cos they'll munch on anything whilst you're out. (I had one that took chunks out of the windowsil) Hide the remotes aswell!

Good luck,and I hope your new friend brings you many a giggle. Dogs rule.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


Great comment and suggestion Enthralled. Dingleberry, they do check their health and behavior before allowing them to be adopted, but I would still make the immediate check up at your chosen vet when leaving with the pet. I have all 'rescue' pets, and they get along wonderfully! Ride well too!

I must agree on the Pug issue. As much as I adore them, they are just too plain stupid to consider. Let's be honest. When intelligence was handed out, Pugs didn't even bother to go to the queue...

That doesn't mean that I love the Sacred Pug any less...

Here's another good link that may help you decide:
BestDog
And another good one:
Pet Net
(Edit: I see this last link was given earlier in the thread...)


[edit on 7-3-2008 by Gemwolf]

Originally posted by dingleberry77
Thanks for the advice everyone. I think i've narrowed it down a bit. It looks like we are getting a Staffie cross Cattle Dog from our local pound. We just couldn't say no. Seeing those poor little buggers that have no home was very sad. We had to at least save one.

I think you are making a noble decision. Anyone trying to find a dog should always start at a pound. There is always one that will capture your heart, and you will probably save its life.

I also recommend mutts. Most pure breeds have at some point been mated with a relative. This just makes them dumb, and more prone to genetic disorders in the future. There is nothing worse than a dumb dog.

I too like dogs from the pound. They have so many advantages.

1) They're already used to abuse, so if you have a bad day at work and you want to come home and beat your dog, he's already used to it.

2) If you're like me and you get bored of things real easily, you just pick up that dog and take him back to the pound and exchange him every couple of days.

I KID! I KID!!!!

I really do like getting pets from the shelter. My present dog is a mutt I rescued from the shelter. I got him as a puppy, and they figured he was about 12 weeks when I got him. He is the most lovable dog in the world, and he is GREAT with kids. Truth be told he's as dumb as a blade of grass, but a very good dog. I've had pure bred dogs around. Growing up, my Dad always had a couple of AKC German Shepards in the house. They were great dogs, trained like you wouldn't believe. I honestly believe that those dogs would have died to defend our family. Obviously I have an afinity for German Shepards. My present dog is my second mutt, and they have both been loyal, and lovable.
Dogs are great pets. Kind of high maintenance as compared to a cat, but oh so worth it. I would say visit your local shelter(s) and see if something clicks.
Keep us up to date!